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!

 

 

 

SCREW OFF WEDNESDAY

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Wednesday again. Screw off Wednesday for me. Starts my three day weekend.

I do have a bit of work this evening for about an hour, however. Around six. Sloan will stop in. Miscellaneous things to deal with. Will go out when she leaves.

Spent parts of yesterday fine tuning last night’s podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Did the show at 9. Trump and Hillary took up the first half. I could not avoid political talk. Especially after Trump’s comment re the Second Amendment and Hillary.

I was watching live on TV. My immediate reaction was that Trump was espousing doing away with Hillary. My vision was Klu Klux Klanners in the night, guns drawn, riding to attack her.

An early dinner at Roostica. Holly Ann took care of me.

Discovered Holly Ann has had some interesting years. She lived two in Sicily. Said it was outstanding!

Country living. Drank a lot of wine, ate a lot of food, and just enjoyed.

Key West is located in Monroe Country. Monroe County announced its first Zika case. A woman in Marathon. Marathon is a 1.75 hour drive north from Key West.

The report indicated she did not acquire the disease here. She was infected while traveling outside the U.S.

I forgot about the Big Latch On. This past weekend. Women nationwide breast fed their children at the same time. The purpose to encourage breast feeding.

The event was held in Islamorada and Key West. Only 9 mothers and their infants participated. I thought their would be more.

Nationwide, 17,223 mothers breast fed. A record breaking number.

The Big Latch On leads easily into William Hackley’s life this date in 1855. His new born still suffering from a lack of milk. A Spanish woman was to have stepped in to breast feed tree times a day. No mention of her today.

What is mentioned is that Hackley bought a canister of solidified milk. $4.50.

Sounds like a forerunner of some sort of formula. Formula 1855.

The Department of Defense’s budget for fiscal year 2016 is $585.3 billion. Big bucks!

With all the dramatic tax cuts Trump is advocating, I wonder where the money would come from to meet such a Defense budget and all other budgets. Lower taxes require cuts in all budgets.

Enjoy your day!

 

EMOTIONAL

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I read a story in yesterday’s New York Times that touched me. To the point of tears. It may you, also.

Jeni Stephen was 16 when her father was murdered. She and her mother decided to donate his heart. They lived in Pennsylvania.

Arthur Thomas lay in a bed in a New Jersey hospital. Four days from death. He received the heart.

That was ten years ago.

Jeni’s mother and Arthur kept in touch over the years via Christmas cards and an occasional telephone call. They never met face to face. Nor did Jeni with Arthur.

Jeni was being married.

Jeni wanted Arthur to walk her down the aisle. Not in place of her father. As her father in a sense. Her father’s heart lie in Arthur’s chest.

Saturday, Jeni walked down the aisle  on Arthur’s arm. When they reached the point where they were in front of the altar and Arthur was to hand Jeni over to her husband to be, Jeni raised her hand and placed it on Arthur’s chest.

She was touching her father.

The Key West Citizen made an excellent decision when it opted to run William Hackley’s diary. His 1855 Key West life.

Not merely interesting, Hackley’s story is educational. It exposes every day life from another era. One we do not know as much about as we thought.

The little things.

William’s wife Matilda had a baby. Back in those days, the mother’s breast was the source of milk. Sustenance.

Matilda was not producing enough milk. The baby in trouble. William bought a goat from Havana. The goat ran dry. Then a Mrs. Hew breast fed the baby. She ran dry. Baby was then on starch and water.

Today’s entry advises a new source of milk. A Spanish woman. She has agreed to breast feed the baby three times a  day.

Lets hope her milk supply holds out.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Interesting topics. Like a recent study indicating that 81 percent of persons living today are living poorer than their parents, Miami’s attempts to fight Zika, pesticide Nald being used, and FDA gives approval to use GM mosquitoes on a test basis in Key west suburb Key Haven.

Plus, Hillary has physical problems that need to be revealed, a new third party candidate, sex scandals in the Secret Service, a Federal court denying Libertarian and Green Party candidates the right to participate in Presidential debates, Swedish refugees scheduled for deportation disappearing, and more.

Last night began with a manicure at 5 with Tammy. She and husband Ricky do a big business. The place was packed. Fortunately, I had an appointment.

Then to Aqua for the Dueling Bartenders.

