LONDON CREDIT CARD PURCHASE…..NOT ME

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Received a call from my bank yesterday. Did you make a credit card purchase last night in London? Such and such a place for x number of dollars?

Not me. I have not been to London in six years.

Someone uses my credit card and now I am inconvenienced. My card is cancelled. I have to wait seven days for a new card. The bank will permit me to withdraw cash. But cannot give me a new card with a new number for a week. Does not make sense to me. Lisa’s credit card number was hacked a month ago. Her bank gave her an immediate temporary card good till the new one came in. I must be doing business with the wrong bank.

Talk of hurricanes has begun.

There is a tropical storm out there. If it reaches hurricane speed as anticipated, it will be named Issac. TV started reporting yesterday that Issac could hit Tampa just before the Republican Convention next week.

I checked Issac out on the National Hurricane Center site. No one yet knows where the storm/ hurricane will hit land in florida, if at all. The present projected lines take it over the keys and south Florida. However, all projections mean little at this point. It will take five days more before somewhat valid projections can be made.

I suspect the news media embellishes a bit. Issac hitting Tampa and the Republican Convention is newsworthy. Reality is not.

Key West natives will start talking a bit. Will it hit? The same conversation for each hurricane. No one panics in spite of the projections. We are getting porky the last couple of years. No Key West hurricanes the past six years. Ergo, all foul weather news is received with a cavalier attitude.

I was involved with a fender bender last week. The construction on the Boulevard being the actual cause. Had to take my car to to a body shop. Every one told me to go to Cooper’s on Stock Island. I did yesterday morning. An impressive operation. Large and efficient. Staff whether office or garage smiling and gracious.

I have a rental. A Chrysler convertible. Nice!

The grandkids came over to swim after “school.” School was to have commenced yesterday . They attend Montessori. Two weeks ago it was discovered some walls and windows were defective and could fall. The building could no longer be used. A new facility was found directly across the street. It needed outfitting for class rooms. School has been delayed a week. Actual school. Instead, the kids are being taken to Botanical Gardens to spend their days. I asked Robert if he really went to school or played. He smiled…..played.

Went to the movies last night. Had a light dinner at home so I could enjoy a bag of popcorn.

The movie was Hope Springs with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones. A must to be seen by all couples married more than 25 years. Tommy Lee Jones played a different part for him. An Academy Award nomination performance.

Phyllis Diller died yesterday. Ninety five. A comedian from the 1950s through 1970s. Eccentric hair and an unusual laugh. Referred to her make believe husband as Fang.

Diller became a hit while doing 23 shows with Bob Hope. Shows that were performed in war zones. This activity was followed with numerous appearances on The Jack Paar show. She became big time! Every one in America knew her.

May she rest in peace.

Missouri’s Todd Akin…..What can I say? What can any one say? What is important is that every one understand there are many people who believe as he does. The religious right has twisted and demonized some truths regarding abortion. The result is the lie becomes the fact. And a prominent citizen and Congressman  believes it and mouths it.

That’s it for today.

Have a good day!

AUTUMN IN NEW YORK

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There is a song that begins…..Autumn in New York.

I am originally from upstate New york. Way up. A 4.5 hour drive from New York City.

Autumn comes early. I always considered August 15 the start of Fall. Every year it was the same. All of a sudden in mid August, a morning chill in the air. A few leaves started falling. The pool was used less frequently.

I closed my pool the day after Labor Day Weekend. Every year. The weather had started turning. No one ever used the pool after Labor Day.  The leaves were more plentiful.  The leaves clogged the pool.

The proof of the pudding is the morning temperature. It is 51 in upstate New York this morning. The temperature will rise during the day. Into the 70s. The evenings will be cool and comfortable.

Merely for comparative purposes, the temperature in Key West this morning is 81. The high is projected to reach 89.

