FIRST THANKSGIVING MEAL

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The first Thanksgiving meal was not as it is today. There was neither turkey, bread stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes nor pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving dinner has evolved!

The date of the event questionable. By a year. Some say 1621, the first year the Pilgrims were on Plymouth soil. Others say 1622, one year later.

The Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians joined together for the party. Not one meal. Actually, a three day feast.

Turkeys were plentiful in the area. Not generally eaten by the Pilgrims. A “fowling party” was sent out to capture the birds to be consumed. Birds regularly eaten by the Pilgrims. Ducks, geese and swans.

Bread stuffing. No way. Herbs, onions or nuts added to the bird for extra flavor purposes.

There was meat. The Indians contributed five deer.

Cranberries were plentiful. Still fifty years away from being used for eating purposes. Sauces or relishes with the meal consisted of sugar which remained from the long Mayflower voyage. The sugar in minimal supply, however.

Fifty years later people started boiling cranberries with sugar. The cranberry sauce first being used as an accompaniment to meats.

Mussels part of the meal. Mussels plentiful in the area. Clung to rocks along the sea shore.

No potatoes. Neither white nor sweet.

Potatoes originally from South America. The Spaniards brought them to Spain. Potatoes were still foreign to England at the time the Mayflower left.

No pumpkin pie. Pumpkins plentiful. Butter and wheat flour required for the crust not available. Nor were there any ovens for baking.

It is possible some pumpkins were hollowed out. Then filled with milk, honey and spices. Following which the gourds were roasted whole in hot ashes.

So much for the first Thanksgiving dinner. Habit of course, but I prefer turkey, cranberries, potatoes, and stuffing buried in gravy. Dessert, pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving, not a day to diet!

More from my blog/Facebook friend Jim Brown who lives on the island of Crete in Greece. Following is a further part of his detailed e-mail response to my inquiry as to why Obama was protested during his recent visit.

Some history required.

The U.S. and Greece were allies during World War II. The Greeks fought shoulder to shoulder with the U.S. in Korea. Greece was a part of NATO.

A military dictatorship took control of Greece in 1967. Unpopular. Remained in power, however. The junta was still in power in November 1973.

Athens Polytechnic is an Athens based university. On November 14, the students went on strike against the military dictatorship. By the next day, November 15, the strike had turned into a revolt.

The students occupied the Polytechnic campus during those days. The demonstrations increased in intensity from the 15th to the 17th.

The military government finally had it. They sent the tanks in on November 17. It was the end of the revolution. Many students died.

The Greeks take the events of those November days seriously. The 17th is a national holiday. There is a memorial stone on the campus. It contains the names of Polytechnic students who fought and were killed during the Greek resistance to Germany during World War II. The monument also contains the names of the students killed on November 17.

A commemoration event takes place each year on campus. The day the students decided to revolt. Two days after the commemoration event, demonstrators march the streets to the United States Embassy.

Why the U.S. Embassy?

Greeks have memories like elephants. They never forget. To this day, the Greeks are upset the U.S. did not support them in the November 1973 uprising. We were allies and friends at the time.

The U.S. and Russia were engaged in the Cold War. The U.S. thought it advantageous to support the military junta against the students. The U.S. felt it was the right move for them re the Cold War.

Once the U.S. broke faith with the Greeks, other reasons developed.

The U.S. was a significant part of NATO. NATO ended the Yugoslavia War in 1999 by bombing Serbia. Serbia was Greece’s orthodox ally.

The U.S. supports the European Union. The Union has been killing Greece with austerity programs. Another reason to be anti-U.S.

The U.S. supports the International Monetary Fund. The Greeks consider the Fund anti-Greece.

The annual parade on November 17 is to pay tribute to the students who died and secondarily, to express Greece’s continued displeasure with the U.S.’s position.

The last President to visit Greece prior to Obama’s visit was Bill Clinton. He formally apologized to the Greeks. He openly admitted the U.S. allowed its interests in prosecuting the Cold War to prevail over its obligation to support democracy.

Now comes Obama’s visit. On November 15. Not the 17th when the parade/demonstration was scheduled. Why waste a parade/demonstration? The event was moved up two days to coincide with Obama’s arrival.

Eight thousand protested. Anarchists and leftists.

