LARRY SMITH TONIGHT AT LA TE DA

Big night ahead! Larry Smith opens at La Te Da at 9. Everyone will be there. A new gig and a new opening for Larry.

See you there!

My day started yesterday at 5 am. As I explained in yesterday’s blog, I was like four days late in getting my KONK Life column to Guy. Rose early and got it done! A lesson learned. Get it out on time next time.

The column is interesting. It concerns banks and a new game they are playing…..de-risking. I describe it as whorish conduct.

I spent part of the afternoon at Don’s Place watching pro football. Larry was there. We chatted a bit. He asked why I was not at Unity Church in morning. He played. Next week perhaps, I told him.

Aaron stopped by. The Jewish holidays are over. For some reason I cannot fathom, Sy Turret has been on my mind this past week. Of the Jewish faith. He transplanted from New York City to Utica. Sy was a court stenographer. We were close friends for many years. A better person could not be found. Sy has been dead at least 10 years now.

Marty Leshaw is a transplanted New Yorker to South Florida. A court reporter, also. He and Sy were cut from the same bolt of cloth. Typical New Yorkers. Loud, boisterous and friendly. I believe Marty and I became good friends because he reminded me of Sy so much.

I become more impressed with Don as time goes on. He has become a Key West icon. The world can be found at Don’s Place. Many stop in to meet him. He has become Joe of Sloppy Joe’s and Captain Tony. It is his time.

The five days of steroids got rid of my back/leg pain. However, it created another problem.

I have heart problems. Occasionally my ankles swell. Not healthy. Five years ago, Dr. McIvor got the problem under control. I no longer needed water pills. I was proud of my thin ankles. The steroids accumulate sodium in the body. My ankles are big again! It has been a week since I stopped taking the steroids. I am back on water pills. The ankles have yet to budge. Could be a real problem. The last time I had swelling, it took a whole year to correct.

The water pill encourages bathroom activity. I woke in th middle of the night. My bladder needed emptying. I have lived in my Key West home for 16 years. I walk from my bed to the master bathroom at night in the dark. No problem. Till last night. I walked into the door jam instead. Head first!

The King and Queen race will soon come to an end. Please remember to do your thing for my friend ML.

Fantasy Fest itself is around the corner. Eleven days to Goombay.

Enjoy your day!

NICE PEOPLE

I believe most people are nice. I had an experience yesterday that exemplifies the statement.

I went out my front door. There on the porch/stoop was a lovely vase with spectacular type sunflowers. Not flowers common to the Keys.

There had been a wedding next door Sunday. My neighbor rents out his property by the week. It is not legal. The wedding impacted on me. Only part of it bothered me. The rest I took in stride.

When I returned home at dinner time Saturday, there were at least a dozen big garbage cans and about 20 boxes full of garbage, empty booze bottles and the like. In front of my wall on my property! The house looked like a garbage dump.

They had a wedding scheduled the next day and did not want the garbage to show. I had an open house the next day and did not want garbage showing either. Even without the open house, I would have not wanted the garbage.

There were already many people next door. Coming in and out. I asked several about the garbage. No one knew anything. I felt I was getting jerked around. I was getting irritated. Finally I said, screw it and called the sheriff’s department. Within  minutes, two deputies arrived. I explained the situation. They went next door. The deputies returned. They said the people apologized and were already taking care of the garbage. It got buried somewhere out of sight on their property.

Yesterday was the wedding. Cars all over the place. A two way road was one way. A big catering van was parked in the street in front of my home. Then the music and screaming and yelling till the wee hours of the morning.

Such did not bother me. It was a joyous occasion for them and would be over in a matter of hours. I could catch up on my sleep on Sunday.

The next door house was empty yesterday. All were gone.

A handwritten note was tucked into the flowers. “Thank you for allowing us to enjoy our wedding day. Good luck in selling your home! The Normans.”

Nice people.

I felt guilty I called the cops!

Ran some errands and visited Tammy for a manicure in the morning. Spent the afternoon working on the Greece book and fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show.

