I PANICKED

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Strange experience yesterday.

It is difficult for me to become discombobulated. I did yesterday. Panicked!

Barbara was driving from Utica to visit. I last heard from her 7:30 in the morning. She had just passed through Jacksonville. Expected to arrive in Key West around 2.

Two came and went. As did 3, 4 and 5.

I tried telephoning. She did not answer her cell. Finally at 5:30, I telephoned the police. Assumed the worst. She had been in an accident.

Florida does not have a one call line system for accident information. An area by area system. Each has to be called individually. I started with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. Then to the State Highway Patrol in Miami-Dade, Jacksonville, Orlando, and finally the Florida Turnpike itself.

All courteous. No help, however. No record of an accident. The Turnpike operator the best. I expressed concern. If she had not been in an accident, something worse must have occurred.

I was in the process of filing a missing persons with the Turnpike operator when my cell rang.

It was Barbara. She had been held up by traffic in Islamorada for 3 1/2 hours.

Respectfully, I ripped her a new a..hole. Why wasn’t your phone on? It was. No, I called six times and left messages. Must have been while I stopped to go to the bathroom. No, you don’t go to the bathroom that often.

Whatever.

I was glad she was alive and well. I had visions of her in a roadway ditch with her throat slit. Don’t laugh. We live in strange times.

She finally arrived a little after 9. She was mad. Felt Florida should have a better system of dealing with heavy traffic through the Keys. I was upset she had the phone turned off.

We were not on the same wave length.

Again, the police officers were helpful and sensitive to my concerns. One complaint. The State should have one number to call for accident victims. Not a sort of county by county system. In the age of computers, such cannot he difficult to set up.

A quick shower and we were off to get a bite to eat. Ended up at Tavern ‘n Town at 10:15.

As is said, all’s well that ends well!

Barbara brought several baskets of fresh strawberries and a big bag of peas from upstate New York. The season for them there. The strawberries not GMOs. Not big and shiny. Different sizes. Most small. Sweet and juicy. Enjoyed them for breakfast this morning.

The peas will likewise be delicious when we get to them.

I am in Starbucks again this morning. Comcast comes late tomorrow morning.

Starbucks packed again this morning. Most European tourists. Like a United Nations. I hear no one speaking English.

Some studies are just plain unreliable.

I love Key West. It has many pluses. Many negatives, also.

A company called WilliamHub (no space between first and last name) recently released a study. Key West was determined to be the second best Beach Community in the U.S. Two hundred twenty seven beach areas studied.

The criteria primarily involved housing costs, share of waterfront homes for sale, and the quality of beach water.

WilliamHub obviously used bad data.

A sadness yesterday. A 15 year old boy died while snorkeling at Fort Zach Beach. Cause not yet known. His family pulled him from the water and tried to resuscitate him.

Hemingway ended his life on this date in 1961 at his Sun Valley, Idaho home. Another sadness.

I close with a Trump reference. Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus in a  6/29 column wrote: “Authoritarianism does not announce itself. It creeps up on you.”

Enjoy your Sunday!

YESTERDAYS FEW KNOW

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I have gotten old. Eighty two in less than a week. Some recent experiences brought the fact clearly to mind.

I stopped into Verizon to learn how to wi-fi through my cell phone. The young lady working was also babysitting her two children. Six and eight. Summertime.  The Verizon store their day camp that day.

The kids were playing with their cell phones. I mentioned how smart kids are today. Laptops, cell phones, etc.

Mom agreed. She said she remembered when all she had was a flip phone. I would say she was in her late 20’s.

I immediately thought…..If she only knew!

I was born in 1935.

In the late 1930’s into the first part of the 1940’s, our phone was the corner grocer. No one had telephones, except business people. the grocer took calls for the block.

If a call came for my father, the grocer (his name was Frank) would go out on the street and yell…..Tell John he has a call! Someone would transfer the message to my Dad or to another neighbor to relate.

Then we got a telephone. A four party line. Meant four homes had the same line. If you picked up and heard talking, you hung up till the line was free.

We graduated to a two party line. Then the time came when the only line was ours. We had a private line.

A big deal!

Cell phones did not make an appearance till my mid law practice years. Big and bulky.

The phones got smaller. I recall the flip top.

I am absolutely amazed that my cell phone today is in effect a computer. I can do everything with it.

Only took eighty two years!

When I am gone, will anyone remember?

