TRUMP NOT MAN ENOUGH FOR LISTENING SESSION WITH DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

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The kids from Parkland’s Douglas High School are tough. The buck stops with them! They appear committed to bringing the gun issue to a head.

Trump hears their cries. He has to do something. His nature.

It was announced yesterday that the President plans listening sessions this week with students and teachers. The announcement did not say what students and teachers.

Those from Douglas High School where 17 were killed? I doubt it. The students would make him look foolish. For two reasons. First, from the mouth of children comes truth. Second, the students know bullshit when they hear it.

The confrontation would be interesting.

I do not believe it will occur, however. A losing proposition for Trump. He would come out of it looking bad.

I believe that where ever and with whom ever the listening sessions will be held will be from another area. Trump will be working at rigging the meeting.

Remember rigged from the election?

Staying with the Douglas High School shooting a moment longer, there is a need for blood. O negative.

Enough blood was available to care for the injured victims. The supply is now tapped out. A request has gone forth to anyone who should wish to donate to help replenish O negative. Instructions direct traveling to their usual donation sites to give.

The AR-15 rifle in the news other than in Parkland.

Levi Patterson coaches a 9 and under baseball team in Nesoho, Missouri. Third graders. The team needs to raise money. The father of one of the players sells guns. He donated an AR-15 rifle for a raffle prize.

The team players, age 7-9, are selling the raffle tickets.

Coach Patterson sees no problem with the AR-15 being used. He believes people think differently about guns in his area. In effect, the AR-15 is ok.

Tyler Tannahill is a Kansas Congressional candidate. A month ago, he decided to have a giveaway contest. Someone to win an AR-15 rifle.

Douglas occurred last week. Tannahill refuses to withdraw the AR-15 as the prize. He is a passionate defender of gun rights.

Sometimes we see the same person over a period of several years and yet  never get to know their names, etc. Always a smile and cheerful hello in passing.

My situation with one of the concierges at the Marriott Beachside.

We discovered each other on a more personal basis yesterday.

My photo and announcement of Irma and I covered the front page of KONK Life last week. The concierge called out to me yesterday morning by name. She said she had not known it before, but had seen my pic and read the article. Told me she has begun reading my blog.

Her name, Toni Tarracino. Last name sound familiar? She is one of the daughters of now deceased Captain Tony. Key West Mayor, saloon keeper, icon, etc. Toni proudly told me she is known as Little Toni.

My day began with the stop at the Marriott Beachside. Followed by a business lunch at the Geiger Key Marina. At noon, hardly a seat. No question the season has arrived.

Back to my home. I had no hot water. A two day wait for a plumber. Called a friend who stopped over. Problem resolved in 15 minutes. After two days and three cold showers, it was a pleasure later in the afternoon to enjoy a hot one.

Last night, the Gardens. A comfortable way to finish sunday.

Many people.

Ran into Jenna Stauffer. A love of my life for 10 years. Jenna was the producer for the TV show I did for three years. She was all bubbly and excited. Just returned from Paris.

Also ran into June Hudson. A couple of years since we have seen each other. Unchanged. Charming and lovely.

Stopped at Tavern ‘n Town for a late dinner. A rack of lamb. Nothing else. Diet still holding at 19 pounds.

Iguanas are an exotic species. Look like small dragons. To Key West residents, disgusting.

The iguanas are not native. They started their invasion about 15 years ago. Now, all over the island.

They deficate all over, including in the pools. They eat your expensive planted flowers.

They fear not. You can walk up to one and it will not move.

All of a sudden, the State has become aware there is an iguana problem. Don’t know where the State has been. However the State does not wish them killed. The State has scheduled clinics to advise how to capture and arrange for their removal to another part of the State.

Capture and remove? How stupid. Authorize their killing.

A State representative said, “We do not know the extent of the threat.” Live here and you will know. They are all over the place.

The State should recall how it handled the python invasion. Too little, too late. Now number in excess of 1 million. They can only be controlled, not eradicated.

Can you imagine 1 million plus iguanas? They will be living in our homes. Laugh not.

Dueling Bartenders tonight at Aqua.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

JUNE AND BOBBY

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Great evening last night!

Dinner and Bobby Nesbitt in the company of June Hudson. Dinner at Tavern ‘n Town. Packed. Many locals having a bite to eat before seeing Bobby Nesbitt perform at the Tennessee Williams Theater.

Nesbitt’s Cabaret Show was his tenth successive. He has done one a year the past ten years. All at the Tennessee Williams Theater.

Carmen Rodriguez joined Bobby in the performance.

The theme/background of show was Las Vegas. From Frank Sinatra to Louis Prima and Keely Smith. Outstanding! Especially for one who lived through those years. The tunes became popular beginning with Sinatra’s 1950s Las Vegas Rat Pack days. My college years.

I looked around the room where Bobby was performing. Many familiar faces. All loyal fans and followers. Most at least twenty years. Wherever and whenever Bobby performed in Key West. Some followed him to San Farncisco and Germany also for shows in those locations.

