RUSSIANS AT THE DINNER TABLE

Gail Collins in a recent New York Times column commented…..Russia worked hard to get Donald Trump elected President. What did they get out of it? Multiple high level investigations…..these days in Washington you’d be much better off being a Mexican.

As to the Syria bombing, I believe these Middle East battles are not our headache. Especially a civil war. Our military should not die in such a fight. We are not the world’s protector.

However if fight we must, then let’s do it right. Hit ’em hard and hit them once. So hard they will not question whether we will return for a second visit.

We should have wiped out all six of Syria’s air bases in one night. Assad’s air force is his strongest military arm.

Six wiped out air bases proof to Assad and the world that the U.S. does not screw around.

Roostica for an early dinner last night. Limoncello wings.

Then to Tammy’s for a manicure. What a business! I am proud of Tammy and her husband Ricky. They work hard and deserve every success they are enjoying.

Then to bocce. Another no joy in Mudville evening. Team lost 2 of 3 games. Details bitter. Won’t even share them.

Something is wrong. The team is not playing as it has the past several seasons.

Weather changed. I woke in the night to a roar. A constant roar. It was the wind. Still blowing. From the north. 20-30 mph. Brought temperature down. From high 70’s at night to 65 last night. High today 75. Down from 87. Sixty five tonight again.

Amazing how Key West weather changes on the flip of a coin.

Our local Florida Keys Community College is to be complimented. There will be an April 12 ribbon cutting. Opening an era of offering an Associate Degree in Culinary Management. Needed in a  tourist destination community like Key West.

Enjoy your day!

 

HE CAN’T WIN…..HE WON!

I thought no way Trump could win. I was wrong. He won. I failed to see that the people had turned a corner. They were no longer going to continue a government that minimized their value. There had to be change. Dramatic change.

Anyone out of step with present day politicians.

I found voting yesterday different from previous years. I voted at the new fire house on Stock Island. A first itself.

Note that I have voted in every Presidential election since 1956. My first Presidential vote was for Eisenhower in the Eisenhower/Stevenson race.

A different atmosphere yesterday from previous Presidential election days. People walked into the fire station with a determined gate. Heads up. Looking straight ahead. They had business to accomplish.

They signed in and went to their stalls to vote. Finished, placed their ballots in a machine and left. With the same gait starring straight ahead.

For me, yesterday’s election was the most important Presidential one I have voted in since 1956. My country screwed up!

The people have spoken. I do not agree. Such is life, however. We accept and go with the flow.

My podcast show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou was last night. Nine o’clock. The first three topics discussed concerned the election.

Then to other topics.

One of the others you may find shocking. Steven Seagal. The movie actor. Hero. One who stood for right, justice, the flag, and the American way.

He became a Russian citizen last week.

On thursday, Putin signed a decree granting Seagal Russian citizenship. Putin and Seagal have been friends for years. It was reported Seagal asked for the Russian citizenship.

A side note. Seagal publicly announced his support in 2014 for Russia’s taking over of Crimea.

Next installment 9 of my review of the history of the Key West Rotary.

I enjoy doing these reruns of Key West’s yesterdays. I learn many times that which I did not know. It provides the opportunity to share portions of  the history with you.

We are still in 1927.

It was May 20. Charles Lindbergh took off in the early morning from Roosevelt Field for Paris. America did not know if this young man would make it. He was the topic of discussion everywhere that day.

Even at the Rotary luncheon.

There was a Rotary sponsored Boy’s Week Program in the week following the meeting. Included a parade and a track meet at the Barracks. Now, Peary Court.

The weekly luncheon meeting on May 27 had as guest speaker Dr. Joseph Roemer, a faculty member at the University of Florida. His purpose to push for the establishment of a junior college in Key West.

As Roemer advised, colleges were turning applicants away. Not because of grades. Because there was insufficient room. A Key West community college would benefit Keys residents who could not obtain admission elsewhere.

An obvious difference between higher education in 1927 and today. Educating was the goal then. Today, universities/colleges are primarily in the money making business.

Roemer’s words were among the first supporting the establishment of a two year old community college. The idea took hold. Today, Key West can be proud of the Florida Keys Community College. An institution capable of awarding four year degrees.

