HOME CONFINEMENT TOLERABLE

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Yesterday was another day in. Not bad. Actually good. The title says Tolerable. Turned out to be more than tolerable. I enjoyed the day.

I normally research my KONK Life column on saturday. Started yesterday. Gave me a two day head start. Research not finished. Another 30 percent to go.

The subject involves who pays for national political conventions. The Republican one is two weeks away. Who picks up the tab for the balloons, confetti, alcohol, etc.

An interesting eye opening subject. You will enjoy reading the article.

Jennifer stopped in yesterday. While Anna is in Poland visiting family, Jennifer has been giving me a hand around the house. I sent her grocery shopping.

Today, the beginning of the Fourth of July weekend. Key West will be crowded. A fun weekend for all ahead.

Tomorrow, I am free!

Early afternoon, I will be with Tammy for a manicure. Tomorrow at 5, Don’s Place. David is 65. He is retiring. A surprise retirement party for him. Not a surprise, however. Someone told him.

Then to Blue Heaven. To hear Terri sing. I missed her show last saturday.

I will be back in the grove!

This week’s KONK Life column is Captain Bligh A Good Man. It was linked this morning to my Key West Lou website. It also ran on KONK’s E-Blast.

When it came to sex types and/or tastes, I knew gay, lesbian, homosexual, lesbian, and cross-dressing. During the final stages of the gay battle, the word transgender started to pop up. I must admit, I had never heard the word. Almost eighty years old and I did not know what the word meant. I had to google it.

It was announced yesterday that the ban on transgenders in the military has been lifted.

Good!

What next?

Stupidity knows no class. Even smart people can be stupid.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch yesterday in her private plane meeting with former President Bill Clinton.

Enough said.

Enjoy your day!

 

AMORGOS CALLED

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Received a surprise call yesterday from Amorgos. My favorite Greek isle.

It was Anna. She decided to skip Santorini and go directly to Amorgos.

She was calling from Mythos. My favorite restaurant on Amorgos. She was with the owner Vangelis. Anna said as soon as she appeared at Mythos, Vangelis asked …..Where is Louis? Amazing. I have not seen him in three years.

I got to talk with Vangelis. He and his wife run Mythos. Their young 20ish daughter waits tables. They also have another daughter. A late in life surprise/joy. Has to be five now. When last there, she was a two year old toddler wobbling around the restaurant most of the day.

I spent most of my time at Mythos. Researching and writing. I did not miss a stroke while there. I got to Mythos about 10 in the morning. Had a late breakfast or early lunch. Worked til about 4. Returned in the evening for dinner.

Vangelis watched out for me. If I ordered something he thought I would not like, he nodded his head no. Sometimes he would not let me even order. He would say eat this tonight.

There are no sheep on Amorgos. Only goats. Hundreds of them. Yet the few restaurants are always selling lamb.

One morning, Vangelis said…..Tonight, you eat goat!

He had prepared the goat himself. Took me in the kitchen and showed it to me. It was rotating over a fire. Vangelis said when you taste this tonight, it will taste like lamb. It did.

I enjoyed Amorgos. Spent close to three months there overall. I should be vacationing there now. Maybe I would not have experienced chest pains. If I had, I would have been in trouble. No hospital, doctor or nurse. No airport. A boat ride to where ever.

Boring yesterday. Many days I screw off and do nothing. Stay home. Yesterday was different. I was required to stay home. No fun when there is a compulsion.

I read, watched TV and napped.

Television and Trump go hand in hand. He is still getting most of the TV time. The free time. Ninety percent of the TV time. It is a new issue with him every day. You forget anyone else is running for President.

I had an appointment with Tammy for a manicure at 2. Obviously could not keep it. Tammy will be my first stop when I am out saturday.

Edward B. Knight is a Key West icon. Ninety nine years old. Still sharp.

The White Street Pier was renamed yesterday in his honor. Much deserved. Key West is a better place because of him. He and David Wolkowsky could walk down the street arm in arm.

