KATHY CAWLEY

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Another star shines bright in the sky. Kathy Cawley. She left us yesterday at age 77.

Kathy was in Greenwich at the time. Her husband Tom with her.

Kathy and Tom have been spending eight months in Key West and four in Greenwich for years. A team. Loyal attendees at every Key West cultural and social event.

Kathy’s personality a bubbly one. The  tiny woman always with a smile on her face.

She and Tom traveled the island on their motor scooter. One scooter, two bodies. Kathy seated behind Tom holding tightly on to him.

Kathy will be missed.

The front page of the Key West Citizen has a large picture of a turtle nesting place on a beach. The Pier House beach. Stakes and ropes squared around the area to keep humans from stepping on the shelled babies hidden under the sand.

The Citizen reported the Reach also has a turtle nest on its property.

It is unusual for nests to show up on the two hotel beaches. The beach area of both small.

Pati Flowers. Lovely lady. A special person. A bartender at Hot Tin Roof.

She is Citizen of the Day.The designation and her photo appear in this morning’s Key West Citizen.

Last night was Sq. 1 for a drink and dinner at the outside bar at La Te Da. The evening uneventful.

I can’t stop writing  about Venezuela. A disgrace. A sorrow. Vivid starvation.

The government cannot be believed. It announced yesterday it was confiscating guns and ammunition. Destroying them by crushing and chopping. The excuse the rising murder rate in the country.

Bullshit!

The government fears the coming revolution. There will be one. People have no food to eat. Zip. Nothing. They are out rioting, stealing, etc. Watching your children starve to death is reason enough to conduct themselves as they are. They are looking for food!

The guns old and rusty. The pistols home made.

The government fears the people. I would not be surprised if Maduro ended up hung from a pole at a gas station. Shades of Mussolini.

Things are at an extreme stage in Venezuela.

Socially correct. Politically correct. Sometimes, I wonder.

The State of North Carolina has forbidden its teachers to refer to their students as boys and girls. Transgenderism the reason. A desire not to offend anyone. Henceforth, students or scholars are to be used in place of boys and girls.

Parents are upset. I would be. They refer to the action by the State as “cultural Marxism.” A happening arising out of a radical sexual revolution being forced on their children.

Enjoy your day!

 

MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD OUT OF CONTROL

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Local elected boards and the citizenry have one thing in common for sure. They are neighbors.

It appears the mosquito control board forgot that last night.

A meeting was held. Chaired by the board. Citizens welcome. A main issue the GM mosquito/Ozitec/Key Haven issue.

The board must have expected a Normandy invasion. Three sheriff deputies present. A first. The board defensive. The crowd respectful.

Guy de Boer is publisher of KONK Life. I write a weekly column that is run in KONK Life.

Until this morning, I was not aware that Guy had worked for 14 years for the mosquito control board.

He attended the meeting last night. Wrote a column that appears in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast. Read the article. Interesting and shocking.

Guy’s article made mention of a FOIL request that has gone some time with the materials not provided. Barriers appear to have been set up to foil the FOIL request.

Money was first an issue. Cost of copying $20,000. Crazy! Last night announced to be $8,000. A check was offered in the amount. Payment refused.

The board says the District’s attorney must review the materials first to see if any “classified information” is contained.

Arrogance of the highest degree by a local elected board. Especially a mosquito one. The board is acting like a Federal Agency or Congressional Committee. An example of being out of control.

On the way to my car last night, I walked by the Chart Room. Saw Ollie inside. Stopped briefly to chat with him. Ollie is into the GM mosquito thing big time. He updated me on things happening from the Key Haven residents’ end.

My day yesterday started with a noon haircut with Lori at Blown Away. She was excited. Leaving on a three day Bahamas cruise today. A bachelorette party.

Lunch afterwards around the corner at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Ruby working the counter. Cheese toast and cold Cuban coffee.

Hot Tin Roof for dinner last night. Dined with Adam. Adam took care of my house for several years.

An interesting person. Adam born and raised in Poland. Lived a few years in Italy. Now in the U.S. many years.

My freezer is busted. Waiting to see if it can be fixed. Frozen food lost.

My freezer is in the garage. The room for a refrigerator/freezer in the kitchen has a large refrigerator.

The garage not a healthy place for a freezer. Garages not permitted to be air conditioned in the Keys. Only a window one. No matter the size, could never do the job.

Generally the heat only inflicts damage on the outside of the freezer. Paint cracks, peels, rusts and occasionally molds.

The freezer is 10 years old. Could be time for a new one.

