CUBA GETTING READY

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The Associated Press’ Andrea Rodriguez recently wrote an excellent article re Cuba’s getting ready for business it anticipates will come. Most of what has been accomplished thus far was done prior to Cuba and the U.S. kissing and making up.

A new mega port project is under construction west of Havana. Close to completion. Already signing up business.

A 2,300 foot dock has been constructed. Along side, the Chinese built four huge off loading cranes. A nearby area the size of a football field has been graded. To provide private companies ready land to build upon. Hopefully, foreign companies. The area will be a special economic development zone.

Cuba knows it has to jump start a sluggish economy. Cuba is hopeful foreign investment will be attracted.

In the last 1.5 years, seven companies have signed up and are ready to launch. Five foreign and two domestic.

Interesting Key West weather. Typical summer weather. Yesterday afternoon, it rained. Actually poured big time. All of ten minutes. Strong winds. White caps. This morning everything is calm. Dead. Nothing moving. The tide is out. Water smooth. Appears a person could walk on it. Sky gray.

I overslept yesterday morning by one hour. Really had to move my ass to get the blog out, shower and get to the anti-gravity treadmill on time.

After the treadmill, it was the Cuban Coffee Queen. Cuban cheese toast and Cuban coffee. Read the Wall St. Journal. Not my favorite newspaper. Ultra conservative. Too far to the right. However, I periodically read it because I like to know what the right is thinking. The same reason I occasionally watch FOX TV.

Last night, it was Don’s Place first. Enjoyed a stressful conversation with Don, Stan and Claire. The subject matter immaterial. Don was wound up.

Stopped at Tavern ‘n Town on the way home for a bite to eat. Glad I did. Met a most charming woman!

We were sitting at the bar together. She extremely attractive in a conservative way. Fortyish. Tanned just enough. Long black shiny hair hanging over her shoulders. she was wearing black leggings and black flats. Her top a white blouse of sorts. Loose. A wide slit in the middle down the front. Cleavage excellent. A little extra showing. In good taste, however.

I had a most stimulating conversation with her. About everything and nothing. I am sure she did also. I could have fallen in love.

I will probably never see her again. She was to leave on the first plane this morning out of Key West. We did exchange cell phone numbers. I told her about the blog. Asked if I could write about our meeting. She said yes, except do not mention my name , the city I am from and my work. I understood.

The mystery lady I hope to meet again.

Anna will be leaving Santorini sunday. To Armogos. She finally was able to get a room in a pensione. I envy her. I would love to be with her on Amorgos. The only place I like better than Key West.

Anna was worried yesterday about money. ATM machines on Amorgos empty. Anna has an Italian credit card. Good in Santorini. She went to the ATM and loaded up with euros. A good candidate for a robbery!

Greece, Greece, Greece. Strange things are happening. I am getting lost at this stage trying to figure out who is going to do what next.

The Parliament had to approve or disapprove the Eurounion deal. I thought it would be defeated by a heavy vote. Instead, it was approved overwhelmingly. 229-64.

The demonstrations got sloppy last night for the first time. The protesters throwing molotov cocktails at the police and the police returning tear gas. The day time strike called for by the unions had some degree of success. How much, I could not determine. Civil servants, municipal workers, and pharmacy owners did not work.

The new deal will not work. I read somewhere yesterday that interest costs alone will reach $5.5 trillion over the next ten years. Impossible to pay.

A New York City police officer choked black Eric Garner to death a year ago. The City has settled with Garner’s family in a wrongful death lawsuit. $5.9 million. An expensive choke hold!

Honda admitted overcharging certain minorities’ interest charges on purchases made by them. Specifically, Afro-Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Pacific Islanders. Honda agreed to repay $24 million to those affected.

I did not over sleep this morning. I was up at 3:30 to watch the British open.

Enjoy your day!

YESTERDAY MICHAEL SHIELDS, TODAY JOE BIDEN

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A parent should never bury a child. An all time truth.

Yesterday, I mentioned  that Michael Shields’ son Jason had died. Today, Joe Biden’s son Beau.

Such sorrow for both men.

Permit me to dwell on Biden for a moment.

