KEY WEST…..BEST OF THE BEST IN 3 TRAVEL ADVISOR CATEGORIES

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Key West #1 in three Travel Advisor categories. A WOW!

Most Excellent Place to Travel Worldwide, Most Excellent Cities for Restaurants, and Most Excellent Cities in the World. Described as “cream of the crop” re Most Excellent Place to Travel Worldwide.

I frequently complain too many people, tourists, cars and bicyclists. Whatever, Key West is doing it right as far as tourists are concerned.

Congratulations to all who make it so.

Last night Dueling Bartenders at Aqua. Tom and Rick singing. Tiffany guest performer. Tiffany is this year’s Fantasy Fest Queen. A beauty with a marvelous voice. Always a smile.

Then to Hot Tin Roof for dinner with Dorothy and Carmen. They were to have left yesterday. Decided to stay an extra day. Dorothy called and asked that I join them for dinner.

Excellent food, excellent company.

Carmen originally from Costa Rica. A typical Latin beauty. Hair pulled tight. Lovely complexion. A bright smile.

Tonight’s the night! My podcast show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. A multitude of topics to discuss. The week has been busy. Nine my time. Join me for a quick moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

The hurricane Beryl has fizzled as was expected. Remaining some extra rain for certain areas over the weekend.

Poor Puerto Rico got hit by Beryl. Just enough rain and wind to cause some power shortages and water damage. Normally would be considered nothing, except that Puerto Rico is still recovering from last year’s hurricanes.

A new hurricane. Chris. Stronger than Beryl. Expected to turn and fail to hit land.

Brett Kavanaugh Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court. An ultra conservatist. His appointment guarantees a conservative court for the next 30 years.

Not right. Supreme Court Justices were originally appointed because of judicial/legal ability. Not political philosophy. The Court can no longer be a neutral arbiter that checks the two elected branches if political philosophy controls.

Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life. A good job! One problem. “Life” when the Constitution was framed different from life today. When the Constitution was framed, life expectancy for a free white male was 35 years. Today, 70-80 years.

Someone should take a look at the historical difference. A solution considered. Instead of life, make the appointment for a specified number of years. Like 18, for example.

We should be true to the Constitution in all respects.

Marlow Nance in a recent Opinion piece wrote in discussing Trump, We’re “on the cusp” of “losing the American constitutional republic forever.” He added in another section, Putin is Trump’s “handler” and we’re in a “Benedict Arnold moment.”

Two professors in a recent Times Opinion asked, “If the Supreme Court is nakedly political, can it be just?”

Justice is supposed to be blind. Lady Justice stands blindfolded. Not anymore.

Think about it.

The Thailand cave rescue complete. As of this morning, all 12 boys and their coach rescued. Three Navy Seals and a doctor yet to be removed.

A marvelous result! People gathering from all over the world to pitch in. Reportedly 1,000 helpers. Politics not involved.

Trump left on his European trip this morning. One of the stops is London on July 12.

Trump is less than loved by the English people. London’s Mayor is allowing a giant orange balloon depicting Trump as a baby in a diaper. It will be flown close to Parliament. Part of a “Stop Trump” protest.

Several years ago, I wrote a KONK Life column re the Scopes Trial. Also known as the Monkey Trial.

The trial began on July 10, 1925. It took place in Dayton, Tennessee. Scopes was a young school teacher charged with teaching evolution in violation of Tennessee state law. The law forbade teaching man evolved from the ape.

The trial became a big deal. International notoriety. Clarence Darrow defended Scopes. William Jennings Bryan appeared for the prosecution.

The trial was a fraud. The Dayton city fathers were looking for a way to publicize their small town. Increase business. Perhaps a tourist business. They arranged the scheme. Everyone involved was in on it, except for the two lawyers.

I fail to understand why when the trial is mentioned these days, rarely is the fraud aspect disclosed.

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Winston Churchill, July 10, 1940.

Hitler began the Battle of Britain 3 1/2 months earlier. Night time bombing raids on London. He thought he could bring England to its knees. He thought wrong.

