ITALIAN WEDDINGS

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Bob Saraceno is a producer from Buffalo, NY. He sent me a You Tube video yesterday. Italian Weddings. Stars comedian Sebastian Maniscalco. Of Italian heritage, obviously. Only an Italian could tell the story he did.

The video concerns Italian weddings of yesterday. Like from my generation  and before. They were all the same.

Ninety nine per cent of the gifts were cash. Who knew about registering. Who knew or needed china, crystal and silver. We were neither affluent nor knowledgable about such things.

The gift was cash! At the reception, the envelopes were kept either in a satin bag or a white decorated box. The box had a slit in it like a mail box.

After the reception, the parents took the envelopes. They opened them in private. A book was kept. Each guest’s name was listed and the amount. This was so the parents would know what to give when they went to a wedding involving the other person’s family.

After the wedding reception, we went upstairs to a suite we had rented to change. My wife and I were leaving immediately for a Miami honeymoon. In August. What did we know!

My father and father in law were in the living room at the desk. The envelopes were spread on top. Each was being opened. The amount announced and entered into two books. One for my father and one for my father in law.

It was 1957. I was 22, my wife 19. We had no money for a honeymoon. I had just graduated from college and was three weeks from entering law school. I needed some money from the envelopes to finance the honeymoon. I told my father I needed some money. He said I could not have the money in the envelopes or on the desk. They were not done counting and recording. I said I was broke. He said I had to wait till they were done.

My wife and I had a plane to catch. I grabbed a bunch of unopened envelopes and my wife and ran out the door. Shouting behind me to my father that I would make a list and send it to him. Which, I did.

I spent yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Then drove over to Rosstica for a quick dinner. Meatball sliders. Consistent with the Italian tenor of this blog.

Did the show last night. Love doing it. 

The topics were basically twofold. Poverty and Russia. Post show comments liked them both. No disagreement with anything I said. At least not yet.

The Second Annual Humphrey Bogart Film Festival is this weekend. Starts thursday in Key Largo. Bogart and Bacall’s son Stephen will be there.

I have seen the movie several times. Great! Loved the hurricane scenes.

Surprisingly, the movie was not filmed in Key Largo. Except for some background filming, the film was shot on a Warner Brothers sound stage in Hollywood.

Two legal items came to my attention today which I would like to comment on.

Widow Eileen Battisti owned a $280,000 home in Beaver, Pa. She paid her taxes late.
Forgot to pay $6.30 in interest. The City took her home and sold it. She went to court to get her house back. The Judge said no. The City did everything right in taking and selling the home. She was $6.30 short so the city was correct.

The other matter involves a death penalty study which just came out. It stated that in every 25 executions, 1 is of an innocent man.

That is why I have been against the death penalty all my professional career. I worked in the system. The criminal justice system is not perfect. Innocent men go to jail. Some are executed as per the study.

As to the widow who lost her house over $6.30 in unpaid interest, her situation proves the point I have been making with some regularity. Our justice system no longer works as it should. Her situation is one example. Recent Supreme Court decisions another.

Enjoy your day!

 

MADONNA AND CHILD

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Jack Baron’s art is as Key West as Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway’s writings.

This morning’s KONK Life E-Blast published a story about Joy Gallery’s soon to happen Jack Baron exhibit. Some fifty pieces. I am excited! I own 14 pieces. Several will be for sale.

E-Blast ran a picture of one of Baron’s more famous works. The Black Madonna and Child. Black is how Baron described the painting. The Madonna and Child is my painting. The first I ever bought from Jack. The picture on E-Blast presented the piece well. Jack was a genius when it came to painting!

Key West weather continues to be outstanding! 85ish with a touch of humidity. Blue skies and water. Nary a breeze. A special time in Key West.

Sloan was here quite a while in the late afternoon. We are having mechanical problems with my blog and commentary which are being carried on E-Blast. We will have them worked out in due course. The problems exist because I am a pain in the ass. I require perfection!

The Chart Room first last night. Enjoyed Jean and Victor’s company. I learned two very close friends will be leaving Key West in two weeks. I am not at liberty to share their identity with you at this time.

