Key West has had a few crocodile visits this past year. An alligator or two in the lower Keys.

This is the story of George. An 8 foot alligator that ended up on the doorstep of a home in Breaux, Louisiana sunday afternoon.

George refused to move.

Wildlife authorities said he was looking to mate. This is mating season. The alligator had traveled some distance to Breaux and the house.

George was removed. Returned to his natural habitat some miles away. Hopefully, he will find a mate and the two will achieve sexual satisfaction.

Divers galore in the Keys. It is lobster season. Diving for lobsters fun! I can attest to it, though I have not done so in years.

A husband and wife team were diving under Card Sound Bridge. The northern Keys. Card Sound Bridge connects mainland Florida with the Keys.

They did not find lobsters. Instead, a skeleton. A head and bones.

Police are investigating.

The more I read William Hackley, the more it is obvious that he utilized slaves to run his home. Does not seem to have owned any. Rented them.

A note in this date’s journal in 1856 indicates Hackley paid a Dennis $50 “in full for negro hire” and a few cords of wood.

Modern education scares me. Bush 2’s No Child Left Behind a disaster.

Perhaps another in the making.

Marion County, Florida’s Superintendent of Schools has banned homework for all elementary school children. Thirty one schools involved. She believes being relieved of the pressure of homework will lead to happier, better performing students.

Does not impress me! Time will tell if the Superintendent is correct. The problem if she is wrong is that the children relieved of homework will have lost something that cannot be recaptured.

John Keats, an English romantic poet. Compared talent wise to Shakespeare. Unfortunately, Keats died at the age of 25 in Rome from tuberculosis.

I write about Keats today because of a note I came across stating that this day in 1818, Keats returned from a long walking tour of the Lake District and Scotland. The trip was the first time symptoms of tuberculosis became evident.

Keats died three years later.

Thirty years ago, I was in Rome for a month long vacation with the wife, our four children and my parents. One day we had gone our separate ways. Everyone had something they wanted to do.

I had nothing. I walked. Ended up at the Spanish Steps. A good place to sit, rest, and contemplate the world going by.

If one stands facing the steps, to the right is a 3 or 4 story building. The brass plaque said John Keats. From my college English literature classes. I walked in. Top floor was where he lived, worked, and died.

Sort of a solemn place. One room contained some of his writings under glass. Handwritten notes, etc. One a line from a poem written by him. The line known to most of us…..A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

The line and its handwritten form on tan paper touched me. Brought tears to my eyes.

Scaramucci, poor Scaramucci. I thought him an ass. However, everything hit him the same day.

He was fired as Director of Communications. A Harvard Law graduate, he received that same day Harvard Law’s new directory of graduates. Scaramucci was listed as dead. Harvard apologized and said it would correct the mistake in its next edition. The only problem is the next edition is not due out for 5 years.

Sometimes you can’t win for losing!

Thomas Edison received a patent this day in 1876 for the mimeograph. I started practicing law in 1960. Copies were made via the mimeograph. A horrid machine. Makes me suspect it probably had not been updated since 1876.

You had to hand churn the copies. And the ink! So much! Most on your hands by the end of a copy job.

My podcast tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting topics. Like the Scaramucci story here, Hiroshima, the hurricane season, private prisons squeezing governments, teenage suicides, a policed officer saving a suicidal woman from being run over by a train, and a comment re lies and Trump.

Join me. Nine my time. Fast moving. An interesting half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

On this day in 1945, the world changed. Dramatically. The first atomic bomb was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

One hundred forty thousand died. That day, 80,000. By the end of the year, an additional 60,000. Injured, 35,000.

Ninety buildings in Hiroshima. Twenty eight were left standing. Two hundred doctors. Only 20 left alive and capable of working. One thousand seven hundred eighty nurses. One hundred fifty left to tend the sick and dying.

The United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki 3 days later. Similar results.

The two bombs were the last time a nation has used nuclear weapons in war.

I take the time to share this bit of history because today we may be on the brink of such a war with North Korea. If such occurs, other nations who possess nuclear weapons will feel free to use theirs.

Nuclear war must be avoided. An American city could be the first to be hit.

Big day for the bar keeps today! The Battle of the Bars. A big time fun event. Noon. Schooner Wharf Bar.

William Hackley in his August 5, 1856 journal entry mentioned he came across a turtle’s nest of 123 eggs. I assume he dug them up and took them home to eat as he did once before. He would not have known the number had he not dug them up.

Today, Hackley would go to jail and/or a heavy fine. We protect our turtles! Federal and State laws.

The Poker Run died a couple of months ago because of no sponsor. It’s back again. Not several days as in the past. One day.

Tarpon Springs based Full Throttle magazine is providing the one day sponsorship.

Key West will not provide nothing. The police will be out of course. However, no extra departments have been called in for the event.

I think the one day event is a mistake. The underlying reason is biker gangs that have taken to attending these events. Some were here last year. I fear a gang or two might show up this year to indicate their displeasure with not being welcome.

One problem with the Key West City Commission is that it does not know how to say no to events. We already have too many.

Diana Millikan is back in town. We had dinner together last night at Outback.

Diana is a terrific researcher. She digs. Visits sites. Talks with old timers. It is amazing what she comes up with on occasion.

We are writing a book together.

She died research wise the past two months. I told her vacation time is over and to move her ass. I would like to see the book out in time for Christmas sales.

Joanie! Joanie! Friend from Don’s Place and bocce. Joanie is in Miami in Kendall Regional Hospital. First diagnosis was gall bladder. Doctors not sure.

Joanie works with Jimmy and John. The three were to start painting the inside of my new home in two weeks. Joanie to do the edging.

Love Joanie! Hope all that is within her passes quickly with a dose of one tablespoon of castor oil.

Suicide rates up dramatically with teenagers. Especially, teenage girls.

A study was completed in 2015. Ran from 2007 to 2015. Teenage girls at an all time high. Girl suicide doubled in the time span.

Teenage boys less. Suicide rate up 30 percent.

Reasons include substance abuse. Opiate and heroin overdoses. Also, lingering effects from the 2008 recession.

I have received a number of e-mails re my NO BLOG TODAY message yesterday. I was big time tired. Today, full of piss and vinegar.

Thank you for your concern.

Enjoy your Sunday!