LAURIE THIBAUD…..CITIZEN OF THE DAY

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The charming spirited Laurie Thibaud is Key West Citizen of the Day. Much deserved. The woman has a warm personality.

The best of the best as they say.

Laurie was born in France. Somehow found her way to Key West in the late 1990’s. Emcees at the Aqua Night Club and is affiliated with The Rum Bar.

Her comment printed beneath her picture: “I love Key West because the women are strong and the men are pretty.” Now I know why Laurie likes me. The only problem is Laurie is gay.

Terri White sings tonight at Blue Heaven.

Hurricane Michael is racing up the Florida west coast. Two hundred fifty miles off shore. Key West has been hit 2 days in a row with heavy winds and big time rain. Fortunately for us, that is all we will suffer.

Northern Florida is in trouble, however. Michael will hit the Panhandle and Big Bend wednesday evening. As a category 3. No fun!

I am heavy with concern for those in danger. Caused by my Irma experiences last year. The feeling of dread stays with you.

There was a picture on the internet of cars lined up at a gas station to fill up before evacuating. Just as I recall. Not a straight line to the pumps. Cars maneuvering from every angle. Sometimes voices elevated. People scared. Tensions high.

The preceding is when trying to fill up at a station in a town. There was an organized way. The stations on the Florida Turnpike. State Police directing traffic. Lines straight. No one excited.

The evacuation drive itself a wonder. Sometimes you covered all of one mile in an hour. Patience was a virtue.

I recall having to piss. I was in a rest area on the Florida Turnpike. Already spent 1 1/2 hours waiting in line to get gas. Went inside to the men’s room. Good luck! The line was out the door into the parking area about 100 feet. I felt like a woman. Having to wait in line to go.

I could not waste another hour. Also did not know if I could hold it another hour.

Did the practical thing. Walked outside and into the woods. Relieved myself. I was not the only one so doing.

And so it went. As it will for those in north Florida.

My large flat TV is broke. They’re cheap today. $150-175 will buy a new one from Amazon.

Anna was concerned for me. She had a friend who could repair today’s TV’s. Did it in Honduras before he came to the U.S. Works construction now in Key West.

I figured what the hell. Anna went to get him.

I was impressed! He had all the necessary tools. Knew exactly what he was doing. Basically, 2 small boards and some wires operate today’s TV’s. He tested everything. I watched and learned for 2 hours.

He has isolated the problem. A small piece. Less than a half inch in size. The problem now is if he can find one to buy.

A 5:30 appointment with Tammy for a manicure. Place empty when I arrived. By 6, the women were storming through the door. Tammy says it is that way every evening. The women come in after work.

Manicure done, hurried over to Aqua for Dueling Bartenders. Tom Luna and Heather Mae performing. Rick Dery apparently away.

Lovely Liz at th bar with friends Josefina and Mary. Went over to kiss and chat with Liz.

Spent some time chatting also with Heather Mae between songs. I learn every day. She is a school teacher at Sigsbee School.

Jean Thornton had e-mailed earlier in the day she was returning. Hoped the storm would not prevent her from getting out of Atlanta. No problem. She was up and away on time.

The plane was 8 minutes from landing in Key West. The pilot announced the airport had just closed because winds were more than 50 miles an hour. He circled a half hour before the plane was able to land.

Dueling Bartenders was Jean’s first stop last night. She sat with me. After being hugged and kissed by everyone in the place. The woman is well loved!

We ended the evening with dinner a La Trattoria. Following which I went home and Jean headed over to Vino’s.

While at Aqua, I was viewing my e-mails. Came across a tiger laying under a tree. It was sent by Rick Dery. All he said was he saw a tiger sleeping under a tree.

I assumed he was in India or Africa. Asked those around the bar. Some thought so, also. Finally someone piped up Rick was in Miami and the picture was taken at a Miami zoo.

Key West property increases in value. Commercial and residential. Some hotels selling in excess of $100 million.

The newest properties to be sold in package form include the A&B Lobster House, Berlin’s, Alonzo’s, the White Tarpon Bar, a 45 slip marina, several retail spaces, a 70 space parking lot, and the building housing the Commodore and Boathouse.

Buyers include Attorney Barton Smith, Key West Utilities and the Key West Golf Club.

All comprising a good chunk of the Key West Historic Seaport.

Today is tuesday. Means my podcast show. Tonight at 9. Join me. Listen to me rant and rave about issues and happenings. A quick half hour. You will enjoy! www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

SALLY YATES…..A STAR IS BORN

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Sally Yates is the Acting Attorney General Trump fired because she reported Michael Flynn’s lies, danger of being blackmailed, etc. to the White House. Yesterday was her day before a Senate Committee regarding her actions.

A star was born! A woman of unusual character revealed to the world!

Yates was unbelievable! Intelligent, capable, knowledgeable, prepared, honest, and straight forward. She did her job and was fired for it. The Washington mentality at work.

Yates was a life long public servant. She worked her way up the ladder in the Justice Department. She did not ask for this moment in the sun. It was forced upon her. She handled it well. Exemplary!

This is the type individual to be considered for a Supreme Court seat. A no bullshit up front person. Probably will never occur because neither Democrats nor Republicans could depend on her for a favorable vote.

Yates evidenced her ability best in handling questions by Senator Conyers and Senator Cruz. Both tried to sand bag her with stupid asinine questions. Obviously politically motivated. She handled everything they threw at her well. To the extent of even showing that they were not aware of subsequent changes in the law nor additional pertinent facts.

It was a pleasure watching her.

