JOHN HERSEY…..TALES OF KEY WEST

Noted writer John Hersey spent his winters in Key West and summers in Martha’s Vineyard.

He was born in Tientsin, China. His parents Protestant ministers. Hershey spoke Chinese before English. He died in Key West March 23, 1993.

Hersey’s notable works include A Bell for Adano, Hiroshima, and Tales of Key West. It is Tales of Key West I wish to momentarily dwell on.

Tales was written in Hersey’s later years. He had seen and lived Key West first hand. Notable Tales include those of a man dying of AIDS trying to maintain his respectability, fake crime reports, and John James Audubon shooting staggering numbers of birds for the fun of it.

The item re the birds surprised me.

Summer is sneaking in. The seasons change dramatically in Key West. No slow slide. One or two days and the next season is here.

Key West springs always short. The temperatures the past few days indicative of summer’s arrival. Today, the high 83 and the low 76.

It is not the temperature so much. It is the humidity. I have felt it the past two days. Things get sticky. Your body warmer than it has been. Clothes uncomfortable. You’re sweating once again.

Publix at 9 yesterday morning. The cupboard bare again. Needed food desperately. No dinner the night before.

Saturday at 9 am a good time to shop Publix. No one there. Spent $100 and hurried home. Food getting more and more expensive. I do not know how families do it.

I had to complete yesterday’s blog. Researched the material before leaving for Publix. Did the actual writing upon returning.

I was Catherine’s guest for Happy Hour at Martin’s. A charming time. A few drinks. Followed by lamb chops and baked brie.

First part of today busy. Sloan at noon. I have to get back into a more disciplined work schedule. Completing Growing Up Italian on the agenda. Next week, I will begin writing the Key West Lou Commentary once a week for KONK Life. I have let Key West Lou Live slide. Have to get it back in the game.

Not difficult if my time is properly organized. We shall see.

Later this afternoon, I plan on spending some time at Kate Miano’s Gardens. Always a pleasant way to finish the weekend.

There was a fire yesterday on the 50th floor of Trump Towers. One dead, six firefighters injured.

The President’s personal home and offices are higher up on the top two floors.

This is the second fire this year in Trump Towers.

No sprinkler system! Can you imagine living or buying an apartment that high without a sprinkler system!

Sprinkler systems were not part of the New York City Building Code in 1984 when Trump Towers was built. The sprinkler system requirement did not become mandatory in new construction till sometime in the late 1990’s. Trump opposed it.

Scary living. Especially after having seen Towering Inferno a couple of nights ago for probably the 20th time.

Scott Pruitt is part of the swamp Trump promised to eliminate if elected. Instead he brought the likes of Pruitt and other scum to Washington.

For Pruitt’s misdeeds to date, he should be fired. Trump is not firing him. Instead, he praised him yesterday.

There has to be a reason why.

I suspect it is because Pruitt is an attorney and former Attorney General of Oklahoma.

Trump would like to get rid of Mueller. Sessions cannot do it because he recused himself. Rothstein does not appear willing to do it. Firing two Justice Department heads in one day would not look good.

I see the battle plan as follows. Trump fires Sessions. Replaces him with Pruitt. Since Pruitt has already been approved by the Senate for a cabinet position (EPA head), he does not need Senate approval to be Attorney General for seven months. He can serve on an interim appointment. In that time, he would fire Mueller.

Brilliant! Lousy! The stench will be overwhelming.

I am sick and tired of hearing Trump say ISIS has been defeated in Syria. Trump said he wanted to get out. Now his words are that ISIS is almost defeated and we’ll get out in several months.

ISIS is not defeated! They are hiding in their homes, mountains and caves waiting for the US to leave. Then, ISIS will return. The American lives lost for naught.

Another Syria problem is the US is there basically in opposition to Russia and Iran. In a friendly sort of way. Even Trump does not agree with the Russia-Iran position. However he avoids direct confrontation.

The US will be in Syria for years. You invade a country, you send troops in to help, you have bought the country for years.

The worst. Syria chemically attacked its people again yesterday. View the videos on TV. Men, women and children, alive or dying, foaming from their noses and mouths.

Syria is turning into another Vietnam time wise. As have several other Middle East countries. Afghanistan one. Quagmires. We get stuck in these places.

We go in, but never know how to get out.

