TRUTH CAN BE SHOCKING

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Wow! Would you believe! The way the Trump/Russia matter is playing out.

Michael Flynn may be given immunity. If so, he will blow 90 percent of the players in. Including Trump. The FBI generally gives immunity where it enables the government to get at some one higher up. Only one person higher up to Flynn as National Security Advisor. Trump.

The public does not understand immunity. The impression I get from comments being made. Later today on my Facebook video show, I plan on giving a short and simple rendition re immunity.

My yesterday began with a haircut with Lori. Good conversation. I always look forward to my visit with her.

Bocce last night. Don’s Place won 1, lost 2. Not a spectacular season in the making.

Date night. Not for me. For couples with child/children who need a babysitter. A night alone for Mom and Dad.

Glad Tidings Tabernacle on United is sponsoring a couples reconnect, reunite and resurrect evening. The Church will take care of the babysitting. A date night. Tonight. Check with the Church for details.

I reported re the syphilis epidemic yesterday. My numbers were wrong. Eleven cases instead of 10 in the last six months. Zero six months ago. Three of the cases women.

Some are calling for a revival and expansion of sex education programs in Key West schools.

There is a bill before the Governor awaiting his signature which sets forth the rules and regulations by which vehicles such as Uber and Lyft can operate.

Key West has been without Uber for 2 years. Key West began arresting drivers at the time.

The sense among Uber and Lyft drivers is that the legislation will be signed and they will be back to work in Key West. Several Lyft vehicles on the road already. Yesterday, the first Uber. In anticipation that the Governor will sign the legislation.

Her name Lelanette Roberts. Described as a Key West beauty. Lelanette disappeared August 2, 1949. Two and one half years later on March 31, 1952, her skeletal remains were found on Saddle Bunch Key.

Ship salvage was big business in Key West in the 1800’s. Those doing the actual salvage work were called wreckers. Well, not all. Some were called wrackers. Note the substitution of the a for the e.

Wrackers were originally from the Bahamas. They moved to Key West to do salvage work. They pronounced wreckers wrackers and spelled it similarly.

Man does not change. History does repeat itself.

ISIS beheads Christians who refuse to become Muslims. In 1492 Spain, Catholics put to death Jews who refused to convert to Catholicism.

Drinks today at 5 at Louie’s Backyard with Callie. The lady I met last week while at Louie’s. I am looking forward to it.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BOOKS & BOOKS…..BIPOLAR DISORDER TONIGHT

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Judy Blume has arranged a big one for Books & Books tonight. Kay Redford Jamison discussing her newest book: Robert Lowell, Setting The River On Fire.

A rather unique presentation. The famed poet Robert Lowell was bipolar. Jamison is bipolar. As well as being Professor of Psychiatry at John Hopkins.

Six tonight for a most interesting discussion.

After Jameson, I will be off to Donna and Terri’s. Donna cooking. Her famous pot roast. Juicy and tender.

Yesterday another lazy one. A bug must have recently bitten me.

I did get out of the house. Drove up to No Name Pub for lunch. Love the place!

Later in the afternoon, watched North Carolina/Kentucky. A game! North Carolina won by 3. Great basketball. Kentucky on its way to the Final Four.

Oregon a part this year of the Final Four, also.

March Madness had its birth this day in 1939. The first NCAA Tournament. Oregon beat Ohio State.

It was doubtful Oregon would make the Final Four this year. Congratulations to them.

Russia experienced 99 separate protests over the weekend. In its cities and towns. Unusual. Especially against Putin. Putin does not tolerate opposition. Several opposing political leaders have died under strange circumstances the past two years. Their deaths thought to be Putin ordered.

Now street protests. Will Putin call out the tanks as the Soviet Union did in Hungary in the 1950’s?

Is Russia experiencing an Arab Spring as Egypt did?

My gut tells me Trump has an involvement. I suspect the negative Trump/Russia dialogue in the U.S. is working against Trump in Russia.

Hemingway left his mark on Key West. For which we are all glad.

Many the words he wrote or spoke became memorable quotes. One I especially enjoy involves love: Stop chasing the wrong one, the right one won’t run.

Words of wisdom!