I was surprised to read recently that typewriters are making a come back. People join together with their vintage machines and have Type-Ins.

I took a typewriting course in high school. My parents bought me a new portable for college. A Smith-Corona. Part of the Super 5 Series. Portable.

Used it all the time in college. Term papers!

Ribbons to change. Always ended up with dirty fingers. Carbon paper for copies. Dirty fingers again. A mistake had to be corrected. A bit of erasing and whiting over.

Now, vintage typing parties!

Even writing came into play this week. Cursive writing. Handwriting.

I write. I can write my name and everything else.

No big deal for me. I learned in the first grade. It was called Palmer Method.

I mentioned earlier this week that at Dueling Bartenders monday night two young ladies sat next to me. At best in their late 20s.

They saw me making notes about our conversation. They said/asked…..You can cursive write?

They could not. They could not even write their names. Both had college degrees. Into well paying jobs. However, Bush 2’s no child left behind made them computer genius. But, not hand writers.

They were impressed I could write!

I have a lot more for today. However, I shall save it for another time.

Enjoy your day!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATM

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Everyone, everything has a birthday. Two days ago, ATM. Fifty years old. the first ATM having been opened on June 27, 1967. Barclay’s Bank in London.

Prior to ATMs, you could only get money out of a bank during bank working hours: 8-3. On weekends, not at all.

We have been spoiled!

Move completed yesterday. I am surrounded by boxes. Every room. Taking today off. Tired. Will get at arranging things hopefully tomorrow.

I am at Starbucks at the moment. Still do not have wi-fi or anything else Comcast provides.

I am going to head over to Verizon when I am done. I have a vague recollection I have wi-fi on my cell phone.

Chart Room first last night. Sat and slowly drank. Not crowded. Three couples sitting at the round table. From New York City. Boisterous. Loud. Laughing. Having fun.

Their bar bill over $300 for six people. When leaving, they apologized for the noise, etc. No problem. They said they were from the City and that is how NYC people are.

They tripped onto the Chart Room. First time. Loved it!

I got to show off a bit. Two of the ladies wanted to know about the names and ashes of those in the bar.

Dinner after the Chart Room at the Hot Tin Roof. One of my favorite dining places. Not last night.

I was not that hungry. Ordered bread and fried calamari. Asked for the bread first and quickly. Told the bartender I had been drinking.

Note the Chart Room charges for bread. $3. Stupid, but that’s the way it is. My bread did not arrive till I was almost done with the calamari.

Some nights you just can’t win!

May such be one of my biggest problems in life

A lawsuit has been filed in California federal court. Some group wants fluoridation of water stopped. Claim neurotoxicity and not consistent with the Toxic Substances Control Act.

I recall when fluoridation came to New York State. I was in high school. A bitter war. Many opposed.

Ten years later, dentistry as known then was not the best of careers. Fluoridation had cut back dramatically tooth decay. For many years, dental school was avoided by many.

Dentistry is back big time these days. Implants, etc. Fluoridation still around. Pseudo experts claiming it unhealthy.

I am 81 and still here.

Florida’s Senator Rubio is sometimes his own worst enemy. I happen to like him. However, he sometime says stupid things. He needs more maturity. Like another ten years. Then he might be Presidential timber.

His latest statement giving me concern is the Republican healthcare bill. He is not concerned that 22 million will be without coverage by 2016. He considers by that number “…..only a small percentage will be hurt.”

One of Key West’s favorite people was married on June 28, 1919. Harry Truman married Bess.

Enjoy your day!

DOG TICKS, CROCODILES AND BOEING

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What do dog ticks, crocodiles and Boeing have to do with each other? Absolutely nothing. Thought it made for an interesting title.

Dog ticks came to my attention when reading William Hackley’s diary entry for this day in 1856. He took dash for an ocean ride on the steamer Jasper. Dash had ticks.

Salt air cure dog ticks? A quick google told me no. Salt water does cure fleas. Maybe Hackley had ticks and fleas mixed up. Even in 1856, tick removal required tweezers.

This morning’s Citizens’ Comment made mention of the crocodile that now lives at the Key West Golf Course. My recollection, a Nile crocodile.

I was under the impression crocodiles are harmless to humans. Especially, Nile crocs. Not so.

Crocodiles and alligators alike enjoy feeding on humans. Crocs 4 feet are attracted to human babies and children. The size leads the crocodile to believe the baby/child is an animal.