My KONK column this week Mommy, I’m Hungry was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. It is easily available there. I ask my far to the right and Republican friends to read it. You may be surprised  by what you read. www.keywestlou.com.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

BACK DOOR WITH DONNA AND TERRI

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Three weeks since I had seen Donna and Terri. The drought ended last night. A Donna/Terri fix always good. Ran into them at Back Door.

Terri looked like Terri. Fine, except for a bit of strain showing on her face. It has only been three weeks since her heart attack.

Donna was Donna. Always looks good. Shared with me Terri’s strict diet. In detail. Terri eats nothing. What she does consume, Donna prepares.

Donna the good spouse.

Terri sings saturday night at Little Room Jazz Club.

Tim was part of our chat group. Tim of Joe’s Chicken Shack. Next door to Bourbon Street. He was outfitted in orange and blue. Also had an orange pen. Dressed Syracuse!

Todd and Katey at the bar also. Katey on vacation from Buffalo. A high school softball coach and English teacher.

Almost forgot. Mark Watson. One of Key West’s best.

Needed to eat something. Stopped at Submarine on the way home.

The Key West City Commission took another step re Truman Harbor last night. Not one that meets with my approval. Voted to investigate the Harbor problem further. Authorized the City Attorney to engage the services of a law firm familiar with such problems. Will probably end up being a Washington one.

A waste of money! Forget the Harbor! Get to work building. This project began 15 years ago and at best is only .00005 percent complete.

Sometimes, we have to be reminded. The United States is presently engaged in four ground wars. Boots on the ground! Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Libya. The United States can also be found in 100 other countries. Not fighting.

This week’s KONK Life column is on the stands. Mommy, I’m Hungry. The article was also linked to my Key West Lou website this morning.

Venezuela is now at the famine stage. People are raiding zoos, stealing animals and eating them. Last week, a group snuck into a zoo in the middle of the night. Went for a black stallion. In the morning when the zoo staff appeared for work, all that was left was its head and ribs.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

GROOVIEST EVENT IN MUSIC HISTORY

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After three days, Woodstock ended. This date in 1969. The event described by many as the grooviest event in music history. I don’t know. I was not there. However, Larry Smith and Larry Flynn were. Two Larrys. Today, Smith lives in Key West and Flynn in the Utica, NY area. Contact them personally to get their thoughts.

I do have a recollection of Woodstock even though I was not there. It took forever to leave. To get out. One to three days. Woodstock was in the middle of no where.

A client’s son telephoned me. He was stuck in Woodstock. Asked if I could get him out. How? Helicopters were not even permitted in the area. I recommended patience.

Spent a bit of time yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s podcast show. Good show! In a quick half hour, I covered topics involving Libya, Wyoming, Iowa, Germany, Monsanto, Malia Obama, cannabis, Donald Trump, Paul Manafort, and more.

Roostica for a light dinner. Artichoke dip. I was not that hungry.

I stopped my beloved anti-gravity treadmill last week. It was making me tired. I had cut back from five days to three days. Still tired afterwards. Went at slower speeds. Tiredness lasted 4-5 hours.

I am not tired this week. Feel terrific. Wide awake. Me thinks the treadmill was too much for me. Got to figure it out. Has to be my heart. Enlarged problems. I get tired exerting myself. Even a little. The heart has to pump harder to move the blood through.

Exercise is a must. Some type. Not as much. I am walking, but not that far nor fast. Will be visiting with my doctors. We’ll work it out.

I mentioned the other day that Maine lobster was cheaper to buy in Key West than local lobster. Now, I learn that fish is being trucked in from outside the area. The reason claimed is that local catch have become too expensive. Does not surprise me. Everything else has shot up dramatically in Key West the past few years.

Greed part of the problem.

The Key West City Commission is jumping into the hospital problem with both feet. As I suspected. Not healthy for resolution of the problem. The Commission has authorized the City Attorney to explore several avenues. One, a lawsuit.

Local politicians have a propensity to screw everything up. Why should the hospital problem be any different.

Another example of political lunacy is what the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District board is doing. The board is elected.

The board announced a 45 percent increase in taxes. To pay for a new building they claim is needed. It was announced yesterday that Oxitec will lease space in the old building to rear genetically modified mosquitoes for other counties. At $25 a square foot.

I fear the board has already made up its mind re the referendum. Recall, it is non-binding. I see the board rejecting the referendum result and going ahead with the testing.

I call the residents of Key Haven guinea pigs. Someone recently referred to us as lab rats. Both fit.