The English had 600 planes and the Germans 1,300 at the start of the Battle. The English beat the hell out of the Germans. After 3 1/2 months, Hitler had enough. He was losing his air force. He had not thought it possible. Just like that he ceased the night raids. Sent his remaining air force to the Russian front.

Winston Churchill’s words complimented the bravery and talent of the English pilots.

New York City has a new attraction. Called glamping. Those participating, glampers. Locals and tourists alike.

New York City took a part of Governor’s Island and made it into a tent city/camping ground. Top shelf, first class. Great tents, real beds, etc. The tents go from $220 to $850 per night. The air clean. The night time view of the City spectacular.

No BOB again today. I cannot continue blaming BOB. My fault. I have so much other information to share that I do not get around to finishing the Bum Farto story. Soon, I promise.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

KOKOMO MAN…..HEADS IN THE SAND

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This blog is available on several sites. Most provide for comment. Some of the comments are vicious.

WordPress has the worst. Some days, it is World War III.

My KONK Life column this week is titled World Running Out Of Sand. Sand is a non-replaceable natural resource. We should be concerned. We are not. Probably because most are unaware. My purpose in writing about sand’s depletion was to bring the problem to the attention of others.

Kokomo Man is a frequent commenter on the WordPress site. One of the more reasonable. Kokomo Man commented re the sand issue: “This, just as other environmental problems, like global warming, is another problem that won’t go away while many…..wait for it…..stick their heads in the sand.”

“Stick their heads in the sand!” Love it! Humor instead of venom. A change of pace.

A busy mid day yesterday. Office Max, Walgreens, and Sandy’s Cafe.

I picked up the wrong drug. I take 11 pills a day so it is easy to screw up. This particular prescription was replaced with another by my heart doctor some time ago.

I have insurance. Still have co-pay, however. Yesterday, $114. How could it be. The sales person was no help. Showed me how my insurance company saved me $1,100. Bullshit itself.

No further help at Walgreens.

Called my heart doctor and got the problem straightened out. Back to Walgreens today to return the pills and get a $114 credit on my credit card.

Americans are getting screwed when it comes to the cost of prescription drugs. We may be paying the highest prices in the world. It takes a President and Congress to fix the problem. Previous Presidents have not.

Trump promised to do so in the campaign. He is now trying, but not as he had promised. His thought then was throw it into Medicare/make it work like Medicare.

A month ago, Trump made a big deal speech re the issue. He was going to fix the problem. By having the pharmaceutical houses sit down and negotiating fairer prices for the American people.

A far cry from the Medicare solution.

The Chart Room last night. John bartending. Small crowd.

Met Steve. An eighth grade math teacher from St. Petersburg. Enjoyed our conversation. John a part of it. Included some Steve Carlton.

Tyler and Jenn at the other end of the bar. From Newark, Ohio. Told them I liked their Governor Kasich for President.

Walked across the street to Hot Tin Roof for dinner. Watched a college baseball playoff game. Enjoyed the company of a vacationing couple. Irma a significant part of the conversation.

Pouring like hell at the moment! Has been doing so for 20 minutes. Ok. We are in to the rainy season. Once the rain stops and the sun comes out, the humidity will be overwhelming. As the saying goes, you can cut it with a knife.

My today begins with Lori and a haircut. Amazing! I have nothing but fuzz. Needs to be buzzed off every two weeks.

Then lunch and the newspapers a few doors down at Sandy’s Cafe.

Tonight, I do not know. Not concerned. Something always comes up.

Mark Rossi is a Key West business man and public servant. He owns the Red Garter on Duval. A moneymaker!

Rossi is running for mayor. Or, he was. Candidates for the office must pay a $225 fee by a certain date of filing. Rossi vacationing in Europe. He or someone on his staff forgot. The court ruled yesterday Rossi is ineligible to run.

A proper decision. We have enough problems as it is with our elections. Election laws must be strictly enforced.

