SANTA ON HIS WAY

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Christmas 2010 I wrote a story as to how Christmas was received and how it developed in what is now the United States. The story was published on Amazon Kindle at the time.

I thought the tale sufficiently interesting to be repeated. Not once, but twice. It is in KONK Life which hits the stands at 5 today. I also basically read through the story on my blog talk radio show last night.

Christmas was not always as it is today.

For example, the Puritans in Boston in the late 1600s made it a crime to celebrate Christmas. Another example involves the South celebrating Christmas big time leading up to and at the time of the Civil War. The North did not.

Washington Irving, The Night Before Christmas, A Christmas Carol and finally…..Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, contributed to Christmas as we know it.

The Key West Citizen had the perfect editorial today. A reprint of the New York Sun’s editorial in 1897 which contained the memorable statement…..Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

Went Christmas shopping yesterday. I am one of the last minute ones. Did not do well. Found nothing I liked. Everything picked over. My fault. I will be back in the stores today.

Christmas Eve is big in my family. I will be at Lisa’s tonight for dinner. Santa Claus will arrive before. 6:30 to be precise. I love it!

I arranged for Santa Claus each Christmas Eve for my children and then grandchildren. Robert and Ally are the last of the grandchildren. Kids are impressed with Santa Claus. I wanted them to be duly impressed with Poppa. I arranged with each Santa at some point to embrace me warmly and tell everyone I was his friend. The kids ate it up!

The weather this morning is lovely. Thunderstorms predicted for tonight. Already one outdoor event has been cancelled. I hope the rain holds off till we are all home in bed.

The more important concern would be Robert and Ally. Children are inquisitive. They would want to know if the reindeer were out in the rain, where are they, etc.

This morning’s Key West Citizen had a short note re Applerouth Lane. The note mentioned Applerouth was once called Smith Lane.

Applerouth is that short block between Duval and Whitehead. A narrow street. I always have thought Applerouth and its diverse stores were a true reflection of Key West. There is a bd/sm gear store. Been there for years. A couple of restaurants. The entrance to Virgilio’s.

My curiosity was piqued. Who was Applerouth? Who was Smith? I had always thought Applerouth was the name of a flower or plant.

I did a little digging. Applerouth was so named in 1981. It was named after a local merchant. William H. “Billy” Applerouth. Smith was difficult to nail down. The street was named after L. Windsor Smith. There was a District Attorney as well as a Court Clerk in the 1840s so named. Whether one and the same person, I can not be sure.

Applerouth was described as the “Jewish” merchant. I found that add on/description strange for 1981. If someone is aware why the description, let me know.

The Interview opens Christmas Day at the Tropic Cinema. Good for you, Tropic Cinema!

Enjoy your Christmas Eve!

 

WRITING DAY

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I enjoy sharing what I did and who I saw the day before. Even the very mundane. Yesterday was one where I never left the house. Nevertheless, a good day!

I wrote all day. I was in the mood. Words and thoughts flowed. I stayed with it.

Part of the writing included preparation for my blog talk radio show tonight. It’s Christmas time. I am going to share a history of Christmas with you. Guaranteed there will be items that previously have  never been brought to your attention. My history of Christmas is a long story. It may consume the entire half hour.

Join me tonight at 9 my time for Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. It is my Christmas gift to you. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The day writing, the evening Syracuse/Colgate basketball. Syracuse soundly defeated Colgate 78-43. The teams are in different leagues. Syracuse still has a long way to go.

This is supposedly the season of love. We are not seeing much of it with the black/police problem a constant one.

Numbers are important. It seems blacks are being killed by the police in much greater numbers than people in general are killing police. The FBI’s National Incident-Board Reporting System came out with some interesting numbers for 2013.

The report stated that 76 police officers were killed in the line of duty. Twenty seven by felonious acts. Forty nine by accidents. Bottom line, 27 police officers killed directly by an assailant. No break down re black/white as to assailant.

