NORML

Posted on by

Title spelled correctly. Did not intend to type Normal.

NORML is an organization whose mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to legalize the responsible use of marijuana. Its further mission is to serve as a consumer advocate for access to high quality marijuana that is safe, convenient and affordable.

The organization is not a Johnny come lately. It is 45 years old. Its membership consists primarily of marijuana defense lawyers.

NORMAL has a one week seminar each year. Attorneys attend from all over the U.S. It traditionally has been meeting in Key West for many years. Most often at the Pier House. The actual title of the meeting is the NORML Key West Legal Seminar.

This is their week. The Chart Room was packed last night with seminar attendees. Drinking, not smoking.

My yesterdays generally begin the same way. With the anti-gravity treadmill at Body Owners. Yesterday morning was quiet. Unusual. I went at it again with 30 seconds of high speed and two minutes slow. Supposed to strengthen my heart.

Had to rush home afterwards. Every friday at 12:30, I am interviewed on the KONK News Radio Show. The topic is the subject matter of that week’s KONK Life column. Yesterday, The Eiffel Tower.

The Chart Room first last night. Searching for Jean Thornton. She had telephoned earlier and we agreed to meet at the Chart Room for a drink. We ended up a foursome. Sheila and Stephanie were part of the group. Us in the middle of the pot lawyers.

Cheryl and Roger were at the Chart Room also. Sitting at the round table with some friends.

Decided to go straight home afterwards. About half way there, my stomach started to growl. I was hungry. Stopped at Outback for lamb chops. Outback a locals place. Good value for the money. Always packed.

We have had two consecutive days of heavy rain. More predicted for later this morning. Whoever is responsible for the rain apparently is not aware this is not Key West’s rainy season.

The Christmas Parade is tonight. Hope it is not rained out. A terrific event! Especially for kids.

I mentioned some strange nature happenings yesterday. Forgot one.

Each morning on rising, I look out my bedroom window. About a hundred yards distant at the entrance to Cypress Lake sits a buoy of sorts. A warning post. It marks low water. Boats are warned to avoid the area.

I have lived in my Key West home 16 years. Look out the window each morning when I rise. Always see the thing bouncing in the water. A couple of days ago, it was different. I could actually see the ground holding it. The tide must have been out. However, the water level lower than normal for low tide. There was a circle of land exposed around the warning buoy. Ten feet in diameter.

Which raises the question. Sea levels have been rising for years. Why was this the first time I saw land exposed?

I mentioned several weeks ago La Trattoria was closed and would be reopening after Fantasy Fest. It finally opened last night at 5. Remodeling the reason for the closing and delay. There was a sinking problem in part of the first floor not anticipated which required more time for the project to be completed.

Syracuse/Georgetown at 1. On FOX. Georgetown a 5 1/2 point favorite.

This will be the first of 9 games Boeheim will be sitting out. Hopkins will be coaching. Hopkins perfect to assume the responsibility. He has been waiting years. When the time comes that Boeheim retires, the head coaching job is his. It has already been agreed in writing that Hopkins will succeed Boeheim.

OPEC crying about oil prices being dramatically low. Too bad. Let them cry. They got fat off the rest of the world for decades. Never forget, they gave us $4 a gallon gasoline.

The couple who did the shooting in San Bernardino. Something I do not understand. Traditionally, children always come first. One’s own children especially. The couple had a six month daughter who they left with the grandmother when they went out to terrorize.

The couple had to know they would die. Or be jailed for years. Where was their concern for the child? How could their Islamic beliefs outweigh that responsibility?

Enjoy your day!

 

 

THE NATURE OF THINGS

Posted on by

When it wants, nature commands.

Very early yesterday morning, I stepped out onto my deck. I was amazed at the calm. There are many days when everything appears calm, but yet there is a slight movement in a palm leaf or something. Yesterday, no movement. Nothing at all.

Reminded me of Hurricane Georges. The night before was the same. Quiet. Peaceful. Absolutely nothing moving.

I learned back then the meaning of calm before the storm. Georges hit hard the next day. So too the storming yesterday afternoon and last night. Extremely heavy rain. Joined by thunder and lightning throughout the night.

Yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Continued with the 30 second fast thing. Increased the speed more than previously.

Then to Lee Nails and Tammy for a manicure and pedicure. Lee Nails amazes me. Tammy and her husband have built a huge following.

There was a break in the rain at dinner time. I decided on Hogfish. Mentally it seemed like the place to be after the rain. I was right. You could taste and smell the rain. All pleasant. Enjoyed my time at the bar.

I screwed up. I mentioned the other day that the Boat Parade was this saturday. Fortunately, I received many e-mails correcting me. The Boat Parade is a week from saturday. This saturday is the Christmas Parade. An event! Enjoy it somewhere along Truman.

