FIRST MOTOR VEHICLE SPEED LIMIT: 12 MPH CITIES, 15 MPH COUNTRY ROADS

It was the turn of the century. The 20th century. 1901 to be specific. Automobiles were ripping up the streets and highways. Scaring horses, endangering people.

Connecticut became the first State to impose speed limits on motor vehicles. 12 mph in the cities, 15 mph on country roads.

Hard to believe. Everything starts somewhere, however.

Began my sunday working on this week’s KONK Life column. Right To Declare War. A power Constitutionally Congress’. One which has been usurped by the Presidency since the Korean War.

Comcast absorbed an hour. Second day in a row I had to spend considerable time on the phone with Comcast and I still am without TV.

Friday, I was told it was the remotes. Get two new ones. I did. I was not able to coordinate them with the sets. Meant I still had no TV.

Back on the phone yesterday. After an hour was told it was not the remote. It was the box. Someone would be at my home between 1 and 3 today to fix.

In the several hours following yesterday’s repair call, I received 4 calls from Comcast personnel. All real people. Wow! To remind me how sorry they were for my problem, was it still continuing, someone would be there tomorrow (today) to fix.

Why all the bullshit? Just get some one over here to solve the problem.

Early evening, Kate Miano’s Gardens. Kate just returned from 3 weeks at her home in France.

I enjoyed Kate and friends. Chatted the time away. All great people.

Met Jeff and Linda for the first time. From Chicago. Bought a home here 3 years ago. Snowbirds. Can’t wait to be full time residents.

Can’t blame them.

Decided on Hogfish for dinner. Second time in recent days. Enjoyed hogfish again.

Key lime pie was a featured dessert. I craved. Capitulated. Went for it. Delicious! A little cheating here and there has not affected my diet.

It rained mid-day yesterday. As it has in recent days, a monsoon/hurricane storm. For quite a while. Would not end.

Unusual weather for this time of year.

As I was listening to the howling pouring rain, Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head ran through my mind. Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s song from 1969.

The theme in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. My mind returned to Paul Newman riding a bicycle with Katharine Ross perched on the handlebars.

This morning’s Key West Citizen in the Keys History section mentioned that on this day in 1929, the Improved Order of Red Men and Degree of Pocahontas opened its 56th annual Great Sun Council at the Strand Theater on Duval. The old theater now a Walgreens.

My curiosity was aroused. Who were these people? Such a strange name.

We have to go back to the Boston Tea Party in 1765 for the answer. The Patriots who dumped the tea overboard were known as Sons of Liberty. They were disguised as Red Men. Also known as Indians. Now Native Americans.

In 1813, a group of white men formed a fraternal lodge known as the Society of Red Men. Named after the Boston tea party Patriots.

From a  handful of members in 1813, the organization grew to 519,000 in 1921. Its numbers  fell. To 15,000 in 2011. The organization is still alive and active in spite of its reduced membership.

Only whites were permitted to membership till 1974.

The group’s structure is similar to Freemasonry.

A female auxiliary was formed in 1885. Degree of Pocahontas.

Time changes everything. The Red Men significantly reduced in number, the Strand Theater now a Walgreens.

Starbucks was recently confronted with an embarrassing situation. Two black businessmen wanted to use one of its rest rooms. They had not purchased coffee and apparently did not intend to do so. Local management prohibited the use of the bathroom. Words were exchanged. Police called. The men arrested.

Within a short period of time, the Starbucks national office had the charges dropped and apologies extended.

Starbucks has gone even a step further. It announced a new policy. People can sit at a Starbucks without buying anything.

I always thought such was the case. Many the Starbucks I have sat, read a newspaper or worked on my computr while not ordering anything. For some reason, I thought Starbucks was for people to enjoy without purchase if they wished. What wasn’t, now is.

Dueling Bartenders tonight.

Enjoy your day!

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

This day in history…..I was born! July 6, 1935.

I am 82 years old today. Wow! My father made it to 98. His father 94. My father’s sister Mary 102.

I of course have no recollection of the day of my birth. All I know is what my mother told me. It was hot and humid. No air conditioning in 1935. She was in labor 23 hours.

She was not a happy camper about the 23 hours. Her comments always concluded with…..You were worth it!

A mother’s love.

Stopped by my former home yesterday. Wanted to get the garbage containers off the street. Found a note on the front door: Pipe broke. Boil water from 6/29-7/2.

I left 6/29. Apparently before the pipe broke. A tragedy avoided.

Still unpacking boxes. Hope to finish today. My back is killing me.

Jimmy and Johnny stopped over in the afternoon. Not to welcome me to the neighborhood. I am having the inside of the house painted. They will start in about three weeks.

Chart Room last night.

A touchy evening.

Political chatter.

Met a 60ish gentleman from Indiana. Lives in Mike Pence’s district. Knows Mike Pence. Unhappy with the way the Dems are treating Trump. Thought the Republicans gave Obama a free ride and Trump was entitled to the same.

He was getting excited. I was calm. John said, no politics.

I was at the other end of the bar. He came over about 10 minutes later and we talked about non-political things for about 15 minutes. Nice of him.

Another fellow was seated next to me. His first time in Key West. Been here a few days. Staying till sunday. His goal is to have a beer in as many bars as possible. The Chart Room was #23.

Old movie houses. Key West has one. To this day. Though not a movie theater today. A Walgreens. The movie theater outside facade remains.

The movie house was called the Strand Theater. Opened in mid Duval in the early 1920’s. Seated over 800. Initially showed silent films. Then talkies.

The Strand was destroyed by fire on this date in 1934. Rebuilt and reopened as the Strand. Closed in the 1980’s. Theater attendance was falling.

Various businesses operated out of the Strand. For several years, it was a big time gay bar. Went only once. When I was relatively new to Key West and unaccustomed to certain of its nuances. A midnight show: A  Black Mass. My deviate mind compelled my attendance.

I was sitting on a ledge waiting for the show to begin. The place packed. All genders, all sexual preferences. Two men dressed as nuns came by. One said he/she would like to hold my nuts. His palm opened. He held two peanuts.

I was out the door.

Ripley’s is now in the 100 block of Duval. From 1993-2002, it operated in the Strand. Ripley’s Believe It or Not Odditorium.

Today, the majestic theater of old a small crowded Walgreens.

I consider Forrest Gump an outstanding movie. Forrest Gump opened this day in 1994. Starred Tom Hanks.

My day will consist of  more box openings and then dinner tonight at Rooftop. Friend Joseph is taking me out to dinner for my birthday.

Enjoy your day!