WEDNESDAY SCREW OFF DAY

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Each week, sunday, monday and tuesday are consumed with writing. A pleasure. After tuesday night I need a break, however.

Wednesday has become my screw off day. The best way to describe it. The intent is to do nothing. What I end up doing are regular every day things. Like grocery shopping, now the anti-gravity treadmill, some sun, and a night out. Sometimes, even these activities are too much. I may do only some.

Two activities consume my sundays through tuesdays. First is the research and writing of the week’s KONK Life column. The other is the preparation and broadcasting of Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Each a pleasure. Each time consuming.

I finished research and preparation for Tuesday Talk at 5 yesterday. Show time not till 9. There was time to go out for dinner.

I have not been to Pepe’s in two years. The last time was lunch with Robert and Ally. Pepe’s was quiet. I sat alone at the bar. Enjoyed the barbecued chicken and mashed potatoes. Love the gravy covering the mashed potatoes!

A woman sat opposite me at the bar. She was harassed. Obviously so. Speaking rapidly. She had just arrived in Key West an hour before. First time. Staying at a guest house. Did not know what to do, where to go. Someone said eat at Pepe’s.

We talked. On different levels, however. I could not keep up with her. An odd conversation.

The show last night was a bit different. I devoted all but two minutes to banks. One of my favorite topics.

Banks/bankers are devious and conniving. No more one of the most respected members of a community. They seem to consistently come up with new games/procedures which work to their benefit and to the detriment of the customer.

New ones include negative interest, no cash in safety deposit boxes, and electronic banking. My column this week in KONK Life is titled Banks Hurt People and covers in detail the three items. KONK Life hits the stands today.

This morning’s E-News Blast included pictures of the Larry Smith Show at The Studios of Key West last week. A few were of my friend Jenna. A striking woman!

The Key West City Commission wastes hundreds of thousands and in some instances millions of dollars. Generally because they do not pay proper attention to projects they approve. It is in the details!

There is a plan under way to paint rainbow crosswalks at the intersection of Duval and Petronia. Total cost $4,000. Some one else paying half. The City’s end $2,000. Several Commissioners are up in arms. Who is going to pay for it?

Love their concern where pennies are involved. One Commissioner even expressed he was a taxpayer. Wow! Where was he and the others when major projects in Key West resulted in huge over runs?

Enjoy your day!

TWO DAYS/ONE BLOG

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I had a big morning yesterday. Out of the house at 6:30, returned at 1.00. Tired! Went to bed for a needed nap. The blog lost out.

My morning included a doctor visit, lengthy business meeting, and time on the anti-gravity treadmill.

I will try to catch up this morning.

Yesterday and today in one blog.

Re yesterday, the first thing I intended to discuss was desalination. Water is an increasing problem. Not everyone is aware that the lower keys have two desalination plants. One on Stock Island, the other in Marathon. Both have limited abilities as to volume. In an emergency, each can turn out 3 million gallons of potable water a day.

I am surprised that no one seems to be talking about desalinating sea water for drinking, etc. purposes. Rationing alone is not going to solve the problem.

Wrote this week’s KONK Life column. Banks Hurt People. Banks continue to play games. They have come up with new ideas which work to the detriment of their customers.

The Players Championship final day was golf at its best. Richie Fowler’s finish unique.

Tropical storm ANA has dissipated. Down to a tropical depression yesterday. No significant damage. A lot of rain.

Songwriters Festival ended sunday night. A rousing success! Two hundred twenty five performers.

That completes monday’s blog in an abbreviated fashion.

This morning’s blog as follows.

Decided to have a drink at Square One last night. The bar was three deep. Something was going on. I did not stay.

Decided to have a drink and dinner at La Te Da at the outside bar. No luck again! La Te Da closed to customers.

The reason was quickly apparent. The Queen Mother Pageant was kicking off. As in past years, staged on Duval in front of La Te Da. I stayed a while to watch the event. I have seen it many times in the past. Always a happy time.