Oil, greed and politics go hand in hand.

The Golan Heights was part of Syria. Technically still is.  Israel occupied the Golan Heights in 1967 following the Arab/Israeli Six Day War. Israel never left. Israel has been building on the property over the years. While the United Nations has been trying to resolve the dispute over title. Palestinians and Israelis have been fighting for years.

Rupert Murdoch is well known world wide. He owns among other things FOX News and the Wall Street Journal. A billionaire. He is a major shareholder in Genie Energy. Genie Energy has an Israeli subsidiary.

Newt Gingrich is an adviser to Genie Energy.

The Israeli subsidiary is prepared to start drilling for oil on the Golan Heights.

While Palestinian/Israeli fighting continues.

Enjoy your day!

I’M OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD…..

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For some reason, the tune has been running through my head since I woke this morning.

This is the day. Heart catheterization.

The blog will be limited because I have to be off to the hospital soon. There will be no blog talk radio show tonight.

Yesterday morning was terrific. Elizabeth Warren! Trump is no competition for her. She cut his testicles off. I would enjoy watching the two debate face to face. Unfortunately, it will not be.

Decided to get out a bit.

Enjoyed a pedicure with Tammy. Ran into Kate Miano. She was getting a manicure, also. She will soon leave for France for a month. Kate is renovating an apartment in France she recently purchased.

Then home to rest for a couple of hours. manicure was tough!

I was at Aqua around six for Dueling Bartenders. Rick Dery and Tom Luna are terrific!

The flavor/atmosphere is comparable to Bobby Nesbitt. He used to do a sing in on wednesday nights at cocktail time. It was the best event in town.

That’s it folks.

Enjoy your day!

MICROAGGRESSIONS

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I continue to baby myself. It’s my nature.

Ergo, spent yesterday home again. Reading, writing, napping and watching TV. Not bad. Relaxing.

I did some extra reading to fill in the time. Came across an article whose contents may rile some of you. Concerns microaggressions. Microaggressions are everyday words that radical leftists have decided to be angry or frustrated about.

First however two other items.

I spent several hours writing this week’s KONK Life column: Captain Bligh A Good Guy. He was not the person as represented by Charles Laughton in one of the Mutiny On The Bounty movies. His entire life he was recognized as a competent naval officer. Rising over the years to become an Admiral.

I am hooked on William Hackley’s diary as most Key Westers are. This morning’s excerpt talks about the weather being a bit off. It appears to have changed the way Hackley bathe that day.

Hackley describes the sea being full and walking bad as he took his early morning walk. My sense, sand blowing and the air humid.

He found the bath water pleasant and decided to use the bath tub to bathe. Which suggests his normal bathing was a sponge bath.

I have gotten old. No question. Next week, I will be 81. Makes it difficult for me to understand some things.

The University of North Carolina is a public institution. The University published a tax funded guide for its students: Career Corner Understanding Microaggressions.

The guide was written by two University administrators. Required reading for students.

Certain words/phrases can no longer be used in correct and proper society.

Some examples.

Christmas vacation. A vacation term organized around a religious holiday which diminishes non-Christian spiritual rituals and observances.

I love your shoes! The shoe admirer values appearances more than intellectual contributions.

A male may never interrupt a woman speaking.

Golf outings. Infers country club or round of golf. Assumes many school employees have the financial resources to participate in a fairly expensive and inaccessible sport.

Boy friend and girl friend. Correct terms to be used are partner and spouse. The distinction has to do with sexual identification. Transgenders not taken into consideration.

Male and female blocks on bureaucratic forms. Not proper. Transgender thing again.

Men who dress as women. Cannot be referred to as he or him.

The article recognized another problem that required correction. Band aids. The article claims band aids are made for white people. The hue of the band aid matches a white person’s skin.

As the world turns.

It does.

 

Enjoy your day!

RESPECT GEORGE WILL

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George Will and I are on opposite ends of the political spectrum. With one difference. He is to the far right. I consider myself a liberal tending more toward the middle.