Numbers in reverse are hard to come by. Stats are not as rigidly kept re blacks killed by police. The numbers constantly reported suggest a low of 460 to a high well over 1,000.

Using the lowest projection of 460, it still seems police are killing significantly more blacks than people (blacks and whites) are killing police. Too one sided. It suggests something is wrong.

Every life is precious. Black or police officer. We must recognize however the disproportion. And do something about it!

I grieve for the two police officers killed in New York and their families. We should not lose sight however that killings are far greater involving police killing blacks.

Along the way, we have forgotten as a society many things. Two of significance. The first is violence begets violence. The second, every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPENINGS AND THOUGHTS

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I am a creature of habit. I returned to Tavern ‘n Town last night after having been there thursday evening. Two reasons. Dieting, I have to go where I can get the best meal for my diet. There is also Bobby Nesbitt. He entertains friday evenings at the bar. I have enjoyed his singing for over 20 years. He sings songs I know. Songs from my past. I quietly sing along with him.

Tavern ‘n Town was packed both bar and dining room. Mostly locals. They were having an early dinner before heading over to the Tennessee Williams Theater for the Nutcracker Suite.

Key West’s Nutcracker is presented every two years. Artistic liberty taken.  The mice, etc. are chickens and fish to reflect the Key West life style.

I was banking at noon time. Afterwards stopped at Don’s Place. No Don nor anyone I knew. I left.

This diet has introduced me to organic foods. Emily is an organic nut. She finally drove me to shopping correctly in certain instances.

I had heard of the Organic Cafe on Fleming. Had never been there. Stopped yesterday for a sandwich. The Cafe is in a former gas station.

I could not order. The menu was too confusing. The place crowded. A line to place an order. I took a menu home and read it. Interesting. No question healthy food. Also, very expensive. I was shocked. I guess you pay the price for healthy food.

The place unquestionably a gold mine. People buying!

I am into sitting on the deck. Spent some thoughtful time. Much happening in my life at the moment.

I dislike bike riders. Accidents waiting to happen. Electric carts joined the club yesterday.

I was driving up US 1. North, heading home. Just past Cross Street, traffic got heavy. I was in the passing lane. Backed up badly. Hard to pull out because of traffic in the driving lane.

Finally got to where I could pass. There were two electric  carts driving in the passing lane up US 1. Where they were going, I know not. Doing probably 30 miles an hour at best. They were placing their lives in jeopardy. Perhaps even that of a car driver.

While enjoying my diet food at the bar at Tavern ‘n Town, I was watching a basketball game. It was a high school game. Simeon v. St. Rita. Could not understand why a major channel would carry a high school game in prime time.

Turns out it was a national championship round. Simeon #2 in the country, St. Rita #5. These kids played well. College Division I well. I read afterwards that certain players from the two teams are already committed to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Tulane.

All over Key West people are discussing the Cuba thing. All in favor. Not one I heard against. The reason generally being that the U.S. program has existed for 50 years and nothing has changed. The program did not work.

Cuba brought to mind the nuclear showdown between the U.S. and Russia involving Cuba. It was October 1963. Russia had nuclear missiles in Cuba. The U.S. said get them out. Russia said no.

U.S. ships were blocking the way to Cuba. Russian vessels were heading for Cuba and reached the American line. World War III was imminent. Ships facing each other. Within several hundred feet. Russia blinked. I can still see clearly the Russian vessel turning around and heading home.

In the last coupe of days, an al-Qaeda/ISIS group in Nigeria attacked a village. Killed 35. Took captive around 140. Mostly young women, girls and children. The last time this occurred a few months ago, 300 young girls were captured. The word is they were sold into slavery.

ISIS published a manual in Mosul recently. It had to do with slaves and sex. What the man could do and not do. Not much he could not do. Females considered property. Intercourse before puberty permitted.

These people are crazy!

