HAPPY HUMP DAY

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I have been visiting Key West for over 25 years. Bought a home 17 years ago. Been a Florida resident 9 years.

Never heard the term hump day till my Key West days. Thought it meant that wednesday were set aside in the Keys for sex. How nice, I thought. It was only a few years ago when I mentioned the sex thing in this blog that I was made aware it represents the middle day of the week.

I do not recall hump days in upstate New York. I live and learn.

A happy hump day one and all!

Key West weather continues to be outstanding. Warm/humid every day. One problem. Insufficient rain for this time of year. July brings summer weather. Rain every day. Not long in duration, however consistent. Every day. No rain every day this July. We could use it. Otherwise, a problem.

I spent some time yesterday morning shopping for baby clothes on Duval. A gift package. Hard to find quality baby clothes in Key West. Several stores. Basically, all selling the same. Guess I will be going to the internet.

Lunched at the Cuban Coffee House. Ran into Bobby. He’s been in Key West longer than me. I first met him 25 years ago when I was visiting. The last time I saw him was five years ago at the Casa Marina for July 4th fireworks.

It was good running into him. He was going to Peter Diamond’s for a haircut. Peter’s barber shop is next to the Cuban Coffee House.

Yesterday afternoon  was spent researching a bit further for last night’s blog talk radio show. Then fine tuning the material.

Reaction to the show was as I expected. Post show comments indicate a furor with the recent revelation that Planned Parenthood has been selling the cells of aborted fetuses and actual body parts of partial born aborted fetuses. My KONK Life column this week is devoted to the abomination.

This week Key West celebrates Hemingway Days. 125 plus Hemingway look alikes in town. Another city is celebrating a similar event, except for Santa Claus. Copenhagen this week is holding its annual World Santa Claus Congress. More than 125 Santa Claus’ in attendance. Their purpose to study Santa Claus problems. This year the issue is too many cookies. The kids leave Santa so many cookies that Santa is gaining weight.

Today’s Hemingway Days events include Meet the Papas at Sloppy Joe’s at 5:30. The Key West Marlin Tournament kicks off. $50,000 in cash prizes. Last night was meet the Hemingway look alikes at Sloppy Joe’s. Key West is into Hemingway days!

There is a company on the internet called Car Decal Geek. Love the name! The company makes vinyl decals and stickers for cars. They have a section depicting Key West. Terrific! It’s all there! Everything!

Car Decal Geek is a Michigan based company. A growing company. Take a look at their website for some great decals.

Enjoy your day!

CUBA EMBASSY OPENS

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The anti-gravity treadmill has an attached TV screen. I have become addicted to The Price Is Right. Never watched the show before the treadmill. Yesterday, no Price Is Right. Instead, the available stations all carried the opening of the Cuba Embassy in Washington.

An impressive event. More so because of its significance. Another step closer in the U.S. relationship with our neighbor. I was moved the moment the Cuban and U.S. flags were raised simultaneously in front of the Embassy.

It is probably because Key West is only 90 miles from Cuba. I have a great interest in the renewal of the relationship. I wanted to write a blog marrying everyday Key West events with Cuba. I found a Cuban organization that was putting together a Cuban/U.S. blog. They only wanted Cubans or persons of Cuban extraction however. I continue looking.

Went from the treadmill to Roostica for lunch. Had a luncheon meeting. I continue to be impressed by the business Roostica does. Quality and prices have to be the main contributing factors.

Spent the afternoon researching tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. The show interesting once again. Not because of me. Rather due to events which occurred this past week. Like Warren Buffet buying a Greek island , China moving its ass, the hourly and daily cost of the Afghan war, the newest way to transport cocaine, Trump, examples of how banks control us, a United States of Europe, and more.

Join me for a quick moving half hour. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The Chart Room first last night. Only David and me. Then to the Hot Tin Roof for a bite to eat. Four “Chart Room regulars” at the bar. I have noticed recently a fall off of regulars at the Chart Room. For example, most are at the outside bar at the Galleon friday nights.

