81 YEARS OLD

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Today is my birthday. I am 81 years old. Amazing!

In the opening of my blog talk radio show last night, I briefly commented on the FBI’s report re Hillary Clinton. The report had come out earlier in the day.

A point I made was lets not have more Congressional hearings. As with Benghazi. Following the show, I turned on TV. There was Paul Ryan expressing his disgust with the decision and indicating there would be Congressional investigations. Probably by the Oversight and Judiciary Committees.

Lets stop with partisan inspired hearings that cost a ton of taxpayer dollars and go on ad infinitum. Again, ike Benghazi. With the final result being zip. Lets get into jobs, the economy and security.

We must stop being a gotcha society.

I want to make mention of FBI Director James Coomey’s long report detailing reasons, etc. Not the way things are done! Normally, a report is made that there was not sufficient evidence to charge. That’s it.

The normal statement would have resulted in less furor than has been heard since yesterday morning. Though there would have been outcries. Such is the nature of our society.

Another item discussed I discussed was of more interest. To me. Should be to you also.

It was announced that the British government had given permission to scientists to create the first genetically modified baby.

The good book indicates that man is to give to God that which is God’s and to man that which is. Life is within God’s province. Not man’s.

My morning was spent with the heart doctor. Assured me everything looked good with the catheterization results. I have problems, but they have not magnified in recent years.

No answer as to why I had the chest and throat pains.

Funny part is I have not had any pains in two weeks. Not since I went to the doctor complaining of them.

Turtle news. Some one up on the Florida mainland was arrested for stealing turtle eggs. From the mother loggerhead turtle as she was laying them into the sand and from the sand hole itself. One hundred seven of them.

I was unaware people eat turtle eggs.

The eggs are round. Shelled. Eaten raw or slightly heated.

There are people who believe turtle eggs impart sexual stamina. I could use the 107.

My 81st birthday will be simple. I want to have lunch and read the newspapers at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Tonight, I want to enjoy Robert and Ally. I am having dinner with Lisa and the family.

Enjoy your day!

 

I’M OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD…..

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For some reason, the tune has been running through my head since I woke this morning.

This is the day. Heart catheterization.

The blog will be limited because I have to be off to the hospital soon. There will be no blog talk radio show tonight.

Yesterday morning was terrific. Elizabeth Warren! Trump is no competition for her. She cut his testicles off. I would enjoy watching the two debate face to face. Unfortunately, it will not be.

Decided to get out a bit.

Enjoyed a pedicure with Tammy. Ran into Kate Miano. She was getting a manicure, also. She will soon leave for France for a month. Kate is renovating an apartment in France she recently purchased.

Then home to rest for a couple of hours. manicure was tough!

I was at Aqua around six for Dueling Bartenders. Rick Dery and Tom Luna are terrific!

The flavor/atmosphere is comparable to Bobby Nesbitt. He used to do a sing in on wednesday nights at cocktail time. It was the best event in town.

That’s it folks.

Enjoy your day!

GI BILL

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Live long enough and you become a part of history. I have. I will be 81 in two weeks. Many events reported today as historical occurrences are events I saw happening.

On this day in 1944, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law the GI Bill. I have no specific recollection of that day.

The GI Bill made it possible for World War II returning veterans to purchase new homes and receive college educations. Those events I do recall. The years 1945-1950. I was 10-15 years old at the time.

The GI Bill provided low interest loans for home purchases. All of a sudden, new neighborhoods grew on the edges of Utica and out into the country. The birth of the suburbs. Homes generally small. Looked alike. Ranch or Cape Cod in style. A front yard. A good sized back yard.

The GI bill also funded college educations for returning veterans. It seemed like everyone was going to college. Men who might not otherwise have obtained a college education.

By 1947, veterans made up 50 percent of college enrollments.

There were not enough college campuses. Inner city neighborhoods suddenly became college buildings. Whole neighborhoods were purchased. Old buildings turned into college class rooms, libraries, etc.

