INTERESTING SUNDAY

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From my perspective, Sunday was quiet. However so many things happened!

First, Meet the Press and The Chris Matthews Show. Between what is going on world wide and the Chicago teacher strike, these TV talk shows were the best place to be in the morning.

There appears to be a brief lull in the embassy crisis. Most experts believe it will reoccur and soon. Afghanistan’s involvement in the past 48 hours is sad, but was to be expected. We have 66,000 troops there. We are training the police and military to protect their own country. We have given the Afghans billions of dollars.

What happens? Either a police officer or soldier we have been training turns his gun on American soldiers and kills four of them.

Obama has a lot to deal with.

The Chicago teachers continue to enjoy their time in the sun. In the meantimne, the kids are still not in school. For shame!

Illinois law permits school teachers to strike. The law spells out the reasons why they may strike. Emanuel says the reasons the teachers are still out does not fall within the legal guide lines. He goes to court today to force the teachers back into the class room.

I wrote a bit.

Then watched some pro football. From the comfort of my bed. Second Sunday in a row I have not been to Don’s Place. Bad!

Dinner was special last night. Ate at the Yacht club. My guest was Lu Kramer.

An interesting woman. A terrific business background.

She spent several years as a Regional CFO for CIGNA Insurance. Then owned the Loreli in Islamorada. Her next business venture was owning the Hetrz franchise here in Key West. Her present ventures are two specialty stores in Clinton Square Mall.

An industrious lady! An intelligent woman ! I enjoyed her company immensely.

The reason I was at the Yacht Club was that it was prime rib night. I am on the Atkins diet. Low carb, high protein. Just the meal for me.

The assistant chef slicing the prime rib was a young man. Tall and lanky. Appeared not to have a pound of fat on him. I had him cut me an extra slice. I explained to him I was on the Atkins diet.

He broke into a smile when I mentioned the diet and said he had lost 60 pounds on it. My hero!

This morning is the end of my first week on the diet. Lost 5 pounds. I am not happy. I expected 8 the first week and then settle into 3 pounds a week. I have done this diet before.

I cheated last night. Had two gins. It was time.

The Huntington Post recently published an interesting article on Key West. The title referred to the 10 best kept secrets in Key West. Find and read! It was right on!

Enjoy your day!

BOULEVARD CONSTRUCTION BAD FOR BUSINESS

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The sunset last night was beautiful. One of the most beautiful I have seen. I was on my deck. The sun settled behind a bank of white and gray clouds. Brilliance radiating around and through the clouds.

Rained heavy during the night.

This morning the sky is gray. Very little wind. Water crawling. I suspect the gray will turn to gold and we will have another glorious day.

Needed to stop at Walgreens on the Boulevard yesterday for a prescription. The parking lot was empty. Only three customers in the store, including me. I asked the druggist if the construction was the problem. Yes, it was. How many businesses, big and small, must be hurting. We are told it will take two years to complete the work.

My next stop was Publix. What I am about to relate has nothing to do with the construction.

Saturday is a good day to shop at Publix. Went to the new one. I have noticed over the years that very few people in Key West grocery shop on Saturday. As opposed to Sunday when Publix is a mad house.

Dinner was me alone at the bar at Hogfish last night. Actually never alone on a Saturday night at Hogfish. The bar is packed with fisherman. Not the tourist type. The ones that have lived here all year long for many years. Saturday night is there time to howl. They are tough looking. Though meek. Dark skinned. Wrinkled. Bearded. Some a bit toothless. Good people all! Most are shrimp boaters.

This is Poker Run Weekend. Motorcyclists galore come to Key West. Their ladies hanging on behind them on their cycles. Beautiful bikes. Expensive. The bikers are here for a fun filled weekend.

There does not seem to be as many this Weekend. I saw fewer bikes and was subjected to much less noise. The bikes make a big racket. They come racing down US 1 20-30 at a time. I did not see that at all this weekend. Could the reasion be a forewarning of the construction?

The teachers bother me with regard to the Chicago teacher strike. Enough is enough. Settle this thing. Put it to rest. We are being told every day we are a day away. Then we are told there are a few more details and the union wants to see everything in writing.

We may be looking at a last hurrah with this strike. The teachers may have won a battle. I suspect they ultimately will lose the war. My sense also is that the leaders are a bunch of rank amateurs enjoying their fifteen minutes.

Let’s put this matter in perspective. Only 60 percent of Chicago students graduate. Need more be said?

My heart is heavy. I saw a picture on the internet this morning of Ambassador Stevens. He was in pants and a tee shirt. Apparently dead. Being dragged through the mob.

There is brief comment on the internet this morning also that the Ambassador was raped. I share this information reluctantly. It may not be true. Take it with a grain of salt.

My concern is that if he was, our government should share it with us. As soon as known and verified. Nothing should be kept from the American people. We are being attacked in 20 different places. More of our people may die. We may retaliate. The ramifications of any and all actions will have consequences. So we should be made aware up front of everything that has occurred and is occurring.

A somber note to end this blog on. Sorry.

Enjoy your Sunday!

A DAY NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN

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We all know what today  is. The 11th anniversary of 9/11. The second day of infamy in our history.

Who would ever have expected such death and devastation from a bunch of long bearded fanatics living in a cave in Afghanistan?

Diligence renewed became the order of the day following 9/11. It continues to this day. Let us hope that a similar tragedy never occurs again. Especially on our shores.

The Chicago teachers’ strike! I question the mental acumen of the striking teachers. I laud Rahm Emanuel.

The Chicago teacher situation is unique. It differs from what has been occurring in other states where school teachers have come under attack. I support the teachers in those states. In Chicago, I cannot.

The Mayor has offered the teachers a 16 percent raise over 4 years. Big money in these days of economic crisis! The problem is not a money one.

The problem centers about two issues. One minor. The other significant.

The minor issue has to do with the length of the school day. Emanuel wants it increased some minutes just below one hour per day. Why not? Children seem to go to school fewer and fewer hours each day and number of days per year. A little extra time may contribute to a better education being received.

The major problem has to do with the method by which teachers are evaluated. The Mayor wants the results of standardized tests to be the measure. The teachers are opposed.

The teachers are opposed because the students do poorly on standardized tests. Which means…..they are not learning. Which means…..they are not being taught.

I believe Emanuel is on the correct side of the issue. The proof of the pudding is where students rank nationally. Chicago’s 8th graders are at the 79th percent grade level in reading and the 80th percent grade level in math. These numbers are near the bottom of the barrel.

Remember the Santorini volcano I could not climb to the top? It may be in trouble. It was in trouble when I tried to climb it. I and others climbing at the time did not know.

It may be getting ready to blow!

Oxford University did a recent study. Nature Geoscience Magazine reported the study yesterday.

There is something called magma which builds in a volcano. It is like a balloon. The magma chamber in the Santorini volcano is shallow. Near the top. The magma is continually charged by small batches of melted material from below. The magma chamber expands as a result.

Apparently the magma chamber has been increasing in size since January 2011. It is now estimated to be 15 times larger than the size of London’s recent Olympic Stadium.

Nothing may happen. Something may happen. The last eruption was 1955.

Did I have a yesterday? Yes.

I walked in the dark early morning. Swam in the pool later in the morning. Read and wrote all day. Stayed on my diet. Day 1. Did the Chart Room last night. No alcohol. Visited with Captain Peter and Mary. Then to Outback for a quiet dinner and read the newspapers. My final activity of the evening involved perusing Office Max. I need a couple of things for my prospective You Tube Show. Found nothing to satisfy the need.

Enjoy your day!