BUSY DAY YESTERDAY

Friday began with The Key West Lou Legal Hour. My TV/internet show. Jenna was out of town. It was just me and Krystal.

I spent a lot time talking about present day poverty in the United States. Reductions in the food stamp program was my motivation.

Permit me to share three observations.

I recently read that one out of every four Americans works for $10 an hour or less. I also read that one out of four American children are enrolled in the food stamp program. If true, we are in more trouble than most think. Seeds have been sewn that can have serious consequences.

The last item concerns members of the House of Representatives. They went home yesterday. Their schedule for the balance of the year was announced. It indicated little time in Washington, much at home.

We have budget problems and a multitude of other matters confronting the Nation. Some with specific deadlines coming up in the next 2-3 months. What the hell are these guys doing?

Whatever I said on the show apparently hit home. Post show comment indicated a gigantic interest in the poverty issue.

After the show, it was off to Lisa’s for a while. A little father/daughter time. Jake was with us. Yesterday, he did not bark at me once. Was quiet and sedate. Just  hung around my feet. I cannot figure him out.

I continue to be tired. Maybe the blood pressure. Perhaps the diet. Could be a combination of the two.

Dinner with Pati last night. At the bar at the Marriott Beachside.

Pati is an environmentalist of the first order. To the extreme, I occasionally think. Motivated by goodness all the time, however. In one of my recent shows, I made a mistake. The issue involved the environment. Pati wrote. First apologizing all over the place. Then telling me she did not wish to offend. Then laying the error upon me.

I appreciated her letting me know. Last night was a sort of thank you. Also, we have always been saying lets have dinner together. Last night was the occasion.

The bar was packed. Michael Emerson was playing the guitar and singing. He chatted with us during breaks.

I ate a diet meal. Four shrimp. a little  tiny bit of some shredded beef, and a roll. One gin. My big meal of the day! Of the week!

It was a nice evening. I enjoyed Pati’s company.

Three brief comments regarding Greece, Egypt and Germany.

Two members of the Greek Nazi party were shot and killed this week outside a suburban headquarters. A couple of weeks ago, the leaders of the Nazi party, the Golden Dawn Party, were arrested on some BS charges and are in jail awaiting trial. Good cannot come of what is happening.

More than a year ago after my first trip to Greece, I wrote Greece was a tinderbox. Do not be surprised if the match is being thrown.

Egypt’s last President, Mursi, goes on trial Monday. He was arrested and has been confined to jail for months. Has not been permitted a visit by his attorney nor has he been provided with the written charges against him. And monday his life is on the line!

So much for the new democratic Egypt that our leaders cheered about when Mubarak was overthrown. I hope lessons have been learned. A massive street demonstration is no guaranty that a democratic government will follow.

I do not like Angela Merkel. She is a trouble maker and opportunist. It was announced yesterday that she had sent her intelligence people to Russia to interview Snowden about who knew what and when concerning the U.S.’s bugging of her cell phone.

Merkel has economically destroyed many European countries with the Euro Union and the euro. She recently indicated that the member nations of the Euro Union should have one army. With Germany being in charge of the air force and navy. She is blowing the cell phone tapping incident out of all proportion. She is another Putin.

Now to the important. Syracuse plays Wake Forest today. The Vegas line has Syracuse a 4.5 favorite. My fingers are crossed.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PARROT HEADS / POWER BOAT RACES

 

Key West weather continues to be magnificent! Outstanding! High temperatures with no humidity. Air conditioning not  required while sleeping.

Keys’ weather changes dramatically. Next month, we could have evenings from high 40’s through mid 60’s. The issue then is not air conditioning. It is do you gave a heater or do you bury yourself under blankets.

Today is Friday. TV/internet show time. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning. Join me.

Great topics. The best may be poverty. The impoverished are becoming a bigger and bigger class in American society. For example, were you aware that 1.2 million public school students are homeless. They leave for school each morning from under the bridge, the woods or an abandoned car.

Disgraceful!

I spent a bit of yesterday lying by my pool. When uncomfortable, I walk into the pool. Dunk all of me, including my head. And then come out to go through the routine again after a while.

I spent a good deal of the afternoon fine tuning this morning’s TV/internet show. It’s a good one!

Last night was bocce. I never made it. Took a shower and felt weak. Very. Thought I might pass out. Laid down. No help. Called David and told him the team would have to win without me. Ho ho! I also telephoned Lisa. My plan was to stop by before bocce to see Robert and Ally in their costumes. No way could I handle it.

