JEAN THORNTON RETURNS

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A crowd of 200 was waiting at the Key West Airport last night. Waiting for Jean Thornton who was arriving on the Delta flight out of Atlanta.

The crowd yelled and screamed as she descended the plane’s steps. Soon she was hoisted on some burly shoulders and carried into the airport.

Jean is one of the most popular and loved persons in Key West. The Golden Girl. Found gold coins and emeralds when diving with Mel Fisher many years ago. Changed her life!

She was my benefactor also. When escaping Irma, I stayed at her home in Birmingham for 12 days.

Her airport reception is fantasy. Created by me. Everything else true. Thought she was deserving of such a reception. A figment of my imagination.

Welcome back, Jean!

I learn more about Captain Tony each day. His daughter Toni a huge help in acquainting me with him.

Tony had an electric car. Made it himself. Piece by piece, part by part. Inside and out. The car tiny. Maximum speed 3 mph.

There was an airbrush painter by the name of Bill Miller in town for years. A friend Of Captain Tony’s. He painted Tony’s face on the side of the car. Took up half of one side. Painted all kinds of other things on the rest of the car.

Tony had an old Lincoln. Airbrushed by Miller, also.

Tony drove around in the Lincoln with his goat Ruff. Ruff meaaahhhing along the way.

Cape Air is a small regional airliner that had been serving Key West for years. Their planes colorfully painted. One had Tony’s face covering better than half of one side.

A cruise back in time to the 1940s. Next wednesday. A preservation fundraiser for the Custom House. KWAHS has gone all out putting the event together.

Cocktails on the veranda of the Custom House first. Then a walk next door to Magaritaville’s Grand Ballroom. The Ballroom will have been transformed into a luxury cruise liner.

Recommended attire 1940s.

The weather outside is frightful…..No snow. But cold! Last night 63 degrees. At moment 64. High supposedly will reach 70 today. Normalcy returns tomorrow when the temperature will be in the low 80s.

The game plan last night was for me to go to Jack Flatt to watch Syracuse/Ohio State at 7. I laid down around 3:30 for a nap. Woke a little after 6. Too late for Jack Flat. Needed to shave, shower, dress, drive into town, etc.

Stayed home and watched the game.

Syracuse played its best game of the season. Its only good game. Beat Ohio State 72-62.

Ohio State undefeated prior to the game at 6-0. Syracuse 3-2.

It all came together for Syracuse last night. The hit on 3s, played great defense. Boeheim mixed his players up. May have hit on the right combination.

An on the road upset win.

My faith has been restored!

Manafort’s duplicity may save his ass with a Trump pardon. It will not help his attorneys or Trump’s attorneys. Their participation in the scheme borders on the criminal. Ethically, they are over the line. Could cost them their licenses.

Trump leaves today for the G 20 meeting in Argentina. He has a meeting scheduled with his “friend” Putin. The two will leave the meeting arm in arm. Friends!

Trump should be meeting with China’s Xi. The U.S. problem with China big. Sensitive.

What makes me laugh is that Russia benefits every time the U.S. and China conflict. For example, Russia is selling soybeans to China.

In 2 years, Trump has pushed Russia and China closer and closer. They have become bedfellows economically. Lets hope it does not happen militarily.

A big day in history. November 29, 1947. It was on this day 71 years ago that the UN voted for partition of Palestine and the creation of an independent Jewish state.

Conflict ever since. Peace seems impossible. Could be another 71 years and the Jews and Palestinians will still be warring.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

FIRST COLD SPELL TONIGHT

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I can see those in the cold areas of the country smiling already. Yes, it will be cold in Key West for the next 2 days beginning tonight. I will be cold. I am complaining.

Today’s temperature 80 degrees. Tonight, it will drop to 64. I will have the heat on.

Tomorrow, 69 by date and 63 in the evening.

Then a return to normalcy. Eighty degree weather

Yesterday proved my body is finally back to normal. Ran a few errands by day. Last night out.

Aqua first for Dueling Bartenders. Not “dueling” for a while. Tom Luna on a 6 month sabbatical. Rick Dery ran the show alone. Spectacular! However had to be tired at the end. He sang every song!