I continuously write and talk about food and the prices thereof. I also frequently refer to genetically modified organisms.

Publix bananas have always concerned me. I would buy them green today and they would be browning tomorrow. The label said Chiquita.

The last two times I bought bananas at Publix, they were not green. There were no green ones. Only yellow. I was stuck, I thought. They would spoil even sooner.

The recent bananas had no Chiquita label. No label, in fact. Whatever, these bananas are still yellow 3-4 days later. I suspect genetically modified.

Tonight, Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My blog talk radio show. Nine in the evening my time. A quick paced half hour of political and social goodies.

Tonight, topics like 49 million underfed people in the United States. Muslims and Jews now entitled to halal and kosher food in food banks in case of an emergency, five reasons why poverty is on the rise in America, the Brits revealing they will not send troops to Ukraine, Russia’s presence in the Arctic, China becoming the most Christian nation in the world, and more.

Join me. You will be glad you did. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-com.

Sunday’s bocce continued to bother me till around four yesterday afternoon. Wow! I was beat!

Enjoy your day!

Mont Blanc Landslide

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One of my favorite places in Italy is Courmayeur. I have had the pleasure several times in recent years of enjoying Courmayeur. The highest mountain in the Alps…..Mont Blanc and a tiny municipality sitting half way up the mountain. Glorious!

Courmayeur is in the northern tip of Italy. A half hour from France and one hour from Switzerland. The weather recently has been warm. Yesterday, there was a maxi landslide. It stopped before doing any damage. However, the landslide is unstable and is sitting above Courmayeur and the entrance to the Mont Blanc Tunnel which connects Italy and France.

No one is certain what, if anything, will occur next. If the slide starts up again, a portion of Courmayeur could be buried. Also, the entrance to the tunnel connecting with France. The tunnel was closed for 20 minutes yesterday.

I hope nothing happens. Mont Blanc is unquestionably magnificent to behold. However, it can also be dangerous as yesterday’s activities indicate. I have always viewed Mont Blanc from where ever I have been situated as a disaster waiting to occur. I used to get the feeling especially when I would sit in the Courmayeur Square sipping a gin and looking up at majestic Mont Blanc hanging over me.

We are working on having this blog publish also in KONK Life’s E-Blast each day. The blog will then be available this way and the Blast way. Still working on how to get the blog from here to there. Not easy for me.

I write a weekly column in KONK Life. Under the title of Key West Lou COMMENTARY. Last week’s article involved Sweden and the Muslim impact upon the country. Bad things are happening. Someone wrote a Letter to the Editor which was posted in yesterday’s E-Blast. The writer disagreed with my reporting and clearly indicated I did not know what I was talking about. Challenged me to list my references.

The gauntlet had been thrown. I responded with an Email to the Editor which will run in today’s E-Blast. Not only did I list that which was demanded, I also concluded the woman criticizing the column did not know what she was talking about. Read today’s E-Blast for the retort.

I am not perfect. I do err occasionally. However catch  me when I am wrong, not when I am correct.

Tonight is my blog talk radio show. Nine o’clock my time. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Interesting topics. Like Latin America striking back at Monsanto, Vermont passing a GMO food labeling law, the price of food to double in the next decade, oranges joining limes in becoming more expensive, a story of Jesus suitable for description today, Putin’s purported genius, and more.

Stopped first at the Chart Room last night. Che at the bar, Victor bartending. A tourist came in looking for Mel Fisher and Jimmy Buffet photos. Che was the right person to point them out. He is one of the two remaining persons whose ashes will find their way into the Chart Room bar rail.

Then to Don’s Place. Grant and Toni at the bar. Hello to both. Sat with Jimmy and Joanie. Both play bocce. Joanie described bocce night as a 160 person cocktail party. She was correct!

Outside bartender Tina stopped by to chat. It was her night off. However her Dad was in town and they were partying with friends. As I left, I saw Tina and her Dad and two others playing bean bags. Only in Key West!

