SCREW OFF DAY

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Wednesday is my friday. First day of no writing, except for my daily blog. Ergo, I refer to it as my screw off day. This week thursday joined the club. I enjoyed a second simple day and evening.

Hogfish for lunch. Season over. Not crowded.

La Trattoria on the Ocean for dinner. At the bar. Stephanie bartending. First time I met her. A go getter.

She has been a bartender 30 years. Been in Key West 2 years. Originally from Long Island.

Stephanie is going into business. She is opening an organic fruit drink bar at Body Zone in the Winn-Dixie Shopping Center. Work underway. Should open in three weeks. Drinks will be available street side and inside.

I wish her well.

That takes care of lunch and dinner. Nothing else till 9 in the evening.

Last night watched the Clinton/Sanders Debate from the comfort of my bed. A boxing match. Both equally good. Hillary’s major fault is she can be evasive and fail to respond to a question.

I recently ate at Square Grouper. Discovered where the name came from.

In the 1970s, the lower Keys were the U.S. entrance for fisherman carrying bales of marijuana. A bale of marijuana was also known as a square grouper.

James Fenimore Cooper. An acknowledged and respected writer. Especially of Indian tales. Last of the Mohicans and Leatherstocking Tales. He also authored non Indian stories.

One was venued in the Florida Keys. The name Jack Tier, or, the Florida Reef. Set on a naval ship. Cooper early in his life had been a midshipman in the U.S. Navy.

The story involves a sailor and ship captain. The relationship appears to verge on a homoerotic relationship. At the end of the book, it is discovered the sailor is a woman. Not just a woman. The captain’s wife.

The book gathers dust to this day. Was not popular when written nor is it today.

Cooper’s home was Otsego Hall in Cooperstown. A 40 mile drive from my home town Utica. Cooperstown the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame, also. Otsego Hall has been rebuilt. It is a tourist attraction. Also site of many cocktail parties. Several of which I was fortunate to attend.

This week’s KONK Life column is Shakespeare Incidentals. It was linked this morning to Key West Lou. .keywestlou.com. It also appears in todays KONK News E-Blast.

Enjoy your day!

JEFFERSON BEAUREGARD SESSIONS III

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Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III. A lovely name! Brings to memory visions of a Southern gentleman of old. Defender of Southern traditions. A person whose present day thinking is that of his Civil War forefathers.

Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III is the real name of U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions. A 20 year Republican from Alabama. If I had his legitimate name, I probably would want to be known as Jeff, also. Makes him sound like one of the guys.

Sessions and I are diametrically opposed on most issues. He an ultra conservative. I, a liberal. I tolerate him. I respect his position, though not the man personally.

I write about Beauregard this morning because of an article I came across. A small group of U.S. Senators met recently. They oppose the continued legalization of marijuana. Their meeting was described as an anti-pot circus.

Beauregard was quoted as saying “…..good people don’t smoke marijuana.”

I make jest of Sessions not because of his position re the marijuana issue. Rather his standard in arriving at his conclusion: Good people.

I spent yesterday afternoon researching this week’s KONK column. Four hours and I came up with nothing that turned me on. Which means more digging later this afternoon and evening. It is this way every week.

Great time at the Chart Room last night. Three hours of interesting conversation.

My stomach was growling on the way home. I wanted just a sandwich. nothing more. I stopped at the new submarine store in the Sears Shopping Center. Sweet Fire Chipotle. Never had one of their subs.

Ordered a Chicken Alfredo on whole wheat. Intended to bring it home to eat. When I got outside, I saw they had two tables and chairs. I decided to eat there.

I did not take napkins since I had intended to eat at home. Left my bagged sandwich and drink on the table. Went inside for some napkins. The effort took all of 20 seconds.

When I came out, I saw a man starting to pick up my dinner. I calmly said it’s mine. He looked at me with a frightened expression. He was haggard and weather beaten. His clothes slovenly.

He said, “I’m hungry.”