On this day in 1998, the band played and the drums roared. The FDA approved Viagra. The first oral medication to treat erectile dysfunction.

Harry Truman again. Never forget, Truman loved Key West and Key West loves Harry Truman.

Truman spent 175 days over 11 trips enjoying Key West. On this date in 1952, Truman left Key West for Washington following a three week vacation.

Enjoy your day!

ONE LYFT IN TOWN

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If ever a community is in need of Uber and Lyft, it is Key West. Taxi service slow, vehicles filthy. Locals and tourists alike do not receive the door to door service they are entitled to. Uber and Lyft would assist in relieving traffic congestion.

Uber tried a couple of years ago. Key West’s Bubba system won out. Taxi owners won. Uber left.

The Florida House of Representatives had a bill filed this week structuring requirements for online car service. Considered the beginning of getting Uber and Lyft on the streets of all Florida communities. The bill still has the State Senate to go through and then must be signed into law by the Governor.

Lyft is testing the waters. The bill is not required. However, municipalities have been using the excuse of waiting for State direction before allowing Uber and Lyft to provide service.

The Key West story.

Lyft is testing the waters. A Lyft vehicle has been operating in Key West since thursday. Only one.

How will Key West react to this solitary Lytle vehicle? Stop the service? Arrest the driver as they did with Uber? Let this sole driver slide into the signing of the new law?

My one day time trip away from home yesterday afternoon was to Publix. Prices continue to edge up. Amazing! We soon will have to raise our own produce and animals for slaughter (said with tongue in cheek).

I question how people can continue to afford groceries. Especially in a stagnant income situation.

Spent most of the day lying around. Being lazy. Read, slept, watched TV.

Wonderful evening! Enjoyed the company of Tim and Linda at the Hot Tin Roof. Both Madison County, New York residents. Visiting Key West. Ted lives in Cazenovia. Linda in a small town outside Canastota.

Ted is a former Court Clerk. Linda worked in the judicial system. Ted here for a month. Staying at the Banyan. Linda visiting for a week. Both good company. Enjoyed Linda, especially.

We started at 7. We were one of the last tables to leave. The sign of a great evening.

Weekends are unusually busy at the Hot Tin Roof. Extra help hired for the weekends. Most, young immigrants. Hard working! Impressive!

I do one Facebook video a day. A Key West Lou one. Number of followers increasing. Dramatically.

Interestingly, most blog readers are not video followers and vice versa.

One of the Sunday morning talk show commentators made what I consider a comically true statement re Trump. Something to the effect…..If Trump wants to find he is #1 in everything, he should buy a mirror.

Those of you who comment do so at your own risk. Some days are brutal. Today, not. An excellent review of healthcare problems. Zeroing in on one party payer, Medicare, and supplemental plans.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

LOUIE’S BACKYARD

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My yesterday included a visit to the dentist. When younger, I went with fear and trepidation.

Now, no sweat. I have implants. A once a year visit to check them out.

I left the dentist’s office at 3:30. Diana Millikan was to meet me at 4:30 at Louie’s Backyard. I decided to spend an hour alone and so went directly to Louie’s.

The restaurant not one of my favorite places. The outside bar in the back is. Sits on open water. The Atlantic to the right, center and left. Sun shining bright. A sailing boat or two in the distance.

God’s world!

Dog’s Beach runs along the side of Louie’s. A small beach. No more than 30 feet wide. Really for dogs. They were on the beach and swimming as I entered.

College students also. They had discovered Dog Beach. They have much to learn. Never would I lie or run around on Dog Beach. Animal excrement everywhere.

Chatted with a fellow seated next to me. Involved with Las Vegas casinos. Comes to Key West twice a year to dive.

He was experiencing a problem. He had gone through four masks yesterday. The first three kept filling with water. Thought it was his mustache. Cut it back three times yesterday till he got a tight fit.

Diana showed up. Diana is an excellent researcher. I would describe her as an investigative researcher. Brought a Key West book with her for my scrutiny. Maureen Ogle’s History of An Island of Dreams.

The little I browsed through interesting. Very.

I frequently mention William Hackley. The Key West Citizen runs daily excerpts from his diary. The year 1856.

