OH, MY BACK!

It never fails. When I least expect it, my back goes out. I woke in the middle of the night with pain in my lower back. Turning over extremely painful. Hurts like hell this morning! Takes my breath away.

I am a double invalid. My right shoulder a problem as well.

It has to be the aging process that makes medical problems occur so frequently.

I did my duty for God and country yesterday morning and part of the afternoon. Wrote next week’s column for KONK Life. Scopes Monkey Trial…..A Fraud. The Scopes trial was interesting in and of itself. It becomes even more interesting when one becomes aware the whole thing was rigged.

Watched golf on TV for a couple of hours in the later afternoon. A lot of money at stake in the Fed Ex.

Spent a most enjoyable three hours at the Chart Room last night. Never made it to dinner.

Don and Chris are back in Key West for the long weekend. Good people from the Syracuse area. World travelers. Additionally visit Key West 3-4 times a year. In the next month, one or both will be in Hong Kong, Seoul and other Asiatic spots working.

Emily joined in on our conversations. David showed up. It was like old home week.

Kim and Donna joined us. Visiting from the Tampa area. Kim has been to Key West before. This is Donna’s first time. Kim is originally from Wisconsin. A Green Bay Packer fan. I hope to run into them again before they leave.

As I was preparing to leave, Andrea came in. Sat and chatted with her a few minutes. Then a kiss on the cheek and good night.

Syracuse football last night. First game of the season. Syracuse played Villanova at the Carrier Dome. Syracuse won in a double overtime 27-26. A disgrace!

Syracuse should have drubbed Villanova. Most sport columnists this morning said Villanova was the real winner. What a way for Syracuse to start the season!

I am nervous about the rest of the season.

Oh! Be carefull tonight. If you need to drive up US 1, do not drink at all. Or, have a designated driver. It was announced there will be a DUI check point on US 1 at Cross Street from 8 pm to 2 am.

Enjoy your day!

KATHERINE PREGNANT?

Before every one gets excited, I am not referring to Katherine of Katherine and Sean Kinney. This story is about Katherine the Great White Shark.

The Miami Herald reported yesterday that a great white shark was sighted off Key Largo. She was 14 feet long and weighed 2,300 pounds. Her name is Katherine.

Katherine’s dorsal fin has a tracking tag attached. It was implanted last August off Cape Cod. Every time Katherine’s fin is above water, it pings. Repeatedly. Katherine is topside more than normal. The scientists are thrilled with all the pinging she is providing.

At the moment, Katherine’s pinging will help them learn the various directions great white sharks take to get from the Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico.

Pregnancy comes into play. If Katherine is pregnant, she will end of in Gulf waters this summer. if not, she will be back in the Cape Cod area. The Cape apparently is a breeding ground for great white sharks.

Katherine is popular. Even before her recent sighting in the upper Keys. She has a following in the social media world. Her Twitter account has 4,000 followers.

Stay tuned! Hopefully, I will be able to let you know at some time if Katherine was/is with child. If so, the baby will be an instantaneous media star.

The boulevard construction continues to be a gigantic pain. However, I suspect Key Westers have all become adjusted. Each of us have our special streets we take to avoid the construction.

Yesterday, for whatever reason, I decided to use the boulevard on my way home. It was mid afternoon. Suddenly, traffic was jammed up. Movement if at all was in tiny steps. Finally, the police moved us in and out of side streets. The morning paper reports there was some sort of construction accident which caused the boulevard to be closed down for a couple of hours.

We will all be happy when the construction is completed. We are told mid summer. Then the game plan is to reconstruct the first few miles of Route 1. I am sure that will take a year plus. I live 2.5 miles up Route 1. Ain’t no short cuts off Route 1!

I had a quiet dinner reading the newspapers at Roostica. Business very slow. Maybe a half dozen people in the place. More staff than customers. Attributable to the time of year.

Did my blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

I have been hitting on the lack of transparency in government and the failure of the media to report ALL the news in recent shows. I have a suspicion that on occasion, government may influence the media as to what it reports.

I do not think what I am about to state has anything to do with the preceding. However, it is another shade of the problem. I talked about it last night.

