REPUDIATE OR VALIDATE

Sixteen days to elections. The midterm perhaps the most important in U.S. history. In less than 2 years, Trump has taken us down a dark road. Evil at every turn.

Time to save the country. In the manner prescribed in the Constitution. The ballot. Vote!

Vote not as a Republican or Democrat. Vote as an American. To save our country.

The Republicanism Trump proclaims is not that your fathers knew. It is different. Tending to fascism and dictatorship.

Stand together. Republicans swallow your pride and vote for a Democratic Congress. Your vote must be cast to repudiate Trump. To vote Republican, is to validate him.

Trump has begun making immigration an up front issue again. A “caravan” of 4,000 has left Guatemala and Honduras and is on its way to the U.S. They are escaping death.

Trump says he will send the U.S. Army to the border to stop them. He also continues to believe separating children from parents will eventually put a damper on immigration efforts.

Does Trump ever wonder why people would walk 2,000 miles to reach the U.S.? Things must be extremely bad for them to undertake such a trip.

What happened to…..”Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free?”

My mother and my four grandparents came from Italy. All poor. Peasant stock. “The wretched refuse of your teeming shores.” They yearned for the better life. For themselves and their children born and to be born. “Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”

The 4,000 walking the 2,000 miles to our southern border a humanitarian crisis. Our borders should be open and not closed to them. The U.S. once took in masses in greater numbers from Ireland and Italy. They should do the same today for those soon to be knocking on our door.

One of Trump’s quirks is name calling. He finds a name for anyone he dislikes or disagrees with. I thought the names flowed freely from his demented mind. Turns out they are crafted and planned.

It has been reported Horseface for Stormy Daniels was practiced in the White House by Trump. He went around asking people what they thought.

Apparently as President he had nothing better to do at the time.

Then there is Jamal Khashoggi. First, the Saudis cut off his fingers. Then decapitated him. Concluded by using a chain saw to cut his body into parts.

Trump is not disgusted, not infuriated. More concerned with “friendship” of a country some consider an enemy and with money. The deplorable acts committed upon Khashoggi’s body cannot and should not be tolerated by any civilized person. Yet in his own fashion, Trump does.

I share these most recent examples of Trump actions to give further evidence of the road the U.S. is on. My friends one and all, vote Democratic next month. Repudiate Trump. Validate him not. Save our country in the process.

Yesterday, a full one. A haircut with Lori. Followed by lunch at Sandy’s Cafe. Last night, Hard Rock Cafe and Chart Room.

Donna and Terri had me as their guest at Hard Rock. Enjoyed a large rack of ribs and the good company of my lesbian wives.

Stopped by the Chart Room on the way home. Visited with the new bartender Tammy. So lovely! Soft spoken. Sweet.

The Chart Room is her second job. Her first, the Garden of Eden.

Ollie was at the bar. A while since we last had run into each other.

Ollie’s full name is Oliver Kofoid. Why I share this with you, I am not sure. The name and the man do not fit.

Ollie is friendly and witty. A good guy. Community oriented. A citizen and scientist.

Ollie began his early life by getting kicked out of high school. Never returned. Eventually was able to get into a college. Earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Science.

Today in his 50’s, Ollie has worked at the Key West Water Treatment Plant more than 20 years. The operator of the plant is OMI which is part of Jacobs Engineering. Ollie is a Lead Operator. A position of some importance.

He was dressed in his Coast Guard Blues last night. Ollie is an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Two rows of ribbons on his chest.

He has refereed soccer and served as a lacrosse official for Key West schools for years. He is President of his condo association. Ran twice for a seat on the Mosquito Control Board. Lost both times. Why I do not understand.

Ollie dislikes mosquitoes. Seriously. Considers them a plague.

Ollie has a strange sense of humor. He deals with sewage. He once had tee shirts made and gave them out to his friends. Inscribed thereon: “Input From Every Asshole In Town.”

Irma did a number on the wastewater treatment plant Ollie is responsible for. He and several others recently accepted on behalf of their company an award for their performance during the hurricane.

The generator had failed. Ollie and his team effected emergency repairs and kept things running. Critical wastewater and storm water services as a result continued till a new generator arrived. Property and the environment were protected big time because of their efforts.

The National Water Environmental Federation recently gave the Key West Wastewater Treatment Operators its highest award: The Water Heroes Award for going ABOVE & BEYOND.

