POLICE HAVE NO RIGHT TO STRIKE

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It was September 9, 1919. The Boston Police were unhappy. They had been denied the right to unionize. They went on strike. Eighty percent of the force failed to show up for work.

Calvin Coolidge rode the strike into the U.S. Presidency.

Massachusetts Governor at the time. He said, “There is no right to strike against public safety by anybody, anywhere, anytime.” He sent in the Massachusetts Militia.

Coolidge enjoyed a politically fortuitous life. He got into the police strike fray as it was dying down. Made a brilliant statement. He was given credit for putting the strike down.

Coolidge was selected to run as Vice-President with Warren Harding as President. Harding died in office. Coolidge became President.

Yesterday afternoon, I was able to watch the first half of the Syracuse/Wagner game. Syracuse looked good. Wagner a small school beginning to grow its football program.

Syracuse has not looked good for many years. They beat Wagner 62-10. Impressive. However, the quality of the opposition has to be taken into account. Next week will tell. Syracuse plays Florida State.

My dear Donna has competition for the title of the Julia Child of Key West. Andrea.

Donna, Terri and I were guests of Andrea and Joe last night for dinner. What a meal! Lasagna! Fantastic! Buttery banana bread for desert.

My diet went out the window!

We all headed over to Blue Macaw after dinner. Terri sat in for a while with Larry Baeder.

It is Terri again this morning. She is singing with Larry at Hard Rock Cafe’s Sunday brunch. Ten to twelve.

Got to admire Terri. She keeps working, putting one foot in front of the other. She has a steady gig at Blue Macaw beginning Wednesday. Her night.

Remember Shrimp Boats Are A Coming. Think Rosemary Clooney sang it. Delete Shrimp boats and replace the term with Florence. Florence is a coming! No question, unless it makes a hard right back into the Atlantic at the last moment.

Florence is headed for the mid Atlantic states. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia have already declared a state of emergency. Florence’s path will remain uncertain for 5 days. Then!

The hurricane experts say Florence will begin a rapid intensification beginning today. It will return to hurricane status. Expected to be a major hurricane when it hits.

Some people get away with murder!

The U.S. is facing a major opioid crisis. One hundred plus a day dying. The prescription drug Oxycontin a major contributor. A pain killer. Quick to addict.

Purdue Pharma has been producing the drug for years. The government and the public are aware. The government is doing little. The public trying to do a lot. There are presently lawsuits against Purdue Pharma in over 1,000 jurisdictions.

Purdue Pharma is a family business. The Sackler family. One of the sons is Richard Sackler. At one time, President of Purdue Pharma.

Richard and five others recently obtained a patent for a new drug. To be used where a person has an opioid disorder. To be used for opioid addiction treatment.

I love it! Sackler and family a major contributor to the opioid crisis. Made millions if not billions in the process. Now one of them will add to his wealth for having come up with a cure.

Would you believe!

Only in America!

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

JIMMY BUFFETT…..JAMAICA MISTAICA

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I continue to live and learn.

Chart Room good fun last night.

John mentioned he would be gone for 2 weeks. Vacation. Jamaica.

I am still reading Peter Schweizer’s Secret Empires. Came across a line yesterday that stated Jamaica was corrupt. Time frame maybe 10 years ago. Suggested John beware.

Kevin and Holly were chatting with us. Kevin and John both stated Jamaica was corrupt. As are many of the smaller islands. They then told me the Jimmy Buffett story and his plane having been shot at in Jamaica because the gendarmes thought it belonged to drug smugglers.

First time I was hearing the story.

It was January 16, 1996. Twenty two years ago. Buffett had his own plane. A Grumman HU-16 Albatross flying boat. Buffett named it Hemisphere Dancer.

Buffett has a commercial pilot license. He was flying the plane that day. On board were U2’s Bono, his wife Ali, their 2 children, and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell.

Buffett was either landing near Negril or taking off. No formal record of the flight nor landing registered. They had stopped or were stopping to enjoy the “best” jerky chicken in Jamaica.

Jamaican authorities suspecting drug smuggling began shooting. The plane took several hits. Fortunately, no one injured.

Jamaica apologized several weeks later.

Buffett wrote a song about the incident titled Jamaica Mistaica. A stanza: “Come back, come back to Jamaica / Don’t chu know we made a big mistake / We’d be so sad if you told us good-bye / And we promise not to shot you out of the sky.”