Tuesday coming. My first book signing. Irma and Me. Andrews Inn at Zero Whalton Lane. Noon to 3. Three other authors signing, also. Someone doing a reading. Refreshments. Should be fun.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

REPUBLICAN SELL OUT

I fell this morning. Again. Was not paying attention. Two steps. Forgot. Thought one. Went flying. Nothing broke. Hurt all over. A couple of bruises already. Blood thinner.

I have been an admirer of Paul Ryan for many years. Straight forward. Tells it the way it is. Till yesterday.

I am disappointed. He was on television explaining the House’s bills re repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. He was bullshitting viewers.

Some things not mentioned, others glossed over.

The first that there would be many uncovered that are covered now. Something like 15 million.

Cost of the new law unknown. We’ll get to the figures later. He expects the public to buy a pig in the poke.

No time to wait for the COB report which would set out numbers like uncovered and cost. Why the hurry? Because the COB’s numbers will show the large number of uncovered who are covered now and the high cost in many instances.

The proposed bill a boon to insurance companies.

Political chicanery at its worst. Trust us…..We’ll take care of you. Bullshit. The proposed bill is written for the rich and is a detriment to middle and lower income peoples.

Roger C. Kostmayer is a Key Wester who speaks his mind. Generally, his thoughts correct. Writes many Letters to the Editor.

In one published recently in KONK Life, he reminded readers of Paul Revere’s…..Beware, the British are coming! He transposed the saying to today’s events…..Beware, the Russians are coming! Additional thrust to his letter was that Russia’s cyber activity is a declaration of war. A new type war. We have to prepare to retaliate.

Enjoyed a manicure with Tammy yesterday. She asked if I had seen Jenna recently. Told her Jenna and I were having dinner Saturday night.

Happy Hour at Martin’s. The best happy hour in town! I enjoyed a couple of drinks, 3 small lamb chops and a chunk of warmed brie.

Did happy hour with Diana Millikan. We are exploring doing a book together. Something about Key West.

A Tom Favette joined us. A friend of Diana. A retired cigar maker. From the way he talked, apparently a big time one. An interesting man.

Left. Hurried over to bocce. When Diana finished her conversation with Tom Favette, she intended to go to San Carlos to hear a talk by Fidel Castro’s daughter.

Bocce fun. Team won 2 out of 3. Tough. Won the first two 16-15. Lost the third 16-5.

Seems like most people I know are sick or getting sick. A lot of cancer. One of my bocce lady friends came by to say hello. Always a hug and kiss. She appeared thinner.

She had cancer several years ago. Had a double mastectomy two weeks ago as a precautionary measure. The ladies rebuilt during the surgery.

A strong person. God bless her!

Did two Go Live videos yesterday on Facebook. One I referred to as the Silent Coup. Politics. Interesting. The other the Divided States of America. No question we are divided.

Trump wants to vet immigrants thoroughly. Hope he vets them better than General Flynn who he brought on as National Security Adviser.

Flynn lobbied from August to November last year on behalf of certain Turkish elements. His lobbying a secret. Recall, Flynn also spoke at the Republican Convention.

Flynn recently was identified by the FBI as a foreign agent doing work for a company that could aid the Turkish government. Two days later, Flynn filed with the appropriate agency that he was such a foreign agent. For his foreign agent work from August to November, he was paid $530,000.

Dinner tonight with my lesbian wives, Donna and Terri. Donna cooking. A guaranteed outstanding meal!

Enjoy your day!

WORLD AIDS DAY

Today is World AIDS Day. Especially important in Key West. Too many lost over the years.

This morning’s Key West Citizen has an excellent front page article re this day.

At 4:30 this afternoon, the Candlelight Walk. Then at 6, the annual recollection ceremony. At the Edward B. Knight Pier. To remember loved ones lost to the disease.

The article notes an increase in HIV and AIDS cases in the past nine months. From 4 to 21. Sounds alarming. I doubt it is.

A new State law comes into play. This year the first for its imposition. The new law mandates HIV and AIDS testing as part of all annual physicals. Except where the patient opts out.

Increased testing means more positive results. Inevitable.

I completed my Key West Rotary history yesterday. Twenty six separate installments. Interesting to do. Onerous on occasion. Some days added as much as two hours additional work. A pleasure, never the less.

Martin’s for Happy Hour yesterday. With friend Joseph.

Joseph down to one cane. Big progress! He anticipates that soon there will be no need for a cane.