The market has had a good week. Up, up and up. Very upward. I have been a market player my entire life. People should recall that whatever goes up rapidly, comes down even more rapidly.

Syracuse/Villanova today at 1. Villanova a 12 point favorite. The game is ccarried on a major channel. I shall be watching it from the comfort of home.

Enjoy your day!

DON’S NIGHT

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It was Don’s night last night. Even though we were out together, we did not get very far. Don got comfortable talking with people at the Chart Room and we never left.

We were headed for dinner at Hot Tin Roof. I had to satisfy my pangs of hunger with pop corn.

In spite of no food, the evening was good. Ran into a fellow Manhattan graduate. Jack Kelley. He and wife Sabina used to own a home in Key West. Sold it. Still visit. Their full time home is Washington, DC. Jack is retired, Sabina still working.

Che at the bar. Chastised me for not losing weight. He needs new specs. I told him I had just lost 21 pounds and was still working at it.

Mary bartending. She normally works the beach bar. Emily is on vacation. If I recall correctly, somewhere in one of the Carolinas.

Met RD for the first time. Former manager of Cowboy Bill’s. Consults for several bars in town now. Spent a significant part of his life in the meat packing business.

I found his meat packing experience interesting. During college, summers and each vacation that I was home, I worked the midnight shift at a meat packing house in Utica. I did it all!

When I finally was able to drag Don away, it was too late for dinner. I dropped him off at Don’s Place and headed home.

My first evening stop was Don’s Place. That is where I hooked up with Don. When I arrived, he was sitting at the bar chatting with Sam. I had not met Sam before. Nor had Don. This was Sam’s first time at Don’s Place.

Sam has lived in Key West ten years. He is a civilian employee with the Army at Boca Chica. Interesting and good company. The three of us spent a considerable amount of time talking about Cuba.

Obama announced yesterday that the U.S. is reopening relations with Cuba after more than 50 years. Native Key Westers have always thought that when Cuba opened again, Key West would benefit. Key West is only 90 miles from Cuba. I never thought so. I do not think so even today. The best I see coming out of it is a new ferry boat service Key West to Havana and return.

My initial impression is Obama did the right thing in starting the necessary steps to solidify a friendly relationship with Cuba. The Cuban revolution was in 1959. I was a senior in law school at the time. It is 55 years later. Time to lay differences aside and move on. The Germans and Japanese did more to us and other peoples during World War II. It did not take anywhere near 50 years to put our differences aside and move on.

I made a brief visit in the afternoon to Lisa’s. The grandkids are off from school afternoons this week. Spent some time with Robert and Ally. Robert has a cold and sore throat. Nothing bad. Lisa fears Ally is coming down with the same thing.

Friend Jake met me at the door. I continue to be amazed at how we have become friends.

Enjoy your day!

 

TORTURE

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One of the issues I discussed last night on my blog talk radio show was torture. The issue was whether the U.S. is a torturer. My thought was that if we do torture, then we are. The act of torturing in itself is a manifestation of what we are. Of what we have become. We have changed as a people since 9/11. Changed in many ways.

This morning’s KONK Life News E-Blast carries an excellent article on torture by Rick Boettger. Titled Yay! We’re Not Nazis. I recommend it to you. Boettger covers torture from a different perspective than I did on last night’s show. His observations however are right on.

My yesterday was spent fine tuning last night’s show.

Syracuse football in the news yesterday. What I am gong to share does not seem possible. Syracuse’s football attendance at home games this past season was up 6 percent. An average of 40,447 fans. Syracuse was #2 in increased attendance percentage wise. Florida State was first.

The increase accomplished with a 3-9 record. Amazing!

There is an internet video of Boeheim’s interview following the Louisiana Tech game. He was tough. He was indicating that his players are weak on basics. Like catching the ball with two hands. Things that should not have to be taught at the college level. I recommend the video to you. Easy to find on most Syracuse basketball sites.

