HITLER REVISITED

History repeats itself. No question. In one fashion or another.

Recall Auschwitz. Hitler’s pride. An example of German efficiency.

The gas chambers were so effective, that the bodies could not be disposed of fast enough. Mass graves were not doing the job. Crematoriums came into play. Burn the bodies! Quicker, cleaner, less burdensome. Also, ashes not discoverable in later years. Mass graves are.

Some 70 years later comes Syria’s Assad. Guilty of mass executions. Problem was body disposition and secrecy. A crematorium was constructed at Sednaya Military Prison. Problem resolved.

Note Assad has killed thousands without resort to judicial proceedings.

Assad is supported by Russia and Saudi Arabia. The United States supports the rebels opposing Assad. Russia is supposedly not the U.S.’s friend. Perhaps Trump’s however. Saudi Arabia has become a much closer friend since last week’s visit by Trump. Trump was sucked up to big time.

Zeroing in on Saudi Arabia, how can the U.S. be friends with a friend and supporter of a mass executioner such as Assad?

Trump forgets who our friends are. He plays up to despots while insulting and ignoring those who have been friends of the U.S. for years.

I was correct re the effect of the south wind yesterday. The rain storm came at 6:30 last night. Heavy and prolonged. Streets flooded.

The last block to my home deeper in rain water than I have ever seen. I questioned whether I should drive it. The alternative was walking through water 12-18 inches deep. I said screw it. Hit the pedal hard and rammed through the water.

The Chart Room first last night. Kevin and Holly there. John bartending. Quiet. We chatted for a couple of hours. A lot of laughing involved.

Stopped at Outback on the way home for dinner.

Memorial Day Weekend begins tomorrow. Key West will be buried in tourists. Everyone having a good time.

Much will be going on. One of the highlights of the weekend is the Schooner Wharf Minimal Regatta sunday. Don’t miss it! Lots of laughs!

Dr. Cori Convertino is a talented woman. She is the Curator at the Key West Art and Historical Society. Located at the Custom House.

Tomorrow night a new exhibit opens. One Dr. Convertino has spent months working on. Overseas to the Keys: Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railway Exhibit.

John Kennedy had a way of inspiring. He made us feel we could accomplish the impossible. He gave us pride.

On this day in 1961, Kennedy announced his plan to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

We believed him!

Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon on July 21, 1969.

Kennedy pride. Not the Trump pride Trump tries to foist on us.

Staying with Trump for a moment, Trump reminds me of what happens when a pebble is thrown into a pool of water. The circle caused where the pebble hit grows. Ring after ring. Each larger than the previous

Sort of like……Woe the web we weave when first we seek to deceive.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

PIED PIPER OF DAYTONA

The Pied Piper of Daytona has owned property in Key West for 10 years. NASCAR racing star and champion team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. Referred to as the Pied Piper of Daytona because of his successes at the Daytona International Speedway.

I do not know the man. Have never met him. Would like to. Did not know he had been in Key West off and on for 10 years. He must walk quietly when not racing.

I became aware of his Key West presence in an article in this morning’s Key West Citizen. Earnhardt is remodeling a home at 704 Eaton St. He required HARC approval. Appeared and presented his application personally. The board unanimously approved the application.

Spent yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s podcast.

I dislike commenting about Trump so much. However, he is the news! My show was devoted to Trump, except for the opening topic.

I talked about today’s milk cows. Referred to as Dairy Queens by milk farmers. I mentioned the subject a couple of days ago in this blog.

I opened with cows because I realized the balance of the show would be devoted to Trump.

Mondays and tuesdays are devoted to preparing for tuesday night’s podcast. Today is wednesday. I always feel free when I wake wednesdays. I am free. Two days of work behind me. Nothing heavy on the agenda through sunday.

Three US Navy vessels have been named in honor of Key West. The third and last a submarine. The vessel was christened in 1985.

The Key West has visited its name sake on three occasions. 1987, 1992 and 1994. One week each time. A celebration each time.

The Key West was transferred to the Pacific Fleet in 1996. Since that time, there have been no further visits. Distance the problem. The vessel’s home port is presently Guam.

The submarine bears an emblem. A conch shell. What else!

The wind in Key West normally comes from the north and northwest. Several times a year from the south. A wind from the south indicates a coming thunderstorm. Guaranteed one will occur.

The wind is from the south this morning. The palm trees bending northward. Sunny outside, however. Nary a cloud in the sky. Checked the weather report. Thunderstorms later in the day.

Never fails!

Enjoy your day!