The show was pretty much limited to some Catholic/Christian issues and the County’s new anti-smoking law imposed on county employees. Both topics hit a nerve based on post show comments.

Previous to yesterday, Attorney General Holder had been responsible for two statements regarding banks that I absolutely did not agree with…..Banks are too big to fail…..Banks are too big to prosecute.

Yesterday Holder came out with a third statement…..No individual or entity is too big to go to jail.

We shall see. The people of the United States have waited too long for justice for the 2008 mortgage fiasco. The banks came out whole and in better shape. The people have yet to recover.

Enjoy your day!

BANKS SUBSIDIZED

 

Every now and then, I come across something that rubs me the wrong way. It happened last night.

I discovered a recent Huffington Post article regarding banks being subsidized with tax dollars. My initial impression was so what! Banks received stimulus monies. The article had to be about that.

It was not.

Turns out U.S. banks are being subsidized by the government. Free handouts. The money comes from tax dollars. Where else? It amounts to 3 per cent of every tax dollar.

The claim is the money is required for research. What research, I could not determine.

The 3 per cent amounts to $87 billion a year. It averages out to $722 per family.

Even the big banks are so subsidized. The five wealthiest banks in the U.S. are J. P. Morgan, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs. It was reported that these five banks receive three quarters of the $87 billion.

Blew me out! It gets worse, however. The article indicated that without the taxpayer subsidy, the banks would not show a profit.

Running at a loss, need a taxpayer subsidy to be profitable, and still pay exorbitant bonus’s to high level management.

I cannot understand.

A busy day ahead. A haircut and manicure this morning. Probably lunch at Blossoms. Tonight, bocce.

Tomorrow morning, my TV/internet show airs. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. In addition to the bank subsidy issue, I will share some large wasteful government spendings, that Lancaster, Pa. was once the capital of the U.S., the recent U.S. arms treaty, Egypt’s Muslim brotherhood, Obamacare, a medical first, Pope Francis, and more.

Join me. Ten in the morning my time. The show airs via television from Key West up through Boca Raton on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. It is available world wide via the internet. www.weyw19.c0m.

Enjoy your day!

 

MOORE, OKLAHOMA

 

Moore, Oklahoma.

Hard to believe!

All the devastation and loss of life. TV this morning vividly portrays the destruction. Reminded me of Hurricane Andrew. I drove through Homestead soon after. Houses and buildings down as far as the eye could see. As if the city had been bombed.

The number 20 again! Twenty young school children died when their school was blown apart. Shades of Newtown.

Why? Is it global warming? Is it a warning from up on high? Simply nature at work for no reason? I do not know. I have no opinion. A tornado of this magnitude is beyond my ability to comprehend.

A thought occurs. A political one. I wonder if Congress is going to screw around and delay with federal aid as it did with New Jersey.

Tonight my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. A fast moving half hour. I share my thoughts on whatever turns me on at the moment.

Tonight, I will definitely comment on the tornado, the new Vermont End Of Life Law, throw in a few Washington comments, and my thoughts re the banks and major corporations getting richer and the former middle class not. Note the use of the word former. Plus, whatever else comes to mind. Or yours. You can call in and chat with me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Yesterday was easy. I did nothing of consequence.

A business meeting in the morning, a bagel, coffee and the newspapers at the Plantation Coffee House, and lunch at Blossoms. The afternoon and evening I stayed home reading and resting. A lazy day.

An interesting experience at the Plantation Coffee House. As I was leaving, I heard Diane’s voice behind me…..Louis, don’t you want to pay!

Again, please join me for my blog talk radio show this evening.

Enjoy your day!

 

PISCES

 

Got a phone call early last evening. Get dressed! I am taking you to dinner!

It was Dee.

I am not one to turn down a free meal. Especially with a beautiful lady.

Two hours later, the doorbell rang and we were on our way. Pisces was our destination. Dee’s choice.

Pisces is a top Key West restaurant. I had not been there in four years. Don’t know why. I have never disliked it. The only excuse I can think of is that Key West has so many exceptionally fine reataurants, it is difficult to eat in them all.