My dear friend Liz at the bar. Liz is waning. Hurts. I like her so much. Wish I had met her 15-20 years ago. My friend who was Dean of 2 law schools. I chatted with her a while. Each word she spoke took effort.

Josefina, Linda and Mary singing along with everyone else.

Afterwards, Mary and I had dinner at the bar at La Trattoria. Where I really put my body to the test.

I had limited myself to 2 drinks at Aqua. Enjoyed a third at La Trattoria. And a plate of lasagna. Oh, what a night it was!

Sat next to Dink Bruce. Dink a Key West legend. Everyone likes Dink. That kind of guy.

Dink and some of Hemingway’s artifacts, writings, etc. related.

Dink’s father Toby Bruce. He and Hemingway tight. Together every day.

When Hemingway died, he left behind a pile of boxes in Sloppy Joe’s back room. Hemingway’s fourth wife Mary Welsh Hemingway visited to go through the boxes. She took with her what she thought valuable. Gave the rest to Toby and his wife Betty.

No one bothered to categorize the contents of the boxes till 15 years ago. Most importantly, Hemingway’s first writing. One he did at the age of 10. Other items included additional writings, photos, notes, pieces of his hair, and prints.

Bruce and Betty long gone. Contents now the property of their son Dink.

Dink told me last night Penn State is interested in the contents. He is in negotiations at the present time with Penn State.

Love tuesday nights! My podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9 for a fast moving half hour of me venting and raving about things. Fun to do! Guaranteed you will enjoy. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I slammed Trump hard yesterday for the use of tear gas at the border. Wrong place, wrong time for such an horrendous act.

Blame has to be spread. Obama’s use of tear gas at the border makes Trump look like an angel.

I was not aware of Obama’s use yesterday when I wrote.

Obama used the same type tear gas frequently. Twenty six times in 2012, 27 times in 2013. Then its usage dropped off. In 2016, only 3 times.

Obama authorized pepper spray on occasion, also.

The Trump administration has come up with another bright idea. Credit scores to be used to determine who may become a citizen. Anyone with poor scores would be ineligible.

The purpose is to prevent immigrants from becoming a burden on the welfare system.

Makes me wonder how my family would have fared under such a rule.

My people came from Italy between 1900 and 1915. Peasants. Third class steerage. Not a pot to piss in, as the saying goes.

This first group worked hard. Most succeeded in living a step above the poverty level.

My mother a most interesting story. She came over as a child. Lived in New York City. Her father had a stroke. She had to leave school while in the third grade to work 14 hours a day in a shoe factory.

They all became citizens. Their children became the stars. Only because of the stringent upbringing which pushed them to do better.

None would have become citizens if the credit score rule were in effect. What would have happened to me and my many cousins?Would we have been able to become the successful professional and business people we did?

Trump campaigned big time on the representation he would bring jobs back. He has done a poor job so far.

It was announced yesterday that General Motors would be getting rid of 14,000 jobs and closing 5 plants. A winner, Mr. President!

Recall he also promised that coal plants would return. Where?

Aluminum companies, also. Good luck!

And then there is the farming industry. Totally mucked up because of the tariff wars. Soybeans, wheat and corn hit especially hard. Soybean sales down 94 percent this year.

Then there is the stock market. Down 2,500 points since early October. Erratic. Up and down hundreds of points each week. If it drops another 2,500 point, we will be in a recession big time.

I believe a recession possible. Between now and late spring. The world is too turbulent.

And so on.

Enjoy your day!

 

CONGRATULATIONS MR. PRESIDENT, YOU DID IT AGAIN…..CHILDREN BAREFOOT, IN DIAPERS, CHOKING ON TEAR GAS

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First, it was ripping babies from their mothers’ arms. Now, tear gassing children barefooted and diapered.

You are a big man Mr. President. A bully.

Next bullets fired and immigrant parents and children killed and wounded?

What could be expected of a people who have walked 2,000 miles in hope of gaining admission to the U.S. The beaming light at the top of the hill is growing dim.

If I had walked 2,000 miles, I would have run up the hill trying to get into the U.S. as were the asylum seekers. Persons having every right to enter the U.S., be interviewed by a Judge to determine if they might be eligible for asylum status, and then given a date to return.