My imagination?

Today the start of Hemingway Days. Exhibits at the Custom House and Tennessee Williams.

Today special in another way. Today marks Hemingway’s birthday.

On July 20, 1985, Mel Fisher hit the Atocha mother lode. $400 million of gold, silver and emeralds. God bless America!

One of the two divers making the find was Andy Matroci. He is still alive and kicking. He lives on Eagle Street in Key West and captains the J.B. Magruder salvage boat.

The last day of the British Open exciting. Especially the four hole playoff. Zach Johnson the winner.

Johnson moving when interviewed afterwards. A humble religious man. Thirty nine, he was not ashamed to cry. He is a first class representative for professional golf.

I overslept. Have to move my ass. A haircut appointment with Lori.

Enjoy your day!

 

MAN ON THE MOON…..WOW!

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Today marks a remarkable event in history. The event being the most memorable of my life. Impacted me. Man on the Moon!

On this day in 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon. I was 34 at the time. It was late night. Around midnight. I was excited. A human walking on the moon. The thing science fiction movies were made of. Not reality. Yet, it was about to happen! Live on TV in front of my eyes.

My four children were all under 10 at the time. I woke and got them all out of bed to watch. I wanted to view this moment in history. It meant nothing to them. They were merely amusing their crazy Dad. To this day, when I ask if they recall watching the event on TV, none do.

I am now 80 and nothing has matched or exceeded Neil Armstrong walking on the moon.

Today has a special significance for Key West. Mel Fisher found the mother lode of the Atocha in 1985. Changed his life! His family’s life! Jean Thornton’s life!

I mentioned in yesterday’s blog that I had been researching Margaret Sanger for this week’s KONK Life column. As I dug further, it became obvious that the recent story re Planned Parenthood selling aborted fetus baby parts superseded it. Ergo, I wrote Planned Parenthood Sells Aborted Fetus Baby Parts. Margaret Sanger gets a paragraph near the end of the column. The article publishes wednesday in KONK Life.

I was half asleep watching the British Open when the phone rang. It was Dee. Hello, how are you, etc. It was close to dinner time. I asked if she wanted to meet me at Roostica. She said ok. Meet you there in an hour. Dee lives on Cudjoe Key.

A nice dinner. Dee good company most of the time. An intelligent woman, she is interesting to talk with. She has a doctorate in Psychology and teaches at Boston University.

Olga working. My new waitress friend. She gave me a beaming smile and wave as I walked in.

It was work day around the house yesterday. For Keith and Jennifer. Not me. Keith attacked the jungle outside my house. Everything grows swiftly in the heat. The trees, bushes, etc. need to be trimmed 1-2 times a year. Jennifer was cleaning up inside. Anna is in Poland vacationing for two months and Jennifer has been helping out in her absence.

Anna’s story similar to Tammy’s. She is another who has succeeded in achieving the American dream.

Anna and her husband immigrated from Poland many years ago. Today, her husband is the Chef at Cafe Sole, one of Key West’s top restaurants. Anna cleans homes. The job may not sound dignified. The money is. Anna is busy all the time.

They have their own home. They vacation two months with their children every two years in Poland.

I love Anna’s sundays. She refuses to work. She goes to St. Mary’s in the morning and spends the rest of the day at Fort Zachery Taylor Beach.

Hemingway Days begin tomorrow. Will run through sunday. I look forward to having a god time at certain events.

Anna e-mailed me. She is settled in on Amorgos. I envy her!

I have spent much time on Amorgos. Made many friends. I was the only American on Amorgos most of the time. People would stop by to meet me. I was an oddity. They had never met an American.

Anna’s e-mail made me feel good. People were asking where Louis was.

Mythos owns my favorite restaurant on Amorgos. He and his daughter were wondering what happened to me, was I ever going to return. I would spend my afternoons at Mythos’ place sitting outside in the shade writing. Antonio at the restaurant next door wondered when I would be back. He prepared the best smelts! Just like my grandmother made. Elini whose home I stayed at was wondering if I would ever return.

