VIETNAM AND IRAQ

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The major similarity between Vietnam and Iraq is that we were misled into each war. President Johnson with regard to Vietnam and Bush 2 with regard to Iraq.

We all know the Iraq lies. Some may not be aware of the Vietnam ones. Johnson wanted to expand the Vietnam war. He wanted to be viewed in the same light as Roosevelt and World War II. He misinformed the American people. He claimed that on August 2 and 4 1964, North Vietnamese ships shot at American vessels.

The August 2 engagement was not as described, although something did happen. The more serious event was August 4. The problem was it never happened.

Two Presidents, two lies, two long term conflicts.

What I find sad, besides a President lying, is that in both instances the Congress voted almost unanimously in providing the Congressional authority to proceed. Does anyone seek truth in the halls of government?

Obama has sent planes this past week to bomb certain areas of Iraq. Congress is not involved in the process as yet. I am not passing judgment on what Obama has done. I do not know enough at this time. There does however appear to be humanitarian interests to support his intercession.

Vian Dakhil is a member of the Iraqi Parliament. She spoke to the problem two days ago before her Parliament.

“For the past 48 hours, 30,000 families have been besieged on Mount Sinjar, without food or water. They are dying. Seventy children have died so far of thirst and suffocation. Fifty elderly people have died because of the deteriorating conditions. Our women are being taken captive and sold on the slave market.”

My yesterday started with a quick visit to the dentist, Dr. Linder. An implant required adjusting.

I spent several hours writing my KONK Life column which will be published this week. It concerns an issue I briefly wrote about several days ago here and spoke of at length on my blog talk radio show tuesday night. The column is one of the most revealing I have written. Be sure to read it. An eye opener!

The title of the article is Abortion, Sterilization, Contraception, Female Discrimination…..Tools For Population Control.

Tavern ‘n Town last night. A delicious prime rib. Chatted with manager Judy. Ran into Jenna and her Boston intern. They were attending a 40th birthday party for Ruben Gabriel Navarro, the singer. Ruben came over and joined the conversation. He invited me to join the party. I begged off. It was time to go home.

Mike Emerson provided the entertainment. It was a big night for him. His grandkids are visiting and watched him perform.

Met Susie yesterday. Susie Puskedra. Susie does estate sales. Short for she cleans your house out by selling everything. A good person to know. Her business name is Susie’s Key West Estate Sales.

Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal carried an interesting piece of information. The article represented that doctors misdiagnose 5 percent of patients a year. Does not sound like much in and of itself. However, the 5 percent amounts to 12 million persons a year. That is a problem!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

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!

RUNNING OF THE BULLS

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Yesterday was the day! The running of the Bulls! An integral part of Hemingway Days.

Over a hundred Hemingway look a likes gathered on Green Street. White pants and white shirts. Red berets. Red sashes around the waist.

The bulls not for real. Though they did look ominous. Made of wood. On wheels.  One Hemingway look a like riding and a dozen others pushing and pulling.

I don’t know why, but I love this part of Hemingway Days the best each year.

Last night was Tavern ‘n Town and Bobby Nesbitt. Sat quietly alone at a corner of the bar, read the newspapers, enjoyed a drink and had something to eat. All the time humming away to whatever Bobby was singing.

Manager Judy there again last night. Does a good job. The Marriott Beachside is a first class hotel. Top shelf dining a must. Judy helps supply it. Her dining room precision run.

I was hit with some nostalgia last night.

I was driving to Tavern ‘n Town. Had the radio playing. It was on Sirius station 4. Music from the Forties. The tune…..Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree. Don’t laugh. Songs with such names were popular back then.

It was during World War II that Don’t Sit Under the Apple tree was a hit tune. Around 1943. A popular radio show was Your Hit Parade. Saturday nights at 9. The top tunes of the week were sung. My father bought sheet music. Just the words. My mother, father and I would sit in the living room with the radio on. No TV back then. We would sing a long with the songs being sung on the show.

Snooky Lanson was one of the male stars. Strange, I remember his name. Even at 8, I sensed something was wrong with the name Snooky.

Frank Sinatra was one of the show’s performers. But only for a while. He was just merging as a popular soloist. He screwed up the words to the #1 song of the week. Don’t Fence Me In. Another one of those titles! The show fired him. How stupid! Little did they know.

The show was sponsored by Lucky Strike cigarettes. Most adults smoked back then.

James Garner died yesterday. A great movie star. He was in his mid 80s. I enjoyed his movie and TV work. Our lives closely paralled age wise. I enjoyed him all my adult life.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

PLUMBING PROBLEM

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I am late in getting the blog to you this morning. Sorry. I had a series of heart tests scheduled. Worry not. I am ok. Merely part of a periodic check up.