In the meantime, you are trying to “buy” Mexico to help with “our” problem. The money being offered will have to be gigantic to bribe the new Mexican officials to go along with any arrangement.

The backlog of asylum cases is estimated at 1 million with a projected time of 2 years to be heard. You and your predecessors should have appointed more Judges years ago to work the problem.

One more thing my President, you are solely responsible for the critical situation now existing at the border. You have created it with your thrusting fear into the hearts of some Americans about the bad immigrants on their way to hurt us. A falsehood you well knew and continue to know.

You did the same thing with Kim Jung Un. Got into a pissing match with him. Names exchanged. War possible. Suppose Kim decided to drop a nuclear device on South Korea or the U.S. instead of meeting with you? It was possible. Hundreds of thousands dead because of your ill equipped mind.

People are going to continue trying to cross the border till you come up with a better solution. One to help, not hurt them.

Barbra Strunk reads this blog. Has so for some time. Never met her.

She is a stalwart Trump supporter. We are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Adamant in her feelings. I can sense it when she responds to something negative I might have said about him. She hits hard!

There are times when Barbra will write a pleasant  friendly e-mail re my health or some other thing. Such messages are sweet. Gives one the sense Barbra is a nice person.

Barbra lives somewhere in north Florida. Spoke with her for the first time sunday morning. She is visiting Key West. Stopped at Hard Rock to hear Terri sing. She and Donna began talking. All of a sudden, Donna had Barbra on the phone with me.

What a nice person!

Barbra is here till friday. Hope we get together before she leaves.

Beard or no beard? Should have run a contest as to whether I would shave. Received about 20 comments. Equally divided. Male and female. Leave it on, take it off.

I took it off. Decided I looked homeless with it on. That and the weight loss. Decided I did not want to go another week developing it.

Out last night for the first time in a week. Planned on hitting all my favorite spots. It was the Chart Room first. John bartending.

John put a Beefeater on the rocks in front of me. I lit up a cigarette. The first for both in a week. Could not handle either. Two sips of the gin and 2 drags on the cigarette. Neither tasted right. Instead a diet Coke.

Left soon after. I was having no fun. Did not feel right. Probably because I have not physically moved my body for a week. I have to walk a bit today.

The Key West Cemetery is an interesting place. A lot of odd ball tombstones. Perhaps ghosts. I am not sure.

Two tombstones of particular interest.

One is the world famous headstone which reads” “I Told You I Was Sick.” Sits on the grave of B. P. “Pearl” Roberts.

The other is referred to as the Bound Woman. This one cool!

It is located as part of the grave of Archibald John Sheldon Yates. A statue of a nude woman with her hands bound behind her back. It sits at/on the head of Yates’ grave. On top of a long flat stone under which is Yates’ body.

Who is the lady and why? Part of a perverted joke by the deceased? Key West had its funky moments in his day also.

Two reasons as to who and why. Not sure which is correct.

One is that the naked bound woman represents Yates’ wife Magdalena. It is said he expressly told his son before he died that he wanted her to sit upon him for all eternity.

A problem. Uncertainty as to whether it represents his wife.

Another theory is that it represents Andromeda from Greek mythology. She was bound naked hands tied to a rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster Cetus. She was saved before the terrible event occurred.

There are a number of paintings of Andromeda as she was awaiting death. Some naked, some clothe from the waist down. Most standing tied to a rock. None similar to the supposed Andromeda sitting on Yates’ face.

My dear friend of many years Cheryl Keast sent me a FB message yesterday with an attachment. The attachment read: “Unpacked our Nativity scene yesterday. Removed all the Jews, Arabs, and foreigners. Ended up with a jackass and a handful of sheep.”

Enjoy your day!

BEARD or NO BEARD

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Without question, I am well! God bless!

Felt ok yesterday. Thought about going out. Decided to remain in and try eating normally first. Toast with preserves for lunch. Dinner, a Thanksgiving meal. Several had sent Thanksgiving dinners.

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and pumpkin pie. Easy. Did not over indulge.

Handled it all without a problem.

Watched Syracuse/Boston College in the afternoon. Syracuse won 42-21. Season over. Syracuse’s record 9-3. The best in 18 years. The best team we have had in 18 years. Finally! We are thankful Lord. Next week bowl bids will be announced.

