KENTUCKY, NORTH DAKOTA AND KENTUCKY DERBY

I spent yesterday afternoon trying to decide what my KONK Life column will be this week. Four topics have been zeroed in on. I have to pick one today, finish my research and start writing.

The topics tickling me this week are all interesting. The Chamberlain story never told, Iceland kicking the ass of banks and bankers since 2008, the beginnings of money corruption/corporate influence in the 1960s, and Nestles and California water.

Met some terrific people in the Chart Room last night. Unfortunately, I was late for a dinner reservation and could not spend as much time as I would have liked. I am confident however we will run into each other. The two couples recently bought homes in Key West.

Five persons in all. Out together for the evening.

First, David and Marilyn. Presently have two homes. One in Owensboro, Kentucky and the other on Emma Street in Key West. David is a retired school teacher, Marilyn manages a dental office.

A second couple was Martin and Brandy. One home in West Fargo, North Dakota and the other on Washington Street in Key West. Martin and Brandy still work for Caterpillar.

Money is big in North Dakota because of oil. I jokingly said I could go to North Dakota, get a job at McDonalds and end up earning a ton of money. Some truth to the statement.

The fifth person was David from Bowling Green, Kentucky. He is Martin’s father. Mentioned several times how Martin had purchased his ticket and brought him down for a visit. Proudly so. He reminded me of my father. Dad died two years ago at 98. He visited Key West many times.  Always happy to be with me. Proud of his son who had a home in Key West.

David mentioned he had something to do with a piece of land in the 1980s in Kentucky. Spend A Buck was the 1985 Kentucky Derby winner. He trained on the land.

Keith and Jennifer met me at the Chart Room. We had a drink and then were off to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner.

We had a lot of fun at the Hot Tin Roof. Keith and Jennifer are part of my bocce team.

My saturday night is already committed. I will be watching the Final Four in my bedroom from the comfort of the recliner chair. I have given up running around town trying to find a new venue for basketball watching. There are tons of reasons none tried so far worked for me.

I do not care who wins. I have no particular choice. I just want to watch good basketball.

Passover is upon us. Seder is part of Passover.

I have experienced several seder dinners over the years. The first time was 15 years ago with Aaron Wechter. In recent years, with Donna Barnett at her daughter’s Key West home. I am always invited. Had to skip last night because of my prior committment with Keith and Jennifer.

Donna and Terri White have lived in California for roughly three years. I have not seen them in a while. We have been in touch and plan on meeting in the next few days.

Tomorrow is Easter. I have to get Easter gifts for Robert and Ally. I always wait till the last minute to do things of this nature. I am the greatest Christmas Eve shopper you ever met!

Robert and Ally are 10 and 9 respectively. They will get enough baskets, candy and chocolate bunnies from others. I have decided it is time for something different. I plan on buying each a book.

Today’s KONK Life E-Blast carries my most recent column. Things We Should Know. Take a look.

Enjoy your day!

 

Good Friday

He is dead.

Good Friday. The day Christ was crucified.

The Catholic Church notes the crucifixion/death with a three hour service beginning at noon. I assume Catholic Churches world wide will be packed for the three hours. Priests will speak, the laity pray.

I said assume because I have not attended such a service since high school. Shame on me! Attending a Catholic high school meant attendance was mandatory.

It was not my favorite time. The three hours took forever! Being in my teens, my mind was not necessarily where it should have been. I was prone to admire the lovely girl across the aisle.

My ribs hurt like hell yesterday. I was uncomfortable from 3 in the morning till 10 last night. Pain! Kept me on edge. I am waiting for x-ray results. My admonition….Don’t fall!

Obviously, I did not attend bocce last night. No way could I squat or throw the ball. I was not needed. Spoke with Keith this morning. We won all three games. The team is now 20-4. Hard to believe! We are tied for second.

The #1 team has lost only one game. We have not played the #1 team the the team tied with us for second place. Those games will be the moment of truth.

