2016 REAL ESTATE SALES DIP

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Running late. Slept late. Feel good.

This morning’s Key West Citizen ran a major story regarding real estate sales. They fell in 2016.

Since 2009, real estate sales have increased each year over the previous year. Not 2016. Key West sales dropped 17 percent. Sales in the lower Keys outside Key West 8 percent.

There is a message. Real estate prices are not realistic. People have become aware. Prospective buyers are reluctant to spend the dollars required to live in  Paradise. Especially when they can buy better and significantly cheaper on the mainland.

More and more homes were listed last year with asking prices of $1 million and more. Some, several hundred millions of dollars.

What’s the saying…..Don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg. The goose is being killed. By piggish exorbitant prices.

The next to feel this experience will be the hotels. Tourists will go elsewhere. To Florida vacation sites with cheaper hotel facilities.

I have seen the high price impact over recent years. People staying in high end hotels going to their rooms at dinner time with a pizza and six pack.

Next to suffer will be the restaurants. High prices and smaller portions will not be tolerated. Even alcohol costs.

All will happen because Key West became a pig. A gluttonous one.

Treated myself yesterday morning. Eggs benedict at Camille’s. Sat at the bar. Read the Sunday papers. First time in a couple of years I have been to Camille’s.

Last night, Don and Chris. My friends from the Syracuse area. Both world travelers with their work. Don primarily South Korea and China. Chris, Europe and Asia.

They are snowbirds. Visit 3-4 times a year. Love Key West!

They had a major announcement for me. They are getting married! Wonderful! Both around 50. This will be a second marriage for both. Two better people cannot be found. Last night, two happier people could not be found.

The wedding to take place in Key West. March 24. That’s next year. Chris advised that it had to be that far ahead. Venues not available that fit into their schedules.

We met at the Chart Room first for a drink. Then to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. A good time throughout the evening. We chatted about everything. Especially Syracuse basketball. Die hard fans as I.

Dinner over, I headed home. Don and Chris left me to take a walk down Duval. The difference in our ages responsible for our different paths.

My Facebook quickie video had to do with matelotage yesterday. Sailors marrying. In pirate days. Gay marriages. Generally the French. The English and Spanish frowned on homosexuality.

Rules/laws applied. If one partner was killed, the surviving partner automatically was given his share of the bounty.

The gay marriage bit began in the early 1600’s. Sex partners were scarce. Pirates in port would import for a time a ship load of prostitutes from another island.

Final Four tonight. How exciting can it be?

Cow Key Channel Bridge Run yesterday. A new record. Fourteen seconds. The previous, 21. A tough 350 feet to travail.

Key West has advised Lyft to cease and desist. Otherwise, drivers will be arrested. Per local law passed last year to protect taxi drivers to the detriment of the public. The Bubba system in operation.

Leotards. Credit therefore attributable to The Daring Young Man On the Flying Trapeze.

Jules Leotard graduated from law school. Decided not to practice. Wanted to be an aerial acrobat. Not yet known in those days.

He joined the circus. Invented the aerial trapeze in 1859. Two years later, The Daring Young Man On the Flying Trapeze was written in recognition of his aerial activities.

Leotard’s clothing was loose and dangerous while doing his aerial act. The clothing also failed to show off his exceptional physique. He designed what today is known as the leotard. Tight fitting with long sleeves. Initially called a malliott. Twenty years later, became known as a leotard in honor of its designer.

Trump says the U.S. is ready to act alone on North Korea if China does not take a tougher stand against North Korea’s nuclear program.

Suggests a pre-emptive strike.

Scares the hell out of me!

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

Secreting unpaid tax dollars a big business. There are 214,488 offshore tax haven entities.

Enjoy your day!

 

TRUTH CAN BE SHOCKING

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Wow! Would you believe! The way the Trump/Russia matter is playing out.

Michael Flynn may be given immunity. If so, he will blow 90 percent of the players in. Including Trump. The FBI generally gives immunity where it enables the government to get at some one higher up. Only one person higher up to Flynn as National Security Advisor. Trump.

The public does not understand immunity. The impression I get from comments being made. Later today on my Facebook video show, I plan on giving a short and simple rendition re immunity.

My yesterday began with a haircut with Lori. Good conversation. I always look forward to my visit with her.

Bocce last night. Don’s Place won 1, lost 2. Not a spectacular season in the making.

Date night. Not for me. For couples with child/children who need a babysitter. A night alone for Mom and Dad.

Glad Tidings Tabernacle on United is sponsoring a couples reconnect, reunite and resurrect evening. The Church will take care of the babysitting. A date night. Tonight. Check with the Church for details.

I reported re the syphilis epidemic yesterday. My numbers were wrong. Eleven cases instead of 10 in the last six months. Zero six months ago. Three of the cases women.

Some are calling for a revival and expansion of sex education programs in Key West schools.

There is a bill before the Governor awaiting his signature which sets forth the rules and regulations by which vehicles such as Uber and Lyft can operate.

Key West has been without Uber for 2 years. Key West began arresting drivers at the time.

The sense among Uber and Lyft drivers is that the legislation will be signed and they will be back to work in Key West. Several Lyft vehicles on the road already. Yesterday, the first Uber. In anticipation that the Governor will sign the legislation.

Her name Lelanette Roberts. Described as a Key West beauty. Lelanette disappeared August 2, 1949. Two and one half years later on March 31, 1952, her skeletal remains were found on Saddle Bunch Key.

Ship salvage was big business in Key West in the 1800’s. Those doing the actual salvage work were called wreckers. Well, not all. Some were called wrackers. Note the substitution of the a for the e.

Wrackers were originally from the Bahamas. They moved to Key West to do salvage work. They pronounced wreckers wrackers and spelled it similarly.