Roughly three weeks ago, we learned of the 30 Nigerian girls who were abducted from a boarding school in Nigeria. The United sSates and most other nations were immediately inflamed. My concern was the timeliness of the news report. The abduction had taken place two weeks prior to the media reporting it.

Within a week after learning about the 300 girls, it was reported 59 young boys were also abducted by the same Nigerian radical Islamist group. The boys’ abduction occurred some two plus months before the female abduction. Whereas, the girls were initially to be sold into slavery, the boys were taken down a different road. All 59 were killed. Some shot. Most burned to death in a building. It was reported only ashes remained.

We never learned about the incident involving the boys till almost three months after it occurred.

Why were we not told of these events as they occurred? Certainly, they were newsworthy. There is a pattern developing as to what we are told and not told. It bothers me.

Don and Chris are returning today! I hope to have a couple of drinks with them tonight at the Chart Room.

Enjoy your day!

CAROL AND GINGER

Tonight is blog talk radio time! My blog talk show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. A quick half hour of interesting and revealing material.

Tonight’s show will hit upon the Catholic Archbishop with a $1 million retirement home, corporations that pay no taxes, the Queen of England’s wealth, Beijing fog and Paris air pollution, the Social Security buying 174,000 hollow point bullets, Inspector General saying FBI and DOJ lied about mortgage frauds, and more.

Fun time! www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Two new women entered my life last night. Carol and Ginger. Actually, Carol and I have been connected for a long time.

I was at the Chart Room enjoying a drink when this woman leaned over and said…..You’re Lou, I read your blog every day. My love for her was instantaneous!

Her name was Carol.

she has been reading this blog for years. Carol is a snow bird. She has been in Key West this year since January.

Carol is from New Hampshire. A retired State employee.

Carol introduced me to her lady friend Ginger. Ginger like wise is a snow bird. Ginger hails from Memphis. She is retired from Fed Ex.

We chatted  a bit. I enjoyed the ladies. I look forward to running into  them again.

I was at the Chart Rom with Jenna. It was “date night.” I should be so lucky! We stopped into the Chart Rome  before heading over to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner.

Don and Chris were at the Chart Room. I wanted to say good bye to them. They return to Syracuse tomorrow. Don and I lamented on the Syracuse game thursday. I am keeping my calm. I refuse to get excited over Syracuse basketball any further this season.

Dinner at Hot Tin Roof was excellent. Sheila waited on us. I had some shataki and baked vegetables. Stayed in my diet! Except, I did drink two gins. My moral fiber was weak.

We followed dinner with tea on the porch. A peaceful setting.

Jenna and I had not seen each other in more than a month. It was catch up time.

Stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Enjoyed two glasses of water. Boomer bartending. We talked some basketball. I cannot get away from it.

Grant was shooting pool. My chef friend from Bad Boy Burrito. I told him how I was at Don’s friday night to watch  the cooking show Dives, etc. with him. Where was he? Never got the answer. Grant was a bit upset. They never ran any of the footage they took of him. Grant cannot be insulted! Guy whatever his name will be short on friends if he ever returns.

My blood pressure is out of whack. Most of my adult life, the problem has been it was too high. Now, it is too low! Like 85 over 55. No wonder I am tired periodically every day. I thought it was the steroids. Doctor now does not think so. One way or another, it will ge worked out.

My weather man credentials survived yesterday. The wind was from the south. I predicted a rain storm. With the emphasis on storm. It did not rain all day. Nor had it yet rained when I returned home at 10 last night. Did not make sense to me. I have always been correct about the south wind thing.

As I settled in bed around 11, my faith was rewarded. Bing, bang, boom! A big storm! The street in front  of my house was flooded this morning. A testament to the storm.

New York’s Senator Kristin Gillibrand was in Key West last night. The Senator is a Democrat from New York. She spoke to a group at Dan Bready’s home on Olivia Street.

I am disappointed I was not there. Democrats are rare in the Keys. The event was not well publicized as I had no knowledge of it.

In any event, welcome senator Gillibrand to Key West! She has Presidential aspirations. Perhaps some day we will have the opportunity to vote for her from Key West.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

NAZISM MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN RUSSIA

Who would have believed that in 2014 I would be sitting in a coffee house in Key
West writing about the danger of a rising Nazism?