The Key West Library speaker series has turned me on to the Key West Library. There is a book sale saturday at the Library in the Palm Garden next door. Most books will be priced at $1. Some, a $1.50.

Libraries were a part of life when I was young. Computers and the internet did not exist. Through college and law school, it was the same. Much time spent in libraries. Took tons of time to research everything.

The internet is a wonder! A joy! Quick response to an inquiry. All the detail immediately available on screen.

A different day!

I screwed up yesterday. I admonished the Key West Citizen for failing to publish the Citizen’s usual Fools’ Day front page. Keely Brown commented that the April Fool portion of the Citizen was a whole section of the paper. It ran at the end of the usual paper. Following the want ads.

Before I start writing the blog, I first read the Citizen, E-Blast, peruse the New York Times and Washington Post, and three other news sources. Time becomes a priority. I stop reading the Citizen at page two of the Sport Section. Nothing after that is of interest to me. Yesterday was the wrong day to stop.

Thank you Keely Brown for your comment!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

THINGS WE SHOULD KNOW

A second military has developed in the United States. Police. We may have more to fear from them than terrorists. No longer do police believe that protecting and serving the public is their prime responsibility.
Topeka, Kansas is an example. The Topeka Police Department has made a policy decision which shortly will be in force and effect. Done on their own and without any type approval by way of local legislative body.
Whenever there is a car stop, for a traffic violation or otherwise, every member of the car must immediately put their hands up. Driver and passengers. The purpose is not to protect the people in the car. It is to protect the police. They want to be sure to go home to their families.
Remember Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid, etc. Fastest guns in the west. Today, police officers are the fastest guns in the country!
Many thought for years that police operated under a quota system. Especially in traffic cases. So many tickets a month. The truth is finally coming out.
A New York City hero police officer Craig Matthews claimed he was retaliated against because he complained to superiors regarding traffic and arrest quotas. He received unjust evaluations thereafter. A federal court recently said he has a right to sue New York City. The City claimed that as a police officer he had no right to sue. The court reasoned he had First amendment rights as a citizen to so speak. .
The Chief Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court recently testified before a legislative committee that the court system would have to shut down by May 1. The reason was insufficient funds. The court system had come up $700,000 short. The court system relied on a certain number of traffic tickets being given out and fines received. The number was down the past fiscal year and sufficient funds had not been received.
A quota system is inherently wrong. The courts close their eyes to this wrong because in most instances judicial salaries, staff salaries and other court expenses are paid out of fine monies. Sort of…..You do not bite the hand that feeds you.
Not all police officers are of the highest moral character. In some instances, not even minimally. Lt. Benito Gonzalez, a Camden Metro police officer, recently pled guilty to lewdness charges. He was sitting at a table in Starbucks, pulled his shorts down, and started masturbating. He is still on the job.
Dr. Patrick Moore is a recognized supporter of oil companies and GMO producers. He recently appeared on a French TV show. The topic was Monsanto’s pesticide Roundup which several countries have determined to be cancer causing.
Dr. Moore said Roundup was safe, that drinking a glass of the pesticide would cause no harm. The interviewer happened to have a bottle of Roundup. He asked if Dr. Moore would drink a glass. Twice asked, twice refused by the good doctor. Finally, Dr. Moore asked the interviewer, “Do you think I am crazy?” With that, he got up and walked off the set.