Boeheim’s NCAA appeal has been decided. The only change was that the 9 game penalty begins saturday with the Georgetown game. Instead of at the beginning of the ACC season. A better result than before. Still sucks.

A raw deal for Boeheim. He had no direct tie to the charges. Which in and of themselves did not warrant the overall harshness of the original decision.

Few know the composition of and how the NCAA works. Worthy of a column at some point.

I have not been a fan of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for some time. They are a traditional group to the far right. Similar to the Protestant religious far right. The Bishops are generally in opposition to the changes Pope Francis is working to bring about.

The bishops recently met in Baltimore. Note that many did not show up for the scheduled meeting. Those present prepared a political document to guide Catholic voters.

The nerve of them! Priests belong in church preaching God’s word from the pulpit. Not in the public market place telling me and other Catholics how we should vote.

The bishops are way out of line.

Trump is beginning to get under my skin again. When asked how things will get done, he says it’s all about management. Skillful management contributed to the death of six million Jews.

Trump is a loose cannon.

Syracuse plays Georgetown tomorrow. A battle between former Big East foes. Syracuse/Georgetown games were always exciting and hard fought. Tomorrow should be interesting. The game is at 1 on FOX.

My weekly interview on KONK News takes place on local radio 104.9 at 12:15 today. Fifteen minutes of me answering questions and discussing this week’s KONK Life column The Eiffel Tower.

Enjoy your day!

EVENING NOT AS PLANNED

Posted on by

The best laid plans of mice and men…..

My evening was planned. Syracuse basketball. I rarely miss a game. Everything else is pushed to the side.

There were two other things that could have been on my plate last night.

The annual Pier House Christmas Show. Starring dear friends Larry Smith, Kathleen Peace, Skipper Kripitz and Christine Cordone. Syracuse basketball superseded them.

The other was dinner with Cheryl and Roger. Now living in Cape Coral, they are visiting Key West for two weeks. Cocktails instead. Syracuse basketball taking priority.

I had lunch yesterday at the Pier House Beach Bar. Lovely Jaynine bartending. I could hear singing coming from the outer deck by the old Wine Galley. Knew the voice. Kathleen Peace!

I walked back to say hello. Larry and Skipper rehearsing with Kathleen. Hugs, kisses and a few moments of chatting. Told Larry I would not be there in the evening. Syracuse basketball. He could not understand why I would pick basketball over the show.

Different strokes for different folks.

An observation. Larry, Kathleen, Skipper and Christine are Key West. I repeat, they are Key West. None more representative.

I met Cheryl and Roger at the Sq. 1  bar at 5. They knew I would be leaving at 6:30 to watch the Syracuse game. It was good to see them. It had been several months. A couple of drinks and appetizers. At exactly 6:30, I left for home.

I settled in my recliner and turned on the TV. The game had already started. The score 10-10. The next thing I knew it was the start of overtime. I had fallen asleep and missed the whole game!

Some days I can’t win for losing.

Syracuse lost to Wisconsin in overtime 66-58. The sports news this morning indicates Syracuse played poorly. One problem was the boards. Syracuse was out rebounded 51-25.

On to the next game.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I am into something new. Working on my heart rate. I go fast for 30 seconds and then to a slow walk for 2 minutes. Not jogging. Walking very fast. Reached the highest speeds yet that way. As long as it does not kill me, it is good for me.

Keys History this morning reported that on this day in 1900 a ship left Key West for New York. The ship carried 1,846,000 cigars which had been made in Key West. A lot of cigars! What an industry! Gone now from Key West.

My friend Anna lives in Navara, Italy. We have not communicated in months. Received an e-mail from her yesterday. It was in Italian. Strange. She always writes in English. There was a warning across the e-mail. Do not open. People will steal your money, etc.

I did not open. Forwarded it to Anna, however.

An hour later, I received a telephone call from Anna. She was sitting in the Novara police station. Someone got into her e-mail. One of her bank accounts was already 5,700 euros light. About $8,000 American money. She warned me not to open the e-mail sent me which I already knew.

She telephoned again later when she returned home. She was obviously upset. Anna is affluent. However, also conservative. Watches every penny.

She was in Chamonix last weekend. A small ski town over the Italian border in France. About an hour’s drive from her home. For the first time, she had to show ID before she was permitted to enter France.

It was reported this morning that Saudi Arabia has scheduled a mass execution of 50 persons. All political activists, except for a Palestinian poet. All to be beheaded at one time.

I wonder how it is going to be done. I reported a year ago that Saudi Arabia was publicly advertising for beheaders. More were needed. Understandable. Saudi Arabia big at beheading.

Is each person to be executed to have his/her own beheader? Or, will one do all 50? I am not trying to be funny. Based on the want ad last year, that many executions at one time could be a problem for Saudi Arabia.

