HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

May all enjoy this day. Good food, some drink, friends and family. Then to sleep with an overindulged stomach.

We owe the holiday to two sources. First, the Pilgrims who gave thanks with a big dinner with their then Indian friends at Plymouth in 1621. Followed by George Washington. Washington decreed in 1789 there should be a day of thanksgiving. To rejoice and thank God for the many blessings He had bestowed on the new country.

My Thanksgiving will be with Lisa and family. The big dinner at 1. I am curious how my diet will fare. The diet that now has me at a 17 pound loss.

I ran some errands mid day yesterday. Then stopped at Don’s Place. For a glass of water. Sat and chatted with Jimmy and John. House painters, the weather had rained them out.

Dinner at the bar at Tavern ‘n Town last night. Packed again. Some locals, mostly tourists. The place does a hell of a business!

Adair was at the bar. I had not seen him in a while. Adair is a trainer. His body is the best advertisement for his business. Adair is somewhere in his 60s. Looks a lot younger. Has a magnificent tight torso.

I have learned to feel sorry for the women on Thanksgiving. They are up early in the morning to get the turkey in the oven at the right time. Stuffing it first, of course. Then watching the turkey for several hours and preparing all the side dishes.

Thanksgiving is a good time to be a man. It is like child birth. It is the woman’s thing to do!

Call me a chauvinist. Though I am not.

There are two special things to celebrate today.

The hurricane season comes to an end November 30. No hurricane this year! No hurricanes for 10 years. Key West deserved it after Wilma.

Thirty turtles arrived at the Marathon Turtle Hospital. From the cold waters of Cape Code. Hypothermia. More to follow. The turtles have it made. They do not need Obamacare. They will receive the best medical care at no cost.

A question comes to mind re the Ferguson fallout. There have been 37 demonstrations in various parts of the United States in recent days. All a part of the Ferguson fallout. The demonstrations have been well organized. Similar in nature. The question I raise is who is behind these protest marches. There has to be someone or some group. Who? It concerns me.

I leave you this morning with two Louis thoughts re Ferguson. I suspect the reason Wilson was not indicted was because the local authorities were not going to let a dead black man put a white police officer in jail. The other is that what happened in Ferguson is a perfect example of might winning out over right.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving day!

 

BUSINESS PLAN AND ALL

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Yesterday’s blog appears to have touched the sensitivities of many. I received many more comments that usual. The thrust was Ferguson. Interestingly, few agreed with me.

One comment referred to me as a racist and moron. A racist I assume because I took the black position. I am not sure where moron came from. Unless the writer was of the opinion that anyone who disagreed with him had to be stupid.

American youth. We raise our children hoping they will be intelligent and successful. And honest/moral. Sometimes they screw up with the honesty/morality factor. A perfect example is Sarasota High School.

A 17 year old girl and 15 year old boy, students at Sarasota High, started a prostitution ring. The girls to be offered would come from surrounding schools. Youth was the attraction. Even virginity, though at a higher price.

They got caught and the operation exposed. They approached the endeavor in a business sort of way. Even had a business plan. They had customers before getting caught. Adult men. Four girls solicited to work as ladies of the night blew the ring in to the Principal.

A perfect example of the moral compass having gone wrong.

My yesterday began with a haircut. Lori. She has been cutting my hair for 15 years.

Then a long walk. A mistake. The humidity was horrendous! Took everything out of me.

I intended to watch Syracuse basketball in the evening. Before and after my blog talk radio show. Unfortunately, the game was not carried in the keys.

Syracuse did win. Beat Loyola 70-37. The size of the victory means nothing. Loyola was a warm up game for the season which begins in January.

Did my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. My topics were limited. I hit a few items hard.

Ferguson was the first topic discussed. Many apparently disagreed with me. My position was simple. If a group thinks they are getting screwed, they will react. I mentioned also the 12 year old black boy who was shot by a policeman and killed three days ago in Cleveland as an example that police killing blacks has become a common occurrence.

I got into GMOs.

