TIP STEALING AND SEX NIGHT AT THE CHART ROOM

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A doubleheader today. Two columns in one.

Keys Energy screwed things up yesterday. Made it impossible to get the blog out and had me sitting on South Roosevelt Boulevard forever waiting to make the turn north onto US 1.

Keys Energy was doing maintenance work from 8 to 2 yesterday in our neighborhood. No power, no wi-fi, no nothing. Keys Energy also was doing some big time electrical work at Cow Key Bridge. A huge crane rising out of the water.

I begin with tip stealing. An example how Trump is taking from those who earn less and giving to those who earn more.

The Trump Administration announced a proposed rule which in effect amounts to tip stealing. Affects waiters, waitresses and bartenders, as well as kitchen help.

Permits restaurant employers to illegally pocket tips earned by employees. If the employer pays minimum wage, the employer can legally pocket “pooled” tips. Tips that could be shared with other restaurant staff such as chefs and dishwashers.

Dollar amount involved estimated at $6.1 billion per year.

It is claimed many restaurant owners are already pocketing a portion of the tips illegally. The Trump proposal legalizes the illegal.

I mention tip stealing because it affects many Key West restaurant workers.

Spent the afternoon working on Growing Up Italian. My next book. Getting there. See light at the end of the tunnel.

Attended Mary Lou Hoover’s fundraiser at Kate Miano’s home. Many people. A success. Kate’s new home divine.

Mary Lou running for a Key West City Commission seat.

Jean attended the fundraiser with me. Then we enjoyed dinner together at La Trattoria.

Key West native Sebrina Maria Alfonso returns to Key West friday evening with the Southern Florida Symphony. The Symphony was born in Key West 20 years ago.

The theme of the performance involves Ernest Hemingway. The event at the Glynn Archer Performing Arts Center.

The contract was let for the construction of the Custom House this month in 1888. All that building for $107,955.96! Money bought a lot more in those days.

Speaker Ryan announced taxpayer funds will no longer be used to pay suits against Congressmen with regard to sexual harassment matters.

Talk is cheap. It took a law to permit the use of taxpayer dollars in such situations. It will take a law to abolish the law.

Lets get it done pronto!

This is wild! Reading, home and street lights from leaves. Kale, watercress, arugula, and spinach. Eventually would replace electrical energy.

The U.S. Department of Energy has been funding MIT research to make it work. Already producing lighting power dimly.

Sounds like it will come.

Our friends the iguanas. Not really friends. Nasty creatures. I wrote recently they are overpopulated in Florida. They eat our flowers and shit in our pools. The State has initiated a program to eradicate or control them. Will end up like the pythons. Control. Eradication impossible. Too many already here.

This morning’s Comment Column on page 2 of the Key West Citizen advised that iguanas are available online from Puerto Rico. Fifteen dollars to $49.99 a pound. Referred to as Chicken of the Trees.

Iguanas are minimally eaten in south Florida. Purportedly taste like chicken Eaten big time in Central and South America.

Today’s blog begins here.

Sex in the Chart Room. Not real sex. Merely conversation.

Three couples. All tourists.

One mentioned that they had been at Teaser’s strip club till 2 am. Hung over. Especially the husband. Husband and wife both enjoyed.

One of the other couples immediately decided they were going to Teaser’s when they left the Chart Room.

The third asked if there we any nude restaurants or bars in Key West. Oh, the reputation we have!

They were advised not. They were told about the Garden of Eden. The rooftop clothing optional bar on top of the Bull & Whistle. Completely open to the elements.

Cold last night. Mid 60s. Not the time to take your clothes off on the Bull & Whistle’s rooftop.

Could not disillusion the third couple. They decided to go anyway. If they ultimately did, even with clothes on they would have frozen their asses off.

Met Art and Sherry at the bar. Not interested in strip clubs or the Garden of Eden.

They have lived in Key West two years on a boat. Sits outside Turtle Krawl. Art mid forties. Formerly a CPA. Decided to give it up and live the good life in Key West. He drives a trolley by day. Thrilled with his new life.

Art not the first to have done it.

My yesterday included a haircut with Lori and Publix to stock up on more diet foods. Such is my life in Key West.

Duval has Christmas wreaths hanging from light poles from one end to the other. You feel the season as you walk Duval.

Omarosa Mangault Newman in the news. A White House Assistant to the President. African-American. The only White House black staff member. She had easy access to the President.

She was fired yesterday. By John Kelly. Her credentials taken. Reported she was accompanied off White House grounds.

Wonder what she will have to say about Trump.

The book, the book, the book! Irma and Me. Sales continue. I am excited. You might consider acquiring a copy yourself. Easy fun reading. Makes an excellent reasonably priced Christmas gift, also.