Tom Luna behind the bar. Dressed as Tom Luna. The two drag bartenders Goddess Galore and Beatrix Dixie.

I have mentioned previously that Rick Dery is a marvelous Goddess Galore.

Beatrix Dixie new to Aqua. Only a couple of weeks. Wow! He/she could fool me! Tall, thin, an ass, great breasts, lovely face, and a lovely blond wig I could not tell was a wig.

No, I am not jumping the fence. However, Beatrix is a rare beauty.

Sheila was at the other end of the bar. She came over, looked at Beatrix, and said…..Would you believe? First time she had seen Beatrix.

John Nolte was sitting with Sheila. She introduced us. A Key West resident six years. From the Chicago area. Radio stations a big part of his former life.

A nice guy. Look forward to running into him again.

My choices for dinner were crispy duck at La Te Da, a prime rib at Outback, or the Chinese restaurant in the Sears Shopping Center. Chinese won out. I enjoyed egg drop soup,orange chicken, and conversation with a lovely Asian waitress.

I listened to Trump’s economic talk at noon yesterday. He was cutting everyone’s taxes. All I could think was how would we run the government? There would not be enough money.

Enjoy your day!

 

TRUMP TIME

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Donald Trump is in the forefront these days. More than previously. Justifiably so. The man is mad. America is viewing his instability. More and more each day. He is self destructing before our eyes.

Better now than later. If elected, I worry about him and the nuclear button. So should you.

I spoke of Trump on my blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Half the show. Example after example of his instability.

Spent yesterday afternoon preparing for the podcast.

The Civil War has intrigued me since my college days. Today, I read everything I can get my hands on re the War.

The Key West Library is sponsoring a Civil War event. Titled Civil War Living History. In the Library’s Palm Garden. Saturday, August 13.

The editorial in yesterday’s Key West Citizen concerned Social Security. It was a republication of an editorial carried in the South Florida Sun Sentinel titled Put Priority On Solvency For Social Security.

A bad editorial. Avoided discussing the real reason why Social Security has money problems. The reason being the government borrows surplus monies in the Social Security Fund and never pays back. The government owes Social Security $1.8 trillion. Social Security is the biggest creditor of the United States. Ahead even of China.

The issue of pay back is always avoided in articles. If the government started paying back over a long period, the monies would be more than sufficient to keep Social Security payments at a level where cuts would not be required. Not even discussed.

The American people continue to get screwed by a government that borrow’s their money with no intent to ever pay back.

The William Hackley saga continues. Baby doing much better. Visited Mrs. Hews four times this date in 1855 for breast feeding.

A quick Venezuela update.

Two weeks ago, Venezuelans were eating their pets. This past weekend, they were invading zoos and stealing the zoo’s inhabitants. For consumption purposes obviously.

Curacao is one of the largest cities in Venezuela. Has a large zoo. Some people snuck into the zoo in the middle of the night. They were after a horse.

When the zoo keepers arrived in the morning, all that remained of the horse was the head and ribs.

A Venezuelan revolution is long overdue. Recall three years ago they ran out of toilet paper. The country is still out of toilet paper.

My column in this week’s KONK Life is German Persecution of Homosexuals. Sick, sad. Hits the stands today.

Key West has many fun events. One of the local favorites is the Battle of the Bars. Bartenders and servers engage in a competition down Duval Street. The winner gets bragging rights for a year.

The Battle of the Bars this sunday at one.

Enjoy your day!

 

NOT SURPRISED BY HOSPITAL RATING

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Few living in the lower Keys could have been surprised by the rating our local hospital received. This morning’s Key West Citizen reported that a recent federal study listed the Lower Keys Medical Center with the lowest rating possible.

Such reflective of the public battle between a citizens group and the hospital.

Someone should look at the dollar numbers. Follow the money is always good advice. I would be interested in knowing the hospital’s gross and net. I suspect the net has to be significant. Perhaps more than normal when  placed beside comparable hospitals.

I would also check how the hospital/collection agency thing works. Are the hospital bills being bought by the agency? If so, a hospital would be inclined to get rid of the bills quickly.

My morning yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Went slow this time. Two miles an hour rather than 4. My tiredness a concern. I was still tired, though not as much.