Ogle wrote about Hackley some 25 years earlier in the late 1820’s and 1830 when he first arrived in Key West.

Some of Ogle’s observations warrant I begin with her overall view of Key West. Then, Hackley.

Key West was described as the crossroads of the Caribbean. World wanderers found their way to Key West. In the 1820’s and 1830’s, it was a man’s world. More men than women. The men mostly tough.

By day, they crowded the taverns, boarding houses, docks, and shops. Waiting for the next new wreck to be announced. Key West was a ship wrecking town.

Lawyers and agents were a different breed. They lounged on shady verandas in white linen suits and straw hats. Smoking Cuban cigars.

Night time, all type men were drinking and boozing. Everyone woke the next morning with a first class hangover.

Now comes William Hackley. A young lawyer. Late 1820s.

Hackley was a bit naive, socially retarded. Not worldized yet.

In 1830, he attended a 20 person dinner party. Four of the 20 were women. It was the first time Hackley had “eaten in the company of ladies.” He reported several of the ladies “got a bit merry.” Whatever that means.

It was not till the early 1850’s that Hackley married.

Callie Morehouse sat next to me. First time I meeting her. She is the Owner/Private Chef of Provisions of Key West. Does large parties and dinner parties.

An interesting lady.

With her was a younger friend from Paris. A beauty!

My eyes still work.

I dropped Diana off at her hotel and was home by 6. I am dieting once again. Wanted to prepare my own meal.

Today quiet. A manicure. Tonight, bocce.

I was shocked to learn Mike Hopkins is the new basketball coach at Washington. He has hung out 22 years at Syracuse waiting to succeed Boeheim. Next year was supposedly the year. I am not sure what happened.

My Trump comment today simple. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. So too will Trump.

I read something re healthcare by Kathryn Norris this morning. She described the health care bill as Reverse-Robin-Hood. Take from the poor and give to the rich. She viewed the bill as trading affordable healthcare for millionaire tax breaks.

Patrick Henry. On this day in 1775, he uttered the famous words “…..give me liberty or give me death.”

Heard from Anna this morning. She is in London. She was in London yesterday during the terrorist attack.

She has had similar experiences including the earth quake near her Novara home and an avalanche near Courmayeur where Anna has a chalet half way up Mont Blanc.

Claims she is “lucky.”

Enjoy your day!

 

GEORGE WASHINGTON 2ND RICHEST PRESIDENT

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Trump the richest President. No question about it. Who second?

George Washington.

Washington was worth $525 million. He owned land, businesses, a distillery, and slaves. His Presidential salary nothing to be ashamed of. Negotiated I assume by him. His salary annually was 2 percent of the U.S. budget.

Fine tuned my podcast show in the afternoon. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Most of the show was to be Trump and Judge Neil Gorsuch. My show was ready to go at 3. Had to wait. Show time not till 9.

Then everything hit the fan in Washington. More Trump problems. Involving some of his campaign team members. The Judge’s questioning before the Judiciary Committee put on hold.

All hell was breaking loose.

I reworked my show plan to accommodate the news.

Re Trump, he is a man sitting on a sunny beach not aware that a tsunami is approaching. The coming disaster inevitable. He in the middle of it.

Money laundering originating in Russia creeping into the news. Watch for it. The money laundering reached British and American banks.

Judge Neil Gorsuch a winner! I was impressed! A legal mind!

Though he is a conservative, he will vote liberal if the case calls for it. My impression.

Newly appointed Supreme Court Justices sometime change sides. The conservative votes liberal.

Eisenhower’s opponent for the Republican nomination in 1952 was California’s Governor Warren. A black hearted Republican. Nothing in his history to indicate anything else.

Warren was appointed Chief Justice. He immediately turned. Warren was one of the most liberal Justices in our nation’s history. Eisenhower lamented the one mistake of his Presidency was nominating Warren to the bench.

Then came Justice Souter. A small town Republican lawyer who was fortunate to become a New Hampshire Judge. A conservative one. Appointed to the Supreme Court, a metamorphism occurred. He became a dependable liberal vote.

I have been into pythons for five years. The Everglades replete with them. They are now moving into the Keys. One or two made it to Key West.