The plane that would not fly. Sounds like the title to a book. Actually, it is in reference to Orville Wright and the first powered plane to fly. Today is the anniversary of the first flight in 1903. On the  100th anniversary of the inaugural flight in 2003, a ceremony was held at Kitty Hawk. The replica plane failed to fly!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

PUBLIC BE DAMNED

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Washington continues to abuse the American public. The funny part is we take it. Over and over again.

The latest gambit is an affront to the taxpaying public. I refer to that part of the budget bill passed by the House last night that permits bank subsidiary derivative action to be covered by taxpayer dollars in the event the bank takes a loss. A similar scenario to what occurred because of the 2008 mortgage debacle.

Dodd-Frank passed in 2010 prohibited the taxpayer guarantee. Last night’s vote does away with that portion of Dodd-Frank. It is a step back to 2008.

Permit me to portray the situation in its simplest form. Wall Street reaps big profits from derivative trading. Wall Street gets paid big bonuses for its derivative trading successes. If Wall Street makes mega dollars when it wins, I believe Wall Street should be prepared to handle any losses sustained in a downside.

Tell me any other businessman that has his action covered with taxpayer monies. Businessmen stand the risk. When things are good, they  and their businesses profit. Both live well. When business is poor, they have to stand the loss alone. No government agency steps in and bails them out.

I was impressed with Senator Warren yesterday. She sounds like a breath of fresh air. I hope she stays that way and is not contaminated by the system.

My day yesterday started with a haircut by Lori. She was number one on my hit parade. She exclaimed as I walked in…..You lost weight! At 20 pounds, it is beginning to show. Love it!

Visited Lisa afterwards. Jake greeted me. He was outside. I am amazed how we have become friends. Good friends.

By the way, Jake is healthy once more. Whatever was bothering him seems to have gone away. He looks better and acts better.

Then to Smathers Beach for a walk. The cooler weather makes outdoor walking easier.

Key West is going to stay cool for a few more days. The high today will be 67. Tonight, the temperature will drop to 62.

Christmas is two weeks away. An inexpensive gift is my book. The World Upside Down. The cover Key West. Me sitting outside under the tiki hut typing with the water and mangroves behind me. A big green KEY WEST LOU across the top.

The book’s contents interesting. I cover everything from the Florida keys woman who was shaving her privates while driving to world events to feel good stories.

The World Upside Down is available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

CHRISTMAS BOAT PARADE

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The sun is shining bright this morning in Key West. Nary a cloud in the sky. The temperature 59 degrees!

I am cold!

Today will go to 64. A heat wave!

Before my northern friends think I am crazy, please understand the following. When you live in a tropical climate all year long, your blood thins. When you enjoy the change of seasons as up north, your blood is thicker. Thinner blood means Key Westers feel the cold!

Key West is loaded with all kind of fun activities. This saturday night, the annual Lighted Boat Parade. Boats are decorated as people do the outside of their homes at Xmas time.

I have been on one of the boats several times. A fun event! It will be cold saturday night during the parade. Whatever the actual temperature is on land, it will be 20 degrees colder on the water. People will be wrapped in winter attire. Not a hard trip to experience, however. Drink and food available. Dancing on the larger boats. If you are with someone you like, a constant close embrace. Combined, these factors tend to warm.

I will miss the Boat Parade this year. The police have decided to have a traffic stop from 7 pm saturday to 2 am sunday. On US 1 and Cross Street. The only way home for me is up US 1 and across Cross Street. A gambler, I am not. I will play it safe and stay home. Perhaps have dinner at Roostica which is up from Cross Street.

Key Westers know how to play. I discovered there is a New Year’s Eve event I was not aware of. In its tenth consecutive year. It is called Dachshund Walk. Would you believe! People walk their dachshunds over a specific route. Dogs and owners playfully attired. The parade route is intentionally short to accommodate the participants’ short legs and long bodies.