Crocodiles 6.6 feet and over prefer adult humans.

The above info the result of a quick google search, also.

So…..Those that tell us not to worry about the 7-8 foot Nile crocodile living on the Golf Course may be wrong. Could be wrong. Whatever. Be on the safe side and keep a safe distance.

Five months ago at a Boeing plant in South Carolina, Trump and Boeing’s CEO enjoyed a kumbaya meeting. Trump announced he and Boeing had an understanding. No more jobs to go elsewhere. Jobs to remain. Plants to be built in the United States.

Boeing’s CEO was excited. Exclaimed…..We have a seat at the table!

Since that time, it has been announced that Boeing is building or planning to build plants in China, Saudi Arabia and India. It was further announced yesterday that just under 200 employees were going to be let go at a North Carolina plant.

So much for Trump fighting for every last job.

When the plant building became evident in the three foreign countries, the Boeing CEO said he was misunderstood five months ago. His comments were only to the effect that employment rolls would not be diminished . Job numbers would remain the same. No promise was made to increase the numbers.

I did not hear it that way.

New news this morning on Morning Joe. A Washington Post investigative reporter guest appeared. New cyber war information had been released moments earlier in a Post announcement. The information was not in this morning’s paper.

One of the steps taken by Obama was to somehow infiltrate late in December Russia’s cyber sources that provided the means to hack into the Presidential election. The U.S. had the capacity to destroy the technology involved.

Obama left the decision to Trump to decide when or if. Trump has and has had the information and decision making power since his inauguration.

Trump has the ability to pres the button. He has not. Nor has he even mentioned Russia and the election. Why?

My yesterday began with a visit to my heart doctor. Routine.

Late afternoon, I stopped at Louie’s Backyard. Meditation time. Sat looking out over the water thinking about this and that while enjoying a couple of drinks. Louie’s Backyard has one of the most relaxing water views in the Keys. A God is in His Heaven, all is right with the world feeling.

Big day for the ladies June 23, 1972. Title IX was enacted into law. Banned sex discrimination in federally funded educational institutions.

A boon to female college athletes!

No Key West Lou Facebook Video the past two days. Sorry. Back on track this afternoon.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

RUSSIA COPYING U.S. METHODS

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Russia was always the bad guy. Made to look bad even when not so. No more. Russia has learned. Primarily due to Putin. With skill. Making the U.S. look bad occasionally. More frequently it seems.

Russia has a Federal Drug Control Service. A recent report blames the U.S. with the increase in opium production in Afghanistan. the increase has caused more than one million to die world wide. It also has caused a transnational increase in crime from drug sales.

The thrust of the report is that Afghan opium production is 40 times higher since the U.S. led NATO invasion in 2001. Remember, Operation Enduring Freedom.

I still do not know why we are in Afghanistan or why we remain. Recall the Afghans took down Russia in the 1980s. No one seems to win against the Afghans. The battles rage year after year with the end never in sight.

I wrote two major articles for KONK Life in the past several years re Afghanistan and opium. The last two years ago.

The point in each concerned the Afghan poppy fields which turned into heroin on American streets.

An interesting observation in each was that in a war that has resulted in huge damage and thousands of lives lost, not one poppy field has been bombed. Nor one poppy farmer killed. Nor has one war lord owning the fields ever complained about damage.

The fields are protected.

I have suggested graft exists. On our side. Militarily and otherwise. If not, why do the poppy fields grow without interference and heroin reaches our shores to continue killing and addicting our people?

Russia does not say what I have directly. It merely says opium production 40 times higher today than 16 years ago when the U.S. invaded Afghanistan to save the nation.

We were going to bring democracy to a country that never sought it. We failed. In the meantime, contributed greatly to its destruction.

The Russians are using truth against us as concerns Afghanistan. Amazing! They have learned.

Great evening last night. My friend Ted Kane from Wampsville, NY is in Key West on a fishing trip. He enjoys flat fishing this time of the year. Visits Key West several times a year.

Wampsville sits in Madison County in the middle of New York State. It is next door to what was my home county, Oneida.

Ted a lawyer, also. Finished his legal career with a long stretch as Court Clerk. Actually, the confidential clerk to two Judges.

Clerks are a Judge’s brains. Clerks generally research and write the opinions which the Judge then signs.

