CURFEW FOR MINORS

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It always amazes me how little I know. The older I get, the more I learn.

I came across a very brief note this morning in the Key West Citizen re curfews for minors in Key West. I did not know.

The curfew applies to children up to the age of 17. They must be home by 11 week nights and 12 on the weekend. Exceptions exist. Where they are supervised, working or involved in school activities.

In addition, I learned there is a Florida model curfew law.

I question the need for a minors curfew. I would be surprised if a need existed at the time the City Commission approved the law. In the many years I have lived in Key West, I have concluded the community is conservative. Ultra conservative where home values are involved. Middle America.

Key West is not the first three blocks of Duval.

My Republican readers are going to love the next statement. I believe government substitution for parental responsibility wrong. Key West parents are good people. They instill proper attitudes in their children.

Key West recently settled two negligence cases. Total dollars $200,000 plus. The reason given to avoid what could result in a more costly judgment.

I spent my career in the court room. Any person or entity that cries wolf too many times is going to be taken advantage of. Eventually a party such as Key West becomes a target for lawsuits. Why? An easy touch. A quick dollar. Gun shy to try a case.

Such an attitude results in more dollars being cumulatively paid. There are times a City must stand and fight.

Part and parcel of the situation might be the Duck Train case. It ultimately cost Key West $8 million several years ago.

I finally left the house yesterday. Cleaned up first. Shaved. It took two blades. The first one ended up feeling like my razor blade after my former wife used it to shave her legs.

Drove to the Marriott. Wanted to pick up a copy of this week’s KONK Life. Not on the stand yet. Returned to my car in the garage.

I was exhausted! A short walk. Knocked me on my ass! Makes sense. I had been prone for eight days.

I was determined to at least have lunch out. Decided on Outback. Nothing fancy. Wanted a bowl of potato soup. Their potato soup excellent!

The walk to and from the restaurant from the parking lot an ordeal. Instead of staying out, I drove home and went back to bed.

I am out this morning, again. A business meeting followed by a haircut. Hopefully followed by a light lunch.

I am better. No question. Another day or two of pills. Still have a slight pain in the same place occasionally.

I need to be with people!

Enjoy your day!

THANK YOU

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I am close to the end of the healing process. I think I have recovered. No more pain. However, I have to continue antibiotics through friday.

Today, I shave. Did not get around to it yesterday. I have decided no beard. Another time, perhaps. I want to see my face clean.

I plan on going out today. A walk. Hopefully out tonight, also. No drinking yet. Just to see people and talk. I am a social person.

I have been deluged with e mails and telephone calls concerning my health, wishing me well, etc. The number overwhelming. Humbling. From as far away as Thailand, Italy and South Africa. All over the U.S. And of course, Key West.

We speak of Key West as being One Family. The world can be One Family.

Thank you.

Recall the gang that could not shot straight. We have two such groups in the Keys. The Monroe County Commission and the Key West City Commission. They know not what they do.

The County Commission gave in by vote the extra money Waste Management was seeking. An amount in excess of the contract price.

I sometimes think our elected officials forget they are not spending their own money. They are taxpayer dollars!

Key West loves Harry Truman. Harry Truman loved Key West.

I came across a comment yesterday that “…..the greatest disappointment of his Presidency was his failure to pass comprehensive health reform.” He should not have been disappointed. He achieved in so many other areas. Like the decision to drop the atomic bomb, the Marshall Plan, and his decision re Korea.

I consider Truman to have been one of our greatest Presidents. No President gets the whole job done.

A most interesting blog talk radio show last night. Two issues appear to have garnered the most interest.

The first, Saudi Arabia and its want ad advertisement for swordsmen/beheaders. They need to hire eight more. The job was listed under the Religious Jobs section.

The other about prostitution being legal in Germany. It has made Berlin the sex capital of the world. Germany taxes the ladies of the night. Taking in a ton of money. Always on the look out for another tax gimmick, Germany now has made bestiality in brothels legal.

Anything for a dollar! Morality and image meaning nothing.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

TONIGHT…..BLOG TALK RADIO

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My health problem surfaced last tuesday. Other than the emergency room that night, I have not been out of the house for a week. Perhaps tomorrow. I want to experience one day without pain first.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. The show is done from home so no problem.

Interesting show tonight. Very interesting. Topics like Saudi Arabia and hypocrisy, German government making money off bestiality brothels, 40 year old woman who just delivered her 13th son, 65 year old woman who already has 13 children delivering quadruplets, Milwaukee man pronounced dead not dead, new DEA chief will no longer focus on marijuana, trailer park owners getting rich, and more.