First however, the blog is late because I received a last minute call from the realtor. Open house today! A picture of your home is in the newspaper! He never told me. I had to move my ass to straighten up the house, shower, and get out!

Now for a problem/danger that the American media fails to discuss. The growing power of European Nazism.

Lets starts start with this day in history in 1190. The place is York, England.

The English were in the process of embarking upon the Crusades. A battle to save Christianity from the purported Muslim infidels. From the perspective of the English, Jesus was white and Christian. Not Muslim. Nor Jewish. The Jews were despised as well.

One hundred fifty Jews lived in York. They had to be dealt with. Because they were Jews. They sought refuge in Clifford’s Tower. All 150. The Christians gave them a choice. Be baptized or killed! If you prefer, you can commit suicide. Most opted for suicide. They started a  roaring fire and burned to death. The few that preferred to be killed at the hands of the Christians were massacred. Not one opted to be baptized.

The point of this historical tale is the hatred of Jews before 1190 , through the time of York, and to present day. An ongoing forever thing.

I have warned of the Greek Nazi Party (known as the Golden Dawn) for three years. I viewed its operation personally in Greece. I have been talking about the Ukraine Nazi Party this past month since the Crimean situation arose.

The American media has mentioned little regarding the Nazi Party in Greece and Ukraine. The American people are being blocked out.

There is also a Nazi Party in Italy. There is one every where today in Europe where people are suffering economically. The hardships that gave rise to Hitler are giving rise to the European spread of Nazism.

The Italian Nazi Party is relatively small. So small, it does not even have anyone elected to the Italian Parliament. However, Italy is fertile for the growth of Nazism. The economic depravity sweeping the country creates a fertile ground for its spread.

Last week, the Greek Alba Dorata (Greece’s Golden Dawn Nazi Party) met in Milan with leaders of the Casa Pound. The Casa Pound is the Italian Nazi Party. Named after the famous author Ezra Pound. He was a Hitler and fascist supporter during World War II. Hemingway saved Pound’s ass after the war and had him to a large degree redeemed before the literary world. A story for another time.

Another meeting is scheduled this week in Rome. The Rome branch of Nazism is stronger than the Milan one.

The Greek Nazi Party grows daily. The present government is doing every thing to keep the group down. Even outlawed the party. To no avail. The Greek Nazi party is a potent force and continues to flex its muscle daily.

The Greeks even  have what is described as a Greek Nazi Ambassador. He is stationed in Rome. His name is Kostantinos Boviatsos. His title, location and work clear proof the Greek Nazis are not screwing around. Though not there yet, it is like Greece today, the world tomorrow!

Ukraine has its own Nazi Party. A force in the coalition opposing the Russians. Another potent force. They are part of the group that has already received American dollars in support their cause. Senator McCain appeared in a recent photograph with the head of the Ukrainian Nazi Party.

As with the Crusaders of the Middle Ages, the Greek, Italian and Ukrainian Nazi parties are anti-Semitic. Decidedly so. Which means the United States is supporting organized anti-Semites in Ukraine.

Why do we not hear more of this from the American media?

I apologize for devoting a portion of a Sunday Key West blog to the Nazi Party. However…..it is something we have to start thinking seriously about. Before another Hitler rises. Laugh not. The same fertile seeds that gave rise to Hitler in the 1930s exist in the world today.

Now for some quick Key West dialogue.

I walked Duval a bit last night. The St. Patrick Day crowd was humongous. Tourists galore. Around six, most were blurry eyed. Full of green beer. I doubt many made it through the night.

I enjoyed Don and Chris’ company at the Chart Room. Che and Meri joined us. Earlier, I had walked to the Galleon Tiki bar to see JJ. No JJ. Apparently his night off.

Meri told me Patrick had been in looking for me. I hope he brought my friends with him. Sorry we missed. Our paths will cross soon, I am sure.

I am sitting in the Plantation Coffee house writing this blog. Three Spring Break young ladies just came in and are sitting across from me. I have gotten old! Very old! They do not even look like adults, though they are.

