KEY WEST LOU LEGAL HOUR THIS MORNING

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Today is friday. Friday means the Key West Lou Legal Hour. My internet broadcast. World wide. Ten in the morning my time. www.konknet.com/tv/personalities.

Needless to say, the week has been exciting. And sad. Joy and tragedy. I have many today topics to share with you. Comments regarding Sandy and the Presidential election, of course. Plus Panama’s desire to get into the euro, how brothels are financing Greek football clubs, Auschwitz, the first gay Episcopal bishop, the 1948 Presidential election, and the New York City police officer charged with planning to kidnap, cook and eat a woman.

In addition, a Chinese exam story, more Silvio Berlusconi, Muslims bombing a Catholic Church in Nigeria, the failure of the Personhood Amendment in Oklahoma, and more.

Please join me. Guaranteed you will not be bored!

My yesterday started with a haircut with Lori. We discussed my new beard. It is now entering its third week. Decided it was too soon to do any trimming.

Stopped at Blossoms for lunch. The best Cuban cheese toast with tomato in Key West! Stayed and read a while. Three young ladies work the place. Very young. Twenty one or under. Energetic. Helpful. Enthusiastic. Always a smile on their faces. Made me wonder if a person has to be young to smile all the time.

Publix next. Needed some groceries. I enjoy grocery shopping. I who never did it in my other life. I meet people I know. Make new friends.

Bocce last night. We played the #2 team. Prior to last night, we were ranked #5. They were good. Beat us decisively in the first game. The second game was close. We lost by a point. We were down 10-2 and came back. The third game we won. By one point.

Someone brought what was represented to be moonshine. I never tasted moonshine. Tried a bit last night. About a half inch in a cup. Commented before drinking it that I hoped it would not make me blind.

The moonshine or whatever had no effect on me.

Met an interesting couple at bocce. Jack and Var. I may not have the wife’s name correct. If not, I apologize.

Jack and Var are from Dublin, Ireland. They are here on a three week trip. Have been here before several times. A daughter resides in Key West.

Jack and Var are friends of Don. Don introduced them to me.

Jack is likewise retired. Seventy five. We are birds of a feather. We spoke of health issues. Especially heart ones. And fortunately, the vitality still within us. We spoke also of golf. Jack is a player.

Jack owned his own business in Ireland. Another daughter now runs it. The business has to do with tool making and specialized high production items. He spoke proudly of his accomplishments work wise, as he should. Boeing was one of his customers.

We also discussed the euro. Ireland got into the euro at the beginning. Still is in it. Jack said money was easy and plentiful at the beginning. Now Ireland cannot pay back its debt. Germany and the Euro Nation are on Ireland’s ass. The story much the same as with Greece, Italy and Spain.

Taxes came into the picture. Federal taxes. Jack paid 49 per cent of his salary in taxes. And our successful business people, the 2 per centers, do not want to pay 38-39 per cent!

I enjoyed my time with Jack and Var. Hopefully, we will be able to spend a bit more time together before they return home.

Remember to watch my show.

Enjoy your day!

CHAMONIX…..$20 HOT DOGS

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There is news regarding Greece this morning.

The Greek government has proposed further pay and pension cuts. Part of the austerity program to help Greece pay back the euro monies loaned them. Germany being the primary lender, the bank in effect.

This will be the third pay and pension cuts the Greek people have experienced because of the loans.

As I have indicated many times, the Greek people will not stand for what is happening to them too long. Imagine Washington cutting your salary by one third and taking a portion of your pension. Futher, appreciate that the Greek government is not as here in the United States. We get mad at Washigton, say bad things about our legislators, etc. Most Greeks in government are outright thieves, however. The Greek people know it and are at the point of saying screw you!

I was in Greece this summer when demonstrations occurred. In the past twenty four hours, there have been riots.

As we slept, the Greeks began a 24 hour protest. An anti austerity protest. Greece is closed down at the moment. People not working and so forth. The people are demonstrating in the streets. Thousands of them. Four thousand additional police have benn called to control the riots. Molotov cocktails have been thrown.