He was obviously a homeless person. I handed my sandwich and drink to him and said, “Enjoy.” He nodded a thank you and hurriedly left. I would have enjoyed talking with him, but we never got that far.

I walked back into the store and duplicated my first order. Remained outside to enjoy the sub. Read the newspapers.

The Chicken Alfredo was excellent!

I erred in yesterday’s blog. I reported the Cow Key Bridge Run was today. It is not. The Run is tomorrow.

Today is the Seven Mile Bridge Race.

We have all come to know William Hackley via the Key West Citizen. The Citizen obtained the diary of William Hackley. Hackley was a Key West adult in the 1850s.

His diary entry each day contains an early morning walk to the salt ponds. Most times,  he indicates following the walk that he bathe.

I assumed he was cleaning up in the salt ponds. Today’s entry indicates otherwise. Apparently there was a well at the salt ponds. He bathe at the well.

On this day in 1942, American and Filipino troops surrendered at Bataan. Twelve thousand Americans and sixty thousand Filipinos. The Bataan death march followed. Thousands died in the march and then the compounds they were confined in for more than three years.

To a minimal degree, justice triumphed. The Japanese commander of the Philippine invasion was tried in 1946 for the deaths and maltreatment caused by the death march. The death march was considered a war crime. He was convicted and executed before a firing squad.

I play bocce at noon. Ran into someone who bought a set of bocce balls and never played. I am to teach him. We will probably last 20 minutes. The sun will be a killer. Lunch at Salute’s afterwards..

Enjoy your day!

 

 

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS’ DAY

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It comes around every year without fail. April Fools’ Day. A fun time for many. Much joking around. Each of us will probably experience a small part of it today.

As usual, the Key West Citizen has outdone itself with its special April Fools’ Day publication. Unbelievable. It had to take a week or more to put together.

I recall the first time I read a Citizen’s April Fools’ Day publication. Some 25 years ago. My first April Fools’ Day in Key West.

Read the Citizen over breakfast. The main story was that the City Commission had banned smoking on sidewalks and beaches. Absurd, I thought. Stupid. They can’t do that.

I expressed my feelings to my then wife. She knew about the Citizen’s special April Fools’ Day edition.

She laughed. I laughed. If it was gotcha, I had been got.

Visited with my heart doctor yesterday. Dr. McIvor. I walked into his office and he hit me with something to the effect he should not talk with me. I figured it had to do with my stress test results. My heart dropped. He laughed.

The good Doctor is a Virginia graduate. I forgot he was a Virginia grad. He was referring to Syracuse beating Virginia last weekend. An interesting discussion unfolded. My stress test results forgotten by both of us.

Test results ok. I am going to live. He could not tell me the cause of the two pain hits I experienced in one day. I was advised not to be concerned.

My blood pressure better. Not where we both want it. Half way home at this point.

June and I had dinner last night at Michael’s with Wayne and Peggy. A couple I met last week. Fun people. A good time.

Michael and Suzette were glad to see me back. Twice in a week!

This week’s KONK life column Ma, Ma, Where’s My Pa? hit the stands wednesday. It was carried in today’s E-Blast News. Also linked this morning to my Key West Lou website. .keywestlou.com.

Two visitors of world wide fame arrived in Key West this past weekend.

The Blue Angels who will be performing this weekend. The Blue Angels announced their arrival yesterday by flying low the length Duval.

The Budweiser Clydesdales visited schools and trotted proudly up Duval.

Everyone does Duval!

Conch Color’s Tom Oosterhoudt in a Miami hospital again. Not good. A prayer in oder.

Some crazy things going on in the outside world. Not unusual.

A petition bearing 50,000 plus signatures was delivered to the Republican National Committee. The signers requested that delegates and visitors to the National Convention be permitted to bear arms. Pistols.

A shoot out guaranteed if permission is granted. Gun fight at Ok Corral time.

Guns in the news a second time.