In Utica, it occurred in the Oneida Square area. First, an old church became Utica College. Within a short time, a several block area had become Utica College.

I saw all this happening. I recall it distinctly.

I spent a couple of hours yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Did the show at 9. I especially enjoyed doing last night’s show.

Two topics received emotional attention from me. Venezuela and the U.S. Senate’s failure to pass safe gun legislation.

Nicholas Maduro has been Venezuela’s President four years. An abomination! A failure! I have followed the man and his country ever since Venezuela ran out of toilet paper four years ago. Still do not have enough toilet paper.

They also do not have enough food today. It has come down to that. People are hungry. Starving a better description. Families eating every second or third day. And then only a piece of fat boiled in water. Soup of sorts. No bread.

Riots and fighting in the streets. People clashing to get food. The military and police guarding the minimum food supplies available. People being killed. One a four year old boy.

Why Venezuelans do not revolt, I do not understand.

The U.S. Senate failure speaks for itself. Four failed votes monday night. Mass gun killings will continue in our country.

The sad thing is that the NRA controls/owns our elected officials.

What sticks in my craw is that a person on a terrorist list cannot fly. Yet that same person can buy a gun. A gun that could subsequently be used in a mass killing.

Events can be exciting. One occurred yesterday in Key West. I missed it.

Several Cubans landed on the beach on South Roosevelt Boulevard. Across from the Best Western. Only one could speak a bit of English. Key Westers and Best Western staff went to work assisting our new neighbors. Food and water provided. Hands of welcome offered.

It was a dangerous three day trip Cuba to Key West. They made it. I hope they make it in the U.S. also. May their lives be rich and fulfilling.

Candidates announcing to run for the Key West Mosquito Control District board. I short cut the title and refer to it as the Mosquito Control Board.

Ollie Kofoid running. Ran the last time. Lost. Hope he wins this time. His type is needed.

Ollie has an environmental degree. He understands mosquito problems. Especially, the genetically modified mosquitoes the board is trying to shove down our throats.

Ollie is opposed. He has knocked on my door and other doors several times the past two year explaining the dangers involved in the testing of the genetically modified mosquitoes.

I am with you, Ollie!

Cocktail time tonight with Mark Watson at Aqua’s Back Door Bar. Fun time!

The cupboard is bare again. Nothing new. Need to shop today. My breakfast consisted of grapefruit and a cup of tea. Plus, a Chinese fortune cookie. Left over from my delivered Chinese dinner the other night.

The fortune: It’s not only important to add years to your life, but to add life to your years.

To add life to your years…..How true! I try!

Enjoy your day!

AQUA DUELING BARTENDERS

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I have a new hang out monday evenings. Aqua at cocktail hour. The Dueling Bartenders sing. Great voices!

Adding to the event is that the two bartenders vocalizing are generally dressed in drag.

No, I am not switching. I do recognize good entertainment, however.

Last night’s bartenders were Rich Dery and Mark Watson. Mark always teriffic. First time I saw Rich dressed. A better looking woman than man.

A newly married couple joined the festivities. 50ish. Bride attired in long white shoulderless dress. Groom in white shirt and pants. Tourists.

A happy couple! Danced and joked. They admonished all that though this was the first marriage for both, neither were virgins. They thought we should know.

Tom Luna working the bar. Not dressed. Introduced me to George. Glad he did. We hit it off.

George is a retired Long Island high school principal. He and his wife live in Truman Annex. Ten grandchildren. Graduated from Bowling Green. A history major. I was a history major, also.

The conversation good. We agreed to try to meet again wednesday at the Back Door Bar.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Did better. Pushed everything. Even elevation. A little too much. I was tired before I finished.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. Lovely Ruby there again. Love her!

Children’s accidents have been commonplace lately. The bear situation and then the Disney alligator happening. I saw one in the making yesterday at the Cuban Coffee Queen.