Some dance to a different tune in the Keys. Voyeurism generally involves a man sneaking a look at a woman’s privates. Could work in another fashion. A man trying to get a look at another man’s privates.

A male employee at the Big Pine Walgreens some how got a video to photograph men in the men’s room. He got caught and has been arrested. The charge, video voyeurism. His excuse, he was aroused by viewing the film. Merely watched, never distributed.

BOB is taking another day off.

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement yesterday after 30 years of service. A serious loss to the Court. He was the occasional swing vote.

Kennedy’s replacement will be a conservative. Most likely, a far to the right one. Trump’s prerogative. In addition, he has a Republican Senate to back him.

Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. Conservatives have been dying to get it reversed since that time. It will come up while the new Justice is sitting. A woman’s right to abortion in anger. The Court will be 5-4 in favor of the conservative element.

Unless the new Justice pulls a Warren or Souter. Both representative of the Republican right. Both turned in rendering their decisions. Sided with the Court’sliberals.

Eisenhower said many times that his worst appointment was Warren.

Trump told us following his meeting with Kim that North Korea had agreed to denuclearize. If such was the case, why have recent satellite photos shown North Korea expanding a nuclear research center? Major infrastructure improvements moving at a rapid rate.

Trump is doing a summit with Putin July 16 in Helsinki. The man is crazy. Trump, not Putin. Trump no competition for Putin.

Possibilities coming out of the summit include a goodbye to NATO and U.S. defensive weapons removed from Poland.

Trump is saving Putin’s ass. The man who interfered in our 2016 elections. An avowed enemy of the U.S. and democracy. One seeking to return Russia to its former glory.

We cannot win in the confrontation. Trump says he is smart.  Putin is smart.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FEAR OF MOSQUITOES

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Some people fear mosquitoes. More than just not liking them. Actually fear them. It is called insectophobia. Also, entomophobia. Defined as an unrealistic fear of one or more classes of insect.

Mosquitoes are insects. The phobia is linked with fear of itching.

Those afflicted with the phobia are prone to say: “Kill them all!”

Never knew some feared simple mosquito bites merely because of the itching. Yellow fever I could understand.

I became interested in the topic the past few days. Some TV programs showed pictures of Trump during the campaign and since elected swapping mosquitoes who were flying around him. He generally referred to them as no good. Said, “Kill them all!”

Our President has the phobia!

Spent yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s podcast. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I had the program organized. My intent was to begin with some non-Trump items. Then move on to Trump re immigrant children and tariffs.

The U.S. Supreme Court screwed me up. They decided Trump v. Hawaii yesterday. Had to work the decision into the show.

I do not agree with the decision. The Supreme Court has become as politicized as Congress and the Nation. Our government is not working at any level.

The issue in the case was religious freedom. Not Presidential power.

I have read portions of the decision and listened to various TV persons analyze it. Associate Justice Sotomayer had it right in her dissent. Chief Justice Roberts majority decision read like Comey explaining his decision re Hillary Clinton and her computer usage.

Another case was decided yesterday. One of importance re immigrant children. The case was decided in a California federal court by Judge Dana M. Sabraw.

The case pin pointed separating children from their parents.

Judge Sabraw ruled that authorities cannot split families who illegally cross the border. Those already separated must be reunited within 30 days. Two weeks for children under 5. All children must be allowed to speak with parents within 10 days.

The Judge hit certain things right on. He wrote property is accounted for with more efficiency and accuracy than immigrant children. Also, adults may not be deported from the U.S. without their children.

He observed that chaos existed. The chaotic circumstances of the government’s own making.

The government will probably appeal.

I had time to sneak out for a bite to eat before the show. Hurried to Roostica. Arrived in time for Happy Hour. Did not know they even had a Happy Hour.

A good deal! Eight limoncello wings for $8. The full meal of 10, $12. Two less and save $4. A good deal!

Chatted with the man who sat next to me. From England, he has worked at Byrd’s 15 years. Byrd’s is where Cheryl and Roger used to park their RV on Stock Island.