What especially bothers me with the Dr. Moore incident is that it was reported on only a few media outlets in the U.S. Newsweek, Huffington Post and several minor liberal outlets ran the story.
Why wasn’t the story run big time on TV and in publications in the U.S. Simple. Major media in this country are owned/controlled by corporate America. They were not going to step on the toes of their compatriot Monsanto.
Bill Gates several weeks ago in his Blog reported that in 3 years China had used more concrete than the U.S. did in all of the 20th century. The three years were 2011-2013. China produces and uses 60 percent of the world’s cement.
While Congress is not willing to appropriate monies for infrastructure, bridges and schools, China is moving ahead.
GMO producers/manufacturers have been fighting labeling in every State. They are opposed to any label saying GMO products are involved. The GMO companies have not been successful in every State the battle has been fought.
If you can’t beat them one way, beat them another. GMO companies have had a bill introduced in the House of Representatives by a Republican member. If successful, the bill would give the authority to GMO labeling solely to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.GMO producers do not want the American public to know what they are eating.
The bill also provides that only the Secretary has authority to mandate GMO liability. The courts would be by passed.
The power of money!
Sex revelations at the highest levels of government have become common place. There are several that have received insufficient notoriety.
DEA agents, all with top secret clearance, were entertained at sex parties. The prostitutes were at the expense of the Columbian drug cartel. A DEA regional director was being given a farewell party in government offices. He had sex with prostitutes. Three DEA supervisors received money, expensive gifts, and weapons from drug cartel members.
DEA prostitution cases have been deemed a local management issue. Those partying with prostitutes in general have neither been fired nor prosecuted. They have been suspended for no more than 14 days.
Between 2003 and 2007, 54 Columbian children were sexually abused by U.S. soldiers and military contractors. The activities were photographed and later sold as pornography. No one was charged. An  immunity agreement existed which prohibited punishment for any wrongdoing with the Columbian civilian population.
While the Republican majority want to save money by cutting Social Security and Medicare and having Obamacare repealed, the Defense Department is experiencing losses with military equipment. An example is sensitive explosive gear. Losses means the Department have not been able to locate the lost gear, except when it appears for resale on Ebay and Craigslist. The value of the lost gear is estimated in the billions of dollars.
Military equipment leased or given to local police departments cannot be in many instances either.
It is expensive to get a college education. A recent study indicated that one in twenty UK college students worked in the sex trade to help fund their university costs, to make ends meet. Interestingly, men more than women.
I could not locate any similar U.S. study. However, there has been mention of sugar daddies. Many young ladies are advertising on-line for and finding older men. There are internet sites dedicated to this purpose.
NYU appears to have the most sugar babies. Four hundred ninety-eight.
The U.S. health care system is the most expensive in the world. Eleven industrial nations were involved in a study. The U.S. was first as to expense and last as to quality.
An example of the situation looking solely at dollars shows that the U.K. is listed second in quality of care. The U.K. cost per person is $3,405 per year. The U.S. which is listed last has a cost of $8,508 per year.
The study indicated extreme inequality exists in U.S.healthcare. Good only for those who have enough money to pay for it.
The information herein is without question interesting. It is intended also to be an eye opener. Food for thought.