Flora on Amorgos again. Cleaning rooms for the summer. An Albanian school teacher otherwise. I wrote a short story about Flora three years  which I published in my book. The title…..Flora’s Story. A sensitive tale.

The Greeks are taking a beating in the media these days. They are made to look lazy and careless. The island people are neither. They are simple happy folk living life as their forefathers did 100 years ago.

Enjoy your day!

CHAMPAGNE AND JENNA

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Jenna took me out for my birthday last night. A week late. But ok. She was in Atlanta last weekend.

Dinner at Azur. Jenna picked the place. An excellent choice. Fine food and service. A relaxing atmosphere.

We started dinner with champagne. Jenna loves champagne. We have enjoyed the bubbles several times together. The first was while watching Fourth of July fireworks some five years ago. We watched from my deck. In lounge chairs. A bottle of Dom Perignon on a small table between us..

A fine time then and a fine time last night.

Jenna has her own morning TV talk show. She interviews persons of interest. She also manages the TV studio. In between, she models in Miami and elsewhere. Her career is moving along.

I met Jenna when I started doing a TV talk show. She was my producer. I knew from nothing when I started. I learned a lot from her.

Last night, she talked to me about doing this blog once a week on video. Everything the same, except you see and hear me. I am considering trying it.

Frequently when I mention Jenna, out of towners ask that I post her pic so they could see what she looks like. Today is the day! Two Jenna photos!

A lovely lady. Inside and out.

jenna1

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spent a lot of day time yesterday researching this week’s KONK Life column. Still have more research ahead today. Will write the column later today. It is due at the publisher’s.

The topic involves Margaret Sanger. Considered the founder of what today is Planned Parenthood. An outspoken woman regarding birth control and abortion.

Some interesting things have come to light this week. Her motivations re supporting birth control and abortion. Sanger shockingly was anti-black, participated in Klu Klux Klan meetings, believed only in the survival of the fittest, espoused Hitler doctrines, and more. Deeply revealing.

The revelations resulting from news this past week.  Planned Parenthood has been selling cells/parts of aborted fetuses. A revelation in and of itself!

Anna leaves for Amorgos today. I envy her. Amorgos is my favorite place.

Uber has pulled out of Key West. I do not think it final. They will be back.

Enjoy your Sunday!

HEMINGWAY DAYS COMING

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Next tuesday is the beginning of one of the Key West events I enjoy most. Hemingway Days.

There will be over 125 Hemingway look alikes hoping to be selected as Hemingway Look Alike 2015. Many of the participants have been coming 10-20 years hoping to win. Losing isn’t bad. A whole week of fun!

The other thing I like about Hemingway Days are the bulls. Especially the Running of the Bulls. Where else, except in Key West!

Some Hemingway descendants visit. Hemingway’s  daughter and grandchildren.

Key West has been home to many fine authors. Others, merely to visit. Whatever, Key West is always happy to greet them. John Updike was in Key West for Hemingway Days 1993. He was here to receive the Conch Republic Prize for writing. In introducing Updike, one of Hemingway’s grandchildren described his writing as having a sensuous style, his life’s work reflecting the freewheeling creative spirit of Key West.

I came across an Updike quote. Interesting, especially to writers and would be writers. “And then there’s that constant feeling that if you’re not writing Moby Dick, you’re just clowning around.”

My day yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I keep increasing speed and incline. I have my nitroglycerin in my pocket just in case.

Then a manicure with Tammy. Love that girl!

The humidity has been unusually heavy this month. I asked Tammy if she was using her pool evenings to cool off. Her bright eyes looked up at me as she exclaimed….When would I have time, I work till 9 in the evening 6-7 days a week! Followed by instantaneous belly laughs from the both of us.

Keep working Tammy. It pays off in the end.

I planned on staying home last night. Don screwed up my plan. He telephoned and said he had to see me. A business matter that could not wait. I tried to beg off. To no avail. So it was shower again, shave and down to Don’s Place.

