RODNEY DANGERFIELD

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My yesterday began with a lengthy noon time meeting downtown. The balance of the afternoon following the meeting watching TV at home. It was a lazy day.

Several years ago, I mentioned that I had spent a few days with Rodney Dangerfield at the fat farm La Costa. A place where people went to lose weight. We got chummy. We would chat in the hot tub and steam room. Played volley ball together bare ass twice a day. Ate together. Each off us on the 800 calorie a day diet.

I watched a Rodney Dangerfield movie in the afternoon. The one where he went to college when a senior citizen. He was as wacky as ever.

Rodney was wacky in his everyday life, also. What you saw on the movie screen and on TV was Rodney Dangerfield in the flesh. It was the real him. He made millions merely being himself.

Last night was Tavern ‘n Town. Saturday seems to attract me to the place. Probably because it is the night Bobby Nesbitt entertains.

As I walked into the Marriott, I ran into Joe and Beth Pizzo. I had not seen them in a couple of years. Key West friends going back more than 20 years. Happy hellos and hugs exchanged.

A corner of the bar had several male members of the Yacht club enjoying drinks together. The same group that were at the Yacht Club bar almost daily. The Yacht club is closed Saturday nights. Happy hellos again.

Bobby’s music I love! Songs from the ’50s and ’60s. Bobby came over and chatted while he was on break. He looks the same as when I met him for the first time 25 years ago. Nary a wrinkle.

Journey and Judy bartending. I asked for my usual Beefeaters. Judy said no Beefeaters. First time. I knew why. I said to Judy, you have a new alcohol distributor. Yes, she said. There is one who services the keys that does not handle Beefeaters.

I felt like I was back in London where I spent a week a few years ago. Only one bar carried Beefeaters. Most did not even know what it was. Shocking since the bottle looks like London and suggests Beefeaters is a drink of English origin.

It dawned on me last night that Tavern ‘n Town has become a local’s hangout.

Salt Island Seaplanes has been in business three weeks. The seaplane service between Naples and Key West. A 55 minute air trip.

I hate to be a wet blanket, but I do not see how the company is going to succeed. The ride is expensive. $210 one way. The plane does not land in Key West. It lands at a mooring field somewhere northeast of Fleming Key. Passengers then get a seven minute boat ride to the Conch Harbor Marina dock. From there, you either walk or cab to where ever you are going.

This week’s Keynoter had two interesting items.

The first was the man who was arrested on the complaint of his girl friend that he had stolen her money. While in the back of the police car, the officer driving heard “chewing and chomping.” The guy was eating the cash. He got $277 down before stopped.

The other involved the Southern Keys Cemetery in Big Coppit. The cemetery ran an ad stating there were 75,351 residents in Monroe County and only 4,200 burial plots. Brilliant advertising!

I have been to the Cemetery. It is modern compared to the Key West one. I have gone there several times. An old friend, Jack Baron, is buried there. I enjoyed my almost daily conversations with him over the years and consider him one of the smartest people I ever met. Crazy as it may sound, I stop by not only to pay my respects but also to talk to him a bit.

Syracuse basketball today at 4. Syracuse is playing Long Beach State. Syracuse an 11 point favorite.

I have Sloan here at 10:30 to work. Have to hustle.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

LOBSTER MOBSTER SEASON / CHAOS

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I mentioned a few days ago that the mini lobster season begins this week. An armada of boats will be on the waters diving for lobsters.

What I did not realize is how unhappy some of the locals are with the mini lobster season. Which lasts only two days, by the way.

Yesterday’s Keynoter and one its readers reflected the unhappiness in the paper’s editorial and a letter to the editor.

The editorial made mention of the tens of thousands of lobster hunters who would be descending on the Florida keys. Thirty thousand are expected. Only 71,000 people live in the keys. Hotels, motels, restaurants, and bars will benefit. Some locals will nod their heads in disapproval.

The person who penned the letter to the editor should have been an author by profession. He described the mini lobster season as the lobster mobster season. He also stated that the large number of boats result in chaos on the water.

Mack the turtle is on the mend. Mack who somehow found his way to the boat basin of the Marathon Turtle Hospital in May. At that time, he was wrapped in fishing line and his body was loaded with tumors. Mack has had five operations since May. The tumors are the big problem. The hospital plans on keeping Mack another year to make sure there are no tumor regrowths. Then if all is well, Mack returns home to the ocean.

A keys resident on Plantation Key has a big problem. The resident owns Jersey Boardwalk Pizza. He has also been using a logo that very much looks like the logo used by the State of New Jersey for the Garden State Parkway. Two different shades of green and round. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority says he cannot. Constitutes trademark infringement. The pizza guy says my restaurant, I am going to continue using the name and logo.

New Jersey has sued our Plantation Key friend in federal court.

A stupid waste of State funds. No one is going to think New Jersey or its highway system are operating a pizza parlor on Plantation Key in the Florida Keys. However…..I believe New Jersey will win.