The issue to be decided today is beard or no beard. I have gone a week without shaving. The start of a beard obvious. Messy, however. I look like a bum. Another week and it will look ok.

What to do? Not sure yet.

Wore a beard for 2 years several years ago. Enjoyed it. No shaving. A light trim once a week. Thought it went well with a bald head.

Problem is I am not sure my vanity will permit me to go the next week to get to the ok zone.

I plan on a normal Sunday out and about. The Chart Room, Blue Macaw, Rum Bar, and Sandy’s Cafe. Publix, too. Little food I had had to be dumped.

No Name Pub. A dining establishment of renown in the lower Keys. Pizza, chili, burgers, fries, etc.

I have not been there in a year. It’s a once or twice a year place. Sits in the deep woods outside Big Pine. On No Name Key. That is how it got its name.

People go for 2 reasons. The adventure in finding the place and the food. You can get lost. Proof of the pudding is a sign outside: You Found It!

The place is funky as is the food. An old beat up 2 story home. Tradition is to nail dollar bills to the walls and ceilings with your name and the date signed on them. Then try to locate the next time you are there. Impossible. There’s another $10-20 stapled over your bill!

Irma did minimal damage.

No Name Pub was a whore house back in the late 1930’s into the early 1940’s. Most famous old houses in the Keys were at some time in days long gone by.

Quotes turn me on. Words of wisdom generally from one smarter than I. Came across a Ernest Hemingway one yesterday: “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn were required reading in my third year American literature college class. Tom Sawyer written first. Huck a character in it. Then Huckleberry Finn with Huck in the starring role.

The quote brought to mind Huck, Tom, Jim, and Pap Finn.

Wow! One of the great writers of all time acknowledging  a predecessor as perhaps even a greater writer.

Came across a Biblical quote yesterday also. Referring to women who cheat. Violate their marital vows. Before you get all discombobulated, I appreciate men do also.

The quote hit a sensitive cord. Reminded me of divorces involving persons close to me or who I randomly knew where the lady strayed. Proverbs 14:1 “The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down.”

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson played a match against each other a couple of days ago. The prize $9 million. Winner takes all!

Mickelson won on the 22nd hole.

A big prize! Turner Broadcasting the sponsor. The match on TV. Pay for view. $19.95. The reason why so much can be paid to the winner of such a sporting event.

A glitch occurred.A Bleacher Report Line ran it free. Everyone is being reimbursed their $19.95.

Lineage difficult and costly to trace. Someone did. The result amazing.

It was 1620. John Howland was on the Mayflower traveling to the new world. He was to serve a period of time as an indentured servant upon arrival.

The Mayflower carried 132, including crew.

A furious storm arose. Caused the Mayflower to lay heave. A rogue wave rode over the vessel. Howland was caught by it. He grabbed a line as he was thrown overboard. He was carried beneath the waves. Fortunately, the crew was able to pull him back in.

Extremely fortunate they did. American history would not have been the same if Howland went down and stayed down.

Howland worked off his indenture servant obligation. Married Elizabeth Tilley. They had 10 children who produced 88 grandchildren.

The 88 grandchildren over the next 200 years produced 200 million American descendants.

Including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Joseph Smith, Dr. Benjamin Spock, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Humphrey Bogart, Chevy Chase, Alec Baldwin, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

Appreciate further from whence they all came. The reason they sought the new world. Howland and the others on the Mayflower were religious outcasts from Europe. A “migrant caravan” of sorts. These “migrants” changed the world for the better.

Enjoy your Sunday! I plan on enjoying mine!

 

 

MY HEALTH / TRUMP’S HEALTH

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Yesterday morning, I felt terrific. Later in the afternoon, lousy again.

Not the usual problems that had knocked me on my ass this week. Merely pain. Stomach pain. Here, there and everywhere. Stayed with me till about 4 this morning. Got no sleep.

I know I am healing. Forced myself to eat a light meal last night. Kept it down, enjoyed it.

Which brings me to Donald Trump and his health.

I am 83 and in relatively good shape….so my doctor’s tell me. Losing the 62 pounds helped. Trump is 72 years old. A fat ass. He should lose 62 pounds. Or, he might not be here at 83.