The Greeks consider the U.S. a friend. In spite of the reasons given why not. Obama should not have been included in the demonstration. However, Greeks are Greeks. Such is their nature.

Recognize also that those protesting are only a portion of the Greek population.

Again, I must skip a day of Key West history based on a Rotary history. The blog today, though interesting,

already too long. Tomorrow, the Key West Rotary World War II and the immediate years following.

There will be more from Jim Brown, also.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving! Be grateful for whatever you have. Bountiful or limited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING

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‘Twas the night before Christmas…..visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.

The day before Thanksgiving similar. Food!

This is my third week of dieting. Diet simple. Three days on, four days off. Tomorrow is the first of the four days off. I can eat!

For the past three days, my mind has been blocked with visions of turkey, potatoes and stuffing buried in gravy. I can’t wait!

Diet evenings, I generally stay in. Food and drink my enemy. I am weak. Ergo, I cannot tell you of my dining, bar hopping, chatting with friends, etc. Non-existent. Sorry.

The diet seems to be working. In 2 1/2 weeks, 10 pounds. I feel I deserve more because of the hunger fest.

A long blog today. Crete’s Jim Brown wrote a second e-mail re the Obama visit and demonstrations. An extremely long e-mail. Detailed. I am going to share it with you piece meal. Will take 3-4 days.

Worth following. The background info interesting.

Cannot forget Rotary history. Today, nine years of a Rotary organized Key West Boy Scout troop.

My blog talk radio show last night. For the third consecutive week, I commented on how the technological revolution is making humans obsolete. I feel like a voice in the wilderness. Not many pay attention to the problem.

Syracuse basketball! Syracuse met its first somewhat credible opponent last night. South Carolina. Syracuse won 101-59.

Go ‘Cuse!

This day in 1984, a big one in college football history. A happening  that may never occur again. Doug Flutie’s Hail Marry Pass for Boston College. One second left. Boston losing. Flutie threw a 64 yard pass hoping a Boston player would catch it. Arms up everywhere. A Boston player caught the ball! Boston College won 47-45.

Drama!

Jim Brown’s e-mail.

U.S. papers reported the 7,000 person demonstration communist inspired. Jim tells me no. It was anarchists.

The communists were involved, but to a lesser degree. Not the Communist Party itself. Instead, PAME. PAME the communist party labor union.

The Athens riot was peaceful till the anarchists threw rocks and molotov cocktails. Police retaliated with tear gas and stun grenades.

The rioters ended the evening at the Athens Polytechnic campus. A haven. By law, police are not permitted to enter university grounds unless invited by the chancellor.

There were no injuries or damage to private property.

In spite of the demonstrations, the Greek people, including anarchists, communists, and nazis, hope Obama’s visit will aid economic recovery. Sounds strange. Not. Greeks are a strange breed as you will comprehend after having read more.

Tomorrow, more re the demonstrations and the Greek thought process.

Installment 20 based on Wright Langley’s History of the Key West Rotary. Boy Scouts. Covers a 9 year period. 1937 to 1946.

“On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country…..” Opening lines to the Boy Scout oath.

Scouting was a big deal in the years discussed. It represented America. The best of America. The Key West Rotary understood and did their best to bring scouting to Key West and thereafter support scouting.

The Rotary assisted in forming the Key West Scout troop. So much so that the troop was referred to as Rotary Troop 52. Troop 52 was organized in 1937.

Scout master was Victor Larsen. The first meeting of the Troop was held in the basement of the Bayview Park Bandstand.

August 1, 1938, 18 Key West scouts were loaded on the back of a large truck. The destination Bartow, Florida. To participate in a 10 day scout jamboree.

Upon arrival, the scouts pitched their tents.

The Key West scouts excelled in the swimming meet. Comment is made that they did so in spite of the fact they found it hard to get use to fresh water.

A week after the Bartow camporee, Key West scheduled their own. Invited were Bartow and Miami scout troops. The Bartow scouts would pitch tents on Naval Station grounds and the Miami ones on Naval Hospital grounds.

In these formative years, Key West Rotary worked hard to make sure scouting in Key West was on  a solid basis and would be permanent.

January 1, 1946 found 25 scouts and leaders hiking to Stock Island for a weekend outing. The hike began at White and Division Streets. Division today Truman Avenue.

