Yesterday was a special day! D-Day and the Belmont.
People everywhere were thrilled with American Pharoah’s victory. I watched the race at Tavern ‘n Town. You could sense everyone was pulling for American Pharoah. There was a roar when he won.
Keith and I were at Tavern ‘n Town to watch the race and have dinner. We were seated at the bar with a large TV screen nearby. Mary Ann Westerlund appeared. I rarely see her and husband Roger these days. It was a hug and kiss. Kind words exchanged. We watched the race together.
Seated next to me for the race only was a gent from Big Pine. I did not catch his name. He had just returned from a one month trip to Russia.
Some ladies from Roostica were at a nearby table. A former waitress, Michelle and another lady. We talked a bit. It was good to seem them. The former waitress was my exclusive waitress for at least a year. A good waitress and good company.
I wrote this week’s KONK Life column yesterday. Got it out a day early. Don’t know where the energy came from.
The title is Portugal The Blueprint.
Portugal legalized drugs in 2001. All drugs. Even the real bad stuff like cocaine and heroin. Fourteen years later, the results are amazing. Drug problems significantly down in every area. Jails closing because there are not enough criminals to occupy them.
You will find the article interesting. Perhaps something the U.S. should consider. Read the column before you criticize my comment.
Sloan was with me later in the afternoon. My Skype was screwed up. No one could see or hear me. Took an hour to correct.
There is a little old lady who it seems has always worked at Publix. As a bagger. I am not offending her by the old description. She lives alone. Has taken care of herself the past 20 years. She immigrated from Poland 20 years ago.
We became friends over the years. Even though her English was poor and my Polish non existent.
Her name Helena. She retired from Publix recently. She earned a Publix pension. She is also eligible for Social Security. She has to wait two months for her first check. Then she is returning to Poland to spend the rest of her years. She has family there.
You may wonder why Helena came to the U.S. in the first place. Twenty years ago, she entered a Polish lottery. The winner would get a U.S. green card. she won.
God bless, Helena! I wish you well!
Anna is still visiting the Milan World’s Fair every day. Yesterday, the U.S. pavilion. She said the U.S. had one of the best looking pavilions from the outside. However, she thought the inside left something to be desired. Amusingly, she reported the pavilion contained a small Walgreens.
I wrote yesterday was of particular significance. The Belmont and D-Day. There was a third item I forgot. To wish Anne Larsen a happy birthday. Yesterday was her birthday.
Anne is an old friend from Ithaca, NY. We have been friends more than 25 years. We met face to face only once. However, she reads my blog daily, my KONK Life columns and listens to my blog talk radio show.
She has become one of those who is quick to criticize if I misspell, use poor grammar, am factually incorrect, etc. She has become my conscience! Sometimes her comments are overbearing. However, I know her heart is in the right place.
Happy birthday one day late, Anne!
Enjoy your Sunday!
“You will find the article interesting. Perhaps something the U.S. should consider. Read the column before you criticize my comment.”
As a Libertarian at heart I actually agree with your comment. The Guvment’s “War on Drugs” has led to a massive incarceration nation industry and not much else. I guess good employment numbers for prison guards. We don’t have the guts to try that here given our “Holier Than Thou” attitude. The prison/law enforcement/drug cartel lobbyists would run to their congressman to bitch and cut checks.
I too am a little L libertarian and completely agree with you about ending the “(pseudo) War on (some) Drugs”. It’s a MEDICAL problem; not a legal problem. My exemplar, it Prohibition that created organized crime. (We got Prohibition because women regained the right to vote, but that it another rant.) Once Prohibition was repealed, there is no violence between Budweiser and Miller employees. And, “organized crime” had to move on to other prohibited substances. Remember why Prohibition was repealed? Jury nullification. Prosecutors could get a jury to convict any one of booze arrests; that’s why they had to get Al Capone on Tax Evasion. So regardless of what the Gooferment, the politicians, or the bureaucrats say, American Juries can put an end to this nonsense all by themselves. No victim; no crime. Sorry. A juron doesn’t have to explain or even talk; just vote “not guilty” and this house of cards will come tumbling down. Argh! What does an out of work Columbian drug lord do for a living?
p.s., You need to put up a link to the Konk Life columns you cite. I couldn’t find it.
The link is there. I cannot understand the problem you are experiencing. The websites are keywestlou.com and louispetrone.com. There is a link on each. Let me know if you still cannot find it. Maybe a screw up at my end. However I know people are reading the column this way.