I stopped at the Winn-Dixie Shopping Center on the way home and treated myself to a Philly cheese steak sandwich for dinner. Good!

Enjoy your day!

LIMES…..GREEN GOLD

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Who would have believed? All of a sudden, limes are an expensive luxury. Do not expect them with your alcoholic drinks.

There is a shortage of limes.  A recent occurrence. Two reasons. A drought in Mexico. Plus, the Mexican drug cartel. The cartel is fighting for Mexican routes and roads. Limes cannot be safely shipped over the roads.

The price of limes has doubled and even tripled overnight. A case that cost $36 is now $110.

I learned of the lime problem last night. Jean Thornton, Merri and I were chatting at the Chart Room. Jean mentioned Captain Tony’s was no longer serving limes. She understood there was a shortage. My research discovered the rest.

There was a time when an attempt was made to grow limes in Florida. The attempt failed. Florida weather is too cold for lime growing. Additionally, diseases common to Florida vegetation did not help.

There is discussion of attempting lime growing in Florida again. Nothing definite as yet.

I finally was able to get into the art gallery I was not able to last week. Joy Gallery. It is located at the corner of Simonton and Eaton. A comfortable place inside. Chairs, couches and coffee. Free wi-fi. Come in and make yourself comfortable, even if you might not be buying. I suspect I shall be doing some of my writing from there occasionally.

The owner of Joy Gallery is Jim Wallace. Curator is the professional term. I enjoyed my time with him. He is a knowledgeable person.

Stop in and take a look at some of the fine pieces he is showing.

I lunched at Sloppy Joe’s yesterday. A thing I rarely do. I enjoyed lunch with the cruise ship people. A Sloppy Joe sandwich. What else!

I needed some groceries. Stopped at Publix. Apparently I needed little. The bill was only $42. I felt like I had made money!

Merri has been bartending at the Chart Room one or two nights a week for several years. Last night was her last night. Jean, Sheila and I were celebrating her departure. Yes, celebrating. Merri is only moving 100 yards down the walk way. To the Pier House beach bar where she will be working more days a week. More money and constant fresh air. Nil smoke inhalation.

Met Wally Miller in the Chart Room last night. Wally hails from somewhere in New Jersey. His nickname is Mayor. He has visited Key west before.

Wally, his wife and three other couples are staying at the Pier House.

Wally told an interesting story. He and his friends “steal” Key West menus. When home in Jersey, they try to cook certain dishes listed once a month.

It is Che’s birthday again! He is 81 today. Seems like yesterday we celebrated his 80th. Happy birthday Che!

Che sounds Cuban. He is not. Where he got the name Che from, I do not know. Che is a New York City Jew transplanted to Key West.

I briefly discussed neo-Nazism in yesterday’s blog. I was motivated by the Kansas City shooting by a neo-Nazi(s) at two different Jewish synagogues. Three persons were killed. I said the three were Jewish. Turns out one was. The other two were Presbyterians or some similar sect.

Two readers jumped on me in their comments. One said correctly that only one of those killed was Jewish. The other indicated none of the three were Jewish.

Whatever, I was wrong when I said all three. Mea culpa. I try to be careful and get the facts straight. Sometimes I do not. I am only human. I do make mistakes. I would suggest the Bible’s admonition…..Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

In defense, I offer the following. The national news media is always in a hurry to be the first out with a big story. Their facts are many times incorrect. Sometimes I only have those facts to deal with. I write that section of the blog when I read the news on the internet. When the blog is assembled, I unfortunately do not go back to check the facts. There is only so much time in the day. Occasionally, I repeat the erroneous information contained in the news report. As I did yesterday.

Please keep in mind this  is not a gotcha game!

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me. Interesting up to date material discussed. Sometimes with my personal take on the situation. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Tonight some information re the United States’ combat readiness, air pollution in China and France, the economy bringing down some big corporations, how Putin is gaining for his own bank account from monies recently being sent to Ukraine from the U.S., some things I did not know about the Catholic Church, Albuquerque police executing citizens, and more.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

THE MASTERS AT DON’S PLACE

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I was in a thoughtful mood yesterday. My thoughts had to do with my life and Key West.