The Presidency requires extraordinary physical strength and stamina. It’s go, go, go.

Trump looks like a walking advertisement for a heart attack. His life style adds to it. His daily lunches of MacDonald cheeseburgers don’t help. His LDL cholesterol level has to be at the scary level.

I may not agree with Trump philosophically. However, I wish him no evil. He better get on a healthy regimen if he wants to finish his term, see Barron marry, etc.

Were you aware Key West has a nun cemetery? I did not know. Picked up on it this morning in the Shoestring Weekends blog.

The cemetery is located in the Gardens of the St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church. Eighteen ladies of God lie there. The cemetery area is gated. A sign above the gate reads: Our Lady Of Lourdes Pray For Us.

There is a bust of a nun near the entrance. Appears to have been there for ages. Black hooded, her face pale. Pale enough to look ghostly.

Only nuns who have serviced the parish and school may lie there.

Stock Island is maturing. Its identity developing. Turning into a playland.

Tomorrow night at sunset a holiday tree lighting ceremony. At Fishbusterz on Maloney Avenue.

Former Congressman Ron Paul always watched the buck when in Congress. He opposed waste.

Paul says the military budget is out of control. Presently, $2.7 trillion. He claims spending could be 75 percent less and still keep us safe.

The Pentagon’s pissing money away has nothing to do with defense. He claims the money is wasted “prepping up” the lifestyles of those connected to the military industrial complex.

Recall Eisenhower warned us. In his speech when leaving the White House, he warned: “Beware of the military industrial complex.”

I have warned over the past several years of military waste. Billions cannot be found in an audit. Something amiss.

Franklin Roosevelt was confronted with a fear of wasteful military spending. It was 1940 and World War II was around he corner. The U.S. had started gearing up for it.

In March 1941, the Truman Committee was formed. One of Key West’s favorite people appointed to head it because he was honest and a penny pincher. Harry Truman.

The Committee was bipartisan. Never a problem. All votes unanimous.

The Committee began with $10 billion in defense contracts. Its responsibility to look out for waste, inefficiency and war profiteering.

A time, responsibility and attention to duty long gone. A different breed of people. Probably never to return again.

Big Syracuse game at noon. Football against Boston College. In Boston. For years, every other year when the game was played in Boston, a caravan of couples would drive to Boston for the weekend. Fun!

Boston favored by 7.

Thirty four years ago on this day, Boston College was playing Miami in the Orange Bowl. With 20 seconds left, Miami scored a touchdown to go ahead. With close to no time left on the clock, Boston quarterback Doug Flutie threw a Hail Mary pass. Let it go and hope!

Caught by his teammate and roommate Gerard Phelsan. Boston College won 47-45.

I missed that game.

An economist I am not. However I have lived a long life, made some money, lost some money, learned. I have been predicting a major recession for the end of this year or the beginning of next.

Since early in October when the DOW was at an all time high of 26,951.81, it has dropped 2,500 points. Significant.

Most economist are predicting a recession by the end of next year or early 2020. They also predict it could occur anytime if the DOW drops below 2000.

Causes include Trump’s tariff wars, interest rates on the rise, and Trump’s overall instability in world matters.

Note any recession will be worse than 2008 and probably worse than 1929. The whole world will be affected.

Enjoy your day! I am not sure yet which direction mine may take.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy the day!

Mine will remain as it has the past few days. Home getting better. Seems to be taking forever.

Will miss dinner with Lisa and family, as well as a 2nd and 3rd in the evening with others. Probably would have been bad for me in the end.

Lost 2 more pounds. Ten total. Not the way to do it.

Will not be eating turkey. My meal today dry toast.

Enjoy Thanksgiving! Though not craving the special meal at this time, in a few days I will miss not having had the turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberries, pumpkin pie, and spirit that goes with enjoying the holiday with family and friends.

 

 

STILL SICK…..

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Still sick! Wow!

Hit me 8 o’clock monday morning. No build up. One second fine, the next dying.

It is now 2 days/48 hours since I got sick. Lost 8 pounds! Not the way to do it.