Back in the 1980s, I was Chairman of the Board of Visitors at the Syracuse University College of Law. Joe Biden was a Syracuse Law graduate. A United States Senator, he was a frequent visitor to the law school. If there was a football or basketball game when he was in town, he watched the game from my private box at the Carrier Dome.

I got to know him a bit. A good man then I thought. A good man today.

Biden’s first wife and daughter were killed in an automobile crash just after he was elected to his first term in the Senate. A heavy in and of itself. Now comes the death of his son Beau from brain cancer. Another heavy. How much can one man take?

Michael and Joe, may God give you the strength to get through these days.

I went out last night! For me, a big deal!

I decided on dinner at Roostica. The place was jam packed. There was not a seat anywhere. Left and went to Hogfish. Packed also, but a small table was available for me and the newspapers.

I ate. My first for real meal in two weeks. I had been building up to it. Lobster roll and one gin. The lobster roll did not particularly turn me on. It was me, not the food. Interestingly, the french fries did. I am not particularly crazy about french fries. Last night, they were gourmet food.

The one gin was tasteless. Had no effect whatsoever.

I spent yesterday afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. Corruption of Politics and Banks. My solution in a nutshell…..Public financing of Presidential elections and break the banks up. An interesting piece. A lot of history involved.

Remember Tiny? The 300 pound 50 year old turtle I wrote about last week. He was front page news in this morning’s Key West Citizen. He was returned to the ocean at Higgs Beach. A large crowd cheering him off.

Peggy Noonan in a column last week in the Wall Street Journal asked this question regarding Hillary Clinton…..Is her victory inevitable or impossible? Food for thought.

Years ago, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window came out. Starred Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart.

Kelly took a silk negligee out of a briefcase. Or what I thought at the time was a brief case. I still do.

The brief case has been reproduced and is on sale. Referred to as an “overnight case.” Cost, $3,995. Someone has to be crazy out there!

Congress and the Patriot Act. What will be, will be. Personally, I think certain provisions should not be renewed. Senator Rand Paul has it correct. During debate, he said…..This is a debate over your right to be left alone.

Back to the treadmill at 11 this morning. The anti-gravity treadmill. I plan on going slow.

Today is Ally’s birthday. I think 10. Happy birthday Ally! Tonight, dinner and cake with the family.

Enjoy your day!

GIVE ME A BREAK!

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I am a political freak. No question about it. I love politics!

Not all aspects, however.

Hillary announced yesterday. Several Republicans announced before her. Rubio announces today.

Hillary’s announcement was 575 days before the election. A year and a half. For that period of time, you and I are going to be bombarded with political reporting, bickering, polls, etc. Most, if not all, of little value till September 2016.

As the campaign progresses, I will feel like I am getting beat up. The same thing day in and day out.

575 days are not required to let us know what which each candidate stands for. I do not want to live with Hillary or any other politician for 575 days!

My solution is twofold: Public financing and strict time limits for Presidential elections. Such will remove the big dollars of corporations and the rich thereby guaranteeing the people will be heard. Time wise, elections should be no more than 2-3 months. Start September 1, for example.

I may write re this issue in a future KONK column. I need to do some research first. I suspect it has been tried elsewhere.

Spent a good chunk of yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Iceland Jails Bankers, etc. Interesting. Iceland’s successful battle against greedy banks yesterday and today.

I was able to get out later in the afternoon. Took my tablet and went over to Salute’s. Sat outside in the shade and continued reading Elizabeth Warren’s A Fighting Chance. With an occasional peek at the bikini clad ladies, of course.

Tonight should be interesting. I am going to my first ACLU meeting. Not to join. To listen. At the Florida Key’s annual Town Hall Meeting.

I decided to go when I saw the program is chaired by my friend Michael Shields. An excellent writer. A liberal at heart.

Two items on the agenda. Police policy in Paradise. The other, treatment of minorities and the disadvantaged. Should be interesting. More interesting for me. My first formal town hall meeting.

Terri White sings for Key West tuesday night. At the Waterfront. Try to attend. You will never hear better.

The bocce rankings came out yesterday. We fell from 2nd to a tie for 3rd. Not bad considering we lost 3 games thursday night. This thursday, we play the team tied with us for 3rd place. Nothing easy at this stage of the season!

Enjoy your day!