I visted France on my European trip. Only two days. Only one town. Chamonix. Chamonix is also known as Chamonix Mont Blanc.

Italy and France connect via the Mont Blanc Tunnel. 11 km. A magnificent piece of construction. An architectural masterpiece. Well maintained. Beautiful views on either side. A half hour car drive Courmayeur to Chamonix.

Chamonix was the home of the first winter Olympics in 1924. It is a sking mecca. A tourist haven. Five million tourists a year visit. The normal population is 10,000.

I found Chamonix pleasing to the eye. Beautiful buildings. Many small attractive shops. Many outdoor cafes. Lovely restaurants.

I did not like the French people. Snobs. Even the merchants. Could care less about visitors. Tourists were not treated as they are treated in Key West, another tourist mecca.

My first day in Chamonix was the same day that I woke to an August snow storm in Courmayeur. It was cold and rainy when I arrived. Long pants time. Layered clothing.

I have only two photos of Chamonix. Besides me, each shows the buildings and beauty of Chamonix.

I had lunch in the restaurant behind me in the first photo. Very nice appearing. Because of the rain, I ate inside. Lovely. Comfortable.

The menu was in French. No English sub titles as I was accustomed to on the trip. What to do? I scanned the menu and recognized an item. Sausage and potatoes. In French, of course. I pointed to it on the menu. The waitress took my order.

When the meal arrived, it consisted of two boiled hot dogs and french fries. I called the waitress over. A mistake. No, she said. You ordered sausage and potatoes. She pointed to it in French on the menu. Turns out the French word sausage means hot dogs.

The manager came over. I explained the error. No sympathy. No let me get you something else. Note that the two boiled hot dogs and french fries cost $20.

I am a grandfather. I have eaten boiled hot dogs before. So I said what the hell!

I did request ketchup. For the french fries. Another tragedy! The waitress was insulted as she told me…..We are a French restaurant! No ketchup.

I enjoyed my lunch. I would not let the situation spoil my day. It was my fault anyhow. I should know how to read a French menu.

Yesterday was a lot of nothing. Enough to keep me busy, however. A haircut with Lori. Coffee and the papapers at the Plantation Coffee House. Diane and Theo working. Nice people. Back to home where I worked on friday’s internet show.

Published an article on Amazon Kindle. Hooversville, Hoover Blankets, Hoover Soup.

Hoover was a millionaire and a humanitarian. He headed the massive relief program after World War I to feed the starvinbg Europeans. He was much respected. Hoover became President in 1928. The big deprerssion hit in 1929. People were sleeping on the streets covered with newspapers, eating in soup kitchens, losing their homes, hurting big time. The federal government did not help. Hoover believed public monies should not be used to help the people. He refused to provide federal relief funds. He publically stated that people had to get out of the hole they were in without public assistance. Their problems were not a federal concern.

Tough.

I compared the sitaution then to now. Though not as bad, we are experieincing difficult economic times. I compared Hoover and Romney. Two men from similar backgrounds. Birds of a feather philosophically.

Dinner was late. At the Town ‘N Country in the Marriott Beachside. Wednesday night there is a deal. At the end of your meal, the manager flips a coin. If you call it correctly, the meal is on him. I called it correctly. Heads. My prime rib was free.

It rained all night. It is raining this morning. Overcast. Much thunder. Some lightning.

Today is thursday. Bocce night. Will we be able to play?

Remember…..The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Tomorrow morning. Friday. Ten, my time. World wide. On the internet. www.konknet.com/tv/personalities.

Enjoy your day!

TURTLE DIED, PRESIDENT DID POORLY, MY BEARD IS GONE

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Three items to be discussed this morning. The turtle that died, last night’s debate, and my beard. Each will be discussed in the order of their importance. Importance from my perspective.

The turtle. Good Hope. Found August 24 on a St. Croix beach. Beat up, cut up and sick. Pregnant. Airlifted to Marathon Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys. Several surgeries. Carrying over 100 eggs. C-sectins done to extract some of the eggs. Sand brought from the St. Croix beach to the hiospital and placed with the eggs in incubators. The mission…..Save the mother and the eggs!