The date February 22, 1946 significant in Key West scouting history. Scouts from Troops 50, 51 and 52 involved. Troops 50 and 51 from other Keys areas.

They attended a three day camporee on West Summerland Key. The site the old Civilian Conservation Camp. It was a work camporee.

The scouts cleaned up the site. It was a mess. They knew however they were cleaning what would soon become their own scout camp site. The Monroe County Scout Camp.

Stats this morning reveal more people read this blog yesterday than any other day in November. Thank you.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

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PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS

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Today brings to mind three recollections. One well known. The other two personal.

The first not so long ago. On this date in 2008, Barack Obama was elected America’s first African-American President.

A history making date.

The second involves refugees and the Hungarian Revolution. The Revolution occurred in 1956. Hungary was Russian dominated. People unhappy. Protesting in the streets. Nothing violent.

After ten days, things heated up. Rocks and beer bottles being thrown at Russian soldiers and tanks. Days 11 and 12, the beer bottles turned into bullets.

On this date in 1956, the Russians said no more. They sent in the tanks. Blazing away. The so called Revolution was over. Two thousand five hundred killed, 2oo,ooo Hungarians fleeing the country.

Those who fled were refugees. A problem the world knows today.

Where to go?

Some ended up in the United States. How many I do not know. Many were college students. The students were taken in by various American colleges. Every college did its fair share.

I was a senior at Manhattan college. All of a sudden in the middle of a semester, we had a dozen Hungarian students in our midst.

One became a friend. Gergo. He spoke excellent English. We talked evenings after diner. Generally at a bench on campus.

Gergo told the story of the Revolution in simplistic terms. He said no one wanted a revolution. Especially the college students. He said that after drinking beer in the evenings, they would throw rocks and beer bottles at the Russian soldiers and tanks. For fun.

After a while, the Russians no longer consider the throwings a fun activity. They started shooting back.

The students got some guns and returned the fire. At this point not yet a revolution in their minds. Merely tit for tat.

When the tanks came out big time firing, things got serious. One night only. That is all it took. The students retaliated with molotov cocktails. No competition for the tanks.

The students knew they were done and had to get out of Hungary quickly. Here it was two weeks after fleeing and Gergo and I were talking about what happened.

No one argued about taking refugees in at the time. Of course, the number of Hungarian refugees was significantly less than those that have come out of Syria in recent times.

Personal letters from Santa Claus a final recollection.

I came across on the internet an advertisement by Magical Xmas Letters. Send the company $17.94 and your child will receive a personally signed letter from Santa Claus and some North Pole information. The letter printed. The signature written.

Back in the 1960s, two Utica attorneys did the same thing at Xmas time. Pat Bernardi and Jim Zogby. Law partners. Both now long gone.

Pat and Jim were five years older than me. Young lawyers did not make much money in those days. They came up with the idea of sending Santa Claus letters out. Parents wrote. Pat and Jim’s operation returned a handwritten and signed letter from Santa Claus.

The cost was relatively cheap. The exact amount, I cannot recall. Two dollars sticks in my mind. A probable price some fifty years ago. I had the letters sent to my children.

Pat and Jim’s Xmas business took hold. Soon they had to rent space and hire a number of women to write the letters. Even Pat and Jim got into handwriting responses. Business boomed.

A tiring, but banner Xmas season for Pat and Jim. An experience that left them extremely tired came Xmas Eve.

Bocce last night. Don’s Place won 2-1. Not good enough. Needed all three games. Will remain in second place.

Syracuse/Clemson tomorrow. Clemson a top 10 team. Favored by 27 points.

Syracuse has played well the last two games. I see the game closer. Maybe an upset?????

Installment 5 of a Key West Rotary history.

The year 1925.

Nineteen twenty five was a busy year for the Rotary. Today only a partial report. The year will take 1 or 2 additional installments to complete.

Sloppy Joe’s was not Sloppy Joe’s in 1925. It was the Victoria Restaurant.

On October 15, a Cuban Boy Scout Troop visited Key West. The Rotary honored the group at a luncheon at Victoria’s. The Scoutmaster only spoke Spanish. His words were translated by Sebastian Cabrera.