I never knew Ted back when. How we failed to trip over each other, I do not know. I met Ted 3 years ago at the Chart Room. We have become good friends.

We had dinner together at Hot Tin Roof, followed by a drink at the Chart Room.

I returned home after my pleasant evening out to discover the upstairs air conditioning was not working. It was Hell! I could not get comfortable downstairs. Ended up sleeping in my bed upstairs with the fan over me going full blast.

This morning’s Citizens’ Comment carried an interesting observation. It takes forever to build any public building or edifice these days. The writer asked…..Why? Flagler built the Seven Mile Bridge in less than a year. At a time when construction equipment was no where as sophisticated as today’s.

Two big things on the agenda this morning. The Senate’s proposed health plan and a visit to my heart doctor. Both can be painful. I will do better with my heart than the American people are going to do with the health plan.

Enjoy your day!

 

GEORGIA ELECTION RESULT

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The Georgia Congressional result rang out one clear message: Trump is a force who remains acceptable to the people.

During Handel’s victory speech, the audience shouted: Trump! Trump! Trump!

Handel’s victory substantiated my fear that Trump remains strong. My listening post is the Chart Room. A crossroads. Trump supporters are not down on Trump in spite of all the bad stuff flying about concerning him. Their cry is give him time, he’s new to the job, everyone is against him, he cares for us, etc.

I get the same thing from others I speak with.

The Senate healthcare bill is supposed to come out tomorrow. It will reflect how much Trump and the Republicans care about the American people.

Busy day yesterday. I did servile work. Cleaned out the garage. In all the humidity, besides. Knocked me on my ass. Thought I never would stop sweating.

Then prepared my blog talk for the evening show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

I had a great show prepared. I was cut off after 15 minutes. Show came to its normal end, but 15 minutes early. Sloan looking into the problem.

I decided to do less Trump and more other matters. Never discussed a Trump issue in the 15 minutes I was on air.

A welcomed breather!

Tavern ‘n Town again last night. A quick bite to eat before the show.

Glad I went. Tavern ‘n Town has a new Tapas menu 1/2 price plus 2 drinks for 1 from 5-7 on tuesdays and thursdays. A bargain!

My bill was $18.

Carmen Rodriquez was singing. A lovely voice. A lovely woman.

Strange, I have seen and watched her for 20 years. I nod a polite hello each time. She has never reciprocated with a nod back or a hello.

Must have offended her way back when. Don’t recall. On the other hand, perhaps she is just not social.

The local Mosquito Control Board has had a string of unfavorable decisions. The Board decided to limit their terms as a concession to the public. Board members are elected.

The Board voted to limit their terms to 3 terms of 4 years each. a total of 12 years. Some concession! A lifetime!

Courts can be strange. Sometimes a decision comes down I find hard to accept/understand.

The U.S. Supreme Court rendered its decision yesterday in Packingham v. North Carolina. Packingham was a registered sex offender. He used/participated in social media. The Court’s decision included sites like Facebook, You Tube and Twitter.

Packingham set up a Facebook account under a false name and posted a message that praised God for the dismissal of a traffic ticket. North Carolina said it was a no no. Registered sex offenders could not use social media.

The Supreme Court in a unanimous decision said North Carolina was wrong. Its law violated first amendment free speech rights. Even a sex offender has them. They were not lost because Packingham was a registered sex offender.

Justice Kennedy wrote the primary opinion. There were two concurrent ones. Kennedy said social media is a powerful mechanism available to a private citizen to make his or her voice heard. Should be available to all.

Suppose Packingham was using Facebook for sex banter or to induce friendship with a female minor?

It seems to me the decision would encompass that situation, although not specifically spelled out in the decision.

Betsy Dietz much loved. Passed away recently. A celebration of Life is scheduled for 5 today at the Ocean Grill.

The place will be packed!

Key West humidity is a killer this year. About a month early. Heavy!

In 1902, Willis Carrier invented what might be described as modern air conditioning.  He assembled the first large scale electrical air conditioning system. Controlled both temperature and humidity.

What we enjoy today is derived from Carrier’s invention, whether in a large building, residential property or automobile.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

TODAY SUMMER SOLSTICE

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Good morning!

A lovely Key West day in the making.

Today is Summer Solstice. the longest day of the year. the day the sun is highest in the sky.

Happens twice a year. June 20 and December 22.

Last night began with Dueling Bartenders at Aqua. Tom Luna and Rick Dery. Lovely Heather guest performer. Heather adding a special touch.