Will has been in the forefront of the Republican establishment forever. I read his columns. Enjoy the times he is on TV talk shows. Even though I do not agree with his positions, I enjoy keeping up with what the other side is saying.

Will announced yesterday that he is leaving the Republican Party because of Trump. A man of his convictions. He could have taken the easy way out and said he was not voting for Trump. No pussy footing involved. I respect that.

Will’s position simply is let the Democrats win this election. Work on 2020. Trump is that bad for the country and he must not win.

Speaking of Trump, I mentioned yesterday that no camera shots were shown of the crowd Trump was talking to in Turnberry. I suspected it was small. It was. The crowd was shown on TV this morning. Less than 30 people.

Spent yesterday afternoon researching this week’s KONK column. It will be about William Bligh. Captain of the Bounty. Remember the movies Mutiny on the Bounty.

Movie making takes liberties with the truth. In the Bligh/Bounty movies significantly. Bligh was not the bad guy. Actually good to his men.

Surprisingly, Bligh faced three court martials. He was exonerated in all three. Historians view him as a good leader wronged by events not of his making.

I plan on writing the column this afternoon.

Never got to see and hear Terri White at Blue Heaven last night. My reservation was for 7:30. Jenna got held up at work.

It was a later dinner for us at Martin’s inside. Wienerschniztel and brie. We ate in the air conditioned inside dining room.

Tuesday weighing on me. Don’t know why. I have been through this before. In addition, my sciatica has returned.

Can’t win.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

TERRI WHITE SINGS

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Tonight…..Terri White sings! At Blue Heaven. 6:30-9:30.

This is Terri’s first Key West performance since returning. She is retired. Moved back home to Key West with her wife Donna. Terri will do an occasional Key West gig. Nothing more.

Terri is officially retired. She had no choice. She went blind rather suddenly in one eye. If my recollection is correct, her last solo performance was at Kennedy Center. She fell off the stage. Her depth perception is shot.

I will be at Blue Heaven enjoying Terri. My evening will be doubly pleasing. Jenna will be with me.

I did nothing yesterday. Laid around. Read, napped and watched TV. I am taking it easy till we are sure what if anything is going on with my heart.

Hemingway. I have been reading a lot of Hemingway this past week. Not his works. Stories about the man himself. Interesting and revealing.

Hemingway was not a nice guy all the time. Especially as he got older. Mean.

Once an enemy, always an enemy. He wrote of his former friends, now enemies, as characters in his books. Making them look bad.

His sex life all over the place. Besides several wives, he had at least two long term affairs with lesbian women. Who apparently became bi as a result.

Hemingway is considered to have been bisexual by several who wrote about him. Going as far back as F. Scott Fitzgerald during their Paris days.

I would love to write a Hemingway column taking in all these facets. Too much involved, however. Also, I would owe it to the man to research even more deeply than I have. A lot of work. A ton of material. It would have to be a novel.

Anna telephoned yesterday from the Milan airport. She was waiting for a plane to Athens. She decided not to let the immigration problem screw up her summer.

She will spend a few days in Athens in a small hotel near Playka. She promised to visit my favorite outside cafe and drink a silent gin and tonic toast to me.

Her second stop will be Santorini. Things safe there, she says. After that, not sure. Maybe Amorgos.

I envy her.

She mentioned that Silvio Berlusconi had heart surgery ten days ago in Milan. An aortic valve replacement. Appears to be doing well.

My primary problem is with my aortic valve. Interestingly, my father’s problem was with his aortic valve.

Anna follows Berlusconi’s doings closely. Most Italians do. In spite of everything, he is a loved man in Italy. Anna says Putin has been in constant touch with Berlusconi. The two are known close friends. Putin built a home next door to Berlusconi in Portofino.

Trump in Scotland as seen on TV. Boring. Unimpressive.

My sense is he did not have a crowd. Hard to determine. The camera remained on him and never showed us those listening to him.

