KEY WEST LOU / KEY WEST WORDS OF WISDOM

Words of wisdom found in today’s Citizens’ Voice. Words that shout truth: “For those who want to make Key West into Naples, go to Naples. The chickens and iguanas were here before you. Leave all of us, and the things that make Key West quirky and interesting alone.”

I drank with fellow Syracuse grads last night. At the Chart Room, of course.

Senior citizens all. Starting from the left in the photo, Bernard “Bunny” Hyman, Fred Klein, and Louis. I am the senior senior at 87. Bunny and Fred will be 80 and 81 respectively in March. Both were undergrads at Syracuse. Fraternity brothers for more than 60 years. Both attorneys. Bunny a tax lawyer and Fred a labor one.

Bunny began coming to Key West in the 1950’s. His Dad a fisherman. They used to stay 3 weeks at a time at the Casa Marina. Bunny and his wife now own a home in Key West. He spent 40 years as managing partner for his New York law firm. Gave up the job last year, though he still works a bit.

Fred finally retired. One of New York’s leading labor attorneys. He and his wife have owned a home in Key West for a few years.

 

 

I did not know the men while at Syracuse. They were a few years behind me. I was not an undergrad at Syracuse. Law school was my domain.

Fred and I became friends last year through Guy deBoer. Bunny I met for the first time last night. I sense we three will be seeing much of each other.

I had not been to the Chart Room since December. When I was a real drinker, Beefeater on the rocks was my choice. Two years ago, many Key West restaurants stopped serving Beefeater. I was told it depended who the liquor distributor was. The biggest one stopped carrying Beefeater. So I switched to Tanqueray.

John gone. A new bartender. I asked for a Tanqueray on the rocks. No Tanqueray. Asked for Beefeater just in case. No Beefeater. Only Hendrich’s and a brand I never heard of.

It’s obvious I’m getting old! Beefeater was my drink of choice for 40 plus years. Now cannot even get Tanqueray.

I drank Hendrich’s in case you’re curious. I never liked it nor did I enjoy it last night.

Which brings me to ice cubes. What I am about to share I am not sure applies to the Chart Room. I did not pay the bill so I do not know.

Major restaurants in Key West are charging for ice. I experienced the problem at two leading establishments recently. “Rocks” $3 at one and $4 at the other. On top of the price of the drink.

Wrong!

Tom Brady announced January 28 on Twitter he is retiring “for good.” I wish he had stayed retired last year. It would have saved him a less than spectacular year on the field and probably his marriage. Whatever, he still will be remembered as the greatest professional quarterback of all time. Deservedly so!

Paul Pelosi’s hammer wielding attacker proud of himself. Video of the attack was released friday. Showed Pelosi attacker David De Pape viciously striking Pelosi. After the video release, De Pape telephoned a San Francisco reporter saying…..He only regretted that the violence was not worse.

The released video and subsequent telephone call to the reporter is the chilling. A hint that the man feels confident his false accusations at the time and since support his belief that Trump’s agenda must be forced on America through violence.

Another Supreme Court ethics question/situation has arisen.

Jane Sullivan Roberts is the wife of Chief Justice John Roberts.

The New York Times published a detailed article 1/31 by Steve Elder: “At Supreme Court, Ethics Questions Over A Spouse’s Business Ties.”

The Chief Justice’s wife has been paid millions in her career recruiting lawyers to prominent law firms, some of which have business before the Supreme Court. The lawyers solicited were generally government lawyers being induced into private practice.

Her conduct has raised questions of a Justice’s impartiality or appearance thereof when the attorney or his firm appeared before the Court.

The Chief Justice wife’s fees significant. One in excess of $600,000.

The high court needs a code of ethics encompassing all its activities. It has none. The nation has always relied on the supposed fact that Supreme Court Justices could guide themselves ethically and required no formal code. If true in the past, we know based on recent developments that such is no longer the case.

February is Black History Month. The event was celebrated for the first time in 1926 when it was known as Negro History Week. Its name was expanded to Black History Month in the 1970’s.

I wonder how Governor DeSantis will handle the month.

Enjoy your day!

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