Saw the doctor yesterday. I have a viral bug that is running through Key West. It has to run through my body. No drugs. Pepto Bismol and G drink to boost my electrolytes.

Better, but not close to being over this thing. Doubt I will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow.

No blog again. I am too tired to research and do it.

Soon.

 

 

LOVE IN ITS PUREST FORM

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Thanksgiving in the air. Mentioned everywhere.

O. Henry was a famous short story writer from long ago. A giant. He said re Thanksgiving…..There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.

O. Henry’s name brought to mind one of his short stories. One dealing with man’s most sensitive emotion: Love. “The Gift of the Magi.”

I had not thought of the Magi gift story for at least 50 years. Till yesterday. A love story involving Christmas.

The Gift of the Magi involves a young couple very much in love. Della and Jim. Christmas was at hand. Neither had enough money to buy the other a gift.

Each sold their most prized possession.

Della had beautiful hair. She loved it. People commented her on it. She had her hair cut and sold in order to purchase a platinum FOB chain for Jim’s watch.

Unbeknownst, Jim sold his valuable watch in order to buy Della jeweled combs for her hair.

Love in its purest form.

I have only so much blood to give. My orange blood.

I spent yesterday afternoon watching Notre Dame beat Syracuse in football 36-3. Total destruction. Did not expect it. Thought Syracuse might win.

Basketball season has begun. Football and basketball overlap this time of the year. Syracuse played 2 basketball games in the past few days. Lost both. Not even close.

Depression does not accurately describe how I felt. So low, I had to look up to see bottom. Ugh!

Following the game, showered, dressed and was out to meet friends for dinner. Almost decided not to go because of how I felt. Glad I did go, however.

Dinner was with Donna and Terri and Andrea and Joe at Conch Republic. A couple of drinks, good food, excellent company and I felt better.

Oysters and stone crabs! The oysters large and delicious. The stone crabs…..Oh, so good.

On the way home, I made a brief stop at the Chart Room. Not many people. Sat and chatted with John a while. He had just made fresh popcorn. The smell got to be. Enjoyed a small bowel.

Elections still in the air. Reminds me of a Key West election 29 years ago. Captain Tony Tarraceno was running for Mayor. His fourth try. Lost in his previous 3 attempts.

His platform simple: Save as much of the old days and ways as possible.

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal endorsed him. Would you believe!

Captain Tony was of the opinion that it took him so long to win because of 2 factors. One, he kissed mothers instead of babies. Second, he used a certain 4 letter word too often.

The Washington Post interviewed him about his use of the word, its effect on his running, etc. The Captain’s response: “I just hope everybody in Key West who uses that word votes for me. If they do, I’ll win in a landslide.”

Apparently enough did. He won the fourth time.

Anti-Semitism is history’s oldest hatred. A creeping sickness. Like cancer.

It is on the rise world wide. Dramatically in Europe and the United States.

A huge problem in France. France has the largest population of Jews than any European country.

Anti-Semitism’s ugly head evidencing itself in the United States in recent years. Incidents of anti-Semitism up 57 percent in 2017. The new-Nazi party has come out of the darkness. Fearlessly open about their hatred. Reveal it in demonstrations.

A form of neo-Nazism has developed in Israel. Not Israelis against Israelis. Rather, Israelis against Palestinians. Israel’s tendencies against the Palestinians described as “Judeo-Nazi tendencies.”

Netanyahu bears the major responsibility. Molded in the same form as Trump. Authoritarian. Nationalistic. A despot in the making. A war monger. He wants to destroy the Palestinians and engage in a war against Iran.

Netanyahu under investigation in his country as Trump in his.

Netanyahu continues to be reelected so I am not sure how his people feel about him. I wonder how Jews outside Israel feel about his Palestinian and Iranian moves.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

HARRY S TRUMAN LITTLE WHITE HOUSE’S ROBERT WOLZ

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Harry Truman loved Key West and Key West loves Harry Truman.

Truman spent 175 days visiting Key West over a span of 11 trips. His place of residence each time the small white building which has become known as the Harry S Truman Little White House. Set on a tree shaded lovely lawn on grounds surrounded by the beauty of Truman Annex.

Today, an historical site visited by thousands annually.