I had a 10 am morning meeting on Stock Island. Decided when it concluded to visit the new hotel at the end of Stock Island. Ocean Edge.

Wow! Magnificent!

Its outstanding quality is the silence. Not even a bird’s tweet. Another world.

I enjoyed lunch at the outside dining room.

Spent the afternoon preparing for tonight’s podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A fast moving eye opening thirty minutes. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include Sally Yates, a robot update, a new kind of GMO modified food which escaped regulation, Big Pharma and superbugs, a Texas governor fighting sanctuary cities, an Oklahoma governor signing an anti-protest law, North Korea a major opium producer.

Also, the new French President a former Rothschild banker, Russia and Turkey begin construction of major pipeline to deliver Russian natural gas to Turkey and then Europe, and movie hero Steven Seagal denied entry to Ukraine for national security reasons.

Last night was Dueling Bartenders at Aqua. Terri White guest performer.

The largest crowd I have ever seen at the Dueling Bartenders event. Huge! Had to be Terri’s appearance. She performed outstandingly. Huge clapping and cries of excellence following each song.

Every one there to hear Terri. Among others, Bob and Lynda Frechette, Jean Thornton, Bobby Nesbitt, Liz, Mary, and Joseph.

A perfect evening.

Bobby Nesbitt next week.

The Historical Section of yesterday’s Key West Citizen made mention of a yesteryear house of ill repute’s madam. Alice Reid. She was sentenced to three years in jail for violation of the Mann Act. She brought ladies across state lines for purposes of prostitution.

I did not mention the event.

Diana Millikan e-mailed me. She reminded me I wrote about Alice Reid in detail in February. I forgot.

Went back and reviewed my comments. Longer than yesterday’s mention in the Citizen.

Reid was a madam. A well known one. Spent man years running two houses. Each at different times.

These were Navy days. A large contingency stationed in the Key West area. Customers galore!

Reid called her establishment Mom’s Tea Room.

The Navy was anti-prostitution. Brought federal and local police down on Reid many times. In addition to the morality issue, the Navy had too many venereal disease cases to deal with.

Whore houses as such are gone today. Replaced by escort services and socially acceptable strip joints/gentlemen’s clubs.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

CACTUS DICK AND THE SANTA FE RIDERS

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Cactus Dick and the Santa Fe Riders. A country music group. From yesterday.

American Bandstand’s Dick Clark was Cactus Dick. A live television show. Back in the early 1950’s in my home town Utica.

After graduating Syracuse University, Clark worked a year for a radio station in Rome. Fourteen miles from Utica. His uncle owned the station, his father managed it. He filled in for the vacationing weatherman and announced station breaks.

A spot opened at Utica’s WKTV  television station. Clark went for it.

The rest is history. Clark hosted American Bandstand for years, as well as other TV shows. Became a multi-million dollar producer.

An American success story. From the weather on radio to Cactus Dick on TV to American Bandstand.

I write about Clark today because of a note I saw this morning. Clark died this date in 2012.

My evening last night began with Aqua and the Dueling Bartenders. Friends Tom Luna and Rick Dey. Strangely, not one patron I knew. I did meet some new interesting people, however.

Tom introduced me to Margaret and Lou. Lou aka Bud. From Tampa. Have owned a place in Key West for years. Bought at Truman Annex’s Shipyard pre-construction. An outstanding purchase!

Good company. Sure we will run into each other again at some point.

Also met Gina and Mike. Visiting from Chicago. Second time in Key West. Gina a waitress and Mike in software. Interesting people. Spent quite a while with them.

Hungry! Decoded I needed/wanted a good meal. The diet has begun getting to me. Stopped into Antonia’s. Ate at the bar.

Antonia’s was one of two of my favorite places for years. The other Square One. Owners change. I think I have only been to Antonia’s once in 10 years.

The ambiance the same. Still. Quiet. Decor beautiful. A pleasant place to enjoy a fine meal.

Food still good. I had escargot and linguine bolognese.

Met bartender Alexis. Nice guy. From Romania.

Slept late this morning. I am two hours late in getting this blog out. You will not be getting it till after noon.

Heard from Buffalo’s Tom and Fran Dixon. They will be here from thursday through tuesday. Great people! They visit several times a year. We have become good friends.

Love Fran! She brings me goodies. Cooks all kinds of things and carries them in her luggage. The last trip home made pasta and meat sauce with meatballs. The sauce and meatballs frozen. Stayed frozen during the trip.

Immigration has always been a problem. One way or another.

On this day in 1982, the U.S. Border Patrol blocked exit from Key West and the Keys at Florida City. They believed illegal aliens were gaining entry to the U.S. via the Keys.

Traffic was backed up 15 miles.

American pride got a big boost this day in 1942. Jimmy Doolittle and his raiders bombed Tokyo. First successful U.S. attack following Pearl Harbor. Doolittle led 16 B-25 bombers on the raid. They flew off the carrier USS Hornet. From a distance 650 miles from Tokyo.

My podcast tonight. Nine my time. A fast moving and revealing half hour. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include Donald and Ivanka Trump’s Chinese trade marks recently acquired, Afghan missile deaths up to 94, India ATMs out of cash, American liberated Libya now ISIS controlled with slave markets everywhere.

Also, a 3 month old brought in by English authorities as a terrorist, an Alabama sheriff starving prisoners, robots ready to build new homes, India uses Coca Cola and Pepsi as pesticides, Venezuela’s Maduro may be close to a fall, and more.

The lead topic will be China’s horrendous way of harvesting body organs.

Enjoy your day!