I walked yesterday morning. In Home Depot because of the heat. Afterwards, I headed over to Harpoon Harry’s for breakfast. Always a crowd. Enjoyed ham and eggs. Followed breakfast with a fast walk along the waterfront. The walk took me past Schooner Wharf. If not already done, some one should paint a picture of early morning there. A few breakfast eaters, a few early morning drinkers. The view from the dock into the heart of Schooner Wharf is always interesting.

Spent the afternoon reading, watching TV and snoozing a bit.

Last night was dinner with Lisa and the family. They were gone so long, we all missed each other big time. Ergo, dinner together two nights in a row.We did Sunday night at the Yacht Club. A buffet. Prime rib and turkey. Every one enjoyed.

Cameron is a senior in high school. Next year is college for him. Corey and Cameron visited three colleges this past week. All in Florida. Cameron has already been to New York University. An exciting time for Cameron. Everything is in front of him.

Before walking in the morning, Sloan and I worked. Primarily on the You Tube show being developed. We are getting there. We are at the stage of deciding where to present the show from. My Key West home of course. Wanted to do it outside with the ocean or MTV house as a backdrop. It did not work. The sun was too bright. The plan now is to do it either from the dining room or living room. If the dining room, there will be a Jack Baron painting behind me. If the living room, two paintings to be seen in the background.

I may very well do the show from both locations. Move it around.

Enjoy your day!

 

FAMILY COOK OUT

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Good morning and happy Sunday!

The streets of Key West are an abomination. Road work every where. Big time construction.

There are three separate roads jobs going on at one time. Each different. Each being done by different contractors. Great planning was obvioiusly involved. I think.

Detours all over. Changes made to timing of street lights. Every where one turns, there is traffic. Long lines of traffic.

The major job involves North Roosevelt Boulevard. A two year effort by the State. The Boulevard is a main road for ingress and egress to and from Key West.

Key West is a small island. 1.5 x 4.0 miles. Perhaps there is no better way to reroute and do the construction. I do not know. What I do know is there  is nothing any of us can do about it. Grin and bear. In due course, we will become accustomed to it and the aggravation will be no more.

Visited with Lisa and family yesterday. First time I had seen them in about ten days. They returned from vacation Friday evening.

Always good to see them. Lisa was her lovely self. A bit more tanned than usual. Corey in good spirits.

Robert and Ally were excited to see me as I was to see them. They seem to have grown big time in a short time. Poor ally. Her baby front teeth seem to have all fallen out at the same time. She has a wide gap while waiting for the premanrnt ones to come in. The space detracts not from her beauty and smile.

The cupboard was really bare. Had to do some grocery shopping. Plus buy some food for a planned cook out later in the day. I still use the old Publix. I know where everything is. It takes less time to shop now that there are two Publix stores in town.

Lisa, Corey, Robert and Ally came over to swim. Robert and Ally have improved so much. Even their diving. Lisa is planning an advanced swim class for them.

We grilled outside. I have this huge grill which is atached to and a part of the house. I rarely use it. Last night we did. It was fun cooking on it.

What happened to Louis and You Tube? It is coming. Everything seems to take longer than planned. Soon I will be up and running on a daily basis.

Sloan is due later in the morning. You Tube is one of the things we will be working on.

Donna and Terri, where are you? Like a Matt Lauer trip.

The two made it to New York. Exhausted. A hard trip for two seniors to make. One driving the truck/van and the other the car. They finally gave in. Conceded the battle. They have hired a moving company to move them from New York City to Los Angeles.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AYN RAND A NUT CASE

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What a lovely Saturday!

The MTV house across the way has been repainted a bright yellow. The sun is reflecting off it. Magnificent!

I like Saturdays. It is the start of a two day vacation. Happens every five days.

Loved yesterday’s internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. From the reaction, I have to believe many others enjoyed it also.

The topic garnering the most interest this week was the one having to do with Social Security. I reported the recent purchasing procedure by Social Security to obtain 174,000 rounds of hollow point bullets. To be delivered within 60 days to 41 locations. The locations being Social Security offices in various parts of the United States.

Several reasons have been mentioned as to why Social Security is arming itself. With heavy duty ammunition at that. The consensus seems to be in preparation for civil unrest. Following an anticipated economic collapse.