Enjoy your Sunday!

MAILING CHILDREN / AN INFANT INDUSTRY

Pay the postage, affix the stamps, put a name tag on ’em, and mail them out! Children!

There was a time. Like 1913. The U. S. Postal system was looking for new ways to make money. Someone came up with the idea of parcel posting children. Babies and small children. They had to weigh 11 pounds or less.

Not an expense. To ship a qualifying child from Stratford, Oklahoma to Wellington, Kansas cost 18 cents for postage. The child was delivered to the post office and arrangements made. Thereafter the child traveled with a postman to the final destination.

The system did not last long. Fortunately, it was stopped before one of the “child packages” got lost.

I have to thank Ryno for this interesting piece of information. Ryno posted it on FB this morning. Ryno grew up about 15 miles from my hometown and is now a local Key West radio announcer. One of the best. When I started internet broadcasting several years ago, Ryno taught me. He took me into the broadcasting studio, told me to punch this then that, etc, and left me. I knew from nothing what to do before I arrived and after he left!

I am glad that for all intents and purposes the Syracuse basketball season is over. I could not take much more. Yes, Syracuse will be in the Big Dance starting next week. As a 7 or 8 seed. Not a #1 seed as anticipated as recently as two weeks ago. Syracuse has lost 5 of its last 7 games. The team went 25-0 before disaster struck.

The season has exhausted me. Wiped me out. Too many emotional games. I do not give Syracuse much hope in the big tournament. If the team wins two games, it will be lucky. I am of little faith.

Last night, Syracuse lost to North Carolina State 68-63. Syracuse was a 9 point favorite.

I watched the game at Lukas’ Sports Pub with Don, Chris and Ed. Don flew in from Korea thursday. Spent friday in South Beach. Now winding down in Key West for a few days.

Met Nancy last night. She is the owner of Salsa Loca, John Lukas’ new partner in the Big Ten Sports Pub. Nancy is the food end of the operation. A nice lady. However, we did not start off well. She is a North Carolina State graduate. I told her I would eat elsewhere after Syracuse lost!

I spent several hours yesterday editing some chapters from Growing Up Italian. Writing is easy. It is the editing that is a pain. Takes 3-4 times longer  than the writing. Necessary, however. Editing polishes the writing. Big time!

The MTV house sits across the water from me. In all its colorful glory.

There are college kids staying this week. It is Spring Break time. The MTV home and property are huge. A separate gym building, in addition. Tennis courts and a basketball court outside.

The college kids are all males. I counted 20 yesterday morning sitting on the deck, shoulder to shoulder. Who was fishing, who was chatting, who was sleeping, who appeared to be getting over a hangover, etc.

There is a large bus parked next to the gym. I assume the guys rented it for the trip to Key West.

One problem. No, they not noisy and rowdy. Actually, quiet quite. No girls. I have not seen one young lady since they arrived sunday. Highly unusual! I suspect the group may be part of a gay fraternity.

St. Patrick’s Day is monday. The Key West party started friday. Everyone doing the Duval Crawl. Wearing St. Patty Day tee shirts, green hats, and drinking green beer. Day and night. The party will continue through monday. The partiers having a good time. If it rains, guaranteed the sewers will overflow green.

I am perplexed by the loss of the Malaysian plane. In this day and age, how can a large jet with well over 200 passengers disappear. I read this morning that the Malaysian government has hired  a shaman to help locate the plane. A shaman is a person with extra mental and telepathy powers. They see, hear and feel where others cannot. Comparable to one who claims to be able to talk with the dead.

Modern science is amazing!

Enjoy your day!

 

DON AND CHRIS BACK

Don and Chris hail from the Syracuse area. They visit Key West a half dozen times a year. They have returned! Came in last night. Friend Ed is with them.

Their favorite haunt is the Chart Room. I am sure they drank with Emily last night. We are meeting tonight at 7 at The Sports Pub to watch the Syracuse/North Carolina State game. Ed, also.

I am sure Don and Chris were shocked to hear JJ was no longer at the Chart Room. When I diet, I do not drink. I try to stay away from bars.  I fear succumbing to the near occasion of sin!