Join me at 9 my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

KONK Life hit the stands yesterday. My article this week Saudi Arabia And The Hypocrisy Of It All. A detailed expose.

The last time I was out of the house (last tuesday), gasoline was $3.99 a gallon. This morning, I read the national average is $2.74. Why so much more for we Key West natives? Don’t tell me the drive from Miami for delivery adds $1.25 on to the average price!

Enjoy your day!

 

MEMORIAL DAY

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“In Flanders fields where poppies blow…..Between the crosses, row on row.”

In Flanders Fields. A famous poem born in the early stages of World War I. Its author Lt. Col. John Mc Crae.

Memorial Day is a federal holiday for remembering those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. The holiday had its beginnings around the time of the Civil War.

I had the opportunity to visit Arlington Cemetery. Most buried are war dead. A moving sight. One never forgotten. Especially comes to memory on a day such as this.

Many years ago, I spent a month with my family in Italy. Our villa was on the Mediterranean in a small town called Livonia. Just outside Salerno where the Allied troops landed in World War II.

I was driving around and came across the British cemetery. Set up just like Arlington Cemetery. White crosses. Row after row in perfect line.

I walked among them. Read the names of those buried. Suddenly, I came upon a series of graves marked Known To God Alone. Broke me up. I started sobbing uncontrollably.

I am still not right. A bit better each day. Significantly better since last tuesday when I woke with a very painful stomach. Being down has caused me to miss a few annual Key West events this holiday weekend.

One is the Minimal Regatta. Crazy people in home made boats! Material to be used is restricted. Only one 4′ x 8′ plywood sheet, 1 pound of fasteners, and 1 roll of duct tape. Many start the race. Few finish. The boats fall apart.

The race is in front of Schooner Wharf. Hundreds line the waterfront watching, cheering and laughing.

A fun afternoon. Watch the race, drink a bit and enjoy the comradeship of those around you. Typical Key West.

The weather is high 80s by day and high 70s in the evening. Humidity has arrived. Not so bad yet. Wait till August and September!

Same sex marriage a big winner in Ireland! The Irish know what they are doing.

Approval was by vote. Sixty two percent voted to permit same sex marriage. It is the first time a nation has voted on the issue.

I am debating whether to shave. I have the start of a beard. Looks horrible at the moment. My neck itches. Decision time today.

Enjoy your Memorial Day! Remember why it is celebrated!

 

 

NOT THERE YET

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Still under the weather. Antibiotics help. I can tell. Less and less pain each day. Painkillers go out the window today. Can’t stand not being all there.

When confined, it hard to talk about things. This blog is about my life in Key West. My life presently is my bedroom. That’s all there is folks!

I did next week’s KONK Life column yesterday. Took longer. Got it done, however. The title Saudi Arabia And The Hypocrisy Of It All. Interesting material. May surprise you.

I sent it to the publisher. Afterwards laying in bed, a spelling mistake hit me. I talk in the article about the UN Human Rights Council. I referred five times to it as Relations, not Rights.

Correcting is harder to do than writing once in the publishers hands. Two hands, actually. We are working on the corrections today. Started yesterday. Worked on it at 3 am when I could not sleep.

Enjoy your day!

STILL SICK

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On the mend. Not there yet.

Pain considerably less. Problem now nausea. The antibiotics and pain killer. We’ll get there.

I spent the day in bed and on a recliner in the bedroom. Slept on and off. In between, I did the research for next week’s KONK Life column. Concerns Saudi Arabia. You will not believe!

The start of hurricane season around the corner. June 1. Let us hope it ends as quietly as it begins, with nothing in the middle.

This week’s KONK Life column The President Who Saved Football is available everywhere today. Printed in KONK Life. Carried in this morning’s E-Blast News. Available via link on my Facebook Key West Lou and Louis Petrone sites.

You have to get sick to know how much you are loved. I thank everyone for the telephone calls and e-mails.

Enjoy your day.

ON THE MEND

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On the mend. I think.

Home basically lying down all day yesterday. Awake off and on through the night. Did not want to miss a pill!

I am about 30 percent better. Still have pain, but nowhere what it was. When asked in hospital pain on 1-10. I said, 10 plus!

The pain pill is terrific! Love it! Within 10 minutes, I am in la la land. Reminded me of my daughter Lori when she gave birth to her son. She was suffering in labor as women do. Got an epidural. Oh, this is wonderful repeatedly came out of her mouth afterwards.

