MAILING CHILDREN / AN INFANT INDUSTRY

Pay the postage, affix the stamps, put a name tag on ’em, and mail them out! Children!

There was a time. Like 1913. The U. S. Postal system was looking for new ways to make money. Someone came up with the idea of parcel posting children. Babies and small children. They had to weigh 11 pounds or less.

Not an expense. To ship a qualifying child from Stratford, Oklahoma to Wellington, Kansas cost 18 cents for postage. The child was delivered to the post office and arrangements made. Thereafter the child traveled with a postman to the final destination.

The system did not last long. Fortunately, it was stopped before one of the “child packages” got lost.

I have to thank Ryno for this interesting piece of information. Ryno posted it on FB this morning. Ryno grew up about 15 miles from my hometown and is now a local Key West radio announcer. One of the best. When I started internet broadcasting several years ago, Ryno taught me. He took me into the broadcasting studio, told me to punch this then that, etc, and left me. I knew from nothing what to do before I arrived and after he left!

I am glad that for all intents and purposes the Syracuse basketball season is over. I could not take much more. Yes, Syracuse will be in the Big Dance starting next week. As a 7 or 8 seed. Not a #1 seed as anticipated as recently as two weeks ago. Syracuse has lost 5 of its last 7 games. The team went 25-0 before disaster struck.

The season has exhausted me. Wiped me out. Too many emotional games. I do not give Syracuse much hope in the big tournament. If the team wins two games, it will be lucky. I am of little faith.

Last night, Syracuse lost to North Carolina State 68-63. Syracuse was a 9 point favorite.

I watched the game at Lukas’ Sports Pub with Don, Chris and Ed. Don flew in from Korea thursday. Spent friday in South Beach. Now winding down in Key West for a few days.

Met Nancy last night. She is the owner of Salsa Loca, John Lukas’ new partner in the Big Ten Sports Pub. Nancy is the food end of the operation. A nice lady. However, we did not start off well. She is a North Carolina State graduate. I told her I would eat elsewhere after Syracuse lost!

I spent several hours yesterday editing some chapters from Growing Up Italian. Writing is easy. It is the editing that is a pain. Takes 3-4 times longer  than the writing. Necessary, however. Editing polishes the writing. Big time!

The MTV house sits across the water from me. In all its colorful glory.

There are college kids staying this week. It is Spring Break time. The MTV home and property are huge. A separate gym building, in addition. Tennis courts and a basketball court outside.

The college kids are all males. I counted 20 yesterday morning sitting on the deck, shoulder to shoulder. Who was fishing, who was chatting, who was sleeping, who appeared to be getting over a hangover, etc.

There is a large bus parked next to the gym. I assume the guys rented it for the trip to Key West.

One problem. No, they not noisy and rowdy. Actually, quiet quite. No girls. I have not seen one young lady since they arrived sunday. Highly unusual! I suspect the group may be part of a gay fraternity.

St. Patrick’s Day is monday. The Key West party started friday. Everyone doing the Duval Crawl. Wearing St. Patty Day tee shirts, green hats, and drinking green beer. Day and night. The party will continue through monday. The partiers having a good time. If it rains, guaranteed the sewers will overflow green.

I am perplexed by the loss of the Malaysian plane. In this day and age, how can a large jet with well over 200 passengers disappear. I read this morning that the Malaysian government has hired  a shaman to help locate the plane. A shaman is a person with extra mental and telepathy powers. They see, hear and feel where others cannot. Comparable to one who claims to be able to talk with the dead.

Modern science is amazing!

Enjoy your day!

 

SYRACUSE RODNEY DANGERFIELD OF RANKINGS

 

It seems like I have been up all night. I had my blog talk radio show at 7. Was out of bed at 5 in anticipation. I am going to bed when I finish this blog for a couple of hours of much needed shut eye.

Syracuse, my Syracuse! Rarely loved by anyone other than the alumni.

