TODAY A MEMORABLE ONE

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June 6 is already historically a day to remember. On this day in 1944, the Allied troops landed in Normandy. The invasion of the European continent was under way!

Thousands of brave men died that day. We will never forget.

Today could become a second reason remember the day. The Belmont. Should American Pharoah win. The first Triple Crown winner in years.

The Belmont is a happy event. Should American Pharoah win, another reason for this day to be registered in the annals of history.

American Pharoah’s victory will also give American people a boost in pride. Something sorely needed.

Years ago, I was privileged to attend two Belmonts. A client had a private box at the finish line. The races and partying not to be forgotten.

Today is the 39th Annual Swim Around Key West. One hundred seventy hearty folk will swim around the island of Key West. A 12.5 mile course. The leader of the pack a 65 year old local. God bless him!

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I hope it does what I expect. Gets me in better shape to climb the mountains and stairs of Greece and Italy.

Then to Publix. I buy groceries in small amounts. I sometimes think I do it just to get out of the house. Actually, the reason is I like my fruits and vegetables fresh. Especially the bananas which seem to ripen too much in 2 or 3 days.

I consistently comment that the national media does not share all the news with us. Called selective reporting.

There was a police gun shooting on August 11 last year. I became aware for the first time today. How many of you were aware?

The place Salt Lake City. Twenty year old Dillon Taylor was walking in front of a 7-11. He was wearing a tee shirt and sloppy baggy pants. He was listening to the earphones he had on.

A police officer showed up several feet behind him and shouted stop. Dillon did not hear him apparently. The ear phones. It appears that at some point Dillon did hear the officer. He turned around. As he did so, he began to pull his pants up. The officer thought he was reaching for a gun and shot him twice.

Dillon died within minutes. There was no gun.

All this was recorded. The police officer was wearing a body camera.

The video of Dillon down dying/dead one of the worst I have ever seen. Blood everywhere. Like a victim of war.

In less than three months, the local District Attorney issued a statement in effect acquitting the police officer. No grand jury presentation. The District Attorney said the shooting was justified not because Dillon Taylor posed an actual threat, but because the police officer reasonably perceived a threat.

The system continues to fail us. The Justice system is broke. The media fail us likewise. Selective picking of the news is not proper. We are entitled to know all of it.

Enjoy your day! Enjoy the Belmont!

EAT IT!

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Banks and major corporations are pigs. Financial ones. Anything for a dollar. Squeeze every penny out of a deal.

A perfect example is what is going on in the Keys involving Waste Management. Monroe County entered into a 10 year $75 million contract with Waste Management last year. No bids were entertained. Waste Management got the deal outright because there were those who thought it had done a good job in prior years.

A problem has arisen. Waste Management says Monroe County owes $110,000, in addition to monies already paid. Waste Management claims the contract is supposed to be for $87.15 a ton. The county says only $85.50 a ton.

Both sides seem to agree there is a clerical error in the contract. Waste Management said it missed the error when it signed the contract.

The whole thing is confusing.

My point a simple one. Waste Management should eat the $110,000. Waste Management was the beneficiary of a no bid $75 million 10 year contract. How much better could God have been? The $110,000 is a drop in the bucket in comparison to everything else involved.

If Waste Management refuses to do the right thing, Monroe County should sue to have the entire contract voided on the basis of mutual mistake of fact or whatever is appropriate under Florida law. Monroe County should also announce that the new contract will be a bid one. See how fast Waste Management toes the line.

Lunch yesterday was at the Pier House’s Beach Bar.

Sitting next to me was a couple I had briefly met the night before at the Chart Room. At the Chart Room, the wife indicated yesterday would be her 50th birthday.

When I sat at the Beach Bar, I wished her a Happy Birthday. She told me how 50 did not bother her, that 30 did. Forty was a walk through.

Two people in their early 20s walked up. She jumped, hugged them, and cried. They were her children. Surprise! Her husband had them fly down for Mom’s birthday. They had just arrived.

A nice birthday gift, a nice Mothers Day surprise.

Happy Mothers Day, one and all! My mother has been gone roughly 25 years. I miss her every day. A painting of my mother hangs over the desk I work at. The first thing I sat down this morning, I wished her a Happy Mothers Day! With a tear in my eye.

Jenna and I were supposed to have dinner together last night. She had to back out at the last minute. All was not lost, however. Dee called me about 15 minutes later and said lets have dinner together tonight.

We met at Geiger Key. Mosquitoes and all! We sprayed everything, hair included. The last time I eat at Geiger Key after dark.