I am on antibiotics for 10 days. Pain killer as needed. I skipped a pain pill during the night. Intentionally. A mistake. Will stay on the every four hour routine today.

I consume a lot of fruit on a daily basis. Strawberries and blueberries every day. I suspect the seeds may have contributed to my condition.

It is stay at home time for a few days. Think I am able to do a bit of research. What, I do not know as yet.

Sorry that my life will be boring for a few days. Nothing to report, except how I am handling and what I am doing with home confinement.

Enjoy your day!

STACY

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An exceptional evening last night! I met Stacy!

Stacy found me. She has been a loyal blog reader for years. A frequent Key West visitor, our paths did not cross till last night. At the Chart Room, of course.

Stacy was with her husband Steve and friends Sue and Ron.

Stacy and Steve live in Erie, Pennsylvania. Parents of two. Steve is in IT with GE. Stacy a stay at home Mom. Parents of two.

I do not mean to lessen the pleasure of meeting Sue. Sue also a blog follower. However, it was Sue who went out of her way to be sure I knew Stacy was the one who really wanted to meet me.

Sue and Ron live in Holly Springs, North Carolina. Ron is in marketing. Sue a stay at home Mom like Stacy.

I was impressed that Stacy and Sue were stay at home Moms. And proud of it! A dying breed today.

We had a good time. Especially the ladies and I.

Along the way the discussion centered on  my book The World Upside Down. I chastised Stacy for not having read it. She promised she would order a copy.

My book led to a book Stacy helped author. Laura’s Gem. My recollection is Stacy wrote the last three chapters. The book was a joint effort. Several ladies involved.

May I be fortunate to meet up with Stacy and Sue and husbands on their next visit.

Sheila, Frankie and Jean Thornton at the bar.

Jean suggested we have dinner together. I begged off. She was into Hot Tin Roof and I not. I was not sure at the time we talked where I would eat.

I missed dining with a celebrity! This morning’s Key West Citizen front page has a major article on Jean. Key West’s Golden Girl. The story of Jean diving with Mel Fisher some 20 years ago and discovering a 21 link gold chain, a silver coin and an emerald.

Jean’s life changed. The Indiana school teacher quit her job. Soon she and husband Joe bought a second home in Key West. Jean is here 6 plus months a year. Joe much less. He still works for a living and travels often.

Jean leaves today. She will return July 8. I can’t wait to have dinner with her. A celebrity! (Though true, said in a joking fashion. Love Jean and always enjoy being in her company.)

Dinner was the outside bar at La Te Da. Monday night. I was alone with the newspaper. Duck the meal. Always outstanding!

My morning began on the anti-gravity treadmill. A wonderful invention! I never tire when on it. I feel like I could walk forever. As soon as I finish, I am dead! It takes me several hours to recover. I spend the time in bed.

I visited T.J. Maxx. I was not impressed.

Today is Ho Chi Minh’s birthday. He died in 1969. He was Vietnam’s leader during the Vietnam War.

Minh was initially our friend. He fought with our troops in Asian jungles during World War II.

Following the War, he made a personal request to Truman to support he and his followers in their fight for freedom from France. Truman declined. He said Minh and his people were of the wrong political party. They were Communists.

Sixty thousand dead Americans could have been avoided had some sort of relationship been possible.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me for a fast moving half hour of interesting topics. Many eye opening.

Tonight’s list includes Iraq and what are we doing there?, Obama yesterday advising certain military equipment would no longer be shared with local police departments, my concern–what about the equipment already in their hands?, Australia raining spiders, IRS employees who do not pay their taxes, and more.

Enjoy your day!

 

BIG TV/MOVIE NIGHT

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Mad Men! Last night, the final show. The end of a great series.

The ending different from most. I expected a negative ending. Nothing good for the key characters. Not the case. Everyone ended up happy. Everyone got what they wanted. Even Don’s first wife who was dying of lung cancer. She controlled her last few months.

Sunday night movies great, also!

Cabaret! Roughly 45 years old. Liza Minnelli. Joel Grey. As good last night as when I first saw it way back when. I was fortunate along the way to see two Broadway productions, also.

Key West’s Kelly McGillis in Top Gun! She and Tom Cruise. Around 30 years old. A terrific action/love flick. Remains an appealing movie.

My yesterday was spent writing. Researched and wrote this week’s KONK Life column. The President Who Saved Football. A not well known story of Teddy Roosevelt’s involvement in the game when there was a move to outlaw college football. There was no pro football back then.