There is a serious event of which I was unaware. A Homeless Persons Memorial Day. Roughly 50 homeless people died in Key West this year. A memorial service will be held at the Key West Cemetery on December 21. The remains of the 50 will be interred.

We are one human family.

Did my blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Enjoyed doing it! I thought Pope Francis’ story re showers for the homeless in St. Peter’s Square interesting. The French not wanting anything to do with the new trade pact Obama is pushing because it would mean the introduction of GMOs into France revealing.

Then Greece. A last minute topic. Things were happening in Greece through radio time last night. Greece had riots in 6 major cities sunday. Not the orderly type. Police and protestors fighting. Tear gas smoke engulfing them. Yesterday, the Greek stock market faced its largest one day drop since 1987.

It is all tied into austerity. The Greeks borrowed too much from the European Union. They cannot pay it back. The Greek government has had Greece on an austerity program for several years to help pay the bill. Germany has been strangling Greece in its hard demands for repayment. Austerity has led to a loss of jobs. People cannot feed their families. Farmers cannot sell their produce because people do not have money to pay for them.

All this has led to a build up of the Greek Nazi party. Known as the Golden Dawn Party. They are anti-austerity and cater to the thinking of the suffering people. They are presently the third largest party in Greece.

Greece’s President yesterday announced he will be calling for new elections. There is no question in my mind that the Nazi party is a sure bet for a second place finish. Perhaps, a first. Their influence will be overwhelming.

I know Greece. I have written and talked about Greece the past three years. On my TV show, blog talk radio show, in my KONK columns. Even in my book published last year The World Upside Down. I suggested Greece was a tinderbox. I predicted if there was a third world war, it would not start in the Middle East. Greece was the place. Greeks hate Germans. The austerity Germany has imposed on them one reason. The abuse they were subjected to by the Germans during World War II another.

We live in dangerous times.

Tonight, dinner with Roger and Cheryl. We meet at the Chart Room for drinks and dinner later at the Hot Tin Roof.

I have hit 20 pounds lost on the diet. I am impressed. Only seven weeks.

Enjoy your day!

TONIGHT THE POPE, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE AND CHERNOBYL

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Tonight, my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

I spent most of yesterday preparing for the show. Topics include Pope Francis continuing to upset the Vatican old guard, the President of France saying no to the new trade pact over GMOs, a return to Chernobyl 28 years later, the U.S. dropping birth rate since 2007, Wall Street trying to put taxpayers on the hook for bad derivative trades, China buying up Detroit properties, and more.

The show tonight at 9 my time. Please join me. I guarantee you will enjoy the comments, even though you may not agree with some. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I was up early yesterday morning. Visited Dr. Lefferts to get my latest blood test results. She noted a possible kidney problem on the last one. The new test showed the kidney to be normal. Fortunately. At my age, I am always concerned.

I have to vent. Price of prescription drugs again. I had to pick up a 30 day supply of the blood thinner prescribed for me. $121. And I have one of the best AARP supplemental drug programs!

There is no generic. The blood thinner came out in 2009.

It is the donut again. You who are over 65 will especially understand. I have been in the donut since June. I telephoned the insurance company last month. They said I could get out of the donut if I paid $4,000 odd dollars.

The drug companies and insurance companies continue to rip us off. Neither Obamacare nor anything else helps. The drug companies have continued to receive basically a free ride under Obama.

The weather up north has started going bad again. A northeaster coming in. Wind and snow. Whenever it is cold up north, we feel it in Key West. The high today maybe 70. Tonight, 59. Cold! Comparable weather the next two days.

My diet is working. Seven weeks in two days. Nineteen pounds. I am proud of myself!

The diet is my own. I may publish a book when I have concluded. The Key West Diet.

Mark Howell is a Key West author of note. He has an interesting article on Tennessee Williams in this morning’s KONK Life E-News Blast.