Lynda and Bob Frechette are back in town. Welcome! You were missed!

Tonight, Goombay. I meet Jean Thornton at 7 at Bourbon Street to begin what I know will be a festive evening.

Enjoy your day!

 

LAST SUPPER…..MINE

I viewed last night’s dinner as my Last Supper. Till tomorrow night. Today, liquids only.

Tomorrow morning, a colonoscopy and endoscopy. I have had them before. The procedure nothing. Knocked out. The prep today the problem. You who have had the procedure understand. Those who have not, your time will come and you will understand.

I enjoyed lamb chops at Antonia’s. The lovely Nicolle bartending. As I think about it, I was enjoying lamb chops last monday at La Trattoria when it became necessary for Carrie the bartender to Heimlich me.

One of the reasons for the procedures tomorrow.

After Antonia’s, It was Publix. I had to buy various liquids to consume today. No food till tomorrow afternoon.

Prior to dinner, I stopped at Aqua. my usual monday evening haunt. Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Rick Dery great. My friend Liz sitting on the other side of the bar enjoying them also. Liz looked great! A new hairdo.

Due to the fun time I shall be enjoying today and tomorrow, some activities/events have been cancelled. My Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou podcast will not be aired this evening. Nor this blog and my Key West Lou Live video tomorrow morning.

Paraphrasing General Douglas MacArthur, I shall return thursday.

Big Pine is 30 miles up the road. North on US 1. Got killed by Irma. Still recovering. Many yet homeless.

Sunday another disaster befell its residents. A raging wildfire. Still burning yesterday. Thought to be under control, but will not be sure until today runs its course.

Smoke covering the Key.

Local, state and federal forestry personnel battling the flames. Fire crews brought in from all the agencies. Including a helicopter which dropped 500 gallons of water at a time.

As of last night, 100 acres already burned. Strong winds encouraged the fire. Dried vegetation left over from Irma fueled it.

A tough fire to fight. The firefighters would put out one area only to find another had begun elsewhere.

Fortunately, losses limited to one house and one garage. No lives.

William Hackley became a part of our lives 2 years ago. Hackley lived and worked in Key West prior to the Civil War. He kept a diary. The Key West Citizen found portions of it and has been reporting Hackley’s life on a daily basis.

I have read 99 percent of the articles. Hackley is moving. Leaving Key West. He has been packing for a couple of weeks. Somewhere along the way, I must have missed a diary entry. I do not know why he is moving.

While in Key West, Hackley and his family enjoyed the life of the well to do. Hackley an attorney holding various positions.

I did a little digging and came up with Hackley’s life after leaving Key West. Only 10 years. He died during a yellow fever epidemic while living in Memphis in 1867.

Hackley left Key West in 1857. Settled in Joliet, Illinois for 6 years. Ran into financial difficulties. Moved to Memphis, Tennessee.

From 1863-1865, Hackley worked as a special agent for the US Treasury and as a cotton agent. In 1865, he became a special agent of the Treasury Department responsible for gathering cotton which had belonged to the Confederate States in Mississippi.

A yellow fever epidemic of great proportion struck in 1867. Hackley infected. He died in Memphis from yellow fever in 1867.

Trump making noises about immigration again. The “caravan” immigrants from Honduras and Guatemala trying to reach the United States. Most seek asylum. They have the necessary paperwork prepared for presentation to US officials at a border point.

Trump announced in recent days that the “caravan” was reaching the Tijuana crossing into the United States. He ordered the Department of Homeland Security to deny them entry.

Typical of Trump, he made it sound like barbarians were at the gate.

Not so.

The initial group leaving Honduras and Guatemala totaled 1,200. Families, many with children and babies. All walking.

The group reaching Tijuana 50. A handful. With papers.

Trump is going to deny them entry without even a proper review of their papers. Some or all just might qualify for entry.

Trump is a big man physically and a big man in every other respect. A giant. He is beating up little people.

Enjoy your day!

.

 

 

 

VOODOO

I mentioned Italy’s immigration problem in yesterday’s blog. Based on personal observation and as reported to me by my friend Anna who lives in Novara. Novara is near Milan.

Anna reads this blog everyday. She responded to yesterday’s blog with a long e-mail. I share excerpts from it. Italy’s immigration problem is different from ours in certain regards.

Italy’s immigrants are primarily from Africa.