The Mississippi Senate passed a bill permitting churches to form militias. Members would be permitted to bring guns to services. The bill further provided that a killing at a church or place of worship would be considered justifiable homicide.

A big night tomorrow! Syracuse/North Carolina in the Final Four. North Carolina a 9.5 point favorite.

I am pleased with Syracuse’s performance thus far. The team has overachieved. At this point, I do not care whether Syracuse wins or loses. Not true, really. I do care.

What will be will be.

Weatherwise, it looks great outside. However, the wind is blowing from the south. Generally means a storm some time during the day. Not always. Most of the time.

Enjoy your day!

 

PROJECTS MOVE AT SNAIL’S PACE

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My cold first. No better. Worse. Going to shower and go buy something over the counter to relief symptoms.

Key West does not get things done in a timely fashion. When it finally gets to a project, the costs are much more than anticipated.

Monroe County is guilty of similar sins. Especially in the lowers Keys.

The big news this morning is that Wal-Mart is closing 269 stores. More than half in the United States and a significant number in Brazil. Appears not to be a big deal. The cut backs represent less than one percent of Wal-Mart’s global revenue. Wal-Mart has 11,000 stores worldwide. The dent by reason of the closings insignificant.

A Wal-Mart has been scheduled for construction up U.S. 1. Not far from me and Key West. Everyone excited.

Where is the store? Construction not even started. Three years so far since the announcement.

I recall an article in the newspaper a couple of month’s ago that things were moving slowly. No one particular person’s fault. Enough guilt to go around.

It is a project in Monroe County. Monroe Country should ride herd on it and make sure things move. Enough of the excuses.

Key West the worst. The Truman waterfront property has been in the works 15 years. Ground breaking finally late last year. I do not believe any actual construction has begun.

Fifteen years has to be a record!

The Key West City Commission has the obligation to ride herd on projects within the City. No excuses. The City Commission is in charge.

I fear Wal-Mart is going to pull out and the Truman waterfront never gets done.

Between sneezes, a running nose and watering eyes yesterday, I researched for a column topic for this week’s KONK Life. Have not zeroed in on one yet.

Search your heart. Be generous. There but for the grace of God could go you and I.

Today’s Crime Report in the Key West Citizen tells of a 22 year old homeless person who was arrested in the 600 block of Duval yesterday for panhandling. He had $1,000 in cash in his pocket.

Syracuse plays Wake Forest at noon. I have no idea who will win.

Cruz’s $1 million loan from Goldman Sachs has come under scrutiny. Trump says he feels sorry for Cruz. However, the matter should be investigated and he hopes Cruz has no problem.

Cruz is not that old. I was not aware he was so rich he could borrow $1 million dollars and do it on margin. A high roller. Or, something amiss.

My concern is Trump and his banking. He has borrowed everywhere and in voluminous amounts. His projects very costly. The media should look into his banking record.

Fair is fair.

Enjoy your day!

BIKE RIDING IN KEY WEST

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Bicycle riding a problem in Key West. A problem for bike riders, cars and pedestrians. Anyone who says it is not does not, does not know what he/she is talking about.

Note the State of Florida gives Key West a ranking as the top Florida city for fatal crashes involving bikes. ‘Nuff said.

Key West has hired a Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator. His name Chris Hamilton. He comes to us from Virginia where he was involved with transportation issues. Says he has been visiting Key West for 20 years. He is now living on Stock Island and rides his bike to work at Habana Plaza on Flagler every day. No problems.

Hamilton claims it is a joy to bike ride in Key West. He always feel safe.

Respectfully, Hamilton does not know what he is talking about.

The bike problem is not on Stock Island or Flagler. It is primarily in Old Town and on Northern Boulevard. I suggest he ride his bike on Simonton from Caroline to Front late afternoons between 5 and 6. Duval in the afternoon. The length of Caroline, also.

It is an obstacle course. for vehicle drivers trying to avoid hitting tourists bike riding. Includes families with young kids and seniors who have not been on a bike in 50 years.