Forty per cent of those receiving Social Security live off  of it. They are totally dependent on their Social Security checks to survive. If the government cannot issue any checks because it is broke or going broke, it is feared there will be a run on Social Security offices through out the country. Demonstrations and protests will occur.

Social Security workers are being armed to protect against such activity.

Americans shooting Americans. I cannot believe it! If such is true, it is a sorry place we are at.

The news became public this past Wednesday. Some print media have picked up and are commenting on it. Television news is saying nothing.

After the show, I hustled over to Lee Nails. Manicure time. A whole half hour to chat with Tammy. I had to wait a few minutes. Her son Kevin is five years old. Mom was babysitting him while she worked. Kevin and I had a conversation. We ended it by high fiving each other.

Then a quick run  to the airport. I had to get some information face to face. Sometimes it is impossible to get a straight answer via computer or telephone.

Lisa and family have been away a week. Vacation time. They were returning last night. Lisa called me. Buy some groceries. She gave me a list over the phone. I filled her order at Publix and left the goodies in her refrigerator.

By this time it was mid afternoon and I was tired. I went to the Plantation Coffee House for a cup of coffee. Sat quietly and read the newspapers.

Owner Diane was working. A lovely person. Met her sister who also lives in Key West.

A quiet dinner last night. Me and the bar stool at Hogfish. Actually, I did chat a bit with some of the local fishermen. Always interesting conversation. These are for real fisherman. Have been doing it for years. Look like men of the sea.

Paul Ryan tells us the influence Ayn Rand had upon him. I wish to comment on Ayn Rand and her influence on Louis .

In the early 1960s, I was a young attorney. I had just opened my own office. Somehow I came across a book called The Fountainhead. Ayn Rand had written it. Her work blew me out! I needed to read more by her. The more was Atlas Shrugged. From my perspective, The Fountainhead raised the questions and Atlas Shrugged answered them.

Just as Ryan, I told my employees and everyone to read her books.

The bottom line of Ayn Rand’s works was a type of laissez-faire capitalism.The rights of the individual were supreme. She called loud and clear for the protection of those rights.

I loved her! I loved her thoughts! Stand up against the world and let no person detract you from what you consider correct.

I was browsing through a New York paper one day. I noticed an ad by Ayn Rand. She was giving weekly lectures in New York City and also publishing a monthly newsletter. It was impossible for me to attend the lectures because of distance. I could read the newspaper, however. I subscribed immediately.

The first newspaper arrived. A small 4 or 8 page publication. I buzzed my secretary and told her to hold my calls. I could not wait to get into Ayn Rand’s newspaper.

I read it. The whole thing.

It was immediately obvious to me. The woman was a nut. Ayn Rand was crazy. I did not get this when reading her novels. But the newspaper provided a different and more personal vehicle for her thoughts. She was undoubtedly certifiable!

I immediately cancelled my subscription. Never more did I recommend her books to others to read.

Now comes Paul Ryan. Republican Vice-Presidential candidate. He claims Ayn Rand is the one person who has had the most influence on his life. He lives by her teachings.

I guess Ryan never read the newsletters.

If Ayn Rand is his guru, his god outside of chuch, we are all in for trouble if he is elected.

Enjoy your Saturday!

A LAZY YESTERDAY

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Before getting into lazy, lets talk about this morning.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour airs at 10 this morning. My time. On the internet. One of the key topics involves Social Security purchasing 174,000 rounds of bullets. Hollow point bullets. Specifically……357 Sig 125 grain bonded jacketed hollow point pistol ammunition.

Join me. The show is interesting and challenging. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Yesterday was one lazy day!

Did the blog early morning. Sometime before 8. Then worked all day non stop till 4 in the afternoon  on today’s internet show. I got lost in the material. So much. So interesting. So revealing.

I finally got out last night. Outback. Dinner at the bar. Prime rib and baked potato.

