HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Belongs to the Irish. For this day alone, everyone is Irish.

Years ago, I did the Duval Crawl on St. Patrick’s Day. Drank green beer. Pissed green. Whooped it up.

No more. Time has caught up with me.

I look forward however to a good meal of corned beef and cabbage. Will do so with Donna and Terri.

Reservations generally required. Even with them, difficult to be seated timely. This year we are playing it smart. Take out from Shanna Key.

Parades a big deal this day. The only time I marched was when I was in college in New York City. I was in the Air Force ROTC. We marched in perfect precision up Fifth Avenue. A sharp eyes right as we passed St. Patrick’s Cathedral where the Cardinal sat.

Interestingly, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade was not in Ireland. It was in New York City in 1762. As early as then there already was a large contingency of Irish living in New York.

Let me share with you an old Irish blessing: “May your troubles be less, your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door.”

Yesterday, a party at a lovely home on the water in Sugarloaf. Hosts Anita and Tom. Great company and food. A magnificent setting sun.

Watched Syracuse defeat TCU last night 57-52. Another squeaker.

Next game sunday against Michigan State. CBS at 2:40 pm. Syracuse the underdog once again.

Big week ahead. Folks coming in.

Today or tomorrow, Don and Chris. Their wedding next saturday at the Hyatt. I see a week of partying ahead. Liver abuse time!

Tomorrow, Tom and Fran Dixon from Buffalo. Recently returned from a trip to Italy. Fran will be bringing me frozen sauce with meatballs, sausage and pork. If I am lucky, home made pasta. Tom and Fran excellent company.

I mentioned earlier this week that long time Key West artist Jon “Tosh” McIntosh had passed on. This weekend’s Key West Citizen has an Editorial Page “cartoon” honoring Tosh. Tosh was the Editorial Page cartoonist for 20 years.

We have bad leaders in Washington. Whose fault? Ours.

Leaders rise from the people. We elect them. Ergo, we are complicit in the fact that our President and Congress are bad or have gone bad.

All cause and effect.

We live in a time where power has gone mad. Two occurrences in the last 24 hours proof. The firing of Andrew McCabe and Trump suing Stoney Daniels for $20 million.

This morning’s news tells us that Russia has found its way into our power grid. The computers, etc. that control electricity, etc. By the push of a button, Putin can shut the U.S. down. Place us in immediate danger. Our nuclear weapons and other defense items work off electricity.

A President’s first obligation is to protect the people. Trump is failing/has failed. First, by his reluctance to acknowledge and do something about Russia’s intrusion into the 2016 election. Now the danger of Russia turning off the U.S.’s power grid.

I am old school. I believe people should stay married, children should live with two parents, etc. I am one of the divorced. My wife divorced me after 52 years. Ouch!

I mention divorce because it has been announced Donald Trump, Jr and his wife Vanessa are divorcing. Apparently her idea.

Divorce is a lifer changer. I feel sorry for both of them and their children.

Donald Jr. may find additional aggravation from Mueller as a result. Vanessa might decide to reveal whatever she knows which might be adverse to her husband. Though certain laws might bar such testimony by her because of marriage, it would not bar her from sharing any information she has with regard to Donald Sr.

A woman scorned thing.

Have we become a society where there is no shame? Michael Flynn is Trump’s former National Security Adviser who plead guilty several months ago to lying to the FBI.  He has opted to take a deal, is providing information to Mueller, and agreed to testify against Trump if it becomes necessary.

Flynn was recently in California. He campaigned with and spoke on behalf of the Republican candidate who is running against Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

Flynn was selling out America on a cell phone on inauguration day while Trump was being sworn in. Flynn seated several rows from Trump.

No one seems to care about character any more. For sure, Flynn, the Republican candidate he was speaking for, and the crowd that gave him a rousing cheer.

I am not sure why. Yesterday’s readership doubled. It happens occasionally. It had to be one of two blogs I wrote.

Enjoy your day.

 

LABOR DAY

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Unions are not what they used to be. Even the mighty fall. In the last 30 years, the power of organized labor has diminished. Perhaps properly so. Labor had gotten too big for its britches.

As the power of labor has become less, management/corporate power has increased. Too much so. A contributing factor being that labor’s power is not sufficient to counteract management.

The pendulum must swing back. To a middle ground.

Having said all that, it surprises me that Labor Day continues to be a popular holiday. There still are parades all over the country. Generally followed by parties.

The parades and parties are not by accident. Back in the 1880s when a holiday for labor was being suggested, the first outline for the proposed holiday specified street parades followed by festivals.

The first public parade took place in New York City in 1887. President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894. The purpose was of to honor the American labor movement and the contributions made by workers.

It appears Key West is not having a parade today. I could not find one scheduled. Sad, if such is the case. We celebrate everything in Key West. Why omit labor? Especially since most of Key West is made up of labor.

I spent considerable time yesterday writing next week’s KONK Life column. Tennessee Williams…..A Love. My motivation was the response I received to the recent column I wrote concerning Hemingway. Hemingway…..His First Love.

Everyone has loves in their lives. Some more than one. Prime examples being Hemingway and Williams. I hope the Williams story is enjoyed as much as the Hemingway one was. Each written from a different perspective.

Now comes Grace. A new hurricane forming off the coast of Africa. Key West is paying no attention to it. Too far away. Plus, the projections tell us worry not.

Womenfest begins in a few days. Womenfest Key West 2015. Lesbians and their friends converge in droves on Key West for a week of fun and frolic. The town jumps!

I read somewhere recently that there are 26 million blogs in the United States. Impressive!

Almost forgot! Tonight, Larry Smith performs! At 8. The Little Room Jazz Club on Duval. Across from Vinos. Join me for what I am sure will be a fun evening.

Enjoy Labor Day!