June excellent company. I screwed up her evening a bit. There was a private party at someone’s home following the show. June and I were to go. I begged off after Bobby’s show.

I did nothing sunday work wise. Thought I was ahead of the game. Actually was not. Knew I had a big day today. Preparation for tomorrow night’s blog talk radio show. Needed to get to bed.

I was correct. I am behind. So much so that I have cancelled my time on the anti-gravity treadmill this morning.

Happily, June did not let me deter her. She went to the party.

A new show is opening soon at the Red Barn Theater. Scott and Hem. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway together for an evening of chit chat. The play was written by Mark St. Germain. His credits include many plays, novels and TV shows. One of the TV shows in the news these days. He was the writer for the Cosby Show.

I hope to see Scott and Hem.

Another cold front coming in. High today will be 69. Will be cold a couple of days.

Lisa’s in-laws live in Cape Coral. Cape Coral was hit by a tornado last night. The in-laws fortunately only lost the screen covering the pool.

No difficulty in deciding where I will be tonight. At home. Watching the Clemson/Alabama game. I have no favorite. Jean Thornton and David Heath do. Both die hard Alabama fans. It is questionable whether Jean will survive if Alabama loses.

The day ahead pleasant for me. Researching tomorrow night’s blog talk radio show. A good five hours involved.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

KISSING

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I love writing the KONK Life column. Immensely.

The topics can get a bit heavy. Too much heavy tires me out and I suspect my readers also. Ergo, every three or four weeks I do what I describe as a light column. Not necessarily funny. Merely soft and easy.

I wrote this week’s column yesterday. Since I had begun  the research Friday night, I was able to complete the column yesterday. A big deal! My Sunday is now free. All day!

Kissing the topic. The simple ordinary everyday connection between two humans.

The column basically a history of kissing. There was a time when people did not kiss. A time also when kissing was banned. Human nature being what it is, kissing survived. Fortunately.

The column publishes Wednesday in KONK Life.

The Syracuse/North Carolina game was exciting. Syracuse was in there till about three minutes to go. Syracuse rebounded and shot well. The problem continues to be the lack of a big man.

Based on the play, you knew Boeheim was back! His nine game suspension ended.

As expected, Boeheim received a rousing welcome when he stepped onto the court. Twenty six thousand strong. I was happy for him and at the same time sad. He appeared tired. Very tired. His hair totally white. The suspension aged the man.

Florida is once again engaged in a strange venture. The Second Python Challenge. 1/16-2/14.

Florida’s python population is out of control. The hope of the State is to maintain, not eradicate the pythons.

The Python Challenge permits man to hunt the pythons. The last hunt was 2013. All of 68 pythons were captured or killed. My fear is a python will kill a hunter. Gulp!

The State says even though the capture/kill number will be small, it is helpful to the State in determining their eating habits and paths of travel.

I believe the Challenge to be an ill conceived venture. Better the time and man power were spent figuring out how to get rid of the hundreds of thousands living out there. Most in the Keys.

I rarely buy a Powerball Jackpot lottery ticket. I did this week. Ten. Twenty dollars. Why not! The prize $950 million.

No one won. Another drawing this week. I will buy another ten. The ante will be upped. It is anticipated to $1.3 billion.

I think the lottery is a wonderful thing. Makes instantaneous millionaires out of those who were without. The winner can truly say…..What a country America!

Big night tonight! A date, dinner at Tavern ‘n Town and Bobby Nesbitt.

The lovely June Hudson returned this past week. We will be enjoying Bobby Nesbitt together at the Tennessee Williams’ Theater following dinner at Tavern ‘n Town.

A perfect evening!

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

LOU HARRIS A PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY

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I enjoyed last evening’s talk by Lou Harris tremendously. He was the final speaker in the 2015 Friends of the Key West Library Speakers Series. Harris is 94. He has been a part of American history. He is respectfully known today as the Dean of American Pollsters.

Harris was an intimate of former Presidents. Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. He shared some Johnson quirks. Humorous. He knew Joe Kennedy very well.

He decried today’s pollsters. They give he who is paying the bill what they want. Not necessarily the truth. Romney being an example. He sees Hillary as the next President. However, the e mails will be a problem for her. He thought Elizabeth Warren would be a more exciting candidate.

Harris recognized the growing strength/power of women. They are rapidly become leaders. Simply because they are better equipped to handle problems.

Education a problem. Our children not getting a proper education. Unless remedied, it could lead to the United States becoming the biggest banana republic ever. Also, children cannot learn if 16 percent go to school hungry.

He was clear that racial problems must be fixed.

He damned corporate America.

The evening was a pleasurable experience for me.

I was with June hudson. We stopped at La Concha after the talk for a drink. Ran into Aaron and Karen. Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Did some sataki.

On the way to our cars, it started raining. Pouring a better description. We ducked into the Chart Room till the rain stopped. It poured all night also. It is still raining heavy as I write. Strange because we are no where close to the rainy season.