Thirty years ago, I had a similar case in upstate New York. My client’s last name was Sears. He was a retired police officer. He lived in some very small town in the Adirondack Mountains. Probably less than 500 people. For fifteen years, he had been operating the Sears Realty Company in that little town.

Sears Roebuck found out. They sued him in federal court for trademark infringement. They wanted my client to cease and desist using the name Sears. They claimed people might become confused and think Sears Realty was the big time Sears. Impossible!

I laid the facts before the Judge, Suggested Sears was overly concerned and unfair. The Judge said, Mr. Petrone, I agree…..however the law is the law, your client is infringing and must stop using the Sears name. It was immaterial that Sears was my client’s real name.

So it goes. That is why our Plantation Key neighbor is going to lose. The shame of it all is that it will cost him a ton of money to fight New Jersey in federal court.

Tavern ‘n Town last night. It was saturday. Bobby Nesbitt time. Sat at the bar and enjoyed him. Manager Judy stopped by to say hello. Ran into Allan Wimer who ironically I spoke with on the telephone a few days ago for the first time in at least 10 years. He was at a wedding dinner. We had a good chat.

I have a birthday party this afternoon. Dan who owns WeBeFit  is 45 years old. The party should be fun. I hope these health aficionados eat bad food and drink alcohol.

I said yesterday that Michelle Obama had teamed up with Monsanto to provide healthy genetically modified food to America’s children. I could not understand.

I was wrong. The story was out there. It was being reported. Had gone viral. However subsequent reports indicate it was a false statement. My apologies to the First Lady.

Enjoy your sunday!

A BOBBY NESBITT SATURDAY NIGHT

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My saturday nights have become routine. A good routine. Bobby Nesbitt!

Bobby entertains saturday evenings at Tavern ‘n Town. He has long been a favorite of mine. Going back at least 20 years.

Lately, I have been having dinner at Tavern ‘n Town saturday evenings just to hear Bobby.

I grab a couple of newspapers on the way in. Find a corner bar seat. Have a couple of drinks and dinner and read the newspapers. All the while enjoying Nesbitt at his best. I generally quietly sing along with him. I can be multi-faceted.

The bar was packed last night. A noisy crowd. Mostly tourists. I thought how sad they do not take a few minutes to quiet down and give Bobby time to enrich their souls with his singing.

I was reading saturday’s Keynoter. A twice a week local publication. On the editorial page, there was an old photo. Jack Williams’ Saloon at 101 Simonton. Back around 1890. The sign in the window said…..Draft Beer 5 cents.

No more 5 cent beers. No more Jack Williams’ Saloon.

I discovered a great article on Key West female foot attire in the Keynoter. Written by Leah Maki. She is a blogger and claims to be a fashion obsessed one. I enjoyed her column. I am adding her blog to my list of must reads. LeahsFabulousFinds.com.

The article was titled…..Find Your Keys Sole. Her knowledge and writing style caught my fancy. A discovery!

Five beauties walked into the bar at one point. Knockouts! Absolutely beautiful! Just passed the age of consent. One wore a sash saying Miss Centaro. They walked in smartly. Saw the bar was crowded and walked out just as smartly. I was disappointed.

I ran Centaro through the internet. I could not determine which Centaro the sash applied to. There were tons of them.

Cindy came by and gave me a kiss. Cindy is a casual Key West friend. Looked devastating in a black pants outfit.

Today’s Key West Citizen has on its front page with both a large picture and title, an iguana story. Iguanas are all over out island. My rear deck and front yard, roadways, the golf course, where ever you go. They are stoic. They generally sit and face the sun. They fear humans not. You can walk right up to one and the iguana will not flinch.

I dislike iguanas. They eat my shrubbery and flowers. Defecate in my pool and on the deck. I am not the only one who has no love for them. Most do not.

The Citizen article had a subtitle…..The Rats of the Reptile Kingdom. Says it all.

Interestingly, iguanas are considered good eating. In Central and South America. Not here. Though some have tried iguana. It supposedly tastes like chicken. I cannot envision myself indulging!

I spent my daytime yesterday researching next week’s column for KONK Life. I am getting a head start on the column this week. It will be about politics. I think I may title it Politics As Usual. It will begin with Eric Cantor’s recent defeat and go from there.

The Second Annual Key Lime Festival is July 3-5. Typical of Key West, it starts with a bar crawl on July 3. Spelled in this instance K R A W L. Pink lime martinis and margaritas the featured drinks.

Enjoy your sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JET LAG

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It finally hit me big time. Jet lag! It is 2:30 in the afternoon and I am just getting to today’s blog. My head is not functioning, my body tired.

Interestingly, today is the first day I have knowingly experienced it.

I tried working on this week’s KONK Life column this morning. Good luck! No way, Jose!

I have been pacing myself since my Wednesday night return.