I discovered and started visiting Key West 26 years ago. Bought my home here 16 years ago. Retired to live full time in Key West 8 years ago.

My life has changed. There has been a total transformation over the years. I no longer dress. It is hard to remember the last time I wore a suit and tie. I do wear long pants (khakis or jeans) about six times a year when it is cold. I rarely know the date or what day of the week it is. I always wear shorts. Crocs, sandals or sneaks depending on the occasion.

Everyone else who has spent a number of years in Key West is as I am. A wonderful world!

I referred to Don’s Place yesterday as the adult playpen of the world. It is typical of Key West. Key Westers enjoy playing games. Just as when they were kids.

Yesterday was the 1st Annual Don’s Place Masters. Seventeen of us played before a huge crowd. The bar was packed! We putted on the bar floor into plastic cups. Not easy. Don’s floor is three different stages of concrete. The undulations were amazing. You could not see them. However, they were there. It was like putting on the closest cut greens ever. A light touch of the ball took you ten feet passed the cup!

The plastic cup holes had miniature flags on them. Hershel served as warden. He had signs saying Quiet Please. The whole scene was like for real.

We played 14 holes. The course was laid out with 7 holes. That is all there was room for. We played the layout twice. I had the highest score. Consistent with my life long lack of physical dexterity. I also attribute it to my age. I was the oldest person playing. Keith won. The spread between his score and mine was a city block!

I have been a Mad Men fan since the show’s inception some ten years ago. Last night was the first show of the new season. I was disappointed. As I was with last season’s shows. The story line has become boring.

However, credit must be given to the accuracy time wise of the presentation. It was around 1970. The accountants were taking over businesses, penny pinchers who knew nothing about a particular business running them. The sex. Wow! Women’s  clothes and hair perfect for the time.

The show brought me back.

Do we understand? What has been going on in Europe can easily cross the Atlantic and happen here. I refer specifically to protests and demonstrations and neo-Nazism. A body of water is no protection from what has been and is occurring in Greece, Italy, France and England.

We have experienced a touch of it in recent days.

There is Charles Bundy in Nevada. Apparently a man of principle. He opposed federal intervention re his cattle raising. Of itself, nothing to get excited about. What did concern  me was the 1,000 armed people who came from all over the United States to defend Bundy against the government. Militia men. Dressed in military camouflage uniforms. All carrying a weapon. All prepared to shot if the government took steps they deemed improper.

You wonder why gun rights have become so important in the United States. There are a sizable number in our society who do not trust government. They are anti-government as government exists today. They arm themselves in preparation for the day the government turns, from their perception, on them.

It almost happened in Nevada this past week. It did not because the government backed off. Whether correct, I have no judgment.

Then there is the neo-Nazi movement. Thus far primarily visible in Europe. Yesterday, in the United States. A group of neo-Nazis killed three Jews at two different Jewish Centers in Kansas City.

Does Kansas City represent the beginning of overt anti-Semetism in this country? Perhaps.

None of this is healthy. I sometimes feel as a nation we are teetering on the edge of a cliff. We must pull back. I am not certain it is possible.

Enjoy your day!

DINNER WITH STEPHANIE

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Always an interesting evening. Dinner with Stephanie Kaple. Last night at the Hot Tin Roof.

She was a few minutes late. She had to park her bicycle at the Pier House and walk over. She came flying through the doors. A sight to behold. A knockout white sundress with multi colored small flowers. Her long hair flowing. She hugged me, kissed me, and kept repeating how sorry she was to be late.

Stephanie impresses me. She is 30 years old. A good two generations behind my 78. The world excites her. She is involved in everything. I am surprised she even had time to have dinner with me.

Stephanie is deeply involved with the homeless. Her vocation in life. They are lucky to have her.

She is also the Key West Shoe Girl. Loves high heeled expensive designer shoes. Last night she was wearing Giuseppe Zanotti shoes. Also, Channel earrings. Stephanie saves and spends her money on designer shoes. They are as important to her as the homeless. Maybe more.