Americans are movie lovers. Especially of the old west. On this day in 1876, the Battle of Little Bighorn took place. Custer and his 200 men were wiped out by Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull. The Native Americans had 3,000 against Custer’s 200.

I have to research this week’s KONK Life column today. I research on saturday and write on sunday. My usual problem again. Do not know yet what I am going to write about.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BRITISH VOTE

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The news of the day! The result of the British Euro Union vote. Interesting.

Whether the proper outcome, I don’t know. Beyond my understanding of everything involved.

The result did hit me between the eyes with one factor. Loud and clear. The unhappiness, populist movement, immigration problems, concern and anger of the American people is the same as those of the British. Our problems are common. and seem to be similar to the problems of many other countries.

Which makes a Donald Trump possible.

Even a Bernie Sanders.

I watched Sanders on Morning Joe earlier. He needs as vacation. The man is tired. Aggressive in his responses. He has reached the point where he is taking himself too seriously. He is heart attack material.

Saw Trump land at Turnberry. His new golf course. His only one in Scotland. I was not sure if it was one or two when I wrote yesterday.

Trump is not loved in Turnberry. He had a multitude of fights with local officials during the course’s construction.

My yesterday was a haircut with Lori and a visit to my heart doctor, Dr. Mc Ivor.

No problem with the haircut. May be a problem with the heart. I have been scheduled for a heart catheterization tuesday. All recent test results good. however, I am getting frequent chest pains. Nitroglycerin relieves the pain almost immediately.

Could be stress. Too much sun and good times.

We who live in the lower Keys and read the Key West Citizen every day have acquired a new friend. William Hackley. The Citizen obtained a copy of Hackley’s diary. 1855. He lived in Key West. Rose around 4 each morning, took a walk and then a bath. Gives us the temperature. Then tells us of his daily exploits. He was a prominent citizen, lawyer and public attorney.

Hackley also owned land. Farm land. Grew hemp. He worked the fields some days together with his field hands.

Hemp had value back then. Maybe even now. I came across an article written by Ellen Brown titled: The War on Weed Is Winding Down – But Will Monsanto Be the Winner. Published June 23, 2016.

Lengthy and informative.

An interesting portion…..”In early America, it was considered a farmer’s patriotic duty to grow hemp. Cannabis was legal tender from 1631 until early 1800s. Americans could even pay taxes with it. Benjamin Franklin’s paper mill used cannabis…..Hemp was also an essential resource for any country with a shipping industry, since it was the material from which sails and rope were made.”

I do not sense Hackley was in the cannabis business. 1855 appears to late for the hemp to be used as money. Hackley however did reside in Key West which was a shipping port. A significant shipping industry existed at the time. I suspect Hackley sold his hemp crop to those who manufactured sails and rope.

His diary so far is silent as to what he did with the hemp.

A lot of talk re the black topping of the White Street Pier. Some say it looks lousy. I agree. Supposed to gray with time, however. Some say too hot to walk on. I agree.

End of story. Job complete. It will be many years before it is covered again.

Ninety nine year old Key West icon Edward B. Knight still alive. Active. The White Street Pier is being renamed in his honor. July 2nd at 10 in the morning. A large crowd expected.

Turtle time again. This morning’s KONK E-Blast ask boaters to beware of turtles. They need to come up for air. Boat blades are prone to cut them up.

We are turtle crazy in the Keys!

Two Syracuse players were drafted by NBA teams last night. Freshman Malachi Richardson went 22nd. Senior Michael Gbinije 49th.

I question whether Richardson will make it. He has a temperament problem. Does not listen. Boeheim had to bench him a couple of times causing Malachi to miss whole games.

Gbinije a winner! Talented, level headed and can play different positions. I look for him to bloom.

My KONK Life column this week is Napoleon 2 Xs. Story involves mosquitoes, yellow fever, and hemorrhoids. As Napoleon was impacted by them.

The article hit the stands yesterday. It is featured in this morning’s E-Blast and was also linked to my Key West Lou website this morning.