Conversation excellent. Joseph wants to do a blog. Needs to fill in his time now that he is retired. I told him I would have Sloan help him set up. I sense Joseph’s blog will be an intellectual one. Philosophical.

Martin’s food continues to be outstanding. I enjoyed small lamb chops and baked brie. Joseph, snails and schnitzle strips.

Magic bartending. From Poland. Many Poles have immigrated and settled in Key West. My Italian ancestors in the cold northeast many years ago. Weatherwise, the Poles selected better. Warm weather year round as opposed to biting cold winters.

Next stop, Don’s Place.

Chatted with Don and David.

Joanie is back. For the winter. Good to see her!

Quick stops on the way home at Walgreens and Publix.

Tonight, a manicure with Tammy at 7. Followed by dinner at 8 at Outback.

William Hackley writes that on this date in 1855, he paid William C. Dennis “for the hire of a negro woman.”

This Hackley has done in the past. Diana Millikan an historian of sorts. She believes one of the negro woman’s duties was washing Hackley during his morning baths. She believes it was a slave’s customary duty to be performed for her master. I told her to find authority for it somewhere. She is still looking.

The hurricane season ended yesterday. Hope hurricanes are aware that Key West should experience no further ones this year as November 30 has come and gone.

You can never be sure. I recall several years ago when October 31 was the end of hurricane season. We got hit by one the first week of November.

A big saturday awaits! The Christmas Parade. At 7 on Truman. Always fun. Especially for the kids. Tons of candy thrown from parade floats.

Enjoy your day!

 

STANDING ROCK SIOUX STANDING STRONG

Spent a part of yesterday organizing and fine tuning last night’s podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

I did a different show. Generally, I discuss ten different topics. Last night, one. Harder to do one than ten. With ten give or take, I can easily judge time. Easy to stop when my time is up. Cut short a topic.

With one topic, I was not certain when I would run out of time. Be left hanging in the middle of a part of the story. Even worse, not telling the whole story.

I practice beforehand. Practice and reality work out to different times.

I was thrilled last night. My material ended as the 30 minutes ended. Perfect! Accidental, of course.

The subject matter motivated me to do one issue. The Standing Rock, North Dakota Native American protest and the Dakota Access Pipeline. I felt the media was not providing sufficient information or a clear picture. Unknown facts that should be revealed.

If you missed the show, it is archived on my Key West Lou website. You may wish to read it. www.keywestlou.com.

I began with the Great Sioux War, Custer’s last stand at Little Big Horn, the Black Hills gold rush, and the U.S. government cheating/screwing the Indians. I ended with yesterday. That current.

Woe is me! Syracuse got beat again last night. By Wisconsin. 77-60. Syracuse looked terrible. As bad as when it lost to South Carolina a few days ago.

I have faith. Boeheim can pull it together. Look at last season. Syracuse was having a bad year. Ended up being one of the Final Four.

Looking forward to Happy Hour today. At Martin’s. With Joseph Lyles. Joseph recently retired as the Hot Tin Roof’s manager. Will be good to see him again.

Martin’s food excellent. A terrific combination. Joseph and Martin’s. Joseph is well read. A thinker. Great conversation anticipated.

Photographer Larry Blackburn is having a show. In 2 days. On December 2. From 6-9. The show is part of the First Friday Upper Duval Art Show.

Larry has titled the show Absence and Presence of Color. Photos of Key West and Ecuador.

The show is at the New York Pasta and Ocean Grill Restaurants in Duval Square.

Recommend you go. Larry’s work spectacular!

There is a bit of sadness attached to today. I will be writing the last installment of my rendition of Wright Langley’s History of the Key West Rotary. Covers the years 1915-1991. The history ended with 1991.

This final installment is #26.

Key West Rotary celebrated its 75th anniversary on April 6, 1991. At the Holiday Inn Beachside. The same place they had celebrated the Club’s 25th anniversary.

Charley “Sonny” Mc Coy was master of ceremonies. Keynote speaker Ralph Renick. A former TV Channel 4 anchorman.

Both speakers delved into the Club’s history.

The Club had 98 members at the time. The Rotary had grown decidedly from its 1915 inception.

Accomplishments many. Those noted included the continued support of the Fourth of July fireworks at the White Street Pier, providing a $6,000 college scholarship, providing 2 $100 and 8 $50 Citizenship Awards, donations to over 16 local charities and youth organizations, and acting as a major sponsor of D.A.R.E.