May 27 was Students’ Day. The Rotary had invited as guests 30 graduating seniors from the high school who attended with several faculty members.

The Overseas Highway was important to Key West. Under construction in June 1927 when Florida Governor John W. Martin spoke at the Rotary weekly luncheon. He pledged his continued support for the highway. Especially the bridge projects.

Back then, access from one key to another involved bridge and ferry use. The bridges were mostly of wood construction. Built in the early 1920s.

The Governor also pledged support for a crawfish hatchery.

The Keys today have a series of hatcheries sprinkled here and there. Shrimp farming took off on a larger scale in Louisiana. Those in the Keys today generally supply south Florida.

La Concha had opened its doors for the first time in 1927. The June 27 meeting where the Governor spoke was held at the newly opened La Concha.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

AGGRAVATION FREE TRIP TO CUBA

Though relations are better with Cuba, a U.S. trip to Cuba still involves some aggravation.

Not for Fleming, however. He even traveled free.

Fleming is a turtle. He was found injured last year and taken to the Marathon Turtle Hospital. Fleming was returned to good health.

On July 22, he was returned to the ocean at Sombrero Beach. Got a big send off.

The hospital attached a satellite tag to Fleming. They follow his travels. He is now in Cuba.

You can follow Fleming’s meanderings. www.tourdeturtles.org.

Yesterday was wednesday. Wednesday is screw off time for me. I spend saturday through tuesday researching and writing. Then three days off beginning with wednesday. Look forward to wednesdays! Love the day!

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill at Body Owners. Me, Jenny and the machine. I did not kill myself. Ran at a moderate speed. Still exhausted afterwards.

I have decided to take a week off. I am going to walk at Home Depot those days to see if it makes any difference.

After the treadmill, I hurried to Verizon Wireless. The good one. The one in the Winn Dixie Shopping Center.

Nana took care of me again. She is teaching me how to use my new cell phone. I am a dunce! Having difficulty learning. Retaining all the steps involved. These new phones are computers. Love it! Have to learn how to use them, however.

A generational thing. My era born and I are not mechanically inclined.

Lunch was at the Cuban Coffee Queen. Splurged. Instead of a cheese toast, I had a BLT. On pressed Cuban bread. Delicious!

Halley working up front. Ruby in the kitchen.

Ruby is an experienced cook. Seven years at Outback. She has also worked at several restaurants around town.

Spent the afternoon reading. An interesting World War II story. Involved Normandy on D-Day. A group of engineers were sent in before the landing to destroy whatever was on the beach and in the water that would affect a safe landing.

The landing site Utah beach.

The men were told before hand the mission was dangerous and few would survive. The men worked in groups of three. Only one in each group was alive at the end of the morning.

Last night began with the Back Door at Aqua. Mark Watson back. He just returned from a week on Fire Island.

Then to Roostica for dinner. Gnocchi.

The Florida Keys Community College, aka FKCC, was recently rated by SmartAsset.com.

There are 565 community colleges in the U.S. FKCC was rated #18. Very commendable!

A statement in the commendation hit home. Today’s young are looking for a good inexpensive education that will provide a good return on their investment. Not always the case today with those receiving four year degrees.

The quote: Community colleges “…..provide their students with an inexpensive, world class education and a good return on investment.”

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

NEW BOCCE SEASON

A new bocce season is underway. Not actually new. It is already mid-season.

Though I no longer play, I stop by to watch. Technically, Don and David continue to carry me on the roster as a team member. They also make sure a bottle of Beefeaters is available for whenever I show up.

The team is doing well. Last night, they won 2 out of 3 games. They have had many wins similar in number this season. I mentioned it was hard to be fighting for first place if a game a week is being lost. In spite of two victories each time.

I asked what place the team was in. Sixth. Proved my point I told them. No, it did not. In sixth place, two games out of first. Appears everyone is having the same problem this season.

The team looked good. Very good. Amazing the improvement that has occurred over the years.

It was late when bocce finished. I was hungry. No dinner. I stopped at Outback for a small steak.

Spent yesterday afternoon doing nothing. Sat out on the deck by the water reading and snoozing.

