DONALD DUCK

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It is amazing the range of stories/issues I get to cover here.

Today, it is Donald Duck.

Yesterday was Donald Duck’s 80th birthday. A belated happy birthday to Donald!

The world is heavy today with saddening news. Donald’s birthday was important. He is an American icon. Loved by most, if not all. We grew up with him and Mickey Mouse and Pluto. Why was his birthday basically forgotten yesterday?

I did not know till later in the day when I heard it on the car radio. I believe the media should have shared the news of Donald’s birthday with us. The media basically failed. Good feeling news does not hurt. It can bring a smile to one’s face.

The Key West Citizen failed to make any mention of the event. Nor did KONK Life E-Blast. The New York Times failed, also. Except for a brief article it published on the internet, but not in the paper.

I was out and about driving yesterday afternoon listening to the radio. Sirius station 6. Music from the 1960s. My time. The announcer interjected it was Donald Duck’s 80th birthday. Later in the day, someone I had complained to called me to say she had just heard of it on another Sirius radio station, NPR.

Newspapers wonder why heir sales are going down. One reason may be a failure to print all the news that should be read.

It was time gym again yesterday morning. Day #5. Albert killed me! The worst yet! I hurt and he laughs!

Sloan was over later in the afternoon. I needed to be spoon fed some steps to be able to accomplish more with the computer. I truly am computer illiterate. You may not think so because I use the computer so much. However, it is true. I envy my grandchildren. They are already adept at computer use. The school have them and the kids are required to use them. Computers did not exist when I was their age.

I stopped at Hogfish a bit late. Very few people. Had a sandwich and drink at the bar. Made three new friends. Fishermen, of course. We got along well. I bought them each a beer and shot of Jack Beam.

I fell last night. When I was leaving for Hogfish. Was going back into the house to get something I forgot. Using the front door. A six inch stoop. My right foot only went up five inches. My whole right side still aches. I was fearful as I lay there that I might have broken my wrist, elbow, shoulder and/or hip. All hurt immediately. Apparently not. I merely ache this morning.

I fall a lot. Though not much recently. The reason generally is I do not lift my feet enough to make a step. Or, so I think.

The Key West Citizen carried a brief news note of an event with which most Key Westers are familiar.

In the early 1930s, Karl Tanzler Von Cosel was in love with Elena Hoyos. She 22, Karl 44. She died of tuberculosis. Karl could not live without her. He stole her body from its tomb in a mausoleum. Karl took Elena home and laid her on his bed. He kept her there for seven years. Ugh! A true story.

Today is tuesday and tuesday is my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine this evening my time. A quick half hour of interesting and revealing things. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include my Donald Duck dissertation, Putin screwing American banks this past week, American oil companies doing business with Russia the past couple of weeks, Argentina appointing their own Joseph Goebbels to the new post of Secretary for National Thought, a Katharine update, the story of turtles Yertle and Mack, an update concerning the Sudanese woman who refused to renounce her faith and was sentenced to death, and more.

Enjoy your day!

 

KEY WEST & BICYCLES

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Bicycles on the road scare the hell out of me! Especially during tourist season. Each time I drive is a disaster in the making. Ant the funny part of it all is that those riding the bicycles are not even aware of the situation.

Front page in this morning’s Key West Citizen was an article concerning Key West getting a crash course in safety. Turns out the #1 small city in bicycle accidents is our beloved Key West.

Bicycle riding has become an integral part of the Key West vacation package. It must be retained. However, it needs fixing. It needs more than a special police program to assist in making riders aware of the road rules regarding bicycling. It requires the City fathers, the City Commission, to stand up and get involved more deeply than it has in the past. Thought must be given to revamping the scenario. Not to do so is to court disaster.

Note that I am not critical of Key Westers who utilize bicycles as their means of transportation. They are experienced and know how to ride safely.

Katharine! The great white pregnant female shark making her way into the Gulf of Mexico. I stopped at Schooner Wharf in the afternoon for a drink. Chatted with some old time fisherman who were standing at the back end of the bar. They all said the same thing. Each had thought that large fish such as sharks lived in one area as part of a group. The GPS tracker affixed to the dorsal fin told another story. Great whites travel great distances. They can cover a 100 miles in one day. Astonishing! The GPS tracker had radically changed their knowledge/view of  how great whites live and their traveling habits.

Old time crucifixions are on the rise in the Middle East. Renounce your Christian faith and accept Islamism…..or be crucified. This weekend it was first announced that the Sudanese women who was sentenced to death because she would not reject her Christian faith was to be released. Twenty four hours later it was reported not so. The government made the initial decision. Now the government has backed off and said it is up to the courts. In the meantime, it was also reported that the woman was required to give birth in jail while her legs were chained/shackled.

We think we can teach these people democracy? The crazies are in Washington, not the Middle East!