The place has two large fans to cool things down. Big. A tiny 3-4 year old girl walked up to one. Her face almost touching the wire cage. Blades zooming around inside.

Her father happened to see her. He calmly said watch out, it could grab your hair. Then turned around and never looked at her again. She stayed where she was, never moving. Dad never looked back at her again.

I was five feet away. Impulsively yelled out…..Hey! Dad immediately turned around, saw his daughter still standing there, grabbed her hand and walked away.

My afternoon was spent working on my podcast tonight. My blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick interesting half hour of political and social chatter. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include Venezuela’s lack of food, a 4 year old shoot seeking food in Venezuela, Oakland Police Department under investigation for an underage sex scandal involving officers, three Oakland police chiefs discharged one after another within three weeks, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker on a kick again, this time to require drug testing of food stamp recipients and the unemployed.

Also, big U.S. banks investing heavy in outlawed cluster bomb stocks to the tune of $28 billion over 4 years, Mein Kampf a bestseller again in Germany, U.S. Senate approves draft registration for women, Napoleon being troubled by mosquitoes and hemorrhoids, and more.

Time of the year for Key West drag contests. The Miss Firecracker Pageant next. July 1. In the Crystal Room at La Te Da. An Aids fundraiser. Hosted by Miss Closet Ball 2011.

The Mosquito Control Board is as devious as the Key West City Commission. The Board is entertaining at a meeting tomorrow night to move the GM mosquito testing issue affecting Key Haven from a late August vote to the general election in November. Consideration being given also to not having a vote at all.

The Board is elected. I guarantee all will be voted out if they pursue this game playing. My neighbors are furious. We are opposed to using our island used as a guinea pig for testing.

Several months ago, the FDA sent out an approval of the GM mosquitoes. Did not make sense to me. The Board was saying see, the FDA says use of the GM mosquitoes not dangerous.

I checked. The FDA did say such. However, it applied solely to the Mosquitoes. Injection of the chemicals was not dangerous to the mosquitoes. Nothing said about human safety.

Few listened. I was a voice in the wilderness.

Yesterday, the Board chairman reported another option was to wait for the FDA to rule on the test. The human end of it.

Last night was Outback. A late dinner of chicken wings.

Dennis there. He is the Tavern ‘n Town manager.

I was eating at the bar. A beautiful woman came in and sat several seats away. A magnificent creature! White man’s shirt opened almost to the waist. boobs slightly exposed. Face make up perfect. Had to be someone in drag.

Rare to see dining out in restaurants.

Ran into a Syracuse grad friend. Where have you been, I asked. Had not seen him in several years. Just returned from Belize. We used to watch Syracuse games together. He may show up wednesday at the Back Door Bar.

Enjoy your day!

SAD ORLANDO HAPPENINGS

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Another sad occurrence in the Orlando area yesterday. A 2 year old boy taken away by an alligator. The place was the Seven Seas Lagoon at a Disney hotel. The boy was running through one foot of water when the alligator attacked.

There were signs nearby No Swimming. The parents were nearby on the beach.

Alligators are a growing problem in Florida. I wrote about their danger several months ago. One or two had shown up in the Florida keys.

The mass shootings the other sadness. Forty nine dead. More than fifty injured. Most, very seriously.

I am not going to bore you with details. We all know them. Some observations, however.

Patience Carter was one of those shot. Her legs. She hid in a bathroom stall while the killer was shooting people on the other side of the stall door.

She wrote a touching poem of the incident. It is all over the internet. I recommend you view it.

One of Patience’s lines: “The guilt of being alive is heavy.”

Religion is taken to the extreme in our country. God is invoked many times tastelessly. Whether correct, immaterial. There is a time to refrain from adverse comments. Especially extreme ones. Regardless of personal beliefs.

There are those of us who believe we are all God’s children.

My observations motivated by the comments of three ministers re the Orlando shootings.