Dee had bad cancer and went through two years of hell. Operations, chemo, etc. Now on the mend. Last night was the third time I had seen her in three years. All in the past six months. The previous two, she looked terrible. Ripped my heart out to see her appearance and suffering.

Last night, a change! She looked fantastic! I was taken by her return to beauty. I kept telling her all night. God bless her!  May she stay that way!

Before I run, let me tell you the story of Bimla Nayyar.

Bimla was an 81 year old woman living in Belleville, Ohio. In 2012, she went into the Dearborn Hospital for what is referred to as a simple jaw realignment. Something, someone screwed up. Brain surgery was performed instead.

Five holes were drilled into her head, the right side of her skull was sawed out and replaced. Bimla died 60 days later.

There was a lawsuit. The hospital admitted there were errors, but denied any wrongdoing.

The verdict was $21 million.

There are occasions where a malpractice suit is valid. This is one of them. In my career, I was involved in a wrong leg being amputated and in another case the wrong eye removed. The cancerous eye left in.

The $21 million will not stand on appeal. An appellate court will significantly reduce the amount. The law does not place as much value on human life as Bimla’s jury did.

Enjoy your Sunday!

KENT STATE

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Forty five years ago today, four Kent State students were shot dead by Ohio State National Guardsmen. The students had been protesting the Vietnam War.

I was 35 years old at the time. The TV film of the shootings chilled me. TV showed a large number of screaming college students running across a large grass field and the guardsmen shooting at them. This was the United States. What I was viewing did not happen in the United States.

I had lived through the time of the 1960s New York and Rochester black riots. I was in the middle of the New York one the first night.

The anti-Vietnam demonstrations concerned me. Citizens against a war our country was involved in. Parents sending their children off to Canada to avoid the draft.

To a 35 year old attorney, husband and parent, none of these happenings were consistent with the United States I knew or thought I knew.

The Kent State shootings were the worst. There was no valid reason for the students to be shot at. Apparently some guardsman got nervous and others followed.

This past week we experienced the Baltimore protests. There have been others in recent months. All over the same issue. Police shooting of blacks.

What am I saying? Merely that all these events bother and bothered me. Kent State especially. And now the police/black shootings. Not the country I grew up in. Not the lessons I was taught about the United States in my formative years.

I spent several hours yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. A strange title. 99 44/100 % Pure. The story of Ivory soap. Interesting, as well as a bit checkered.

After finishing the column, I hustled over to Salute’s for a little Louis time. I sat outside in the shade, had a drink and enjoyed a fish sandwich. Read the Sunday papers. Sometimes looking up to view the bikini clad ladies.

Then to Publix. The cupboard almost bare. A comment re prices. Grocery prices continue to rise. Like gasoline did. A little bit at a time. You do not notice until you are at the check out counter and are paying more than normal for the usual amount of groceries.

Wind is blowing strong this morning.  From the northwest. Sunny and cloudy. Maybe rain at some point.

Some local group involved with the homeless did a recent study. One of its findings was that there were 339 homeless children in Monroe County (Florida keys) as of January 27. Three hundred thirty nine is 339 too many!

Physiotherapy this morning. Have to hustle.

Enjoy your day!

ERIKA BIDDLE

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Some say Schooner Wharf is the center of the universe. I describe the Chart Rome as the cross road of the world. Publix qualifies also.

A simple super market store provides people the opportunity of greeting old friends and making new ones. Yesterday provided that experience for me.

I was pushing my cart along trying to think of what I forgot. A slight and attractive woman approached me…..I know you, you are Louis Petrone.

She spoke of reading my KONK Life column and how much she enjoyed it. I asked her name. Erica Biddle, she replied. I exclaimed…..I know of you! I had heard her name many times over the years and have been a quiet admirer of her work. I was honored to meet her and told her so.

Erika takes up causes that others might not. Unpopular ones included. This tiny woman carries the pain of others on her shoulders.

I was pleased to meet Erika. I am confident we shall meet again.

Today is tuesday. Which means tonight my blog talk radio show airs. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me for a fast half hour of thought provoking commentary.

Topics tonight include Baltimore, apes being people, the $135,000 fine imposed on the Oregon couple who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same sex marriage, another example of police insanity in the Kinloch community five miles from Ferguson, U.S. military spending off the wall, and more.

It was the Chart Room last night. Victor bartending.