Don and I concluded the business discussion in 30 minutes. I figured I was up and about. Might as well stay out. Enjoyed some time at the bar with Don, Stan, Claire and David.

Then Don and David joined me at the Chart Room. Unusual. These guys rarely want to leave Don’s Place.

We ran into the other David at the Chart Room. Don and the other David have been friends for years. I learned that at one time Don’s wife Stephanie worked for David. David is an occasional customer at Don’s Place. He is on vacation this week. Told Don he did the breakfast club yesterday morning.

Everyone ends up in Don’s Place!

We spent 2-3 hours at the bar. A good time every minute! Very few customers other than us.

A couple came in and were standing at the corner of the bar next to where I was sitting. David and Heather from Akron. It was a David evening. David and Heather are frequent visitors to Key West. David retired. Nice people.

The British Open a mess because of the weather. Yesterday’s round cut short because of the weather. Especially the wind. The wind was moving the ball on greens before a player could even putt.

I was up in the middle of the night to watch the Open. No way. Tried at around 6 this morning. Still no golf. The weather again.

I just learned today’s golf cancelled. Weather. Especially the wind. Tomorrow they are going to get 36 holes in. Plus, those that did not finish friday will have to get those holes in also. I suspect that will be too much and it will be decided to extend the Open to include monday.

Big night tonight! I am Jenna’s guest at dinner to celebrate my birthday. She picked the restaurant. Azur. A great restaurant I seldom visit. I am looking forward to Jenna and Azur this evening.

Enjoy your day!

MORE JUDY BLUME

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Great writers have found their way to Key West over the years. Judy Blume one of them. Judy calls Key West home. Still writes. Her books have sold 88 million volumes.

She is the icon of children, teen and adult fiction. Her writing personal. Especially her earliest works which were and continue to be helpful to young ladies world wide. Her books concerned issues facing young women growing up. Things like periods, birth control, and anxiety about bra size.

Her early works were censored. They were penned at a time when sex and puberty were not matters for public discussion.

Today’s Guardian carries an interesting article. Titled The Ten Best Judy Blume Quotes. I never read the Judy Blume books for young ladies. Periods and bra size were never my concern. The quotes indicate the need for what she wrote and what I missed. Missed I believe as a father. The matters she wrote about were better left to mother.

Some of the quotes set forth in The Guardian.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get married. Why would I? All it does is make you miserable.”

“Like my mother said, you can’t go back to holding hands.”

“That’s not a bad word…hate and war are bad words, but fuck isn’t.”

“Are you there God? It’s me Margaret. I just told my mother I want a bra. Please help me grow, God. You know where.”

My KONK Life column this week was published yesterday. It is carried in today’s E-Blast and has been linked to my website keywestlou.com. Titled We Lost Our Way. About screw ups which reflect our moral compass has been lost.

Greece. My Greece. Woe!

Greece is and has been since 2010 a nation under occupation. Economically. The Euro nations dictating policies and priorities. In every conceivable way. Micro managing. The noose was placed around Greece’s neck. The Euro nations led by Germany squeezed Greece tighter and tighter.

Blame not Greece alone. The Eurounion bears responsibility. It has had the governmental control of Greece in hand for five years. Things have not gotten better in that time. Worse, actually.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

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!

MAIL DELIVERY 3Xs A DAY

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Key West is presently battling whether to have garbage pick ups once or twice a week. There was a time when the number of times for anything was generous.

This morning’s Key West Citizen in its History Section notes that on this day in 1901, the Post Office began making deliveries three times a day. Early morning, mid day and late afternoon.

How things change!

Love Rick Boettger. He calls them as he sees ’em. In an article in E-Blast this morning titled The Big Story / Crash or Burn, he indicates how difficult it is to do business in Key West. A tough town to get a business started. Even tougher to stay in business.

Rick had a statement I would like to share…..Key West is a place to spend money you made somewhere else.

How true!