I love Saudi Arabia! They gave us $4 a gallon gasoline, 17 of the 21 9/11 terrorists were Saudi Arabian citizens. The same Saudi Arabia that is supposedly our friend. Saudi Arabia also has refused to take any of the Syrian refugees in. Their own people. Muslims.

Enjoy your day!

 

THE EIFFEL TOWER

Posted on by

Paris is much in the news these days because of the terrorist bombing. I thought it appropriate to write about something of a French nature which especially symbolizes Paris.

The Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 Paris Centennial Exhibition. The World’s Fair. Its purpose to commemorate the French Revolution 100 years earlier. The Tower was to remain for only 20 years. Then to be torn down.

Most Parisians were opposed to the Tower. They thought even 20 years too long. The Tower was referred to by them as a lamp post stuck in the belly of Paris, an odious column of bolted metal.

A public campaign ensued to prevent the Tower’s construction. Called the Committee of the Three Hundred. Composed of important French art figures. Architects, artists and writers. The Committee considered the proposed Tower useless and monstrous. A barbarous mass overwhelming and humiliating other monuments. An eyesore.

The Committee failed. The Tower was built.  Took 2 years to complete. Not torn down after 20 years. Stands to this day.

Tourists liked the Tower from day one. Two million visited the Tower its first year. Millions more in subsequent years. The Tower today averages 7 million visitors a year.

Radio saved the Tower. Note the Tower was built for the 1889 World’s Fair. Radio was invented and developed in the 20 years between 1890 and 1910.

The Tower was nearly 1,000 feet tall. It became a state of the art wireless facility. Capable of transmitting messages initially to London, Berlin and North Africa. Then the United States when the Tower became part of the U.S. Army’s wireless telegraph system.

The Tower had a war time value. During World War I, the radio tower intercepted enemy communications, relayed Zeppelin alerts, and was used to dispatch emergency troop reinforcements.

During World War II, Hitler ordered the Tower destroyed when it was apparent Paris would fall to the Allies. Fortunately, the scheme was not carried out. Also during World War II, French resistance fighters cut the elevator cables so the Nazis had to climb the stairs. The fighters kept the cables cut throughout the occupation.

The Tower’s infancy began with a competition to build a monument for the World’s Fair. More than 100 competed and submitted plans. Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel’s company Eiffel de Compagnie received the commission. The company had a solid reputation as an architectural, consulting, bridge building, and construction firm.

Eiffel had a valued employee, the structural engineer Maurice Koechlin. Eissel and Koechlin worked as a team regarding the Tower. The two had collaborated earlier on the Statue of Liberty’s armature.

The Tower was constructed of puddle iron. Another name for wrought iron. The Tower consists of 18,000 pieces of puddle iron and 2.5 million rivets. It stood nearly 1,000 feet tall when completed. One thousand feet tall being comparable to an 81 story building.

The Tower consisted of 3 platforms/floors. Initially, only 2 were open to the pubic. Later, all 3. Today serviced by 9 elevators. Restaurants among present day tenants.

The Tower is repainted every seven years. At the beginning, 3 colors. Lighter at the top. Gradually getting darker as the bottom was reached. The purpose to make the Tower compliant with the Parisian sky. In 2013, the Tower was painted bronze.

The Tower received a major face lift in 1986.

The Tower is owned by the City of Paris.

The top floor had a small apartment reserved for Eiffel himself.  Eiffel used the apartment to entertain. The apartment remains today even though Eiffel is long gone. It has been decorated in the period style as when constructed. Lifelike mannequins of Eiffel and notable guests are part of the apartment. The rooms are open to the public.

Charles de Gaulle could be hard to live with. History tells us of Eisenhower’s trials and tribulations with the man. His ideas did not always make sense.

In 1967, de Gaulle was President of France. He secretly arranged with Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau to dismantle the Tower and relocate it to Montreal for Montreal’s Expo 67. When the plan was discovered, all of Paris and France went crazy. The French people feared the Tower would never return. The plan was dropped.

The Eiffel Tower…..one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

WORLD AIDS DAY

Posted on by

World AIDS Day was celebrated in Key West yesterday. At the AIDS Memorial at the entrance to the White Street Pier.

Key West remembers the AIDS victims. All loved. Sadly gone.

Key West jumped in to help in the early days of the epidemic. AIDS Help came into being. A special friend Dee Raniuk was part of AIDS Help for 20 years. AIDS victims became her life’s work.

Dee was raised on the Cape. Earned herself a PhD in psychology. She could have worked anywhere with the degree. For significant dollars. Instead, she opted to work with AIDS victims in Key West. She dedicated herself to them.

Dee is now retired from AIDS Help. She has a second home on Cudjoe Key. Tragedy has befallen Dee. Not AIDS. Something just as bad. She is a cancer victim.