A man instrumental in the preservation and operation of The Little White House is Robert Wolz. Executive Director. A position he has held since 1999.

Wolz is a person you don’t know is about. Quiet. Efficient. Dependable. Responsible. He takes excellent care of The Little White House.

Wolz’s life spans many years in Key West. He was General Manager of Historic Tours of America for 14 years from 1985-1999 before taking over The Little White House for what is now 19 years.

During those years, he found time to offer assistance in an advisory capacity  to various groups. The Sons of Union Veterans for 50 years and the Boy Scouts of America for 18 years.

Time is what you make it. He authored or co-authored several books. Included are Grand Army Men: The GAR and Its Male Organizations, Presidents in Paradise, and Israel and the Legacy of Harry S Truman.

Take the time while visiting The Little White House to say hello to Wolz. He will be happy to meet you.

Spent my yesterday researching and writing. Did a 4 minute segment for Key West Lou Live on Facebook. A tirade concerning Afghanistan and heroin.

The evening began with the Blue Macaw. Spent pleasant time visiting with friends. Among them, Alisia, John and Fiona, Angie, and Mary.

Then to the Chart Room. Packed. I knew no one. Got a drink and went to a table in the back. Watched the second half of Connecticut/Iowa. Connecticut was not the same team that beat Syracuse the night before. Whereas twelve 3 pointers went in for Connecticut in the Syracuse game, very few found the basket last night.

Iowa looked especially good. Has the makings of a top 10 team.

On the way home, my stomach began growling. I was hungry. Stopped at Sandy’s Cafe for a cheese toast with tomato.

One of the reasons I have lost 62 pounds in a year is that I keep next to no food in the house. Cupboard was bare again last night. After Sandy’s stopped at Publix to pick up a couple of items. Not much. Bill under $10.

Cool last night. Actually, cold. Wore a heavy shirt over a tee shirt while out. Temperature dropped to 70 during the night. I was buried under a quilt.

Those of you freezing up north, laugh not. Key West’s temperature dropped 15 degrees in one day.

A dinner fit for Kings tonight! Stone crabs! A group of us are going to Conch Republic. We’ll begin with oysters and then move on to the stone crabs.

Speaking of stone crabs, I continue to live and learn.

Whenever I go to Miami, I generally stay overnight. On the way up and on the way back, I stop in Islamorada for lunch or dinner. At the Islamorada Fish Company.

Great stone crabs!

The business sits in a large building on US 1. Inside, they sell great sports clothes and fishing tackle items. Reasonably priced. In the back, there is a large pond that separates the restaurant from the building. The restaurant portion sits on a huge dock on the ocean. The view outstanding! As good as the stone crabs.

The pond runs under the restaurant. Fish swim in and out.

I was unaware till yesterday that the pond is a meeting place for tarpon. They have been visiting for years. The pond has become known as Tarpon Pond. The tarpon have adjusted themselves to visit at the same time each day to be fed by visitors.

Never saw them, never fed them.

Big football game this afternoon. Syracuse and Notre Dame. Game of the week. On NBC at 2:30. Being played in Yankee Stadium.

Notre Dame is 10-0, Syracuse 8-2. Notre Dame ranked #3, Syracuse #12. Notre Dame a 10.5 point favorite.

The college game of the week. Syracuse can win. Hope they do. I have lost enough orange blood this week with the Syracuse basketball team’s 2 losses.

Enjoy your day!

AMERICA’S SEXUAL RECESSION

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Would you believe…..America in the midst of a sex recession?

It is. Responsibility falls upon teenagers and young adults. Less sex apparently better.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Survey covering 1991-2017 startling. High school students having sex has dropped from 54 percent to 40 percent.

In other words in the space of a generation, sex has gone from something most high school students experienced to something most haven’t.

Oral sex has not been substituted. The rate for oral sex has remained steady.

Teen pregnancies down dramatically, also.  Dropped to a third of its modern high.

Two reasons why sex frequency if falling. One, the internet. Porn is being substituted by both sexes for sex with a partner. The other, young people are partnering less.

The pendulum has swung. The modern libido is down.

I am not a happy camper this morning. Two reasons. Syracuse lost and I did not sleep all night. The two unrelated.