Additionally, the Club’s ability to continue bringing top people in the community into the Rotary.

In 1991, the Key West Rotary was one of 47 Clubs in District 6990. With a membership of 2,600. District 6990 included Monroe, Dade, and Broward counties, as well as Grand Bahama Island.

No question. Both the Key West Rotary and Rotary in general had grown over the years. When the Key West Rotary was formed in 1915, it was only the third Rotary Club in Florida.

Big trees from little acorns do certainly grow.

The Key West Rotary at the time of its 75th anniversary felt the Club had fulfilled founding President Jefferson Browne’s mission that it would attract top men from the community and be a first class Club.

Three persons were of assistance to me presenting the Rotary story.

Wright Langley’s wife Joan Knowles Langley. A fourth generation Conch. She now resides in Gainesville.

Wright and Joan’s son Mark. Mark still lives in Key West.

Finally, Key West snowbird and friend Diana Millikan. She is the person who sent me a copy of Langley’s History and induced me to write this rendition.

Enjoy your day!

GREED

Some people are stupidly greedy. Pennies in their pockets today leading to less money in the future.

This morning’s Key West Citizen reports front page that three exotic dancers at Bare Assets are suing Bare Assets. Exotic dancers is a nice way of referring to strippers as such. Perhaps more.

The three want to be employees, thereby entitling them to overtime or a minimum wage for time worked over 40 hours. Heretofore the ladies have been considered independent contractors, not entitled to employee benefits.

Exotic dancers make a ton of money. More a year than struggling fathers. Some into the six figures. The ladies are money driven. Whether a $1 bill, $20 bill or $100 or more dollars, their hands are always out. Pushing for money. They are like sharks. Always need to be fed.

They should be well compensated. They dance naked. Mingle with customers scantily attired. Subject to having their personal parts groped. Performing lap dances where the bodies are not permitted to touch, but sometime do. And more.

Some are of the opinion that the exotic dancers of today were the prostitutes of yesterday.

Beware of that which you seek! Today, a minimum wage. Tomorrow, health benefits. Then a pension plan. All provided by law. The law then takes the position that the ladies’ incomes should be taxed. To be taxed, the work performed has to be legal. No problem, it is legalized. The tax dollars are huge.

Eventually the government is involved big time. Minimum wage, health benefits are out the window. Forget pensions. More ladies get into the business. Competition lowers the price to be charged. The ladies earn less than before.

I wrote an article touching on some aspects of the situation two years ago for KONK Life. Titled: Berlin The Sex Capital of the World. Read it. Go to my Key West Lou website. .keywestlou.com. The bar at the top of the page has a KONK Wife Column heading. Click on it and scroll down till you find the column.

Yesterday, a bit busy.

Stopped at the Marriott Beachside for the newspapers.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. Cuban cheese toast and a large cold Cuban coffee. Sat quite a while reading the newspapers.

I read somewhere recently that Cuban Coffee Queen ice cubes are made of coffee. I checked them out in my drink. Correct! They were dark brown!

Did Martin’s for Happy Hour at the bar. Still early when I was done. Went over to Louie’s Backyard for a couple of drinks. It had been overcast all day. A bit humid. The breeze off the ocean comforting.

Home early to bed. Sleep soon followed.

We all have heard of the Cold War. Those of us older recall vividly the 40 years of Cold War between the U.S. and Russia.

An admonishment first. Better a cold war than a hot one!

I always assumed some President early on described the conflict as a Cold War. I was wrong. It was Bernard Baruch on this day in 1947. Baruch was an adviser to several Presidents. He was addressing the South Carolina House of Representatives at the time.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

VILLANOVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the greatest Final Four basketball games last night. Villanova beating North Carolina 77-74.

The last 13.5 seconds everything! An off balance long 3 by North Carolina to tie the game. A 3 pointer attempt by Villanova with 4.7 seconds left. The ball scoring at the buzzer. Villanova the winner!

I stayed up late watching the game. Exciting!

Worked on tonight’s blog talk radio show yesterday afternoon. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting topics. Starting of course with some Final Four basketball. Including my Syracuse.

Then a new Smell Dating website, this week’s KONK Life column re the failure of education in the U.S., the gentleman’s A, New York City taxi drivers ejaculating on passengers.

