CINDY LYNCH…..WE MET IN KEY WEST

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Cindy Lynch, a love of my life. We met about 12 years ago in Key West.

Cindy and husband Tom are from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Until recently, spent 2 months a year in Key West.

Special. She has had 7 operations for 6 different cancers. Two for brain tumors. Lost one of her legs. All of it to the groin. Cannot be fitted for a prosthetic. Uses a wheelchair or titanium crutches or skips around short distance on one foot.

Cindy falls a lot. She tries to do too much I suspect with one leg. On the other hand, she is living life. A rare personality. Always up. Never complains. Fun to be with.

Her husband Tom a gem. Retired early to care for her. With her most of the time. Occasionally, Cindy goes off on her own.

She did this tuesday. Driving their car. Involved in a three car accident. Saw a picture of the cars. Bad!

She is home recovering in bed. Next week, a parachute jump!

Ernest Hemingway penned many true words. Words reflecting his life experiences. A quote attributable to him is…..”Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”

Makes sense. I know.

I guess I am into quotes today. Winston Churchill said, “The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.”

Sounds like some who comment to this column.

The votes still coming in. Being counted for the first time. Simultaneously, some States are already at the legally mandated recount stage. Florida and Georgia examples.

What initially appeared not to be a blue wave has definitely become one.

Another shooting. A college student hangout. Twelve killed.

A physicians’ journal recently carried an article decrying the NRA and its power. The NRA shot back. In effect saying to the doctors not your business, stay out of things you know nothing about.

The doctors hit back. One wrote and said we are involved. Challenged the NRA to stand next to a child coding from a gunshot wound.

Doctors involved in every shooting!

November 9 a day of significance.

On this day in 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. It had been up 30 years.

Two years earlier. Reagan spoke standing before the wall. He said, “Mr. Gorbachev, take down this wall.”

A story little known goes with the statement.

Reagan’s speech was constantly being revised by his speech writers in the weeks preceding his appearance before the wall. Reagan kept adding “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down the wall.” His speech writers kept taking it out. Too harsh, they said.

The day before leaving for Berlin, Reagan was going over the speech again. The words had been omitted. He asked an assistant standing next to him…..I’m the President, aren’t I? The assistant responded….Yes sir. Reagan said…..Then it stays in!

This day in 1938 significant also. Sadly, however.

An event that took place in Germany and Austria. To Nazis the evening was known as Kristallnacht. Also referred to as The Night of Broken Glass.

It was the beginning of mass suppression of persons of the Jewish faith. Occurred prior to the Holocaust. The Nazis launched a campaign of terror against the Jewish people, their homes and businesses. The event marked a dramatic escalation in Hitler’s plan to purge Germany of Jews.

Local police and fire departments were told not to interfere.

Trump held a major press conference wednesday. CNN’s Acosta and he had words. I watched the entire press conference. Acosta asked a couple of questions. The President did not like them. He became extremely abusive to Acosta.

The event was videoed.

Trump took back Acosta’s White House press credentials.

A female intern attempted to take Acosta’s mike away from him while Trump was shouting sit down. The next day when the White House announced the removal of Acosta’s credentials, the video was shown.

Not similar to the original which had been shown the night before and earlier in the day. The White House video appeared to have been doctored. The White House version indicated Acosta had assaulted the intern. Not the case. The White House presented an altered version.

Today, friday. Love going out friday nights. Not tonight. Remaining in. For a better good. Syracuse playing Louisville at 7 in football. Syracuse 7-2 and a 21 point favorite.

Love it! We have not had even close to a decent team in 20 years. Hopefully, we are there.

Enjoy your day!

 

GOOMBAY FRIDAY NIGHT

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It’s that time of year! Goombay and Fantasy Fest. Thousands of visitors. Ten days of fun!

Goombay first. Friday and saturday. Then a week of Fantasy Fest.

Goombay a family thing. A street festival. Reminds me of the Italian feasts. Except the food is different. Everything with a Bahamian, Latino, Cuban, Central American flavor.