Starbuck’s on the Boulevard finally underway. Checkers building being demolished. I look forward to the new Starbuck’s. I love to sit inside, sip coffee, and read. The new Starbuck’s will provide that convenience.

The Citizen this morning also noted that Key West will receive its share of the BP settlement. $2.7 million. Allegedly for economic damages suffered during the spill. The oil never reached Key West. For business loss during that period because people were afraid to visit. They thought the oil would reach Key West beaches.

The $2.7 million even more interesting since earlier paper work by the City indicated Key West had only lost $630,00.

BP settlements of this nature are a rip off! I can’t fault the City for taking the money. However, it should never have been available. At some distant point following the spill, by law or regulation, rules came down permitting the type of losses to be compensated out of a pool of money made available for such purpose. The law/regs were broadly drawn. Did incorporate losses as the City was paid for.

Such does not make the payment right. Either to Key West or anyone else. Even saying BP has a lot of money does not make it correct.

Dinner at Roostica last night before my blog talk radio show. Met a new waitress. Olga. A nice lady.

Did my blog talk radio show later in the evening. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Three topics hit. How the U.S. as a society has lost its way, a Greece update suggesting watch out for the Neo-Nazi party, and my thoughts re the Iranian agreement. All interesting! Controversial in some respects.

Anna. Greece. Anna still on Santorini. Santorini continues to be packed with tourists. This week Chinese, Japanese and English. Spending money like crazy. Everything very expensive.

She wanted to spend time on my favorite island, Amorgos. Not going. Could not get a room. Amazing! Plus, all ATM machines are bare. No cash money available on Amorgos.

The show goes on! The Greece/Eurounion conflict not concluded. The next few days will reveal much. Parliament votes today whether to accept the offer. The unions are supposedly on a 24 hour strike today. No one working. Athens shut down if the called for strike successful.

Various media sources suggest Merkel may have hurt herself big time. She exercised raw “naked power.” Germany may win today. However the Greeks and other European nations will remember Greece’s treatment. What goes around, comes around. Germany some day will stand with hat in hand. Germany’s treatment at that time may be as harsh as Greece’s this time.

Enjoy your day!

BUBBA SYSTEM AT WORK

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Key West politicians take care of their own. Meaning Key Westers. In Key West called the Bubba System. What these politicos forget is that those they are protecting against generally are locals also.

The Uber handling thus far a disgrace. Shades of Duck tours.

It is easy to understand what occurred. When local cab companies and cab drivers became aware Uber was coming, they complained to City Commission members. The City Commission took care of their own. They passed an ordinance making it illegal for Uber to operate.

There are only 72 permits available for cabs in  Key West. Four cab companies the owners. Permits hard to get. There has not been a permit available for 26 years.

The new ordinance made it a crime in effect for drivers to operate under Uber auspices (though Uber was not mentioned specifically in the ordinance), subjected drivers to arrest and jail upon conviction, and worst of all provided that no jury trial would be available. The lack of right to a jury trial specific evidence of the intent of the City Commission to stand solidly behind locals to the detriment of others.

A we’ll get them attitude. The same attitude that cost Key West taxpayers $8 million in the Duck Tours case.

I am motivated to write about Uber once more because this morning’s Key West Citizen tells the story of a local who drove under Uber. He recently had lost a $900 a month management job. Uber was his God send. A way to make up the money. And not at $10-12 an hour. He was arrested yesterday by two undercover police officers. Sounds like a major drug bust!

The City Commission forgets Key West has many outside companies that provide jobs for locals and provide a specific service to residents. Think about it. Gap, Banana Republic, McDonald’s, Sears, Outback. Even hotels. The Pier House, La Concha, and the Southernmost Complex.

My yesterday was the anti-gravity treadmill, my dentist Dr. George Lindner, and researching for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Topics include how the U.S. has lost its way, Iran, the French Revolution, a Greece update, El Salvador refusing to use Monsanto herbicides, China not sitting on its ass, and more.