The ladies participating are to be complimented. Fantasy Fest is not till late October. The ladies will be out campaigning and fund raising till then. Not easy.

Then to the Chart Room. Glad I stopped. The evening was fun.

I walked into three vacationing lawyers. I mostly listened. Guess I participated in too many lawyer conversations over the years.

Two of the participants were from Minnesota, the other from where I do not recall. They were discussing Florida licenses. All three had Florida licenses, though they did not practice in Florida.

The best was meeting Bob and Carol from Dallas. Vacationers, also. Carol is English. They married in France.

Bob worked for an oil company. He negotiated contracts all over he world. With luminaries such as Khadafi.

Almost contemporaries, Bob and I got into a lengthy conversation regarding health problems. We both had enough to share.

Great people! I hope to run into Bob and Carol again.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Join me for a fast moving eye opening half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include why I consider banks whores, the Hattiesburg police killings, George Zimmerman, militarization on a roll in South Carolina, Columbia throwing out glyphosate, IRS employees who have not paid their taxes and yet send SWAT teams and the like to collect from delinquent taxpayers, and more.

Such is two days in one. Worked out well. The blog as a whole no longer than usual.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

EAT IT!

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Banks and major corporations are pigs. Financial ones. Anything for a dollar. Squeeze every penny out of a deal.

A perfect example is what is going on in the Keys involving Waste Management. Monroe County entered into a 10 year $75 million contract with Waste Management last year. No bids were entertained. Waste Management got the deal outright because there were those who thought it had done a good job in prior years.

A problem has arisen. Waste Management says Monroe County owes $110,000, in addition to monies already paid. Waste Management claims the contract is supposed to be for $87.15 a ton. The county says only $85.50 a ton.

Both sides seem to agree there is a clerical error in the contract. Waste Management said it missed the error when it signed the contract.

The whole thing is confusing.

My point a simple one. Waste Management should eat the $110,000. Waste Management was the beneficiary of a no bid $75 million 10 year contract. How much better could God have been? The $110,000 is a drop in the bucket in comparison to everything else involved.

If Waste Management refuses to do the right thing, Monroe County should sue to have the entire contract voided on the basis of mutual mistake of fact or whatever is appropriate under Florida law. Monroe County should also announce that the new contract will be a bid one. See how fast Waste Management toes the line.

Lunch yesterday was at the Pier House’s Beach Bar.

Sitting next to me was a couple I had briefly met the night before at the Chart Room. At the Chart Room, the wife indicated yesterday would be her 50th birthday.

When I sat at the Beach Bar, I wished her a Happy Birthday. She told me how 50 did not bother her, that 30 did. Forty was a walk through.

Two people in their early 20s walked up. She jumped, hugged them, and cried. They were her children. Surprise! Her husband had them fly down for Mom’s birthday. They had just arrived.

A nice birthday gift, a nice Mothers Day surprise.

Happy Mothers Day, one and all! My mother has been gone roughly 25 years. I miss her every day. A painting of my mother hangs over the desk I work at. The first thing I sat down this morning, I wished her a Happy Mothers Day! With a tear in my eye.

Jenna and I were supposed to have dinner together last night. She had to back out at the last minute. All was not lost, however. Dee called me about 15 minutes later and said lets have dinner together tonight.

We met at Geiger Key. Mosquitoes and all! We sprayed everything, hair included. The last time I eat at Geiger Key after dark.

Dee had bad cancer and went through two years of hell. Operations, chemo, etc. Now on the mend. Last night was the third time I had seen her in three years. All in the past six months. The previous two, she looked terrible. Ripped my heart out to see her appearance and suffering.

Last night, a change! She looked fantastic! I was taken by her return to beauty. I kept telling her all night. God bless her!  May she stay that way!

Before I run, let me tell you the story of Bimla Nayyar.

Bimla was an 81 year old woman living in Belleville, Ohio. In 2012, she went into the Dearborn Hospital for what is referred to as a simple jaw realignment. Something, someone screwed up. Brain surgery was performed instead.