 

I CHEATED!

It had to happen. Last night, I cheated. I am not happy about it this morning.

I have been dieting since mid November. At the moment, I am down 35 pounds. I have been stuck at 35 pounds for 3 weeks. Just as I was stuck for a period of time at 27 and 30 pounds.

My will power is not that strong. I need the encouragement of the scale. I need to see the pounds coming off.

I gave in. I ate! A full meal! First time in four months. Delicious!

I had not intended to give in. The thought had not entered my mind. I was not tempted. However as I sat at the outside bar at La Te Da, I suddenly said what the hell!

It was raspberry glazed duck. I ate it all! Plus the vegetables and delicious bread and butter.

A good boy I was not.

I woke in the middle of the night with a heavy feeling. In my head as well as stomach. Could not sleep. I still have that heavy feeling this morning.

I learned a lesson. When you have been avoiding food for a long time, you cannot dive in like I did.

As always, La Te Da was enjoyable. Don was with me. It was good to see my bartender friend of many years, Tonto.

Met a terrific couple. Joe and Jane. Their other home is New Jersey. They also own a home in Key West on Olivia Street. Six months here, six months there. Both retired school teachers. I enjoyed their company. Just my luck, there six months in Key West ends today. We will have to wait till November to continue the relationship.

I intended to attend the Jimmy Buffett concert at Higgs Beach. I got stuck home on a one hour plus business call. By the time I left, it was almost 7. Buffett was due to appear at 7:30. Parking would be a pain. I would have had to park too far away. A long walk to the concert and then back to the car did not turn me on. I went to Don’s Place instead.

All was not lost, however! The concert has been recorded for replay on margaritaville.com. It will air at specified times over the next few days. If you too missed Buffett, take advantage of the recording and watch the concert at your convenience starting today.

It was Don, David, Toni and John at Don’s Place. Don, David and I got involved in a long bocce discussion. How long can we keep playing as we have this season? We are 17-4.

Don always wants to change things. He likes to move players around. I told him to leave well enough alone. It ain’t broke. Don’t fix it.

We play again tonight.

Saw Dr. Jackie Lefferts in the morning. My body still aching from the falls I took. My left hip and butt are a  dark purple inside a black ring. The bruising is bad because I am on  a blood thinner. My ribs had started hurting. The reason for the visit. She does not think I broke one. I was sent for an x-ray and will receive the results today.

We talked about my frequent falling recently. She thinks I have a balance problem. I don’tknow. I am being scheduled for balance exercises at the physiotherapist’s.

Getting old is fun!

Enjoy your day! Don’t fall!

APRIL FOOLS’ DAY NO MORE

One of the finest April Fools’ Day pranks was that once done annually  by the Key West Citizen. The front page of the Citizen on April Fools’ Day was a total joke. A phony. Pure fabrication. Seriously represented, however.

Close to 20 years ago, the front page major article concerned itself with smoking in public places. Understand that back then, smoking was merely considered a problem. The dramatic inroads accomplished since re banning smoking had not yet occurred.

The article said the Key West City Commission in a meeting the evening before had prohibited smoking in all public places. Such included restaurants, bars, on the streets, and on the beaches.

I recall exclaiming to my then wife that the City Commission had no right to do what they did! Outrageous! Against the law! My wife pointed out that it was April Fools’ Day.

The Citizen had gotcha’d me!

Unfortunately, the Citizen no longer publishes such a front page.

April Fools’ Day is celebrated in most countries. The day’s origins uncertain. Some claim first mention of the day occurred in 1392 in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Many disagree.

Another favored source goes way back to the ancient cultures of the Romans and Hindus. Partiers. Tricks were played and people were sent off on fools’ errands.

Pope Gregory XIII comes into the picture. New Year’s Day was then celebrated around April 1. The Pope changed the calendar and moved it to January 1. The day may have changed, the partying had not. April 1 continued to be celebrated as a fun and frolic day.

Big night in Key West! Jimmy Buffett returns! He is performing 7:30 at San Carlos. There will also be a free performance on a huge screen on Higgs Beach. Shown live simultaneous with the San Carlos event.

Higgs Beach will be big time crowded! An event!

I plan on attending.

I enjoy sharing Truman stories with you. Key West was Truman’s favorite place. Unquestionably. He made 11 trips here which totaled 175 days.

On this day in 1950, the President’s wife Bess and daughter Margaret arrived to join him at the Little White House.

Surprising Mrs. Truman showed up. She disliked Washington and apparently anything that had to do with politics. She spent most of her time back in Independence, Missouri.

Truman was often left alone at times when he could have used the comfort of his wife. History does not attribute this situation to any improper liason by either. Truman was deeply in love with his wife. Wrote her almost daily letters. Mrs. Truman did not enjoy the Washington scene.

I spent my yesterday fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. The show went well. My purpose was to share some things kept from the American public. I assume intentionally.

My tuesday’s are always the same. I work on the show by day. Do the show in the evening. Cook dinner for myself in between. I rarely leave the house on a tuesday. My dinner last night was not spectacular. I had a craving for oatmeal. It was oatmeal and a banana.

Enjoy your day!