I do not know why JJ is no longer at one of my favorite drinking holes. He is now at the Tiki Galleon. I have never in all my Key West years drunk there. I will now, however.

Syracuse and North Carolina State met once during the season. Syracuse won by one point 56-55. A different time, however. Yersterday’s success does not guarantee today’s. What has gone before does not count. It is the post season and some teams have improved vastly. Some just get pure lucky. Tonight’s game will be interesting.

An example of getting lucky, etc. was last night’s game between Villanova and Seton Hall. Seton Hall won. Over a Villanova team ranked #3 nationally and considered a #1 seed in the Big Dance.

Enjoyed lunch wednesday with June Hudson at Geiger Key. Fun! Two old friends chatting away!

June leaves tomorrow for her home in Delaware. She is driving back alone. Does not seem to concern her.

June is going to Italy for 10 days in June. With her 14 year old granddaughter. The two alone. June is excited. She said her granddaughter is, also.

Bocce last night. I did not go. I would have passed out bending over to pick up the balls! My cell phone is on the blink this morning so I do not know if we won or lost.

Got a tweet from a voice from the past. Kurt Lubs. One of Key’s Wests most famous bartenders, he left more than a year ago to return home to Indiana. He will be in next week. Terrific! A friend!

Strange weather the past 24 hours. Temperature dropped to 64 last night. I could have used a body next to me. Presently, 68. Will reach mid 70s in the afternoon. Tonight, high 60s.

After the Syracuse game, I will be heading over to Don’s Place. Grant from Bad Boy Burritto will be on national TV at 10. The cooking channel.

My book, my book, my book! Buy it! People are. I should not complain. However, it would be nice if more did. Trust me, you will enjoy it. The World Upside Down is available as an e book or soft back cover on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. My picture on the cover alone is worth the price of the book!

Enjoy your day!

 

SO FAR A DULL DAY

 

Sunday was quiet. Nothing of any interest occurred. I took it easy.

This morning I had to be at the hospital at 7:30. I just returned close to noon. I had a nuclear stress test. I have had many stress tests  over the years. Both the treadmill one and the nuclear one. I prefer the nuclear. It is much easier.

Don and Chris from the Syracuse area are in town. We are meeting this evening at 6:30 at the Chart Room. Don recently started his own business. His accounts are primarily in China. I am anxious to find out how he is doing.

Tomorrow at 9 my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Going to discuss wild and wooly Venezuela. The toilet paper shortage there was nothing compared to what is going on now. Another revolution could be around the corner. I also have some thoughts regarding General Motors to share.

China’s abolishing to a degree the one child rule is interesting. Especially the reason why. It will put the U.S. to shame. If there is time, Senator Shaheen’s recent expose that U.S. soldiers are being killed in Afghanistan by terrorists backed with U.S. money.

My book, my book! The World Upside Down. The excitement within me does not quiet down. Friend Anna in Novara bought 10 copies. She plans to give them as Christmas gifts. I hope all who receive them speak English. There is no Italian translation.

I am going to have a bite and go to bed. I am exhausted from the stress test.

Enjoy your day!

I DID IT AGAIN

It was after 6 last night and I was working away at friday’s tv/internet show. The phone rang. It was Don of Don and Chris. They were back in Key West for a few days. We had made tentative plans to meet at the Chart Room. Where was I? I begged off. Told him I had spent most of the day babysitting and never got to work on the show.

He told me Chris was concerned I was sick because I had not published my blog yesterday.

I forgot! This is the second time in two weeks it has happened. Old age is setting in!

Plain forgetfulness. In the seven years I have been doing the blog, I do not think I have missed more than six times.

My excuse a simple one. I had a 9 in the morning appointment with the foot doctor. No time to do the blog before. I intended to do it afterwards. Afterwards for the blog never came. Lisa telephoned and asked me to babysit. Robert and Ally were off from school. They take all of my attention when I am with them. The blog never entered my mind.

My apologies.

Chris was not the only one concerned. I went to my emails and found….. where is the blog?…..are you sick? inquiries from all over. Crete, Portofino, Falmouth, Toronto, Des Moines, and Syracuse. It is nice to know people care.