The past two years have not been easy for her. A couple of operations. A lot of suffering. Cannot eat. Only drink. And not alcohol. Her drugs too powerful. A couple of sips of wine and Dee is off the wall.

I love Dee. I am glad she has been a part of my life in recent years. I hope she continues to be.

Yesterday afternoon was spent fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Did the show in the evening.

For some reason, I had more material than normal. Twice as much. Not certain why. Perhaps more things happened this past week. Whatever, I got them all in. I can’t wait to listen to the archived edition later this morning. I am concerned I might have talked a bit too fast.

Santa Claus and Don’t Pee On Me were two interesting topics.

A shopping mall in New Jersey decided to charge to see Santa Claus this year. Built a special house within the mall. North Pole thing. Children charged $35 each to talk to Santa Claus. Family fee was $75. Only lasted 5 days. The public outcry was too much. Now free. As it should be.

Don’t pee on me interesting. Apparently, people have taken to peeing outdoors in large numbers worldwide. Generally against a wall. The result an enduring disgusting smell.

Cologne and San Francisco among those with the problem. In San Francisco, party goers and the homeless. In Cologne, men in general.

The solution, a special hydrophobic paint. The walls were painted with the urine paint. It caused urine splashed against a wall to be returned to the peeer (such a word?) at the same angle. The peeer pissed on by his own excretion.

In Cologne, warning signs: You pee on me, I pee on you.

Another item discussed is the new $313 million cloning plant being built in China. Primarily to clone cows. Not enough beef available for China’s middle class.

This morning I saw a news report that the director involved with the cloning plant says humans can be cloned. Now. Today. Public reaction is the only thing prohibiting it.

My column in KONK Life this week is The Eiffel Tower. A biography. KONK Life hits the stands today.

Syracuse/Wisconsin tonight in basketball. Hope Syracuse continues its winning style.

Read an article about Tiger Woods. Doubts he will play golf next year. His back and a nerve condition. His exercise is presently limited to walking.

I feel badly for Woods. At some point, he may have to make the decision to pack it in. Retirement no shame. It will take years before another golfer achieves his accomplishments.

Today, screw off day for me. Other than this blog, nothing to write, no show to prepare for. It will be be an easy day for me. Not sure what I will do, except for watching the Syracuse game tonight.

Enjoy your day!

 

CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING

Posted on by

Small towns have the best holiday events!

Last night was Bayview Park for Key West’s annual Christmas tree lighting. A beautiful tree. A beautiful event. The tree first class.

Santa Claus was there, also. An impressive one. Looked good. Handled the kids well.

A huge crowd. A couple of hundred at least. Family time.

The last Christmas tree lighting I saw was 35 years ago. Rockefeller Center. I was in New York City on business. The lighting impressive also. A different flavor.

My small town position is reflected also  by my summer experiences on Cape Cod. I spent several summers in Chatham. The elbow. Generally there during July 4th. The Fourth of July parade was warm and exciting. For some reason, felt more personal than the bigger parades in larger cities that I had viewed over the years.

Key West has another top Christmas event this week. The Boat Parade. Saturday night. An experience to watch. Even better if you are fortunate to be on one of the boats.

Speaking of Christmas, I will be discussing on my blog talk radio show tonight the shopping mall that recently charged $35 for a child to see Santa Claus. Money crazy gluttons!

Other topics include a long overdue GMO update, U.S. bombing of ISIS, wealthy Arab states refusing to take in Syrian refugees, Russians willing to take only middle class refugees, the Paris Climate Summit, baby found in a Church manger, prostitution labeled free fun, some Eiffel Tower info, and more.

Join me. Nine this evening my time. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Started yesterday with the anti-gravity treadmill. Love it! Then to the Marriott Beachside lobby. Sat a while reading the morning papers. Ran into Ray. He is in charge of security at the Marriott. A terrific electric guitar entertainer, he will be playing at Don’s birthday party next week. Publix next. Needed food badly.

Syracuse’s basketball team ranked this week. Those two wins against ranked teams last week did it. Syracuse is the only team in the country to have beaten two ranked teams. Additionally, many of the ranked teams got beat. Syracuse is 6-0.

From nothing to something. Syracuse ranked 14th in the AP poll, 19th in the Coaches poll, and 13th in the CBS poll.

Wednesday night Wisconsin.

The decision re Boeheim’s appeal expected today.

I mentioned Pelican Poop yesterday. Closed after 21 years. Patrick commented with a piece of Key West lore unknown to me. A new Ford  had been ordered for Hemingway. Delivery was several days late. The Ford dealership was located in the same place most recently occupied by Pelican Poop.

Trump bothering me. Voltaire said “…..those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”

Enjoy your day!