The meal was outstanding! Caviar and Maine lobster for me. The caviar washed down with ice cold vodka. For real. It was poured from a block of ice.

An enjoyable meal, an enjoyable time. Yes, Dee paid. I am beholden.

Yesterday started with a visit to Lisa. She fell last week. Hurt her back. It still hurts. Will not see a doctor. She is waiting for the pain to go away on its own.

I have decided Jake is scared by my deep baritone voice. It places him in a defensive mode. I have to remember to speak quitely around him.

Then to Publix. The cupboard was bare again.

I spent the afternoon working hard. On tomorrow’s Key West Lou Legal Hour tv/internet show.

This has been a great week for news! Everything happening. My task was to decide which topics to discuss and organize them. I will be talking about things as mundane as the common safety pin, the Salk vaccine, bad guy banks from several perspectives, the euro, Germany’s economic stands continuing to place the world in jeopardy, Putin and some bare breasted women, a mother who left her baby on the side of a road during a snow storm to freeze, today’s Senate vote on a gun bill, and more.

The show runs live friday mornings at 10 my time. It is available on television from Key West north through Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse channel 19. Seen world wide on the internet. www.weyw19.com.

Join me for what I believe will be a most interesting show!

If you are unable to watch friday morning, the show is rerun by the station on saturday at 4:30, sunday at 3, and wednesday at 6. It is also You Tubed and available there any time.

I still have at least another three hours to spend fine tuning tomorrow’s show. It will absorb a good chunk of my afternoon.

A busy day ahead. My plate already full. A haircut with Lori at 11, an echocardiogram at 12:30 at the hospital, work on the show, and bocce in the evening.

Enjoy your day!

 

THE EGGS AND I

 

I did not get home till one this morning. I was at Don’s Place watching the Louisville/Michigan game. I was hungry. Opened the refrigerator door to see what I could pick on.

A dozen eggs fell on the floor! I had them sitting in the carton on a shelf in the door. Opened the door too fast and they went flying.

What a mess! Eleven broke. One survived. The floor for a 10 foot radius had yolk and egg white splattered all over. The carton had a couple of broken eggs in it. When I went to move the carton to the sink, it dripped all over the cupboard. Another mess.

What did I learn?

Take the eggs out of the carton when you get home from the market. Place each egg in those little round egg holders in the door.

Egg whites are sloppier than yolks. Much. Most of the yolks remained intact. It was the slimy clear stuff that got all over.

Egg whites do not easily clean off the floor. It took several attempts with paper towels before the job was properly done.

Bottom line…..I should not have been eating at one in the morning!

The game was fantastic! One of the best I have seen! Both teams are to be congratulated.

I watched the match at Don’s Place. With Don, David and Angus. I do not know how, but Don and David ended up with Louisville and Michigan in the pool. Don, Michigan. David, Louisville. David had to spot Don the 4 point line. $800 at stake. The two guys were very much into the game. David was thrilled to be the winner. Louisville came out on top by 6 points.

Angus is a die hard Michigan fan. Like I am with Syracuse. He was very unhappy at the end of the game. Got up immediately and walked out of the bar.

A little known story about Pitino and Boeheim. They are best buddies. Have stood up for each other at marrying time. Godfathers to each others children. Pitino spent his first two years coaching as an assistant to Boeheim at Syracuse.

Gas has been hovering at $4.05 a gallon for a couple of weeks. Last night, $3.95. The first time in a long time it has been under $4 in Key West.

Today is tuesday. Tuesday is blog talk radio time. Join me this evening at 9 on your computer. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Subjects that may be discussed include the banks again, how the pharmacy houses are screwing the American public, the beauty of Sharia law, the Final Four, and whatever turns you on. Your topic does not have to be one I have under consideration.

David surprised me last night. David ia a working man. He is unable to watch my tv/internet show friday mornings. He could not wait to tell me he caught the show sunday afternoon. He was flipping the dial and came upon me pontificating.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour is being rerun saturdays at 4:30, sundays at 3, and wednesdays at 6. If you cannot watch friday morning, perhaps you might watch one of those times.