The whole world is getting down on GMOs. Except for the United States. Other nations are recognizing the apparent dangers involved in eating foods created by genetically modified organisms. The United States has and continues to welcome GMOs because of our governmental officials. Congress specifically and the Presidents who sign the laws permitting these evil seeds. The story of corporate America, money, and lobbyists all over again.

It is amazing the companies that use GMOs that we do not know do. Like Pepsi Cola, Kellogg’s and Nestles/Gerber. The corn, soy and sugar used in the production of their products contain GMOs. Yes, even Gerber’s baby foods.

Recently, a South African court threw Gerber’s baby foods out of the country because of the GMOs. Gerber’s still sells baby food in South Africa, however. They redid their product so it contained no GMOs. Not in the United States, however.

The Marathon Turtle Hospital is in the news again. A large number of turtles took the wrong turn trying to leave Cape Cod for warmer waters to the south. They ended up on bay beaches. They are sick and dying. The cold water causing hypothermia.

There are more than a 1,000. They are being gathered up and flown to several Florida locations. Marathon Turtle Hospital is getting a number of them.

It’s a great life! Summer on Cape Cod and winter in the Florida keys. And free medical if they get sick.

The Key West Citizen’s History section had a picture of the Atlantic Shores Restaurant from 50 years ago. I enjoyed many a breakfast at the street front restaurant and many a lunch at the poolside bar in the rear. I enjoyed the rear view more. Atlantic Shores, gone but not forgotten.

Cool this morning. Very heavy rains. During the night, also. It is the tail of the northeaster that is going to bury some northern states in snow later today.

Cool by the way is about 73 degrees.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

BURN BABY, BURN

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I do not blame the people of Ferguson for their reaction to the indictment report. Their political leaders, from the police chief to the mayor to the prosecutor to the governor, should now be investigated to see if some sort of fix was in. My sense is that the thinking of the white fathers was that no dead black man was going to put a white police officer in jail.

Aggressive police work appears the order of the day. Just two days ago in Cleveland, a 12 year old black boy was shot to death by a cop. Look up the story on the internet. Another black dead at the hands of a white officer.

What next? People can only be tread upon so long. Then that rebellious feeling takes hold. Anger vented.

I worry poverty may be the next motivation for violence. The nation’s poor. The 99 percent. A group can only be defecated upon so long. Especially if their children are caused to suffer. 2.5 million children were homeless in 2013. This in the land of plenty.

My blog talk radio show is tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Of course, I will have something to say about Ferguson. Not much, however. The national media has said it all. The 12 year old black in Cleveland will receive comment by me,  as well as the 2.5 million homeless children, GMOs in American foods whose identity will shock you, Russia banning GMOs completely, and more. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I grocery shopped yesterday at Publix. I buy the same thing all the time. I am not an impulse shopper. Yesterday, my bill was $20 higher.

It made me question whether Publix had raised the price of food because this is a holiday week.

There was a time several years back when it was discovered that in larger cities, the chain stores were playing with the cost of groceries. Stores in ghetto/poorer areas increased prices the week welfare checks were received.

Enjoy your day!

NUDITY NUDITY NUDITY

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Sixty thousand to seventy thousand people come to Key West each year to enjoy Fantasy Fest. They come because it is an adult party. Adult means some degree of nudity.

A small handful of local citizens want to change things. They cry there is too much nudity and sex.

I have never seen open sex during Fantasy Fest. I have occasionally seen some nudity. Generally, the female vagina. Not that many, however. Maybe a total of a dozen in the 16 years I have been attending Fantasy Fest.

Local ordinances require a woman’s nipples to be covered. That means pasties. Plus, the privates of men and women. I can live with that and so can the 60,000-70,000 who come to party.

There is a vocal minority that wants to change things. How much I am not certain. They probably total no more than 40 persons. They are the squeaky wheel, however. If church goers, the ones who sing the loudest at services. They are getting a lot of attention. As evidenced by this morning’s Key West Citizen. The headline read Nudity Tops The List Of Fest Complaints.

The group sounds like the religious right. I am offended that they seek to impose their moral standards upon me and the 60,000-70,000. I  believe most Key Westers would agree with me.

Walked again yesterday. I am proud of myself! From one end of Duval to the other and back.

