GIBRALTAR OF THE SOUTH

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There was a time and a man who viewed Key West as the Gibraltar of the South. It was the mid 1930s. The man, Julius Stone.

The 1930s was depression time across the United States. Key West especially hard hit. It was the end of the world. Hard to get to. Little business. No work. Monroe County had filed for bankruptcy.

Julius Stone was the WPA administrator for the State of Florida. He considered things so bad in Key West, that he opened a WPA office there. Only the second in the State.

Stone saw tourism as the way for Key West to improve its economy. He was a precursor. He saw what men like David Wolkowsky would envision in later years.

One of his efforts to improve quality of life in Key West was to have a play locally produced. The Pirates of Penzance.

The historical goodies I share with you I did not find. Credit belongs to snowbird Diana Millikan. Diana is writing a play about Julius Stone and The Pirates of Penzance endeavor. She keeps me informed.

Diana has discovered a rich source of information. The Kennedy Cafe mornings. Elderly conchs meet every morning for coffee and talk. A breakfast club of sorts.

Diana says it is like pulling teeth to get information out of them. She is succeeding, however. A step at a time.

She met Jesse. A woman in her 90s. Her married name she was not able to get. However, her maiden name was forthcoming. Watkins.

Jesse was in attendance at the play on February 19, 1935. She recalled the event vividly. She said George Wills was the leading man. Handsome.

She attended the play with her two older sisters. Diana reported one of the sisters became President of a local bank. Sounds strange for the times. It might have been the woman’s husband.

The write up in the newspaper the next day listed a Mrs. Joseph Cates as seamstress. Diana is trying to find out if the 1935 Cates is a relative of today’s Mayor Cates.

Burt Lancaster was one of America’s great actors. He died at 80 this date in 1994. Lancaster and Key West touched two times.

Lancaster’s first movie was The Killers. The movie was based on Ernest Hemingway’s short story of the same name.

He actually filmed a movie in Key West. The Rose Tattoo. The movie was based on Tennessee William’s play of the same name. The movie was filmed in a house on Duncan Street. Williams lived on one corner of the block and The Rose Tattoo house was on the other.

The Cannonball Run is coming through Key West saturday. Will be on Duval and Front Streets around 3.

The Cannonball is composed of a group of men who own special cars. They like to drive them on strange roads in strange places. Duval not one of those places. However Key West not the destination. The group is headed for Havana, Cuba.

I have a neighbor down the street who participates. He is on in years. The Run is one of the more important events in his live. He has a 1906 or 1914 Rolls Royce. In tip top shape. When last I spoke with him, he had just returned from a run in New Zealand. The cars at some point are shipped to the final destination.

Screwworms on the move. No longer just on Big Pine and No Name Key. Have expanded into Big Torch Key, Middle Torch Key, Little Torch Key, Cudjoe, Ramrod and Summerland Keys. Flies have been found in each place.

The last time there was a screwworm infestation was 30 years ago. Things have become sufficiently bad that the State of Florida has declared a State of Emergency exists.

Tammy for a manicure/pedicure yesterday. Ran into Kate Miano who was getting a pedicure.

Kate is one of Key West’s most dynamic women. Owner of The Gardens. Note that Sunday at the Gardens has opened. Sundays from 5-7. Great music. Good drinks. Excellent company. Mostly locals.

The Judy Wood memorial celebration this evening from 5-7 at Tavern ‘n Town. Sad. Her death continues to bother me. And I did not know her well. Only from the bar.

Afterwards, I shall be off to bocce to watch Don’s Place play. Numero Uno!

Goombay tomorrow night!

The third and final Presidential debate was last night. Trump consistent. An ass. Hillary handled herself well.

Enjoy your day!

 

QUEEN MOTHER PAGEANT

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A fun filled evening last night! Thanks to Kate Miano.

I was sitting at the bar at Aqua enjoying the bartenders singing when Kate appeared at my elbow. She must have seen me from the street. I was sitting near the open doors.

