KEY WEST AND SECESSION

 

The mini series North and South that I watched on TV over the weekend got me back into the Civil War. Where did Key West stand during that time?

A strange situation. Florida seceded. After Lincoln’s election and before he was sworn in. Technically, Key West would have had to also. As a practical matter, Key West was in limbo. It had seceded as a part of Florida, yet remained in Union hands because of a U.S. military presence that already was in Key West.  The U.S. Navy.

The Navy had a fort to go with it. Fort Zachery Taylor. To protect Fort Zachery Taylor and discourage a Confederate attack, two mini forts were built . East Martello and West Martello. They were connected to Fort Zachery Taylor by railroad tracks needed to carry munitions.

The Civil War never made it to Key West. Fighting never occurred.

The people of Key West however were sympathetic to the Confederacy. Many flew Confederate flags over their homes. The two sides however were able to get along and live together.

I spent yesterday morning researching and writing. My afternoon was involved with two lengthy meetings followed by a visit to the Plantation Coffee House.

My blog talk radio show was last night at 9. The show was well prepared. Interesting topics. Like Pope Francis and my thought that he is a flaming liberal (a good thing), economic issues including the attempt to cut back on food stamps while the median household income has fallen in the past five years and a Senate give away occurred which was not proper from my perspective. I also hit on the Kenya mall attack and the fact that it included as terrorists two American and one British citizens. I talked about the toilet paper crisis in Venezuela, how there are too many arrests in the U.S. for minor crimes, and a stupid remark by a U.S. Senator.

A terrific show! Except no one heard any of it, except for the first five minutes! I did the whole show thinking everything was ok. It was only afterwards when the emails and telephone calls came that I realized I was off the air five minutes into the show! I still do not know why. Frustrating.

Theodore “Fats” Navarro was born in Key West. He left town as soon as he finished school. The world awaited him. He became a highly regarded jazz trumpet player. Perhaps the best of his era. He was paid mega dollars for his performances.

Drugs and tuberculosis did him in. He died in his 20s in New York City. He had a sister Delores who was born in 1932. I understand she still lives in Key West.

Earlier this week, a Jean Marie Lindor was sentenced to 24 years in prison. His crime was his involvement in fraudulent BP oil claims. Lindor lived in Homestead. There is always some one who attempts to take advantage of a sorrowful happening.

Enjoy your day!

 

CRANBERRY NUT BREAD AND SHEILA

 

The Chart Room again last night. Peter and Che at the bar. A good crowd otherwise.

Sheila came in after a while. Lovely Sheila. The trolley train lady. A friend to all. Loved by every one.

Sheila had a bag full of small cranberry nut bread loafs. In aluminum pans. Still warm.

This is for you, Louis. Happy Thanksgiving! She handed me one of the loaves.

How nice! How thoughtful!

When I left the Chart Room, I was headed out to dinner. Not sure where. As I got in the car, I said to myself…..go home…..eat the warm cranberry nut bread. That is what I did. Made some tea and covered the still warm bread with butter. My dinner! The best!

Thank you, Sheila.

While I was at the Chart Room, Sheila introduced me to Cori. Same pronunciation as son in law Corey’s name, except spelled differently.

Cori just received her doctorate from Exeter in England. Her PhD is in Maritime History.

She works at the Custom House as Curator of History. Knows my Corey well. Knows Lisa, also.

Yesterday morning after finishing the day’s blog, I received a telephone call from Jenna. Could we do my TV/Internet show at 4 today instead of friday? Krystal wanted to take a long weekend to spend the holiday with her folks. Ok, I said.

Only one problem. I prepare the show during the week a bit at a time each day. Ergo, I was not ready to do the show at 4. I could get ready, but would have to work diligently till 4. I did.

The show was recorded and will be shown at 10 friday morning as usual.

The topics are interesting. Let me share a few with you.

Thanksgiving. I did a history of the holiday. The pilgrims and Indians did not give us Thanksgiving. Abraham Lincoln did.

