WHERE HAVE CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY GONE?

 

This morning’s news carried the story of two U.S. Navy admirals who have been suspended pending further investigation in a major bribery scandal involving a Singapore defense contractor. Several other high ranking Navy officers were previously removed from duty. The two Admirals are at the top of Naval intelligence.

It has to be the pinnacle in one’s life to have achieved Admiral status. The ultimate in respect goes with the status.

When I read something like today’s news report, I wonder what has happened to character and integrity. It was important once to each individual. Today, it appears it not as important. If I am correct, it is a cancer eating away at our society.

I add most of our Congressmen to the group. Where has honor gone?

Reviewed some new numbers yesterday for this blog. It is now being read in 68 countries. Amazing! The last time I looked it was 49. There was a definite upswing in readers in Sweden and Hong Kong. The blog took a nose dive in South Africa, however. My friend Rita in Calitzdorp, tell me what is happening!

Talking about the blog, permit a suggestion. I know a large number read the blog every day. Most by dialing up Keywestlou.com and reading it on Facebook. Why go through all that work. SUBSCRIBE instead. In the upper right hand corner is the word Subscribe. Click on and you will then receive the blog directly in your email every day. What could be easier?

Yesterday was another simple laid back Key West day. Visited Tammy for a manicure at noon. Tammy is Vietnamese. She has lived in the United States about 15 years. She recently became a citizen. A proud one.

She has two children. Approximately 3 and 5. American holidays are strange to her. She is taking them a step at a time.

This was the family’s first real Halloween. It is also the first Halloween Tammy and family have their own home. They did tricking and treating early. Then greeted other children at their door. Tammy said they ran out of candy after one hour and had to use her children’s stash.

I bug Tammy every year about Thanksgiving. She is not there yet. Cooking a turkey intimidates her. She still feeds her family Vietnamese style. Tammy says in a few years when her kids understand Thanksgiving, she will learn to cook the meal.

Wrote the rest of the day. Hope some day people read what I am writing. One of the other books  is Growing Up Italian. I like it. Hope others will, also.

Speaking of books, I am waiting for the publisher to advise the date of publication of my first one. The World Upside Down.

We worry about hurricanes in Key West. Every Fall. A typhoon is a hurricane by another name. Atlantic storms are labeled hurricanes and Pacific ones typhoons.

The Philippine typhoon that hit yesterday was enormous. It is claimed to be the worst storm in recorded history. It ended up a category 4, close to a 5. Winds 147 miles per hour. Gusts up to 170 miles per hour. So far only 12 have been reported dead. I suspect the worse is not yet known. I fear the final number will exceed 1,000.

A category 4 would wipe out most of Key West. Especially one close to a 5. A 5 definitely would knock everything down.

If you will recall, Andrew was a category 5. It went through Homestead. I drove through Homestead three weeks after the storm. I could not believe what my eyes beheld. Not a building was left standing.

I pray we never get hit that bad in Key West.

Syracuse plays again today. Maryland. The Vegas line has Maryland a six point favorite. We shall see.

I am anxious for this season to be behind us. Syracuse is a building team. We expect the team to do better next year.

Enjoy your day!

 

STATUE OF LIBERTY

The Statue of Liberty has been in view the past few days. The Barclays Golf Tournament was played in New Jersey directly across the river from New York. Many of the television shots of the players had the Statue of Liberty in the background.

Imposing!

I visited the Statue of Liberty twice.

The first time was when I was 4 or 5 years old. My father took me. I remember the mob of people, the elevator, the long walk up a spiral staircase, the heat, and finally reaching the crown. The arm and torch were closed off.

My father had to lift me so I could look out of one of the small windows surrounding the crown.

A memorable occasion for a young boy. Here I am more than 70 years later and can still remember as if it were yesterday.

The second time was when I was a father. I took my four children to visit the Statue of Liberty. They were early grammar school age at the time. Unfortunately, all we could do was take the boat ride over and walk around the island. The entire Statue was off limits to visitors. I cannot recall why. I believe my children never the less were impressed with the majesty of the Statue.

Visited the Chart Room last night. JJ, Sheila and Frankie at the bar.

JJ asked me about Le Grand Bleu. I mentioned Le Grand Bleu in one of my blogs while on the Greek isle Amorgos. A French movie, part of which was filmed on Amrogos. JJ had come across it and recalled my having mentioned it. Today on Amorogos there is a restaurant by the name. Every wednesday evening, the restaurant plays the movie for free outdoors to induce persons to patronize the restaurant.

A family of three came in. The father was a big man. Like 6’6″. Big chested, also. A dark black beard. Big black eyes. His wife was very short. Around 5’2”. Pudgy and wore round steel rimmed glasses. The third person was their son. A teenager.

Just prior to the family arriving, two men came in. One was with the U.S. Navy and stationed in Key West. I believe he was an officer.

The big guy father of the family announced in a booming voice…..We are Russian!

We were all immediately interested in the family.

They were vacationing in Key West.

The Navy man said he once had a beer with a Russian in Korea. The father immediately came back with…..North Korea? The Navy man said no, my recollection is South Korea. Pusan.

With that, the mother said….Let’s go. And away they went saying their good byes as they left the Chart Room. It was a quick exit.

I pondered. How many Russians have I actually met? Few, when I thought of it. I know some from the former Soviet states. I have a close friend from the Ukraine. However as to real Russians, maybe only this family and one other.

The one other was Alexander Kerensky. He was Russian born and taught me Russian history for one year at Manhattan College. He was a most interesting professor. Especially as concerned the Russian revolution. He had been part and parcel of the revolution.

Kerensky was the second Prime Minister of free Russia. The Russia that existed after the Czar had been deposed. He was the boss.

Following the Revolution, the Russians were divided into two groups. The Whites and the Reds. Kerensky was a White. The two groups were not of the same thinking. Civil war began.

Eventually, the Reds took over. They were also known as Bolsheviks. The Reds were led by Vladimir Lenin.

Kerensky had to flee Russia. His life was in danger. He eventually made his way to Germany. When the Nazis gained power, he left Germany for England. Then he made it to the United States.

I took Kerensky’s course in 1956. Kerensky was teaching at Columbia University. He would take the subway to Manhattan College twice a week to teach the course.

Tomorrow is Tuesday. Tuesday means Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Nine in the evening on the internet. A fast moving interesting one half hour show. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

One of tomorrow’s topics involves Bruce Manning and transgenders. There is much that most people are unaware of regarding transgender persons. The discussion promises to be an eye opener.

Enjoy your day! It looks like a rainy one in Key West.