She asked me to join her table at 8 for the Queen Mother Pageant. I told her I would be pleased to meet her for the event.

I have enjoyed the Queen Mother Pageant off and on for many years. Last night was the 33rd Annual Queen Mother Pageant. None as much fun as doing it with Kate. Her charm and enthusiasm captivates.

Queen Mother candidates are men in drag. Men such as you have never seen. Absolutely beautiful! Knockouts! All looked like women. Not one indication of masculinity.

I enjoyed the evening and thank Kate for inviting me.

Aqua bartenders singing is a regular monday cocktail hour event. I stopped not only to enjoy the singing. I hoped to run into David. He generally does monday’s at Aqua. No David.

I felt good yesterday.

Started the day at Body Owners on the anti-gravity treadmill. Continued the slow pace. I feel like I am an old man going slow. I am laughing with you.

Spent the afternoon researching for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Great topics. Like prison profiteers, Saudi Arabia funding Israeli’s Netanyahu’s rise to power, now a violation of Chinese law for a woman to eat a banana seductively.

Also, a Saudi video instructing husbands how to beat wives, major Maduro opponent assassinated, 1.8 million sign a petition to oust Maduro, Poland refusing to take in any further immigrants, thousands rally in Berlin in opposition to admitting more refugees, and more.

The show is at 9 my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me. Guaranteed you will enjoy.

I do not favor Trump for President. Clinton gives me concern, also. Not as much as Trump however.

I am confident the Democrats have researched Trump well. His closet has to be filled with embarrassing situations. His financial transactions. The man has money. He has to have lived a high and mighty life. Lots of women. Sex exploits..

Then, there are the four corporate bankruptcies, Trump University, plus I don’t know what else.

He lacks respect for people and things. Like women.

The man lacks character.

Bottom line. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Enjoy your day!

JIMMY OLSON

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My first stop last night was a first.

Jimmy Olson entertains thursday evenings at the Gardens. Inside. Sits at a baby grand, plays and sings. Impressive. His singing and the ambiance. I recommend the evening to you.

Guy de Boer made an appearance. Shooting pictures for KONK Life.

Kate Miano holding court outside. A lovely and pleasant woman always. Her company a pleasant experience.

There was a political gathering in the gardens around the pool. Met Andrew Korge. Husband, father, civic leader and now the Democrat candidate for State Senator. Korge hails from Miami. Involved in real estate.

Korge and I talked a bit. He espouses Democratic values. Something I like.

One admonition to Korge, don’t forget us in Key West because we are a small island far from the mainland. Some representatives have.

Dinner was at the bar at Michael’s. First time in a long time. I do not know why I do not go to Michael’s often. The place is first class in every regard.

Suzette bartending. Have known her for years. She never changes. Always lovely.

Big game tonight. Syracuse/Gonzaga. Sweet Sixteen. The game is at 9:40. Gonzaga a four point favorite.

I hope for two things. Syracuse wins. I stay awake to see the whole game.

Canastota is the onion  capital of the world. It is a small village lying between Utica and Syracuse. Four thousand residents.

Besides being the onion  capital, it has two other distinctions. It is the home of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and was the home of Carmen Basilio.

Basilio at one time was the welterweight and middleweight world boxing champion. He beat Sugar Ray Robinson for the middleweight championship. Robinson regained the championship in  a 15 round decision fight this day in 1958.

Basilio was the pride of central New York during his fighting years and thereafter.

Robinson’s mother lived in the Bronx. Around 232nd Street and Broadway. Robinson visited her often. His pink Cadillac convertible parked in front of her home.

I attended Manhattan College. Located at 242nd Street. Often on a walk, my friends and I would see Robinson’s car. A few times the Champion himself. Always a wave and smile and a hello guys.