LT. ROBERT MAZZA

The closest friend in my adult life has died. Bob Mazza. A 32 year veteran of the Utica Police Department.

My sorrow runs deep.

Bob passed on at 82. He was one year older than me.

He was already a police officer several years when I returned to Utica to practice law. Somehow we met. He thought I lacked street smarts, needed help. He glued himself to me.

When not working, Bob was with me all the time. Always there for me. I was there all the time for him. We had bonded.

We traveled together. All over. He accompanied me whenever I traveled. Syracuse, Albany, Rochester, Buffalo, Saratoga, New York City, San Diego, Las Vegas, Miami, etc. We even did a week in Martinique.

He was there for my family, also. Always dependable.

Oh, the stories I could tell. Both amusing and serious. Not mentionable here, however.

Age and distance separated us. We last were together 10 years ago when he visited me for two weeks in Key West. I had moved to Key West. Bob, to Syracuse. We telephone chatted for a while. Less and less frequently. Now in reflection not for several years. Sad.

Bob appeared to be a tough guy. I use the words appeared to be. He was really a softy. He spent most of his police years as head of the Homicide and Burglary Squads. The bad guys feared him. Respected him. It was all in the image he portrayed.

When my time comes, I hope Bob is waiting for me at the Pearly Gates. There is no one I would rather spend Eternity with.

Another sad report.

Going live with Key West Lou will not debut today. While playing around with the site yesterday in preparation for today, I discovered two problems. Beyond my abilities to correct. Sloan not available till wednesday. So it looks like thursday or friday for the first show.

Sorry.

A disenchanted Key West Lou group, who nevertheless continue to follow me, will comment I never meet self-imposed deadlines, etc. The same people who criticize my positions, thoughts, etc.

I am a perfectionist. Always have been. Anal to a fault. Such is what made me a success as a lawyer. I cannot go public with the new snow unless and until I am satisfied.

Hang in there!

A weather forecaster I am not. However, I have learned the few times the wind has come from the south in Key West, a storm followed. Generally, a big one. Yesterday the wind was from the south. About 20 mph. Enough for the palm trees to bend. The sun shining.

I said a storm is coming. Checked the weather reports on the internet. Nothing. A beautiful sunny day. Twenty percent chance of rain. Which means no rain.

I wrote about the south wind in yesterday’s blog.

About 4 yesterday afternoon, TV was interrupted to advise a major storm moving up from the south. Tornadoes possible. The storm was going to run over the Florida Keys and Miami. Would hit around 1 in  the morning.

It hit at 11 last night. Howling winds and heavy rain. Winds still howling, though less. No tornadoes in Florida. However, tornadoes hit Georgia bad. Seventeen dead. Whole areas destroyed. Mississippi had problems also.

The south wind. Recognize it. Respect it.

I was sad last night. Bobby dead. Decided to have a few drinks and quietly recollect our times together.

First stop was the Chart Room. Chatted with Victor. Mentioned the south wind. He had read about it earlier in yesterday’s blog. He decided to telephone a neighbor while we were talking to go over to his house and close the outside blinds.

Then Sloppy Joe’s. Not a usual venue for me.

A few more drinks. Watched the country music entertainers.

Sloppy’s menu has changed. My fries covered in chopped beef, mozzarella and sauce no longer on the menu. I enjoyed an order of wings instead.

I continue to be reluctant to criticize Trump. Give him a chance. He is the only President we have.

However, I must render two admonitions.

The first what one of the female speakers said during the Women’s March: It is not….I the president, it is…..We the people.

The other from me…..The campaign is over. It is time to govern.

Enjoy your day!

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE

I enjoyed a cheeseburger in paradise experience yesterday. Before elaborating, a conflict requires explanation.

I have always been under the impression Jimmy Buffett wrote Cheeseburger in Paradise at a drug store once located on the corner of Simonton and United. An old time drug store. A bar with stools that swiveled. Several tables with old time rubber checkered tablecloths.

Buffett enjoyed cheeseburger lunches there. I did, also. Years later, of course. The cheeseburgers were good. I went however for the Buffett memory.

Recently, I was advised that Buffett did not write the song at or about the drug store. Rather, Buffett was on a Caribbean cruise and only had canned vegetables and peanut butter to eat. He dreamed of a cheeseburger. The first island stopped at, Buffett got himself a cheeseburger. Cheeseburger in paradise!

I do not buy the Caribbean story. I have never heard any other than the drug store one for 25 years.

Which brings me to why I am writing about Cheeseburger in Paradise this morning.