A Baptist minister in California thought the 50 deaths were good. Rid the world of 50 pedophiles.

Another in Tempe, Arizona uttered a similar line. The dead were sodomites. He referred to them as perverts.  Claimed as per the Bible, they should be put to death. Even went so far as to say that a righteous government would execute them.

Then comes Pat Robertson. Purportedly a man of God. Has spewed hatred over the years. He recommended good people sit on the sidelines and let homosexuals be killed. Let the Muslim and homosexual societies fight/kill each other.

With Trump suddenly going down in the polls, some of his followers are taking attacking positions. My blog comments reflect it. This blog. The blog I write every morning. The venom falls from their lips.

A scary situation.

Yesterday was Flag Day. Flags at Bayview Park flown at half mast. Half mast in sorrow for the Orlando attack. I assume flags were at half mast throughout the country.

I was up at 4:30 this morning. Have a very early morning visit with Dr. Mc Ivor. My heart doctor. Fasting blood work and an echo test. I wanted to be sure to get the blog out before leaving.

Enjoy your day!

 

THE SUN ROSE

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The sun rose this morning. As it does every morning in one fashion or another. Today, a bright orange ball.

I  went outside to watch. Always beautiful, always uplifting. The beginning of a new day.

Yesterday, a laid back one for me. Other than an hour in the sun on the deck, I was inside. Researched tonight’s blog talk radio show. Watched TV in the evening.

Topics galore for my show this evening. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Without question, the Orlando story. A must. I have personal thoughts. as many do. I will share them this evening.

Having contrary thoughts not a bad thing. People not all the same. The problem is many in this country forget there are always two sides to a story, to a belief. Sometimes several.

the key is to listen. Respect. Think.

The show will also discuss California’s failure to count 2.5 million votes in the recent primary. Then the outing of another Secret Service failure. An agent e-mailing from the White House obscene material (his penis pic) to teenage girls, soliciting some for sex, etc.

How do these guys become Secret Service agents?

People can stand up for their rights and win. The tale of a Pennsylvania community that  successfully fought Nestle’s attempt to extricate 200,000 gallons of water a day from their township. To sell in supermarkets as Deer Park bottled water.

A few words re my KONK Life column this week: The Rape of Social Security.

Plus more.

The show is at 9 my time. A half hour of fast moving opinionated material. Many times revealing. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Debra and Patrick are back in town. Have been for a few weeks.

Debra and Patrick very entertaining. Debra a fine voice. I have been privileged to hear her sing for more than 20 years. Generally, at La Te Da. This year, she and Patrick appeared elsewhere than in Key west. They have returned for a few weeks.

Debra and Patrick will appear friday and saturday nights at the Little Room Jazz Club.

One of Key West’s premier entertainers Larry Smith has been appearing monday nights at the Little Room Jazz Club for a year. Don’t miss him!

Pope Francis. A man of wisdom. He sees where others refuse to look. Sunday he blasted a world in which war is fed but the hungry are not. His words.

Enjoy your day!

100,000 CHICKENS

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Key West is known for its chickens. Chickens everywhere. Tourists love them. Few locals do. The chickens are dirty and germ ridden. Not eating chickens.

Chickens properly bred and raised are ok, however. Clean healthy birds.

Bill Gates recently announced a 100,000 chicken program. One his wife Melinda is joining with him to put together. One supported also by Hefner International.

Gates wants to send 100,000 chickens world wide to poor countries. They are cheap and easy to raise. Healthy food for children.

A good idea. My anti-chicken bias is limited to Key West chickens.

We are running out of food. World population on the rise. Fish in oceans not endless.

Squid and octopus not diminishing in number, however. On the rise. Climate change, pollution and over fishing does not seem to affect them.

Most already love squid. Calamari!

As to octopus, I fear not many have had the opportunity to enjoy octopus. I did many times in Greece.