Also, Saudi Arabia to execute homosexuals, Trump and abortion, GMO labeling battle continues, millionaires leaving France in fear of Muslims, Austin now requiring kids’ lemonade stands to be licensed, etc., a hospice CEO telling nurses to hasten the deaths of patients, and more.

Join me at 9 tonight my time. Fast moving and exciting. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Began last night with an early repast at Martin’s Happy Hour. Brie, tuna, scallops, and stone crabs. Returned home ready to watch the game.

This morning’s Key West Citizen’s This Date in History carried three items worthy of mention.

The first concerns Katherine Harris. Florida Secretary of State during the Bush-Gore recount. She was born this date in 1957. I have always thought she did not play fair during the recount.

Key West Fire Chief Bum Farto was to appear in court this date in 1976 to be sentenced for drug dealing. He never showed up. Disappeared. Never to be seen again. A Jimmy Hoffa scenario?

Key West loves Harry Truman and Harry Truman loved Key West. On this date in 1969, Harry and Bess left Key West for the final time. Their last Key West vacation.

Enjoy your day!

HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS

I have had a bad week with the computer. Certain facts must be understood.

I am not computer literate. I am of that generation that does not deal with machines well.

Some have asked where was my backup. I try. Understand I write this blog read by thousands world wide from a desk in my bedroom. I am not NBC or the New York Times.

My backup hardware when I have a problem is to go to Lisa’s and use her computer. This I did. I knew I had a virus. The virus showed up immediately as I used Lisa’s computer. I shut it down immediately, of course. Whatever my problem, it had to do with the program I use.

I did not want to share the virus with all of you. It took this long to get everything resolved.

I am back! Hopefully.

The highlight of my week without having to do a daily blog, weekly newspaper column, and weekly blog talk radio show, was meeting Patrick. That Patrick. Not as bad a guy as he sounds when he comments. We had an enjoyable half hour conversation.

Last night was Happy Hour at Martin’s with Jenna. More than a month since we had been together. She is more beautiful each time I see her. We enjoyed great conversation and small lamb chops, brie, crab cakes and sushi tuna.

Martin’s Happy Hour is the best deal in town.

Sherry is a loyal blog reader. I forget from where. She wrote several months ago asking if I could help her daughter Cassie get an internship in communications, TV, etc. I spoke with Jenna. Jenna interviewed Cassie and took her on. Jenna has told me several times what a find Cassie is. She is better prepared than other interns who have worked with Jenna.

Cassie is a student at Ferris State in Michigan. Jenna believes the school was instrumental in Cassie being as job ready as she is.

David Wolkowsky and I have become friends over the past several months at physiotherapy. I wrote a column two weeks ago in KONK Life titled David Wolkowsky. The man is Mr. Key West. Now, 96. David built the Pier House and Reach. He gave Jimmy Buffett his first paying job.

David is aware I broke my toe. A nice guy. He had delivered to me today at big sponge cake with fluffy white frosting. Written in blue on top: A Place For The Toe. Thank you, David.

Tom Oosterhoudt is a well known man about town. Conch Color is his production.

Tom’s back got screwed up a couple of years ago. He has had several heavy surgeries. Conch Color is a weekly. Tom does an editorial each week. This week he made mention that while he was in Miami for the last operation, Randy Roberts visited him. Randy washed his hair and face.

I have never seen as many tourists as this season. Town packed. Sidewalks so crowded it is difficult to walk. You flow with the crowd.

Syracuse did not make the big tournament. I suspect we will play in the NIT. A disappointment. However, I did not expect Syracuse to make it. A horrible season! Every now and then it happens.

Trump is a danger to our country, democracy, and way of life. I continue to compare him to Hitler in the early and mid 1930s in Germany.

If he becomes President, the country will be in far worse shape than before the election.

Elizabeth Warren recently commented on the Republican Party and Trump’s candidacy.

She said the Republican Party has welcomed every radical group into the party over the years. Now, they are taking over. They have the party by the throat. She believes the Republican Party will pay the price for its own extremism. Her conviction is the Republican Party has only itself to blame.

I agree with Warren.

The U.S. owes China roughly $1.5 trillion. China is also buying businesses in our country. The most recent acquisition is the historic Hotel del Coronado near San Diego. A Chinese insurance company paid $6.5 billion for it.

We are selling ourselves to the Chinese.

I hope this blog appears today. My frustration and exasperation will know no end if it does not.

Enjoy your day!