More dialogue at the Chart Room.

Kevin and I were at it re the Democrats and Republicans. He a die hard Trump fan. Fortunately, we are friends. Even when our voices raise on high. However, we both think the other does not know what he is talking about.

John said he had a ton of fresh tuna. A customer had given it to him. Cleaned. John had frozen it.

Let’s have a party!

Monday at 4.

Kevin and John asked me to bring along Donna and Terri. Ran into them later at Blue Macaw and they were excited. Except, Donna cannot make it. She will be working. Terri becomes my date.

Enjoyed a drink with Donna and Terri at Blue Macaw. Terri was in a bad way. Extremely sorrowful. Down in the dumps. Donna, likewise.

Terri had starred in Nunsense 1 and 2 with Rue McClanahan. Most of you will remember Rue as Blanche Devereaux on the The Golden Girls. The TV show that ran 1985-1982.

Rue died in 2010. However, a British Company is doing a series about her. Terri was interviewed by a British representative of the company long distance yesterday for 2 hours. About her relationship personally and professionally with Rue.

The interview weighed heavily on both my ladies last night.

Syracuse football back! Play Wagner this afternoon. A small college. Syracuse a 25 point favorite. Hope I can get the game on TV. I subscribe to the college game channels. Unfortunately, they do not carry all of them.

Tonight another dinner party. At Joe and Andrea’s. Donna and Terri invited also. Afterwards to Blue Macaw where Terri will be singing with Larry Baeder.

Hurricane Florence. She’s coming! So say the weather people. Still far off. If it hits landfall in the U.S., it will be sometime mid week.

Florence has diminished in strength from a category 4 to a tropical storm. Professionals say it was expected. However at some point, Florence will increase in intensity and return to hurricane status.

Landfall somewhere along the North American shore. Governor Cooper of North Carolina has already declared a state of emergency. He’s not screwing around.

Florence may decide not to make land. The alternative is a hard right turn into the Atlantic. Too soon to tell.

I watched Obama’s speech yesterday afternoon. Simply stated…..Vote! God helps those who help themselves.

A step back in history. On this day in 1974, President Ford pardoned Richard Nixon. Ford claimed his motivation was to end the national divisions created by the Watergate scandal. The Nation had to be reunited.

Ford pardoned Nixon for any crimes he may have committed or participated in while in office.

I agreed with Ford then. I continue to agree with him.

Unfortunately, not everyone felt as I did. Many harbored ill will towards Ford because of the pardon. It cost him the election when he ran.

Enjoy your day!

 

ORIGIN OF UNCLE SAM

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The United States has a nickname. We all know it. Uncle Sam.

Where did it come from? How did it originate? Who is responsible for the nickname?

We have to go back to the War of 1812 for the answer.

Samuel Wilson was a Troy, N.Y. meat packer who supplied beef to the U.S. Army. Beef was transported in barrels.

On this day in 1813, Wilson began stamping the barrels with “U.S.” Purpose to inform everyone who was in contact with the barrels that the contents came from the United States.

Soldiers began referring to the beef they were eating as “Uncle Sam’s.”

A local newspaper picked up on the story. In due course, Uncle Sam gained widespread acceptance as the nick name for the U.S. federal government.

Recognition of Wilson’s contribution took a long time to acknowledge. However in September 1961, the U.S. Congress recognized Wilson as “the progenitor (father of) America’s symbol of Uncle Sam.”

My yesterday began with a haircut. Enjoy the time I spend with Lori. She has now been cutting my hair for 18 years. Looks as young today as she did back then.

Then to Sandy’s Cafe for lunch. I like the place. They know me and I know them. Always a friendly welcome. No need to order. They know I eat the same thing each time. Automatically bring it to me.

A car problem developing. Could be the battery. Not sure. Turns over slowly. Strange, however. If the car has been sitting for a half hour or more, it starts slowly. If sitting 5 minutes or so, starts normally.

Hopefully, I will find out today. Every time I returned to the car yesterday, I was not certain it would start. Not a welcome feeling.

The Chart Room first last night. John bartending. Steve and Cindy at the bar. Enjoyed their company.

Met Colin and Carli from Sarasota. Have been vacationing for a week. Staying at the Pier House. They married on Smathers Beach several years ago. Return to Key West often.

Colin originally from Northern England. They return there also to visit.

Both are employed by the same company, different departments. Computer soft ware programming.