One of the special things about living in Key West is the people who lived and worked here. Especially, authors. Tennessee Williams’ home of 40 years is on Duncan street. Friends now own it. They restored the house. It is magnificent in a quiet sort of way. Lisa lives 1 1/2 blocks down the street. Every time I drive past the house, I get a thrill. The same for when I drive past Hemingway’s home on Whitehead.

The women of Saudi Arabia may be able to vote for the first time next year. They started complaining big time in 2011. Even drove cars in defiance of the regime as part of the protest. The King gave in re the vote. They still are not allowed to drive cars however.

The vote is more than symbolic than anything else. They can only vote in local elections for local officials.

Most of the religious hierarchy are opposed to the vote. King Abdullah could have given them the right in 2012. However, he opted to grab a few more years to placate those against his decision. I would not be surprised if next year comes and for some reason the right to vote is delayed again.

I close today’s thoughts with Vera Schiff. Vera is in her 80s. Originally from Pennsylvania, she has lived in Key West as a snow bird forever. She is sweet and top shelf. Throws a great party. She is known as the Auntie Mame of Key West. She also contributes quietly and unselfishly to a multitude of charities.

It was announced this week that Vera is going to receive the Unsung Hero Award. A Key West big deal! She is much deserving.

Enjoy your day!

GUINEA PIGS

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Many times unfortunately elected officials in the keys have their heads screwed on wrong. They make bad decisions. I do not think maliciously. They just do not exercise common sense.

There was a meeting last week concerning the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board’s intention/desire to use genetically modified mosquitoes to kill off dengue fever and other diseases. It is accomplished by the sterilization of mosquitoes.

GMOs in mosquitoes! Mosquitoes that bite humans! If we do not want GMOs in our food, why would we want them in mosquitoes? Makes no sense to me.

Even worse, there are no federal approvals supporting the idea. Testing in the keys will be one of the reports submitted to the government when approval is sought. Which means we are to be used as guinea pigs.

I live in Key Haven. It has been reported that the primary testing area will be Key Haven.

I am against it. Stay out of Key Haven and the keys. If and when the federal government approves, ten years there after come back and ask us to reconsider.

Sean Kinney has an excellent article on the issue in this morning’s KONK Life E-News Blast.

I did nothing yesterday. Sunday was my day of rest. Never left the house. Sat outside most of the day in the shade of the tiki hut writing this week’s KONK Life column. The article concerns itself with the loss of the American dream. It is gone gone.

Have to hustle. Another doctor visit this morning.

Enjoy your day!

MISSED XMAS PARADE

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One of the best family events in Key West is the annual Xmas Parade. Many floats. several Santa Claus’, tons of kids vying for candy, etc.

I love the Xmas Parade! I love watching it with Robert and Ally!

Not this year. I missed the parade. It was last night. I thought it was next week.

Nevertheless, I did have a good time. I had dinner with Buffalo friends Tom and Fran Dixon at Hot Tin Roof. Fortunately, we were the only one’s dining in the bar area. We were loud and boisterous. Laughed the whole way through dinner.

Power outages are similar to hurricanes. They come in bunches. We have not had one in a while. We had a half hour one yesterday. The power was out starting around noon. A boat hit a transmission line off the Seven Mile Bridge.

Oh Syracuse, my Syracuse! The basketball season is not off to a good start. I fear this is not going to be the best of seasons.

Syracuse lost to St. John’s 69-57. I am bleeding orange.

The team is not jelling. Especially on offense. I am unimpressed with Joseph, the point guard. Plus, we are not making three pointers.

Today is December 7. Sunday, December 7. On a similar Sunday in 1941, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. A day that will live in infamy, as President Roosevelt said at the time.

I recall the day vividly, in spite of being 6 at the time. There was no television. No home telephones either. The news of the bombing came from people yelling in the street and knocking on doors. Following which radios were turned on.

Not everyone had a radio. We did. Family and neighbors collected. Our radio was in the living room. The remainder of the day was spent with everyone sitting around, including on the floor, listening to the news.

Enjoy your Sunday!