How did the United States come to acquire Key West as its own? On this day in 1822, a Lt. Matthew Perry of the U.S.Navy planted an American flag on Key West. The action formally made Key West a property of the United States.

It is the little things in life that aggravate. Yesterday around noon, I received a telephone call from the Fraud Protection Bureau. Someone was using one of my cards. The card was automatically canceled.

I had to go to the bank to get a temporary card. While there, I was advised there appeared to be other improper charges.

Such is his life.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

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RUDENESS REIGNS

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Whatever I might say about bicyclists, etc., tourists generally have always been congenial, happy, easy to get along folk. Key West is kumbaya time. Tourists and locals alike enjoying.

This season is developing into an exception. Or, it might be a few rotten apples in the basket at the same time.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that the conversation among locals at the Chart Room one evening suggested tourists this year were rude. Not my experience as yet at the time.

Last week, I was at the round table with Sheila, Jean and several other friends. There was one empty seat. Sheila was saving it for a friend who was coming. An acceptable custom at the Chart Room.

A “gentleman” came over and asked if the chair was in use. He wanted to take it. Sheila told him she was saving it for a friend who was coming. He got mad and said something nasty. Sheila was immediately in his face. You don’t screw with Sheila!

Last night was my experience with rude impolite tourists.

Three in one night.

It started at the outside bar at La Te Da. I was having dinner. Tonto bartending. Some fellow walked up and stood near me. Before you knew it, he was berating me for being a Jew. Me and my people were the cause of world problems. Especially in the Middle East and Europe. Told me my kind did not belong in Key West.

He would not stop mouthing off.

Tonto looked at me as if to say do you want me to handle it. I nodded my head no. Figuring he would go away. He did. Too many minutes later. I had to put up with him for 15 minutes.

Ran into Kate Miano. She was having dinner at La Te Da in the outdoor dining area. Kate owns the Gardens Hotel. Always a pleasure to see her. One of the nicest and most charming persons in Key West.

After dinner, I went into the inside bar. Music playing. Someone singing. People dancing.

There were no seats available. No problem. Bar stools all taken. As were the tables.

Standing room only.

The only place to stand was between the bar and tables. An area that easily holds a dozen people standing.

One problem. If you are seated at the bar, the standers block your view of the dancers.

I did not design the room.

I stood in the standing area. Watching the dancers. Suddenly, I felt someone slap me on the back. Neither soft nor hard. In between. I turned around expecting it to be someone I knew. It was not. A bar seated lady asked me to move. She could not see. I did the best I could. However, there really was no place to move. I probably was able to move a foot to the side.

In seconds, I feel a finger in my back. It was the woman’s lady friend. She could not see. Arrogantly told me to move.

Enough was enough. I said if you wish to watch the dancing, I will gladly surrender my standing spot to you if you will give me your bar stool. And please, do not touch me again.

I got a dirty look. However, no more plodding, pushing and complaining by them.

I cannot recall in my 26 years of Key West ever running into any rude tourists. Some locals, yes. Last night it had to be three. Hope that is it for the season!

This week’s KONK Life hit the stands yesterday. My column titled Things That Concern Me. I wrote the column last sunday. One of the topics was wasteful military spending.

Read an article on the internet this morning covering the same issue. It was published yesterday. Titled: A Golden Age for Pentagon Waste. Perhaps military spending is on the verge of becoming an up front concern. I doubt it, however. Too much money involved and too many politicians getting fat.

Enjoy your day!

LONG WRITING DAY

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Yesterday was Sunday. Sunday is the day I write my KONK Life column.

I have wanted to write about the U.S. involvement in a war with Russia from 1917-1918. An interesting story. One few know about. The U.S. sent 13,000 troops.

The U.S. involvement was in a civil war. The Russian Civil War. The Reds/Whites battle.

We are involved in civil wars in the Middle East today. A lesson to be learned here. Ergo, I expanded the article to include civil wars and fighting wars to win. The Russian Civil War and today’s Middle East conflicts have much in common. Birds of a feather.