I was in bed around 5 and stayed there. I do not think it is the diet. I suspect my blood pressure. You will recall several weeks ago it was running high and I could not control it. Finally, Dr. Mc Ivor got it under control. When I took my blood pressure at 5, it was 90/69. Under control plus!

This is Parrot Head weekend.  The organization is twenty two years old. Jimmy Buffet fans. They wear crazy hats, love Jimmy Buffet, and enjoy a special Key West weekend. Every 4-5 years, Buffet flies in, sings for an hour or two, and flies out. Always a surprise.

Parrot Head activities are centered at the Casa Marina.

Sunday afternoon begins the Power Boat Races.  A spectacular event! A world wide event! It lasts a week.

The boats are massive. Long thick cigar type. Fast. Expensive. Those who participate in the sport are well off financially. A boat obviously is required. Ahe rich owner to drive it. The owner and his crew, plus wives and girl friends, to enjoy the week.

They are spenders. Big time! Power boating is a millionaire’s sport. The restaurants and bars will do well. It is thought the Power Boat Races are the most profitable business wise for Key West.

It is excitement time watching the boats race. Make big time noise. Little or no mufflers. You turn your head swiftly as they race by. Her and gone just like that. An example of how fast they go.

There is another excitement. Many helicopters overhead zooming low to get pictures of the boats in action. You think you are in the center of a war zone when they sweep over.

I hope I get out tonight. I plan at starting at Don’s around 5. Then to the Chart Room. Then I do not know where. But, there will be a where.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

THE ROSE TATTOO

The Rose Tattoo was a mid 1950s movie. Starred Burt Lancaster and Anna Magnani. Lancaster was a big time hero type Hollywood star of that era. Magnani was an Italian star.

Magnai played a wild woman in the film. Lancaster loving and submissive to her. An unusual role for Lancaster. The movie won Magnani the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress.

The significance of the movie is that it was filmed in Key West.

Hal Wallis was the producer. During this week in 1954 he was in Key West scouting locations for the film.

The selected site was a small house on Duncan Street.

Duncan Street is key here.

Tennessee Williams wrote the play from which the movie was derived. Williams lived two blocks away on Duncan at the time. My lovely Lisa lives on Duncan today. Her home is three blocks from the Rose Tattoo house and two blocks from Tennessee Williams’ home.

The Rose Tattoo house still stands. Run down. Covered with unkept shrubbery. I believe it is presently a rental.

The Tennessee Williams house is owned by others now. The house looks terrific.

A lovely morning here in Key West. Sun shining. A few white clouds. Water green.

I spent my day time yesterday researching and writing. The writing has altered my life style. Most of my days lately are spent inside typing away.

It was the Chart Room last night.

Merri bartending. Notice I have spelled her name differently. One of my readers emailed me and told me her name was not spelled M A R Y. It was M E R R I. I asked Merri last night if it was so. Yes, she said. Merri is a loyal blog reader. I asked why she never told me I was misspelling her name. She said it made no difference to her.

Sat next to Brian. First time I met him. A Key West local. He works for a boat towing operation. An interesting business! I learned much from him. His company comes out to get you if you run out of gas or get stuck on a sand bar. They also do salvage work.

I wanted Italian for dinner. Stopped at Roostica on Stock Island on the way home. Enjoyed baked ziti. I have thus far eaten three pastas at Roostica. Lasagna, spaghetti and ziti. The pastas were all good. The sauce leaves something to be desired. Too light. Tends to be watery. I enjoy a thicker and more bodied red sauce. My Italian upbringing!

Roostica has been open less than a year. It is a gold mine. Always crowded. I must be the only one the sauce bothers. Actually the place is more of a pizza restaurant than pasta one.

You will recall when I returned from Italy in August, I flew Delta from Atlanta to Key West and seated next to me were Paul and his daughter Katlyn. Paul was a reservist and also a fire lieutenant in the keys. Katlyn a high school student. We had a great time. The conversation most enjoyable.

At the Key West Airport, Paul introduced me to his wife Tracey.

As I was eating, a woman came over and said hello. It was Tracey. She called over to Paul and Katlyn. Nice people all. I was happy to see them again.

Show time tonight! Blog talk radio! My show!

Join me at 9 for a half hour of interesting chatter about world events. Some topics eye openers. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!