“Italy is going down and down…..March the 4th election: right wing will win. Italy is fed up with politicians, mainly of the present government, democrats who packed Italy of immigrants mainly negros and mainly crooks, delinquents. It seems some do voodoo rites!!! Last week in Macerata negros killed, in a flat, an 18 year old girl, chopped her body with knives and machetes, washed them putting the pieces in 2 suitcases and abandoning them faraway in the country. But there was not her heart and bowels!!! Eaten??? A voodoo rite??? Soon after, a crazy white young man in order to revenge the girl, went around downtown Macerata and shot 6 negros injuring them seriously. I could go on…..”

Anna’s husband died several years ago. He served as a national Senator for years and then 8 years as a member of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet. At one time, she sent me a photo of her husband and Gorbachev their heads joined together in what appeared to be a serious conversation.

Spent a couple of hours at the Chart Room last night. John bartending.

Lovely Morgan at the bar. My charming 26 year old friend. A big hug. We talked alone at the round table for two hours.

An amazing young lady. Whoever is fortunate to win her over is going to get a great wife. She’s a keeper!

Friend Sandie at the bar. She introduced me to her visiting friend Janie from Philadelphia. Go Eagles!

As I was leaving, ran into Devon at the bar. I see Devon about once a year. A farmer from the midwest. Owns a condo in Key West.

Devon is a smart farmer. He and his brother own a huge farm. They did not fight the big corporations that entered the agriculture business. They joined them! Happy they are. The right move. They have prospered.

Diana Millikan is off somewhere. She travels the world. She e-mailed me yesterday. One of her Hilton Haven Road neighbors told her there were gun shots around 4:30 in the morning. There were. This morning’s Citizen reports a man staying at the Banana Bay Resort was shot in the leg.

No arrests yet.

Irma hit September 10. Its effects still with us.

The canals remain impacted with house, boat and tree debris. Non-navigable. Nearshore waters, likewise.

Monroe County has entered into a $6 million contract with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection to begin a clean up.

Many still are without homes. The homes either completely destroyed or the owners do not have funds yet to rebuild. FEMA and the insurance companies have been unreasonably slow in making payments.

These people have to live somewhere. Some in tents. Others in hotels. FEMA announced yesterday that they would extend hotel time at FEMA’s expense another month till March 3. There will be further monthly extensions. This part of the Irma problem not being resolved.

Mom’s Tea Room. I have written several times about Mom’s Tea Room. A Key West house of prostitution. Alice Reid the madam.

On this day in 1941, the body of working girl Cecilia Thompson Trunk was found in Mom’s. An apparent suicide. On the same day in 1952, another body found. Rita Brown, an apparent suicide also.

Mom’s was a busy place. A big U.S. Navy clientele. The Navy had many stationed here. The Navy did not like Alice or Mom’s. Morality and venereal disease the reasons. They closed Reid’s place a couple of times. A smart woman, however. She would pop up in another location. Closed finally in the 1950’s, never to open again.

Same sex marriage. Its time had come. The world accepting/falling into place. One nation at a time. Till now.

Bermuda reverted.

Bermuda’s law recognizing same sex marriage was less than one year old. Bermuda’s President signed a new law yesterday banning same sex marriage. A reversal. A win for bigotry.

Those of the same sex can live together with all the same rights and benefits as if married. The new relationship called a domestic partnership. The title married neither available nor recognized.

Have to hustle. A haircut with Lori at noon.

Enjoy your day!

 

I ACHE…..I FELL

It happens every now and then. Fortunately, with less frequency.

I fell thursday night. In my bathroom. The toilet bowl and floor became my enemies.

Lucky I did not break my left hip. Could not get up. Always a problem for seniors who fall. Lay there for an hour. Finally crawled the 30 feet to my bedroom.

Getting on the bed not easy.

My left leg and knee a mess of big bruises and small cuts. My left arm the same. My right arm a mess from elbow to wrist. Both knees hurt.

My left hip the worse. Glad I did not break it. Major bruise and small cuts. Difficult to put weight or pressure on it. Laying in bed and sitting a problem. Going up stairs painful.

Spent yesterday in bed on my side.

No blog yesterday because of the fall.

Cheryl Keast, love you! You always are concerned when there is no blog. Wonder if a computer glitch or worse. Worse this time.