Annette Funicello. Her passing away is a sad moment. For many of us. She was part of our lives back when.

Annette was a Mouseketeer in the 1950s. I was in college four of those years. Every week day at 5, my dorm floor would gather in the wreck room. To watch the Mickey Mouse Club on TV. We all sang in unison…..M I C K E Y  M O U S E! Mickey Mouse!

Annette was there with the other mouseketeers. For whatever reason, she stood out from the rest. We all knew her back then. And into the 1960s when she starred in beach movies.

There is a connection with Annette. She was born in my home town of Utica, NY. Most stories about her always add on…..of Italian parents. Why, I do not know. Funicello is as Italian as you can get. Annette’s name was never changed. It might be because anti-Italian prejudice still existed in those days big time.

I never met Annette. Did not know her personally. She left Utica for Los Angeles with her family when she was 4.

Enjoy your day!

MTV HOUSE A BEAUTY

 

A glorious Key West morning!

I decided to walk early this morning.  I walked the neighborhood. My neighborhood. Key Haven.

I can see any time of the day the MTV house across the water from me. Beautiful! My neighbor Andrew recently had it painted. A bright yellow with purple and green pastel trim. A beauty! Especially in the morning when the rising sun shines upon it.

Andrew is rarely in Key West to enjoy it. He has a live on the property caretaker who watches things. Andrew spends most of his time in Sweden, with occasional side trips to Thailand and Key West.

Andrew’s youngest son is 2 year old Kai. He refers to me as Kai’s grandfather. Sometimes godfather. Andrew is Italian.

It has suddenly become summer in Key West. Low 80s by day. Humidity now during the day. In a couple of weeks, the evening also. Air conditioning will be required.

I noticed the last two days that the heat has become so heavy you can see it sitting on the roadways in the distance.

Sequestration is being felt in Key West. Surprisingly, early.

Recall the Key West revolution against the U.S. back in 1982. As a result, the Conch Republic was born. Passports and all. Each year the Great Sea Battle is replayed to remind all of that memorable day. The Coast Guard has a cutter participate. The Navy a couple of jet planes. The Conch Republic 2-3 pirate ships and a World War I bi-plane. Interaction occurs.

The Coast Guard cutter sprays sea water on the pirate ships with hoses. The pirate ships return fire in the same fashion and also throw cabbages, tomatoes and eggs at the Coast Guard.  The bi-plane skirmishes with the jets. The bi-plane also bombs the Coast Guard cutter with rolls of toilet paper.

Not this year.

It was announced that due to sequestration, the Coast Guard cutter Sawfish would not be participating. The event is scheduled for April 26. The reason given was budget cuts because of sequestration.

The Conch Republic has not heard from the Navy yet. I hope they do not withhold the jets.

Dion’s is a famous small chain of gas stations and attached grocery marts in Florida. I believe 12. Two are located here. One on Truman Ave. in Key West and the other on Stock Island.

Dion’s is best known for its fried chicken. A weekly staple in many diets. Absolutely delicious! Deep fried in oil, tender, and smells good! Great for the cholesterol.

Dion’s founder died recently. He was 91. He started Dion’s back in 1948. Called it Dion’s Oil Company. Dion will be forever known as the creator of Dion’s fried chicken! The popularity of his chicken will never diminish.

The morning news advises England’s former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died. The first woman Prime Minister of Great Britain. Hers was a distinguished career in the 1980s. She and President Reagan were best pals. Thatcher is being compared this morning to Winston Churchill. I am not sure. Good, but perhaps not that good.

May she rest in peace.

Spent a lot of time at Lisa’s yesterday. It was Jake time. Before I arrived, the family had taken Jake to the beach for the first time. Fort Zach beach.

He was good. I am surprised. Did not get excited or chase after any one. No barking.

Jake went in the water. Corey said Jake was able to swim. Jake however did not appear to enjoy the water and beach that much. He will have to. Lisa’s family is a beach family. Every week. One of the benefits of living in Key West.