Then to the Cuban Coffee House. Ruby has disappeared from public view. She is cooking in the kitchen. A new young lady at the counter. Halley.

Spoke briefly with Ruby. She enjoys cooking. My sense was she had another job previously where she was a short order cook.

Spent the afternoon researching tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Stimulating topics. Like the Kahn-Trump disgrace, German persecution of homosexuals, Swedish youngsters being paid to play with Muslim immigrant children, it now being legal for cops to have sex with minors in Ohio, Venezuelans butchering zoo animals for food, urine samples  being collected door to door in Miami in battle against Zika, and more.

Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

One of the best podcasts on the internet.

Last night began with Aqua and the Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Rich Dery. Great entertainment!

Met Tom and Fran Dixon by pre-arrangement. Love ’em!

Josey and David at the bar. So was Darryl. Did not know Darryl. However, a nice guy. He bought for the bar! Also met Bill. He wanted to chat with me re last week’s bagel column. The article turned out to be a popular one.

This week’s column is German Persecution of Homosexuals. Not nice. Hits the stands tomorrow.

Tom and Fran left. I was all alone at the bar. Decided to eat. Went over to the outside bar at La Te Da.

When I left Aqua, I noticed Mangoes all ripped up. Piles of dirt. A huge excavator sitting in the middle of the place.

Broke my heart.

I should not have been surprised. Mangoes recently changed hands. The new owner is obviously putting a new face on the place.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

NILE CROCS KILL HUMANS

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We have had a crocodile sighting on a rock off Fort Zach Beach. Purportedly not a human biting one. There have been other croc and alligator sightings recently. Now we learn of Nile crocodiles.

Nile crocs are not native to Florida waters. They come from Africa. Big things. Grow to 20 feet. Eat humans.

So far three Nile croc sightings in Florida swamps. No one can explain how they got here.

As to native crocs and alligators, State authorities say we have shared Florida waters with them for centuries. The intimation being we should not be concerned. It is their territory as well as ours. We must learn to live together.

Hard to buy when one is discovered feet off For Zach Beach.

Today is day one of mini lobster season. It is off to a slow start.

I was up early this morning to sit on the deck and watch the boats rushing out. Fifty by my deck easily. For 16 years. not this year.

The water is choppy today. Cloudy and gray. Only two boats have gone by.

The weather is screwing up everyone’s fun.

My blog talk radio show last night. The topic I spent most time discussing involves protests at the Republican and Democratic Conventions. Outside protests. Little media reporting re same.

Black Lives Matter were out in the hundreds in Philadelphia yesterday. Marched to the fence of the convention center. Things a bit rowdy.

No comment from the media.  One TV reporter did comment last night that things were heating up a bit outside. He thought they were Sanders dissidents who had walked out.

I worry demonstration news is being kept from us intentionally.

The Mosquito Control Board members are an inept bunch. Their values misplaced. The Zika situation has removed their scab.

I wrote a few days ago that the Board paid its employees extremely well. They were in the process of beginning construction of a new $4.4 million building. And…..had approved a 45 percent tax hike

Now, I find out that being a Board member is a good deal. Each board member is paid $24,000 a year. Twelve meetings. Plus, they are part of the State retirement system and receive hospitalization.

Vote them all out!

Hillary officially nominated last night.

The Democratic Convention more enjoyable and better organized than the Republican one. Reflects how one would run the government.

Trump may be getting in trouble over his Putin relationship, if one exists. The rumor is he may have received financing for some of his enterprises via Russian banks.

Wikipedia causing many to sweat. Even Hillary. Money laundering the issue. Involving the Hillary Victory Fund and the DNC.

Today is wednesday. Screw off day for me. I spend saturday, sunday, monday and tuesday researching, writing, etc. Wednesday, thursday and friday are my days off. I even slept better last night.

Enjoy your day!

CROC AND SHARK RECLAIM WATERS

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There is a sign this morning on Fort Zachary Taylor Beach: CAUTION and the picture of a crocodile. the picture taken yesterday. Shows a five foot croc lying on a rock just of the beach.

A hammerhead shark was sighted also. Friday. Again, just off the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor. The shark described as large. The shark was engaged in a battle with a large tarpon. Standing nearby in the water, two tourists. They got the hell out!

We are told crocs are shy and docile. Not dangerous. I don’t buy it! May be true, yet would scare me if I saw one.