I had planned on stopping at Don’s Place afterwards to chat with Kurt who was scheduled to bartend. My stomach was full and I was uncomfortable. I went straight home.

I am heading for trouble. Eating bad and no exercise. Must get on a healthy kick again. Getting started is the hard part.

Watch my internet show this morning. Social Security purchasing all that deadly ammunition should tickle your curiosity as to the reason behind the purchase.

Enjoy your day!

 

MOSQUITOS

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The major item of importance in my life yesterday was a stress test. Part of ongoing tests because I had a chest pain last week. Tests completed. Next wednesday my cardiologists gives me the results.

The testing took over 2.5 hours.

I did not do the tread mill stress test. Mine was strictly nuclear. I sat in a huge easy chair. Some nuclear chemical was shot into my arm. The result was immediate. I started breathing heavy. Gasping a bit. These results were expected and I had been forewarned to expect them.

It was all over in 30 seconds. The picture taking before and after is what took up most of the time.

The gulping for breath was similar to that experienced on my ill fated attempt to climb to the top of the Santourini volcano.

My cardiologist gave me the option of the tread mill or shot. He said both were equally good from his perspective for what he needed. I have become lazy in my old age. Always hated the tread mill. It was hard! Especially at the end. So I opted for the shot of nuclear whatever.

I published another article on Amazon Kindle yesterday. The Forefather of Three Presidents and Two Actors. The John Holland of Mayflower fame tale. He gave us Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the two Bushes. Plus Humphrey Bogart and Alec Baldwin. Were in not for Holland, we never would have had Social Security or the Iraqi War. Who knows how Casablanca would have turned out. 30 Rock might never have won any Emmys.

As I was getting ready for my night in Key West, the telephone rang. It was Jean Thornton. She has been back 2-3 weeks and we had yet to get together. Jean suggested we meet at the Chart Room for a drink.

It was Jean. And Sean, Sheila and Emily at the Chart Room. Good people all! A pleasant time.

I invited Jean to dinner. She had to pass. Had a dinner engagement already scheduled for later in the evening.

Emily bartends three nights  a week at the Chart Room. The more I see of her, the more I like her. She is intelligent and engaging. Beautiful as well.

I was not that hungry. Wanted to go to some place close and easy to the Chart Room. I decided on Sloppy Joe’s and an order of sloppy fries. It was fun.

I walked a couple of blocks down Duval after “dining” at Sloppy Joe’s. A good crowd of people. Not great. Enough for the merchants to make a buck, however.

Tomorrow is the day! My internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. World wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Join me. Share some interesting time with me.

Some topics to be discussed include the Dallas mosquito problem/West Nile Virus which is killing people, why U.S. companies prefer manufacturing in China (it is not the cheap labor), Social Security’s recent ordering of 174,000 rounds of hollow point bullets, Germany beginning to hurt economically because many of their container vessels sit idle, a high ranking Catholic priest sentenced to 3-6 years for being part of the cover up, Presidential campaign setting a poor example for our children, nude maid service in Lubbock, Texas not tolerated, and more.

Again, please join me if you can. I love doing the show and I assure you that although you may not love it per se, you will enjoy watching it.

Enjoy your day!

 

JAPAN SURRENDERS ENDING WORLD WAR II

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A simple day yesterday. Some doctoring and writing. A lot of TV watching…..the Presidential race is heating up.

Had my echo cardiogram test at the hospital. Kelley the technician. We chatted through out the procedure.

I will know no results till next week when I meet with the cardiologist.

This morning a stress test.

Arnold Horshach died. The name sounds like it came out of a Smuckers ad.

Horshach was the TV character name of Ron Palillo. The TV show was Welcome Back Kotter. A hit in the mid 1970s. Horshach was a nerd. Talked funny.

The star of Kotter was a young John Travolta. It was Travolta’s introduction to stardom.

Travolta played a cocky italian-American. Black leather jacket, black pants. The collar always up on the leather jacket. Travolta was the leader of the gang. The gang included Horshach/Palillo.