Jake and I were playing. I suddenly lunged at him. Never again. He was up and barking at me big time. It took a while to calm him down.

Mad Men returned last night. Two hours. I really enjoy the show. Probably because the show is set in the 1960s. I was a young lawyer back then. The clothes, both male and female, the hair of both, words used, the smoking and drinking, were all very familiar. That’s the way it was!

Tomorrow is tuesday. Tuesday is Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My blog talk radio show. Nine in the evening. Join me for a quick half hour chat concerning current world problems. Topics tomorrow night will include banks again and how they have title to our money once it is deposited, how brand name and generic drug companies work together to screw the American public, and a bit about the Egyptian Muslims attacking Christians. A little Final Four talk, also. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

 

NO COUSIN FOR JAKE

 

You will recall last thursday night when a stray dog joined me at Sandy’s. We shared my sandwich. He was a large beautiful boxer type. White with tan and black spots. Large sympathetic eyes.

A police officer stopped to eat. He saw the dog was untagged. Told me he was going to take him to the pound.

I left.

I could not get the dog out of my mind. I decided yesterday to stop at the pound to see if his owner had claimed him. I did not want euthanasia in his life.

I drove them crazy at the pound. I was told by the first staff person that the police had brought no such dog in thursday night. In fact, no dogs. Two others joined us. They assured me they had no dog as I described in the pound. I wanted to be sure. I asked if they would let me see the dogs. They took me through the building housing the strays. My dog was not there.

Good! He apparently walked away from the police officer or his owners showed up at Sandy’s. Whatever, my friend was not on the execution block.

I was a bit disappointed that I did not find him. I had visions of me saving his life by adopting him. Jake could use a cousin. I could use a friend. Living alone for eight years is starting to wear on me.

I saw my internest monday. Under went a total physical. Best condition I have ever seen you in, she told me. I reported the news to you in tuesday’s blog. I also mentioned I should not have. I might be jinxing myself.

Yesterday morning my ankles started swelling, By bed time, they were swollen big. I have a 4:30 appointment this afternoon with the heart doctor.

Next time I will keep my mouth shut!

Had to stop by the hospital in the afternoon. No big deal. Needed a bone density test to complete my annual physical. Heather works the bone density department. A very charming person.

I spent the afternoon and evening working on friday’s TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. The show is almost complete. Topics include how brand name drug makers buy off the generic companies to the detriment of you and me, how when we deposit money in the bank title to the money automatically passes to the bank–not ours anymore,  Ho Chi Minh, FOX News, the extremes of Sharia law as practiced in Saudi Arabia, some Final Four chatter, and more.

Join me. I guarantee you will enjoy.

The show airs on television from Key West through Miami-Dade County on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. On the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com. Note that the internet address has changed. Please make note of the new weyw one.

Show time is 9 in the morning my time.

Finally…..You Tube! Assumedly all problems are worked out. My friday show will be available on You tube  forever. To find it, merely go to www.youtube.com. When the screen appears, enter Key West Lou Legal Hour.

The shows are being differentiated by date. The date initially televised.

One hangup. Why, I do not know. The You Tube show will not appear on You Tube till one week after the show is aired. So you will always be one week behind in watching the show if you watch solely on You Tube. Right now last friday’s show is not on You tube. The one the week before is. Last friday’s show airs tomorrow.

All too much for my ancient brain!

Bocce tonight! I need a couple of drinks and a few laughs.

Enjoy your day!

A NEW WORLD

 

I read yesterday that of the fifty largest cities in the world, only ten are located in the United States and Europe.

The world has changed and continues to change. Are we really aware?

I spent the day yesterday researching and writing. Always an enjoyable experience.

Sloan arrived late in the afternoon . We worked together for two hours.

Since I had my blog talk radio show to do at 9, I did not wish to travel far from home for dinner. I made a quick trip over to Hogfish. Enjoyed a small bowel of lobster bisque and a lobster roll.

It never ceases to amaze me how busy Hogfish has become. Standing room only. A gold mine! Deservedly so!