The State failed to timely pay attention to their growing numbers. Pythons frequently engage in sex. They have overrun the Everglades. The actual number unknown. Cannot be determined.

Experts claim eradication impossible. Too many. The aim to date has been to mange the python problem. Impossible. They reproduce faster than they can be killed.

Now comes Florida State Senator Artiles. He wants the State to pay private contractors to go into the Everglades and kill pythons.

A guaranteed exercise in futility.

Robots. One of my favorite topics for a year. They are here and more coming in increasing numbers. Human jobs will be lost.

Arabs are smart. The Dubai Police Force announced that they will begin using robots for certain police work beginning in May. They expect that by 2030, 25 percent of the force will be robots.

Mark Twain and his friend Thomas B. Reed spent this day in 1902 in Key West. Reed was Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time. They were on their way to Cuba. Party time.

Jimmy Walker was a famous New York City mayor in the roaring 1920’s and into the early 1930 Depression years. He became too friendly with the mob. Under investigation, he ran off to Europe with his wife.

Betty Compton his wife. Somehow she got to Key West in later years. On this day in 1941, Betty Compton divorced Jimmy Walker in a Florida Circuit Court sitting in Key West.

Harry Truman. One of Key West’s favorite persons. Truman loved Key West. Key West loves Truman.

On this day in 1951, Truman completed a three week vacation at the Little White House and returned to Washington.

Enjoy your day!

THE WALL…..BILLIONS OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS

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Recall Trump’s words during the campaign…..We are going to build a wall and Mexico is going to pay for it.

Government contract notices listed on a federal website ask for proposals for construction of the wall by March 29. The wall to be 30 feet high.

Trump’s budget as sent to Congress requests monies this year. Tax dollar monies to commence construction of the wall. Described as a down payment. $2.6 billion.

Allocated between a pedestrian wall and vehicle barrier. Broken down, $6.5 million a mile for the pedestrian fence and $1.8 million a mile for the vehicle barrier.

Estimated cost for the entire project vary depending who is being asked. Anywhere from $12-21 billion.

I thought Mexico was going to pay for the wall. Trump has changed his tune. We are going to build and pay for it and then pursue Mexico for reimbursement.

Good luck!

The Syracuse basketball season ended yesterday. Syracuse lost to Ole Miss 85-80. I’m glad it’s over. Most of the games were painful to watch.

I watched yesterday’s game. Same story. We did not have it together. Took forever to make the first three pointer. Defense not what it should have been. Etc.

Villanova lost! Wow! Winner of the Final Four last year. Number 1 seed overall this year. Wisconsin beat Villanova 65-62. Such is the beauty of the NCAA Tournament. You never know when a lesser team is going to be up enough to beat a favorite.

Villanova was my choice for #1. Saw the team as the big winner.

Dee took me to dinner last night at Berlin’s. Two pound Maine lobsters. Delicious!!!

Dee just returned from Bali. Interesting stories to tell.

The William Hackley saga continues. His 8 day clock was not working. Would run down before 8 days up and was not keeping accurate time. He brought it to be repaired.

The verbiage immediately brought to mind 5 Day Deodorant Pads. Such was the name of a deodorant that hit the market in the early 1950s. Small circular pads soaked with deodorant.

I was in high school when 5 Day became popular. Used it. Did I use a deodorant before? Don’t recall. I do not think many, if any, used deodorant till the early 1950s.

Did we all have body odor before deodorant became popular? I do not recall.

Another interesting question was whether people did not daily bathe back then. Otherwise, why the 5 Day name? My mother made sure I took a bath every day. We did not have a shower.

The Studios of Key West has an interesting show scheduled for 8 tonight. I hope to make it.

It will be a reading and discussion of Tennessee Williams’ love letters.

Williams was gay. Had several lovers over the years. One was Frank Merlo. I wrote a column for KONK Life two years ago re the relationship. I thought Merlo to be the greatest love of Williams’ life. Williams wrote his best works during the 14 years they lived together in Williams’ Key West home and a New York City apartment.

The greatest love theory was mine. I am curious what I will hear this evening.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced that the recent battle with screwworms has been won. The flesh eating maggot problem eradicated.  Florida’s deer population, among others, saved. Especially the little deer living in Big Pine and on Little Deer Key.