Five holes were drilled into her head, the right side of her skull was sawed out and replaced. Bimla died 60 days later.

There was a lawsuit. The hospital admitted there were errors, but denied any wrongdoing.

The verdict was $21 million.

There are occasions where a malpractice suit is valid. This is one of them. In my career, I was involved in a wrong leg being amputated and in another case the wrong eye removed. The cancerous eye left in.

The $21 million will not stand on appeal. An appellate court will significantly reduce the amount. The law does not place as much value on human life as Bimla’s jury did.

Enjoy your Sunday!

TROPICAL STORM ANA

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Hurricane season begins June 1. Somehow, a storm snuck in a month early. Tropical storm Ana.

Ana is presently somewhere off South Carolina. Its trajectory north. It is expected to hit the Carolinas with 2-4 inches of rain. Winds presently 45 mph. Could increase to 70 mph.

The first of the season!

My morning began on the anti-gravity treadmill. Love it! Three times per week the plan. Hope I stay with it!

In the afternoon, I played around with Growing Up Italian. Decided I might change the title so it better fit the stories. Was able to produce a chapter. A chapter I was pleased with.

The Songwriters Festival continues. Oh, so many people! Almost like season!

I noticed the increased traffic driving to the Chart Room last night. Word is the hotels and guest houses are full. Yes, 100 percent. Attributable to the Songwriters Festival. Some credit must be given to Mel Fisher. Some sort of annual event at the Casa Marina.

Jean Thornton has been lost to me for a week. She is probably busy at the Casa Marina with the Mel Fisher attendees. Recall that Jean found gold and emeralds many years ago on a Mel Fisher dive. Changed her life!

Chart Room full. All tourists. Chatted with Emily a while and left.

Dinner at Tavern ‘n Town. Quiet, as I suspected it would be. Everyone downtown for the Festival.

Yesterday was the anniversary of VE Day. I mentioned it in yesterday’s blog. As well as recounted personal memories of the day.

I was shocked at the number of comments received from others who recalled VE Day and VJ Day. Understand that those commenting are my contemporaries. Around 80 years of age. Each had one or more stories to relate re the Day.

Seems I hit a sentimental chord with my VE Day observations.

Our country’s Special Forces train in the Keys. Just off Fleming Key. Have been doing so for years.

The 50th anniversary of Special Forces is next week. On tuesday, Keys children have been invited to watch a demonstration by the Green Berets.

“Officer safety” has been added to our every day jargon. What about “citizen safety?”

Cameron won the English election overwhelmingly. The pollsters had predicted a close result. Many not sure who would win. Cameron killed the opposition!

The pollsters were wrong again. Wrong as they have been in recent U.S. elections. I have said before and say again it is because they predict as winner the candidate who hired them. Recall Romney. He and his people thought they were going to win based on their pollsters’ numbers.

Pollstering has turned into a he who pays the fiddler calls the tune situation. Immoral. Dishonest. No one benefits.

John Brown’s birthday today. The emancipator. A bit of a nut also in that he was an extremist.

I visited John Brown’s home by accident some 20 years ago. I was spending a few days at Lake Placid. It rained one day. I had nothing to do so took a ride. The roads in the Adirondacks go every which way. I ended up on a paved side road. Led to the top of a hill.

There before me was a tiny square wood cabin. Nothing spectacular. Humble. Some vegetables growing in a small area nearby. A sign indicated that Brown’s home was a national or state historical site.

This week’s KONK Life column 99 44/100 % Pure was linked to my Key West Lou Facebook site this morning. The Ivory soap story. www.keywestlou.com.

I am excited. Jenna and I are having dinner together tonight.

Enjoy your day!

 

99 44/100 % Pure

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This is the story of Proctor & Gamble and one of the Company’s best sellers, Ivory Soap. An interesting tale.

The United States in 1837 was in the middle of a gigantic financial crisis. Panic everywhere.

