LABOR DAY

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Unions are not what they used to be. Even the mighty fall. In the last 30 years, the power of organized labor has diminished. Perhaps properly so. Labor had gotten too big for its britches.

As the power of labor has become less, management/corporate power has increased. Too much so. A contributing factor being that labor’s power is not sufficient to counteract management.

The pendulum must swing back. To a middle ground.

Having said all that, it surprises me that Labor Day continues to be a popular holiday. There still are parades all over the country. Generally followed by parties.

The parades and parties are not by accident. Back in the 1880s when a holiday for labor was being suggested, the first outline for the proposed holiday specified street parades followed by festivals.

The first public parade took place in New York City in 1887. President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894. The purpose was of to honor the American labor movement and the contributions made by workers.

It appears Key West is not having a parade today. I could not find one scheduled. Sad, if such is the case. We celebrate everything in Key West. Why omit labor? Especially since most of Key West is made up of labor.

I spent considerable time yesterday writing next week’s KONK Life column. Tennessee Williams…..A Love. My motivation was the response I received to the recent column I wrote concerning Hemingway. Hemingway…..His First Love.

Everyone has loves in their lives. Some more than one. Prime examples being Hemingway and Williams. I hope the Williams story is enjoyed as much as the Hemingway one was. Each written from a different perspective.

Now comes Grace. A new hurricane forming off the coast of Africa. Key West is paying no attention to it. Too far away. Plus, the projections tell us worry not.

Womenfest begins in a few days. Womenfest Key West 2015. Lesbians and their friends converge in droves on Key West for a week of fun and frolic. The town jumps!

I read somewhere recently that there are 26 million blogs in the United States. Impressive!

Almost forgot! Tonight, Larry Smith performs! At 8. The Little Room Jazz Club on Duval. Across from Vinos. Join me for what I am sure will be a fun evening.

Enjoy Labor Day!

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

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Strange how things worked out yesterday.

I was working on a Tennessee Williams column for this week’s KONK Life. Tough to research. A lot of detail. Verification difficult and time consuming. Finally decided I could not get everything done in time to write the column today.

Went to an easier topic to research. Gertrude Bell. Bell was the female Lawrence of Arabia. She is the one who initially screwed up Iraq by having it carved out as it is. Probably more responsible than Bush 2 for what is transpiring in Iraq and the Middle East today.

When I finished researching Gertrude Bell, I had this compulsion to get back to Tennessee Williams. I did. Though it took a while, I finally had it researched. Ergo, I will be going this week with Tennessee Williams…..A Love. Gertrude Bell is on the shelf for another day.

The Tennessee Williams piece involves his relationship of 14 years with Frank Merlo. A good portion of those 14 years were spent here in Key West at 1431 Duncan Street.

Tennessee Williams and Gertrude Bell ate up much of my saturday. I was too tired to go out last night. Watched some college football and old movies on TV instead.

Oreos have been a part of my life. Love them! Hard not to eat a whole package once I get started. Many have commented over the years how difficult it was for them to stop enjoying Oreos once started. So I wrote about the new Oreo Thins yesterday.

I hit a sensitive spot. I was correct. Oreos are important to many. Received a large number of comments. All not favorable to Thins. Even those who had not yet tried them. Double sugar filling was the cry!

Buffalo’s Tom Dixon wrote. A die hard Syracuse fan, also. He advised that the freshman Syracuse quarterback was Eric Dungey. Son of Tony Dungey, former coach for Tampa Bay and Indianapolis.

Tom also suggested I not get excited. One game does not make a season. He is correct. However, hope springs eternal. We have waited so long.

There is a new video on the internet. Released today. Covers a Paris riot that occurred in July involving immigrants. Take a look. Interesting.

The Eurounion position of we must help is admirable and proper. However, the numbers coming in are so great, they may not be up to the task.

There is a school of thought that suggests some of the refugees are precursor North African and Middle East muslims intent on creating an Islamic Army to conquer Europe. Their goal to open new Islamic territories.