Credit be given where credit due, Florida is on top these things.

Two significant Key West events March 25.

The last season tour of the Key West Cemetery. Three separate tours that day. Make a reservation. Always crowded. Attend if you never have. The history of Key West reflected on the stones. Also, some interesting quips by the deceased. My favorite is…..I told you I was sick.

Equality Florida is having its 20th Annual Gala. From 5:30 to 8:00. At the Gardens Hotel. A perfect venue for the event.

Equality Florida is Florida’s largest and most powerful gay rights organization.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

PERHAPS UNFAMILIAR IRISH LORE

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We do not want these people. They are poor, disease ridden, will take jobs from Americans, strain welfare budgets. They are criminals and rapists. Practice a strange religion. They send us their worst.

Sounds like Trump talking about the Mexicans coming over the border and Muslims seeking entry to the United States.

Not Trump.

The way Americans were talking about the Irish who began immigrating to the United States around 1845.

The Irish were not liked. Feared to an extent.

The Irish did not come here to be free. They came to eat.

Disease had killed off the potato fields. Potatoes the mainstay of the Irish diet. Lunch and dinner. Sometimes, even breakfast. Estimated Irish men consumed 14 pounds of potatoes a day.

They brought with them Catholicism. Feared by Americans. The Papacy considered evil. Conspiracy theories rampant. The Irish would capture women. Hold them in convents. Priests rape the women. Babies born will be strangled.

You can’t make it up.

The cry became America for Americans! Return America to what it was. Which meant get rid of the Irish.

One hundred seventy years later. The Irish are assimilated. Admired. Respected. They have succeeded in every area of society. Thirty two million strong. Ten percent of the population.

Today, St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone celebrates. Everyone Irish.

The world knows St. Patrick’s story. Not all, however. I share with you an episode not well known.

St. Patrick was a child of the Fifth Century. He died this date in 461 A.D.

He had returned to Ireland. A bishop, he did all the things history attributes to him. His aim to Christianize the pagan Irish.

He was successful. Success brought with it many who were jealous of the elevated position he had achieved in Irish society. His own fellow Christians.

Women were attracted to him. He Christianized many. Some were wives of kings and others of influence. A number of the ladies left their husbands to enter the nunnery. Such not appreciated by the husbands.

Wealthy women gave him expensive gifts.

He baptized many. In the thousands. Charged a fee to perform the baptisms. Similarly for ordinations. Many became priests. He charged for the ordination of each.

St. Patrick ingratiated himself with kings and judges. A gift here, a gift there.

Sounds like a religious politico. The Christians who forced his trial thought so. They also believed he sought his bishopric with personal gain in mind.

The decision of the trial not specifically known. History rarely recorded in those days. However, St. Patrick himself in Declaration or Confessio spelled out what was required to be done by him to satisfy those against him.

St. Patrick agreed to return gifts which wealthy women had given him, stop accepting payment for baptisms, stop accepting payment for ordinations, and stop giving gifts to kings and judges.

He did. Then returned to his calling Christianizing the Irish.

Enjoy your day! Drink not too much green beer!

 

DOGFISH DEMANDS HOGFISH RENAME TO SPEARFISH

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It’s called growing pains. Microbreweries/minibreweries have been gaining in popularity in recent years. Competition arises. The older guys don’t like the newer ones. Pressure arises. Pressure brought by the older companies upon the newer companies.

Hogfish have been around since time immemorial. Fished with a spear.

Dogfish have been around equally long. A  shark species.

A company in Delaware whose name contains Dogfish wants local Florida Keys Brewing Co. to change the name of one of its beers. Hogfish. To avoid confusion. Don’t want people ordering Hogfish thinking it is a Dogfish brew.

Ridiculous. I do not see it in this situation. No one has a singular hold on fish names. Especially under these circumstances.

Florida Keys Brewing may be considering capitulation. I can understand. Legal costs in such a case can be burdensome. Especially for a relatively new company.

I would take one last shot at the problem. Florida Keys Brewing should tell Dogfish they will change Hogfish to Spearfish if Dogfish changes its name to Shark.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander!

