I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE

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Yesterday was I’m Not Going To Take It Anymore Day.

To participate, open your window stick your head out,  and shout I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore. The Day provides an opportunity for us to fight back against all injustices inflicted upon us. Nothing like vetting frustrations and aggravations.

The verbiage giving rise to the day comes from the 1976 movie Network. Peter Finch played Howard Beale.  A TV news broadcaster who became a bit deranged and told people on his nightly news show to open the window, etc.

They did.

Finch won the Academy Award for his performance. Unfortunately, he died before the vote was taken.

Better the Howard Beale way than the Trump way. I watched Trump in Vermont last night. His conduct and tone in ordering his henchmen to throw an anti-Trump spectator out made me uncomfortable. It would have made you uncomfortable also. My heart chilled.

Yesterday was easy. Started with the anti-gravity treadmill. Then to Publix. I was really out of food. Bare cupboards and refrigerator.

Ran into Bobby and Michael Shields.

Met Bobby on my first trip to Key West 25 years ago. I saw a Tea Dance advertised at La Te Da at 4 sunday. We had Tea Dances in college. A place to meet others. My former wife and I were newcomers to Key West. We went.

We got there an hour early. Sat at a table for two outside. Soon all tables and chairs were removed. We remained sitting at what was now the lone table in the middle of the floor. People started coming in. Bobby was one of them. He had an admiral’s suit on.

It suddenly dawned on me that the wife and I did not belong. We got out fast.

Michael Shields is involved in the arts and writing and everything else even remotely associated with the arts. I first met Michael several years ago when I started doing an internet show for KONK Life. His show followed mine. A nice guy, as is his lady Carol.

Lunched at Harpoon Harry’s. Ham and eggs.

Harpoon Harry’s is a walk back in history. Decor 1950ish combined with the flavor of Key West.

Worked lunch off with a walk along the waterfront.

The homeless problem on lower Caroline must be dealt with.

The homeless are permitted to panhandle in two Key West locations. The one on Caroline was part of an open lot. A large tree by the sidewalk where the homeless could spend the day in the shade and do their thing.

Construction is going on now. A temporary wall surrounds the property. There is an indentation in the wall to accommodate the tree and homeless. Maybe 10′ x 20′.

A new location is required. It has been mentioned several times in the newspaper. Enough talk. Whoever is responsible, do it! The scene looks terrible and is also a danger to the homeless resting there.

I am impressed! Our local Community College will now have a four year degree program. The name of the facility has been changed to College of the Florida Keys.

I congratulate all involved in the effort to bring the school to the four year level. Not an easy task.

A doubleheader today re this week’s KONK Life column Stay Out Of Civil Wars / Fight Wars To Win. It appeared in E-Blast this morning. I will be interviewed at 12:30 today on 104.9 radio re the article.

Enjoy your day!

YESTERDAY MICHAEL SHIELDS, TODAY JOE BIDEN

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A parent should never bury a child. An all time truth.

Yesterday, I mentioned  that Michael Shields’ son Jason had died. Today, Joe Biden’s son Beau.

Such sorrow for both men.

Permit me to dwell on Biden for a moment.

Back in the 1980s, I was Chairman of the Board of Visitors at the Syracuse University College of Law. Joe Biden was a Syracuse Law graduate. A United States Senator, he was a frequent visitor to the law school. If there was a football or basketball game when he was in town, he watched the game from my private box at the Carrier Dome.

I got to know him a bit. A good man then I thought. A good man today.

Biden’s first wife and daughter were killed in an automobile crash just after he was elected to his first term in the Senate. A heavy in and of itself. Now comes the death of his son Beau from brain cancer. Another heavy. How much can one man take?

Michael and Joe, may God give you the strength to get through these days.

I went out last night! For me, a big deal!

I decided on dinner at Roostica. The place was jam packed. There was not a seat anywhere. Left and went to Hogfish. Packed also, but a small table was available for me and the newspapers.

I ate. My first for real meal in two weeks. I had been building up to it. Lobster roll and one gin. The lobster roll did not particularly turn me on. It was me, not the food. Interestingly, the french fries did. I am not particularly crazy about french fries. Last night, they were gourmet food.

The one gin was tasteless. Had no effect whatsoever.

I spent yesterday afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. Corruption of Politics and Banks. My solution in a nutshell…..Public financing of Presidential elections and break the banks up. An interesting piece. A lot of history involved.

Remember Tiny? The 300 pound 50 year old turtle I wrote about last week. He was front page news in this morning’s Key West Citizen. He was returned to the ocean at Higgs Beach. A large crowd cheering him off.