The singing outstanding! The bar crowd mostly seniors. A lot of 50’s and 60’s tunes. A 70’s or 80’s thrown in here and there.

Met Sally. a Key Wester for 8 years. In her other life, she was a San Francisco police officer. Retired a detective.

Sally wanted a life in the law. Did a year of law school. Too subdued for her. Left law school and joined the police force.

Moved on to Tavern ‘n Town. You have no idea how thrilled I am that the season is over. I can now get a seat at the bar any time I want.

Enjoyed some good food while reading the newspapers.

George Bueno has been bartending at Tavern ‘n Town for 2 years. He had 10 plus years at two other places before Tavern ‘n Town grabbed him.

George is being recognized this week. He is Bartender of the Week. His picture and column appearing in the weekly Key West Week.

Any reason for a party! That’s Key west!

The Key Lime Festival saturday July 1. An only in Key West type event. At the Key West Lighthouse. A gravity defying key lime pie drop. From the top of the Lighthouse. Also  known as the Key Lime Drop Contest.

Pies provided. Four inches in diameter.

Goal is to drop the pie to a specified target without splattering it. Pie in the best condition wins. A trophy and a crisp $100 bill.

Contestants are permitted to create a device or container to protect the pie during its fall and impact.

Finally! Key West is getting Uber! Beginning July 1. The City Commission and Bubba system prevented Uber from operating two years ago when it wanted to begin. New state law prevents Key West from keeping Uber out as long as it meets state requirements.

The City Commission has a propensity for screwing up. Especially when erecting or remodeling a building. The cost goes up dramatically. The Commission always buys some half assed excuse and pays the additional monies.

This time it is the repair of the Frederick Douglas Gym in Bahama Village. The original estimate was $1.7 million. When the bids came in, the cost went up to $2.1 million. Now has ballooned to just under $2.3 million. And the work nowhere close to being done!

Working for the City many times is like having an open check book.

Another folly. There are three sight seeing franchises in Key West. Trolley, buses, etc. All three recently renewed their contracts with the City.

Traffic is a major problem these days. Actually, the major problem. Each of the agreements contain a clause that permits duck boats. In the event the Navy changes its mind and permits them.

Why do we need duck boats? There is not enough room for anything more on Key West streets. Previous duck boats were 39 feet long and 8 feet wide.

Permission should not have been granted. All parties should have waited till Navy approval or some remedy to make the duck boats acceptable. Then an amendment to the agreements could have been negotiated. With the traffic issue a main item of contention.

Ingenuity, mostly American, exists in our penal institutions. Contraband has been smuggled into federal and state jails in increasing numbers over the past five years. Contraband consisting of mobile phones, drugs and pornography.

Drones the method of delivery. Authorities are not equipped with the necessary technology to prevent the deliveries.

One of the finest persons I have met in Key West is Betsy Dietz. A kind charming woman. A good friend of Lisa’s. We have done Christmas Eve and Christmas Day together for over 10 years at Lisa’s.

Betsy recently passed on. A Celebration of Life will be held tomorrow at 5 at the Ocean Grill in Duval Square.

I am confident the crowd paying her honor will be overwhelming.

My podcast tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9. A quick half hour of interesting topics. Many eye opening. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

WHERE WERE THE TEARS?

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An interesting comment kept popping up yesterday on Facebook. Anonymous. However, many were sharing it with their friends.

The comment was right on. I paraphrased and used it on my Facebook video later in the day. About 2 minutes worth.

I titled my video: Crocodile Tears…..Hypocrisy.

The shooting at the ball field where the Republicans were practicing was horrific and touching. I shed a few tears watching the occurrence on TV. The Republican Congressmen were my people. Americans. An attack/injury to one is an attack/injury to all.

Additionally emotional were the Republican Congressmen weeping , swelling up, choking on their words.

The Facebook comment referred to earlier tragic occurrences. Asked where were Congress’ tears for the 20 children killed at Sandy Hook, the 49 people killed in a night club, the 9 people killed at a church service.

Even more to the point, where were Congress’ tears when Gabby Giffords was shot in the head. Gabby being one of their own.

The comment an excellent observation.

Though hopeful, I do not believe this most recent tragedy will bring the two parties together. Sincere talk. Results elusive, however. I doubt the love and roses talk will last more than a few weeks. Kumbaya not for Republicans and Democrats in these times.