This weekend is the Waterfront’s Cole Porter show A Swell Party. Jenna and I will be going together. I was lucky to get tickets. The show is apparently a sell out. Someone had just canceled two adjoining seats in the third row. It is called being there at the right time.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. A quick half hour of interesting and stimulating talk. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics tonight include Ferguson and the KKK, genetically modified potatoes approved by USDA for sale in the U.S., Obama changing his tune re immigration, a tough on drugs governor pardoning his son’s drug conviction, a British/Iranian woman who is to receive a public lashing because she wanted to attend a volley ball game, and more.

Ferguson is a hotbed in the making. A tinderbox that could and probably will erupt. Missouri’s governor announced yesterday  he was declaring a state of emergency. The national guard has been called out. The governor is getting ready for whatever occurs when the grand jury report comes out.

The governor’s move is stupid. He is sending the national guard in in advance. Such is an invitation to aggravation, dissension, and violence. It says to the black community we know you are going to blow up and we are ready for you. In a sense, a we dare you move.

Missouri’s political leaders leave a lot to be desired.

Enjoy your day!

 

YESTERDAY TODAY

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Wow! Did I screw up yesterday!

For some inexplicable reason, I thought yesterday was Veterans Day. I wrote about Veterans Day. I also wrote about the Vietnam Memorial groundbreaking at Bayview Park. Both events today.

To compound the situation, I was at Bayview Park at 11 yesterday for the groundbreaking.

Old age must be creeping in.

It will be back to Bayview Park this morning at 11.

Other than the trip to Bayview, I spent the day working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Interesting topics. Like protestors in Toulouse, France dumping feces on government buildings…..by the truckload, Pepsi, Fed Ex, and Proctor and Gamble using little Luxembourg to avoid U.S. taxes, Gorbachev’s belief a new cold war in the making, Russia and China in a new gas/gas line deal together, Venezuela using fingerprint scanners to ration foods, and more.

I had difficulty sleeping last night. Turned on the TV. A movie was starting. I watched the 1920s silent film The Sheik starring Rudolph Valentino. The movie was supposedly his greatest work. Women went crazy over Valentino in the movie. Understandably. He was a charmer and lover. However, he was not an Arab. He looked like a 1920s ethnic off the streets of New York. Which means I thought he looked foolish riding a horse across the desert sands clothe in a sheik’s attire with a big grin on his face.

The United Nations has been in business since just after World War II. Over the years, the popularity of the U.S. has diminished within the organization.

Over those same years, the UN has been constantly critical of what it perceived to be improper conduct around the world. The U.S. was rarely if ever mentioned in such a context. Till recently.

This past year there have been three situations. One, the Detroit water problem where the UN felt required to issue a statement saying water was a fundamental right. The same statement was critical of the treatment of Detroit blacks.

More recently, a UN study stated that 1/3 of America’s children live in poverty in 60 million American homes.

Ferguson is next on the table. Michael Brown’s parents left yesterday for Geneva. They are scheduled to appear before a UN Human Rights Commission.

The fact that the UN is now talking about the U.S. is embarrassing in and of itself. The fact that it perceives the U.S.’s wrongdoings similar to those found in third world countries even worse. It is a reflection of the disintegration of our society as we once knew it.

Enjoy your day! Remember, TODAY is Veterans Day!

 

NOT A GOOD YEAR FOR THE ORANGE

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Syracuse got whipped last night. By Louisville. 28-6. Syracuse now 2-3. Not a good year in the making.

I watched the game at Don’s Place. I was the only Syracuse fan, the only one interested in the game.

Jimmy, Joanie and John sitting near me. Jimmy still complaining about the new Key West parking ordinance which went into effect October 1. For some a benefit, others a detriment. For Jimmy, a detriment. For me, too. Such is life.

One of the reasons, and probably the primary one, why Syracuse is doing poorly again this year is money. A university sports department does not run the program. Academia does. The faculty. Which includes the intellectuals who never played sports in their lives.

When a college is doing well sports wise, the faculty start making noises to the effect that we are nor a sports institution. We exist to teach. The sports budget is then slowly cut over the years. As the budget goes down, so does the quality of the team.

I have seen it happen several times over the course of my life time and relationship with Syracuse.