An article I wrote re the crucifixions appears in my COMMENTARY column published in today’s KONK Life E-Blast. Read it if you have the opportunity You will find it interesting.

Ally’s birthday party last night! Fun as anticipated. Worked out just as I had predicted. Ally was thrilled. Ran the whole show. Lights out, sing, Robert don’t get in the way! My Princess!

Gym time this morning at 11. I walked the past three days. Once on a tread mill and the other two times around my house. Twenty minutes each time. I am trying.

Enjoy your day!

ROSE TATTOO HOUSE UNDER RENOVATION

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I sleep with the television on. It probably comforts me. If I wake in the middle of the night, I merely have to look up and I am into a movie till I fall back to sleep again.

I woke at 3 this morning. Playing was The Rose Tattoo. A 1955 hit movie. It starred Anna Magnani and Burt Lancaster. Magnani won the Best Actress Academy Award for her performance. The story takes place in an Italian-American neighborhood in Louisiana. Most of the movie takes place in a house.

The movie was not made in Louisiana. It was shot in Key West on Duncan Street.

Tennessee Williams had written the Broadway play. He later helped with the writing of the movie. Williams lived in Key West some 40 years. His home was on Duncan, also. One block from The Rose Tattoo house where the shooting took place.

The Rose Tattoo house was forgotten for many years. Rarely lived in. Permitted to run down. It was difficult to see from the street because of the huge uncared/uncut foliage which had grown.

I drove down Duncan recently. On my way to daughter Lisa’s home. Lisa lives two blocks from the Rose Tattoo house and one block from the Tennessee Williams home.

I was shocked and pleased at the same time! I could see the Rose Tattoo house. The foliage was down. Even better, the house was under what appeared to be total renovation. A beautiful home! A jewel uncovered! A large swing around porch. The outside already painted white. It will make a wonderful home when completed.

Did my blog talk radio show last night. I enjoy doing the show. I enjoy the opportunity to pontificate. I received several telephone calls immediately following the show. Two topics were of primary interest to the callers. The bit about Greece wanting to sell 110 of its beaches to help pay its Euro Union debt. The other involved the 1,800 plus suicides this year already of those in the military.

Per my usual custom, I grabbed a bite at Roostica before the show. I am continually surprised at how good the food is. And, reasonably priced. I had three meatball sliders last night. Huge meatballs.  A small salad came with it. I had to force myself to finish the last slider. Cost: $7. Need I say more!

This morning’s KONK Life E-Blast has an article concerning the construction of the new City Hall on White Street. The Glynn Archer school building is being renovated for the purpose. The thrust of the story was that everything was moving along well and within projected costs. The project was at the stage where interior demolition had begun.

I worry about renovating old buildings. I dealt with many in my former life as an environmental attorney. Asbestos and other problems rise up which were not contemplated in initial estimates. There is always a surprise. With surprise, costs shoot up.

I am sure that the architects involved took into account any asbestos removal and other such problems. However, there is always that surprise.

I wish the City and project good luck and hope the inevitable does not occur.

Back to the gym this morning at 11! I survived monday. Should today, also. I never made day 2 back in December when I first tried.

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!

FIRE ANTS

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If you live or visit Key West, it is difficult to escape the scourge of the fire ant. It is inevitable. You will be bitten. You will be attacked by several or a swarm at one time. Then comes the itching. And more itching. The white heads with black tops. It takes three weeks for the symptoms to disappear.

The place is an Amazon village somewhere in Bolivia. Two young men stole a couple of motorcycles. Their captors tied them to trees swarming with fire ants. Both ended up in the hospital. One in intensive care. The other required dialysis for kidney failure.

And we thought we had it bad!

Interestingly, fire ants originally came to Florida from South America. Most believe Bolivia. They immigrated in 1918 and then again in the 1930s on ocean going vessels.

Spent most of yesterday getting ready for last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. It must have been a good show. Immediately received several telephone calls following the show. Each caller appeared excited about what they had just heard. One call came from Milan, Italy. Another from Calitzdorp, South Africa. The others from the USA. The Italian and African calls came in the middle of their nights. I was impressed.

The telephone calls and comments that followed did not reflect a particular topic as the most interesting. Apparently each found the entire show to their liking.

If you missed the show, it is archived. Also on You Tube. Archived it can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. You tubed under Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I am not sure last night’s show has been You tubed yet.

Prior to the show, I enjoyed a quiet dinner alone at Roostica. Reading the newspapers, of course.

There is a war going on in Key West. The War of the Plastic Chairs. At the tennis courts at Bayview Park. Rick Boettger has an excellent column on the conflict in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast.

This week’s edition of KONK Life hits the stands at 5 this afternoon. My first column under the caption Key West Lou COMMENTARY appears. The article concerns Muslim influence in what once was a sedate Sweden.

The columns are the same. Decided a new title was required. Over the years, the column had undergone a transformation. What started as legal observations slowly evolved into political and social commentary.

Enjoy your day!