Decided to visit Donna and Terri yesterday afternoon. Terri had been under the weather the past few days.

Picked a perfect time to go. Dry in Key Haven. As soon as I was two blocks from Donna and Terri’s, all hell broke loose rain wise. I got soaking wet in the 20 feet from my car to their porch.

Stopped at the French Croissant next to Roostica to pick up some pastries for the sick visit. Croissant’s pastries are the best! Bare none! Expensive also. Worth it, however.

One problem. Donna has sworn off carbs. Since her heart attack, Terri avoids fats. Only Louis enjoyed a pastry. I took the rest home with me.

Ended up staying for dinner. Donna continues to be an excellent cook. Fine restaurant dining.

Got home around 9.

Citizens’ Voice carried an interesting comment this morning: “Key West is a traffic jam.” Truer words cannot be written.

Accidents happen even on the high seas. The one in Tokyo harbor this week. There was another naval one in 1942 in waters off Key West.

The US Navy had mined the waters to the northwest of Key West. The steamship Bosiljka was on its way from New Orleans to Key West. It accidently sailed into the minefield. The Bosiljka was sunk.

Hitler was a master liar. He believed in the Big Lie. The bigger the lie, the more who would believe it.

Joseph Goebbels believed his Fuhrer’s words. He repeated the thought in his form and style. Orally and in writing. “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it.”

Yesterday’s talk shows had one of Trump’s new attorneys on. His message: Trump is not under investigation.

The Hitler/Goebbels approach at work.

My home town is Utica. Central New York located.

A small village to the west is Frankfurt. Less than 10 miles away. I cannot recall the population. I would guess around 5,000, if that many.

As far back as I can recall, there was a sign on the highway where cars  entered Frankfurt. The sign: Frankfurt…..Watch Us Grow.

The sign is still there. Never replaced. Worn by the more than 70 years of its existence.

Frankfurt never grew.

Frankfurt achieved notoriety this past saturday. Made the news big time. Illegal bird fighting. Chickens primarily.

A barn on farm land. A bird fighting ring inside. Fights going on. Close to 40 spectators.

Police had been investigating. They raided the place. Forty two persons arrested. Fifty five birds captured. Sixty eight thousand dollars seized.

There was another barn on the property. The barn was used as a game bird breeding and training facility. One hundred eighty more birds were captured.  And last but not least, 100 grams of heroin.

Frankfurt finally made it!

I doubt most of the residents were pleased by the gaming. Assuming they knew. Frankfurt is small town America. People provincial. Honest, good folk.

It’s still raining.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

FATHER’S DAY…..HARD TIME BECOMING A NATIONAL HOLIDAY

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Big day today! Father’s Day! Many the proud father today. Many the happy kids giving Dad a Father’s Day gift.

Father’s Day seems like a natural. Unfortunately, it was not considered so for many years. Congress opposed efforts going back to 1098 to establish the holiday. The excuse was it would lead to commercialization of the day.

Would you believe?

Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge and Lyndon Johnson exercised their best abilities to legalize Father’s Day as a national holiday. Richard Nixon was finally successful. In 1972, he signed a Congressional bill into law recognizing the 3rd Sunday in June as such.

Father’s Day had its beginnings in the Middle Ages in Catholic Europe. St. Joseph was the father of Jesus Christ. St. Joseph’s Day was June 19. June 19 became recognized as Father’s Day also as a result.

Father’s Day did not take hold in the United States till early in the 20th century. Immigrants at the time probably brought the holiday with them.

Happy Father’s Day to all Dads. Enjoy the day. It is yours. Well deserved. As Mother’s Day is for the Moms.

Tammy for a manicure yesterday. The place is a gold mine! People with and without appointments coming in. Tammy and her staff working hard. always smiling. Accommodated one and all.

Dinner last night with Donna at Duffy’s. Terri home. She has a cold. Has to be careful whatever the problem. She threw Donna out of the house and told her to join me.

Even those not ill, but who care for those who are, get run down. Need a change of pace.

Home before 9. Watched the Watergate special on MSNBC. Excellent!

David Wolkowsky did it again! The man is amazing. Ninety eight years old and still active.

Mr. Key West annually since 2001 has given $65,000 a year to Key West High School teachers. Recipient teachers awarded are referred to as Teachers of Merit. One receives $25,000. Eight others, $5,000 each.