April is National Poetry Month. The Florida Keys Community College is sponsoring a poetry recital next thursday April 14 at 2 in  the afternoon. In the College library. Speakers will recite classic, contemporary, and self-crafted poetry. Sounds like an interesting and exciting afternoon.

Some, not all, are turned on by poetry. I am. If you are, join me at the College. The sponsors promise a fun event.

It appears the brakes have been put on the GM mosquito issue. For a time only. The FDA has extended the public comment period because of the furor over the issue.

One thing continues to aggravate me. Those that write re the issue fail to correctly report/explain an important detail. They report the FDA determined there was no significant impact. Sounds like FDA approval for use of the GM mosquitos from a human impact perspective.

Not correct!!!

The FDA study/research re no significant impact had nothing to do with being safe for humans. The chemicals used were safe to be used on male mosquitos. Such was the finding. Nothing more.

No independent/outside source has yet to report re safety to human beings.

Another Hemingway tidbit. On this day in 1928, Hemingway arrived in Key West for the first time on a steam ship from Havana.

The Flint lead problem has goosed federal agencies to be more careful. A good result from a bad situation.

The FDA issued a warning re infant rice cereal. An increase in arsenic levels has been found.

Parents have been warned to avoid infant rice cereals that fail to meet a certain level. The level is 100 parts per billion (ppb). Most cereals are at that level or a bit over. Around 110. I don’t know if the extra 10 points make a difference. Whatever, parents be aware.

June, where are you?

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

GROWING UP ITALIAN GETTING THERE

No question the Key West summer has arrived. Proof, the humidity and rain. The humidity is heavy. Seems like August already. A bit of rain each day. Lasts five minutes. Has already rained today. Still thundering, however. Poured a few minutes ago. Through the sunshine. Everything bright with large rain drops falling. The sun reflecting off the rain drops.

Writing takes time. Book writing. I could never understand why it took authors 2-10 years to write a book. Sit down and knock it out! Does not work that way. First one must sit and write. The hardest.

Get words on paper. Express thoughts. Make sure characters intermingle properly.

Then the best part of writing from my perspective. Rewriting and polishing. A must. Takes forever.

Growing Up Italian is still a work in progress. I spent my yesterday working on it. It had been a while. I have so many experiences to share that I can see half of what I am composing will have to be cast aside. Otherwise, the book will be War and Peace in length.

So there is no misunderstanding, I am nowhere close to finishing the book. It will not take ten years. However, a year or two more would not surprise me.

Roostica for dinner. An early one. I try to eat at Roostica on tuesday night’s before my blog talk radio show. It is located close to my home.

Bobby and Michelle at the bar. Talked with Bobby a while. They have a hit with Roostica. I highly recommend the place. The food is excellent. Prices low. Drinks just as expensive as downtown, with one difference. Roostica pours a good sized drink. Downtown the drinks are measured and small.

It was sausage and peppers last night. Good!

My blog talk radio show in the evening. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Spent a lot of time on Greece again. The topic deserves a lot of time! What happens with Greece and the Eurounion could impact world finances. The wrong move and a deep recession could result.

Mel Fisher Days begin tomorrow. The 30th anniversary of Mel’s treasure discovery. People remember. They are still walking around. Thirty years is not that long ago. Bobby was around and participated in the excitement of those days. He knew the players. Many will be returning for the celebration. He will be partying with them.

I saw a picture of the actual salvage vessel involved. Not what I expected. I envisioned a big sail ladened vessel. The Magruder looked like a large tug boat.

It was reported yesterday that Elena Spottswood had been reappointed by Governor Scott to the Board of Trustees of the Florida Keys Community College. Good for her! Elena is a wonderful person. Warm hearted. Concerned. One of Key West’s kindest citizens.

Wednesday begins my Louis time days. I begin writing saturday afternoon. The research for the KONK Life column. I write the column on sunday. Monday is spent researching and writing for tuesday night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday is spent fine tuning the show and doing it. If I am ahead of the game and have extra time, I write. As I did yesterday re Growing Up Italian.

Sounds like work. It feels like it some times. However, love every minute of it. After tuesday night, I need a few days off. This is the first of those days. Screw off time!

Enjoy your day!