The plumber came yesterday morning. Mark. Works for my friend Frankie who was nowhere to be found when I needed him. He and Sandy are frolicking in New York City.

Mark and a helper arrived. I explained the problem. My two kitchen sinks and one bathroom toilet were regurgitating at the same time. Included was the sewer smell.

Mark took a few minutes to look things over. Then kept repeating what a problem, what a mess! I became overly concerned. Got to take the toilet out, he said. More concern.

What ever the problem, he had it resolved in less than an hour with no mess. Mark is one fantastic plumber!

Don and Chris. Dear friends. Love them both. From the Syracuse area. Visit Key West 3-4 times a year. We are close.

I received an e mail yesterday from a Christine Maxam. She wanted to know Dan and Lisa Riordan’s e mail address in Skaneateles. I could not figure out who Christine Maxam was. Never heard of her.

In any event, I wrote to Don and Chris and asked if they knew the Riordan e mail address. Don wrote back that it was Chris who wrote me originally asking for the information. Christine Maxam is Chris of Don and Chris.

They had a good laugh! I felt like an ass.

Dan and Lisa. If you read today’s blog, e mail me so I have your address. E mail Don and Chris directly if you know theirs.

Dined at the bar at Tavern ‘n Town last night. Frankie Thomas singing.

Chatted a while with Judy the manager. She does a terrific job running the place. I want to thank her for her kindness to me last night.

Tuesday again! Time for my blog talk radio show. Tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me. Guaranteed you will enjoy.

Topics tonight include what I perceive will be a screw up regarding the 50,000 plus immigrant children, Walter Lippman’s Indispensable Opposition, a Colorado marijuana update, my opinion that corporations that give up their American citizenship and become citizens of another country to avoid taxes should not have the right to contribute monies to American political candidates, China’s serious offer to buy all of America’s Fortune 500 companies, and more.

An interesting and exciting evening ahead.

Enjoy your day!

 

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A PLEASANT YESTERDAY

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Before getting into yesterday, let me tell you about today. This morning to be specific. It is absolutely beautiful outside! Calm everywhere. No breeze. The water a mirror. A blue and white sky. The MTV house across the way radiating.

If today ended at this moment, it would have been a perfect day.

My yesterday was easy going all day. Just flowed along from one pleasant experience to another.

Lunch at Roostica. With the grandkids. I was babysitting. I have to find a new word. Babysitting does not seem to fit any more. Robert and Ally are big. Ten and 9 respectively. They act like adults.

We decided to order two things and share. A meatball sub and four cheese pizza. We agreed the sub was outstanding. None of us were completely pleased with the pizza. One of the cheeses was gorgonzola. I enjoy gorgonzola on a salad. But heated and melted on top a pizza, too rich!

We tried to figure out what the cheese was that was adversely affecting the pizza. Robert came up with the gorgonzola

The grandkids wanted to make their own pizzas. Unfortunately, there was no room at the bar. Four other kids were seated making theirs. We agreed, another time.

Took a three hour nap in the afternoon.

Started my friday evening at Don’s Place. Always a good crowd fridays. Chatted at length with David. Hellos exchanged with Don, Hershel, Erika, Toni, and others.

Decided to grab the newspapers and have a quiet dinner at Tavern ‘n Town.

As I walked through the lobby of the Marriott Beachside, I ran into two of the nicest people in Key West. Mike and Tina. Love them both. Tina more. They had just finished dinner with friends.

The room was relatively quiet. I sat at the corner of the bar. A few locals nodded hello.

On the way into Tavern ‘n Town, I picked up a copies of this week’s KONK Life and yesterday’s Wall Street Journal. My reading material while eating.

Mike Emerson was playing the guitar and singing. I enjoy his work and him personally. He was playing Cole Porter’s Night and Day. A few days ago, I researched Cole Porter for one of my writings. The music was nostalgic. Not because I researched it. Because it brought to mind Cary Grant and Kevin Kline, both of whom played Cole Porter in separate movies. I preferred the Cary Grant one.

Harmony and Andrew were working the bar. Harmony took care of me so I did not have a chance to chat with Andrew. Perhaps next time.

I read my column in KONK Life each week to make sure there are no printing errors, phrases left out, etc. This week’s column involved the almost 50,000 children who made their way into Texas from Mexico. No mistakes present. A good column. Read it, if you have not.

Early on in this week’s edition, KONK Life had a questionnaire for two candidates for the school board. The first question asked of each was…..How old are you? One was 67 and the other 70.

I will be 79 in two weeks.