Perhaps my next book should not be Growing Up Italian. Problems of the Elderly might be better. I have experience in both areas.

Blog short today. Sitting literally a pain in the ass. Want to get back to bed.

The Government shut down. Disgraceful.

Of course, I consider Trump to blame. He and his wall/immigration issue disruptive. Needs the wall and some immigration concessions for his base. The solid 39 percent.

The Democrats know they have him in a bind. They are correct in holding out for DACHA, CHIP, opioid funding, and aid for Puerto Rico.

If both sides were smart, they would get it done in one swell swoop at this time.

Smart however no longer an attribute of politicians.

The far right, alt-right, and evangelicals worry me. Most of whom make up Trump’s solid base. Actually, scare me.

They have brought us a President such as Trump and opened the door to all kinds of political nuts who now sit in Congress.

Rick Saccone is the GOP Congressional candidate in a special Pennsylvania election. Last thursday, Trump traveled to North Fayette Township to campaign for Saccone.

Who is Saccone? A scary background. He was an interrogation consultant for the U.S. Army at the infamous Abu Ghraib in Iraq. A torture expert. He has written extensively in support of tactics widely condemned as torture by human rights experts. Like waterboarding, stress positions, and sleep deprivation. Also, the use of execution threats, dogs, and electrocution threats.

Is Saccone the type of person we want in Congress? There are enough right wing nuts already.

People are known by the company they keep. Trump looks bad in supporting Saccone.

The election result will be an indication of Trump’s present popularity. He carried the Congressional district by 20 percent a year ago.

Terri White getting healthier by the day. Saw her local cancer doctor this week. Her tests all good.

Terri is singing the next few days. Sunday at Kate Miano’s Gardens. Monday at Aqua with Dueling bartenders.

Go Terri!

Enough. Back to bed time.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT’S A LITTLE GLOBAL WARMING?

The block of iceberg that has been threatening to split from its much larger piece for years has finally done so. In the Antarctic.

Six thousand square kilometers. I tried to transfer the number into miles. I could not, even after googling the problem. The best description as to size is that it is half the size of Wales.

The block took 10 years to finally split off.

The immediate concern is that the iceberg will float into the North Atlantic and become a hazard to shipping. Long term,  contributing to rising ocean levels as it melts.

Worked on my podcast yesterday afternoon. Fine tuned it for presentation last night on Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Two particularly interesting topics concerned the Trump family and Somali-Sudan immigration into Europe.

Lying seems to run in the Trump family. Sad. The fruit does not fall far from the tree. The children grew up in their father’s shadow. They learned from him. Many things learned not nice.

We have seen the disaster which arose from Syrians fleeing their country. Hordes of immigrants. Europe overwhelmed.

It’s coming again. This time from Africa. Somali and Sudan. Projected it will be in the millions over the next five years. Many more persons than escaped Syria. War, famine, etc. the reasons.

Snuck out for a quick dinner at Hogfish before the show. Enjoyed pieces of battered fried fish.

Hogfish quiet. Off season obvious. Bar only half full.

Drinking water from the sea. A dream of man for years. Came to fruition in a small way this date in 1966 in the Keys. On Stock Island. Construction began. A desalinization plant. Perhaps the largest in the world at the time.

The plant was dedicated in 1967. A big deal. Vice-President Hubert Humphrey attended.

The plant converted seawater to fresh water. 2.62 million gallons per day. The plant was considered a marvel of technology. Now under supervision of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, the plant is being expanded to produce 4 million gallons a day.

I do not like war profiteers nor do I like private armies. The United States has been engaged with both for years.

The privatizing of a portion of our wars began in big style under Bush 2. He did not want the citizens of the U.S. seeing large numbers of death bags nor did he want the people of the U.S. to know the true number of war dead and wounded.

Privateers are a world unto themselves. They hire, pay and train those willing to serve. To fight and die, to provide peripheral services.

Obama used privatized servicemen also.

Trump may. Probably will.

It was announced July 10 that Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner had met with the CEO’s of Blackwater and DynCorp International. The largest private army owners in the world. To discuss hiring the companies to aid U.S. in war planning.

“War planning” bothered me. What are our generals for?

These companies make money by contracting out personnel to fight. No wars, no profit. No need for the private contractors.

Trump’s concern is the Afghanistan War now in its 16th year. Trump has been indicating an increase in troops is required.