One problem. The longer the story, the longer it took to complete. Instead of finishing 3-4, I was at it till just after 6.

The time worth it. I was pleased with the final product. I hope you will be. The article publishes wednesday. The title: Stay Out of Civil Wars, Fight Wars To Win.

The extra time screwed up my sunday evening. I had intended to go to Kate Miano’s Gardens at 5. The sun broke late afternoon and it would have been perfect. There is always next week.

Rain. Heavy Rain. The last three days. Pours. Then stops. Only to return a couple of hours later.

The temperature is dropping also. The high today 71. 71 will be the highest all week. By weekend, the high will be down to 67. Long pants weather.

We have been lucky. December was terrific. We can handle a few weeks of cold.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff had a tongue in cheek comment in a recent article. Something to the effect that if Trump wins, he will rename the White House Trump Palace.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are at each other’s throats. These Middle East wars are civil wars. Based on religion. It is the Sunni/Shia battle which has been ongoing since just after the Prophet Muhammad’s death. The issue is which sect will lead the Muslims. Over 300 hundred years and still not resolved.

We are crazy to be involved. We should get out. We have been involved steadily in the Middle East in one fashion or another for fifteen years. Not our war!

Read an interesting comment somewhere this week. Cannot recall which publication. I read constantly. In any event, the comment was to the effect that Americans should not fight each other so much. We are not enemies but Americans first. We help ISIS when we destroy each other.

Enjoy your day!

LA TE DA HAS NEW BAR

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Key West is blessed with several excellent publications. One is Conch Color.

I was browsing Conch Color when I came across a La Te Da advertisement. A picture of La Te Da’s new inside bar. Beautiful!

I have not done a late night at La Te Da in months. Some night this week, I will. I am anxious to see what Christopher has accomplished.

My visit may be sad. I enjoyed the old bar for many years. Many memories.

Spent a long time yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Thought it was time for a change of pace. My writings have been on the serious side in recent weeks.

Decided on a sex topic. Wrote Sex Tales of Old. Stories involving Julius Caesar, Christopher Columbus, the early New England settlers, Ben Franklin, Pope Alexander VI, and Betsy Ross.

The column publishes wednesday.

Last night it was Kate Miano’s Gardens.

Kate present. She has not been recently. She was in France. Returned a few days ago. Still fighting jet lag.

Ran into Pati on the way in. We sat together and enjoyed Peter Diamond’s singing.

It was after six when I arrived. Dark. I could not see anyone. If I want to know who is there, I must arrive before the sun sets.

Stopped at Roostica on the way home. Sunday night dinner. Spaghetti with meatballs, sausage and pieces of pork. Covered in a thick red sauce.

Bobby calls it gravy. Some italians do. My people did not. In fact, I never heard sauce described as gravy till Bobby opened his Italian restaurant. I understand New Jersey Italians refer to sauce as gravy.

Bobby just returned from ten days in Rome.

Kate in France, Bobby in Rome. Key Westers know how to live!

Larry Smith entertains tonight at The Little Room Jazz Club. Larry Kripitz on the drums.

Read El Nino is going to cause south Florida aggravation this winter. The experts warn be ready for a wet and wild season. Happening because Pacific Ocean waters will be warmer than normal around the equator.

College student activity at Missouri U. and Kansas U. has resulted in much discussion. Concern, also.

Many have described the protestors as Fascists. For the manner in which they relate to those they oppose/do not agree with.

There was an interesting column in the Wall St. Journal this weekend. The writer discussed raising the voting age to 25. It is presently 21. His opinion was that students were not responsible to vote.

I disagree. I have disagreed also with the 21 voting age. My reason simple. If the under twenty ones can fight for their country such is sufficient reason to give 18 year olds the vote.

Kansas students have initiated a different approach. Instead of asking the school’s president to resign, they demanded that the top three officers in the Student Council resign. By friday. Their own people. Fellow students. If they fail to resign, they have been threatened with impeachment.