Man does not change. History does repeat itself.

ISIS beheads Christians who refuse to become Muslims. In 1492 Spain, Catholics put to death Jews who refused to convert to Catholicism.

Drinks today at 5 at Louie’s Backyard with Callie. The lady I met last week while at Louie’s. I am looking forward to it.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

ONE LYFT IN TOWN

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If ever a community is in need of Uber and Lyft, it is Key West. Taxi service slow, vehicles filthy. Locals and tourists alike do not receive the door to door service they are entitled to. Uber and Lyft would assist in relieving traffic congestion.

Uber tried a couple of years ago. Key West’s Bubba system won out. Taxi owners won. Uber left.

The Florida House of Representatives had a bill filed this week structuring requirements for online car service. Considered the beginning of getting Uber and Lyft on the streets of all Florida communities. The bill still has the State Senate to go through and then must be signed into law by the Governor.

Lyft is testing the waters. The bill is not required. However, municipalities have been using the excuse of waiting for State direction before allowing Uber and Lyft to provide service.

The Key West story.

Lyft is testing the waters. A Lyft vehicle has been operating in Key West since thursday. Only one.

How will Key West react to this solitary Lytle vehicle? Stop the service? Arrest the driver as they did with Uber? Let this sole driver slide into the signing of the new law?

My one day time trip away from home yesterday afternoon was to Publix. Prices continue to edge up. Amazing! We soon will have to raise our own produce and animals for slaughter (said with tongue in cheek).

I question how people can continue to afford groceries. Especially in a stagnant income situation.

Spent most of the day lying around. Being lazy. Read, slept, watched TV.

Wonderful evening! Enjoyed the company of Tim and Linda at the Hot Tin Roof. Both Madison County, New York residents. Visiting Key West. Ted lives in Cazenovia. Linda in a small town outside Canastota.

Ted is a former Court Clerk. Linda worked in the judicial system. Ted here for a month. Staying at the Banyan. Linda visiting for a week. Both good company. Enjoyed Linda, especially.

We started at 7. We were one of the last tables to leave. The sign of a great evening.

Weekends are unusually busy at the Hot Tin Roof. Extra help hired for the weekends. Most, young immigrants. Hard working! Impressive!

I do one Facebook video a day. A Key West Lou one. Number of followers increasing. Dramatically.

Interestingly, most blog readers are not video followers and vice versa.

One of the Sunday morning talk show commentators made what I consider a comically true statement re Trump. Something to the effect…..If Trump wants to find he is #1 in everything, he should buy a mirror.

Those of you who comment do so at your own risk. Some days are brutal. Today, not. An excellent review of healthcare problems. Zeroing in on one party payer, Medicare, and supplemental plans.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

BUBBA POLITICS AGAIN

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Small town, small town politics. Favoritism sneaks into governmental decisions.

In Key West it is referred to as the bubba system. Friends taking care of friends.

The City Commission had before it a proposed increase in cab licenses. There have been 72 since 1992. Amazing! No need for an increase in all those years! Twenty four years!

Uber and Lyft came into the discussion. The City Commission’s position remains the same…..Wait till State officials rule on the matter. Called passing the buck. Additionally, the State may never rule on the issue.

One of the Commissioners came up with the excuse that Uber and Lyft would put too many cars on streets already congested. Bullshit! One of the purposes is to help relieve congestion. Encourage people to leave cars at home.

There is a saying the blind cannot see. In this instance, the Commission is not blind. Merely arbitrary. Protecting the 72 licenses as they have since 1992.

Which brings me directly into my Rotary installment for today. Installment 14.

In  1932, the Key West Chief of Police and Monroe County Sheriff were at odds. Harmony lacking between the two departments.

At the September 29, 1932 Rotary luncheon meeting, Police Chief Ivan Elwood and Sheriff Cleveland Niles were invited.

The problem being too much crime in Key West. The Police Department could not handle the volume. The Sheriff was reluctant to help.

Only one police officer on duty nights. To guard the entire City. Too much for one officer. Gangs were in vogue and breaking into homes and businesses on a frequent basis.

The Rotary pushed the Police Chief and Sheriff to work together. Join forces to combat the Key West crime wave.

Judge Jefferson B. Browne gave his opinion as to why Key West was experiencing so much lawlessness. Too many laws on the books. Covering minor things. Local emphasis had been placed on minor wrongdoings. So much so that there was no time for serious crime attention.

Key West is never without amusing occurrences. Probably what makes the community so popular.

The Key West Citizen reported this morning in its Today In Keys History section an interesting court proceeding. This day in 1993. A Court hearing for a retrial. Which was ultimately denied.

Rocky was a two year old 5 pound chihuahua who impregnated Camella, an 80 pound rottweiler.

The Court ordered Rocky’s owners to pay Camella’s owners $2,567.50 in damages.

An expensive sexual interlude.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..” Opening words to Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.

On this day in 1859, the final installment of the novel was published. The last of three installments. Makes one believe the book was published in three parts.

Finally, yes. Initially, no.

Dickens published a weekly literary work. All The Year Round. He initially published A Tale of Two Cities in the weekly. Forty five chapters over a period of 31 weeks.

Interesting.

Tonight my podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Topics will naturally include Trump’s election and the protests following. Other topics include Gingrich’s wanting a new House of Representatives Committee on Un-American Activities (shades of Joe Mc Carthy), and Necons, 9/11 involved persons and Goldman Sachs people on Team Trump.

Also, Nestles granted double water extraction 120 miles from Flint, schools offering counseling to students disturbed by Trump election, robots will soon take 2/3s of all jobs in the developing world, and more.

Again, 9 this evening. A fast moving revealing half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!