Peggy Noonan in a column last week in the Wall Street Journal asked this question regarding Hillary Clinton…..Is her victory inevitable or impossible? Food for thought.

Years ago, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window came out. Starred Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart.

Kelly took a silk negligee out of a briefcase. Or what I thought at the time was a brief case. I still do.

The brief case has been reproduced and is on sale. Referred to as an “overnight case.” Cost, $3,995. Someone has to be crazy out there!

Congress and the Patriot Act. What will be, will be. Personally, I think certain provisions should not be renewed. Senator Rand Paul has it correct. During debate, he said…..This is a debate over your right to be left alone.

Back to the treadmill at 11 this morning. The anti-gravity treadmill. I plan on going slow.

Today is Ally’s birthday. I think 10. Happy birthday Ally! Tonight, dinner and cake with the family.

Enjoy your day!

WORLD’S FAIR 2015

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The World’s Fair this year is in Milan, Italy. My friend Anna has already visited four days. She is planning on attending again today.

Anna lives in Novara. A half hour train ride to Milan. Makes it easy for her.

She is taken with the World’s Fair. Sends pics every day. She especially enjoys the Asian pavilions. She commented very favorably re a Korean meal she had the other day. Yesterday, she watched a Chinese couple marry at the China Pavilion. Full wedding party and all.

The World’s Fair runs to October. Hopefully, I will get to see it.

I have been fortunate to visit two World’s Fairs.

The first had a big impact on me. It was 1939. I was four years old. My father took me to the New York World’s Fair. We stayed with relatives in the Bronx. Took subways and a bus to the exhibit.

To this day, I occasionally recall what I saw. Parts, not all. It was the modern world as it existed in 1939 with glances into the future. It was a good thing my father did for me that day.

By the time of the New York World’s Fair in 1964, I was much older. An adult. Twenty nine years old. I was in New York on business for a couple of days. An afternoon session broke early. I hurried to the World’s Fair. This time not by subway and bus. I was into private limousines.

I repeatedly make the observation that Key West is an adult playground. I refer not to sex activities. Rather to games. We move here and become children again.

Don is sponsoring a bean bag tournament at Don’s Place this afternoon. Only adults participating. I will not be one. Bean bag throwing is not one of the activities I have come to enjoy in Key West. However, I plan on watching.

Some politicians are consistent in what I consider their off the wall thoughts as to how government is to be run. I refer to Florida’s Gov. Rick Scott. A corporate success before becoming governor. He made millions with urgent care centers all over the State.

His present gambit is to take money away from public hospitals and funnel the money to for profit ones. A leopard does not change its spots. Once a corporate hound, always a corporate hound.

Sad news yesterday. Michael Shields is a leading Key West figure. Active in the arts, broadcasting and writing. A genuine liberal at heart.

It was reported yesterday that Michael’s son Jason had died. I became aware when reading a heart wrenching comment by Michael on Facebook. My deepest condolences to Michael and his companion Carol. A parent should never bury a child.

George Pataki threw his hat in the ring for the Republican nomination for President. He was one of my New York governors for three terms.

I was impressed by Pataki’s first victory. Over the very popular Mario Cuomo. Cuomo had been governor for three terms. I had met him several times over the years. An impressive figure. Eloquent.

I sensed he might lose against Pataki. I heard Cuomo speak at a Utica rally. He had been in office too long. I could tell he did not have a handle on the people’s problems any longer.

Pataki came out of nowhere. He was a State Senator from Peekskill. Not the biggest of towns. He was supported by then U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato. D’Amato and I had gone to law school together. I was a senior when he a freshman. He could always be found in the lounge playing cards.

D’Amato’s support was significant. I felt it might be. D’Amato knew how to dethrone giants. He had beaten Jacob Javits in the Republican primary.

There is a hullaballoo over monies paid to Hillary Clinton to speak at Arizona State University. $500,000. At a time when the University is broke and crying wolf. People want to know where the money came from to pay her.

Hillary and money are going to be a problem. She has tremendous corporate support. There is now an issue as to whether many of the dollars flow personally to the Clintons via the WJG, LLC corporation Bill formed.

Hillary is beginning to screw up. I watched her on TV re the Asian trade pact yesterday. She bumbled the question re her support for the pact. Did not know where she stood till she had a chance to read the whole thing. Something no one has been permitted to do.

She is going to have a hard time re the Asian pact. Corporate America wants it. However, the pact works to the detriment of America’s working people.

Sorry to be so long winded today. I must be better.

Enjoy your day!

CONCH REPUBLIC SEA BATTLE

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My yesterday started with physiotherapy. Grueling. Leaves me completely tired afterwards. Yesterday, a young lady named Amanda contributed to my discomfort.

