DOG TICKS, CROCODILES AND BOEING

What do dog ticks, crocodiles and Boeing have to do with each other? Absolutely nothing. Thought it made for an interesting title.

Dog ticks came to my attention when reading William Hackley’s diary entry for this day in 1856. He took dash for an ocean ride on the steamer Jasper. Dash had ticks.

Salt air cure dog ticks? A quick google told me no. Salt water does cure fleas. Maybe Hackley had ticks and fleas mixed up. Even in 1856, tick removal required tweezers.

This morning’s Citizens’ Comment made mention of the crocodile that now lives at the Key West Golf Course. My recollection, a Nile crocodile.

I was under the impression crocodiles are harmless to humans. Especially, Nile crocs. Not so.

Crocodiles and alligators alike enjoy feeding on humans. Crocs 4 feet are attracted to human babies and children. The size leads the crocodile to believe the baby/child is an animal.

Crocodiles 6.6 feet and over prefer adult humans.

The above info the result of a quick google search, also.

So…..Those that tell us not to worry about the 7-8 foot Nile crocodile living on the Golf Course may be wrong. Could be wrong. Whatever. Be on the safe side and keep a safe distance.

Five months ago at a Boeing plant in South Carolina, Trump and Boeing’s CEO enjoyed a kumbaya meeting. Trump announced he and Boeing had an understanding. No more jobs to go elsewhere. Jobs to remain. Plants to be built in the United States.

Boeing’s CEO was excited. Exclaimed…..We have a seat at the table!

Since that time, it has been announced that Boeing is building or planning to build plants in China, Saudi Arabia and India. It was further announced yesterday that just under 200 employees were going to be let go at a North Carolina plant.

So much for Trump fighting for every last job.

When the plant building became evident in the three foreign countries, the Boeing CEO said he was misunderstood five months ago. His comments were only to the effect that employment rolls would not be diminished . Job numbers would remain the same. No promise was made to increase the numbers.

I did not hear it that way.

New news this morning on Morning Joe. A Washington Post investigative reporter guest appeared. New cyber war information had been released moments earlier in a Post announcement. The information was not in this morning’s paper.

One of the steps taken by Obama was to somehow infiltrate late in December Russia’s cyber sources that provided the means to hack into the Presidential election. The U.S. had the capacity to destroy the technology involved.

Obama left the decision to Trump to decide when or if. Trump has and has had the information and decision making power since his inauguration.

Trump has the ability to pres the button. He has not. Nor has he even mentioned Russia and the election. Why?

My yesterday began with a visit to my heart doctor. Routine.

Late afternoon, I stopped at Louie’s Backyard. Meditation time. Sat looking out over the water thinking about this and that while enjoying a couple of drinks. Louie’s Backyard has one of the most relaxing water views in the Keys. A God is in His Heaven, all is right with the world feeling.

Big day for the ladies June 23, 1972. Title IX was enacted into law. Banned sex discrimination in federally funded educational institutions.

A boon to female college athletes!

No Key West Lou Facebook Video the past two days. Sorry. Back on track this afternoon.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

NILE CROCS KILL HUMANS

We have had a crocodile sighting on a rock off Fort Zach Beach. Purportedly not a human biting one. There have been other croc and alligator sightings recently. Now we learn of Nile crocodiles.

Nile crocs are not native to Florida waters. They come from Africa. Big things. Grow to 20 feet. Eat humans.

So far three Nile croc sightings in Florida swamps. No one can explain how they got here.

As to native crocs and alligators, State authorities say we have shared Florida waters with them for centuries. The intimation being we should not be concerned. It is their territory as well as ours. We must learn to live together.

Hard to buy when one is discovered feet off For Zach Beach.

Today is day one of mini lobster season. It is off to a slow start.

I was up early this morning to sit on the deck and watch the boats rushing out. Fifty by my deck easily. For 16 years. not this year.

The water is choppy today. Cloudy and gray. Only two boats have gone by.

The weather is screwing up everyone’s fun.

My blog talk radio show last night. The topic I spent most time discussing involves protests at the Republican and Democratic Conventions. Outside protests. Little media reporting re same.