Don’t think me crazy. There is a world wide movement afoot by muslims to accomplish such goals. Keep ISIS, al Qaeda, and 9/11 in mind. These people are smart and compelled.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend!

 

OREOS

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I write about important things. Today, Oreos. Specifically, the new Oreo Thins.

Oreos. That amazing cookie! Everyone loves Oreos! Delicious chocolate hard cake on the outside. Sweet thick white sugar inside.

Oreos recently came out with Oreo Thins. Saw it advertised on TV. Decided to buy a package. Thought I could get the same pleasure with only half the calories.

I was correct as to the calories. Wrong as to the pleasure. There was no pleasure. It tasted nothing like the Oreos I have known for years. The thin white inside taste was barely discernible. The thin chocolate wafers heavy in taste. It was as if I were eating a chocolate cookie.

Do not even try Oreo Thins. A waste of time and pleasure. It would surprise me if they were still be on the shelves in six months.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Then a bit of banking. Followed by lunch at the Marriott Beachside Beach Bar. I enjoyed my time there earlier in the week.

I was looking forward to chatting with Simon, the bartender. No Simon. Must have been his day off. No loss, however. I enjoyed the view, a cheeseburger and read the newspapers.

For whatever reason, I was tired. Went home to bed. Slept all afternoon.

Last night began with the Chart Room. I was hoping to run into Bob Dennard. Emily bartending. Her eyes much better.

Chatted with some tourists and snowbirds till Bob showed up.

Spent an interesting hour with Bob. He is much traveled. Writes about places he has visited. Especially, Asia.

Dinner was alone at the Hot Tin Roof bar. Chatted with Joseph. The place was filled by the time I left.

I understand La Te Da is entirely closed down for the month of September. Not uncommon. Many establishments close for September. The hottest month of the year and the fewest visitors.

My head is hung in shame. I knocked Syracuse’s football team yesterday. They played their first game last night against Rhode Island.

I should not have. Syracuse beat Rhode Island 47-0. A score from days of old. Unfortunately, starting quarterback Terrel Hunt hurt his ankle in the first quarter. He may not be able to play the rest of the season. A freshman, whose name escapes me, played the rest of the game. He obviously did well.

My KONK Life column Private Prisons was published this morning on E-Blast. Someone screwed up in printing the title. PRISON became PRISON’S. Nothing I can do at this point. Add it to what some perceive as my grammatically incorrect writings.

I have to write my KONK column for next week. Decided on a certain phase of Tennessee Williams’ life. He called Key West home for well over thirty years. My research not complete. There are certain facts I have to verify. Impossible for me to write the column today.

At this moment on saturday morning, I have no idea what the subject matter will be of the column I am to write this afternoon.

Enjoy your day!

WE WON!

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I called it wrong. I was sure we were going to lose last night. We did not. God was good! We won 2 out of 3 games. Against the #1 team for most of the past 10 years.

I am glad I was wrong. Me of little faith!

We lost the first game. We were down 11-3. Came back. Lost by one point 16-15. The next two we won. By two or 3 points each game.

It took forever to play. We were the last to finish. Everyone was done and had gone home. It was a point at a time. Both sides grinding it out.

My day began with a haircut yesterday. Lori has been cutting my hair for 15 years. We have become friends.

Then it was Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. I had 1 1/2 hours to kill before a manicure appointment. The time was some of the best I have spent recently.

Bob Dennard came up to me and said…..You’re Key West Lou! After acknowledging my existence, Bob said he was in Key West for a few days and had been looking for me. The Chart Room evenings and the Cuban Coffee Queen at lunch time.

We finally met! Bob, one great  guy!

We could have talked all afternoon, but I had to get to Tammy’s for my manicure.

Bob presently from Fort Walton Beach. Started off in California. A career service man now retired. Widowed. Sixty four.

He has written five books. I was impressed! Two historical in hard back covers. The other three involving cruising. One of the cruise books centers in southeast Asia where Bob was stationed.

He writes a blog. kokoman.com. Not every day. Once a week, once a month. Whenever the mood strikes.