We may be making progress. After only two visits, it has been determined that I walk with my knees rather than hips. Makes for a shorter step. Could explain step fallings.

Stopped at Publix after physio. Ran into Stevie. Had not seen him in months. Stevie was the bartender at the Wine Galley for years. Thereafter, at Tavern ‘n Town. He is no longer bartending. Has some sort of office job. A good guy!

Spent a portion of the afternoon final prepping my blog talk radio show for last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

The show went well. Provided an opportunity for me to expose people who do not know what they are talking about. I refer to Social Security.

New Jersey’s Chris Christie spoke yesterday in New Hampshire. He is concerned with the national debt. Said Social Security has to be cut back. One way is to raise the eligibility level to 69.

What no one talks about is why Social Security periodically looks like it may suffer 15-20 years down the road. Either they do not know or do not want us to know. I honestly believe they do not know the true story. Especially members of Congress, from both parties.

The biggest creditor of the United States is the Social Security Fund. The government owes Social Security $1.7 trillion. We only owe China $1.3 trillion.

President Johnson needed money to wage the Vietnam War and support his social programs. Social Security had a ton of money sitting in the bank. Money that would never be used. Note that Social Security takes in more than it pays out. Then and now. Surprising, isn’t it.

Johnson got Congress to pass appropriate legislation. The government was empowered to borrow the money. No promissory note in return, however. Merely an IOU. Not legally enforceable. The intent was to pay the monies back. Per custom, the path to hell is paved with good intentions. Not a penny has ever been paid back! And, the government continues to borrow here and there from Social Security whenever it can.

No one cares. Few know. We are never told.

The Conch Republic Independence Celebration begins friday. Ten days of fun! The best part for me is the Sea Battle. Conch forces defeating U.S. sea vessels and planes.

Key West has a new City Planner. Thaddeus Cohen. He attended his first Commission meeting last night. Suit and tie! Obvious he was new to Key West. He was jokingly told no one dresses in Key West. Casual everything and everywhere.

I remember the first Key West wake I attended. I wore suit and tie. Back home, it was called respect. I was the only one so dressed. Even the deceased was dressed casually. I learned. I attend wakes today in shorts  and a sport shirt.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do!

Richard Boettger has an excellent article in today’s KONK Life E-Blast. Peary Court and Walmart’s Scrooges. One of the best articles I have read re the issues.

Michael Shields deserve congratulations, also. Mike organized the Policing in Paradise ACLU Seminar monday night. Key West is buzzing. Everyone complimentary.

The Titanic sunk this day. Sad. More than 1,500 lives lost. Passengers and crew.

Enjoy your day!

GIVE ME A BREAK!

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I am a political freak. No question about it. I love politics!

Not all aspects, however.

Hillary announced yesterday. Several Republicans announced before her. Rubio announces today.

Hillary’s announcement was 575 days before the election. A year and a half. For that period of time, you and I are going to be bombarded with political reporting, bickering, polls, etc. Most, if not all, of little value till September 2016.

As the campaign progresses, I will feel like I am getting beat up. The same thing day in and day out.

575 days are not required to let us know what which each candidate stands for. I do not want to live with Hillary or any other politician for 575 days!

My solution is twofold: Public financing and strict time limits for Presidential elections. Such will remove the big dollars of corporations and the rich thereby guaranteeing the people will be heard. Time wise, elections should be no more than 2-3 months. Start September 1, for example.

I may write re this issue in a future KONK column. I need to do some research first. I suspect it has been tried elsewhere.

Spent a good chunk of yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Iceland Jails Bankers, etc. Interesting. Iceland’s successful battle against greedy banks yesterday and today.

I was able to get out later in the afternoon. Took my tablet and went over to Salute’s. Sat outside in the shade and continued reading Elizabeth Warren’s A Fighting Chance. With an occasional peek at the bikini clad ladies, of course.

Tonight should be interesting. I am going to my first ACLU meeting. Not to join. To listen. At the Florida Key’s annual Town Hall Meeting.

I decided to go when I saw the program is chaired by my friend Michael Shields. An excellent writer. A liberal at heart.

Two items on the agenda. Police policy in Paradise. The other, treatment of minorities and the disadvantaged. Should be interesting. More interesting for me. My first formal town hall meeting.

Terri White sings for Key West tuesday night. At the Waterfront. Try to attend. You will never hear better.

The bocce rankings came out yesterday. We fell from 2nd to a tie for 3rd. Not bad considering we lost 3 games thursday night. This thursday, we play the team tied with us for 3rd place. Nothing easy at this stage of the season!

Enjoy your day!