Met Louis Snow for the first time at the Chart Room. Snow is a retired attorney from Skaneateles, N.Y. Home also of my friends Dan and Lisa Reardon. He knows them.

Snow is a frequent visitor to Key West. His present trip for 6-8 weeks.

I hope we run into each other again this trip. I would enjoy sharing war stories with an attorney who practiced in some of the same court rooms as I did.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me. The topics interesting. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou..

Topics such as Russia giving Denmark a nuclear warning, Andorra becoming the new place for money to be laundered, a police impersonator who had the misfortune of pulling over a real cop, a woman who was convicted of killing her child and had served 20 plus years being released because the proof against her was grossly unreliable, the Phoenix Zoo discovering after two years that a two year old bear was a female and not male, and more.

Another morning where I have to hustle. I have a late morning appointment with my dermatologist. A routine six month check up.

Enjoy your day!

 

FLY TO HAVANA

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It finally happened! The first flight from Key West to Havana without all the red tape. Friday was the big day. The first regularly scheduled flight in 55 years. Havana Air the airline.

The start of something good. The remarriage of Key West and Havana is long overdue.

I started my research for this week’s KONK Life column thursday. Researched all day yesterday. I plan on writing the column today. The topic is Tom Cotton. He is the new U.S. Senator from Arkansas. He is also the author of the letter to Iran that 46 other Republican Senators signed trying to discourage Iran from signing any nuclear agreement with the United States.

His background surprising. He is to be taken seriously. A dangerous man who is being groomed for the Presidency.

A unique evening. Drinks first at the Chart Room. Then a long slow dinner at the Hot Tin Roof. My companion, June Hudson. We chatted so long that by the time we were ready to leave, we were the only customers left. A good time!

John Lukas was at the Hot Tin Roof bar earlier in the evening. I stopped and talked with him a bit. A good guy. I had not seen him since JDL’s Sports Bar closed several months ago.

We all have committed a faux pas or two. No one is perfect. Everyone occasionally makes a mistake. Some can be embarrassing.

The Key West Citizen published a Wedding Guide for 2015. Describes perfect honeymoon locations. No mention of Key West! A major faux pas. Especially since Key West is considered the #2 place in the United States for a wedding.

The main story in this morning’s Key West Citizen involves animal shelters. The three located in the Keys. The Upper Keys, Marathon, and Key West. Turns out the Upper Keys facility is performing more euthanizations than Marathon and Key West.

Eighty percent of dogs and 79 percent of cats are put down. Substantially more than the other two facilities. Something wrong in Denmark here!

When I was a young lawyer in Utica, I joined the Sons of Italy. My mother was born in Italy, my father in the U.S. After being an active member for several years, I dropped out. My practice had grown and I had to cut back on outside activities.

There is a Sons of Italy chapter in Key West. I never joined. The name has been altered. It now is the Sons and Daughters of Italy. Most of today’s Italo-Americans are second generation. Both genders are now accepted equally into the fold.

Enjoy your day!

A SPRING BREAK BEACH

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It was a bit overcast early yesterday afternoon. I decided to walk Smathers Beach. I forgot it was spring break time.

I must share an impression. I felt old. Even better, antiquated. They are all young! Very Young! I almost felt pedophilic looking at the young ladies.

Twenty five years ago when I first visited Key West, it was spring break time. The young ladies looked young, but still woman like. I was not ashamed to look.

Yesterday was different. They were too young looking. It was because I had become too old. At 79, a 20 year old looked like a high school teenager.

Bocce last night! We won all three games. We were not overjoyed, however. We killed the opposition in the first game. The next two were close and we could have lost either or both.

Why were we unhappy? The team we played had only won one game till last night. They still have won only one game, but made a fight of it against us.

With one exception, none of us was up to our usual ability. We sucked! Clare was the only shining light.

Captain David has been saying for three years that we play to our competitor’s level. A valid observation last night.

I was happily surprised at one point. Robert and Jake showed up. Robert was walking Jake. I was happy to see him. A hug and kiss are always good.

Jake surprised me. I had never seen him before with a number of other dogs around. Everyone brings their dog to bocce. Jake handled it well. Sniffing away, the dogs were friendly with each other.

A loyal blog reader is Marty from the Blue Ridge. He comments frequently. Engages with others in arguing some point raised in the blog.

Yesterday, I wrote about the Great Blizzard of 1888. Marty brought to my attention the Great Northeast Heat Wave of 1896. Extended from Chicago through New York and Boston. Lasted 10 days. The temperature above 90 degrees, day and night. There was no breeze. Some 1,500 died.

Living conditions in New York were deplorable for poor immigrant families. They lived 5-6 to a room, no air circulation and no running water.

The  heat wave was Theodore Roosevelt’s introduction to prominence. He was a little known Police Commissioner. He had ice distributed free from the police stations.

Tonight, dinner with June Hudson. I have been looking forward to it all week. We have known each other for over 20 years. However since her husband Bill died two years ago, we have seen little of each other.

Enjoy your day!