Join me at 9 o’clock for a fast moving interesting show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Th U.S./Iran deal announced this morning. I am fearful. I do not trust middle east nations. Iran and Saudi Arabia two examples. What they promise and what they ultimately do two different things. The U.S. is fortunate Israel is not buying in. Israel will bomb the hell out of Iran if their suspicions turn into realities.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..” Opening words of Charles Dickens’ A Tale Of Two Cities. A story of the French Revolution. Today is the anniversary of the event. On this day in 1789, the French people went to the streets, stormed the Bastille, etc.

Enjoy your day!

WE LOST OUR WAY…..

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I finally decided what to write for this week’s KONK Life column.

The subject concerns the loss of American values. The disintegration of our way of life.

I suspect the column will be controversial. Not all will agree with me.

The column was written yesterday. It will publish in KONK Life wednesday.

I snuck over to Publix in between writing the column. I never have enough food in the house. Glad I went. I ran into Mary Ann Westerlund in the parking lot. Her husband Roger died last week. I wrote about Roger two days ago.

Mary Ann was with one of their daughters. What can one say or do, except I am sorry and a warm hug.

Dinner last night at Roostica. The sunday night special is spaghetti in a pork sauce with meatballs and sausage. The meal close to my grandmother and mother’s cooking.

One exception. I do  not recall ever seeing spaghetti in the house. The closest we came was perchetelli. A thicker type spaghetti. My family’s favorite was ziti. Mine today are rigatonis. Known as stove pipes back then.

I subscribe to World War II History. A monthly magazine. Read two interesting articles last night.

One concerned Chuck Yaeger. He was a World War II ace. Following the war, he was a test pilot. He is best known for being the first to crack the sound barrier.

The other involved thousands of Russians who fought for Germany during World War II. In the German Army. Some as generals.

I was not aware.

The Russians were anti-Stalin. After the war, the Russians wanted to stay in Germany or some other European country. They did not wish to return to Russia. They feared Stalin would have them killed.

The Allies did not buy the fear story or did not care. Most were repatriated. Most were killed by Stalin over the next two years.

My column in last week’s KONK Life concerned Uber. A timely subject, I thought. It must have been. Unknowingly, two other KONK Life writers wrote about the same subject. Pru Sowers and Rick Boettger. Our articles did not overlap. We approached the story from different perspectives.

Yesterday or the day before, the Key West Citizen editorial concerned the subject. The message was give Uber a shot. Then yesterday morning, a one hour Miami talk show. Heavy hitters on the show. Plus, the owner of a taxi fleet. Except for the cab company proprietor, all were in accord Uber was a good thing and should be encouraged rather than fought.

The Key West Citizen and Miami TV show agreed with me. Rick disagreed. Pru took no position. Merely related the facts.

I live and learn. There is a crack down in Monroe Country re short term rentals. Less than 28 days. This I knew. What I did not know was that there is a Florida law on the books since 2011 prohibiting cities from passing local laws barring short term rentals.

How then can Monroe County be doing it? The law includes a grandfather clause. If a city banned short term rentals before the new law, the city was grandfathered in and could continue the banning.

A stupid use of the grandfather clause. Florida should be uniform on the issue.

Greece. My Greece. The word this morning is that there is a deal. It will be signed tonight. Whatever the deal, it has to be approved by the Greek Parliament.

The present Greek President was elected in January claiming he would no longer subvert Greece to the Eurounion’s demands. The deal proposed does exactly that. It is a continuance of what came before. It basically is the same document the new Greek government has been opposing. As well as a majority of Greek citizens.

I believe the proposal is not the end of the problem. The can has been kicked down the road. I say that for several reasons.

It subjects the Greek people to additional austerity. The thing that has been killing them. It does not provide for debt restructuring. Greece will never be able to pay the debt as presently structured. A portion has to either be forgiven or extended 20-30 years. Overall, the proposal will weaken rather than strengthen the Greek economy.

Greece will be kicked around a bit more. The eventuality is that ultimately Greece will leave the Eurounion. The can can be kicked only so far.

Enjoy your day!