In addition to searching me out, Bob is researching to write a book about the Chart Room. I shared with him whatever I knew.

No question, we are going to meet again. Hopefully over the weekend.

Got to Tammy’s just in time. I keep repeating. She and husband Ricky personify the American dream. Tammy was born in Vietnam. Ricky in the U.S. Both work 6-7 days a week, 8 in the morning till 8-9 in the evening. No complaints. Expect nothing from anyone. Do for themselves.

Overseas Market is being remodeled. Cosmetically. New trees, new signs, things of that nature.

I remember when the site of Overseas Market was nothing but  a large empty field. The shopping center was built in 1992. I started coming to Key West in 1989. Those early years, there was no Overseas Market.

I recall an update some years later. The whole shopping center was repainted. My recollection is the original color was some shade of pink. The new color yellow.

Time moves on.

This week’s KONK Life column Private Prisons was linked this morning to my Key West Lou website. keywestlou.com.

I have been critical of the judicial system in recent years. I feel a special entitlement as I spent my life as a lawyer. My faith in the system has been restored a bit by two very recent decisions. The Tom Brady one and the Kentucky clerk Kim Davis who refused to marry same sex couples. Both decisions correct based on the issues involved. Right on. Additionally, both courts went no further than required.

I am sick of hearing Trump and further sick of hearing about Hillary’s e-mails. Neither speak to the issues. We are not being told where each stands. I blame the media. We are not being educated as to their respective positions.

College football! Syracuse plays Rhode Island tonight.

How the mighty fall! Syracuse has not fielded a good football team in way too many years. We would never have scheduled a Rhode Island in days of old.

Further discouraging is that in the friday spreads in the newspaper, the Syracuse/Rhode Island game is not even mentioned.

Whatever, go Orange! Loyalty never diminishes.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

CLAYTON AND VALERIE

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Two outstanding Key West personalities are Clayton and Valerie. Husband and wife. Liked by all.

Hard workers. Visionaries. Not afraid to dream. Never fearful of trying.

Five years ago yesterday, Clayton and Valerie opened Vinos on Duval. Mid Duval. 810 Duval to be specific. After much aggravation with the City over building permits. A story unto itself.

They have worked hard. Vinos on Duval is a success. Unquestionably.

Success is a motivation in and of itself. Clayton and Valerie have opened two additional Vinos. In major venues. One in coconut Grove and the other on Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale.

My congratulations to them.

I rarely stop into Vinos. Sadly so. I do not drink wine. I am strictly a gin drinker. I do not enjoy sipping a Diet Pepsi while everyone else is getting on a buzz.

I enjoyed a couple of drinks at the outside bar at Aqua’s last night with Mark Watson. Met Carl and Stacey. Nice people. Key Westers through and through. Enjoyed my conversation with Carl.

I have become a recent fan of Latitudes on Sunset Key. A five minute boat ride from Key West to Sunset Key where Latitudes is located. The island additionally has a resort called Sunset Key Cottages. Part of the Westin operation.

Diane Schmidt is General Manager of the entire Westin operation which includes Sunset Key Cottages. A professional in every respect.

Sunset Key Cottages is also a Luxury Collection Resort.

Sunset Key Cottages was recently named the #1 resort in the continental United States and #8 worldwide by Travel and Leisure magazine. Quite a distinction. Congrats to Diane and her highly qualified staff.

Yesterday was the 80th anniversary of the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. A big one! A category 5! Terrible! Winds 200 miles per hour, tides 18-20 feet, just under 400 people killed.

You never know.

Supermarket carts seem to find their way all over the island. The supermarkets losing money. They have come up with a solution.

Some kind of modern day item has been implanted in carts being constructed today. The carts immediately and abruptly become inoperable when pushed past the perimeter of the parking lot. Locally, Publix at Sears has them.

The supermarket cry…..Leave my carts alone!

Bocce tonight. A tough match. We play Hell’s Rangers. They are hell!

Hell’s Rangers generally ends the season #1. They lose anywhere from 0-2 games. Impressive!