Then comes the dawn. There is a recession, not enough students applying, money becoming a problem. The solution. Increase the emphasis on sports. Bring in more revenue. The pendulum swings.

Syracuse has not reached the point where the faculty sees a need for an influx of new dollars. When it occurs again, Syracuse will field a good football team.

Basketball is another story. I do not know how Boeheim does it. He is subject to the same faculty pressures.

Lunch at Outback yesterday. I like the place for lunch. Quiet. Good food. I can sit for a couple of hours and read the newspapers. Yesterday it was potato soup, hamburger and a diet Pepsi. $9.85. You can’t beat it!

I had dinner last night before the game at the Boathouse. It has been years since I ate there. No particular reason, except it is sort of out of the way for me. The Boathouse sits under the Commodore on the waterfront.

A definite tourist place. I sat at the bar and watched people come and go. Everyone happy! How could they not be vacationing in Key West.

I had a double order of wings. The bartender to told me only 6 or 8 came with an order. They were delicious, though on the small side. Not as good as Kelley’s.

I had need to be in Radio Shack and K-Mart in the afternoon. Things appeared bad in both stores. A shortness of merchandise. Empty shelves.

It does not surprise me. It was reported this week that Radio Shack might go under. It does not have the money to stack the shelves for Christmas. I have heard nothing re K-Mart.

Earlier this year, I commented on my blog talk radio show that retailers would have a hard time surviving over the next couple of years. Specifically, retailers who sold to the 99 percent. The group did not have enough money to support their usual retailers. I mentioned some companies who were already experiencing the problem. Today, it is Radio Shack. Perhaps K-Mart, also.

As with most other things in the country, the legal system is breaking down. It took only 11 days to indict the fellow who jumped the fence and got into the White House. It is now 56 days since Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson. No indictment yet. It makes you wonder where justice for the little guy has gone.

Fantasy Fest around the corner. Only 12 more days till Goombay.

Enjoy your day!

A MIXTURE

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There is much I wish to share this morning. Ergo, the title A Mixture.

My back! No better. In fact, worse. It started up again yesterday morning. I am taking pills. Gone to a heating pad. Last night, I said screw it! I had been in for several days. I decided to go out and have a few gins. I figured gin would take care of the pain.

After the first two at Don’s Place, the pain was gone. I had one or two more to make sure. Then to Tavern ‘n  Town for dinner. And a couple more medicinal gins. I know. Too much. Especially when driving.

Whatever, I was painless till two this morning. I woke with big time pain. Lower back around to the front. Down the side of my left leg to the knee. My hip was especially sore.

I was not going to drink in the middle of the night. Popped some Motron and got out the heating pad. The heating pad is almost instantaneous relief. However when the pad is turned off, the pain returns equally as fast.

I continue to hurt this morning. I have the heating pad propped between my lower back and the chair. Great! However, I can only take so much. I am beginning to cook my back end!

Don’s Place was not my first stop. It was Bottle Cap. ML is running for Fantasy Feat Queen. I support her. I had not attended one of her fund raising events yet. I decided to do so last night. At Bottle Cap.

There was a fund raiser. Not for ML, however. The Shriners were having a party. I knew no one. Smiled, said hello, and left without even having a drink.

Then to Don’s Place. Two fast pain relievers as previously indicated. Sat with Joanie, Jimmy and John. Stayed quite a while enjoying their company. Michael was bartending.

Football season has arrived. Much of the bar talk concerned football. With a little bocce thrown in. John had picked 12 out of 14 college winners last week. He asked my thoughts for this week. I told him with a 12 out of 14 record, you need no help from me!

Don fixed the air conditioning in the bar. What a relief! Thank you, Donald!

Tavern ‘n Town was quiet. Very few people. I was glad. Last month it was packed every time I went. I sat a the bar, spread out the newspapers and had some more pain killing medicine.

Mike Emerson was entertaining. Great music! I was humming to myself as he was playing. Manager Judy there. She did double duty last night. Played bartender and then returned to the floor as manager. She changes her clothes in between.