The first time I was on a small boat going nowhere. Just drifting around. We ended up on a small island. Probably had a name. I do not recall. Where we landed was only a small house and a smaller building behind it. The smaller building the outhouse. .

We were hungry. The man and woman living in the house were happy to feed us. Octopus!

The cooking was done on an outside grill. The kind used in the U.S. to cook outside.

The octopus was about two feet in diameter. He chopped a tentacle off. Threw it on the grill. Spent time cooking, turning it over.

When done, placed on my plate. About five inches long and three inches in diameter. Hollow inside. The skin a quarter inch thick.

While cooking, brush basted with oil.

I cut into my piece. Cut easy. Like a knife through soft butter. The taste. Delicious. Tender. Brought a smile to my face. A chunk of bread and octopus on a basically deserted island. What more could I ask for?

The moral of the story. Do not fear octopus. Youu will love it! Guaranteed!

Spent yesterday preparing for last night’s blog talk radio show.

Did the show at 9. Two topics excited me more than normal. I led off with them. A cashless society and carless dealerships.

A cashless society is on its way. No more paper bills or coins. A card. Sort of like a debit card. All spending, transactions done via the card.

I predict the U.S. will be a cashless society within 5 years. Banks and corporations love the idea. The Federal Reserve favors it. What can the 99 percent say?

I am against a cashless society.

Imagine going to buy a new car. No cars in the lot. No cars inside the dealership. You will be greeted and sold digitally. Earphones with a viewing screen built in. General Motors is preparing to test the process in some Cadillac dealerships next year.

A quick dinner before the show at Hogfish. Fish and chips. Hogfish fish and chips.

Debra and Patrick return to Key West! Tonight. at La Te Da. The best of the best. Do yourself a favor and go listen to Debra sing.

An observation. We are moving closer to George Orwell’s 1984 every day.

This week’s KONK Life hits the stands at 5 this afternoon. I have a special column this week. Corn Flakes…..Cure Masturbation. Humor and discomfort. Nuts involved. And I do not mean the edible ones.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

TRUMP LACKS STABILITY

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The Chinese have a saying that one picture is worth a thousand words. That picture was on view for all to see yesterday. It was Trump’s press conference re the Vet’s money and the media.

Trump came across. His best yet. His worst performance. The man is crazy. Lacks stability. He is not Presidential timber.

I am in a quandary. Hillary does not turn me on either.

What to do? The third party candidate, if there is one? Does not move me.

My choice continues to be not to vote.

I paid for my weekend laziness yesterday. Normally, I research and write my tuesday night blog talk radio show on monday. I took monday off. A mistake. I had to work my ass off yesterday to get ready for last night. From 10-5.

The material was terrific. Touched many issues. The show went well. Moved smoothly. I mention the show went well, smoothly, etc. because sometimes it does not. It is not the material. It is the connection between the issues. They have to run smoothly one after the other.

Today is scheduled already. Busy. A manicure in the early afternoon. Then two David Wolkowsky interests. David asked me to join him.

David annually gives Key West’s outstanding teacher $25,000. The five or so runner ups, $5,000 each. The rewards event is this afternoon at the Key West Library.

Then at 5, the Custom House is having a special showing of 71 Mario Sanchez bag drawings. The 71 drawings are all from David’s collection.

Perversion in the Keys. In the Upper Keys. Someone placed camera’s in three women’s restrooms. Anne’s Beach, Harry Harris Park, and a Circle K. In coat hooks resembling hangers.

The Sheriff’s Department is investigating. County facilities were immediately inspected. Nothing found. From this time forwarded, all have been placed on a schedule for routine inspection.

I have been talking and writing about Venezuela for four yeas. President Nicholas Maduro is pure incompetence. Four years ago, his country ran out of toilet paper. The people still do not have enough. Nor food at the present time.

Inflation spiraling wildly upward. A dozen eggs costs $150. Experts predict inflation hitting 720 percent by October. Some predict 1,200 percent by year’s end.