Today is a most important day in history. It marks the end of World War II. The day is also known as VJ Day. The day Japan surrendered.

Everyone went crazy that day. I was a young 10 year old. I recall that as soon as the news broke over the radio, people poured out onto their porches and the streets. Yelling and screaming. Crying. Waving the flag. Hugging asnd kissing.

My eyes fill with tears as I recollect the moment.

It was the second war to end all wars. World War I was the first. What a joke!

I have to get ready for my early morning stress test.

Enjoy your day!

VERY ENJOYABLE WINE GALLEY

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It is after nine this morning. I am off to a late start.

I was out last night. Cannot blame my tardiness this morning on the evening. Politics is to blame. The Presidential race. I am a political junkie. Morning Joe this morning was terrific. I was glued to the TV set.

My day yesterday was quiet. Ran a few errands. Researched a bit. Snuck in a nap in the afternoon.

Last night started with Office Max. I needed only a $10 item. I mention the visit because the young person working did not want to waste time on a guy making a $10 purchase. I had questions I could not get answered. The young man will never be a success. $10 today could be a $1,000 buy tomorrow.

I learned early in my law practice that big trees from little acorns grow.

The weather is amazing at the moment. Sun shining. Few clouds in the sky. Started pouring. Just like that. Big drops. The sun continues to shine brightly through the rain.

After my big buy at Office Max, I went to the Chart Room. Lovely Mary bartending.

Met John and Lourdes.

John is an attorney. Does not practice. He is an officer with Fidelity National Finance. Lourdes is associated with the company also. They are in Key West on business.

Lourdes has been to Key West before. For John, it was his first trip.

John is from Orlando. Lourdes from Miami. Lourdes is originally from Cuba. She was there two weeks ago visiting family.

Our conversation got around to the pending U.S. Presidential election. We talked about government helping those less fortunate. I brought up begging in Greece and the homeless here. Lourdes shared an interesting piece of information. The government helps no one in Cuba. If you are broke, sick, or what have you, the family and friends take care of each other. There is no welfare, unemployment insurance, etc.

Interesting. I suspect that is the way it was 100 plus years ago in the United States. The Republicans would like to take us back to that time. I do not believe it possible. We are who we are because of the safety net government provides.

It was time to eat. Decided on the Wine Galley and Larry Smith. An evening with Larry is a delightful experience.

I met a wonderful couple at the Wine Galley. John and Kathy Sudia from New Jersey.

They were sitting at the table next to me. John leaned over and showed me a pic on his cell phone. Two people. One of them was me. He asked…..Are you Key West Lou?

Turns out John has been reading this blog for a year. He downloaded my recent 40 odd day European trip and Kathy is reading it as a novel.

John and Kathy were married two years ago on the beach at the Pier House.Tthey are back on an anniversary trip.

I enjoyed both of them. They will be here for a few days more. I hope we meet and spend some time together.

Last night was Jazz Night. Larry and a few players get together Monday nights . Larry sings in addition to playing. Alex was on the horn. Debra singing.

Peter Diamond stopped in. Peter is a professional singer as well. He entertained us with a song.

I have known Peter for all of the 25 years I have been coming to Key West.

Larry also for that length of time. Larry and I play golf and bocce together. You have not lived till you have participated in a sport with Larry Smith. It is a Key West experience!

Martha Robinson was visiting the Wine Galley also. I have not seen Martha in all of a year. She looked terrific as usual. Martha is one of Key West’s premier realtors.

Two years ago I spoke on my radio/internet show about the python invasion in the Everglades and northern keys. My fear was that since they had moved into the Key Largo area, it was only a question of time before they would invade the lower keys. Fortunately, the invasion has not yet taken place.

This morning’s news carried a lead article on pythons. Especially one. A Burmese python caught recently in the Everglades. The largest ever captured. Seventeen feet seven inches long. Weighed 164 pounds. The python was pregnant, carrying 87 eggs.

The article stated there are tens of thousands of pythons in the Everglades. The exact number unknown. But so many that they never  will be totally eradicated.