I never went out on the back deck this week. I should have. When I stepped outside yesterday, the pool was only about one third full. A leak! The man who fixes pool leaks came. He has been doing it for thirty years. He wears the black diving suit which also keeps him warm. Uses air tanks. The leak was in the deep end and he had to go underwater.

I am refilling the pool now. I am going to have a hell of a water bill this month!

There is a new U.S. Navy vessel in Key West for the weekend. It is the USS Winston S. Churchill. A guided missile destroyer. Over 200 sailors aboard. All will be on liberty in Key West. Enjoy, guys!

I read a front page article in the Key West Citizen this morning that disturbs me. Apparently birds nest in rooftops of commercial buildings in Key West. Probably all over the United States. Probably all over the world.

The law is that if a roof is under repair and a nest is discovered, construction must stop. Most of the birds are a protected species. A mid keys biologist wants Key West to adopt an ordinance requiring the contractor to check first before construction begins.

An example of over government. I was an environmental attorney. Protect water and air. I had no problem with that. However when it came to protecting some species of small animal, fish or vermin, I drew the line. As protection of this nature generally increases the cost of doing business dramatically, I was opposed. Everything in life should be a balance.

Back to Ferguson, Missouri for a moment. I listened to Attorney General Holder’s report to the nation this week. I was not impressed. His office  is examining the situation and the Ferguson police department in general for civil rights violations. There needs to be a federal investigation of the shooting itself. I do not trust the local authorities. On the other hand, I am not sure the federal government has jurisdiction to investigate the shooting as an isolated incident.

The US Post Office announced it is making price cuts. Significant ones. Hopefully to increase business. Fed Ex and UPS are upset. I use Fed Ex. However the price of doing business with them has risen to the point that it is burdensome. US postal authorities have come up with a good idea. A pleasure to see the price of a service/commodity go down instead of up.

I spent more time yesterday researching income inequality. Sounds boring. Not. I am excited and cannot wait to share with you what I have discovered in next week’s KONK Life column.

I said at the beginning this blog would be a mixture. It is. It is also longer than usual. For which I apologize.

Enjoy your day!

IN ONE ERA

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In One Era! A cute name. Learned of it last night for the first time. A beautiful place offering an electic mix of antiques and collectibles. It is located in Bahama Village on Petronia Street near Blue Heaven.

I met Leda and Stuart last night at the bar at Tavern ‘n Town. They were enjoying a bit of dinner as I. We started talking. Leda owns In One Era. Stuart is a retired firefighter and now has his own general contracting business.

I checked In One Era out on the internet before writing this morning. The store front is amazing! Truly a work of art! It is a giant mural. The whole front. Appeared to me to be two murals combined.

There was as a time I frequented Bahama Village often. In recent years, not. The problem for me is parking. A pain in the ass in that area that the City of Key West has yet to deal with. Ergo, I have not seen Leda’s store. I will soon. I will walk the extra blocks required to do so. In addition, I can use the exercise.

When I arrived at Tavern ‘n Town, the bar was full. Only a couple of seats available. Fifteen minutes later, there were a total of four patrons including me.

Rob Distasi was playing. He was introduced to me. Plays well. An excellent entertainer. He has been around the island for 20 years. Last night was the first time I heard him. My loss!

Steve bartending. Steve bartended for years at the Pier House’s Wine Galley. A first class bartender and great server. A charming personality. Warm hearted. Steve and I have been friends for years.

Judy is the manager of the room. Last night she was helping Steve behind the bar for a while. Two people out. Judy runs a tight room. Top food. Great ambiance. She has built up a tremendous local following.

I had dinner with Andrea. A Norwegian by extraction, she speaks six languages. She appeared to know everyone at Tavern ‘n Town.

I finally got down to work yesterday afternoon. Wrote this week’s KONK Life column which will be published wednesday. Something Stinks in Ferguson.

Initially, I was reluctant to write about Ferguson. It has been all over the news. Everything that should be known was known. Not the case, however. There were some tidbits of information that I had come across that I wished to share. Other matters  though known where I wanted to express an opinion. Something Stinks in Ferguson was born!

The pool broke down yesterday. The water level had dropped eight inches. I could not figure out why. The machinery for the pool is on the side of the house. A place I rarely visit. I did yesterday. Water spraying all over the place. I turned the water off and called Ray from Pool Groom.