Only one other customer when I arrived. Tim from Atlanta. He is here for a convention. Tim is affiliated with a company that makes chicken packaging equipment. All those chickens need packaging!

An interesting guy. More interesting, his work.

Tim left to be replaced with Brian and Carrie. Special people. We spent much time together chatting about everything.

Brian and Carrie are vacationing in Key West from Columbus, Ohio. In my early law career, I made many trips to Columbus. Home of Nationwide, I did some work for them at the time.

I considered Columbus in the late 1960s into the 1970s cosmopolitan. A small New York. Based on what Brain and Carrie told me, it has grown and is even more so today.

Brian is a financial planner. Carrie is the business planner for the Oncology Department of a Columbus hospital.

Both are well traveled. Carrie spent three weeks in Greece at one time. That got me started. We talked about Greece quite a while. They are considering a trip to Santorini in September. Santorini is one of my favorite places. The view from my cave apartment was like seeing the face of God. Breathtaking.

This is a first time Key West visit for Brian and Carrie. They seemed to be enjoying Key West. Hopefully, they will return.

They are staying at the Fairfield on the Boulevard. I asked how they were getting around. They rented a car. However, they soon recognized parking is a problem.

Brian and Carrie have been ubering. I was not aware ubering had come to Key West. Turns out there are three ubering vehicles. Similar to a cab/limousine service. You call the company and tell them where you are. In minutes, a ubering vehicle picks you up.

My friends Rick Boettger and Cynthia Edwards have a Letter to the Editor in this morning’s Key West Citizen. Re trees and replacement trees. Excellent! Read the letter.

Key West has a Tree Commission. Key West has a commission for everything. Too many. I believe the Tree commission is one of them. The Commission has hard and fast rules. Arbitrary in most instances. If the Commision says your tree comes down, it comes down.

Baltimore and Freddie Gray. Say what you will, Gray ended up with a crushed voice box and severed spine. Police brutality has to come into play.

I do not know how we get a handle on the police killings which have become rampant across the country. I do know that violence begets violence. That is why riots are taking place in Baltimore.

Big day in the U.S. Supreme Court. It finally hears the same sex marriage issue. Whether such is Constitutional. I predict a 5-4 or 6-3 vote in favor of same sex marriage. It will be six positive votes if Chief Justice Roberts votes in the yes column. He generally leaves the conservative side of the bench in landmark cases and votes with the liberal faction.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TRUMAN’S VACATION HAVEN

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The History section of this morning’s Key West Citizen notes that on this day in 1950, President Truman arrived in Key West for a one month vacation. The month long stay is indicative of how much the President enjoyed Key West.

It was not the first time Truman had visited Key West. He actually visited 11 times. His 11 stays totaled 175 days. Key West his home away from Washington.

Truman would stay at what is known today as the Little White House. Back then it was the Commander’s Quarters on the Naval Base.

Truman did not sit on his butt the whole 30 days doing nothing. An aide accompanying the President set forth in detail what Truman did every day.

He would come with an entourage. His close staff, a couple of Generals and Admirals, a cabinet member or two, and some close friends from Independence. He would walk in the early morning, work most of the day. In between work, he took time some days to visit the beach  where he did some sunning and swimming. Occasionally, he fished. There is a photo of Truman in his undershirt sitting in a small flat boat fishing.

His evenings were generally the same. A couple of drinks followed by dinner. Then cards. Truman enjoyed playing cards and did so every evening. Enjoyed another drink or two. Then to an early bed. Around 9 many evenings.

Truman left an indelible print on Key West. He is an integral part of Key West history.

Last night was Don’s Place for a while. Many from the bocce team there. Don, David, Stan and Clare. The conversation centered around bocce and Syracuse and Ohio State basketball.

The cupboard was bare again. Stopped at Publix on the way home.

A couple of years ago, I read somewhere that supermarkets in poor neighborhoods would raise their prices on the days welfare checks were received. I think Publix is doing it here and now in Key West. Not for welfare recipients, however. Since the season started, prices have inched up and there are fewer sale items.

With Syracuse not playing in any post season tournaments, my basketball interest has faded. Big time! When I had Syracuse to follow, I would also watch other teams play. Now, I could care less.

Bocce tonight! The team is off to a better than usual start. May we keep it going!

Enjoy your day!

FRUSTRATION

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My blog talk radio show, Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou, is one half hour. It takes me 10-12 hours of preparation for the 1/2 hour weekly show. Occasionally due to some technical glitch, the show does not broadcast. The glitch is always at the radio station’s end.