He knew Cheryl and Roger well. Agreed they were the best of people. Said Roger had stopped by in the morning to say hello.

Americans do not tolerate taxation without representation. It caused the Revolutionary War.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided last week that internet sales could be taxed. I believe the issue not yet resolved. It will be litigated ad infinitum till it reaches the Supreme Court again.

“Leave my husband alone!” Like “Don’t tread on me!”

Trump administration officials and supporters are being harangued. People feel they are being abused. They have begun pushing back. Last week saw Secretary Kristjen Nielsen and Sandra Huckabee Sanders confronted. Both in restaurants.

Yesterday at Georgetown University, Georgetown students approached Majority Leader McConnell and his wife Transportation Secretary Chao as they were leaving dinner at the University. The students played the recording of the now famous immigrant children voices, cries of woe, etc. They also shared their thoughts. Directed at McConnell.

His wife came to his defense: “Why don’t you leave my husband alone?” Followed by, “Leave my husband alone.”

This is but the beginning. Confrontations will continue. Again, people are upset. Even some conservatives. Government is not being run as it should. I worry about the demonstrations nationwide which are to take place this saturday. Emotions are running high with the children situation. The fuse is lit. I hope nothing of a serious consequence occurs.

Suicides on the rise. This we have heard for several weeks. A recent article indicated that farmers are the occupation group with the highest suicide rate. Five times more than the broader population.

Blame is attributed to economics. Farmers are living on the same income as they earned 15 years ago.

Things are expected to get worse. As they do, farmer suicides are expected to increase.

Causes will include retaliatory tariffs from China, the EU set to further undermine U.S. crop prices, and the Federal Reserve expected to soon raise interest rates making loans upon which farmers depend increasingly expensive.

My KONK Life article re Sand hits the stands today. It will appear in E-Blast friday.

The world is running out of sand. Getting expensive. Black markets popping up to handle sales.

Note that sand is a non-renewable natural resource.

The article interesting. If you have the opportunity, read it.

BOB has a day off.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

6′ 3″ 236 POUNDS…..NO WAY!!!!!

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I have weight problems. Always have. Started my most recent diet at 240. I am 6’1″. Trump’s medical report was revealed yesterday. The report states Trump is 6’3″ and purportedly weighs 236 pounds.

No way!!!!!

I have never looked as fat as the President. Even in my 250 pound days.

The truth be known, he has to weigh at least 30 pounds more.

Why the lie? Why the misrepresentation? The White House doctor is Ronny L. Jackson. Also a Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy. He did the examination and reported the results.

At 71, the way Trump eats, the tension he is under, his lifestyle…..he has to have more than a cholesterol problem. I read the other day  that his daily MacDonald’s lunch consists of 2 cheeseburgers, 2 chicken sandwiches and a chocolate milk shake. His veins and arteries have to be bursting with plaque pride!

The cognitive test. I take it every year as part of my physical. Not 30 steps, however. Only 10. Easy. What day is it? Who is President of the U.S.? What year is it? Spell a short word backwards. Draw a couple of boxes already printed on a form. Etc.

Child’s play!

Takes all of two minutes. The President’s, probably 5-10.

The results merely represent whether you are mentally ok to get along in society. Trump is more than merely in society. He is President of the U.S. Leader of the most powerful nation in the world.

I would rather he was examined by a psychiatrist rather than merely taking the cognitive test.

Admiral Jackson says Trump is in “excellent” physical health. True or false?

Others who appear to lie for the President include Senators Cotton and Perdue, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen.

Formerly respectable, responsible persons willingly walking the plank for the man. Why?

Staying with Homeland Secretary Nielsen a moment, she testified also before the Congressional Committee yesterday that her Department has asked federal prosecutors if the Department can lodge criminal charges against sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal deportation efforts.

Shades of a totalitarian state.

My podcast show last night.Went well. Enjoyed doing it. Opened with three medical issues. The rest of the show Trump. Cannot be helped. He is into everything nationally and world wide.