Drove to Blue Macaw for a bite. Enjoyed ribs and a drink.

Ran into Donna, Terri, Joe and Andrea. Stayed a while. Stopped by Mary and Doug to share a few words.

Close to 10 when I left. Stopped at Publix on the way home. Desperately in need of food. Swiftly up and down the aisles to beat closing time. Good exercise.

Prior to the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing, I considered Judge Kavanaugh not to be the best of choices. Too far to the right. Rigid. Not fair.

I listened to him being questioned 2 days ago. I was very impressed. The man has one of the best legal minds I have been exposed to. Brilliant.

Such does not necessarily mean he would make a good Supreme Court Justice. The law is not black and white. It is gray. His legal genius would be able to twist things to his far right way of thinking and bring us back to the middle ages.

Ergo, an excellent legal thinker whose ideas are not in the best interests of most U.S. citizens.

I spelled this position out in my Key West Love Live video on Facebook yesterday.

Then, I watched parts of yesterday’s proceedings. Cause me to suspect the good Judge is a liar. A skillful one. Prone to avoid, I don’t recall, lie.

I now find him to be not only an improper candidate for the Supreme Court bench, but also the Circuit Court he sits on.

The Republicans have been playing games with records. It became obvious yesterday why. Kavanaugh has a track record. What he has written or done in the past does not always coincide with his testimony this week.

Two Democratic Senators need to be applauded. Both fought the Chair. Broke some Senate rules in so doing. The only way to out the truth, however.

New Jersey’s Senator Corey Booker and Hawaii’s Senator Mazie Hirono each being described as Spartacus. They were! At one point, Booker told the Chair if you want to bring me up on charges, go for it! The gauntlet was thrown.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

A SPECIAL EVENING

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Last night, a special evening. I spent it with Christina Oxenberg. Though she has lived in Key West since 2011, we never met before. I wish we had.

The evening began at Guy de Boer’s home. Drinks. Christina indulges in water only. I still trust her, however. Followed by dinner at Antonia’s. Finished the evening with a night cap at the Chart Room.

A writer. She has written a column for KONK Life for a number of years. Published 7 books. Articles printed in Allure and Huffington Post. Owns a knit wear company that sells worldwide.

I have read her KONK life writings.  Superior. Unusual. Mystic. Subtle. You do not know where she is going., the point she wishes to make. Till the end. When it hits between the eyes.

Christina is of royal lineage. For real. Her mother was Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia. Her ancestry includes Serbia’s Karageorge, Greece’s King George I, Russia’s Tsar Alexander II, Russia’s Empress Catherine II, and Great Britain’s King George II.

As we arrived at the Pier House, Christina’s phone rang. It was David Wolkowsky. Christina and David are close friends. Chat on the phone once or twice a day. Visits him frequnetly at his home.

Christina was at David’s 99th birthday party I attended two weeks ago. I did not know her before. Did not meet her that evening. No recollection of have seen her.

I would have missed the boat were it not for last night.

David was thrilled to learn we were going to the Chart Room. He built the Pier House and created the Chart Room many many years ago.

Weather continues to be important. Hurricane season.

I made a mistake yesterday in advising Gordon had hit land off the Gulf as a category 1.  It never reached hurricane status. At the moment, it remains a tropical storm moving 70 mph towards Arkansas.

Typical this time of the year, another is on the way. Florence. No screwing around here. Florence is 1,300 miles east off Bermuda and already a category 4.

Tracking not possible yet. It may turn right and stay in the Atlantic. Or, land somewhere on the east coast. May take 5 days to determine a reliable track. Then a few more days before Florence gets where ever she is going.

Social media taking a beating. Justified and non justified. Facebook millennials concerned. A recent Pew Research Center study indicated 44 percent of Americans 18-27 deleted their Facebook apps so far this year.

The concern leading to the deletions involved Facebook’s repeated failures to protect consumer data. The data that was shared and abused by a myriad of Facebook partners.

Michael Snyder is a nationally syndicated writer. His columns well researched and on point. He recently wrote re the world’s economy.

The world’s economy is on a downward thrust. Washington either is not aware or does not care. We hear nothing about it, other than the economy is good.

The problem at the moment involves 20 countries. Except for China, all emerging nations. During boom years, they all borrowed heavily. A high percentage of the loans denominated in U.S. dollars.