Held on Petronia Street in Bahama Village.

Sunday begins Fantasy Fest. Adult! No kids! Bare breasts and sometimes other parts of the body. Mostly female, some male.

Tom and Fran Dixon are in town. We are having dinner together tonight. Meeting at the Chart Room. Then I don’t know where for dinner.

Tom and Fran smart. They arrived monday night, leave friday morning. They are getting out of Dodge before the madness begins.

After 20 years of Fantasy Fests, some sort have had it! Did one, did them all!

A new bartender at the Chart Room. John still there. However, his days have been changed.

The new bartender Tammy. She works tonight. Can’t wait to meet the lady. Her regular job is on the roof of the Bull bartending. The infamous Garden of Eden. A place where people go bare ass all times of the day and night. Especially this coming week. Tourists consider it a deviant place. The roof will be packed.

A strange thing happened yesterday in San Juan. The offices of Mayor Carmen Yulin were raided by the FBI. She is the woman who stood up to Trump for failing to do enough for the people of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.

Mayor Yulin’s offices are also described as San Juan’s municipal offices.

An FBI spokesman said more than 10 and less than 50 agents were involved. Sounds like a big deal. Why the secrecy as to the number of agents?

The spokesman added the FBI were investigating “fixing contracts, falsifying documents…..having to do with federal funds.”

It was reported members of City government were targeted, not the Mayor herself. The Mayor pledged full cooperation.

I have a concern. Hope I am wrong. In reality, is this retaliation or retribution against the Mayor for having stood up to Trump?

Trump has ruthlessly beat up the FBI. They went strictly by the book during the Kavanaugh investigation. However, I thought they could have investigated further than they did. Now a strong heroic woman has her public office investigated. Bothers me. Hope it is on the up and up.

The FBI has always been an above board professional organization. However with the ruthless beating it has been taking the past several months, I wonder if they sort have given in a bit in opposing the President in some circumstances.

Canada has legalized marijuana for recreational use. Became legal at midnight last night. An individual can legally carry up to 30 grams. A bit more than 1 ounce. An ounce is 28.3495 grams. The statute has rounded it off to 30 grams.

Uruguay is the only other country to have legalized recreational marijuana.

The Canadian government is giving serious consideration to going a step further. Consideration is being given to issuing pardons to all convicted for possession of 30 grams.

It has been 15 days since Jamal Khashoggi was killed and his body dismembered. Saudis can be cruel.

It is obvious Trump is trying to cover Saudi Arabia’s ass to some extent. A bad move. Not consistent with American character and sense of right.

Saudi Arabia considers itself untouchable due to oil and money. The U.S. does business with them. Big time. The Saudis consider the U.S. friends.

Friends like the Saudis the U.S. does not need. Never forget they gave us $4 a gallon gasoline and most of the 9/11 culprits were Saudi citizens.

The Saudis have strange ways of getting rid of bodies. They must give significant thought to the how.

In 1956, Nasir As-Sa’id fled Saudi Arabia fearing for his life. A writer, also. In 1979, he was kidnapped on a crowded Beirut Street. Then taken to the Saudi embassy where he was tortured and killed.

No dismemberment for As-Sa’id. Rather his body thrown out of a plane over Saudi Arabia’s “empty quarter desert.”

Senator David Perdue (R-Ga) a strange bird.

Last week, students were protesting. One asked him a question and held his cell phone up to record the Senator’s answer. The Senator “ripped” the phone from the student’s hand.

The Senator’s office later reported it was an error of judgment on the Senator’s part.

He has compared Trump to Winston Churchill. Would you believe! He said Trump may “not be a choir boy, but he is a man of history.”

Last month during the Kavanaugh hearings, Perdue referred to the protesters as “Nazis.”

Then there is Obama. Republican hatred for Obama runs deep. The Senator was speaking at a Facts and Freedom Coalition in June. Re Obama, he said let his days be few. Apparently a religious fanatic, he relied on Psalm 109:8…..”Let his days be few.”