They are tied for #1 this season. Their record 6-0. We are tied for second. Our record 5-1. Records at this time mean nothing. Too early in  the season. All I know is that tonight we will have our hands full! One win would be a victory. Two, off the wall.

Yesterday’s blog affected many. The comments were overwhelming. The two issues that did it were Planned Parenthood and cannolis. One stormy, the other pleasant.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

CANNOLI

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A sweet start to the morning. Cannoli.

Roostica has become my tuesday evening dining spot. Roostica basically around the corner. I do not like to travel far from home before my blog talk radio show.

I desired a sweet after dinner. Unusual for me. Amanda suggested cannoli. It has been years since I enjoyed cannoli. I decided to go for it!

Absolutely delicious! Shell crisp, filling a soft chocolate. Told Amanda that when I was a little boy, I used to help my mother make cannolis.

Pre-school. Three to 5 at the time. We lived third floor front. I mention the location of the family abode to assis in visualizing. Top floor. Boiling hot in the summer. Roof flat.

We were Italians. My mother born in Italy. My father here of Italian born parents. My mother cooked Italian. What had been brought over from the old country.

My mother made cannolis. I helped her. A big deal for me at the time!

I remember the dough making. I was permitted to roll some. Then the round sticks around which the dough was wrapped. Sort of like a hot dog. A bit shorter and thicker. Technical name for the round wood sticks dowel rods. Solid and cylindrical.

The rods were easy to pull out after the cooked dough had cooled and crisped.

Then came the filling. I was allowed to help filling the shells. Ricotta. Sweetened ricotta. Then to the ice box for cooling. Note, not refrigerator. The ice man came every two days with a large block of ice. When ready to be eaten, the cannolis were sprinkled with confectionery sugar.

Delicious to eat! Great taste!

Cannolis are not Italian by nature. Their ethnicity Arab. The Muslims controlled and administered Sicily from 831 AD to 1072 AD. They brought cannolis to Italy. The Italians took to the dessert and it spread the length of Italy.

The Arabs considered the cannoli a fertility symbol. Perhaps because the cannoli was first made/discovered in a harem in some Arab country.

Amanda is now six months pregnant. She excitedly showed me an ultrasound imaging picture of her son. He is growing. Amanda is growing. No question she is pregnant. Beaming also!

My blog talk radio show last night. My show controversial. Some comment afterwards. Especially those not agreeing with me.

One of the topics last night was Planned Parenthood. Recent videos have revealed that fully intact aborted babies were being sold. Along with fetus tissue and body parts. A fully intact aborted baby has to be 7-9 months.

I took the position on the show that Planned Parenthood was wrong, that the entire situation was SICK!

A loyal blog talk show listener is a mature woman living in Ithaca, NY. She follows me religiously. Reads also my blog and KONK Life columns. As you will read, she definitely disagreed with me.

I quote…..”I’ll tell you what’s sick–you and your ridiculous gullibility as to the Planned Parenthood fraudulent accusations. I’ve turned off konk radio–I can’t take it anymore.”

I have commented previously re Planned Parenthood and the selling of fetus cells and body parts. The reaction by women has been ten fold. A woman I know well in Key West stopped me on the street, looked me directly in the eye, and in an agitated firm tone said…..Stop picking on Planned Parenthood!

The situation was revealed some 2-3 months ago. Planned Parenthood says they have done nothing wrong in selling aborted parts or now the whole of aborted babies nor selling for a fee. The matter is now in the courts, before Congress and certain State legislative bodies.

This year’s Fantasy Fest parade and Halloween fall on the same evening. Certain City Commissioners wanted Halloween moved from October 31 to November 1 to accommodate the parade and purportedly protect the children. A vote was taken last night. It failed. Both will be held the same evening.

I do not see it as a problem. Most kids do not watch the parade. Trick or treating is done in neighborhoods and not on Duval.

I look forward to today. My screw off day after four consecutive days of research and writing.

Enjoy your day!

SHEILA CULLEN

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Sheila Cullen is part of the Chart Room round table. The place where several of us resolve Key West and world problems several nights a week.