Black Lives Matter were out in the hundreds in Philadelphia yesterday. Marched to the fence of the convention center. Things a bit rowdy.

No comment from the media.  One TV reporter did comment last night that things were heating up a bit outside. He thought they were Sanders dissidents who had walked out.

I worry demonstration news is being kept from us intentionally.

The Mosquito Control Board members are an inept bunch. Their values misplaced. The Zika situation has removed their scab.

I wrote a few days ago that the Board paid its employees extremely well. They were in the process of beginning construction of a new $4.4 million building. And…..had approved a 45 percent tax hike

Now, I find out that being a Board member is a good deal. Each board member is paid $24,000 a year. Twelve meetings. Plus, they are part of the State retirement system and receive hospitalization.

Vote them all out!

Hillary officially nominated last night.

The Democratic Convention more enjoyable and better organized than the Republican one. Reflects how one would run the government.

Trump may be getting in trouble over his Putin relationship, if one exists. The rumor is he may have received financing for some of his enterprises via Russian banks.

Wikipedia causing many to sweat. Even Hillary. Money laundering the issue. Involving the Hillary Victory Fund and the DNC.

Today is wednesday. Screw off day for me. I spend saturday, sunday, monday and tuesday researching, writing, etc. Wednesday, thursday and friday are my days off. I even slept better last night.

Enjoy your day!

NILE CROCODILES

There was a time when no one contemplated Burmese pythons would be living in South Florida. And in such large numbers! Hundreds of thousands, if not millions.

Experts say the Burmese python will never be eradicated. It can only be contained/controlled. The situation was already out of hand when experts realized the Burmese pythons had made a home here.

Now comes the Nile crocodile. As with the Burmese python, not native to South Florida or anywhere in the Americas. The Nile crocodile has become an invasive species also.

Nile crocodiles comes from Africa. Impossible to swim the Atlantic! No one knows how they got here.

So far, only three have been discovered. Two males and a female. That is how the pythons started. Big trees from little acorns grow.

The crocodiles discovered so far have been found in the Everglades. The males run big. Around 16 feet and weigh 1,600 pounds.

The concern is that Nile crocodiles are man eaters.

My yesterday began with Tammy. Always pleasant to be with her. A manicure and small talk.

Then a heavy lunch at 5 Guys. A cheeseburger and fries.

Stopped at Walgreens. Prescriptions to pick up.

Sometimes either the drug store or the insurance company screw up. Yesterday was one of those days. I am not sure who the guilty party was.

I take Nexium twice a day. Bad acid reflex for years. Cost per month $36. With insurance. Yesterday, I was handed the generic. Same price. $36. I questioned the situation. I was told I could have either. Same price. No one understood who was responsible for the screw up.

I return to Walgreens today to pick up the Nexium.

Ran into Joseph from Hot Tin Roof. His bad back worse. He was using a walker. Surgery on his back scheduled for next wednesday.

Then to Publix. Everything screwed up. Product locations moved. Not just a few feet. Aisles away. Confusing.

I was not the only one complaining. I could hear the mumblings in every aisle.

Between the Walgreens problem and Publix, I fear I am beginning to sound like a cranky senior.

Shot down to Farmers Market. Before 1. Only six tents. It had rained heavy early morning.

I went to buy three items. Mel’s rum cake, honey and Greek bread. No one selling those items. Next week, hopefully.

Bocce called off last night. The heavy morning rains left the courts flooded.

I did not go out in the evening. I filled in the bocce absence with some pleasure reading. World War II stories. Narratives by those in the fight.

This week’s KONK Life column a winner! Read it. Very interesting. An eye opener. The column: Heroin Will Survive New Drug Bill.

The column appears in this morning’s E-Blast. Also archived this morning to my Key West Lou website. .keywestlou.com.

One thing  about our country is that people never give up. We are fighting abortion 50 years after it became legal. We will be fighting same sex marriage 50 years from now.

A perfect example is what happened in the Oklahoma Senate this week. The State Senate passed a bill making abortion a felony.

Enjoy your day!