Did my blog talk radio show at 9. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Chatted about the huge difference between the salaries of the rich and the rest of us, banks that no longer care for their customers, explained the Boston College birth control problem, and rattled a bit about the Final Four. Syracuse, my Syracuse! Go ‘Cuse!

I quoted my friend Dee when speaking of banks and disparity in income. Dee had a recent experience with a local bank. She raised hell. In the end won. However, Dee left the bank unhappy. She wrote a comment born of the situationt on Facebook yesterday…..If you have a gun, you can rob a bank….. if you have a bank, you can rob EVERYBODY.

Key West weather for this time of year has returned. 81 degrees yesterday.

My friday morning television/internet show is called the Key West Lou Legal Hour. There is a site change for those of you who watch via the internet. No more www.tvchannel19.com. Now www.weyw19.com. For a while, the tvchannel19 one will kick over to the new wey19w. I suggest you start  using weyw19 now.

Finally……You Tube! I hope. I think. It takes forever to get everything straightened out and moving properly with these shows. You Tube supposedly locked in as of yesterday.

The friday Key West Lou Legal Hour will be available on You Tube. Easy to find. www.youtube.com. Enter in the name of the show: Key West Lou Legal Hour. Up will pop a listing of the shows. The shows will be listed by date.

One thing you must be aware of. The show will not You Tube immediately the day it is done. Each show is You Tubed one week later. In other words, last friday’s March 29 show will be available one week later on April 5.

Right now the March 22 show is running on You tube.

Simply stated, the You Tube show will always run one week late.

Confusing? Not really. A pain, yes. If you have any problems, let me know.

Enjoy your day!

POST WAR COSTS

I spent an enjoyable morning yesterday doing the Key West Lou Legal Hour.

Viewers always attach to an issue or two. The topic garnering the most interest yesterday had to do with post war costs. We do not stop paying when a war ends. The costs are ongoing for many years. There are military pensions, disability pensions and ongoing medical for war inflicted wounds.

The United States spends $40 billion a year for such costs. Interestingly, we are still paying pensions to two descendants of Civil War veterans. $876 per month to each.

After the show, I visited with Lisa. I am beginning to wonder if it is Lisa I go to see or Jake.

Jake got in trouble yesterday. He got out of the fenced back yard. Today, Jake will experience his first long car ride. To Miami and back. Lisa says he will handle the car ride without any problem. We shall see.

It was friday afternoon. Time to write next week’s KONK Life column. Entitled it Our Enemy The Banks. Interesting reading. More of too big to fail and too big to prosecute tied into the Cyprus situation and how it could impact us. I was pleased with the final product. So I published it on Amazon Kindle, also.

Chart Room last night! Busy!

Chatted with Emily off and on. A smart woman. Then spent some time talking with Peter. Always a pleasure.

Ran into a couple I met a year ago. Al and Donna. We met in the Chart Room. They are Key West residents. Al works for the City of Key West as a welder/fabricator. Donna is in the State Attorney’s Office.

Nice people.

They are originally from Tampa. Wanted to live in Key West their whole lives. Finally made the move two years ago.

In came Cheryl and Roger with another couple. Cheryl and Roger. My friends from Kankakee, Illinois. Hope I spelled it right. If not, Cheryl will most assuredly correct me.

Cheryl and Roger are snow birds. Down here about 6 months a year. They have an RV. Park it at Boyd’s Campgrounds on Stock Island. Probably the nicest RV park in the lower keys.

The couple was Belinda and Ray from Michigan. They are snow birds. First time we have met, however. They reside during the season at Boyd’s. Belinda is the Social Director at Boyd’s. Ray is a retired body shop owner.

The four of them were having a drink before scooting across the street to Hot Tin Roof for dinner. The makings for a terrific evening.

I stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Ran into Hershel. He told me of Erika’s flight yesterday with the Blue Angels. I thought it was to be a small pursuit plane. Not so. It was some kind of big plane. Hershel had a photo of Erika sitting in the cockpit. Looked the size of a bedroom.

Syracuse basketball again tonight. At 9:40. Play California. I make no prediction. It has been a tough season.

Enjoy your day!