Syracuse/UNC saturday. Syracuse a 10 point favorite. Hope the ‘Cuse returns to its winning ways.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

THINGS I DID NOT SHARE

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Michael has dominated my blog the past few days. Other matters, I let slip to the wayside. Just went through my notes. I want to share some of the items with you. I am reporting them as they appear with no order or sequence.

I was watching MSNBC yesterday morning. A reporter at a California college campus. Talking with 40-50 students.

Millennials. The hope of the Democratic Party.

How many of you are going to vote? Only one hand raised. When others were questioned, they said their only concern was school. An attitude like don’t bother me.

Based on news reports, I thought this was the year the kids were going to vote. A rush to the polls. Not so. If the Democratic Party is depending on them, forget it!

Something wrong organization wise within the party. Democratic Party leaders constantly talk about the millennial vote. Have they got it wrong! The millennials will not be contributing this election to saving America.

I came across this quote in How To Win A fight With A Conservative: “We can’t be lulled into complacency. You have to remember that Adolph Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I’m not comparing him to Adolph Hitler. What I’m saying is there is the potential.”

Sounds like someone talking about Trump. Not so. Obama. Would you believe? Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga) expressing fears one week after Barack Obama was elected President in 2008. Broun believed Obama would create a security force akin to the Gestapo to impose a Marxist dictatorship.

The government screws up. Suddenly, the simple becomes a bureaucratic mess.

An Ohio woman got a ticket for failing to use her seat belt. When she went to pay, she was told her driver’s license had been suspended for 3 months for failure to pay child support. She told the Motor Vehicle person there had to be a mistake. She never had children. In fact, she had never been pregnant.

She has been busting her ass to get the problem resolved. A government goof has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare. No one can help her. Each agency blames the other or the computer. In the meantime, she is not driving.

Shakespeare wrote in the Merchant of Venice when he had Portia speaking to Shylock re mercy: “The quality of mercy is not strained.”

It was 2000. Two black brothers ages 21 and 20 were being sentenced for murder in New York City. They had murdered a gang member who had sexually assaulted one of their wives.

Justice Gustin Reichbach could have sentenced them to life. A maximum sentence. Never to be released.

The Judge felt a degree of sympathy for the brothers. Instead, he sentenced them to 17 1/2 years to life. Significant. It meant they would be able to seek parole after serving 17 1/2 years.

Both were paroled last year after 17 1/2 years.

Today, one attends Cornell and the other Columbia. All because one Judge saw something in the brothers that others might not have.

Senator David Perdue (R-Ga) is typical of a number of southern Republican politicians. Four examples why.

In the past few days, the Senator was being questioned by college students concerned that Georgia courts were preventing college students, primarily black, from voting based on a claim their registrations were improper. A total falsehood.

One of the students asked the question. He was holding his cell phone out to record the response.

The Senator “ripped” the phone out of the student’s hand.

The Senator’s office says it was an error in judgment on the part of the Senator.

The Senator in a recent speech compared Trump to Churchill. He said, Trump is “not a choir boy, but a man of history.”

Two weeks ago, he described Kavanaugh protesters as “Nazis.”

Can’t even leave Obama alone. At a recent Facts and Freedom Coalition in June, the Senator said let Obama’s days be few. He relied on Psalm 109:8: “Let his days be few.”

God loving men?

Now to yesterday news and happenings.

Stone crab season opens today! Hooray!

Stopped first at the Rum Barrel last night. Sunday night my Lauri fix. A wonderful lady.

Then to the Chart Room. Glad I stopped. Jean Thornton at the bar. She introduced me to Don Kincaid. They are old friends.

Don has been with Mel Fisher  in one capacity or another since the 1970’s. He is the man who found the first gold coin when the Atocha was discovered. He has written for National Geographic. Serves on the Mel Fisher Board. Today, a professional photographer.