I was able to catch the second half of the Syracuse/Pittsburgh game following the show. Syracuse won decisively. Glad the team won again! They lost their previous four games.

Weather continues to be cold. Stepped on the porch in tee shirt and shorts this morning after reading today’s weather report in the Key West Citizen. Eighty six degrees today. Seventy seven tomorrow. The rest of the week in the mid 80’s. The cold spell was over!

It was cold on the porch.

Rechecked the Citizen report. I had read it correctly. Checked some of the weather stations. The Citizen had it wrong.

Maybe a joke.

Viagra has many uses. As I live and learn.

Robin Robinson writes a weekly column for the Citizen. Gardening. Her article this past weekend titled: How To Keep Your Fresh Flowers Erect.

Her article reported some put a penny in the water to keep the flowers fresh/erect. Others, an aspirin. Some, viagra. Erectability guaranteed.

The flu season is upon us big time. World wide.

The vaccination apparently not working this year. Experts claim only 10-30 percent effective.

Proof of the pudding Santa Barbara, California. Eight died in two weeks. Seven of them had received the flu shot. All 8, 65 or older.

In another U.S. area, a 40 year old mother who had received the vaccination died within 3 days of becoming sick.

A DACA update.

A California federal district court judge ordered the Trump administration last week to resume accepting renewal applications for DACA. Screws up Trump’s deportation process.

Attorney General Sessions says the ruling “defies both law and common sense.” He cannot understand how DACA can be “mandated” by a single federal judge sitting in San Francisco.

It’s the law, stupid. That’s how it works! Almost since the beginning of our country.

Sessions indicated he is going to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take a direct review of the judge’s ruling. Highly unusual!

The process involves as a first step an appeal to the Ninth Circuit. Assuming a continued adverse ruling by the Circuit Court, an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is then proper. If the Supreme Court accepts the case. They accept few.

Time involved, 1-2 years.

Screws up Trump’s plan to deport 800,000 who should not be deported. Would irritate Trump no end. He probably would then tweet that the Supreme Court needs to be examined, outdated, have too much power, many of the justices too old, etc.

On this day in 1961, Eisenhower delivered his Farewell Address. He warned of the “military-industrial complex.” We did not listen.

Enjoy your day!

THE DELAWARE LEARYS

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Valarie and Mark Leary have visited Key West over the years. Residents of Delaware. Valerie works as an EMT. She understands medicine. Mark is in air conditioning.

Valarie is a loyal blog reader. She wrote they would be down this week and asked if we could get together. We met yesterday at Martin’s Happy Hour.

Great people. Especially Valarie. Vivacious best describes her.

We spent two hours having a wonderful time. They return home today. I am sure we will get together on their visit next year.

Busy yesterday. So busy, I missed lunch. Breakfast was toast and coffee at 6. Then Meet The Press. At 11, I sat down to compose this week’s KONK Life column. Took me till 3 to complete, without a break.

The title of this week’s column is Things That Concern Me. I vented. Selected eight topics bothering me for one reason or another. There are more. However space limited the number I could cover.

I know without question many of my positions are controversial. I expect many comments.

Topics discussed: Trump, Flint water, immigrants, Zika, Key West tourists, citizen groups hurting the United States, military spending, and the destruction of the middle class.

Something for every one.

Following the Leary visit, I returned home. Spent the evening reading and watching TV.

The weather has turned. Finally. 76 yesterday. Supposed to be warm all week. Rained all night. Looks like more rain coming today. I do not care. As long as it remains warm. The sun will get its turn and come out.

Sometimes, I am behind the times. New things occur and I am not aware for several years. Pickleball the latest.

I never heard of pickleball till this past week. A sport that has taken hold in Key West. Especially popular among the elderly. Though all ages participating.

It is a form of badminton/tennis. A paddle and plastic ball used. The ball has holes.

The game has been around a while. There are 2.46 million players nationwide.

I have been considering retiring from bocci. I would spend thursday evenings working on one or two chapters of Growing Up Italian. A good substitute for bocce might be pickleball. The only problem is I am not sure I am physically up to it.