Sheila is on the staff of the Key West Citizen. One of her responsibilities is the Citizens’ Voice column which appears daily on page 2. It is the place where readers can give vent to that which is aggravating them. Some comments are favorable and laudatory, though a rarity.

The comments sent in for Citizens’ Voice publication are numerous. Too many for all to be printed. Sheila’s job is to read all and decide which are to be published. She tries to do a good job. Actually, she does. So many letters and so little space.

One thing Sheila is proud of his her fair and balanced approach. If there are two sides to a story, she endeavors to publish both.

One of the comments this morning was right on…..Politicians are like baby diapers, they need to be changed often and for the same reason.

A perfect choice, Sheila!

This is a Key West Citizen morning. Bottom right hand corner of the comic page carries The World Almanac. Things that occurred this date in time. One of the items involves birthdays of the famous, dead or alive.

This morning Engelbert Humperdinck was listed. His years 1854-1921. Could not be! I know Engelbert Humperdinck. A singer of international fame back in my days. The 1960s and 1970s. Must be a mistake, I thought.

It was not. Turns out the Engelbert Humperdinck listed was for real. He was a famous German composer. Including operas. One of his most famous Hansel and Gretel.

The more recent Engelbert Humperdinck was and still is an English pop singer. His real name and the name he initially performed under was Arnold George Dorsey. His manager said Arnold needed a new name. So he took the original Engelbert Humperdinck’s.

Both men successes. Both big time during their respective eras.

I started my yesterday on the anti-gravity treadmill. The best thing I have done exercise wise in years. I go a bit faster each day.

Then to the Marriott Beachside Beach Bar for lunch and the newspapers. Simon bartending. Originally from Poland, he has resided in Key West 11 years.

Simon likes to travel. He does it as often as possible. His goal is to see the world. He returned two weeks ago from Hawaii.

I spent the afternoon preparing for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Interesting topics. Most, revealing.

Topics include Congress failing to fund the U.S. Navy sufficiently so that we are now way behind China and Russia in naval vessels, the Eurounion willing to pay African countries 1 billion euros each to take back immigrants, a new study bolstering the bad effects of Roundup, food stamp use dramatically on the rise under Obama, a one month old new Middle East war the American media fails to report, Illinois not having the money to pay a $250,000 lottery winner, and more.

Join me at 9 my time for a fast moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Last night, the Chart Room first. Sheila Cullen, Jean Thornton and I the round table group. Met Dan. He is the new political cartoonist for KONK Life.

Jean and I had dinner at the bar at Hot Tin Roof. It has been a while since we dined together. A most charming woman. Found gold and emeralds when diving with Mel Fisher years ago. Has not worked since. Enjoys life.

Obama in Alaska today. A global warming trip. The issue needs to be emphasized and I am glad Obama is doing it.

The President announced yesterday that Alaska’s Mt. McKinley was being renamed. to Denali. Republicans are up in arms. Let me share the facts and you make up your mind.

Mt. McKinley is the highest mountain in North America. When McKinley was running for President back in the late 1890s, the mountain was named after him. A political move. McKinley never visited the mountain before, at the time or thereafter.

The people of Alaska have historically referred to the mountain as Denali. The High One, The Great One. In 1975, Alaska by law renamed McKinley Denali. The people of Alaska preferred it that way.

Sounds to me like an ok judgment by the President.

Enjoy your day!

POST ERIKA

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Sorry to feature Erika three consecutive days. However when you live on a sub-tropical island subject to all kinds of tropical storms, weather is all important.

No more Erika after today. I promise.

Key West was supposed to experience heavy rain and winds yesterday. Can’t always trust the weather man. There was a heavy rainstorm for about 10 minutes in the morning. That was it. Gray all day. Minimal wind. No more rain.

I stayed in and lounged around all day. I did not want to be somewhere with streets flooded and I would find it difficult to get back home.

It appears it did not rain during the evening. The sun is breaking out this morning,.

