JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

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Broadway musicals open. Some become successful. Those that do are followed by an album.

Jesus Christ Superstar a Broadway smash hit. The album came first, however. There were economic and other problems getting the show on Broadway. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice decided to come out with the album first.

The album was released on this day in 1970. An instantaneous hit!

The Broadway show followed. Likewise a hit.

I was into Broadway musicals in the 1970’s. I was fortunate to get tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar the second week of its opening. Blew me out!

The Chart Room first last night. John back bartending. He was off the previous 3 nights. Done in by all the partying.

Some friends from the previous evening. Scott the trial lawyer. Ted and Terri.

Ted is a Cazenovia friend. Visits Key West twice a year. Here with his friend Terri. They had spent the day fishing. Ted goes out every day. They went 40 miles into the Gulf to fish. On the way passed Ballast Key, one of David Wolkowsky’s homes. Ballast sits 16 miles west of Key West.

David entertained world and national leaders, movie stars, persons of brilliance, at his beloved Ballast Key. The menu always the same. One that only the very rich could provide. Turkey hot dogs, potato chips, and champagne.

A Fantasy Fest partier at the bar. An engaging woman. Between 35 and 40. Lovely. Attired only in a black thong. Magnificent breasts. Her body well tanned.

My one and only moment of Fantasy Fest excitement this year.

Not quite. On my way through the Pier House to the Chart Room, I passed 2 women totally body painted. Head to toe. One silver and one chartreuse.

They were arguing with their husbands or boy friends as I walked between them. I stopped. Complimented the ladies on their beauty and told the four of them not to waste a beautiful evening. They looked at this crazy guy, smiled, and then laughed.

Over to Blue Macaw after the Chart Room. John and Fiona in with 3 house guests. The five having a roaring good time. I had a drink and ate something before leaving for home.

I have been stopping in front of the Hemingway House each night on my way home. Have not seen Hemingway’s ghost yet.

The Fantasy Fest Parade tonight. The biggest event of Fantasy Fest. Floats galore. The sidewalks packed. Sixty thousand expected. Everyone yelling for beads to be thrown to them from the floats.

I was fortunate many years ago to ride on a float. Once was a enough! Throwing beads is hard work. I was exhausted at the end of the parade and went straight home.

The float was Howard Livingston’s. It was Howard’s first year as an entertainer. He was trying to break into the business. The theme of the float obviously was musical. Howard playing his guitar and singing. Pirate themed also. I was dressed as a pirate. Howard stood me next to a water pipe. Periodically, I was to suck on it as if smoking pot. I would like to say I got stoned. However, there was nothing in the water pipe.

Howard did a good job. The float won the prize for Best Musical. Howard was all excited.

Last night was the Masquerade Parade. A strange event. Began years ago primarily with locals. Now a combination of locals and tourists.

Everyone dresses. Great costumes. They walk. It is simply a long walk. The participants boisterous and happy. The parade begins at the cemetery. Weaves up Fleming. Then to other streets. Ending up somewhere on Duval.

From a handful of locals, the parade is now more than 10,000 doing the walk. One of the more successful Fantasy Fest events.

Though I costumed twice over the years for Fantasy Fest, I have never participated in the parade. There is another facet to the parade. More to my liking. People party on their porches as the parade passes by.

Great parties! Food and booze galore. Good company. Parade participants occasionally running up to one of the porch parties to tank up before traveling further.

Key West’s Police Chief is Donnie Lee. I never met him. He is retiring. December 3. He has been a member of the force 24 years. His accomplishments many. Well respected.

Most significant in his background is that he is a Conch. A fifth generation Conch. Being a Conch a big deal. Means one was born in Key West. I find it exciting for Robert and Ally that they are Conchs.

Syracuse/North Carolina State tonight at 7. ESPN 2. I will be staying in. Watching the first half from an easy chair and the second from my bed.

Powerball Lottery drawing tonight at 11. Forty four states participate. $750 million to the winner!

The odds of winning 1 in 292 million. Could be worse!

Enjoy your day!

 

I WAS WRONG…..

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I was wrong.

I have been in Key West during Fantasy Fest some 30 years. Initially, I did them all. One year after another. After a while it became you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. So I stopped attending.