Chart Room last night. Drunk lady not there. I assume she was a tourist. I had never seen her before and hope to never see her again. Bill bartending.

Ran into Ted. Ted from Wampsville, NY. How many of you have heard of Wampsville? Wampsville is a small community in central New York. County seat for Madison County.

Ted is a fellow lawyer. Spent most of his career as a court clerk. A responsible position. The brains behind the judge.

Ted has vacationed in Key West for years. This year for a whole month. Retired.

The past two years, Ted has stopped into the Chart Room looking for me. Our paths did not cross. We exchanged cell phone numbers and e-mail addresses to avoid such a problem in the future. We intend to have dinner together before he leaves.

Ted and I exchanged legal talk. I tried cases in the Madison County Courthouse over the years. I enjoyed the conversation. Lawyer talk. A while since I have had someone to do it with.

John was outside at the Beach Bar. Visited him. Cold!!! The Beach Bar sits on open water. Low 60s with 20 mph wind.

Met Brian and Shanon at the Beach Bar. Nice people. From Columbus, Ohio. I love Columbus. Spent many a day working there on Nationwide matters.

Brian a realtor. Shanon in HR work.

First time in Key West. Having a great time!

On the way home, stopped at Publix. Cupboard really bare. Spent twice what I normally do.

Watched a bit of the Syracuse/UNC-Greensboro game. Syracuse won 90-77.

William Hackley still having dental problems. 1856 had to be a painful year. He was up most of the night with intense teeth pain. Went to Dr. Walton’s office in the morning. Dr. Walton “sacrified” his gums and “cut down to the roots.”

Dentistry years ago not as it is today. Pain!!! I recall my visits in the late 1930s and 1940s. Today, almost painless.

I can imagine how painful it had to be in 1856. Dentistry? Or, butchery?

The North Roosevelt Boulevard cross-walks continue to be in the news. Someone wrote to Citizens’ Voice re the danger: “Next to all the cross-walks on North Roosevelt Boulevard should be kiosks where you can buy life insurance.”

Something bothers me. I am a liberal at heart. As most of you are aware. I believe conservatives generally are on the wrong track.

The Key West Library is permitting its facility to be used at noon today for a two hour meeting. The group the Florida Keys Indivisibles. Political. Democratic at heart. Popularly referred to as bird doggers.

The organization is an activist training seminar. Speakers I assume trained provocateurs. The cry to organize and oppose. Require legislators to attend a town meeting, attend town meetings yourself, tie up with similar groups across the etc.country, be confrontational,  etc.

Will the rhetoric of the campaign ever cease?

Sounds like a guerrilla training camp to me.

Bocce tonight.

Have to hustle. A haircut with Lori at noon.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

FIDEL CASTRO VISITS KEY WEST

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I am into Fidel Castro this morning. Accidentally, inadvertently.

I became interested in Castro and Key West in the years prior to his becoming the head of Cuba. Not much to report. A scarcity of information. Surprising.

My initial interest was not Castro. It was the old stone house on the corner of Reynolds and South Streets. Actual address 1401 Reynolds. The structure today gray. Constructed from now dirtied coral.

Called the Old Rock Coral House. Year built hard to pin point. I would say 1933.

Castro was the revolutionary in 1956. In the mountains, not Havana. In need of money, he visited Key West hoping to raise funds here for the revolution. He also hoped to excite young men to join him in the cause.

He had an additional reason. He wanted to speak from the second floor porch of La Te Da where Jose deMarti had once spoken and excited some to return to Cuba with him. I could find no record that Castro spoke at La Te Da. His speech was at the San Carlos Institute.

Castro remained in Key West 10 days.

Castro was in Key West one other time. In 1948. He had married and honeymooned in Miami for 10 days. Then somehow to New York City. Not an overt revolutionary at the time. Merely a young man. The couple stayed in New York City for a time.

Castro purchased a 1947 Lincoln while in New York. The turn on for him were the electric windows. A new feature at the time. He drove the Lincoln from New York to Key West. Then he, the wife and Lincoln on the ferry to Havana. I could not determine if Castro stayed overnight in Key West.

A little more Key West lore. The Henry Flagler Overseas Railroad.