Since the show has many viewers from foreign lands who are unaware of Thanksgiving, I explained from a practical perspective what happens on Thanksgiving Day. The Macey parade, a glutonous meal, and falling asleep in front of the TV while watching college football after dinner.

The Hostess failure bothers me. A particular union is one of the problems. Another and greater problem however is the sugar industry. By virtue of a 1934 law, heavy tariffs are placed on sugar imported. As a result, no one ships sugar into the U.S. The U.S. sugar industry has a monopoly. So…..sugar costs twice as much in the U.S. as elsewhere in the world. Hostess obviously used sugar big time.

The sugar law is a form of corporate welfare. Similar to the subsidy paid oil companies. The sugar lobby in Washington is strong. They make sure the tariff program continues. There is more to this story.

A secession follow up. This whole thing is a joke. For real. Not real.

Took a walk back in history with Enrico Caruso, Casablanca, war time rationing, and Doug Flutie’s Hail Mary pass.

Three interesting stories where today’s cell phone was instrumental in catching wrongdoers.

The aforementioned are some of the topics discussed. I will share more with you tomorrow.

Needed a gas fill up yesterday. Stopped at the Citgo station on the boulevard. The boulevard of construction. I chatted with the woman running the place. I noticed there was a sign saying free coffee. I asked why. She told me business was down 60 per cent and they were trying to induce business. She further told me that the nearby MacDonald’s was down 61 per cent and was considering closing.

I find the MacDonald thing hard to believe. The Key West MacDonald’s is one the highest volume MacDonald’s in Florida. I hope the lady was wrong.

The boulevard construction is a rip off. Two years to complete. I can understand why. Very few people working the job. Some days no one. The highest number I have counted for one day is 7. I drive past the site at least two times a day.

Tomorrow the bird! I am excited. I was excited as a kid and continue to be excited as an adult. I love holidays!

I suspect the reason holidays excited me back when was because my family was of modest means. Not on holidays, however. The table was full of goodies!

Enjoy your day!

 

GREAT FIRST TV SHOW

 

Yesterday was my first TV show. The show previously was only broadcast via the internet. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I was a bit nervous. The show was done live. But then also  was the KONK internet show I had been doing for three years.

A major difference is I have staff with the TV show. Three persons. Just like in the movies. Finger signals, rearranging my shirt on breaks, getting me water, comments being made, etc. I felt at times I was the product of their work! I was.

Jenna is sort of my producer. Crystal the engineer. Crystal is very important to everything. Rick the owner was in and out.

This is the first live show that Comcast Channel 87 has done. Their other shows are pre-recorded. Ergo, there was concern on the part of all involved.

Overall, the show went well. There were minor glitches. They will be worked out.

The post show comment surprised me. There were congratulatory messages. There were also the usual comments regarding certain topics. It was the topic comment that surprised me.

There were three topics receiving the most comment. More than normal.

Brain dead no longer being brain dead was one. Some people concerned they had pulled the plug too soon.

Secession was big. Some had already heard. Others, not. All interested. Especially in my opinion that it was all a crock of nothing. Whereas the effort sounded legal, in reality no legal basis exists for it.

I spoke of the European demonstrations last wednesday. I explained austerity and the practical aspects of what was occurring. My European followers were watching and listening. Emails on the issue were received from persons in Rome, Santorini and Seville.

I went straight to Lisa’s after the show. She had to change my bandages and clean the wounds again. I wondered if not Lisa, who would be doing it for me.

Sought quiet for lunch. Went to the Pier House Beach Bar. It was cold! A bad wind coming in off the ocean. The bar had plastic shades drawn to deflect the cold. It only helped some what.

Nevertheless, I stayed. The coolness determined my choice for lunch. French onion soup. Hot! I read the newspapers and enjoyed a leisurely lunch hour.

Read a bit when I got home mid afternoon. I had intended to go out last night. Never made it. Fell asleep around 4 and did not wake till after 8.

Saturday. No plans. Tonight I am out, however. Dinner with Jenna and perhaps Crystal.

I finished reading Fifty Shades of Grey this morning. All three volumes. My book report tomorrow. I cannot wait to share my thoughts with you.

Enjoy your day!