Today is sunday. I have no idea what I shall do.

Enjoy your day!

 

ANNUAL PHYSICAL

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I had the first part of my annual physical yesterday. Two hours. I will complete the physical next week with Dr. Jackie Lefferts herself. Yesterday, her staff mauled me over.

I have been doing an annual physical since I was 32. Now, 79. A lot of years. I was very sick when 31. Spent four months in bed. Turned me into a hypochondriac of sorts. I worry about my health probably more than most persons.

Physicals have developed over the years. Longer. More detailed.

We started with a urine sample. The nurse used to hand me the bottle and I understood what it was for. Now I get questioned first. Will you be able to do it?

Then an eye test. My eyes have been a problem my entire adult life. I jokingly always say I can’t see. A semi-true statement. I find as one ages, the eyes get better. Yesterday, I did the eye test without glasses and missed not one letter.

Blood pressure, weight, oxygen. My weight a disaster! Blood pressure under control. All the pills I take work.

An EKG. Followed by some kind of a test where both the nurse and I could hear my blood flowing. Tested at both ankles and arms. It was a gusher!

My blood next. I hate giving even a small amount of blood. When I was 21 and ready to marry, New York required a blood test. I passed out. Ever since, I think I am going to pass out again. I look the other way and close my eyes.

It has been years since blood has been taken from my arm. The veins are too soft and move around. It is now from the back of my hands.

The final test involved blowing hard into something. Purpose I assume was to test my lung capacity. You blow till you think your eyeballs are going to pop out.

Two hours of fun. None of it bothered me. However, I was tired when we were finished. I return next week for the results and some doctor prodding.

Stopped at Lisa’s afterwards for breakfast. I was starving.

As a result of the physical work up, I was late doing the blog. Started around noon.

Spent a bit of time in the afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. All Ferguson! The show went well. I hit a lot of points big time radio and TV people do not touch. If you wish to listen, the show is archived and can also be found on Facebook and Key West Lou.

Per my usual tuesday pre-show custom,, dined at Roostica’s. Delicious buried in oil wings. Megan came from behind the bar to wait on me. She has taken me under her wing.

One of my observations re Ferguson is that a grand jury had not heard the case yet. Today one will start. I do not understand why we are now 11 days post the shooting and no arrests. If black Michael Brown had shot the white police officer, he would have been indicted by now and sitting in jail awaiting trial.

IS is crazy! They love to behead people. I read yesterday that IS beheaded 700 people in Syria the past two weeks. Last night’s news blew me out when I read IS had beheaded an American reporter who they have held captive for two years. Then posted the video on the internet. the reason given was in retaliation for the American bombings recently in Iraq.

Sick people!

Enjoy your day!

JOIN ME TONIGHT ON BLOG TALK RADIO

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Tuesday. Time once again for my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. This evening at 9. Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Most of the show will involve Ferguson and the militarization of our police forces. I have been talking about the militarization problem for two years. I was beginning to think I was a voice in the wilderness. Now everyone is into it.

Specific topics will include how police officers killed more Americans than terrorists in 2011, the New Orleans police officer who turned off her body camera before shooting a man two times, the shoot first/question later attitude of most police departments, and how Ferguson is a preview of the future.

Late with the blog again today. I spent the morning at my doctor’s office getting my yearly physical.

Great dinner companions last night! Tom and Fran Dixon from Buffalo. Lovely people.

We had drinks before dinner with their daughter Frances and son in law Jeremy. Both 30ish.

I was introduced to another generation. Both have served in the military. Jeremy in Afghanistan. Frances as an expert in getting food supplies to people who need them.

They are out of the service now and live in Northampton, Massachusetts.

They volunteered to serve because of 9/11. I sat in wonder as I listened to Frances explain how she was so moved by 9/11 that she decided to enter the service as soon as she was out of college.

The two are representative of a new generation. They are givers. They seek to help. Not like the generation before them. The baby boomers who expected everything to be given to them with nothing owed in return.

I have a busy afternoon. Have to finalize tonight’s blog talk radio show.

Enjoy your day!