We enjoyed a drink and dinner. Both ordered the snapper. Excellent!

Stephanie started playing bocce about three years ago. She is now captain of her team. I would not have expected less. Her team is relatively new to the sport. The team is in second place. Me and my team are experienced. We have been around the block many times. We continue to play poorly in recent seasons.

I walked Stephanie back to her bicycle after dinner.

Stephanie’s mother reads this blog frequently. I am sure she is reading it today knowing I was out with her daughter last night. Mrs. Kaple, worry not! Stephanie behaved herself.

I lunched yesterday at a place I have not been to in at least 5 years. The Hurricane. An outdoor place on the water. The first road off US 1 after leaving Key West. A pleasant place. I prefer Hogfish and Geiger Key. I do not know why.

Someone told me Joy Art Gallery at the corner of Simonton and Eaton was selling Jack Baron paintings. Jack was a dear friend. I have about a dozen of his works. He died a little over six years ago.

It was noon. The gallery was closed. A sign on the door…..Back in 15 minutes. I returned fifteen minutes later. Still locked. I am going to try to stop by today.

I am ashamed. Thursday April 10 was my Father’s birthday. He would have been 99 had he not passed away last year. I forgot. Belated happy birthday greetings Dad!

I apologize. But I must ask him this question…..How is Mom?

The World Upside Down is still out there selling. I am impressed. If you wish to obtain a copy, the book is available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

 

I AM CONFUSED

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There has been a recent increase in the cost of gas. We are told it is the Russia/Ukraine confrontation which has caused it. I do not understand. We get very little, if any, gas from the pipelines running across Ukraine.

As usual, the oil companies are taking advantage of a crisis. The price of gas has been gone up everywhere, including the United States.

Louis’ confusion arises from a local situation.

I live outside Key West on an island referred to as Key Haven. A Shell station sits at the entrance at US 1. For two days, the cost of a gallon of regular gasoline has been $4.07. I noticed yesterday the cost at the Shell station at Kennedy and the Boulevard was $3.89. I was by the Shell on Geiger Key at lunch time. The cost $3.89. An $ .18 per gallon difference. The Boulevard Shell station is 5 miles from the Key Haven Shell. The Geiger Key one 7.5 miles.

Do you blame me for being confused? Rip off time. At least as regards the Key Haven Shell.

Haircut with Lori yesterday morning. It now takes longer to trim my beard that cut my hair.

Then visited with Lisa for a while.

I planned on writing next week’s KONK Life column in the afternoon. I stopped at Subway to grab a sandwich to take home. I needed to conserve time. The column would take most of the afternoon to complete.

Buy stock in Subway! I walked in at 12:15. The line was backed up almost to the door. Fifteen persons. No way was I going to wait. Besides being in a hurry, I hate lines.

I do not know what possessed me. However, I said the hell with it and headed up to Geiger Key. Several miles past my home. That is how I discovered that the Geiger Key Shell was selling gas $.18 a gallon cheaper.

I thoroughly enjoyed my fish sandwich lunch. Geiger Key is a relaxing place to eat.

Next week’s KONK Life column did not take as long as I thought. The title is Muslims Taking Over Sweden. I had researched the topic thoroughly prior to yesterday. I was able to complete the article in two hours.

I have not written a KONK Life column for several weeks. I took a few weeks off. Next week marks my return. With a new column title. The Key West Lou COMMENTARY. Over the years, I drifted away from a legal column to commenting on events in general. Ergo, the COMMENTARY.

Bocce last night. Horrible! Horrendous! I obviously played poorly as I expected. I had not played in five weeks. Overall however, we were not with it. Lost the first two games 16-2 and 16-1. I participated in the 16-1 defeat. The third game was close. However, we lost 16-13.

What has happened to us?

Someone asked in a Comment received this morning if bocce being played in Key West meant there was a robust Italian community. Quite frankly, I doubt that many Italians reside in the Key West area. The large number of people playing bocce come from all ethnic and economic backgrounds. The bocce courts are a United Nations unto themselves.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

ONE HUMAN FAMILY

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Today’s Key West Citizen editorial is out of line. Its author appears uniformed.