#6 Syracuse beat #1 Louisville saturday by 2 points. A top notch game. I assumed Syracuse would be ranked first when the new rankings came out yesterday. Syracuse was not. Tied for third in one and fourth in another. The teams ahead of us have one defeat also. However, none beat Louisville.

Then I read an article by a spoprtswriter. He spelled out five teams from which the Final Four would emerge. He never mentioned Syracuse.

Remember Rodney Dangerfield? His best line was that he never got any respect. So it appears with Syracuse. Previous years, as well as this one.

It does not matter as long as we keep winning. Screw them all!

Syracuse played Cincinnati yesterday afternoon. Another squeaker. Syracuse won by 2 points. Syracuse did not play well. Cincinnati did. Cincinnati was deadly with their three pointers.

Watched the game at the Big Ten Sports Pub with Don and Chris and Dan and Lisa and others.

Then it was to the Chart Room with Don and Chris. Followed by dinner with them at the Hot Tin Roof.

A pleasant afternoon and evening. Especially good company.

I watched the inauguration yesterday. The swearing in portion. Excellent! Moving! Produced a tear or two out of me. I thought the ceremony was upbeat and positive. Almot 1 million standing out in the cold watching. I switched to FOX afterwards for their comments. They cut up and dissected every part of the ceremony, including Obama’s speech. It was disgraceful. They should know better. Yesterday was  a Democrat AND Republican day.

Robert and Ally are into the theatrical world. Key West High School is having a play late in February. The Wizard of Oz. Robert and Ally will play munchkins. They are excited!

Cameron is also in the presentation. He is playing the scare crow.

I was up before the crack of dawn this morning. At 7 was the Key West Lou Talk Show. A one half hour call in show on blog talk radio. Finally, some one called in. Anna from Novara, Italy. Her concerns involved the Italian economy, the euro, and Germany.

This afternoon I have my other radio show. Around 4. On Pirate Radio in Key West. Ryno’s show. Only 8-10 minutes. Ryno and I talk about anything and everything. Locals, if you are free, listen in.

Enjoy your day!

FRED CABANAS RIP

 

Fred Cabanas is dead. At 60. His plane went down somewhere over Mexico’s Cozumel Island.

Fred was a Key West icon. A legend. His mark is well imbedded in Key West. He will be long remembered.

Some of Fred’s accomplishments were his family life, his business Cabanas Aeronautics Unlimited, his daredevil flying, being the Marlboro Man for the smoke designs he made from his bi-plane, being the General of the Conch Republic Air Force, and his movie parts. He also had a rare distinction. He was a Conch. Fourth generation.

It would be remiss not to mention one other item. Fred flew a bi-plane in the bloody Conch Republic Battle for Independence which occurs each year. The bi-plane bombs the US Coast Guard vessels. With biodegradable rolls of toilet paper! You have seen nothing till you have seen toilet paper tossed by Fred unrolling as it hurries down to do in the US Coast Guard.

Fred will be buried tomorrow. At sea. Somewhere on the gulf stream. He will be buried from Key West’s tallest and best known ship the Wolf. Afterwards, there will be a celebration of his life at a hangar at the Key West Airport. Roast pig and alcohol will be consumed. The desire is for a party as Fred would have enjoyed it.

I stopped dieting. I did not shop. I was without food this morning. Nothing for breakfast. At 8, I was at Publix picking up a few things. A good time to shop. There was no one in the store. I was all alone with the help.

Today is Inauguration Day. There is a more than normal excitement. I sense it over TV and in conversations with Key Westers. The last time I recall this degree of excitement was when John Kennedy was inaugurated. I was a young practising attorney at the time.

Today is Martin Luther King Day, also. I recall his killing. It was inevitable. He was in the forefront of the civil rights movement. Actually, he had his nose in everyone’s face. You just knew his life was on the line.