Last night was one of those nights. Try as I could for 20 minutes, I could not connect up with the station. Ergo, no show.

The frustration is two fold.

First, I am disappointed. I am ready to go and cannot go.

The other is that I generally cannot use the material that took me 10-12 hours to research and prepare the following week. It is stale one week later.

Those of you who tried to join me probably heard the show was waiting for the host to join in. I am the host. It was not me. It was them.

So much for frustration.

I was in Publix yesterday. Had time to kill. Walked around the store three times pushing a cart. Up and down each aisle. My exercise for the day.

I have been dieting since early November. During that time, I have cheated only three times. Last night was one of them.

The past couple of days, I have had this abnormal desire for a bologna sandwich. Bread, bologna, tomato slices, salt and mayonnaise. I gave into the desire. Bought a quarter pound of bologna. Had to buy a small jar off mayonnaise, also. When I started the diet, I stripped the refrigerator of all bad foods, temptations, etc.

Let me tell you, the sandwich was oh so good! Like sex after not having had it for a long time. Like a man finding water in the desert.

I do not feel guilty!

Syracuse basketball tonight. At 7. Syracuse plays Boston College. Syracuse a one point favorite. I plan on watching the game at Don’s Place. Dan, join me if you can.

The Brian Williams saga continues. Suspended without pay for six months. Morning Jo pointed out several times that Twitter was bad. Many people wrote disparaging things about Williams. They appeared happy that he got his.

The Morning Joe crowd thought this was terrible in view of the fact that Williams is apparently a good guy. Who concededly screwed up.

I attribute the negative comments to the state of our society. Many in the U.S. are hurting economically. Have been for quite a while. It becomes a haves v. have nots situation. Williams is paid $10 million a year. In a sense, he represents the 1 percent. Most of those speaking poorly of him the 99 percent.

The desire exists under the circumstances to see anyone on top fall. A 2014 rendition of A Tale Of Two Cities.

I am on my soap box. One more issue bothering me.

It was announced yesterday by Putin that Russia and Egypt have made a deal. An agreement has been signed. Russia is going to construct a whole new nuclear industry for Egypt.  Russia doing most of the work. Paid for by Egypt.

You have to give Putin credit. Russia’s economy is teetering. Yet Putin is out there continuing to make friends and deals.

Where is the U.S. while all this is going on?

I continue to point out that Egypt was our friend for 30 years. Egypt was friends with Israel. Hosni Mubarak marched in step with the U.S. I am critical of Hillary and the President for siding with “democracy” against Mubarak when he was having problems. I have been so critical since day one. We turned our back on a friend.

Putin would not have the opportunity to do business with Egypt today were Mubarak still in power.

Enjoy your day!

 

A TWO DAY BLOG

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No blog yesterday. Sorry.

As you are aware, I am developing a new website, putting together a You Tube show, etc. Big time work. Detailed. Confusion occurs. Yesterday morning when I went to do this blog…..nothing. It was not me. It was Google and Granddaddy. Problem lasted till almost 5. It was too late for the blog by then.

Some of you are having problems in finding me. Others not. Hang in there. We are getting there. Hopefully in another week everything will be in order and no more mishaps.

One comment is consistent. Everyone likes the new website page. Those that can find it.

You Tube under construction. It should be up and running by the end of next week also.

Later this morning my Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. Worldwide. Join me. Always interesting and informative. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Topics will include the Chinese activist looking for a place to go, Muslims burning churches in Ethiopia, the Roger Clemens trial, Oklahoma running out of execution drug, Kentucky courts budget slashed/courts to close down, manhole covers being stolen in NYC, college student unknowingly kept in jail 5 days without food or water, and more.

Wednesday night I decided to celebrate and try out my new implants. It was a prime rib dinner at Outback. I chewed and chewed and chewed. I am happy to report everything went well. One and a half years later, I am normal again. I can eat like every one else.

Bocce last night. We only won 1 of 3 games. All games close. But we did not have enough to get over the finish line in two of them. Plus, it was a money game. We are not doing well in the money game category this season.

With Albertsons closed, Publix is going crazy in an attempt to garner Albertsons business. Store hours start one hour earlier and close one hour later. A new quick check out counter has been opened.  And the huge Publix electrified sign outside which has not worked in years is under repair.

Finally for the funny of funnies. I have been so busy all week with the website change over and preparing for You Tube, I never prepared today’s Internet show. I forgot.  Remembered when I got home after bocce last night. I was up till 2 this morning doing it.

Enjoy your day!