FEMA…..ARE YOU THERE?……ARE YOU DOING THE JOB?

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I worry. Are we going to fall on our face once again when it comes to helping our own? Katrina a Bush failure. Puerto Rico Trump’s.

Florence here. Trump assured us he was ready. FEMA was ready. Both had enough time to get ready. We knew Florence was coming for days. We knew it was going to be a big one.

I am concerned that Trump fails to understand the magnitude of the Florence assistance required. We will know in a week.

FEMA puts out reports constantly. Bureaucratic bullshit. The official FEMA report published at 7 am September 14 spelled out in detail what was being done and would be done. The report was titled the Hurricane Florence Lifeline.

I hope everyone involved read it and are prepared to take on one of the largest natural disaster recoveries in U.S. history.

Last night the Chart Room. Quiet. John bartending. I wanted to say bon voyage and wish him well. He leaves sunday morning for a 10 day Jamaican vacation.

Mary was seated at the bar. I normally see her at Blue Macaw. Spent some time chatting with her. An intelligent woman.

Mary is a tour guide at The Little White House. I consider myself extremely knowledgeable re Harry Truman. Mary has me beat. I learned several new Truman things from her.

I left Mary at the Chart Room and headed over to Blue Macaw. Packed! No room at the bar! So I left.

It was Sandy’s Cafe for dinner. Cuban cheese toast with tomato and a cup of Cuban coffee. The bill $5.03. Can’t beat it.

Home in bed before 9. A good boy was I.

The Tropic Cinema is Key West. Conceived, constructed and operated by locals. A life like statue of Marilyn Monroe sits in front of the theater. Her skirt blowing upwards from a subway vent beneath her feet.

Monroe laughing.

On this day in 1954, the “skirt” scene was filmed. The Tropic Cinema did well in capturing that moment for Key West.

The VIP Gentlemen’s Club is at the quiet far end of Duval. 1221 Duval. There has been some sort of “club’ there for years. Young ladies siting on the front porch enticing men as they walk by. Young ladies inside.

It appears to be a house of ill repute. I do not think so. More of a rip off place. Men pay a fee to get inside. Once heard $300. Any service by the girls extra. Paid for. Not provided. The ladies do not engage in that sort of thing.

Credit car bills occasionally have a 0 or 2 added on.

The police rarely get involved. They view the problems as contractual/civil rather than criminal.

The place should have been closed years ago. It is a taint on Duval and Key West. No better than the hustlers at the other end of Duval ripping off customers in perfume shops.

Yesterday, the police did get involved. Not for the normal problems, however. Ashley Barrett, age 26, is a “stripper” at the club. She apparently got drunk during the day. Threatened her coworkers first with a knife. Later in the day with an iron.

She was arrested.

Paul Manafort buried Trump yesterday with his plea. He flipped. All the way. Caused Humpty Dumpty to fall off the wall. Ended up with Manafort’s heel on Trump’s throat.

Donald Jr and Jared next. Then, the big one! Deservedly so. He has brought America to the brink of disaster in many ways. Possible shooting wars, the tariff wars, etc.

A pleasurable afternoon awaits. Syracuse/Florida State at noon. Florida State a 2 1/2 point favorite. Syracuse’s first real competition this season. I am excited. Hope Syracuse wins!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

CHICKENS DYING?

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Someone commented in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice that the chickens are dying all over the island. The person asked why?

I have not noticed fewer chickens. Perhaps I have not paid attention. If someone agrees with the comment that the chickens are dying, please write and share what you know.

The Tropic Cinema is one of Key West’s gems. In front of the theater standing on the sidewalk is a life size statue of Marilyn Monroe with her skirt blowing upwards. A scene from a movie Marilyn made where she was standing over a subway grid.

The significance of the comment is that scene was filmed this day in 1954.

The Mosquito Control Board met last night. Voted not to proceed with the $4.5 million new building. Instead, voted to construct certain portions so the total cost would be less.

A garage and storage facility would be built. Together with the purchase of three work trailers. Total cost, $2, 995,000.

Sounds like a sales number.

Still don’t know if the number flies. Tax dollars pay for it all. Can the bucks be cut even further? As many people, I no longer have faith in the Board’s judgment.

I learn as I go along. Sometimes late.

There is a new diving experience in Key West. SNUBA. Not snorkeling, not scuba diving. Something between the two.

For those 8-80. Started 20 years ago in Hawaii. Described as an underwater guided tour. Dive certification not required. Ability to swim is. Instruction given before the dive.

My column in KONK Life is on the stands today. A Peek At The Truth.

Don’s Place first last night. No one, but Keith. Don, David, Larry, Boomer and others are in Miami on a golf trip. They will be back today. Eighteen holes the first day, 36 each of the next two days.

Tiring golf! Glad I set the game aside several years ago. We used to play hard, drink hard and stay up most of the night. I got too old for the trips. Could not handle all the fun.

Dinner at the outside bar at La Te Da with Keith. Tonto bartending.

Wednesday is prime rib night at La Te Da. George and Dillon had recommended it to me last week. I went specifically for the prime rib. We were there at 7. No prime rib. A popular wednesday special. Gone by 5.

Enjoyed wings instead.

The Battle of Britain effectively ended this date in 1940. The RAF shot down 56 German planes that day in two separate dogfights.

The next day, Hitler ended daytime air attacks on Britain. The move also postponed indefinitely Hitler’s invasion.

Winston Churchill said re Britain’s RAF pilots:  “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

Bocce tonight. The last two weeks have been rained out. I hope to stop by and watch for a while.

Enjoy your day!