The problem is not with local bike riders. It is with the tourists. Don’t tell me there are not enough tourist bike riders to be a problem. Check the number of bicycles rented daily in Old Town.

I have a cold. I have not had one in years. A head cold. My fault. This has been a cold and wet week. I am on the anti-gravity treadmill five days a week. Raise a big sweat.

I immediately leave the building when I am done. Sweating away and no jacket. The car a 100 feet away. Normally, no problem. In this week’s cold, a big problem.

I deserve the sneezing and stuffed head I am undergoing this morning.

No treadmill for me today.

Immediately following the treadmill, I was at Lori’s getting a haircut. Still sweating.

Last night, a new experience. An English speaking opera at The Studios of Key West. A Thousand Splendid Suns. The lives of females in a Muslim country. Very subservient. Forcibly so.

The opera a work in progress. We only saw the first act. There is more to come at some time.

I went to learn about female life in an Arab nation. I learned nothing new. The ill treatment of women shown was what is already known by most. It was hard for me to follow the forceful singing. The sheer volume deafened the sound.

I am being critical, I guess. The story took too long to tell. I actually dropped off in sleep two times.

I compliment the Studios for offering this performance. Key West is bare of opera activity. I also compliment the performers. In spite of my negative comments.

Dinner followed at Hot Tin Roof.

Kissing is the title of this week’s KONK Life column. A history of kissing. The article was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. It is also carried in today’s E-Blast.

I will not be doing my usual friday noon 15 minute radio interview with Don Riggs today.

Enjoy your day!

NO BLOG TODAY

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No blog today. I have poison in my pen. Better I write nothing at all.

JUSTICE?

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A Saudi millionaire was acquitted of raping a teen in London. He said he tripped and accidentally penetrated her.

Juries are finding it difficult to find guilt world wide. Many police/black killings in the U.S. and now this in England.

Justice is moving farther and farther away.

The anti-gravity treadmill in the morning yesterday. I am increasing the miles. A tenth here, a tenth there. Ever upward. I worry I may be pushing myself.

A manicure with Tammy at noon. She is representative of the Asian female mind.

When she lived in Vietnam, the man was king. Women were nothing. Everything was done for the man.

It is different in the United States. She is free. Independent. Can do what she wants.

I am happy Tammy’s husband did not marry her in Vietnam. They met here in Florida. He knew he was not getting an old country woman.

Don’s Place first last night. After a chat or two, we headed to the VFW. Don wanted to go. Stan and Claire, also.

Don was captured as soon as we walked into the VFW. The Commodore grabbed him and took Don around introducing him. Then a former Commodore came by and took Don away to introduce him to some others.

Stan knew many. Turns out he is a former Navy man who was stationed at Bocca Chica. He worked as a cook for the VFW for a while. It was old home week for him.

No one I knew, except Schmegly from last week. One more person, also? When I walked in a white haired gent introduced me to his wife. As his barber. I smiled and walked on. He was seated nearby. A little later he caught my attention and said…..My barber!

I felt bad disappointing him. I told him I was not his barber or a barber. He left with a puzzled look on his face. Made me feel bad I was not his barber.

The VFW was having a party. for one of its members. A 92 year old World War II veteran. He fought the war in a submarine.

The birthday cake was delicious.

This week’s KONK Life column The President Could Not Spell is available in two places this morning. One is KONK Life which is on the stands. The other is my Key West Lou website (.keywestlou.com) where it is linked.

Enjoy your day!

SNOWBIRDS RETURN

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Snowbirds are back. You can see them, feel them, hear them. All good things.

Snowbirds are those who own Key West homes who do not spend the full year here. They return to Key West when the cold hits up north. Snowbirds also include those who do not own, but return and rent each year during the winter months.

Snowbirds mostly in their 50s and up.

They blend right in. Hook up with old friends. Locals and other snowbirds.