I had a shark experience 15 years ago. In the waters off the Casa Marina Beach. Big shark! Brown. I am sure the water magnified it. But it still had to be huge. What I saw was monstrous.

Later that evening I was having drinks with some friends at the Square One bar. All locals, some Conchs. Told them of my shark experience. How frightened I was. They all laughed at me. Told me the shark I saw was a sand shark. Yes, big. No problem, however. Their teeth are set way back. All I would have felt was the shark gumming a leg or arm.

Maybe the gumming would not have hurt me. Guaranteed the heart attack would have!

Some Key West natives are not concerned about the water inhabitants. They say the water and land first belonged to the crocs and sharks. People the interlopers. It is their homes we have invaded.

I wonder what they would say if attacked or bitten by one.

Tonight, my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Part of yesterday spent preparing for the show. The topics interesting. Included are the political conventions, police killings, military gear for police, prostitution at the conventions, media coverage of protestors, Venezuela update, and more.

A fast moving half hour. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Watched the Democratic Convention on and off.

Stopped by Rich and Cindy Boettgers for drinks at 4. Good people. Cindy a beauty. Love her. Rich a genius. We talked politics and local problems. Not always agreeing.

Left them and headed to Aqua. Dueling bartenders time. David sitting at the bar. Enjoyed the singers and David.

Hungry. Not much, however. Headed to Roostica where I enjoyed an artichoke dip.

Then back home to watch more of the Democratic Convention. Loved Michelle Obama. One smart woman!

I wish Sanders would end it. He is reluctant to cut the umbilical cord. Take that final step. You would think he encouraged and supported the Revolutionary War.

He is taken with himself. Too much.

The Big Latch On saturday. I wrote about the event when it took place last year. Part of International World Breastfeeding Week. To encourage breast feeding and explain the value of it.

At a specified time, those meeting in Key West will breast feed their babies at the same time.

The police/black acts of brutality will continue till a resolution arrived at. Neither side should be proud. However, I continue to maintain that the police invited retaliation. Retaliation was inevitable.

Proof of the pudding that police are shooting/beating citizens improperly are in dollar pay outs. Figures released for Chicago. This year to date, the City of Chicago has paid out $18.6 million to resolve police brutality lawsuits. $500 million in the last 10 years.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

PETS FOR DINNER

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When I started this blog oh so many years ago, the purpose was merely to share with the world what I had done the day before. My Key West life. As time progressed, I found I enjoyed pontificating. So I added some political/social commentary.

Understand, some days I do nothing. If so, there is nothing to report the next day. No one can go full blast every day.

Yesterday was a slow one for me. Hard working. However not in the bars and grills of Key West.

I started the day with an early morning walk at Home Depot. I continue to be a good boy. Walking and watching my food.

Returning home, I began fine tuning last night’s podcast. My blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

I found I had accumulated too much data. Too many topics. A busy week world wide. Needed to cut back the volume, organize the progression, and fine tune  the show.

Took longer than normal. A lot more. Maybe I was slow.

As reflected, a busy week. Much happened. Most of which was worthy of discussion. Only so much can be fit in a half hour show however.

One of the items I did comment upon involved Venezuela. I have been following, writing, and talking about Venezuela since the country ran out of toilet paper four years ago. They are still experiencing a toilet paper shortage.

A food shortage as well. Worse in its impact than the toilet paper shortage.

There is no food available for purchase. Assuming there was money to pay for the food.

The farmers stopped growing long ago since it cost more to raise the crops than they could get selling them. Store shelves are empty. Few working. Electricity scarce. Most businesses permitted to operate only one day a week because of the power scarcity.

It has come down to the following. Families are killing and eating their pets. Dogs and cats. Others are abandoning their pets along highways because they cannot afford to feed them. Hunters are going out and shooting the abandoned pets. Then returning home and using them for food.

There is another world out there. One not involving immigrants, ISIS, Trump or Clinton.

Thank God it is not our world. May it never be.

Trump’s numbers are up this week. Concerns me. I fear he may win. It would be destructive for America.

I feel Trump would drag us into a dark place. One none of us want. His moment in history comparable to Hitler’s in the 1930s.

Wednesday is hump day. For me, it is screw off day. I have nothing to do.