Since Trump wants to privatize everything, it is not surprising he had Bannon and Kushner sit down with these guys.

Not healthy. Not a money saver. Does not provide for direct U.S. supervision. It is like operating in a black hole. No one knows what is going on, except for the war profiteers themselves.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

LE PETIT PARIS

I discovered a new place! Le Petit Paris. A tiny restaurant on Duval. Dining inside and out. The outside tables a taste of Paris.

My mid afternoon lunch yesterday absolutely delicious. Lobster Benedict. Served by a cheerful pretty waitress. Cooked obviously by a skilled chef. Though I did not meet him, I testify to the quality based on what I ate.

I would have enjoyed meeting the chef. I understand he is the owner, also. Next time.

The menu suggested meals ranging from breakfast to lunch to dinner. Mouth watering.

Prices neither cheap nor expensive. Down the middle.

I intend to return. Soon!

There will be no blog tomorrow and perhaps wednesday. Maybe not till thursday. I am moving. Reducing the size of my home. From 3,600 square feet to 1,600.

When I bought my Key West home 19 years ago, I had a wife, 4 children and 7 grandchildren. Wife no more. Children and grandkids do their own thing. It’s all alone by the telephone for me.

I am moving to the Golf Course. The Sanctuary. A single two story home. Huge front porch. Small yard surrounded by an 8 foot wall. Jacuzzi in the corner. Waterwise, I am downsizing also. From ocean to jacuzzi.

Comcast screwed me up today. Turned off my internet, TV and land line at 5:30. Supposed to be done tomorrow.

Donna saved my ass! She is concierge at the Fairfield. I am in Fairfield’s lobby working.

First time in Fairfield. A modestly priced hotel. Gorgeous lobby! Looks like a good place to stay.

Met Mike Kelly and Eric Bove. Mike is the general manager of Fairfield and three other new hotels on the Boulevard. Called The Keys Collection. Eric general manager of the Fairfield.

Comcast hookup at the new house wednesday or thursday.

It is good for me to be out with the people as I describe it. I rarely run into what other people come up against.

Gross impoliteness this morning! Two places.

Comcast the first. Nothing is ever easy with them. I was returning the old equipment. Everything else done in a 3 hour phone call friday.

The woman simply was impolite. Did not care about me or my problems.

I observed everyone was treated in a similar fashion.

Then the Post Office.

I have found in the years since the Post Office went private, most of the employees don’t care. They have an attitude about them

All I wanted to do was file a change of address  card. The place was not busy. Empty most of the time.

I was boring the counter person. She was bothered answering my questions. Handed me a package and said do it.

The Post Office must make a ton of money off advertisements. There had to be a good dozen in the packet. Filled out the wrong form. Not an advertisement. It looked like the right one.

I had a concern. Back to the counter asking if I had done it properly. I had not. She looked at me as if I was an idiot. Bothering her. No other customers at the time.

I miss the days when someone else took care of Comcast, Post Office and other problems. I am an 81 year old inexperienced man when it comes to every day mundane things.

On top of which, I am tired. Two days of packing. Anna working with me. The upstairs air conditioning went kaput late saturday. Fun packing the upstairs!

I apologize for complaining. Needed to vent.

Let me close with something I do not understand.

The U.S. Supreme Court rendered an intermediate decision with regard to the Trump travel ban law. A victory for Trump. The Court is going to render a full decision in the Fall. Suggests to me the Court will go with Trump again.

I disagree with the decision. My country is falling apart. Not just because of one decision. In most respects.

In addition to no blog for a couple of days, I will not be able to do Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou tomorrow night. Need my land line. I suspect I will be getting the Facebook videos in. Done on the cell phone.

Enjoy your day!

 

SEVEN FISHES

Good morning!

Another lovely morning in the Florida keys!

I stepped outside to enjoy a cup of tea. The tide is out. Dramatically so. One of the lowest water levels I have seen in the 19 years I have enjoyed this home.

An interesting sight. Huge rocks rarely observed are visible. The water level significantly below mangrove roots. The water still.

Today, I share the seven fishes usually enjoyed Christmas Eve by my people. Persons whose family immigrated from southern Italy.

Before I do, I want to respond to some comments to this blog over the past few weeks.

I write the blog for me. It gives me pleasure to express myself on a multitude of issues. I do not write to please my readers. At this stage of my life, I feel honored some enjoy reading what is written.