Dr. J. Y. Porter, Sr. was a Key West charter Rotarian, local physician, and the first public health doctor for the State of Florida. A week after the Cuban boy scout event, Dr. Porter was 78 years old. The Rotary threw him a birthday party. Talk, singing, and birthday cake with 78 candles. Porter blew them all out!

Judge Jefferson B. Browne recalled how Dr. Porter had been instrumental in stemming the spread of yellow fever in Jacksonville.

Dr. Porter had returned to Key West after his State service to take charge of the Chamber of Commerce.

Captain Jack Maher was commander of the Key West Army Barracks. At the party, he sang When You Were Young Maggie and The Sunshine of Your Smile. The latter being Dr. Porter’s favorite tune.

The Key West Rotary was conservation minded. Late in October, the Club endorsed a proposal to ban the shooting and trapping of birds and protecting Key deer.

Time does not change some things. We are still protecting Key deer. Dr. Porter spoke in support of protecting birds. He viewed birds as eating disease carrying mosquitoes and insects.

More 1925 to follow tomorrow.

Enjoy your day!

 

A DAY LIKE ALL DAYS

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Busy yesterday. Did nothing out of the ordinary, however.

Started with a noon haircut appointment with Lori. Always a pleasure to spend time with Lori. Fifteen plus years now.

The Cuban Coffee Queen is around the corner from Blown Away. The heat/humidity too heavy to eat outside. Decided to pick up some things at Publix and feed myself at home.

Driving the Publix motivation was the fact that I had been dreaming for a couple of days of a home prepared chicken sandwich.

Bought a lemon pepper chicken.

Lunch was the desired chicken sandwich. A large soft roll. A thick slice of white chicken breast. Covered with a slice of tomato. A bit of salt and pepper. Then mayonnaise.

A dream come true!

Screwed around on the computer in the afternoon searching for a KONK column topic to do. Came up with nothing that excited me.

The Chart Room first last night. John told me Tom and Fran had been in earlier looking for me. Telephoned them. They were at Kermit’s enjoying key lime pie. Told me they would shortly join me.

Spent some time with Tom and Fran enjoying a couple of drinks. Then they were off to do sunset. Knew one of the entertainers and wanted to visit with him. The man with the cats jumping through hoops of fire.

I went across the street to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Enjoyed lamb chops again.

Joseph still on the mend. There is a new general manager. JP. We were introduced.

The Noble Group is not screwing Joseph. As I understand, there is an office job awaiting him when he returns.

Joseph has graduated from a walker to two canes. Progress slow.

Hello Jim Wenzel! Close friend of Tom Dixon. Both Buffalo bred. Jim now resides in Tampa. Tom told me he turned Jim on to the blog and he now reads it daily.

Welcome and thank you, Jim!

On the way back to my car, I passed the Chart Room. Ollie was at the bar. One of the heroes of the Zika test spraying fight. I stopped in to congratulate him. He believes Key Haven will defeat the test spraying proposal.

This week’s KONK Life column is German Persecution of Jews. It was carried this morning on E-Blast and also linked to my Key West Lou column. www.keywestlou.com.

My conscience Patrick posted a comment yesterday morning. He wanted to know why I had not commented on the $4 million/Iran/hostage situation. Simple. I only had the first blast of news. Accusatory. Did not make sense. Thought I should wait a day to see how the story played out.

Glad I delayed. Nothing wrong occurred.

Better safe than sorry. I concede I occasionally jump the gun. Rarely however. Sorry when I do.

Trump was terrific. Claimed he saw the whole thing on video. There was no video. He still kept saying he saw it on video.

Ronald Reagan was a tough guy.

On this day in 1981, he fired 11,359 air controllers. None to ever be rehired. When they struck and walked out two days earlier, he gave them 48 hours to return to work.

The union thought it was calling Reagan’s bluff. no way. He called theirs.

Reagan’s action was the beginning of the fall of union dominance in the United States.

Enjoy your day!

DIXONS BACK IN TOWN

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My years in Key West have brought me many new friends. Two are Tom and Fran Dixon. From Buffalo. They have business interests which bring them to Key West several times a year.

We have become very close. Fran makes homemade candy. Chocolate her specialty. Each trip she brings me a box. It was no different last night. We had dinner together. Fran gave me the candy. Two kinds. Told me one chocolate was made with something hot. The candy would have a tang.