All in trouble economically. China included.  A death spiral has begun. Most will crash. Those having U.S. denominated debt will not be able to make loan payments. U.S. and European banks will not be paid. Losses could be astronomical.

A bubble exists. If matters continue as they are, our economy will take a hell  of a hit. A recession resulting.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

GORDON A HURRICANE AT LANDFALL

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Gordon grew in intensity over the Gulf. Made landfall west of the Mississippi/Alabama border. Now a category 1 hurricane.

One death. A child in a mobile home. A tree fell on the mobile home.

Keep in mind. All type storms and weather changes have been occurring in recent years. For me, it is global warming. As to hurricanes, the numbers have increased. The hurricane season runs to November 30. I hold my breath.

I wrote last friday that the Key West Citizen had been sold. The formal announcement would be tuesday. It was. Announced yesterday that the Adams Publishing Group had purchased all assets of Cooke Communications LLC. One of Cooke’s assets the Key West Citizen.

Sarabeth is a popular dining place at 530 Simonton Street. The building housing Sarabeth’s not always a commercial facility. The structure was built in 1889 to be a synagogue. The B’nai Zion Synagogue.

Pause the next time you pass by. Look closely and you can identify parts of the building as having been a synagogue.

Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Kavanaugh an extremely conservative judge. His thinking very far to the right. Too far. He is pro-gun, anti-abortion, believes in a powerful President, believes neither impeachment nor indictment till a President is out of office. A President too busy with important matters to deal with such situations.

Kavanaugh must be confirmed by the Senate. The first step a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The first hearing yesterday.

Chaos. Crazy. Fireworks.

Kavanaugh presents the worst nomination to the Supreme Court in modern history. His legal thinking will mandate his striking down hard fought legal victories of the past 70 years. Not because he is a bad guy. It is the way he thinks.

He will be confirmed. He will sit as a Justice of the Supreme Court. The sadness…..For the next 30-40 years.

Love investigative reporters! Two outstanding ones Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. The two who discovered Nixon’s wrongdoing resulting in Nixon’s resignation.

Both still active. Report and write books.

Bob Woodward’s most recent FEAR: Trump in the White House. Publication a few days off. The Washington Post got an early copy.

Wow! is the best way to describe the book. I can’t wait to read it.

A few items revealed and made available via the media.

Trump’s first lawyer John Dowd put Trump through some mock interviews preparatory to Mueller doing the same officially. Trump lied, lied, lied. He was incapable of telling the truth.

Dowd told him, “Don’t testify. It’s either that or an orange jumpsuit.”

Woodward reports contrary to what Trump repeatedly has said, he told Dowd the practice sessions: “I don’t want to testify.”

Dowd resigned the next day.

General Mattis is reported to have said, Trump has the mentality of a “sixth grader.” Chief of Staff John Kelly, Trump is “unhinged,” an “idiot,” “we’re in Crazytown, ” “the worse job I have ever had.”

Author Bob Woodward himself describes the Trump White House as “Crazytown.”

Carl Bernstein commenting on the book said, “The Trump presidency is a national emergency.”

Our President!!!!!

A possible oil crisis by year’s end. Actually, probable. Cause involves sanctions, tariff wars, increasing demand, and inflation. $4 a gallon predicted by year’s end. As high as $5 a gallon next year.

China needs crude oil. The U.S. needs crude oil. In 2017, China surpassed the U.S. in the importation of crude oil. China imported 8.4 million barrels a day. The U.S., 7.9 million.

Iran comes into the picture. U.S. sanctions preventing crude oil export. Two months from now, Iran will be exporting next to nothing because of new sanctions already on the books.

Inflation comes into play. Only 2.4 percent today. Rising, however still low.

Learned something I did not know. The government plays with the inflation figures. That is, how the rate is determined. If calculated by 1990 standards, today’s 2.4 percent would be 6 percent. If calculated by 1980 standards, 10 percent.

Trump pushes us closer and closer to a recession. Though not immediately apparent, such is inevitable when sanctions, tariff wars and increased oil prices combine.

I have been predicting a recession at year’s end or early into 2019 for some time. The handwriting is on the wall.

I love Russian novels. Something dramatic about them.

On this day in 1958, Boris Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago was published in the U.S. The novel had to be secreted out of Russia a few pages at a time. Russian authorities claimed the novel romanticized the pre-Revolution upper class and degraded the peasants.

Pasternak was awarded to Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958 also. Khrushchev would not permit him to accept the prize.

Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace was published in 1869 after previously having been serialized.

Dr. Zhivago and War and Peace two of my favorite Russian novels.

I had some fun last night ranting and raving on my podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. So much to chat about!

Join me for the show next week.

Enjoy your day!

 

HURRICANE TIME

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A storm was heading for the Keys yesterday. Not strong enough to be named. Got strong overnight. Named. Gordon.

Gordon made a lot of noise last night as it passed over Key West. Woke me a couple of times. Thunder and lightning big time. The lightning coming through the blinds and lighting up the bedroom. Heavy rain, of course.

Winds 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph.

Gordon hit land in the upper Keys. As a tropical storm. It is now in the Gulf. Heading for Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Anticipated that when it hits one of these areas, Gordon will be a category 1 hurricane.

The impact of last year’s September hurricanes still with us. Cudjoe to Marathon still recovering from Irma. Many remain homeless.  Food a problem. Debris still be removed.

The Boca Chica Naval Station beginning its second phase of repairs. A $22 million restoration. Expected to be complete by February 2020.

Puerto Rico took two hits last September. First, Irma. Then, Maria. Puerto Rico remains desperate. A forgotten island.

I blame Trump for Puerto Rico’s condition. He turned his back on the island. Even though Americans. Last wednesday Trump said, “I think we did a fantastic job in Puerto Rico.”

What is he smoking?

Key West’s Womenfest begins tomorrow. Runs through September 9. A major event. Thousands of women will arrive from all over the world. The lesbian community and their friends take over the town. Fun time!

The ladies play Flag Football. Practice is friday at Bayview Park. Saturday the big game. Claimed to be a “friendship game.” Watch them play!

I periodically write and speak of iguanas and pythons. Both populations out of hand. The State waited too long to deal with their invasions. Now permanent Florida residents. The government can only contain, not eradicate.

Lizards have entered the picture. I wrote about them recently. They are here and becoming a problem. I hope the State will get into eradication now rather than tomorrow. Tomorrow will be too late.

A seven foot 150 pound lizard took up residence in a family’s back yard somewhere in mid Florida last week. Refuses to leave. Thus far has escaped capture.

Officials still trying to capture the lizard. The homeowners were told not to be concerned. The lizard was of a type not dangerous to humans.

Alligators becoming a problem also. Attacks in Florida on the rise. From 1988-1999, one attack every 3 years. From 2000-2019, 6 per year.

Planet of the Apes on the way. The only difference the nature of the beasts. This time, the reptiles.

The Kavanaugh hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on TV at the moment. Has been running since 10. Now 11:30. A war! Democrats screaming for fairness and more time. Republicans know they have voting control sitting back letting the Democrats vent.

Nothing more can be said regarding John McCain. Last week he was praised in every possible fashion. The man a true American, a true American hero. Words will quiet down. His memory not. He will remain with us for generations to come.

Meghan McCain’s words will frequently be recalled and repeated: “The America of John McCain does not need to be make America great again, because America was always great.”

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. recently completed a study re the economy. The results of the study clearly established Trump’s “Greatest Economy Ever” is not. The American dream has vanished.

A great number of the American people are struggling with debt and lack of savings. Eighty percent define “American dream” to be financial security and owning a home. More than half believe it is unattainable. The white picket fence gone. The American dream evaporated.

And yet Trump frequently tells us the U.S. is experiencing the greatest economy ever. Ninety percent of the people do not believe it. The man lives in a dream world.

Enjoy your day!

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION…..LABOR DAY HURRICANE 1935

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It is that time of the year. The hurricane season. The beginning of September considered the worst time.

At the moment, there is a potential tropical storm developing in the Atlantic. One hundred seventy five miles east of Marathon. Not a big deal. Yet. Winds 30 miles per hour. The lower keys will receive 2-4 inches of rain today through tomorrow morning.

The storm not named yet. Not considered a problem till it hits the Gulf. It is projected it will then develop into a tropical storm or hurricane. Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana have been warned they could be in trouble.

Last year, it was Irma. Hit the lower keys September 10. Projected as a category 5. Hit Key West as a 1. However, Cudjoe north to Marathon a 4. Significant damage. One year later, recovery still ongoing. Homes destroyed, debris not removed, people living in tents, people without food, etc.

Labor Day 1935 the worst up to that time. A category 5. One hundred eighty five miles per hour when it hit land near Islamorada. Surge 18-20 feet. Islamorada obliterated. Portions of the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway damaged or destroyed. Four hundred eighty five killed.