The crazies are getting younger and younger. I wonder how their grades are doing. The primary purpose of a university is education. Not displays of public wrath. Especially over bullshit issues.

This morning, I return to the anti-gravity treadmill. I missed all but one day last week. The machine was aggravating my ribs and left side. I still hurt. However, much less. I hope I experience no problems today. The treadmill has become a part of my every day life.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

IMPREGNATION COSTLY

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This morning’s Key West Citizen’s History section made brief mention of a 1993 court case where one dog owner sued another dog owner because his dog got pregnant. Cost the impregnating dog owner $2,567.50.

The bite sounded interesting. I researched it. Following is what I came up with.

Rocky is the male. A seven pound Chihuahua. Canella is the female. An eighty pound Rottweiler. Rocky a lover. Canella receptive to playing.

Rocky did it to Canella.

The dogs were neighbors. Rocky was fenced in. Canella leashed on her owner’s deck. Canella in heat.

Rocky was not to be denied. Somehow he got out of the fence and made it to Canella. The two then proceeded to have intercourse. Canella not objecting.

Picture little Rocky pumping away at Canella.

Canella’s owner saw what was happening. He rushed out and tried to pull them away. To no avail. Even hosed them.

An animal officer happened to be driving by. He saw it all. Photographed the scene because it was so funny. Little Rocky getting his.

Canella got pregnant.

Canella was pedigreed. Her owner wanted her to be impregnated by another pedigreed Rottweiler. Canella ended up carrying ten puppies by Rocky.

Rather than have her deliver, Canella was subjected to a hysterectomy. No viable puppies obviously. The hysterectomy left Canella sterile.

Canella’s owner sued. The judge awarded him $2,567.50. I am not sure for what specifically. Most likely, the cost of the hysterectomy. Perhaps that the owner would not have pedigreed Rottweilers to sell in the future.

I spent all of yesterday at home. Intentionally. A perfect day for it.

I researched this week’s KONK Life column. A change of pace article. The unknown sexually related exploits of historical figures. People like Julius Caesar, Christopher Columbus, and Betsy Ross.

I will write the column later today.

Watched Syracuse/Clemson in the late afternoon. A good game. Syracuse was always in the game till the final minutes. There was a chance. Hope was kept alive.

Syracuse lost 37-27.

The team played well again, in spite of losing. They played without #1 quarterback Eric Dungey who was out with a head injury from last week. Mahoney, #4 quarterback, lead the team and did a good job.

The game got screwed up early in the 4th quarter. Syracuse was penalized 45 yards in less than two minutes. This was after recovering the ball around mid field.

The third 15 yard penalty was because of the coach’s conduct. He went crazy regarding the second 15 yard penalty call. Gave Syracuse its third 15 yard loss.

Had none of this occurred, Syracuse might have won the game. There was the chance. The team still hung in. If my recollection is correct, Clemson was able to score as a result of the penalties.

Next year!

The game was followed by the Democratic Debate last night. I am a political junkie. Last night’s performance was unimpressive. I am getting bored with an appearing wild Sanders waving his arms and saying the same things. Hillary is no better. Her boiler plated responses have become boring. She is beginning to sound hollow. The third candidate reminds me of a cheerleader. One with a great smile.

Power boat races end today. Every thing is on the line.

The water is rough in front of my home. It will be rougher out where they will be racing.

An organization called SMART Kids rode their bicycles into Key West yesterday. Adults. Four hundred strong. A two day trip beginning in Miami. The purpose to raise money for AIDS.

I hope to get out later in the day. I am going to try Kate Miano’s Gardens again.

Bocce rankings in the paper. We still are in third place. Next week the last. We probably will end up third. Could be fourth. An outside chance it will be second place. Depends on who wins and loses their last three games Thursday.

Enjoy your Sunday!