I could not wait to get home to try the candy. Started while driving home. Good! Especially the peppery chocolate. It was a bit sharp.

The entire evening was fun. We met first at the Chart Room. Spent a couple of hours there with Jean and Sheila. Laughter prevailed.

Then Tom, Fran and I were off to the Hot Tin Roof for dinner. More fun!

Tom had a stroke a month ago. I was not aware till last night. You would never know it. He looked good and was his usual joyful self.

Tom and I are bonded in a special way. Both die hard Syracuse fans!

My friends are getting sick. Tom, who fortunately quickly recovered. Terri who is on her way to recovery. Terri returned to Key West yesterday. Spoke with her on the telephone. She was bubbly and cheerful.

It is saturday again. Comes fast each week. I have to research my KONK column today. Thought about a topic yesterday. Did a little digging. Came up with it! Not sure of the title yet. The topic concerns Hitler and homosexuals.

Hitler disliked homosexuals as well as Jews. His slogan for the Jews was: Exterminate them! For homosexuals: Castrate them!

My Bagels column is rerun in this morning’s KONK E-Blast. With the last eight paragraphs included. Bagels are American today. Not always, however. Bagels did not gain in national popularity till the 1950s.

Two social comments/observations.

It was announced yesterday that several more Flint and Michigan officials had been arrested re the Flint water crisis. The lead in the water story.

Obama immediately arranged for $5 million to help when the lead problem surfaced in January.. He also asked Congress to approve significantly more monies. Congress held hearings. The politicos could be seen on TV condemning what had occurred, enunciating clearly that something had to be done. Swiftly.

That was in January. The people of Flint are still waiting. The federal government sitting on its ass. Congress is on a seven week vacation not yet having approved funding. The people of Flint drinking bottled water and using faucet filters. Not even close to being enough.

2016 sometimes similar to centuries ago. Somtimes, thousands of years ago. Middle East beheadings one example.

Another is what is occurring in Turkey.

The coup failed. Some plotters arrested and executed. Others will follow. Turkey’s President refuses to permit funeral prayers and services for the plotters. A decent burial denied. Not even a casket. Dig a hole and drop the body in.

A stray dog facility is being erected. A place for dogs to run about and enjoy. In one corner, a cemetery is located for the bodies. It is called Traitors’ Cemetery. So marked with a small black metal sign. A place for the dogs to freely run about and do whatever.

The President sick! His actions reflective of something Hitler or Stalin might have done.

Enjoy your day!

 

GREAT JOB SHERIFF RAMSAY!

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Sheriff Ramsay is a persistent individual. He does not give up.

A perfect example is the U.S. pedestrian cross walk in Key Largo. Ramsay said it was wrongly designed. An invitation to disaster.

Florida DOT Secretary Boxold ignored him. Ramsay complained to the Governor’s office and went to the press.

A meeting resulted within days.

Boxold came to Ramsay. The meeting took place in Key Largo.

The flashing yellow light will be a double solid red one. Pedestrian has a button to press. Light goes flashing yellow. Then, solid yellow. Finally, double solid red.

Ramsay suggested Boxold get a hold of Key West authorities to correct similar problems on Northern Boulevard. Lets hope a meeting takes place soon.

You may not recognize me the next time we meet. Got a haircut yesterday. I am bald. Had it all cut off. A #1 on the electric razor.

I am not sure the motivation. I must admit I like it.

Lori not there to cut my hair. First time she has missed in 20 years. Emma did me.

Lori and her boy friend have lived together for years. They married New Year’s Eve. Civil service. City Hall. No one knew it was coming.

Their respective families were thrilled. One group from Maine. The other, Long Island. The family wanted a for real wedding, however. They got it. The ceremony sunday at West Martello. Reception to follow at Rooftop Cafe.

I will have to congratulate Lori a second time when I get my next haircut. It may be a long while.

Stopped at Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch after the haircut. No room at the inn! Tables full. Line a mile long waiting to order.

So much for lunch. I left.

The Cuban Coffee Queen is doing tremendous. Good for them!

Rain all day. Monsoon type rain on occasion.

Not certain about today yet.

My KONK Life column Clarence Thomas / Anita Hill appears in this morning’s E-Blast.