I sensed the time was here for the snowbird influx earlier this week while at the Chart Room. The bar was packed. All senior citizens. I knew then the snowbirds were back. Observed it at the Cuban Coffee Queen yesterday. I stopped for lunch. Did not stay. A waiting line. The benches and stools taken.

I was at Hogfish last night for dinner. The same thing. Standing room. Waiting for tables. I luckily found a seat immediately at the outside bar. The inside bar consisted of fishermen and their ladies. Otherwise, Hogfish was packed with returning snowbirds.

I have gotten into grouper recently. The grouper last night was outstanding!

Key West and the Battleship Maine are intertwined. The Maine left Key West for Cuba. It was blown up while in Havana Harbor. Triggering the Spanish-American War.

Many were killed when the Maine went down. A significant number were returned to Key West for burial. On this date in 1898, a Battleship Maine Cemetery Plot was dedicated in Key West. Ten thousand watched the procession and dedication.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. If it does not kill me, it has to help big time. Body Owners has become like a morning club for me and others being worked on. The staff part of the club. Makes hard work easier.

Then a haircut with Lori. Always enjoy visiting with Lori. She has been cutting my hair for 15 years.

Stopped at Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. No room.

Went home for lunch. Anna there. Anna has been cleaning my house and doing my laundry for 10 years. A Polish immigrant who worked hard and is achieving the American dream.

Is it only immigrants who achieve the American dream today? Why not American born? Is it because the American born have lost something along the way? What?

A three hour nap. I was tired for some reason. Laid down and fell asleep immediately.

“The nights still belong to Hitler.” One of the quotes/observations  in this week’s KONK Life column Helen Sperling…..Holocaust Survival.

I saw the printed column yesterday in KONK Life. Somewhere between me and the printer, the column got screwed up. Sperling’s name was misspelled in the title. Quotes near the end of the column took a beating. One completely left out. Others bunched together. My listed order ignored.

Nothing can bed done. The publisher offered to rerun the column next week. I said, no. Next week should be and will be a new story.

I apologize for the errors/sloppiness. Not of my doing, however.

Staying with the Helen Sperling story, it appears in two additional places today. KONK E-Blast carries it. No errors. The column was also linked to my Key West Lou website. No errors.

I will be interviewed on KONK News at 12:45 today. 104.9 radio. The subject matter will be the Helen Sperling column.

There have been many police/black shootings. More blacks killed than police officers. Most officers not indicted. I read somewhere yesterday that cops have become uncharged murderer’s. I will receive a number of contrary comments tomorrow. However, I agree with the uncharged murderer’s label.

June Hudson…..Don’t break a leg! You will never make it back to the Keys!

Enjoy your day!

 

BOCCE SEASON ENDS FOR US

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It’s all over. The bocce season ended for us last night. We lost.

We played the #3 team from the monday night league. We destroyed them the first game. They destroyed us in return the second game. The third game was for all the marbles.

We were losing 13-2. We made a comeback. The score was 15-13. They won 16-13.

The best season ever for us. Ended up second in the thursday night league. Drew a bye in the playoffs before losing last night.

An outstanding season!

The finals today. We will not be playing.

Spent the day time yesterday researching this week’s KONK column. Paris has been in the news frequently because of the terrorist attack. I wanted to write something about Paris. I decided on the Eiffel Tower. The column will be written this afternoon.

A double header in effect yesterday re Syracuse.

The football team won the last game of the season. Beat Boston College 20-17.  A poor football season for Syracuse. Glad we won the last one.

Coach Shafer was fired last week. He agreed to coach the last game, however. The players carried him off the field on their shoulders after the game.

Syracuse basketball big this past week. Beat two ranked teams in winning the Atlantis tournament. CBS Sports Top 25 (plus one) ranks teams daily. Yesterday, Syracuse was ranked #13. Great! Unreal at the same time.

I don’t know how Syracuse will end the season. They played terrific basketball in the tournament, however. The team deserves to be ranked.