Death and destruction. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The most intense hurricane to have struck the United States up to that time.

Six hundred ninety five World War I veterans were working on the Overseas Highway. Several camps in the area. A rescue train left Miami at 4:25 pm. Several delays on the way due to a number of non storm related problems. The rescue train did not arrive till 8:20 pm.

It arrived just as the storm surge hit Islamorada. The train’s 11 cars were swept off the tracks. Only the locomotive and tender remained.

Railroad bridges destroyed. Never to be rebuilt. It was the end of the Railway.

Corpses all over the place. The humidity and heat outrageous. Bodies swelling. Splitting open three days after the storm. Health officials concerned. Bodies buried or cremated. Mostly cremated. Some merely thrown in piles and incinerated. Others placed in wood boxes, piled on one another, and then cremated.

The greater percentage of the dead were veterans working on the Overseas Highway.

Though the railroad bed was of no use, certain portions of the road bed and bridges survived. They became part of the Overseas Highway which was completed in 1938. The Highway connected Key West and Miami.

Ernest Hemingway assisted in rescue efforts. He initially rode out the hurricane at his home in Key West. Then hurried up the keys by boat to help. He was incensed by the devastation and deaths.

Hemingway blamed the U.S. government of negligence in sending the veterans to work in the keys during hurricane season. He wrote a critical article titled Who Killed The Veterans which was published in The New Masses magazine.

Hemingway viewed the veterans as unwitting victims of a system that appeared to lack concern for their welfare.

Hemingway was correct. The federal government had forgotten their obligation to those who fought in World War I. Veterans had earlier protested in Washington. Following which the government settled them in work camps such as those that were situated on the Overseas Highway.

The government had a study made to determine responsibility for the deaths of the veterans. The study determined it was an Act of God. A whitewash.

The government did not care and did not want to bear responsibility. Shades of Trump and Puerto Rico.

The National Commander of the American Legion at the time was Ray Murphy. He blamed the loss of life on “Inefficiency, Indifference, and Ignorance.”

The inefficiency the manner in which the camps were set up. The indifference in that no one was in charge of safety. The ignorance that no one understood the real danger from a tropical storm.

May such a storm never occur again. A hope. It will. Recall Andrew in 1992. Wiped out Homestead and the Air Force Base nearby. Ninety five percent of the structures in Homestead leveled.

I appreciate that today’s blog concerns the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. I would be remiss however if I failed to mention Terri White. A force unto herself.

This past year found Terri falling into total blindness. A gutsy lady. A professional singer. Many Broadway shows to her credit.

She still works.

Saturday night, Terri sang at Blue Macaw. Sunday morning at Hard Rock Cafe. Tonight part of Dueling Bartenders at Aqua.

Go Terri!

Enjoy your day!

HERO HONORED

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John McCain’s church service yesterday emotional and uplifting. Befitting an American hero.

His daughter Meghan’s eulogy heart wrenching. Everyone had to shed a tear. Actually, tears.

Meghan a tough woman. I have watched her on View a few times. She stands her ground. She rebuked Trump as only an angered daughter could: “The America of John McCain does not need to be made great again, because America was always great.”

Julia Child cooked last night! Actually, Donna. The Julia Child of Key West.

I enjoyed dinner at Donna and Terri’s. A small dinner party. Joe and Andrea partaking, also.

Good food, good people, good conversation.

Bear appears mended. He was his usual self.

Afterwards, we went across the street to Macaws. Terri was entertaining with Larry Baeder. Her singing magnificent. Blindness has not impaired her voice or delivery.

Terri sings this morning again. At Hard Rock Cafe’s brunch from 10-12.

Three significant historical events occurred this day, though in different years.

The one closest to Key West if Diana Nyad’s dangerous swim from Havana to Key West in 2013. In jellyfish and shark infested waters. Without a shark cage. Diane 64 years old at the time.

She landed on Smathers Beach. The trip took 53 hours. Record time.

On this day in 1969, the first ATM was made available in Rockville Center, New York. We have become accustomed to ATM machines. Quick cash.

The experience will end in the next few years. We are moving toward a cashless society. Everyone will have a card. Something like a credit card. The card will tie directly into a person’s bank account. All transactions will be per the card.