Two banks of clouds. A white one on top. A gray one below. An hour ago, the white ones were moving south and the gray north. Just now, both moving north. Direction important. Most adverse weather comes from the north. Rarely from the south. Yesterday and today so far, most items moving south to north. The remnants of Erika.

Fred is still off the coast of Africa. Over the Cape Verde Islands. A category 1 already. Expected not to make the U.S. Anticipated it will peter out somewhere over the Atlantic.

We shall see. Wind is fickle.

Part of yesterday was spent composing this week’s KONK Life column. Private Prisons. Publishes wednesday.

Interesting material. The column covers prison slave labor as constitutionally protected by specific words in the 13th Amendment. The observation that private prisons are proving not to be financially feasible for governmental agencies. Wall Street investing heavily in private prisons.

Corruption. A judge recently sentenced to 28 years because he took $1 million in bribes to send over a five year period 2,000 plus youngsters to private detention centers. The 2,000 plus young people did not commit anything warranting detention time.

Gene Thornton wrote a comment to yesterday’s blog re American Pharoah. Note, not Jean Thornton. Gene Thornton.

I used to enjoy Saratoga when I lived up north. I enjoyed betting at the track. Generally losing. The cost to watch beautiful horses run.

Gene gave me an education. I thought when a horse was put out to stud, he wandered around grass fields having fun impregnating female horses. I was wrong.

What I learned. Gestation period for a mare is 11 months. Most mating takes place in February. Mating takes place in a special stall inside, not outside in the fields. There was wisdom in continuing to run American Pharoah after his Triple Crown victories. American Pharoah should be run through the Breeders Cup late in October.

I would repeat the comment in its entirely. However, it is too long. If you wish to read it, it can be found under Comments following yesterday’s blog on WordPress.

Thank you, Gene Thornton.

We are into lobster season. Eighty percent of the spiny lobsters caught in the Keys are shipped to China and other Asian markets. Big business!

This morning’s Key West Citizen in The World Almanac section published its quote of the day. William Sayoran in one of his writings said, “Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success…”

True. From my experience. I have always maintained that you have to be a loser before you can be a winner. Winning is a learning process. We learn from our mistakes. So it was in my life.

Enjoy your day!

GOODBYE ERIKA…..HELLO FRED

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Erika fizzled out over Cuba. No hurricane problem now for Key West. Some heavy rain and 40 mph wind gusts for two days.

We can use the rain.

One potential hurricane leaves and another enters. Fred the name of this one. Now off the coast of Africa. Where most hurricanes have their start. It will be at least 10 days before we know if Fred is going to be a problem.

The media tends to hype things. Especially the Weather Channel this morning. Makes the rain sound like a big problem.

The Weather Channel just showed a live video of Miami and the rain they were having. Heavy. Windy. Impressive. Bone dry here in Key West. We are 150 miles south of Miami.

Tavern ‘n Town’s Judy told me last night she left Key West for the first few hurricanes when she first was here. Even her furniture went with her. Nothing happened. Finally got disgusted and decided to stay for Wilma. Judy, her furniture and car, took a beating.

Spent most of yesterday researching this week’s KONK Life column. I will be writing it today. An interesting topic. Private prisons. Involved is bribery corruption involving a judge who was sentenced to 28 years, a slavery exception to the 13th amendment, chain gangs, and Wall Street banks. Publishes Wednesday.

Tavern ‘n Town last night. Bobby Nesbitt entertaining.. Bobby recently returned from a cruise gig. He leaves for Germany soon for his annual one month entertainment spree there. Including Oktoberfest.

Met Liz from Boston. Was in Miami for a business meeting. Shot down to Key West for a couple of days of fun and relaxation. Her third time here. Always stays at the Marriott Beachside. Charming. Enjoyed my time with her at the bar.

Tavern ‘n Town has two hostesses. Both beautiful. Ludmila and Moldova. Ludmilla new to the team. Every guest is greeted with a smile. All assistance provided.

The highlight of the evening involved Food & Beverage Director Dave Talpasz. Soft spoken. Unassuming. He runs an excellent shop.