This week’s KONK Life column The New Prostitution hits the stands at 5 this afternoon. Read it. Surprising material..

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BABY MILK 1855

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When first the Key West Citizen decided to run an 1855 diary by Key West resident William Hackley, I was excited. After a few readings, disappointed. I was learning nothing. Then I started getting glimpses of Hackley’s life. Today, I am in with both feet. Love Hackley’s diary!

Hackley’s wife had a baby. Home born. Mother breast feeding. Mother’s milk supply not sufficient. Hackley ordered a goat from Havana. The goat finally arrived. The goat had recently born a kid. The goat’s milk was not right. Not in its prime.

Baby not doing well.

I anxiously await further readings to see how the milk problem was resolved.

Think my friends how lucky we are today. New mothers can breast feed or open a can and pour the milk into a bottle. Babies never in danger.

Yesterday morning, the anti-gravity treadmill. I am pushing myself. I am finally into a good health kick.

My time, 30 minutes. What I usually did. Took me a couple of of months to get back to that number. Speed back to normal also. Gravity the item to be corrected. I am moving at 50 percent of the gravity level I was accustomed to. I am reluctant to push higher at this time.

Jenny is taking good care of me. She is watching every part of my work out. Pushing me in her soft quiet manner.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen for Cuban toast and cold Cuban coffee. Sat quietly and read the newspapers.

The Cuban Coffee Queen prides itself on its ice cubes being frozen Cuban coffee. I noticed yesterday that my drink had half coffee cubes and half regular cubes.

It was too busy to ask the staff why. Next time, I will ask Ruby if the Queen is cutting back or merely running out.

Publix does not have everything. I stopped at GFS/Gordon’s for a couple of items. The place being remodeled. Big time. Nothing where it was. Staff told me products will be displayed in different spots when remodeling complete.

I hate that.

I ran into Tonya Colston while in GFS/Gordon’s. Never met her before. Have seen her around town. She has a distinctive hair do. Punk style. Natural color. Actually, looks good on her.

I told her I had recently seen her picture with her wife in KONK E-Blast. She was surprised. She had not seen it. A nice lady. We will remember each other when next we meet. She, easy to recall. Me, maybe not. I have no hair.

This good health kick includes eating. I am trying to cut my food consumption by 50 percent. Means the refrigerator is empty. Extremely little. I had to stop at Publix for a few things. Very few.

Spent the afternoon researching for my blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Love doing this podcast. One half hour beginning at 9. Fast moving opinionated talk by me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include Congress going on a seven week vacation without appropriating any money for Zika, Venezuelian people down to eating their pets, 3,500 young people demonstrating in Berlin over the weekend, German people upset with rapes and sexual abuses by immigrants, New York Times reporting this morning that there is no racial bias in police reported shootings, an overview of this week’s KONK Life column The New Prostitution, and more.

Roostica for dinner. Limoncello wings. Different! Delicious!

Tiny Key West can make claim to many firsts. One is desalinization. Turning sea water into drinking water.

The first desalinization plant in the United States was constructed in Key West in the 1840s. To provide water for troops stationed at Fort Zachary Taylor.

Today, modernized plants. Desalinization plants on Stock Island and Marathon. A back up water supply. Three million gallons a day.

I was born and raised Catholic. Went to a Catholic high school. A massive Church part of the high school complex. St. John’s.

Occasionally, I would hear from my non Catholic friends that Catholics were storing guns in the basement of St. John’s Church. For the coming fight with Protestants. Did not make sense to me. Never heard a priest or nun speak adversely of Protestants. Never had been in the basement of the Church. It was off limits. Locked.

On this day in 1871, a major riot occurred during a parade in New York City between Protestants and Catholics. The Protestants known as Orangemen. The Catholics, Irish Catholics. Trouble was expected. Fifteen hundred police officers and five regiments of the national guard called to keep the peace.

There was no peace. Sixty died. Mostly Irish laborers. Injureds in the hundreds.

There were other riots/fights in 1870 and 1871.

The Protestants hated the Catholics. The Catholics, the Protestants.

The Catholics were primarily immigrants. Irish. The Irish hated the Protestants because they were constantly abused by them. The Protestants disliked the Catholics who were immigrants with strange ways unfamiliar to the Protestants.

Enjoy your day!