The grandkids and I did Pepe’s for lunch. Robert and Ally had never been there.

Tina bartends at Don’s outside bar several evenings. I discovered she also waits tables at Pepe’s. Has been doing so for 8 years. Some days she is up at 6:30 in the morning and not to bed till after 2 in the morning. Those days when she works both places.

Typical Key West. Everyone works 2-3 jobs.

I told Robert and Ally the pirate story associated with Pepe’s. I do not know if they believed me. Robert made mention that the construction of the building appeared more recent than the 1700s. An observant young man.

By the way, my foot appears healed. Boot and everything off. I have had no pain for a week. Ever since boot, etc. put on. Doctor says it was a tendon injury.

Late in the afternoon when I was free, I started working on friday’s show.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour will be an especially good one this week. I am taking on the super markets. The prices keep going up. Corporate America now owns and operates huge ag-farms. Special laws have been passed to protect them from lawsuits for the food products they produce. Interesting information! Surprising!

I will also be discussing how lousy our economy is for the 99 per cent, some interesting Saudi Arabia information, how we upset Brazil, why Larry Summers dropping out was good for America, and more.

Join me. Ten in the morning Friday my time. Via television from Key West through Boca Raton on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

This morning’s Key West Citizen announced front page that Diana Nyad would be Grand Marshall of the Fantasy Fest Parade. Diana is the woman who recently swam from Cuba to Key West.

Bocce tonight! I can play! I missed not playing last weed. Besides the game, the comradeship combines to make bocce a fun evening.

The Seven Mile Bridge is a part of US 1. A part of the bridge was destroyed in the Hurricane of 1935. One of the worst. A category 5. Hundreds killed.

A portion of the old part of the bridge remains standing. The State has been caring for it. People use it for walks and biking. A popular place.

The State wants our county, Monroe County, to take over the bridge. Renovate and maintain it. The initial cost is projected at $62 million. I say, forget it! Let the bridge remain the State’s responsibility. And headache.

Enjoy your day!

CHE’S 80TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

 

Che was 80 years old yesterday. An impressive number. An impressive accomplishment reaching that number. Che is the epitome of good health. A lucky man!

The party was at the Chart Room. Che and Peter did the basic cooking/preparation. Guests brought plates of this and that. Sheila baked a cake.

We sang Happy Birthday! Che beamed as he blew out the candles. Only eight. Apparently some one did not want Che to strain himself.

Che is an interesting name. It is his nick name. I do not know Che’s real name. Though I have known him for years. That is the way it is in Key West.

Che’s name suggests he was a Cuban rebel. He was not. He is a Jew from New York City transfixed to Key West.

The thought crossed my mind…..Too bad Marty is not here. Marty and Che most evenings would stand at the end of the bar and argue. Over everything and nothing. After a while, no one listened to them. Their battles were their own.

I finally got together with Don and Chris. They are in Key West for a long weekend. We met at Che’s party. Good people!

I watched the end of the Masters with Don and Chris. A terrific finish! Adam Scott did himself proud. As did Angel Cabrera. I was especially moved by the hug Cabrera gave Scott when the match ended. Not a normal occurence.

Instead of going home after the party, I dropped into the Wine Galley. Sunday night is the Larry Smith Showcase. I am glad I did. Larry’s guest was a young lady from some small upstate New York town. I never got her name. I did get her singing. A great voce! An equally charming personality!

I wrote of avalanches yesterday. Chamonix, France and Washington State. After the blog was written, there were two more in Washington State. At different times. A half mile apart. One woman dead.

Greece is in the news again. The Euro banks have agreed on a plan to keep Greece going. The Euro banks will loan Greece additional bailout monies to meet Greece’s pension and wage obligations. Conditioned, of course. There is always a condition where a bank is involved. Greece must lay off 150,000 state governmental employees between now and 2015. They are further required to hire 15,000 young people to replace them.

Germany continues to be behind all this pressure crap. They call it austerity. It is destruction. It can only go on so long. At some point, the Greek people are going to say enough is enough to the Germans, Euro banks and their own government. Then rebellion and/or war with Germany. Keep in mind that Greece is not the only country Germany is squeezing.