The subject is One human Family. The term being representative of Key West for many years. The words painting an accurate picture of Key West’s people.

I have been a part of Key West for more than a quarter century. The term has always meant to me a binding together of the heterosexual and gay communities. One loving community.

The editorial lumps every today malady into the term in an effort to portray Key West as no longer that one loving family. It applies One Human Family to bicyclists screwing up traffic, Duval bars making too much noise, and so forth. None of which in my opinion fall under the umbrella of One Human Family.

A unique morning. The wind is strong off the ocean. A bit cold, also. It carries with it a clean smell. The only way the experience can be described.

One of the wonders of Key West is that on any given day we can watch the sun rise and set over water. Very few in this world are blessed with the experience.

Yesterday was a wild one! From 10 to 2, I was running around. Six separate stops in my travels. Dealing with necessary things that somehow all got lumped into yesterday. The traffic problems caused by the boulevard construction did not help. I was exhausted when I returned home.

I enjoyed a light dinner at Roostica. Ten chicken wings covered in a lemon oil and broiled.

Last night was my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I reviewed the weekly sins of the world. Post show comments indicate two the most popular.

One had to do with the dramatic rise in the cost of gasoline the past three weeks. Thirty seven cents a gallon! Yesterday alone, twelve cents. The  station near my home was $3.95 in the morning and $4.07 in the evening.

The other with Afghanistan’s opium trade. It was next to nothing when the U.S. went to war there 13 years ago. Today, it is a thriving $68 billion a year business. Thank you, Uncle Sam.

Watched the women’s NCAA final game last night. Another Connecticut  team the winner. The ladies are the Final Four Champions. Amazing! Connecticut! Both in men’s and women’s basketball!

Chamonix is in France. I have mentioned it in recent years. Chamonix is just over the border from northern Italy. A tiny village. An international ski resort. It sits in  a small valley half way up Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc is Europe’s highest peak.

I have visited several times. Only in the summer. Each time I enjoyed sitting at an outside cafe, drink in hand, enjoying the view. The gigantic mountain surrounding me. Awesome!

The earth moved yesterday in Chamonix. An earthquake. A 4.8. No damage or injuries fortunately.

I did a little home work regarding Chamonix and earthquakes. Turns out there have been tons going back to before Christ. Many in the last five years. All I can think of is that there is going to be big time devastation if a larger earthquake hits. Portions of Mont Blanc could come tumbling down on little Chamonix.

Monday afternoon Stephanie Kaple telephoned. To invite me to join her for dinner. How nice! She even gave me my choice of three evenings. We will be dining together friday night.

Enjoy your day!

CINDY

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I woke to bad news this morning.

Tom and Cindy are dear friends. Key west friends. They are from Iowa. Used to spend three months a year in Key West during the season.

They both read the blog. We arranged to meet on one of their trips. I remember our meeting distinctly. It was this time of the year. I was watching basketball at the Sports Page Bar when they showed up.

We became instantaneous friends. And have been so for many years.

I noticed Cindy only had one leg. I soon discovered she had had something like eight surgeries for five different cancers. Her leg was gone right up to her body. A couple of operations involved brain tumors.

The woman never complained. Always a smile on her face.

Tom is not only the husband of husbands, he is totally in love with Cindy. His care and concern are obvious.

Tom and Cindy stopped spending three months a year in Key West several years ago. Instead, they are spending their time in Largo. Fortunately for me and many others, they take one month out to travel to Key West from Largo each season.

We are at opposite ends of the spectrum politically. Being from Iowa, they are true 100 per cent conservative Republicans. We never the less get along.

I love them both.

I woke to an e mail from Tom this morning. Cindy fell on a wet floor at a restaurant in Largo. She broke her one and only leg and shattered her hip. Tom says he has never seen her in such pain. It has to be bad!

Recover swiftly, Cindy! Your many friends in Key West miss you. We will be cheated this year. I doubt you will be able to spend a month this with us.