Common Dreams published an excellent article on 8/16/16 re the problem. Florida Keys Residents Resist Controversial GMO Mosquito Trial. Interesting reading.

An item in the article involves profit. Oxitec is a subsidiary of Intrexon. It is estimated Intrexon will profit $400 million if tests are successful and the GMO mosquitoes can be sold nation wide. The only test scheduled in the United States is Key Haven.

Trump gets his first intelligence briefing today. I fear he will not be able to keep secret that which he learns. I visualize him at some future date spouting of during a speech something he learned at one of the briefings. The man is a loose cannon, not stable.

My column in this week’s KONK Life is Mommy, I’m Hungry. The story of starvation in Venezuela. Hits the stands later today. Recommended reading.

Enjoy your day!

 

SCHOONER WHARF and WATERFRONT BREWERY

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Last night was my only time out yesterday.

Schooner Wharf and Waterfront Brewery. Drinks at Schooners and calamari at the Brewery.

A quiet evening.

Early afternoon watched Trump’s speech. Thought it was going to be a foreign policy talk. Not. Turned out to be primarily about ISIS.

The talk contained nothing new. Discussed by him in the past. Many parts erroneous. His basic thrust he was going to stop ISIS. Details few as to how.

I suspect he wrote the speech himself.

A lot of nothing. All bones, no meat.

Brought to mind one of the passages from Macbeth. The passage deals with life and death. However has application to Trump and what he says. “…..a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Trump is on trial in federal court in West Palm Beach. The trial started yesterday. A civil suit. Breach of contract. $6 billion by unhappy golf club members. Trump testified yesterday. By a recorded deposition made in April 2015.

Most of my day time hours were spent preparing for tonight’s podcast. My blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. As usual, a fast moving half hour of interesting topics. Some revealing.

The show begins at 9 my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include Argentina’s two recent victories in battles with Monsanto, a “Deputy of the Year” who raped three girls, Malia Obama’s purported pot smoking, US presently in four ground wars, DEA continues to claim cannabis has no medical value, 6 year old Chicago student handcuffed for taking candy off teacher’s desk, Merkel on the downslide, recollections of Woodstock, the Venezuela famine, and more.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

WOODSTOCK

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Today is the birthday of an event that has become part of American history. To be remembered for all time.

Woodstock!

On this day in 1969, Woodstock opened. A three day event. A half million in attendance. A musical counterculture.

The event was three days. For many, it took an additional three days to get out of the upstate New York area where Woodstock was held.

Larry Smith and Christine Cordone were there. Singing, sloshing through the mud, hungry, dirty, etc.

The half million attendees were known as hippies. Anti everything. Trying to change the face of America. Succeeded in many ways.

Larry is still playing and singing as is Christine. Christine is a school teacher by day. Also has developed into one of Key West’s premier water color artists.

Larry entertains tonight at The Little Room Jazz Club. Take his performance in. Recall as he plays that this is a man who played and sang at Woodstock. He is a part of the history. Fifty years ago.

I spent yesterday afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. Mommy, I’m Hungry. Starvation today in Venezuela.

I wrote the column last sunday, also. Lost it before I could send it out. It is somewhere in never never land. Redoing it this week provided the opportunity to reorganize the article. Not necessary. Did it for the hell of it. I like it better than last week’s. The content the same. the structure different.

A most interesting time at the Chart Room. One other guest. A professional employee at the local hospital. He provided insight. Big time. I learned many interesting things.

All he wants is for the hospital to reorganize so better care is afforded th patients. He conceded it was not the best. Everything should be on the table. From billing to staff attitude.

Will it happen? He was doubtful. Too many different forces at work. Each with their own ax to grind. Some seeking personal gain.

Then to Publix. There would have been no breakfast this morning had I not gone.

I was home by 9. CNN had advertised a sociopath show all week. A subject I am deeply interested in. The show was not run. Another in its place.

Tomorrow night, the Key West City Commission meets. On the table is Truman Waterfront Park. Specifically, Truman Harbor.

The Park has been in the development stage for 15 years. I think it is time something is done.

The Harbor problem is relatively new. Brought up by new City Commissioner Payne. Kaufman is another new Commissioner who comes up with impractical ideas

Payne is a retired Judge. Sounds like a cranky old Judge. Leave the Harbor issue alone. It is 15 years and still nothing done. Hiring a specialized law firm to study and if feasible sue will result in nothing but a waster of money. Will add more years of delay onto the already 15 years of nothing done. Move ahead as the plan is presently formulated.b

Kaufman, you are trying to do too many things. Take a step back. Pause for a moment. Prioritize. Be practical.