Toga Party was my favorite event. Thursday night at Sloppy Joe’s and in the street in front of Sloppy’s. I wrote in detail yesterday what it was like. My last Toga Party (always as an observer) was at least a dozen years ago.

A voyeur’s dream!

I decided to go last night.

I stopped at the Chart Room first. Friend Ted from Cazenovia, NY was there, with friend Terri. Ted is a former attorney. A terrific guy. Visits Key West two times a year. He came specifically for Fantasy Fest. His first. Terri’s, also. Terri a 20 year veteran of corporate finance.

Being a helpful soul, I advised Ted and Terri a good event to see last night. My admonition: Don’t miss Toga Party. Explained what and where it was.

My good deed for the evening.

Around 8 o’clock, I walked over to Sloppy Joe’s. Excited!

In the past, Duval in front of Sloppy Joe’s was cordoned off. A block on either side also. No cars. Pedestrian walk. Totally crowded with party revelers. Last night, cars as usual.

Strange, I thought. It came to mind there was little traffic when I drove down US 1 and along Truman Avenue. Normally took extra long to get into town. It also dawned on me I had no problem finding a parking spot. Open places all over.

Something amiss.

I got in front of Sloppy’s. About 3/4’s filled inside. Less people than when a cruise ship comes in. The sidewalks crowded, but walkable.

Few bare assed women wearing togas! I saw a total of 4. Walking down the sidewalk with their husbands or boy friends who were similarly attired.

Things had changed in the last 12 years. Wow! Big time! The “adult party” appeared no more. Subdued considerably.

The same local company had run Fantasy Fest for years. Three years ago, some felt the event had become too risqué. A new company was hired. One that promised a more subdued event. Subdued? Killed!

I wonder how long the merchants will put up with a quieter, cleaner Fantasy Fest. The sole purpose for Fantasy Fest was to give merchants an opportunity to make money during Key West’s slow time.

I apologize to my readers for yesterday’s total erroneous representation of Toga Party. I also apologize to Ted and Terri. My only interest was to make their evening more enjoyable.

While in the Chart Room, met another attorney. Scott from Poughkeepsie. He has been visiting Key West since 1992. A Simon Court regular.

Scott has had a distinguished career. Cases litigated from Puerto Rico to Key West to New York.

We exchanged lawyer war stories.

Disappointed with a Toga Party that sucked, I drove over to Blue Macaw. Ran into Mary. We enjoyed dinner and a couple of drinks together. Mary works at The Little White House. A Harry Truman expert.

The parking meters have changed. Cost to park in Key West has increased. From $3 an hour to $4. Disgraceful! A gouging!

These attempted bombings scary. The 11th discovered this morning. Directed to New Jersey Democratic Senator Corey Booker.

What is occurring is domestic terrorism. Can you imagine how we would feel if the attempted bombings had been successful? Two former Presidents, a Vice-President, a former Presidential candidate, Congressional members, and a movie star not afraid to speak out on political issues, dead or injured. The country would be in mourning. Republicans, included.

We are in a cold war. A Democrat/Republican one. Tempers are boiling. The cold war could easily tun into a hot one. Bullets and molotov cocktails flying. Citizens killed and injured.

The last time the U.S. was confronted with such anger and ill will between political parties was in the 1850 years leading up to the Civil War. It took a Civil War to settle the issues.

Trump proudly said on TV the other night he was a nationalist. “There I said it,” he said.

Does the man know that of which he speaks? Nationalists is a  fancy cover up word for neo-Nazis and members of the Klu Klux Klan.

Bravery in war not uncommon. For God and country commonplace. We do not hear of the many acts or events of bravery. One became immortalized by the famous poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

The Charge of the Light Brigade.

The battle fought on yesterday’s date in 1854. Known as the Battle of Balaclava. Part of the Crimean War. British Light Forces and  Russians on opposite sides.

The British task an impossible one. They had to take a Russian position at the top of a hill. Russian guns on three sides as they rode up the hill. To the left, right and in front of them. The Brits suffered a high number of casualties.

Tennyson’s poem portrayed the battle and bravery of the men: “Into the Valley of Death / Rode the six hundred. / Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die…..Cannon to the right of them, / Cannon to the left off them, / Cannon in front of them…..Into the jaws of Death, / Into the mouth of Hell / Rode the six hundred…..When can their glory fade? / O the wild charge they made! / All the world wondered. / Honor the charge they made! / Honor the Light Brigade, / Noble six hundred!”