My life is more than this daily blog. I do a weekly radio show. Up to this past summer, wrote a lengthy weekly column for a local newspaper. I am still working on a new type internet show that will be in addition to the podcast I do tuesday evenings.

I could not work the show out to please my needs. I wanted to use Key West Lou on You Tube and have a separate comment column. The Key West Lou thing screwed it up.

I have decided to utilize Facebook. A comment suggestion led me there. When I get to it, I will get to it. I am retired. I do this for pleasure. No reason for me to hurry.

I generally do not respond to comments. I did at the beginning 10 years ago. It ate up my afternoons.

I am thrilled to read your comments. It stops there however. I do not seek the back and forth responding would require.

Then there are those crude disparaging comments that do not warrant responding. Why would I waste my time! The commentor’s language speaks for itself.

I do the tuesday night podcast. I continue to write three books simultaneously. Wonder if I ever will finish another.

As to topics discussed, I get to what I want to get to in good time. If I want to. A few weeks back I was criticized for not responding to an inquiry as to what the seven fishes were. A good topic. In my good time, however.

Timing is important. The primary purpose of the blog is to describe my life in Key West. Which means I have had to do something the day before in order to have something to write about the next day.

Tuesdays are generally spent home. All day. I am fine tuning my podcast show to be presented in the evening. Which leaves me with nothing to write wednesday mornings about my Key West life the day before.

I save a seven fish story for those times. Like a wednesday. That is why seven fishes will be shared today.

I enjoy the political banter. Those in the comments section. I enjoy the play between the commentors.

My political exchanges take place at the Chart Room. Where few agree with me. So what’s new?

The Chart Room gives me Libertarian Victor. A smart guy. All smart. John the bartender, David, Che, and tourists. Marty from days gone by. I miss Marty. We were diametrically opposed politically.

Even my discourses with Liz. A year older than me. Her history includes Deanships at two law schools. A smart lady. A black hearted Republican! Even liked Trump. Disliked Hillary who she knew personally.

My point, I get my political exercise via the Chart Room and Liz.

Having expressed myself thusly, my blog for this morning will be held over till tomorrow. Except for the seven fishes.

My people came from southern Italy. My mother was born in Italy. Southern Italians brought with them the seven fishes. To be eaten Christmas Eve evening.

I am sure seven fishes has listings in excess of the seven I will be sharing with you. I only share those fishes we ate. Especially in my home.

Shrimp cocktail. With cocktails before dinner.

Fried shrimp. Delicious! Shrimp in an egg-flour batter fried in oil. We would congregate in the kitchen eating some before dinner. So good, we could not wait.

Stuffed calamari. Actually, stuffed squid. A part of the squid is like  a condom. Cleaned well during the day. Stuffed with bread crumbs, egg and parsley. Sewed closed. Cooked in the pasta sauce. Served over a large bowl of linguine. A meal for the gods. Tasted even better the next day cold.

Baccala. Actually, cod. Prepared many different ways. Cod is hard and salty. Supposedly to make people recall days when things were tough. We did not eat it hard and salty.

Baccala took three weeks to prepare. Softened in a bowl of oil for three weeks. All kinds of herbs in with the cod. By the time Christmas Eve came around, the baccala was soft and tasty.

Broiled Maine lobsters. Covered in hot butter.

Baked clams.

The final fish a piece de resistance! Smelts! I was crazy for smelts. Another dish we cheated eating as the smelts came out of the pan in the kitchen. Why wait!

Smelts are tiny tiny black fish. As long as your little finger. A third the size width wise.

Fried in oil. Came out crispy. Very crispy. Eaten bones and all, including the head.

Two more topics before I conclude.

My blog talk radio show last night. Hit hard on the theft of Social Security by our government, China moving into robots big time, and an example of Mexican immigration leading to rape.

Tonight at 7, Syracuse/Miami. Miami a one point favorite. I have no comment.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER

The 99L tropical wave was supposed to dump rain and wind on Key West sunday. Nothing happened. Not one drop of rain.

Yesterday, an 80 percent chance of rain. Wind from the south. I thought also we would have rain. Not a drop.

Today, an 80 percent chance of rain. I give up. I don’t know. Neither do the weather professionals.

Did my podcast broadcast last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting. I covered happenings in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Indonesia, Russia and China. Plus, occurrences in four States. A fast moving half hour.