A better man does not exist. He is all heart and soul.

Yesterday was the 63rd anniversary of the Rocky Marciano/Ezzard Charles World Heavy Weight Championship fight.

I was there! June 17, 1954.

I had just finished my freshman year at Manhattan College. My parents drove to New York City to pick me up. While there, my Father and Uncle Gus decided to attend the fight. At Yankee Stadium. They took me!

It was a typical New York City Italian evening.

We took the subway. Our seats were in left field. We could see nothing. My Aunt Louise had made us sandwiches which we took with us wrapped in wax paper and carried in a paper bag.

Fortunately, my Uncle brought binoculars. He had done the rodeo before. My father and Uncle treated me fairly. I got my time with the binoculars.

I was impressed before the fight. Big black limousines driving over the outfield to the seats surrounding the ring in the infield. Out came men in tuxedos and ladies in long. The fight was a social event.

I was impressed.

The fight began. Blurry unless you had the binoculars in hand.

Turned out, I had use of the binoculars at the right moment. I saw Marciano hit Charles so hard on the side of his face that I thought his fist was going to come out the other side of Charles’ face.

I could actually see the force of the blow thrust half of the other side of Charles’ face outward. Looked 3-4 inches to me. I thought Charles’ head was going to come off.

Marciano won soon thereafter. Marciano went on to win the rest of his fights. He retired undefeated.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

END THE WAR

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Not Iraq. Not Afghanistan. The one going on in the Comments section of this blog. Grow up guys. you are all dumping on one woman. Does it take all of you to prove one female wrong?

Talk politics, issues, etc. Not the crap that seems to have taken over.

It makes me wonder. Those commenting about real issues provide some great reads. Really. I am impressed with the quality of most of the comments. The give and take terrific…..re real issues. Keep it up and walk away from Diana.

I appreciate Diana is hard to take on occasion. So are some of you guys.

I like Diana. Consider her a friend. Difficult though she may be. When she is off and running, I look the other way and do not hear.

She has been in Key West 3 weeks. Leaves tuesday. She has rented a condo for a year so will be back and forth.

In three weeks, I have been with her two times. For dinner each time. The first night she arrived and last night. Both evenings enjoyable.

Diana easily makes friends. Don’t laugh. Obvious when she makes friends. People open up to her immediately.

Diana is an outstanding researcher, developer of the facts. She has given me a hand on a couple of things. She knows how to dig.

What amazes me is Diana is not sharp tongued. Though she does come over that way in her comments. She is soft spoken. Amazing the difference between reading her and speaking with her.

Drinks first last night at Louie’s Backyard. Diana does not drink. A cheap date in that regard. Stopped afterwards at VFW for a sandwich. Diana does not eat. A shrimp cocktail. A cheap date foodwise, also.

By the way, Diana does not require me to defend her. She is capable of doing such very well on her own. As some of you have already discovered.

I just gave Diana 300 words. Have non-Diana information to share. Must do so swiftly. Tammy’s for a manicure later in the morning.

My lesbian wives Donna and Terri are taking me out to dinner tonight. A fun evening ahead.

I cannot keep up with them. I will go home immediately after dinner. They make an evening of it. Aqua, the Monkey Bar, etc. Till the wee morning hours.

Venezuela continues to go down the tubes. The citizens continue to suffer. Again, I ask why they have not revolted in the past four years.

First out of toilet paper. Then food. Now doctors and medicines.

Thousands of doctors have left. To surrounding countries. Most to small nearby islands. The toilet paper, food, etc. had something to do with it. However, it was the authoritarian government headed by Maduro that motivated them. They are making less money. Feel safe and secure for themselves and their families, however.

In the past year, maternal mortality rose 66 percent. Infant mortality, 30 percent. Malaria, 66 percent. Diphtheria is soaring.

Shortages of insect repellents, vaccinations, and public health funding the primary reasons.

The infant mortality rate is higher than Syria’s for the same period of time. Hard to believe!

In a recent medical malpractice case in Pennsylvania, a jury returned an $870,000 verdict. The patient was to have his right testicle removed. The doctor removed the good left one.

Early in my practice, I was peripherally involved in a similar malpractice case. The patient had cancer in one eye. The eye had to be removed. The doctor removed the good eye.

Terrible! It happens, however. Roughly 2,000 times a year the wrong limb or organ is removed.

Enjoy your day!