Syracuse went down to Connecticut 83-76. It was Connecticut’s game all the way.

I don’t understand. Syracuse’s starting 5 has returned. New recruits terrific. The bench deep for the first time in years. Four players supposedly excellent 3 point shooters. Syracuse’s defense supposedly great.

Nothing helped last night.

Syracuse attempted few 3 pointers. Second game  a row. When the team did, the ball rarely went in. Connecticut could hardly miss a 3 pointer. If my recollection is correct, they made 12.

I fell asleep around 10. Woke just after midnight. No television. Comcast was down all the way. No internet e-mail, television or land line. The internet came back on at 6 this morning. TV at 8:30.

I need TV to sleep. I substituted it for book reading at bed time years ago. I leave the TV on all night. Sleep poorly. When I wake, I watch whatever is on for a while and fall back to sleep.

My crutch, the TV set, was not there.

In recent months, Comcast’s service has been sporadic. Pisses me off. We depend on its services. It should be reliable.

Comcast owns NBC. I do not see NBC suffering from glitches. Only we poor peasants who depend on Comcast for internet e-mail, TV and land lines.

I have vented!

My yesterday simple. Haircut with Lori and lunch at Sandy’s Cafe. Spent the afternoon home researching. My excitement level rising as the day reached 7 in the evening when the Syracuse/Connecticut game would begin.

Those of you who live up north laugh not. A cold spell is upon us today. The high will only be 75. That’s cold in Key West. Tonight, the temperature is expected to drop to 71. Really cold! Quilt time.

Key West has many pleasant experiences. One, its sunsets. Always a canvas. Different strokes each evening.

Water surrounds the Keys. Those living here develop a love and respect for those who live in the ocean.

Twin one year old manatees were in trouble. Their mother accidentally killed by a boat strike. Manatee calves stay with their mothers one to two years. The twins were not yet able to do well on their own.

They were found stressed out more than a year ago in waters off Key Largo. Weighed about 100 pounds each. Rescued by the Dolphin Research Center. Named Millennium and Falcon.

Transferred to the Miami Sea Aquarium. Subsequently sent to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio for rehabilitation.

All better, they were recently released back into the waters off Key Largo.

The musical Sound of Music opened this day in 1959 on Broadway. An instantaneous hit!

I saw the show the following July. Actually, July 4. My first musical.

I was in New York studying for the bar exam. Six weeks. I already had put 4 in. Seven hours a day of lecture, the rest of the time studying. Seven days a week.

We had 2 days off . The 4th and one day adjoining it.

My wife and I had not seen each other in 4 weeks. She came down for the 2 days. Our blood was boiling. Except for seeing Sound of Music, we basically stayed in bed.

Our daughter Beth was conceived over those 2 days.

Florida is one screwed up State when it comes to ballot counting. This year no different. Broward County handed in its recount numbers 2 minutes late. Election officials refused to accept them. Thousands of votes will not count if a court does not reverse the decision.

Recall 2000. Bush/Gore. It all came down to a recount in Florida. Chads!

Not the first time Florida was in such a position. The 1876 Rutherford Hayes and Samuel Tilden Presidential election ended in a mess. Tilden won the popular vote. Four States had election day problems. Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon.

Hayes Republican, Tilden Democrat.

Tilden was short one electoral vote.

The war was on!

Several months of bitter partisan wrangling. Finally, a special electoral commission was appointed to resolve the issue. Partisan politics here, also. Republicans picked the members. The commission ended up with one more Republican member than the Democrats.

Florida’s contested votes, together with those of the other three States, were awarded to Hayes.

The Democrats lost the first time. They lost again in the Bush/Gore dispute. It appears they will lose this time in the Governor and Senate races which are in dispute.

Trump an unhappy camper also today. The media tells us he has been so for several days. Deep anxiety has set in. The Democratic blue wave disheartens him. The Mueller investigation appears to be winding down. He has concern for not only himself, but also his family and friends.

He returned to tweeting about Mueller and his investigation yesterday. Trump says the Mueller investigation is a mess, there is no collusion, absolutely no collusion, Mueller and his people are shouting at each other. All a disgrace to the Nation.

Who truly is the disgrace?

Enjoy your day! Dress warm!