Dave has been recognized for his fine work. He is the Restauranteur of the Year for all American Marriotts. Includes North and South America. I am thrilled for him. The recognition well deserved based on how he manages his responsibilities at the Marrott Beachside..

There was a large picture sitting on an easel at the entrance to Tavern ‘n Town. In it are Dave and my friend Robert Spottswood. The Marriott and the Spottswood Companies jointly operate the Marriott Beachside. The picture announces Dave’s recognition by the Marriott chain.

American Pharoah suffered his first defeat yesterday in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. American Pharoah was the Triple Crown winner this year.

American Pharoah got cheated. His owner should have put him out to stud after the Triple Crown victories. Instead, he got greedy. Ran him in additional races. I assume to make more money.

This morning’s news has the owner now thinking that perhaps he had gone too far. Whatever, get American Pharoah in fields of green where he can spend the rest of his days in the company of female counterparts.

Owen Labrie is the young man convicted of sex charges with a 15 year old girl. Owen a senior at a private school. He was to enter Harvard next month.

I will not bore you with the details of the sex activities. You all know. The media covered this story 110 percent. I do have an observation, however. Things have changed. When I was a high school senior back in the early 1950s, actual sex was an unattainable dream. The best a young man could hope for was to touch a girl’s breast. Outside her clothes!

Maduro is the inept President of Venezuela. First his people ran out of toilet paper. Then food. Both continue in short supply.

Immigrants are pouring over the border from Columbia to Venezuela to escape the drug wars. Maduro is pulling at his hair trying to figure out how to feed them and provide them with toilet paper.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

ERIKA…..YES OR NO

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In yesterday’s blog, I advised I was going to start getting ready for Erika. Buy some things needed when shut up in your home. Without electric power,.

I never did it.

Two hours after publishing the blog, TV reported  Erika would probably dissipate after Hispaniola. The mountains of Hispaniola would break up an already weak hurricane.

This morning, the weather channel says such probably is the case. However. the weakened Erika might gain power from warm air in the Caribbean and turn into a powerful hurricane aimed directly at Key West and Florida. Or, Erika might go left into the Gulf and avoid the Keys.

Whatever, I know we are going to get a lot of rain. Which is much needed.

Am I going to get ready? I don’t know, have not made up my mind.

Did the anti-gravity treadmill in the morning. I am steadily increasing the speed. Lots of sweat.

Rain is strange in the Keys. It did not rain all afternoon in Key Haven. When I went out last night, everything bone dry for 1.5 miles. When I reached the golf course on US 1, it was obvious it had rained. Big time! The golf course is again only 1.5 miles away. Rain storms amazing in the Keys!

Lunched at Roostica. I have been going frequently for lunch. Why, easy. Quality food at a cheap price. Plus, the air conditioning. It is too humid to eat outside.

Yesterday, it was fried eggplant with tomato, prosciutto and mozzarella. Covered in a red sauce. Outstanding! The eggplant similar to how my grandmother prepared it. Salad, besides. $9.95.

The Chart Room first last night. Wanted to check on Emily. She had been out of work two weeks with an eye problem. She is on the mend.

Then to Hot Tin Roof. Jenna to meet me.

We enjoyed a great meal and equally great conversation. Love the girl! Wish I was 50 years younger!

Trump. I am getting sick of Trump. Are you? He is blocking out the other candidates and issue discussion. The man is a mental case. A successful economic one.

What bothers me is the people who support him. Most everyone! Even those whose intelligence I respect. He has captured the minds of many Americans.

Thomas Friedman in a recent column described Trump as a Pied Piper. I agree. Most following him. To an inevitable destruction if the march continues.

Friedman says Trump leads by dividing and frightening. He has a point.

What really hits home is Friedman’s observation that Trump spews up a Joe McCarthy. Correct, again. I recall McCarthy and the eventual harm he caused till stopped.

There is a little town on the Italian Riviera between Camogli and Portofino called St. Margarita. Anna just telephoned me from the beach there. She said the Camogli beaches are crowded so she went to St. Margarita’s tiny and less congested cove to swim and sun bathe. A two euro train ride.

Enjoy your day!