Enjoy your day!

 

4 POINT SHOT

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Basketball has a major change in the works. Serious consideration is being given by the NBA to add a 4 point shot. Something 4 feet or longer behind the present 3 point line.

Shots from just after half court will become common place.

What an impact it will have on the game. Even the defense. Four pointers will require an extended defense.

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

Topics include Monsanto getting beat up, Israel and Saudi Arabia strange bedfellows, 157 pregnant U.S. women diagnosed with Zika, U.S. suicide rate at a 30 year high.

Also, Hugo Chavez’s daughter worth $4.2 billion and living in New York City, 5 non-financial companies hold 1/3 of all cash, a Nestle attempt to privatize water supply thwarted, the Portland School Board banning texts that deny climate change, and more.

Interesting material. Join me for a quick half hour dissertation.

Spent most of the day yesterday researching material for tonight’s blog talk radio show.

Dinner at nearby Roostica.

The New York Post recently ran an article titled: How Corporate America Bought Hillary Clinton for $21 Million. Covers her post-Secretary of State years 2013-2015. Breaks down the $21 million speech by speech.

Enjoy your day!

ZIKA DAY

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Spent a portion of yesterday fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show.

Then dinner at Roostica.

Followed by show time at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Topics for the show come from two sources. One is research. The other sitting back and saying to myself that an issue has reached a certain point. A point requiring comment. No one is commenting, however.

I was reading some Zika material yesterday. The thought occurred as to whether Zika was another Ebola. Three years ago, we were introduced to a new and deadly disease called Ebola. The world went crazy. There was a need to act immediately.

The world reacted. Even Obama and Congress. Money was allocated to develop a vaccine, etc.

Ebola turned out to be a bust. Nothing happened. A false alarm.

This morning while searching another issue, I came across an article titled Birth of the Zika Industry. The author, Marco Caceres. The article published by the National Vaccine Information Center 5/14/16.

The National Vaccine Information Center is a non-profit. Founded in 1982 by parents who believe they should have information, input and decision making when it comes to their children being vaccinated.

A quote from the article: “It doesn’t take much to create a new industry. Basically, all you need to do is create fear.”

Zika is a major forefront issue here in the Florida keys. Especially my small key, Key Haven. The local mosquito control board decided to test anti-Zika genetically modified mosquitoes. New.

The plan involved dumping 3 million genetically modified mosquitoes over Key Haven

Key Haven residents raised hell. Properly so. The board finally decided to have the residents of Key Haven vote on the issue. The vote August 30.

This morning’s Key West Citizen notes front page that the board met last night. The board added another question to the Key Haven one. To be voted on also August 30. In effect, whether the people of the Florida keys want GM mosquitoes tested anywhere in the keys.

My first reaction was this sucks. Going to confuse people. Typical keys’ government actions. Screw things up.

On second thought, I think it is a good idea. The reason is every one I have talked who live on Key Haven says no to the testing. Anyone in Key West or another key, say yes to the testing. The testing over Key Haven. Zika dangerous and we have to act their thought.

When I ask whether they would accept similar testing over Key West or their island, the eyebrows go up. I can see the answer without it being uttered. Of course not!

I do not wish to be a guinea pig. My position remains the same. Stay off my island! And being more concerned than other keys’ residents, I say do not use any part of the Florida keys for testing.

One final thought. This GM mosquito thing is turning into another Peary Court fiasco. Government officials trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the people.

Bernie Sanders. Nice guy. Sincere re his beliefs. Enough is enough, however. He should pack it in. He is the loser in a close one.

He ain’t packing it in!

Sanders has started a movement. A big one. They believe in him. The problem is he believes what he says. His political bullshit. Something all candidates become guilty of.

I fear Sanders will never be the same.

I further fear the two movements which have developed during this primary process. Those that follow Sanders and those that follow Trump. I hope they never meet on opposite sides of the street during a protest.

Enjoy your day!