Alexander Norris was a midwestern businessman. He had two daughters. Both married. Norris’ son in laws were experiencing financial difficulties. One made candles and the other soap. Raw materials for both consisted of animal fats.

The brothers in law did not like each other. Norris convinced them that if they were to survive the economic crisis, they had to join together. Animal fats would be decidedly cheaper because of the volume they would be purchasing.

Father in law knew best. They finally listened to him. They each invested $3,596.47 in 1837 dollars. The sum each invested equivalent to roughly to $75,000 today.

The brother in laws’ small business made them a fortune. The Company today sells roughly three hundred products world wide. The son in laws last names obviously were Proctor & Gamble. The name the Company carries to this day.

Now comes Ivory soap. It Floats! and 99 44/100 % Pure became slogans/advertising that made Ivory sell even more.Two stories persist as to It Floats!

One is that a workman left his machine running when he went to lunch. The machine whipped more air into the composition of the soap. It was soon discovered that the addition of the extra air caused the soap to float.

The other story is that James N. Gamble, son of one of the founders, was a chemist. He is given credit in some circles for making the soap float.

The 99 44/100 % Pure is credited to Harley Proctor, son of the other Company founder.

At the time, castile soaps were claimed to be the purest soap available. Castile soap was made with olive oil. Harley Proctor disagreed. Ivory was the purest. He hired a laboratory to make a comparison. The lab’s report stated that Ivory was 99 44/100 % pure. From that point forward, everyone recognized Ivory as pure. Mothers for generations bought Ivory soap believing it was pure.

An attractive model/actress became the Ivory girl, in effect. Her picture was on everything Ivory holding a baby. Mother and child. Purity. Ivory’s sales increased. Her name Marilyn Chambers.

For some reason, Chambers left Ivory and the baby to become a porn actress. In 1972, she starred in Behind the Green Door. One of the first feature length hard core films. Preceded only by Deep Throat. Behind the Green Door was an adult film shown in movie houses across the country. Next door in the same theater to Sound of Music and the like.

An instantaneous success! Grossed $50 million.

Chambers was no longer pure and neither was Ivory due to the association with Chambers. Ivory was tainted by her pornographic success. Chambers went on to get rich doing such films. Proctor and Gamble hurried to get Chambers’ picture off their advertising and products. The Company went so far as to recall any product on a store’s shelf that had Chambers’ picture on it.

In 1992, skin irritability became a problem for soap manufacturers. Each claimed their soap did not irritate. Proctor & Gamble included. Ivory went back to the lab. A new soap with a number of different ingredients was developed.

A problem, however. The new product did not float. Floatability had to come out of its advertising. Also, calling the product soap. Due to the ingredients in the new bar, soap was not a correct description of the product being sold. Soap disappeared from Proctor & Gamble’s labeling.

No more floatability, no more designation as soap.

The problem did not hurt Ivory in any fashion. Its loyal supporters continued to use it and over the years since 1992, Ivory sales have increased.

My columns generally cover heavy thought provoking material. Every now and then I like a week off from such writing. I believe that you my readers enjoy a break also. The Ivory story represents such a break.

SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL

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Key West offers much. Something for everyone.

The Songwriters Festival began yesterday. Runs through sunday. The twentieth anniversary of the event.

There is no other event anywhere to compare. Songwriters from all over the world invade Key West. Over 200. Play everywhere. Most venues free. The bars, restaurants, Tropic Cinema, and San Carlos.

A charity fundraiser. St. Jude Hospital.

A leader in the festival locally is Smokin’ Tuna.

A pleasant easy day yesterday.

Started with a haircut with Lori. Enjoy the lady! For over 15 years. An excellent conversationalist.

Then lunch at what was Lobos. Now Island Queen or something like that. Cuban sandwich place. It is hidden. Like No Name Pub, you have to search for it.

It sits in the corner off the walk next to Antonia’s and the walk in off Southard. Large for a Cuban sandwich place. Lots of sitting room.