It aggravates me. The Saudi snub of President Obama when he arrived for the oil meetings. We have to stop kissing Saudi’s ass. They need us militarily more than we need them for anything. Saudi Arabia’s time as a world oil giant diminishes by day.

Came across an interesting statement yesterday…..It was all started by a mouse. The reference was to Mickey Mouse. The statement made by Walt Disney.

Enjoy your day!

 

PRIME STEAKHOUSE

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I have enjoyed Key West one way or another for 26 years. There are still places I have not visited. One is the Prime Steakhouse. I did last night.

The Prime Steakhouse is located at the end of Caroline Street. It sits on the level above the Dante pool. Parking in the garage underneath.

I guess I never stopped by because it was a block out of the way. Amazing.

The place is absolutely fantastic! Go! One negative. The prices. Off the wall. Worth it, however.

The walls are dark wood. Atmosphere clubby.

I arrived at 7. Very few people. I thought off season. By 7:30, there was not an empty table. I knew no one. Tourists.

Lunch was at the Pier House Beach  Bar. Stayed a while. Read the newspapers. Ran some errands afterwards.

Pouring like hell at the moment. Has been all morning.

The Marathon Airport has always been a failure. Large and beautiful. No action. The airlines found they could not make money flying into Marathon.

The airport stands empty, except for some private planes.

Marathon has considerable political clout. The unused airport is always getting one thing or another. The most recent is a U.S. Customs facility. For the Florida Keys/Marathon Airport. The airport that commercial airplanes do not fly into.

Dollars spent unwisely once again. The money should go into the Key West Airport which needs, amongst other things, an expanded U.S. Customs facility. People in large numbers fly into the Key West Airport every day. Into Marathon, few.

Pearl Washington died yesterday. Age 52. A brain tumor. He fought to live for several years.

Pearl is one of the greatest players to ever don a Syracuse basketball uniform. I watched most of the home games during the three seasons he played. 1983-1986.

Syracuse loved Pearl. This year’s team wore a uniform emblem in his honor.

Things were a bit tough for Pearl. Syracuse University did not fail him. He had a home at the University.

May he rest in peace.

President Obama is in Saudi Arabia. Relations between the countries are strained. Beginning with whether Saudi Arabia had a hand in 9/11.

There have been economic and other threats the past few days coming from Saudi Arabia against the U.S.

An insult to Obama upon his arrival. No #1 or other high Saudi figure met Obama when his plane landed. Some governor from a province greeted him.

Screw these guys. Not a time to pussy foot around with them. Call their bluff. They need us more than we need them. The pendulum has swung. The U.S. no longer desperate for Saudi oil.

My KONK Life column this week Clarence Thomas / Anita Hill. KONK Life hit the stands yesterday. The column was linked to my Key West Lou website this morning. .keywestlou.com.

The article interesting. I wrote it from the perspective of the five key players in the confirmation hearings.

Enjoy your day!

JIMMY BUFFETT / KENNY CHESNEY

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A lot to cover this morning.

Jimmy Buffett was in Cuba during the Obama visit. There is a photo of him on the internet joking around before the baseball game. Proper that Buffett be in Cuba these recent important days. He’s Key West’s man. Got his start here. He and Key West one.

While Buffett was in Cuba, Kenny Chesney was in Key West. Saturday at Sloppy Joe’s. A free concert. Traffic gridlock. People clogging the streets who could not get in. Sound equipment set up so they could hear.

I approve of Obama’s visit to Cuba. However a sense of hypocrisy overrides the visit. Obama publicly criticized Castro for human rights violations. What about Guantanamo? Our shame, our human rights violations.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Yesterday busy busy.

Spent the afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Did the show at 9. The Maldives tale drew much interest. Most people 30 and under have been divorced three times. Not a burden, not a cross. Getting married and divorced cheap and easy.

The Maldives have the highest divorce rate in the world. Reason. Horniness. For real.

Did Happy Hour at Martin’s with June. Her friends Peggy and Wayne joined us. Great conversation. Included Catholicism as it affected all of us growing up.

Then to Aqua. Aqua Idol finals. My friend Howard Livingston judging and performing. Stopped by to say hello. He had not yet arrived.