Revealing material. Some sad, some humorous.

A busy day ahead. An early business luncheon at Salute’s. I am looking forward to it. Salute’s has great mussels at lunch. Martin’s Happy Hour with Joseph from Hot Tin Roof. Then, Donna and Terri at Back Door.

No laying around today.

Anna, where are you?

Anna reports this week she is in three different villages hanging off the side of Mont Blanc. Traveling with friends. They presently are at her chalet in Courmayeur. Tomorrow, they cross the border into France. they will be visiting Chamonix and Megeve.

What a life!

Everywhere they go,   there will be chic chalets and cobbled medieval streets.

An historic morning! At 9:45, the first commercial flight between the U.S. and Cuba takes off. Fort Lauderdale to Santa Clara. Santa Clara in central Cuba. A Jet Blue flight. The last commercial flight was 50 years ago at the time of the Cuban missile crisis.

Trump knows how to get publicity. He lets little slip through his fingers in that regard.

This afternoon, he will be in Mexico City for a meeting with the Mexican President. Tonight, Trump is in Phoenix giving his much awaited immigration speech. I am curious what this version will be.

The Mexican President is as foxy as Trump. I wonder who comes out ahead. He could make Trump look bad. Not that Trump needs help.

Hillary was in California last night at a fund raiser. At Jimmy Buffetts’ home. Hillary and the Beatles’ Paul McCartney danced.

Enjoy your day!

MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD OUT OF CONTROL

The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District. A pompous sounding name. Most refer to it as the Mosquito Control Board. I will.

Pomposity is not in name alone. I am beginning to think it applies to Board members. All elected to their positions. Ergo, directly answerable to the people. Something they seem to have forgotten.

I say VOTE THEM OUT! All of them.

The board recently passed a new policy. Any information re Zeka, dengue fever and other tropical diseases are not to be discussed by Board members till the State Health Department has confirmed a case first. Even then, the Board’s attorney has approval/disapproval power.

Stupid!

People have a right to know. Especially where health issues are involved. What happened to transparency.

The Zeka battle has left Board members shell shocked. Their own fault. They have been handling the Zeka problem in a ridiculous fashion.

Top employees are well paid. The Executive Director receives $135,000 a year. My admonition: Don’t screw with the public. You are placing your job on the line.

The Board decided it needed a new building. Last year at this time, the Board was advised the building would cost $2.4 million. Not making a decision, the price has jumped $2 million in one year to $4.4 million. Not understandable in itself.

Yesterday, the Board approved a 45 percent increase in property taxes to pay for the new building. Forty five percent!!!

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Jenny encouraging. Body Owners helpful. I stayed at a lower speed for 30 minutes. A slight step backward. However, it was all I thought I could handle.

Then to Verizon wireless. The Verizon store in the Winn Dixie Shopping Plaza.

Lesson #2 in learning how to use my new telephone. Got it six months ago. A total disaster for me!

I visited the store recently and told the young lady behind the counter that I had the new phone, bought it from them six months ago, could not use it. Needed help. Could they help? I was willing to pay. Or direct me to someone I could hire to teach me.

Her name, Nana Hernandez. Her title, Wireless Professional. She said I will teach you and it will cost you nothing. Yesterday was help/lesson #2. A step at a time. She is patient. We have a schedule. Three times a week. In a month, I will be a terror!

Dinner last night at Hot Tin Roof with Frances and Chris. Interesting people. Fun. They return up north today and will not be back till the Fall.

This afternoon research for this week’s KONK Life column. Research will be completed today. I will write the column tomorrow.

About bagels. For real. An interesting history yesterday and today.

What a change in subject matter! Last week’s article was about the new prostitution.

Four more people approached me yesterday about the Prostitution column. All women. Forty to 60 years in age. Probably mothers and grandmothers. Without deviation, all consider the new prostitution deplorable.

Big day for Hemingway Days! Running of the Bulls and the Hemingway Look A-Like Contest. Makes for a great afternoon.

Immigration a problem almost everywhere. Great Britain hit over the years big time with hordes of immigrants.

A recent study indicates the British people are becoming a minority in their own country. 2015 birth rates show 3.2 immigrant babies born for every 1.8 British babies. Just a question of time.

The five leading immigrant groups in order of their numbers are the Polish, Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis, and Nigerians.

Enjoy your day!