To the Commission as a whole, you think you are performing wonders. You are not. You think the community is behind you. They are not.

Here I am criticizing the City Commission. I would also be critical of the Wyoming State Legislature.

Wind power is a growing business in Wyoming. Or, was. Four years ago, Wyoming decided to tax the wind used. $1 per megawatt.

Tax wind?

The reason was not revenue. The fossil fuel industry was against wind power. They influenced the Legislature to pass the wind tax to discourage wind power development. The lobbyists succeeded. Only $15 million has been collected in four years.

No other State has opted to tax the wind used in wind power industries.

Enjoy your day!

 

FLAG FLOWN UPSIDE DOWN FREE SPEECH

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It bothers me when I see someone in our country or in a foreign one desecrating the American flag. Like burning and stomping. Gets to me.

The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that such conduct is not criminal. It is the expression of free speech. Constitutionally protected.

Homer Martz is an Iowa farmer. Conservative, God fearing, patriotic. A Chinese pipeline was laid next to his well. No one told Martz it was coming close or that close to his well.

Martz opted to protest. No one would hear him. He hung the American flag upside down. Not to show disrespect. To be heard. Note that the flag pole had been there. He daily flew the American flag.

He felt he had been denied due process because of the failure to advise, give him an opportunity to complain, etc.

Martz was arrested. Iowa law makes it a misdemeanor to misuse in any fashion the American flag. The word misuse is mine. The statute actually has a number of instances where the conduct is considered illegal.

Sticking specifically to the law,  the arrest is a bum one. Again, the Supreme Court in two instances said American flag desecration is constitutionally protected free speech.

I address Martz’s problem for a reason. State and local governments should have known Martz’s conduct was proper. Failing in that regard to do so now subjects Martz to the expense of an attorney, his personal loss of time from his farm work, the taxpaying public  forced to pick up a prosecutor’s bill, a Judge’s expense, and salaries for a full court staff.

The Iowa law should have been removed from the books years ago.

I consider today a significant one in American history. President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the Social Security Act this day in 1935.

I am confident I will receive a number of negative comments re my position concerning Social Security.

Sixty years from now someone will be writing as I have here regarding the Affordable Care Act.

Has to be difficult be a President’s child! There is a video floating around the internet claiming to show Malia smoking a joint. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

Melia was in a group of peers at some event where everyone was jumping and yelling. Kid stuff. Something persons her age do.

As to the toke, I question whether true. The video has only a quick shot of Malia. It is her. Took all of a second and gone. The toke part not clear. At all. Very interpretive she was smoking pot.

If true, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when Michelle addressed the issue with Malia.

Worked with Sloan yesterday afternoon. Learning the new cell phone, utilizing it together with the computer, etc. A pain in the ass for me. I call it mechanical retardation. Generational.

Some of my readers commented the phrase was incorrect. Technologically retarded appropriate.

Whatever, it is still hard for me. And I am sure others of my generation.

It was Tavern ‘n Town last night. I decided to skip Lobsterfest. Let me share two reasons why.

Summer festival time with stands and shoulder to shoulder crowds, etc. on Duval is a steam bath. Twenty degrees warmer. Body heat. Pictures in this morning’s Key West Citizen show the crowd.

The other reason is that I am not a fan of Florida lobster. I prefer Maine lobster. Not being a snob. Florida lobster is tougher and has a different taste.

I read somewhere this week that the Maine lobster which is available for purchase at Publix is cheaper per pound than the Florida lobster.

What that means besides cheaper, I don’t know. Just sharing.

Ran into an old Syracuse University friend at Tavern ‘n Town. Steve. We had dinner together. Several years back when Steve was not so busy, he used to join me for Syracuse basketball games.

Met Katie Sottak. Steve introduced me. She is a hostess at Tavern ‘n Town. A lovely personable young lady. Twenty seven. Originally from New Hampshire. Has lived in Key West three years.

Her real love is art. Her works are presently being shown at Island Wynds Gallery on Simonton. The gallery next door to Books & Books.

The Hackley baby continues to concern me. I wish Hackley would write the baby’s name in his diary once so we would know.

Today’s problem as described by Hackley was wind and pain. He gave the baby some gin.

The gin thing does not shock me. All families have home remedies that have come down over the years. I recall when my sister Joan was teething. My mother would pour a little Canadian Club over her finger and then rub the finger over Joan’s gums.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

SQUARE GROUPER / COFFEE BUTLER

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A pleasant afternoon and early evening yesterday.