Left June at Aqua. She wanted to see the show. I headed over to Larry and Christine’s. They were having a party. Their parties always good. Everyone there. Including my former bocce team and his. I stayed two hours and left. Had to hurry home to do Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Larry advised he went to Yankee Jack’s memorial service at the Bull and Whistle sunday. A good crowd. I don’t know how he knew. The event was not publicized in the paper. I would have gone. Loved Yankee!

Big day in American history. On this day in 1775, Patrick Henry uttered his famous words: “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”

Anna back home in Novara. She e-mailed what is happening. The Brussels bombings impacted life in the Mont Blanc area where she had been skiing over the weekend.

Mont Blanc is the highest point in Europe. Majestic. The roads do not go over Mont Blanc. Several mile long tunnels have been constructed beneath the mountain.

To get back and forth between Italy’s Courmayeur and France’ s Chamonix, a tunnel drive. Long.

Anna returned monday to Novara. Part of her trip was driving through the tunnel. Brussel’s explosions yesterday/tuesday. Anna reports authorities thought the tunnel was in danger. Italian and French military and police were all around and in the tunnel. The tunnel closed down , of course.

Immigration a problem Italy. Not so much Muslims from the Middle East. Rather, Muslims from North Africa.

Ann a wrote me of a tragedy which occurred sunday. A Romanian immigrant involved rather than one from North Africa. He tried to rob a 22 year old girl on the train connecting Novara and Milan.

A train I have taken many times. One Anna takes frequently. He hit the girl in the head with a hammer. Fractured her skull. He has been arrested for attempted murder. She operated on for a fractured skull.

The two dead Brussels terrorists must be disappointed. No 21 virgins.

Remember George Carlin. A great comedian in the 1960s and 1970s. Prone to use off color words during his shows. Carlin had a litany of seven dirty words. He described them as “filthy words.”

The words were shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker and tits.

Mom, forgive me!

He was arrested for using them on one occasion

In 2000, a law was passed establishing the U.S. National Recording Registry. To be maintained in the Library of Congress. Today Carlin’s seven dirty words become a part of the Registry. He joins such other memorables as the song I Will Survive and Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream.

Qualification for entry to the Registry is that the recorded words must be “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”

Carlin’s words acceptable on TV and in movies today. Not used often on regular TV. Used as they fit in on cable TV. Legal since 2010.

As with the Virginia Slims advertisement of many years ago, we have come a long way!

Syracuse plays Gonzaga friday in the Sweet Sixteen. Game time 9:40. Hope I can stay awake.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

DECEMBER 7, 1941

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December 7, 1941. The day after when addressing a joint session of Congress seeking a declaration of war against Japan, President Roosevelt described December 7 as “…..a day that will live in infamy.” It has.

President Roosevelt also provided U.S. citizens with a bolt of confidence: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”

This morning’s Key West Citizen provided interesting data re the attack. Two thousand four hundred three American military and citizens were killed. The Japanese lost only 64 of its Navy personnel.

I was six when Pearl Harbor occurred. I distinctly recall evenings sitting around the radio as a family hanging onto every word of the war news. Families wanted to know how the country and their own were faring. This kept up till the end of the war in 1945.

My Sunday was not as planned.. When I discovered yesterday morning that Helen Sperling had died, I decided to write this week’s KONK Life column about her. Helen was a Holocaust survivor. Spent significant time in Buchenwald.

I had neither research nor notes. I was prepared to write about Teddy Roosevelt. I had to start the column from scratch. It took the greater part of the day to get the column out. As a result, I never made it to the Gardens at 5.

The President’s TV speech disturbed me. He said nothing new. The concerns of the American people were not directly addressed.

I do not know what his problem is. Unless I am wrong and he has everything under control, his worry not attitude the correct one. I doubt it. The situation worries me.

Between writing the Sperling column and the President’s speech, I had Chinese delivered to the house.

The new City Hall’s furniture in the news again. Our spendthrift Commission approved the expenditure of $755,000 for furniture for the new City Hall. Top of the line furniture. All the buttons and gadgets. Like hydraulic desks and electric window blinds.

The World Almanac section of the Citizen carried a very fitting quote by Willa Cather: “The dead might as well try to speak to the living as the old to the young.”

How true!

Enjoy your day!