Tomorrow night at 9 my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me for an interesting half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The show is in its third month and growing. The number of listeners increases each week. Generally, I have a fixed list of topics to discuss. However world events are moving so fast that I have given up on any sort of script. The show is an evolving one. Whatever tickles my interest or yours at show time is what will be discussed.

Enjoy your day!

ANTHRAX SCARE

 

Lazy me. Just got out of bed. After 10. The blog is really late this morning!

Sorry.

A wild afternoon in Key West yesterday. A scary one. An anthrax scare.

The place was the main Post Office. A letter to Key West postal authorities said there was anthrax in the envelope. A white powdery substance was observed.

The authorities were immediately called. Police, fire and federal people. Properly described as…..the hazardous material team.

Everyone appeared trained and knew what to do. The reaction was prompt to this first time Key West danger.

All this began around one in the afternoon. It was reported there were 15-25 people in the building at the time. Employees and customers.

Following is what I have been told by several sources. The media as yet has not covered this aspect of the situation. The decontamination of the humans involved.

Those in the building were taken outside. They were required to disrobe. Small plastic swimming pools, the kind kids use, were strewn on the lawn. They were told to  stand inside and then were hosed down. What happened with their clothes, I do not know. Some peoplewere  taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

The entire clean up took four hours.

Preliminary tests of the purported anthrax suggest the white powder was not anthrax and was a hoax. Let us hope that is the final determination. The authorities have already determined that the envelope was sent from a confined Maryland prisoner. Not his first rodeo. He did the same thing once before.

Yesterday’s TV/internet show was fun. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. For whatever reason, I especially enjoyed doing yesterday’s show. At the end, I felt like I had gone 4 for 4 at the plate.

Post show comments indicated everyone liked a bit of this and a bit of that. No one issue particularly stood out.

It was me and Krystal alone doing the show. Jenna was having her hair done. We did it! No problems.

Anna has been my housekeeper for 8 years.

Anna came over from Poland many years ago. Works hard. She is living the American dream. Her own home and car. Money in the bank. A one month trip every other year to Poland.  With husband and children. To complete the scene, she is on her second or third husband.

Anna brought me a bag of fresh tomatoes yesterday. It was obvious they were not store bought. Nor from any farm in the Keys where there is no room for farming. She said they were from the Florida City or Homestead area. Made sense. They sit on Florida proper as the last two cities before persons enter the Keys.

Home grown/farm grown are not like the ones you buy in Publix. No shine to them. These were Mother Nature’s natural offspring. Dull colored with a dark line here and there.

I look forward to tasting one today.

I was tired tired in the afternoon. It had been a busy week for me. I climbed in bed and slept for three hours.

Spent some time at the Chart Room last night. Everyone there. Peter, Che, Frankie. David, Sheila and Jean. Also, Mike. From Michigan I recalled. We met last year. He was down this year with 9 other high school buddies. They were celebrating their 50th birthdays. Mike and I talked about Michigan basketball. Actually the events of the Final Four. Mike was not happy Michigan lost to Louisville. He was convinced Michigan would win it all next year.

I intended to meet Don and Chris at the Chart Room. My Syracuse friends texted me earlier in the week that they would be in Key West friday night. If they are in Key West, you can be sure they will be at the Chart Room.

Not last night. I got stood up. They went first to Seven Fish for dinner. They texted Emily they would be over soon and I should wait. I said tell them no. My feelings were hurt! Not really. It was just that I had been drinking for two hours and needed to eat. Soon!

I started my drive home. Stopped at Tavern ‘n Town and enjoyed a steak at the bar.

Key West’s popularity is amazing. Every one wants to visit or actually become a Key Wester. I can understand. When I was in Greece last summer, every one wanted to be an American. So it is.

Utica is my home town. Last night a Key West party was held in Utica. It was called Key West Fest. At the Holiday Inn on Burrstone Road. The party was sponsored by radio station 92.7 FM The DRIVE.

They ate and drank Key West style. Key West music in the background. A temperature of 34 degrees outside. The party was held to warm every one up.

Enjoy your Saturday!