The Putin/Erdogan fiasco continues. Putin yesterday imposed severe sanctions on Turkey. Putin said he was throwing the gauntlet down. He refused to accept telephone calls from Erdogan.

The defense analyst who said the two were measuring their dicks was correct. Yesterday was Putin’s turn.

Enjoy your sunday!

 

ROSE TATTOO / TENNESSEE WILLIAMS / DUNCAN ST.

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The time is this week 1954. The place Duncan Street in Key West. The filming of the movie The Rose Tattoo began.

A great movie. Loved it! Starred Burt Lancaster and Anna Mangani. Mangani won the Academy Award for her performance.

The movie was an adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play. Tennessee Williams lived on Duncan St. He wrote the play while living on Duncan St. The house where the movie was filmed was on Duncan Street. Two doors up from Tennessee Williams’ home. Both Williams and the Rose Tattoo houses still stand on Duncan.

Lisa lives on Duncan. Her home is 1 1/2 blocks from the Williams home.

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

On November 2, 1948, Truman was elected President. He defeated New York Governor Tom Dewey. Truman was not favored to win. A big underdog. No one gave him a chance. Except Truman himself.

Congress at the time was Republican. They blocked him at every move. Some what like today’s Congress and Obama. Only worse. Truman campaigned against the worst Congress ever, as he put it.

Corporate America disliked Truman. Vehemently.

An example is what occurred while Truman was campaigning. Campaigning was done from the back platform of the last car on a train in those days. The train traveled all over the country.

Truman was short on funds. Again, he was not expected to win. Few were contributing to him. The train and crew were leased. The bill was overdue.

The train was stopped by the railroad somewhere in the middle of nowhere between two towns. Truman was told the bill had to be paid in full. If not, Truman and his entourage had to get off.

Truman threw in what he had in his pocket. His supporters did likewise. They had just enough to pay the bill. Truman proceeded on his way.

The distaste the railroad owners had for Truman obvious. Doing this to a President of the United States! Disrespectful!

Politics played the same all the time. Hard ball.

Did my blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Love dong the show!

One of the topics clearly reflects government waste.

The Department of Defense built a gas station in Afghanistan. Nothing special. A run of the mill gas station. The contracted cost for construction $3 million. A lot for a gas station. Especially since a similar one had been built the previous year in Pakistan for $500,000.

The final cost of construction was $43 million. Wow! $3 million for the construction. $40 million for overhead.

The gas station built was a compressed natural gas automobile station. So built because of the great supply of natural gas in Afghanistan.

The only problem was the people had cars that were petroleum operated. They had no use for the new station. Making the necessary adjustments to change over to a natural gas operated vehicle was not financially feasible. The cost was more than the average Afghanistani made in a year.

The Defense Department had a task force in charge of spending with regard to the closed gas station. When the Department was asked why the increase, they said they did not know/ could not tell because the task force had closed down in March.

And they want to cut Social Security! Cut waste!

I would like to know who made out on this Afghanistan gas station.

Last week, I reported on my radio show that the Muslim immigrants in Germany were overloading the hospitals. One problem was they refused to be treated by female personnel. Doctor, nurse, or otherwise.

Yesterday, it was announced that Muslims presently in camps in Germany would not accept food from women.

Beggars can’t be choosers. They should be grateful they are receiving free medical and food.

European banks are beginning to hurt. Good! May their American counterparts do likewise.

European banks are cutting costs. A large Spanish bank with 2,300 branches     now cleans windows only six times a year instead of twelve. Another Spanish bank with many branches kills the electricity at 7 pm. Another bank requires staff to clean their desks every wednesday. Called Wet Wipe Wednesday. Office space is being reduced.

One hundred thousand banking jobs in the Eurounion have been cut since 2012.

My left chest which I injured in a fall last week started hurting big time again last night. I don’t know why. Kept me up all night. Not one moments sleep. A pain pill did not help. Feels better at the moment.

I am going to skip the treadmill this morning. Will keep a noon manicure appointment with Tammy, however.

Enjoy your day!