Enjoy your day!

 

POLITICAL OBSERVATIONS

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Two political observations. Re current happenings.

Democrat sit in in well of House of Representatives. A shame grown men and women have to conduct themselves as they are to make a point. Not the way for government to be run.

I do not blame the sit ins. I blame the Republicans. Who are cowering to the NRA, who are under the thumb of the NRA.

Trump off to Scotland for the opening of a golf course. I believe his second course there. The Scots have been pissed off with Trump re the construction and operation of one of them. I am curious to see how well he will be received.

Trump should stay home. He needs to address the American people more. One good speech a President does not make.

A local political update. The genetically modified mosquito fiasco.

The Mosquito Control Board voted last night to adjourn the vote re the issue from August to election day in November. If Zika is a true crisis, the vote should not be delayed. I thought even August was too far away.

Politicians never seem to get things done properly/timely. Recall the Flint water crisis. Some six months ago made public. Recall further the furor in Washington re the problem. Congressional hearings held. Local officials defecated upon by Washington know it alls. Something had to be done.

Nothing done yet.

No federal monies have been allocated yet. The President, Senate and House have different numbers in mind as to how much. So nothing done so far. While Flint water no better today that six months ago.

Anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. Moved up a few additional notche. Still a long way to go, however.

Still have not grocery shopped. Wanted a heavy lunch to make up for a minimal breakfast. I was hungry! 5 Guys the winner.

Back Bar at cocktail time. Mark Watson bartending.

Good company. Rick, John, Donna and Terri, and Donna’s daughter Stacie.

Speaking of Terri, she sings saturday night at Blue Heaven. Visit. She is not to be missed. Her voice outstanding.

Dinner later at Duffy’s. Maybe my last time, except for an occasional Maine lobster. It bothered me spending $5 extra for a prime rib I could not finish. Duffy’s other dishes do not appeal to me.

I have been doing some Hemingway reading the past few days. Re his loves. The man was a cocks man. Amazing how many women he had in addition to his wives. A couple were popular Key West writers.

The research was for a possible column. Will not be next week’s column. Too many and too much involved. The subject requires more research.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

AQUA DUELING BARTENDERS

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I have a new hang out monday evenings. Aqua at cocktail hour. The Dueling Bartenders sing. Great voices!

Adding to the event is that the two bartenders vocalizing are generally dressed in drag.

No, I am not switching. I do recognize good entertainment, however.

Last night’s bartenders were Rich Dery and Mark Watson. Mark always teriffic. First time I saw Rich dressed. A better looking woman than man.

A newly married couple joined the festivities. 50ish. Bride attired in long white shoulderless dress. Groom in white shirt and pants. Tourists.

A happy couple! Danced and joked. They admonished all that though this was the first marriage for both, neither were virgins. They thought we should know.

Tom Luna working the bar. Not dressed. Introduced me to George. Glad he did. We hit it off.

George is a retired Long Island high school principal. He and his wife live in Truman Annex. Ten grandchildren. Graduated from Bowling Green. A history major. I was a history major, also.

The conversation good. We agreed to try to meet again wednesday at the Back Door Bar.

My yesterday began with the anti-gravity treadmill. Did better. Pushed everything. Even elevation. A little too much. I was tired before I finished.

Then to the Cuban Coffee Queen for lunch. Lovely Ruby there again. Love her!

Children’s accidents have been commonplace lately. The bear situation and then the Disney alligator happening. I saw one in the making yesterday at the Cuban Coffee Queen.

The place has two large fans to cool things down. Big. A tiny 3-4 year old girl walked up to one. Her face almost touching the wire cage. Blades zooming around inside.

Her father happened to see her. He calmly said watch out, it could grab your hair. Then turned around and never looked at her again. She stayed where she was, never moving. Dad never looked back at her again.

I was five feet away. Impulsively yelled out…..Hey! Dad immediately turned around, saw his daughter still standing there, grabbed her hand and walked away.