I started my evening yesterday at Aqua’s back bar. Mark Watson and friends.

Then decided to take a walk on Duval. Just a couple of blocks. Walked past Margaritaville. Stopped. Why not go in? In 26 years in Key West, I have only been inside twice.

Sat at the bar. Ordered a cheeseburger, of course.

Seated next to me were Dan and Anna from Grand Rapids, Michigan. We chatted. About Flint water, Michigan’s governor, and many other things.

Dan and Anna are around 70. Retired. Children gone. Seeing the world now.

Dan was involved in the manufacture of furniture. I learned that Grand Rapids is known as the Furniture City. Anna, a retired kindergarten teacher.

A good time.

My morning began with the anti-gravity treadmill. I cut everything back another 50 percent. Even time. Only on the machine 15 minutes. Learned something. I went back to my big time speed too soon. I have to crawl before walking. I was not tired at all afterwards nor any time during the day.

Then a Cuban cheese toast and Cuban coffee at the Cuban Coffee Queen.

It took forever to place my order.

There were two couples placing their order in front of me. Probably my age. They only wanted coffee. They asked the counter girl every conceivable question about each of the coffees. Then the sweeteners. What would she recommend? Finally, one guy and one woman walked away and left the completion of the order to the other two.

Came time to pay. Counter girl gave them the check. Oh no, we want separate checks!

Fortunately, I was in good humor. Actually found the whole thing interesting.

I have to compliment the counter girl. Took it all in stride with a never ending smile.

Not the end of the story.

When all four were seated at their table, the ladies took four subs out of their bags. Subs they obviously had purchased elsewhere.

Several years ago, the DC Madam was arrested. Her list of 800 plus prominent Washington big wigs confiscated. Louisiana Senator David Vitter’s name was on the list. He was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President at the time.  That was the end of that. Though he was reelected to the Senate by Louisiana a couple of years later.

Recently, someone went to court to have the entire customer list released for public viewing. The reason being there were names thereon of persons possible candidates for the 2016 Presidential election.

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied the request to release the names. Without opinion.

Greece, my Greece! I love Greece!

Greece has had and continues to have big time financial problems. Greece had to be bailed out by the Eurounion. What was unknown at the time was that the bailout dollars were required to meet bank obligations. Shades of the U.S. We bailed the banks out directly.

A study was released last week showing that 95 percent of the monies loaned went to pay off Greece’s bank obligations. Only 5 percent to help the Greek people in crisis.

I spoke to this in a blog last year. Also, on my blog talk radio show.

Many say Greece placed itself in the debt position. So screw them! All must agree with me however that the Eurounion arranging for the multi-billion dollar loans was only to save the European banks’ asses. Not help the Greek people.

Enjoy your day!

INTERSECTION WATERWAYS

Happy Sunday!

No relief from the weather. Rain and wind continue. Ocean a blanket of white caps.

Yesterday afternoon it rained extremely heavy. Monsoon type rain.

South wind is rare. About a half dozen times a year. I saw it for the second time this week yesterday. Guaranteed rain!

Key West is at sea level. Flooding a problem. Especially at high tide.

I knew downtown would have flooding all over the place. For certain at some intersections. Like the intersection of Duval and Front. Another, Eaton and White. Sometimes as much as three feet. I recall once seeing some college students swimming in the Eaton/White intersection. Many times a kayak or two on Duval.

Driving difficult. Impossible to enter some streets. Decided not to go downtown last night. For fear my Volkswagen would float away or some salt water get in the engine.

Opted instead for an early movie at the Regal in the Sears Shopping Center. Four o’clock. Saw Revenant with Leonardo DiCaprio. Excellent movie. A bit gruesome. DiCaprio deserves an Academy Award for his performance.

Everyone must have had the same idea. Rainy. Go to a movie. The line to the ticket window ran all the way to the back street. Fortunately, the rain stopped during my 20 minute wait to get a ticket.

Senior citizen time. All contemporaries. No one young.

Got out at 6:30. Choice was to eat at Outback or go home. Tried Outback. Packed. Fortunately, I saw a couple leave a booth in  the bar and grabbed it.

Spent my afternoon reading and snoozing.

In December, there were two school bomb threats the same morning. One at Key West High School. The other at Marathon High School.

The police have made an arrest. A 15 year old female student at the Marathon High School. She did not make the calls. However, she is being charged as an accomplice. She provided telephone information to the male who actually made the calls.

The sadness of it all. She never met the man she provided the information to in person. Only over the internet.

We live in strange times.

Enjoy your Sunday!