LOBSTER MOBSTER SEASON / CHAOS

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!

KUMBAYA

We live in a bleak moment in human history. Such cannot be denied.

Perhaps the world should adopt the Key West mentality. Live in Key West time as Howard Livingston recommends. Peoples should take things as they come. Not make a federal case out of everything. Kumbaya everyday.

Last night was supposed to be dinner with Jenna. I canceled. Probably foolishly.

I am enamoured with Jenna. She, with me. It thrills me to have dinner with this lovely statuesque 27 year old beauty. All 79 years of me!

Yesterday afternoon, I went back to Growing Up Italian. I am writing two books at one time. The other is Greece, The First Time. The words were flowing. My thoughts right on. I did not want to stop to dine with Jenna.

Foolish, I agree. Sometimes my priorities are misplaced.

I was disturbed with a Michelle Obama news release yesterday. Many of you will be also.

It was announced that Michelle Obama was teaming up with Monsanto to promote children’s food. Monsanto has introduced a 5 year $50 million program to market healthy (?) genetically modified food to children. Most of the world opposes and fear Monsanto’s genetically modified organisms/seeds. Not a well thought out move on Michelle’s part.

Love Turner Classic Movies. Woke this morning at six to Julius Caesar. The 1953 movie starring Marlon Brando as Mark Anthony. I quoted part of Mark Anthony’s words in a recent KONK Life column…..The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones.

When I was writing the column, I was not sure whether it was Mark or Marc. I went with Marc. A bit of a twist. A spelling I thought Shakespeare would have used.

I was wrong.

Shakespeare spelled it as Mark throughout. Anthony he used two different ways. In some places, he refers to Mark Anthony as Antonio. The reason for whatever way spelled by Shakespeare appears to be the Latin spelling of Mark Anthony. Marcus Antonius.

Always learning.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

MICHELLE OBAMA OUTSTANDING!

 

I do not care whether Republican. Democrat or Libertarian, white, black, purple or green…..Michelle Obama’s presentation last night before the Democrat Convention was one of the finest speeches ever made. Put politics and other concerns aside. She did a hell of a job! You do not have to agree with her. You do not have to like her. You do not have to like her husband. But…..you cannot deny the quality of the presentation.

Being the political junkie that I am, I enjoyed the speakers last night. The Democrats came out fighting from the opening bell. Clinton should be fantastic tonight!

Yesterday was ordinary. A simple day. Ran some errands. Sat in the sun by the pool for an hour. Fell asleep in that hour. Continued working on the trip photographs. Getting closer to publishing some. Worked with Sloan.  Dinner at Outback at the bar. Me and the newspaper. Enjoyed the Democrat Convention from the comfort of my bed.

Today will probably be more exciting. Seeing Lori this morning. Need a haircut. More importantly, time to trim the beard. It is beginning to look unruly. Needs a trim every which way.

Enjoy your day!