Today, friday. I have no plans for tonight. Regardless, I know it will turn out to be a fun time. Can’t miss in Key West!

Enjoy your day!

 

SEVEN FISHES

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Good morning!

Another lovely morning in the Florida keys!

I stepped outside to enjoy a cup of tea. The tide is out. Dramatically so. One of the lowest water levels I have seen in the 19 years I have enjoyed this home.

An interesting sight. Huge rocks rarely observed are visible. The water level significantly below mangrove roots. The water still.

Today, I share the seven fishes usually enjoyed Christmas Eve by my people. Persons whose family immigrated from southern Italy.

Before I do, I want to respond to some comments to this blog over the past few weeks.

I write the blog for me. It gives me pleasure to express myself on a multitude of issues. I do not write to please my readers. At this stage of my life, I feel honored some enjoy reading what is written.

My life is more than this daily blog. I do a weekly radio show. Up to this past summer, wrote a lengthy weekly column for a local newspaper. I am still working on a new type internet show that will be in addition to the podcast I do tuesday evenings.

I could not work the show out to please my needs. I wanted to use Key West Lou on You Tube and have a separate comment column. The Key West Lou thing screwed it up.

I have decided to utilize Facebook. A comment suggestion led me there. When I get to it, I will get to it. I am retired. I do this for pleasure. No reason for me to hurry.

I generally do not respond to comments. I did at the beginning 10 years ago. It ate up my afternoons.

I am thrilled to read your comments. It stops there however. I do not seek the back and forth responding would require.

Then there are those crude disparaging comments that do not warrant responding. Why would I waste my time! The commentor’s language speaks for itself.

I do the tuesday night podcast. I continue to write three books simultaneously. Wonder if I ever will finish another.

As to topics discussed, I get to what I want to get to in good time. If I want to. A few weeks back I was criticized for not responding to an inquiry as to what the seven fishes were. A good topic. In my good time, however.

Timing is important. The primary purpose of the blog is to describe my life in Key West. Which means I have had to do something the day before in order to have something to write about the next day.

Tuesdays are generally spent home. All day. I am fine tuning my podcast show to be presented in the evening. Which leaves me with nothing to write wednesday mornings about my Key West life the day before.

I save a seven fish story for those times. Like a wednesday. That is why seven fishes will be shared today.

I enjoy the political banter. Those in the comments section. I enjoy the play between the commentors.

My political exchanges take place at the Chart Room. Where few agree with me. So what’s new?

The Chart Room gives me Libertarian Victor. A smart guy. All smart. John the bartender, David, Che, and tourists. Marty from days gone by. I miss Marty. We were diametrically opposed politically.

Even my discourses with Liz. A year older than me. Her history includes Deanships at two law schools. A smart lady. A black hearted Republican! Even liked Trump. Disliked Hillary who she knew personally.

My point, I get my political exercise via the Chart Room and Liz.

Having expressed myself thusly, my blog for this morning will be held over till tomorrow. Except for the seven fishes.

My people came from southern Italy. My mother was born in Italy. Southern Italians brought with them the seven fishes. To be eaten Christmas Eve evening.

I am sure seven fishes has listings in excess of the seven I will be sharing with you. I only share those fishes we ate. Especially in my home.

Shrimp cocktail. With cocktails before dinner.

Fried shrimp. Delicious! Shrimp in an egg-flour batter fried in oil. We would congregate in the kitchen eating some before dinner. So good, we could not wait.

Stuffed calamari. Actually, stuffed squid. A part of the squid is like  a condom. Cleaned well during the day. Stuffed with bread crumbs, egg and parsley. Sewed closed. Cooked in the pasta sauce. Served over a large bowl of linguine. A meal for the gods. Tasted even better the next day cold.

Baccala. Actually, cod. Prepared many different ways. Cod is hard and salty. Supposedly to make people recall days when things were tough. We did not eat it hard and salty.

Baccala took three weeks to prepare. Softened in a bowl of oil for three weeks. All kinds of herbs in with the cod. By the time Christmas Eve came around, the baccala was soft and tasty.

Broiled Maine lobsters. Covered in hot butter.

Baked clams.

The final fish a piece de resistance! Smelts! I was crazy for smelts. Another dish we cheated eating as the smelts came out of the pan in the kitchen. Why wait!

Smelts are tiny tiny black fish. As long as your little finger. A third the size width wise.

Fried in oil. Came out crispy. Very crispy. Eaten bones and all, including the head.

Two more topics before I conclude.

My blog talk radio show last night. Hit hard on the theft of Social Security by our government, China moving into robots big time, and an example of Mexican immigration leading to rape.

Tonight at 7, Syracuse/Miami. Miami a one point favorite. I have no comment.

Enjoy your day!