An interesting piece of legal history. On this day in 1790, the United States Supreme Court sat for the first time. Six Justices. A law had been passed the year before establishing that number. The Court now has nine justices. Subsequent legislation over the years increased the number.

The reason I make mention is that it took the Senate only two days to approve the six Justices. Never again!

Enjoy your day!

 

ERIKA BIDDLE

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Some say Schooner Wharf is the center of the universe. I describe the Chart Rome as the cross road of the world. Publix qualifies also.

A simple super market store provides people the opportunity of greeting old friends and making new ones. Yesterday provided that experience for me.

I was pushing my cart along trying to think of what I forgot. A slight and attractive woman approached me…..I know you, you are Louis Petrone.

She spoke of reading my KONK Life column and how much she enjoyed it. I asked her name. Erica Biddle, she replied. I exclaimed…..I know of you! I had heard her name many times over the years and have been a quiet admirer of her work. I was honored to meet her and told her so.

Erika takes up causes that others might not. Unpopular ones included. This tiny woman carries the pain of others on her shoulders.

I was pleased to meet Erika. I am confident we shall meet again.

Today is tuesday. Which means tonight my blog talk radio show airs. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me for a fast half hour of thought provoking commentary.

Topics tonight include Baltimore, apes being people, the $135,000 fine imposed on the Oregon couple who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same sex marriage, another example of police insanity in the Kinloch community five miles from Ferguson, U.S. military spending off the wall, and more.

It was the Chart Room last night. Victor bartending.

Only one other customer when I arrived. Tim from Atlanta. He is here for a convention. Tim is affiliated with a company that makes chicken packaging equipment. All those chickens need packaging!

An interesting guy. More interesting, his work.

Tim left to be replaced with Brian and Carrie. Special people. We spent much time together chatting about everything.

Brian and Carrie are vacationing in Key West from Columbus, Ohio. In my early law career, I made many trips to Columbus. Home of Nationwide, I did some work for them at the time.

I considered Columbus in the late 1960s into the 1970s cosmopolitan. A small New York. Based on what Brain and Carrie told me, it has grown and is even more so today.

Brian is a financial planner. Carrie is the business planner for the Oncology Department of a Columbus hospital.

Both are well traveled. Carrie spent three weeks in Greece at one time. That got me started. We talked about Greece quite a while. They are considering a trip to Santorini in September. Santorini is one of my favorite places. The view from my cave apartment was like seeing the face of God. Breathtaking.

This is a first time Key West visit for Brian and Carrie. They seemed to be enjoying Key West. Hopefully, they will return.

They are staying at the Fairfield on the Boulevard. I asked how they were getting around. They rented a car. However, they soon recognized parking is a problem.

Brian and Carrie have been ubering. I was not aware ubering had come to Key West. Turns out there are three ubering vehicles. Similar to a cab/limousine service. You call the company and tell them where you are. In minutes, a ubering vehicle picks you up.

My friends Rick Boettger and Cynthia Edwards have a Letter to the Editor in this morning’s Key West Citizen. Re trees and replacement trees. Excellent! Read the letter.

Key West has a Tree Commission. Key West has a commission for everything. Too many. I believe the Tree commission is one of them. The Commission has hard and fast rules. Arbitrary in most instances. If the Commision says your tree comes down, it comes down.

Baltimore and Freddie Gray. Say what you will, Gray ended up with a crushed voice box and severed spine. Police brutality has to come into play.

I do not know how we get a handle on the police killings which have become rampant across the country. I do know that violence begets violence. That is why riots are taking place in Baltimore.

Big day in the U.S. Supreme Court. It finally hears the same sex marriage issue. Whether such is Constitutional. I predict a 5-4 or 6-3 vote in favor of same sex marriage. It will be six positive votes if Chief Justice Roberts votes in the yes column. He generally leaves the conservative side of the bench in landmark cases and votes with the liberal faction.

Enjoy your day!