Enjoy your day!

6′ 3″ 236 POUNDS…..NO WAY!!!!!

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I have weight problems. Always have. Started my most recent diet at 240. I am 6’1″. Trump’s medical report was revealed yesterday. The report states Trump is 6’3″ and purportedly weighs 236 pounds.

No way!!!!!

I have never looked as fat as the President. Even in my 250 pound days.

The truth be known, he has to weigh at least 30 pounds more.

Why the lie? Why the misrepresentation? The White House doctor is Ronny L. Jackson. Also a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy. He did the examination and reported the results.

At 71, the way Trump eats, the tension he is under, his lifestyle…..he has to have more than a cholesterol problem. I read the other day  that his daily MacDonald’s lunch consists of 2 cheeseburgers, 2 chicken sandwiches and a chocolate milk shake. His veins and arteries have to be bursting with plaque pride!

The cognitive test. I take it every year as part of my physical. Not 30 steps, however. Only 10. Easy. What day is it? Who is President of the U.S.? What year is it? Spell a short word backwards. Draw a couple of boxes already printed on a form. Etc.

Child’s play!

Takes all of two minutes. The President’s, probably 5-10.

The results merely represent whether you are mentally ok to get along in society. Trump is more than merely in society. He is President of the U.S. Leader of the most powerful nation in the world.

I would rather he was examined by a psychiatrist rather than merely taking the cognitive test.

Admiral Jackson says Trump is in “excellent” physical health. True or false?

Others who appear to lie for the President include Senators Cotton and Perdue, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.

Formerly respectable, responsible persons willingly walking the plank for the man. Why?

Staying with Homeland Secretary Nielsen a moment, she testified also before the Congressional Committee yesterday that her Department has asked federal prosecutors if the Department can lodge criminal charges against sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal deportation efforts.

Shades of a totalitarian state.

My podcast show last night.Went well. Enjoyed doing it. Opened with three medical issues. The rest of the show Trump. Cannot be helped. He is into everything nationally and world wide.

I was able to catch the second half of the Syracuse/Pittsburgh game following the show. Syracuse won decisively. Glad the team won again! They lost their previous four games.

Weather continues to be cold. Stepped on the porch in tee shirt and shorts this morning after reading today’s weather report in the Key West Citizen. Eighty six degrees today. Seventy seven tomorrow. The rest of the week in the mid 80’s. The cold spell was over!

It was cold on the porch.

Rechecked the Citizen report. I had read it correctly. Checked some of the weather stations. The Citizen had it wrong.

Maybe a joke.

Viagra has many uses. As I live and learn.

Robin Robinson writes a weekly column for the Citizen. Gardening. Her article this past weekend titled: How To Keep Your Fresh Flowers Erect.

Her article reported some put a penny in the water to keep the flowers fresh/erect. Others, an aspirin. Some, viagra. Erectability guaranteed.

The flu season is upon us big time. World wide.

The vaccination apparently not working this year. Experts claim only 10-30 percent effective.

Proof of the pudding Santa Barbara, California. Eight died in two weeks. Seven of them had received the flu shot. All 8, 65 or older.

In another U.S. area, a 40 year old mother who had received the vaccination died within 3 days of becoming sick.

A DACA update.

A California federal district court judge ordered the Trump administration last week to resume accepting renewal applications for DACA. Screws up Trump’s deportation process.

Attorney General Sessions says the ruling “defies both law and common sense.” He cannot understand how DACA can be “mandated” by a single federal judge sitting in San Francisco.

It’s the law, stupid. That’s how it works! Almost since the beginning of our country.

Sessions indicated he is going to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take a direct review of the judge’s ruling. Highly unusual!

The process involves as a first step an appeal to the Ninth Circuit. Assuming a continued adverse ruling by the Circuit Court, an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is then proper. If the Supreme Court accepts the case. They accept few.

Time involved, 1-2 years.

Screws up Trump’s plan to deport 800,000 who should not be deported. Would irritate Trump no end. He probably would then tweet that the Supreme Court needs to be examined, outdated, have too much power, many of the justices too old, etc.

On this day in 1961, Eisenhower delivered his Farewell Address. He warned of the “military-industrial complex.” We did not listen.

Enjoy your day!