I thought how amazing it is that people our age are still out there functioning and doing things. When they say 70 is really 60, I think it might be 50. When I was must younger, I viewed the 60s and 70s as old disabled folk. Not necessarily so today.

KONK Life was followed by the Wall Street Journal. I rarely read the Journal. Too conservatively slanted from my perspective. I was glad I did last night. There was an Opinion article by Rand Paul. Not only do I generally disagree with the Journal, I also generally disagree with Rand Paul. Too far to the right.

The article was titled America Should Not Choose Sides In Iraqi’s Civil War. His thrust was that the United States should stay out unless there was a clearly defined objective and reasonable support from the American people. I totally agreed with what Rand wrote. A rarity. However when a person is right, his position cannot be disputed.

Another article in the Journal involved bocce. Bocce’s popularity is spreading. The Journal reported upscale new apartment buildings in New York City, Cambridge and San Francisco have bocce courts in addition to fire pits, swimming pools, and fitness centers. My Italian relatives of old would be both surprised and pleased.

Today should be fun. I have a pool party to go to this afternoon. I can’t wait. I look beautiful in a bathing suit! A joke, of course.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FATHER’S DAY

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To all fathers, Happy Father’s Day! Recognition earned and well deserved. Ain’t easy to be a father!

Who do we thank for Father’s Day? The idea began in 1910. A woman named Sonora Dodd started pushing the concept. It took hold a bit, and then kerplunk! The idea bounced around, was suggested off and on, over the years. It started taking hold again with World War II.

President Johnson signed a Proclamation in 1966 declaring the 3rd Sunday in June to be known as Father’s Day. President Nixon made it law. He signed the necessary legislation in 1972.

Walked yesterday. In Home Depot. That is where I will be walking for the next three months. The humidity is already a killer!

Researched further in preparation for my Tuesday blog talk radio show. Some interesting points of information will be discussed. Like Merkel and the Muslims, England and the Muslims, the Kurds and oil companies, the US Supreme Court permitting a lawsuit against Coke for false advertising, a skirt a half inch too short, the impact on Boeing of Eric Cantor’s defeat, and more.

Bobby Nesbitt and a prime rib! Last night at Marriott Beachside’s Tavern ‘n Town. A great combination! Nothing better!

Don’t forget PrideFest’s parade tonight beginning at 5. One of the best of the year!

Enjoy your Sunday!

A BOBBY NESBITT GATHERING

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Good morning! Happy Sunday! An absolutely glorious morning! Key West at its best!

Spent yesterday afternoon writing next week’s KONK Life column. Human Organs For Sale. Got it to de Boer two days late. He will not be happy.

Watched the Belmont at Don’s Place. A happy jovial crowd. I felt sorry for California Chrome. I question whether any horse today is capable of winning all three races of the Triple Crown. Horses of yesteryear were trained for stamina. Today’s horses, speed. One and a half miles is a long jaunt. Especially after running two big races within weeks of the Belmont.

One of California Chrome’s owners spouted off after the race about horses that only run one of the races. As happened yesterday. The winner did not run the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. I thought the owner was out of line. Showed poor sportsmanship. He should have saved his heart felt comments for a week from now. Rules and tradition are rules and tradition. The horse that won yesterday won within the rules and traditions of a great race.

I was on my way home when I decided to stop at Tavern ‘n Town for dinner. Glad I did.

Bobby Nesbitt was playing. His singing makes me happy. Bobby is one of Key West’s best entertainers!

It was old home week! Bobby’s fans follow him. I saw some people I have not seen in a while. Like Lynda and Bob Fraschette. Jimmy Olsen. And Stevie! Steve is the former bartender at the Wine Galley. The new management upset him and he told then to shove it. About a year ago. I have not seen him since. He looked good. Thinner. Was as happy to see me as I him.

I did my bar routine. Read the newspapers and listened to Bobby sing while enjoying a first rate dinner. I had salmon over risotto. Wow! Delicious! I was pleased by my choice.

I was too overjoyed with the evening, perhaps. I finished it off with a snifter of Grand Marnier. It did me in! I could not believe it! I have been exercising and watching what I eat of late. My drinking has been substantially less as a result. My drinking was out of training last night.

Enjoy your Sunday!

A TALKING NIGHT

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Last night was different.

I went to Tavern ‘n Town for dinner. Grabbed a newspaper and sat at the bar. The bar was crowded. Surprising for a  monday night in off season. Only one empty seat at the bar. It was mine!

Was sipping my first gin and reading the newspaper. The menu sitting on the counter to my side. A brief glance at the menu was all I got. I spent the entire evening chatting with new and old friends. Never got to eat.