My afternoon was spent working on my podcast tonight. My blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick interesting half hour of political and social chatter. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include Venezuela’s lack of food, a 4 year old shoot seeking food in Venezuela, Oakland Police Department under investigation for an underage sex scandal involving officers, three Oakland police chiefs discharged one after another within three weeks, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker on a kick again, this time to require drug testing of food stamp recipients and the unemployed.

Also, big U.S. banks investing heavy in outlawed cluster bomb stocks to the tune of $28 billion over 4 years, Mein Kampf a bestseller again in Germany, U.S. Senate approves draft registration for women, Napoleon being troubled by mosquitoes and hemorrhoids, and more.

Time of the year for Key West drag contests. The Miss Firecracker Pageant next. July 1. In the Crystal Room at La Te Da. An Aids fundraiser. Hosted by Miss Closet Ball 2011.

The Mosquito Control Board is as devious as the Key West City Commission. The Board is entertaining at a meeting tomorrow night to move the GM mosquito testing issue affecting Key Haven from a late August vote to the general election in November. Consideration being given also to not having a vote at all.

The Board is elected. I guarantee all will be voted out if they pursue this game playing. My neighbors are furious. We are opposed to using our island used as a guinea pig for testing.

Several months ago, the FDA sent out an approval of the GM mosquitoes. Did not make sense to me. The Board was saying see, the FDA says use of the GM mosquitoes not dangerous.

I checked. The FDA did say such. However, it applied solely to the Mosquitoes. Injection of the chemicals was not dangerous to the mosquitoes. Nothing said about human safety.

Few listened. I was a voice in the wilderness.

Yesterday, the Board chairman reported another option was to wait for the FDA to rule on the test. The human end of it.

Last night was Outback. A late dinner of chicken wings.

Dennis there. He is the Tavern ‘n Town manager.

I was eating at the bar. A beautiful woman came in and sat several seats away. A magnificent creature! White man’s shirt opened almost to the waist. boobs slightly exposed. Face make up perfect. Had to be someone in drag.

Rare to see dining out in restaurants.

Ran into a Syracuse grad friend. Where have you been, I asked. Had not seen him in several years. Just returned from Belize. We used to watch Syracuse games together. He may show up wednesday at the Back Door Bar.

Enjoy your day!

GREAT BASKETBALL!

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Could not have been a better game! Neck and neck. Cavaliers finally winning 93-89.

Typical of me, I fell asleep with six minutes left in the game. Woke after trophies were given out.

My congratulations to Lynda and Bob Frechette. Home in Cleveland in time for the game.

LeBron James impressed me. Not only for his playing. For his apparent kindness and humility. A great!

Late morning, I visited Donna and Terri at their new abode. Lovely. A mini plantation.

Their new home packed with unopened boxes. Still unpacking. Could take another month. That much stuff.

Cupboards empty again. No time to waste. Could not stop at Publix. Picked up a Submarine and headed home. Where I quickly devoured the sandwich.

I had to get out this week’s KONK Life column. It took six hours. Titled Napoleon 2 Xs. Sort of a lead up to what makes heroes. Not mosquitoes and hemorrhoids.

Caught the last hour of the U.S. Open.

Dinner time. Still no food in the house. Did Chinese delivery. Egg rolls and shrimp egg foo yong.

An accurate observation in this morning’s Citizens’ Voice. Pertaining to the Key West City Commission. “The inmates are running the asylum – we need new leadership.”

Front page this morning’s Key West Citizen. Re the proposed constructions on Rockland Key. Includes a Walmart and 312 units of affordable housing.

A $14.6 million deal. Developers already paid $700,000 in deposits.

The deal was entered into in 2021. Developers want out. They also want to keep the $700,000.

Word on the street is that property values have risen considerably and the developers want a new deal reflecting the property’s increase in value.

Trump wants to profile Muslims. Shades of Hitler. Trump crazy and dangerous.

Enjoy your day!