T.J. Maxx opened its doors in Key West at 8 yesterday morning. I never made it at anytime.

This morning’s Key West Citizen is silent as to any T.J. Maxx news. Is it because of advertising, too late to print for today’s edition, or what?

No problem. Maxx went viral. Social networking. Everyone in Key West appeared to be on the internet yesterday singing the wonders of the new store.

I hope to visit T.J. Maxx today.

On this day in history in 1980, the Mount Saint Helena volcano erupted in Washington State. A Harry Truman was involved. Harry Randall Truman. Eighty three. Spent most of his life on the mountain.

When  warned to leave, he said…..I’m going to stay right here…..no way that mountain could reach me. It did. Harry and his 16 cats died. Harry’s body never found.

Harry was an arbitrary cuss. Much like Harry S Truman. I sense the similarity between the two.

Slavery. Two items have come to my attention.

Another day in history thing. On this day in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson decided the separate but equal doctrine Constitutional. A perfect example of how warped judicial thinking at the highest level can be. We fought the Civil War 40 odd years earlier to free the slaves.

The other slavery item is one I never knew. It came to my attention the past few days. I cannot recall the source.

There was a time African muslims enslaved 1.5 million white Europeans. Between the 16th and 18th centuries. The situation referred to as the Barbary Slave Trade. The Africans would invade seaport communities in places like Italy and Greece. Take captives. They would also attack Mediterranean traveling ships and take passengers off. The scenario on land and sea a pirate operation. The Barbary Coast pirates.

Why did I not know? Why had I never heard?

My curiosity was further aroused. What happened to the descendants of the white slaves? I did some quick research. I could find no answer.

Enjoy your day!

BOCCE PLAYOFF RESULTS

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Bocce playoff finals today. My team will not be playing.

We did well in the quarter finals yesterday morning. Won two successive games by good margins. Yesterday afternoon was another story, however.

We played Turtle Kraals in the semi finals. Turtle Kraals has been #1 in the monday league for years. They lose 0 to 2 games a season. That good! They generally win the playoffs. We were stuck playing Turtle Kraals in the semi finals.

We did not do well. We were up 7-2 in the first game and lost. The second game was downhill from the start.

Turtle Kraals is excellent! They play with precision. They know what they are doing with every shot. They do it. They play bocce like chess. Always a shot or two ahead mentally.

It was a pleasure watching Turtle Kraals play. None of us on our team felt bad that we lost. We expected it going in.

We have developed into a good team over time. Otherwise, we would not be consistently making the playoffs in recent years. However the difference between Turtle Kraals and us is like professional baseball. Turtle Kraals a major league team. We, triple A or class A.

Bocce playoffs are a festival. People galore. Food and drink free. People bring chairs to watch.

The only negative was the sun. Blazing hot during our first match. Tents were available, but not used. Management said the wind was too strong. They would blow over. I did not think the wind was that strong.

The sun affected me. It affected everyone. There was little protection from it.

I went home after the first match, showered and napped.

The evening was a bit cooler and then ok when the sun set.

Cuba and Key West have officially begun the bonding process. The Havana Challenge. An amateur boat race. Starts Tuesday in Cuba.

Five 16 foot catamarans left Key West yesterday for Marina Hemingway in Cuba.

The races were held in previous years. Illegally, however. This year the U.S. Commerce Department issued a license authorizing the event. First time! A step forward in relations.

I missed the Preakness. We were sitting around waiting for the game with Turtle Kraals to begin. I see where American Pharoah won. Great! Two legs down, one to go. The Belmont next.

American Pharoah’s victory indicative that he may very well be a top flight racing horse. He had the number 1 pole position, gale force winds came up as the race started, and torrential rains fell.

Can’t get any better than winning a horse race under those conditions!

Today is Sunday. The first of my three consecutive writing days. Today, I will spend most of the day writing and rewriting next week’s KONK Life column.

The column will be about football. The Tom Brady event is upon us. Brain injuries in the news.

There was another day, another time, when football was in a bad way. Much worse than today. On the verge of being outlawed. By federal law. The President at the time stepped in and literally saved football.

A yesterday scenario similar to today’s events.

T.J. Maxx opened at 8 this morning. A circus atmosphere advertised. The opening a big deal!

I will not get there today. I probably will never leave the house. I will be typing away all day. Tomorrow hopefully I can shoot over for a look.

Enjoy your Sunday!