From whence did all these pythons originate?

One source were owners. They purchased them small in pet shops. When the python got to big to handle, they dumped the python in the Everglades. Another source were those that escaped from pet shops. Apparently a sufficient number did so.

The worst culprit was Hurricane Andrew back in 1992. The worst hurricane to hit southern Florida in recent years. It leveled Homestead.

Andrew ripped homes and commercial buildings apart. The pythons were freed. Some flew through the air. Others slithered. They found a new home in the Everglades.

I am into the heart tests game again. All because of one big pain I had last week. I have an echo cardiogram scheduled at the hospital this afternoon. A stress test tomorrow.

I am not a happy camper about any of this.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPENINGS…..

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A windless Monday morning. Bright sky. Few clouds. Mirror looking water.

I could not wait for Meet the Press to come on yesterday morning. I anticipated the show  would be devoted to Paul Ryan. It was.

Ryan is starting with a  bang. To be expected. He is the new kid on the block. The new flavor of ice cream.

It is a long way to election day. Let us see how he holds up.

Sloan spent a couple of hours with me. There are people who understand computers, printers, cell phones, and the like. Everything simple to them. Sloan is one of those people. I on the other hand am an illiterate when it comes to machinery. I need a Sloan.

Sport TV watching was top shelf yesterday morning and into the early evening.

The finals of Olympic basketball. Great basketball! Le Bran James looked terrific in the last two minutes in leading the USA to victory.

I was flipping channels throughout the game. The PGA was on another channel.

Rory McIlroy was the best of the best in winning. Tiger Woods still could not make it. Goes into the final day tied for the lead and ends up either seventh or eleventh. I doubt Woods will ever return to his former playing ability. He lost whatever is required to be a constant winner when the wife episode occurred. He has paid a heavy price for his meanderings in many ways.

I published another article on Amazon Kindle yesterday. The title: Cockfighting. A sport of the ancients, some Presidents, and some  back mangrove florida keys residents.

Stopped into the Chart Room last night. Quiet. One drink and I was gone.

Dinner at the Hot Tin Roof. The restaurant was basically empty when I arrived. Joseph greeted me. I was told Saturday night was big. Just like in season.

Before I finished dinner, the place was packed. Small and big parties alike. Sunday turned out to be a good business evening also.

When I got in the car to return home, there was a terrible stink. Like a dead animal. It went away after a few blocks of driving. It returned when I turned the car off in the garage. A terrible smell!

I looked under the car. Nothing. Looked under the hood. Nothing. Looked in the trunk. Something. A sick package of cheese. Oh, the smell! It must have fallen out of one of the grocery bags when I shopped a couple of weeks ago and fermented in the hot trunk since then.

I threw it in the garbage bin in the garage. No good. Still stunk. In fact, the whole garage was bad. I finally took the garbage bag out to the street. Garbage pick up was this morning. I feel sorry for the garbage man. The pick up was riper than usual.

The morning news reports that Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi has fired or caused to resign some top generals. Apparently the younger officers are supporting the President.

The move is unquestionably a coup. The military have been the actual rulers for sixty years. Even under Mubarack.

Is Mursi’s move good for Egypt and the rest of the world? Definitely not.

Mursi is an Islamist. A memeber of the Muslim Brotherhood. A supporter of the radical Muslim clergy.

Not nice people.

Recall that during the uprising several months ago, women  were in the forefront. Not today. They are not any significant part of the new government. Women are women under Muslim rule. They sit in the back seat of the bus. The new government they helped into power has turned its back on them.

The United States supported the overthrow of Mubarack. Our friend of 40 years. An Arab supporter of Israel. A mistake. In the future, we should not be so quick to support revolution in the name of democracy when a true friend is under siege. The United States turned its back on Mubarack as the new Islamic radical government has turned its back on women.

The new rulers of Egypt are bad people. I do not believe the generals will go quietly into the night. Time will tell.

Enjoy your day!

 

Fun in Key West!

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Billy and Cindy shared pictures! Thanks guys!