Of special historical significance is this day in 1945. Japan formally surrendered ending World War II. The surrender ceremony took place on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

This week is the heart of hurricane season. So far, so good. The weather is changing a bit. The temperature has dropped from 95 degrees to the high 80’s. Humidity less.

Not sure it will remain so. September is generally considered the hottest and most humid month.

I am disappointed. I receive my Key West Citizen via the internet. No Key West Citizen this morning. Wonder if it has anything to do with the reported sale of the Citizen to the Adams Publishing Group. The sale has not been formally reported yet.

Whatever, enjoy your Sunday!

 

KEY WEST CITIZEN SOLD

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Rumor has it the Key West Citizen has been sold. Formal announcement of the sale is expected tuesday.

The purported purchaser is the Adams Publishing Group. A family business headed by 80 year old Steve Adams and his four sons.

They got into the small town newspaper business only three years ago. Already own some 100 small town dailies.

The Adams family is one of substance. Their wealth estimated in the billions. Generous to certain causes. The father Steve and his wife donated $100 million to the Yale School of Music in 2015.

The Adams Group generally retain staff and operations of newspapers purchased.

It is almost noon and I am no where close to finishing today’s blog. I have been watching John McCain’s service. It is hard to think and compose with tears in one’s eyes.

The man deserves all the tribute being accorded him this morning. Makes one proud to watch the service. Proud to be an American.

McCain’s mother Roberta is still alive. One hundred six yeas old. God bless her!

The Chart Room first last night. Few people. I was surprised. I thought the holiday weekend would fill the place.

Chatted with John and David, as well as a few tourists.

One of the tourists had just arrived from Saratoga Springs. She was attending the races. We shared some thoughts. I visited Saratoga during the racing season often. Not for the races. The parties at night! I also maintained an office in Saratoga for years.

We got into iguanas, lizards,and pythons. Especially lizards and pythons.

I read recently that the iguana food business is on the rise. In Central and South America, iguana is commonly eaten. Tastes like chicken. Never achieved any degree of popularity in the U.S. Till now.

A California based meat company used to import iguanas from Puerto Rico. Now from Florida. Ten thousand pounds a month. Makes the meat into sausage, hot dogs and burgers.

Purchase price wholesale expensive. The company sells to people and restaurants across the U.S. One pound boneless $59.99. One pound whole with skin on $49.99.

The California facility is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Then to the Blue Macaw. Many friends. A good time. Met Rebecca. Just arrived in Key West. Here for the holiday weekend. She has a PhD. in History. Now wants to go to medical school.

Elections in the air! Primaries and then the mid-terms in November. Early voting commonplace. Early voting on college campuses receiving attention. In July, a federal court ruled that a ban placed on early voting sites on Florida campuses was unconstitutional and placed an unfair burden on college students.

Smaller counties and colleges are moving swiftly to provide early campus voting. The bigger counties and universities not.

Miami-Dade, Duval and Escambia examples of counties slow to respond to the court directive. Universities slow include Florida A&M, Florida International, and Miami Dade.

Just so happens that the slower universities are those with the greatest number of non-whites.

Locally, I do not know what our community college is or has been doing. I plan on checking it out and letting you know.

Syracuse football back!

Beat West Virginia yesterday 55-42. A strange result. Syracuse was winning 34-7 at half time.

Next week tiny Wagner. A warm up. Syracuse should win.

The following week Syracuse plays Florida State at Syracuse. Florida State a ranked team. The game will tell how good Syracuse is.

World War II began this day in 1939. Germany invaded Poland.

What I am about to relate disturbs me greatly.

A new movie regarding man on the moon is scheduled for release October 12. Called First Man. Includes the story of John Glenn, the first man to step on the moon. Ryan Gosling plays Armstrong.

Armstrong planted the American flag on the moon. Recorded, filmed. A proud moment in itself.

The flag incident is omitted in the film. Gosling said because what Armstrong accomplished in going to the moon was a “human achievement,” not an American one. He forgets the years and thousands of people required to put Armstrong on the moon.

He claims Armstrong did not consider himself an American hero. Armstrong was a humble man, he claims.

All heroes are humble. They are not aware at the time of their unusual deeds that they have achieved hero status. Think Sgt. York and John McCain.

The omission of the American flag and the reasons therefore a distortion of history. A manipulation.

Disgraceful!

I was alive, a family man, a practicing attorney at the time. I assure you everyone including me considered the moon landing an American achievement. We were “American proud.”

Enjoy your day!