Enjoyed a Cuban cheese toast with tomato and Cuban coffee. The cheese toast almost as good as the old Paradise Cafe. I enjoyed!

Bocce last night.

We played the #1 or #2 team. Excellent competition! They almost always win. Lose few games, forget matches.

We went in hoping to win one game. We are fighting to make the playoffs. The first five of the fourteen teams involved make it. Going into last night, we were around 4 or 5.

We won 2 out of 3 games. Wow! The only game we lost was the one I played in. I sucked.

A great victory! Hurt the other team’s standings and may have pushed us definitely into a play off position.

Next week is the end of the season.

This is VE Day. Victory in Europe 1945. Germany defeated.

I was 10 years old at the time. I remember the day distinctly. It was morning when the news came over the radio. Everyone was in the streets and on porches yelling and crying, hugging and kissing. Everyone had someone in the fight against Germany and Japan.

There have been many wars since. Not one has ended with the joy and enthusiasm I experienced that day. Sad. Probably because not everyone has a family member in the battle. We now have a professional military which takes away from the personal involvement.

Three from my family come to mind immediately. An uncle in New Guinea. An uncle in germany. A cousin on the USS Missoula delivering troops to the beaches of Iwo Jima.

Harry Truman. As I continually repeat, Truman loved Key West. Key West loves Truman. He is with us even now.

Today is Truman’s birthday.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BEACH SEX

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A couple. Consensual sex. Bradenton Beach. Middle of the afternoon. Beach not crowded. A three year old girl nearby. Someone nearby videod.

An interesting issue. Sex on beach. Not wild. He on top, she under him. It has happened many times on beaches everywhere, though not common.

The Bradenton couple were arrested. Tried. Jury and all. The jury returned its verdict yesterday. Guilty. Lewd conduct the charge. Both facing up to 15 years in jail. Prosecutor insists and believes they will receive lengthy sentences.

My problem. Banking executives crashed our economy in 2008. Millions hurt. Tax payer dollars required to the bail banks out. No criminal charges ever brought. Banks too big to prosecute.

Where is the justice?

Wednesday has turned out to be my screw off day. I need a break after writing sunday, monday and tuesday. I try to do nothing.

I went to Body Owners in the morning. My half hour on the anti-gravity treadmill.

Later in the afternoon, I shaved. My beard a week old. I almost did not shave. I had the beginnings of a beard.

Stopped at Don’s Place around 6. Spent a couple of hours chatting with Don. Always enjoyable.

Then to Geiger Key for dinner. No empty seats at the bar. Tables all empty. I did not want to be the solitary customer at a table. Left.

Went to Hogfish. What a difference! Like day and night! Jam packed. A money maker!

I was able to get a seat at the bar. I enjoyed something different. Grouper sliders. Outstanding! Recommend them.

I have not mentioned the diet in a while. Still on it. Nothing happening. It has been well over a month. I hit 35 pounds lost and then stopped. In a month plus, I have neither gained nor loss. I have tried mixing up the foods a bit. Nothing seems to help. That is one reason I am thrilled with the anti-gravity treadmill. Maybe some exercise will help.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

PHYSIOTHERAPY ENDS

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Let the drums roar! I am done with physiotherapy!

I went because I was falling. My doctor said I needed balance sessions. I disagreed, but went. The doctor was correct.

I only attended 3-4 weeks. Twice a week. Grueling! Hard! Knocked me on my ass! I was exhausted when I was done each day.

Hopefully, it worked. I was told yesterday that I now have an 8 percent chance of falling. As opposed to 20 percent when I started.

The physio worked on my core. That is the lower part of one’s stomach. Had to strengthen my core. The physio included a how to climb stairs program also. I thought it a joke when I started. No joke! It has made me very conscious that I am climbing stairs when I do so. I now concentrate on each step. Sounds foolish, I know. But we forget as we age.

Now, we shall see. Hopefully no more falls.