Susan and Huggie came in. We had met before, though I did not recall them. They understood. Susan and Huggie are from Charleston, South Carolina and visit Key West twice a year.

Tonight, Dueling Bartenders at Aqua. Jean and I plan on meeting.

Enjoy your day!

TONIGHT…..LYNDA’S AQUA IDOL

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Lynda Frechette. One of Key West’s best! Queen of Aqua Idol. Queen of the Waterhouse Playhouse.

Love the woman! Heart of Gold.

Lynda is responsible for Aqua Idol. A fundraising tuesday night event at different times of the year. The beneficiary of this year’s fundraising the Waterfront Playhouse.

Singers will be performing tonight to raise money for the Waterfront Playhouse. The bucket will be passed at different times. Persons contribute to their favorite singer. A big deal after several weeks to be designated Aqua Idol of the Year.

Aqua is jam packed for the event. Wall to wall. Standing room only. Unless you get there early. Show time is 6:30. I suggest you arrive 5-5:30.

Tonight, participants will sing songs from the ’70’s. A guest vocalist will also perform. The very special Terri White.

Be sure not to miss one of Key West’s outstanding events this evening.

Finally got out last night. First time since my thursday disaster. Took it easy. Stayed out only 3 1/2 hours.

Began the evening with a Tammy manicure at 6. Tammy saw the large bruises on my left hand and right arm. Treated me gingerly.

Evidence of my fall gets worse by day. Huge deep purple bruises. Some a foot in diameter. Look worse than they are. I take a blood thinner.

From Tammy’s to Aqua for Dueling Bartenders. What a night! Four vocalists. Key West’s best! Tom Luna, Rick Dery, Bobby Nesbitt and Terri White. All for the price of a drink.

Biggest crowd I have seen in a long time. Liz, Josefina, Lynda, John, Art, George, Doc, Cheryl’s friend and husband, Jean’s sister Laura with friend John, and more.

Then to Tavern ‘n Town. Still on my diet. Not losing pounds. Inches, yes. Pounds now stuck at 13. Prime rib ok on the diet. Tavern ‘n Town has a great prime rib.

Ran into Kentucky Dave and his wife Marilyn at Tavern ‘n Town. Dave and I have become friends. Basketball freaks. Me, Syracuse. He, Kentucky.

Dave wrote recently and said he would be happy to grocery shop, run errands, etc. while I was down. He one of many. Even today I received 2 e-mails offering similar assistance. Fortunately, I had shopped the day of the fall.

Thank you to all who offered help. Appreciated. Humbling.

Weather improving. Seventy four yesterday. Seventy six today. Shorts and a tee shirt.

A major announcement! Sandy’s Cafe is moving. The Cuban sandwich shop at 1026 White the past 24 years. Standing room only at the outside windows to order. A hot spot for locals and tourists alike.

Sandy’s is moving to the former location of another Key West mainstay. One that moved a couple of years ago. Matthessen’s 4th of July Cafe. A half block away at 1110 White. The move will allow Sandy’s to provide in door seated service, also.

The scenario similar to Joe Russell moving from the present Captain Tony’s a half block to the present day Sloppy’s Joe’s in 1937.

The move the first week of February.

My podcast show tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

In addition to other topics, I will be exploring 3 that really grabbed my eye this week. Interesting. Perhaps not known.

One involves abortion. There was a time when it was legal before Roe v. Wade. In the first hundred years of the U.S.’s existence. Even the Catholic Church did not disapprove.

Another involves black nuns in the U.S. The Catholic nun orders intentionally discriminated against permitting black women into their orders.

The last is a recent blog by Canadian blogger Ian Welsh. I will be sharing his blog re Sears Canada going bankrupt. His comments and thought development point out that every once in a while when the elite of society become greedy and forget those below them, unusual things occur. Like guillotines and bullets.

A thought inspiring show. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The Senate resolution of the shut down yesterday reminds me of Chamberlain when he returned from Munich. He said, “Peace in our life time.” A year later, World War II broke out. Chamberlain had been had.