Interesting revelation yesterday. I was getting a manicure with Tammy at Lee Nails. It dawned on me that many Vietnamese who have come to the United States are nail people. I asked Tammy where and how they learned in Vietnam. I was surprised to learn that the talent is not native Vietnamese. They do not learn it in Vietnam. It is when they come to the United States and are looking for work, that they join with the many who have come before them. They go to school here and learn how to do nails.

Great game last night! I watched it from my bed. Stayed up too late. Enjoyed the talk shows afterwards.

Connecticut was the best team! The best team won. Plain and simple.

The Connecticut players are lucky. How many have the opportunity to be #1 and a champion in something. Anything. These young men will remember the rest of their lives the victory. The high point in their lives.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include interesting Ukraine updates, China in trouble economically, an Atlanta bishop giving up his $2.2 million retirement home, Iceland arresting more big bankers, Venezuela really in the toilet, and more.

Enjoy your day!

30 for 30

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Two weeks ago, I mentioned I had seen a brief show on TV concerning the Big East. I  only caught five minutes of the show. It was called 30 something. Last night, I saw the entire show.

The title: 30 for 30. I still am no sure how the title fits. However, it is not material. It was the show itself that counted. For me, a two hour emotional trip down memory lane. The story of the Big East.

The Big East started as a college basketball league in 1979. In 1980, Syracuse opened the Carrier Dome. Seating for 35,000 plus for basketball! I described the Dome at the time as the eighth wonder of the world!

I was 45 years old. My law practice was flourishing. I was making money. I made enough around that time to do something foolish…..big. I spoke with my accountant. There were three things I wanted. An airplane, a home in Florida, or a box at the new Carrier dome. He decided for me. It was the box. From his perspective, a wise investment tax wise. It was also the least expensive of my three desires.

The cost was $50,000. Good for 10 years.

Two things stand out in my mind regarding the box acquisition.

The first game was a football game. I could also watch football from the box.

Carrier is a big name in upstate New York as well as internationally. Carrier made air conditioners. Its home was Syracuse. Carrier made a sizeable donation to the University. The Dome was named after Carrier.

There were a number of boxes. The boxholders all dressed for the game. I was in a sport jacket, slacks, shirt and tie. Classy, sporty.

I died that day! So did everyone else in the Carrier Dome. We quickly learned the Carrier Dome, named after the world’s most famous air conditioning manufacturer, was not air conditioned. It was to be cooled with blown air. The blowers were not working the day of the first game. The entire Dome was a sweat box. I was soon down to my shirtsleeves and loosened tie.

I sat there thinking…..I paid $50,000 for this?

By the way, the boxes were opulent. Private, sat 16, had a bar and server.

The cooling problem was resolved by the second game.

The other thing  that sticks in my mind is the number of big East coaches I got to meet and know on a personal basis. Several of then traveled to Utica to speak at charity fundraisers for me. Not one wanted a penny. Just cover my expenses, they said.

If you have the opportunity to watch 30 for 30, do so.

Staying with basketball, tonight is the night! The Championship Game of the Final Four. The king of the hill gets crowned tonight.

It is Kentucky and Connecticut. Either team can win. It will be exciting.

Connecticut was one of the original Big East members. As with Syracuse, no more. Connecticut is now a member of the new American Athletic Conference.

Since my back kept me indoors for most of the past 10 days, my pallor was drained of color. I was pale! Decided I needed some sun. I headed for Higgs Beach.

I enjoy Higgs Beach. I can watch the female tourists in their bikinis and get a bite to eat at Salute’s.

Yesterday, Higgs Beach was special for another reason. It was all about children. Autistic  children. A heart warming scene.

An organization called Surfers for Autism sponsored the event. Autistic kids 5, 6, 7 and 8 in the water with volunteers watching over them. Whether kneeling or standing on the boards, smiling and expressing themselves with shout of joy. Some parents on the beach crying as they watched their child become motivated to express themselves perhaps for the first time.

This morning’s Key West Citizen has an excellent article on the event. I recommend it to you.

Enjoy your day!