REPUGNANT / INSULTING

Some things are as American as apple pie. They need not be changed and should not be changed.

Budweiser has announced it is changing its name. Temporarily.From May 23 through election day. The new name….. America.

Bud is trying to capitalize on the election. Remember, Trump is going to make America great again. Bud is capitalizing on election fever.

The renaming applies only to 12 ounce bottles and cans.

The move is not a political one. Rather an advertising idea to boost sales. Bud has been turning out millions less beers the past several years ago.

It also has to do with poor foreign judgement. Bud is a Belgian company run by a Brazilian. What does the home office know about these things!

Worked through the lunch hour yesterday. Fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Left me with some free time in the afternoon. I put it to good use.

I drove up US 1 to Mangrove Mama’s. Lobster reuben time in a pleasant relaxing atmosphere.

I enjoyed doing last night’s show.

Two issues appear to have garnered the most interest.

One, the Portland School Board voting to ban school texts denying the existence of global warming.

The other America’s suicide rate. It is the highest it has been in 30 years. Suicides up for women and those formerly of the middle class. Only place not up is for those over 75. Places me in the safe group. A benefit of being 80.

Pass the buck time in the Florida keys. By public officials. Nothing new.

The Monroe Country Board of Commissioners wants to add to the sin tax. The tax on alcohol and tobacco. To pay for fire and ambulance services and to fund monies given to social service agencies. The alcohol/tobacco part is what gives it the sin tax label.

My problem with the proposal is the County Commissioners do not have the balls to vote on the issue themselves. And then defend the result the next time they run for election.

Instead, they propose having the people vote on the issue at the elections on November 8.

What further galls me is that the election result will not be a non binding one.

Voting by the citizenry does not seem to carry any weight. Commissioners do not feel bound to abide by the election result. Point: Peary Court.

The Marker Waterfront Resort opened two years ago. It sits near Schooner Wharf. Marker does not have an inside bar. Only a bar outside by the pool. Tried it twice. Did not enjoy. The place was dead.

Marker has come up with an idea to goose interest in the bar. One I like.

Marker is going to run movies outside by the pool every thursday evening at 8:30. Starting tomorrow night and running through the summer.

Top Gun came out 30 years ago. Marker is celebrating the film’s birthday by running it as its first film. One of Key West’s best known luminaries Kelley McGillis is the female head.

Zika. Controversial. This morning’s Key West Citizen has a Letter to the Editor re the issue. By John Prosser of Big Pine. Excellent. Suggest you read it.

Prosser does not understand the sound and fury.  He attributes the sudden concern the result of media hysteria and prediction of epidemics.

Prosser clearly stands on one side of the issue.

I stand on the same side. I spoke recently on my blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou that I thought Zika was another Ebola. Sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Thus far, 157 pregnant women in the United States have come down with Zika. The number does not make for an epidemic.

I am going to be buried tomorrow with comments by those disagreeing with me. Bring them on! There are two sides to the issue.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BIG TV/MOVIE NIGHT

Mad Men! Last night, the final show. The end of a great series.

The ending different from most. I expected a negative ending. Nothing good for the key characters. Not the case. Everyone ended up happy. Everyone got what they wanted. Even Don’s first wife who was dying of lung cancer. She controlled her last few months.

Sunday night movies great, also!

Cabaret! Roughly 45 years old. Liza Minnelli. Joel Grey. As good last night as when I first saw it way back when. I was fortunate along the way to see two Broadway productions, also.

Key West’s Kelly McGillis in Top Gun! She and Tom Cruise. Around 30 years old. A terrific action/love flick. Remains an appealing movie.

My yesterday was spent writing. Researched and wrote this week’s KONK Life column. The President Who Saved Football. A not well known story of Teddy Roosevelt’s involvement in the game when there was a move to outlaw college football. There was no pro football back then.

T.J. Maxx opened its doors in Key West at 8 yesterday morning. I never made it at anytime.

This morning’s Key West Citizen is silent as to any T.J. Maxx news. Is it because of advertising, too late to print for today’s edition, or what?

No problem. Maxx went viral. Social networking. Everyone in Key West appeared to be on the internet yesterday singing the wonders of the new store.

I hope to visit T.J. Maxx today.

On this day in history in 1980, the Mount Saint Helena volcano erupted in Washington State. A Harry Truman was involved. Harry Randall Truman. Eighty three. Spent most of his life on the mountain.

When  warned to leave, he said…..I’m going to stay right here…..no way that mountain could reach me. It did. Harry and his 16 cats died. Harry’s body never found.

Harry was an arbitrary cuss. Much like Harry S Truman. I sense the similarity between the two.

Slavery. Two items have come to my attention.

Another day in history thing. On this day in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson decided the separate but equal doctrine Constitutional. A perfect example of how warped judicial thinking at the highest level can be. We fought the Civil War 40 odd years earlier to free the slaves.

The other slavery item is one I never knew. It came to my attention the past few days. I cannot recall the source.

There was a time African muslims enslaved 1.5 million white Europeans. Between the 16th and 18th centuries. The situation referred to as the Barbary Slave Trade. The Africans would invade seaport communities in places like Italy and Greece. Take captives. They would also attack Mediterranean traveling ships and take passengers off. The scenario on land and sea a pirate operation. The Barbary Coast pirates.

Why did I not know? Why had I never heard?

My curiosity was further aroused. What happened to the descendants of the white slaves? I did some quick research. I could find no answer.

Enjoy your day!