I was sitting next to a charming couple. David and Pam. Their first time in Key West. They were staying at Marriott Beachside. They hail from Roswell, New Mexico. The home of the first UFO crash.

Dave was inin the paper business. Retired now. Was a dealer of paper towels, toilet paper and the like.

Dave and Pam drove to Key West from Roswell. They stopped at several places on the way down the length of Florida to Key West. They are looking for a place to stay for a month next year and if they like, perhaps permanently.

I explained to them you cannot just stop and go. It is necessary to stop and stay and then return and return some more. You must be sure before you buy.

They have only been in Key West a few days. They missed much of what they should have seen. I suggested they do the one month thing here next year to see if they like Key West enough to eventually settle here.

Then an angel descended upon me! Lee Anne. I have not seen Lee Anne in a couple of years. She was with her realtor friend Suzanne. We talked quite a while.

Lee Anne’s condominium in Truman Annex comes to mind. One of the loveliest in the complex. A beauty.

Spent the daytime yesterday working on the Greece book. My first days in Santorini. The cave I lived in, the donkey trail, and the volcano. Only the view of the volcano. I have not yet reached the part of my ill fated attempt to climb the volcano.

David Kaufelt recently passed on. A Key West resident who loved and lived Key West. A man who touched many lives.

My blog talk radio show tonight! Listen in! Nine my time. A quick half hour covering political and social matters requiring a bit of exploring. Many things discussed are revealing. Eye openers. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Amongst other things this evening, I will be discussing some excerpts from Tim Geithner’s recent book. Did he miss things! He failed to see what was to be seen! Blinded by his bank background and bank friends.

I will also be talking about a Spanish judge who sent the CEO of a large bank to jail for wrongdoing. The CEO was out in days. The Judge, also. He is now in court fighting for his job and reputation. A good guy getting screwed!

Also, the recent federal court decision finding drug testing of Key West  municipal employees unconstitutional.

Enjoy your day!

 

JACK BARON EXHIBIT

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Jack’s back! Jack Baron! One of Key West’s premier artists. Now dead some six years. Jim Wallace at Joy Gallery has scheduled an exhibit of Jack’s works.

Wallace has accumulated over fifty of Jack’s paintings from private collectors. I am one of them. I have 14 pieces. Several will be in the exhibit.

The Jack Baron exhibit opens Friday evening, May 2, at 6 in the evening. Refreshments will be available. The exhibit will remain open through May 17.

It is not necessary you buy. Though it would be nice. The exhibit is an opportunity to view a large number of Jack’s paintings. Such an event may never occur again.

Lunched at Burger Fi yesterday. I have returned! Their product was not the best a couple of months ago when they first opened. The burgers have since gotten dramatically better. Robert and Ally enjoyed their cheeseburgers last Saturday. I enjoyed a double today.

While at Burger Fi, I met the manager. Rob Litman. He is retired military. Originally from Philadelphia. Has a daughter living in Key West. Came down to join her. Now burger Fi has been added to his family.

Rob told me Wednesday night is Ladies Night. Everything like half price. Raven Cooper is singing again tonight. A spectacular voice!

One of the things I like best about Burger Fi is that locals get a 20 per cent discount. A burger costs nothing to begin with. Throw in the discount and it is like eating for nothing.

Needed the New York City touch. Had dinner at the bar at Marriott’s Tavern ‘n Town. Mike Emerson performing again. I sat reading the newspaper, sipping some gin and picking on fried calamari. At the same time, singing quietly along with Mike Emerson.

England’s John and Ali were at Tavern ‘n Town having dinner with Ray and several others.

College tuition in the news again. Loans, payments, etc. A sad situation. What happened to working your way through. I did, as many of my friend’s did. We made it and generally with good grades. Liberalism took over and decided that the government would help finance college. Has not worked fairly. Graduates are burdened with tons of payments that in many instances are impossible to meet.

What galls me and is little known is that our benevolent government is benefiting big time. Last year, the government made over $40 billion off the loan programs.

Chiropractors and Medicare. It was announced yesterday that a Brooklyn chiropractor charged and was paid in excess of $1 million by Medicare in 2012. I do not know the details. However, sounds like a lot of money to me.

When I started practicing law in 1960, a chiropractor could neither testify nor have his bills paid as part of a negligence law suit. New York did not recognize chiropractor as a profession and so any testimony regarding them was not admissible. Now, they are a major factor and force.

I am not expressing an opinion as to right or wrong. Merely stating the facts as they have developed from the 1960s to present date.

Bocce tonight. Yesterday was the first day I felt better since Sunday. Never again will I play bocce in the day time in the boiling sun!

Enjoy your day!