Today has another significance historically. The Key West Citizen reported this morning that President Ulysses Grant visited Key West this day in 1871. The paper included a picture of Grant in a horse drawn cab on Duval Street waving to the crowd.

Syracuse basketball again today! At 3:30. Against Cincinnati. Cincinnati has only 3 losses. I worry about this game, also.

Where are the new national rankings? I thought they came out sunday evenings. Guess not. I hope Syracuse is #1. It is deserved after the Louisville game.

As usual, I will be at the Big Ten Sports Pub watching the game. With Don and Chris and Dan and Lisa and I do not know who else.

Show time tomorrow morning. The new blog talk radio show I am trying to get off the ground. Tough! I suspect 7 am may not be the best time. However, for those of you who are hearty and up, join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Call in and ask questions, if you are so inclined. Lets have a good talk or listen.

I have another radio show later in the afternoon. I will be appearing weekly on tuesday afternoons on Ryno’s Show. Pirate Radio. Somewhere around 3:45 and 4. The time is flexible. Ryno has me on the air as soon as I walk in the door.

Enjoy the holiday!

 

FIRST DAY BACK

Yesterday, I looked like a homeless man coming out from under the bridge in the morning. Ravished! Could not make myself look good. Did not feel good. Did not care. The condition is called jet lag.

The first thing I did was the last two days of my blog. The travel blog. Today, back to normal. I shall miss the travel portion. However, I am glad to be home and writing again about the mundane things in my life.

In my Key West wanderings yesterday, I missed something. Something I saw on an almost daily basis in Europe. Clotheslines full of wash. Things do look better howeverr without the wash hanging outside.

There is one thing I definitely do not miss. The computers. European computers have different key pads. Italy was the worst. Many letters were not where they are on American computers. @ was different on Italian and Greek computers. Both in different places. These thingst made doing the blog at least one third longer in time. So many mistakes to correct!

Epilogue comming. I have a double disc of over 600 photos. Doing it beyond my capabilities. Need Sloan. We will start in the next couple of days.

I lost some weight on the trip. Thought I did. Only 5 pounds. But, 5 pounds is 5 pounds. It was the hills and stairs. Not the food. I ate everything. My stomach is down. More than 50 per cent. Again, the hills and stairs.

Unpacked a bit off and on yesterday. Plain did not feel like doing it. Have more to do today. Need to get Anna over. I have a ton of dirty clothes. The longer I was away, the less I washed.

Need a couple of naps during the day. Went to sleep at 7 last night. Up now at 3. I stayed up as long as I could last night.

Needed a manicure. Saw Tammy at Lee Nails. She did not like my beard! Crushed me! The first one who did not. Even my daughter Lisa liked it. Tammy said it made me look older.

Tammy followed my blog day by day while I was on the trip. Made me feel good.

The cupboard really was bare. Anna had cleaned out the refrigerator. I had to go to Publix. I only got half of what I needed. No fruit. My head was screwed up.

Ran into Ryno as I was pulling into the Publix parking lot. Ryno is one of Key West’s premier radio people. Every day for several hours. Ryno started me out on radio at KONK three years ago. He was the station engineer. He is from Watertown, N.Y., about 15 miles from my hometown of Utica. A sweet person.

I rolled the window down and we chatted a bit. He referred to me as the globe trotter. He was reading the blog, also. Thank you, Ryno.

I need a haircut. I have hair for the first time in years. Growing out every which way. I am going to keep some hair. Needs trimming bad, however. Even Tammy said…..Get a haircut!

My appointment with Lori is 10:15 this morning. I should look beautiful and ready for my Key West world afterward.

Two stops definitely today. Don’s Place around 4. Then the Chart Room at 6. Then I will really be back!

When I left Key West, the sun was shining. Little, if any, rain. I return two months later and Key West is into the rainy season. Night and day. Pouring outside right now. Thunder and lightning over the ocean. Nothing like ocean lightning at night! It joins you in bed.

Enjoy your day!