Visited with a friend in Sugarloaf. Then to an early dinner at the Square Grouper.

The company good! The place special! The meal outstanding!  Enjoyed fried oysters and a crispy fried hogfish.

Tonight special, also. Coffee Butler sings!

Coffee was born and raised in Key West. Sang all over the island. Retired in 2oo5.

Tonight, he and many others will sing soul. Key West soul. The show is called A Night of Key West Soul. A similar show was held last year. A hit! Tonight’s should be also.

Many local luminaries will join with Coffee. One is my friend Tom Luna. He joins with Will Thompson in singing Who Put the Pepper in the Vaseline. One example of Key West soul.

Tonight at 7 at the Key West Theater on Eaton.

This afternoon Sloan. Tons of little things to work on.

Tonight, I am not sure. Either Tavern ‘n Town or Duval for Lobsterfest.

Enjoy your day!

GOLD, SILVER, BRONZE…..

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Gold, silver, bronze. Not Olympic recognition of achievement. Hitler’s.

In 1938, Hitler wanted to encourage German women to have babies. He set up a recognition/reward system. The recognition/reward to be given on August 12 each year. August 12 was his mother Karla’s birthday.

Women with seven children received a gold medal. Those with six, a silver. Those with five, a bronze. The medal was called Mother’s Cross.

Young girls were encouraged/brain washed to have children. These were girls under the age of 18. Not till they were 18, however.

Hitler had established a Youth Movement. One part was the League of German Girls. They were under 18s. They were indoctrinated into believing it was for the good of the country that they begin getting pregnant at 18.

It is Lobsterfest time in Key West. Tomorrow a big day on Duval. From the 100 through 500 blocks. street stands. Lobsters coooked in every fashion. Mouth watering.

Spent the afternoon watching the Olympics with one eye and reading World War II stories with the other.

Jane Thornton, where were you?

Last night started at Berlin’s. Years since I have been there. It is the bar portion of the A&B Lobster House. I went because I saw a Jean Thornton message on Facebook earlier in the week that she was doing Berlin’s on thursdays and fridays.

No Jean. Only me and the bartender.

Berlin’s is an attractive place. I will visit again soon. The room is dark wood. Maroon leather chairs. Even easy chairs. Reminded me of a men’s club.

Beefeaters on the rocks $8.50. The usual downtown price $10.00. The drink a third larger than other places.

Smoking permitted. A biggie. You can eat at the bar.

I had an experience that shocked me. Two women came out of the dining room. Sat three bar stools from me. Lite up. I found the cigarette smoke repulsive. I still smoke a bit.

Traffic is heavy even in Key West’s summer. I have to slow down, go faster, swing in the other lane, etc. to avoid bike riders. There ain’t enough room for cars, bikes and electric cars. A physical fact.

As I was driving in, I experienced one of those almost hit a biker episodes. The thought occurred to me after that the only way cars and bikes can safelyc exist is to make some of the streets one way. Then room for cars and bikers to traverse safely. Of course, auto congestion would increase a hundred fold. Residential parking spaces lost.

Key West has hired a Pedestrian and Bike Coordinator. I think for $40,000 a year. The problem his to solve. His few ideas thus far have not impressed me.

Left Berlin’s after one drink and headed for the Chart Room. John bartending. Always a smile and friendly hello. David and Sheila at the bar. Spent time chatting with them.

Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Sat at the bar. Read for a while before ordering. A middle aged woman came in. Alone. Sat three stools away. We chatted briefly. She was from Louisiana. A four day reward trip for her and certain co-workers. Ten total. She was the only woman. The men all younger than her.

I did not know what to order. A menu becomes boring after eating at the same restaurant for years. Even though changes are periodically made to menus..

My lady friend had a very attractive dish placed before her. I asked what it was. Never heard of it. But, it appeared attractive and appetizing.

I told the ladies behind the bar I would have the same thing.

It was horrible. Terrible. My new found lady friend asked how I liked it. Without thinking, I told her I did not…..it was terrible!

Now, she felt bad. I felt bad. For ordering the dish and obviously having offended her.

We did not talk further. As she was leaving, she came over and apologized that I did not like my meal. Now, I was embarrassed. I did not have to order the dish. It was my choice.

I fear I am correct re the Hackley baby. Today’s diary entry has Matilda going to church two times in one day. In addition, the statement by Hackley…..The babe not very well.

Enjoy your day!