I did the physiotherapy at Body Owners on Stock Island. I was pleased. The group is very professional, attentive and knowledgeable.

Part of my session included 20 minutes on a treadmill. Not the usual type. It is called an AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. Cool! Lowers your body weight as you walk on the treadmill. In my case, made me feel 50 pounds lighter. Ergo, I did not tire easily.

To describe the machine is difficult. You wear some kind of big shorts. The shorts and a large box you are in are blown up with air. The air lifts your body a bit. The reason why you feel lighter as you walk.

I am taken by the machine. Today, I start a three day a week program just using the treadmill. Thirty minutes each time. This is not part of the physiotherapy program I just concluded. I hope it will make me stronger and get my body in better shape.

Spent a couple of hours yesterday fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My police/black discussion garnered the most interest. I said today police/black, tomorrow black/white. The  black economy a motivating factor. The scenario could be upon us as soon as this summer. Hope I am wrong.

This week’s KONK Life column hits the stands today. 99 44/100 % Pure. The story of Ivory soap. Very interesting. Even has sex thrown in. A change of pace article for me. Thought it was time for something light.

I read somewhere this morning that the poppy fields in Afghanistan  experienced the highest production level in 2014. Afghanistan is the world’s largest supplier of opium and heroin.

I make mention because of something that came to my attention about three months ago. I discussed it briefly on my blog talk radio show at the time.

We all now the devastation the war has wrought on Afghanistan. Destruction everywhere. But one place. The poppy fields. Not one poppy field has been damaged in the fighting.

A message here?

Let me close with Hemingway and Truman.

I watched A Farewell to Arms on television last night. The second time in two weeks. Much of the story takes place in northern Italy near the Swiss border. One of the locations is Lake Maggiore. Scenes of Lake Maggiore frequently appear in the movie.

I have been to Maggiore several times. A beautiful place. The lake has several islands. One I visited for dinner in a quaint small Italian bistro. I thought at the time and do now how lucky I have been to enjoy Lake Maggiore. It is a God is in His Heaven, all is right with the world place.

Came across an interesting statement by Truman. I share it with you.

“My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference. I, for one, believe the piano player job to be much more honorable than current politicians.”

Enjoy your day!

ANOTHER KEY WEST WATER TRAGEDY

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Tragedy struck on two occasions recently. Both water related. In one incident, a man was left paralyzed. The other, dead.

Sunset is big in Key West! A tourist attraction. The celebration takes place on the Gulf side of Key West at Mallory Square.

Sunday night, a 49 year old man visiting with family and friends decided to jump off the sea wall where the performers were playing. A friend went in first. Then, he.

He could not get out on his own. The current too strong. Two others jumped in attempting to save save him. Too late.

About a month ago, a similar incident occurred. A group of male friends were partying at the Sunset Tiki Bar at the Galleon. One of them decided to run, jump over the heavy rope fence and into the water. It was low tide. He is now paralyzed for life.

People do stupid things. Sometimes resulting in bad happenings. These are two examples. Sad both occurred. There seems to be a tendency with Key West visitors to do crazy things. Not just jumping in the water. Many times what is done has an adverse result.

Physiotherapy yesterday. Grueling again. I had to nap a bit when I got home. I am definitely our of shape. Anything physical tires me. Even sex.

At least, I have stopped falling down.

Spent a considerable time yesterday putting together tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting topics. A police update and my opinion where all this is going, Monsanto’s gall re Roundup, Lake Mead/Hoover Dam going dry, some banks charging depositors for holding their money, and more.

Join me at 9 my time. Guaranteed you will enjoy. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I went up the keys for dinner. Not far. Mangrove Mama’s. A quiet night. Few customers. I sat at a table in the bar.

A pattern has developed in my life. Sunday, monday and tuesday seem to be heavy writing days. Sunday is the KONK column. Monday is getting ready for tuesday night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday is fine tuning the show.

Not a complaint. Merely sharing. I love writing!

Enjoy your day!