Yesterday, I worked a while with Sloan. A pleasure to have her!

Then visited the grandkids. I had not seen Robert and Alley in two months. They just returned from a two week vacation at their grandparent’s home in north Florida.

Both grew. Especially Ally.

They make me feel good.

Laid in bed and watched some golf. Hope Jim Furyk wins. I met him several years ago at the Indian Casino outside Utica. Turning Stone. He was staying there a few days with his family. Soft spoken. A regular guy. He has won 16 times on the tour. One of the wins a major. He has not won in a few years. A win here would be big. It would guarantee him a place in the Golf Hall of Fame.

The Chart Room was packed last night. Like sardines in a can.

Saw JJ, Peter, Jean, and Sheila. Met Dori, a friend of Sheila’s.

Though I was not able to observe, Dori has some sort of disability. Ergo, she has a specially trained dog to assist her. I met the dog.

Big!!!Bigger than that!!!

A great dane. Great being the operative word. He had to be the biggest dog I have ever seen.

White with black spots. Like a Dalmatian. It would take at least four Dalmatians to make one of him.

Very quiet and reserved. Sat by Dori. Never moved in spite of the people mulling around. Then laid down behind Dori’s bar stool.

When I went to leave after kissing Sheila good bye and meeting Dori, I stepped on the dog’s paw. He never moved. Lucky me!

A bug and fish are in the news.

The lower Keys has a Mosquito Control Board. It does an excellent job. Without the Board, living in Key West would be primitive.

This year the Board started introducing something into the mosquito population that made the males sterile thereby preventing the females from getting pregnant. Pretty smart, I thought. The results of the endeavor are not known yet.

Starting late in August, the Board is going to experiment with drones. Planes without pilots.

Water pooling is a natural habitat within which mosquitos breed. The drones will fly around and identify the locations so personnel can go out and get the pools cleaned up.

The Keys mosquito guys do not screw around!

Now comes a crocodile. The croc has been named Crocodolly. Keynoter recently reported the following.

Crocodolly is eight feet long. A female. She has been showing up in an area off Plantation Key since 2010. She has been captured three times. Tagged the first time so there is no question it is the same crocodile. The tag on her tail is #5 in case you run into her.

Crocodiles are endangered species. Each time Crocodolly was captured, the authorities took her far out into Florida Bay. Crocodolly returned each time. Like the dog that can find its way home from many miles away.

The people of Plantation Key do not fear her. They look forward to seeing her in their canals.

Crocodolly has over 400 friends on Facebook.

What a world!

I am back on the air Tuesday night. Blog talk radio. Nine in the evening. A quick interesting half hour. Greece and the growing power of the Greek Nazi Party will be the topic. Join me. I guarantee you will find the talk revealing. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your Sunday!

CROCODILES

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The Keynoter reported this morning a crocodile was discovered in a canal behind a Marathon home. Georgiana Hosek’s home. Georgiana was attempting to launch her kayak off a ramp into the canal. Surprise! The crocodile! The kayak will remain unused till the croc moves on or is removed.

Crocodiles are rare in the Florida keys. Wildlife experts belief that the crocodile might have layed eggs near the ramp. They are investigating the situation.

The crocodile is 6 feet 7 inches long.

I did a little research into crocodiles after reading the Keynoter article. Came across Nile crocodiles.

Nile crocodiles have healthy appetites. For humans! Very dangerous to our species. Florida never worried about  Nile crocodiles till the past year. The reason simple. The Nile crocodile was native to Africa. Florida is not a Nile crocodile habitat.

Recently three Nile crocodiles have been observed in Florida.

For once the government acted properly and immediately. The Nile croc is an endangered species. As such cannot be killed. The federal government decided better the Nile crocodiles die rather than humans. In August of last year, the federal authorities issued a shoot to kill order. Highly unusual. Evidences the concern the government has regarding this predator.

I suspect Florida and the federal government are worried that the Nile crocodile will become a problem similar to the python one.

I did my blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. An informative half hour.

Yesterday in and of itself was an interesting day. It was reported there will be a Senate vote thursday on some phase of the gun bill. Then there was the Texas community college stabbings.

I additionally had time to chat a bit about the drug company game which screws purchasers and a recent example of why we do not want Sharia law in the United States.

The half hour went by fast.

Today is April 10. My father would have been 99 today. He died last year at 98. Happy birthday Dad, where ever you are!

Which brings up my grandfather. My dad’s father. Grandfather Louis died at the age of 94. May I be so lucky!

I wrote about Annette Funicello yesterday. A former Mouseketeer and 1960s movie star. She was originally from my home town Utica. Several people have contacted me since the blog was published yesterday to tell me my grandfather and Annette’s were best friends/pals. I never knew. They arrived in Utica from the old country at the same time.

Key West weather continues to be summer like. I can feel the humidity as I write this blog. It feels good. Not too heavy yet.

Enjoy your day!