Its inaugural trip January 22, 1912. A massive Key West celebration. One event mired the joy of the day. A pick pocket was in the crowd. Earned a good day’s pay.

Syracuse did not get selected for the NCAA Tournament. The call proper. They did not deserve to be in. Their play did not warrant an invitation.

Instead, Syracuse will play in the NIT. They are the 1st seed in the NIT. I wish there was a way to say no to an NIT invitation. Good manners and money prevent such. I view the NIT for second class citizens. Those not good enough to play in the big show. True. However, difficult for me to accept.

The US Attorney fiasco will remain in the news for another week. The news this morning is that two days before the letter to 46 US Attorneys asking for their immediate resignations, Trump personally had given a pep talk to all of them on a conference call.

My Sunday spent being lazy. Read, slept and watched TV. The exception, dinner at Roostica. Lemoncello wings.

Enjoy your day!

 

REPUBLICAN SELL OUT

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I fell this morning. Again. Was not paying attention. Two steps. Forgot. Thought one. Went flying. Nothing broke. Hurt all over. A couple of bruises already. Blood thinner.

I have been an admirer of Paul Ryan for many years. Straight forward. Tells it the way it is. Till yesterday.

I am disappointed. He was on television explaining the House’s bills re repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. He was bullshitting viewers.

Some things not mentioned, others glossed over.

The first that there would be many uncovered that are covered now. Something like 15 million.

Cost of the new law unknown. We’ll get to the figures later. He expects the public to buy a pig in the poke.

No time to wait for the COB report which would set out numbers like uncovered and cost. Why the hurry? Because the COB’s numbers will show the large number of uncovered who are covered now and the high cost in many instances.

The proposed bill a boon to insurance companies.

Political chicanery at its worst. Trust us…..We’ll take care of you. Bullshit. The proposed bill is written for the rich and is a detriment to middle and lower income peoples.

Roger C. Kostmayer is a Key Wester who speaks his mind. Generally, his thoughts correct. Writes many Letters to the Editor.

In one published recently in KONK Life, he reminded readers of Paul Revere’s…..Beware, the British are coming! He transposed the saying to today’s events…..Beware, the Russians are coming! Additional thrust to his letter was that Russia’s cyber activity is a declaration of war. A new type war. We have to prepare to retaliate.

Enjoyed a manicure with Tammy yesterday. She asked if I had seen Jenna recently. Told her Jenna and I were having dinner Saturday night.

Happy Hour at Martin’s. The best happy hour in town! I enjoyed a couple of drinks, 3 small lamb chops and a chunk of warmed brie.

Did happy hour with Diana Millikan. We are exploring doing a book together. Something about Key West.

A Tom Favette joined us. A friend of Diana. A retired cigar maker. From the way he talked, apparently a big time one. An interesting man.

Left. Hurried over to bocce. When Diana finished her conversation with Tom Favette, she intended to go to San Carlos to hear a talk by Fidel Castro’s daughter.

Bocce fun. Team won 2 out of 3. Tough. Won the first two 16-15. Lost the third 16-5.

Seems like most people I know are sick or getting sick. A lot of cancer. One of my bocce lady friends came by to say hello. Always a hug and kiss. She appeared thinner.

She had cancer several years ago. Had a double mastectomy two weeks ago as a precautionary measure. The ladies rebuilt during the surgery.

A strong person. God bless her!

Did two Go Live videos yesterday on Facebook. One I referred to as the Silent Coup. Politics. Interesting. The other the Divided States of America. No question we are divided.

Trump wants to vet immigrants thoroughly. Hope he vets them better than General Flynn who he brought on as National Security Adviser.

Flynn lobbied from August to November last year on behalf of certain Turkish elements. His lobbying a secret. Recall, Flynn also spoke at the Republican Convention.

Flynn recently was identified by the FBI as a foreign agent doing work for a company that could aid the Turkish government. Two days later, Flynn filed with the appropriate agency that he was such a foreign agent. For his foreign agent work from August to November, he was paid $530,000.

Dinner tonight with my lesbian wives, Donna and Terri. Donna cooking. A guaranteed outstanding meal!

Enjoy your day!