I think the same occurred yesterday. The Democrats blinked. There is no guarantee of anything except talk and a vote following February 8. No guarantees support wise. Even if the Democrat wish list were passed 100 percent by the Senate, I cannot believe it would be supported by House Republicans.

A sad time in our history.

I am considering moving Tuesday Talk from one half hour tuesday evenings to one hour tuesday mornings beginning at 7. I would take call ins.

No decision made.

I would like your thoughts. Tell me what you think.

Enjoy your day!

PROFESSIONALISM AT ITS BEST

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Pain an interesting thing. Activity limiting. Kept me home and down again yesterday.

I am still suffering. Getting better, however. I can now sit. Bed the problem. Can only lay in one position painless. Not my normal position. A small turn in bed and the shot of pain wakes me.

I watched the New England Patriots game yesterday. Tom Brady phenomenal. Professionalism at its best.

Tom Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the 2000 NFL Draft. Not in the first round as one would expect. Rather the sixth round. A cheap dollar pickup for the Patriots. He was the 199th person drafted that year.

Today, the hottest commodity in professional football. At age 40, he is still playing as if in his 20’s. His throws perfection.

When the day comes that he is no longer a player, Brady would like to be a U.S. Senator. A welcome addition to the present inepts in Washington.

Trust. A virtue not to be found in Washington.

A vote at noon today to lift the shut down. The vote based on an alleged deal made between McConnell and the Democrats: Support a continuing resolution till February 8. Keep the government going. I/we promise that come 2/8 if the issues of concern to the Democrats have not been resolved, we promise to work on them further and bring each to a vote.

I would not buy it. Hope the Democrats do not buy it. Each side dishonorable. The Democrats should not blink. Keep the government shut down till the problems of concern are successfully worked out.

Reagan said with regard to nuclear deals with the Russians…..Trust, but verify. No way to verify other than pushing for all concerned to work extra long hours and get the job done. Then vote.

The country can stay closed 3-4 weeks. The last time a similar situation occurred, it was closed 16 days. I would also insist on a proviso that Congress not be paid till the task gets done.

The noon vote, if it occurs, will be interesting.

Trust has become a U.S. problem internationally under Trump. His word cannot be relied upon.

Russia and China are taking full advantage. Russia is extending its power/influence over Ukraine and Syria unabated.

China grows stronger in the South China Seas and economically. Economically as regards the Chines yuan. The yuan is replacing the American dollar as currency in certain oil trades.

Trump precipitated the dollar/yuan problem by threatening to invade Venezuela and cutting off Pakistan from financial aid. The leaders of each country said up yours to Trump and announced they were moving over to the yuan.

To lighter matters.

Key West has free ranging chickens living on its streets. Tourists think they are cute. Most locals consider them foul.

In 2004 and after much discussion, the City Commissioners decided to rid Key West of the chickens. A chicken catcher was hired on January 22. Armando Parra, Sr. A barber and self proclaimed self taught bird catcher.

He quit on August 4.

His contract was to run to September 1.

He was to be paid $20 per chicken caught, with a 900 chicken limit. He caught 542 before quitting. The number considered one quarter of the chicken population.

Parra claimed he quit because the City Commission was mini-managing him. What streets to work, where to leave the chickens alone, etc. His general impression was the City was not committed to eliminating the chickens.

No one has dealt with the problem since. The chicken population grows. Chickens are prolific. Their gestation period 29 days.

Five years ago, I wrote a lengthy article for KONK Life regarding cursive writing. A dying art. Taught in very few schools. The computer key board was considered more important to students than the ability to hand write.

I thought the move stupid. A generation has now grown that cannot hand write their names.

Change is in the air. Fourteen States and New York City’s elementary schools now mandate that cursive writing be taught. More are expected to join.

One reason put forth to teaching cursive writing again is the belief it helps the student to learn if he/she must hand write it.

Of course, computer keyboards will remain. Combined, double edged teaching tools.

Enjoy your day!