Good Hope succumbed yesterday. From her injuries and pneumonia. Previous to her death, 61 eggs had been removed. After her death, 58.

When the eggs hatch, the new born turtles will be flown to St. Croix and deposited on the same beach where their morther was found. That evening, the turtles will walk into the ocean guided by the moon light. The hatched turtles must be returned to the St. Croix beach within 24 hours of their birth or they will expire. Plans are in place to see that the transfer takes place in a timely fashion.

The mother Good Hope made a valiant effort to survive and give birth to the eggs within her. Roughly six weeks. Over 100 of her eggs will become turtles. Thanks not only to the courage of Good Hope, but also to the Marathon Turtle Hospital and all others involved in the effort to save the mother and her offspring.

The debate. Romney finally arrived. The President fell far short of what was expected of him.

No question. Romney out did Obama. He still spoke of many things inaccurately. However, his enthusiasm and the President’s lack thereof made Romney’s misrepresentations go unchallenged and not noticeable.

The Predident was bland and sluggish. Rarely inspiring. He failed to take advantage of the many openings Romney gave him.

I sensed from the start that Obama was going to have a bad night. The first question had to do with how would you improve the economy. The first item Obama duiscussed was education. Where was the infrastructure bill? The bill provides an immediate kick in the ass to the economy. Education is important. However, in a hierarchy of things, it is not near the top at the moment.

I still do not trust Romney nor would I want him as President. Was last night representative of how Obama has been conducting his Presidency? I cannot belikeve it.

My beard. The third item on today’s agenda in order of importance. The beard is gone!

I purchased beard trimming equipment. I took too much off on one side yesterday. Tried to balance the appearnance by taking a bit nmore off the other side. Kept screwing up. Kept going back and forth. Beard kept getting smaller. Continued to look unbalanced. Finally I said…..Screw it! I took the whole thing off!

I enjoyed having a beard. I will return to one some day.

Woodward’s The Price of Politics continued to absorb my attention yesterday. I continue to read of a President less capable than I thought. I continue to read of a Vice Presidnet who is an extremely ingenious individual. Cantor has not chaged. He continues to be a worm. Valerie Jarrett is an excellent keeper of the President’s back, but too hyper. She sees shadows where none exist.

There will be no Internet show tomorrow morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour will not be broadcast. Sorry. The show will return next week.

My mornings are always busy. A haircut today at 10. Lori and me. An enjoyable time. She will be shocked when she sees me beardless! Lori trimmed and shaped the beard before I purchased the equipment and started doing it myself. She was responsibe for the beard’s initial shaping and development. Looked pretty good till I screwed it up.

Jean Thornton is back! Key West the better for it. Key West loves you, Jean!

It just started raining. No, pouring! the rainy season seems to me to be more than normal. In past years, it was usually five minutes a day around 1 in the afternoon. This year it pours big time several times a day.

Enjoy your day!

WHAT A BOCCE NIGHT!

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There are times when you can do no wrong. Last night was such a time for my bocce team. We won all three games. Could have beat any one!

We played a very good team. Excellent players. They hung in there. But when you are flawless, no one can can touch you.

Each game started close. Then we would break out and end up beating them decisively.

Jimmy of Jimmy and Joanie fame captained the opposing team. Bocce captains play as well. Last night for whatever reason, Jimmy opted not to play. He decided to manage, as he put it. Jimmy, you were a disaster as a manager. Go back to playing. Good players do not sit on the bench.

Got a haircut first thing in the morning. Told Lori she was fired from trimming my beard. I had purchased the equipment and was doing it myself. She thought I was doing a good job. Mine was the first beard she had ever trimmed.

Then to the Plantation Coffee House. No Diana. A Loretta. Turns out Loretta is Diane’s sister. Diane is in Yuma, Arizona with girl friends on a holiday. Loretta was filling in for her.

Show time this morning! The Key West Lou Legal Hour! On the internet. Ten am my time. Broadcast world wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

In addition to other topics already shared with you yesterday, I have discovered an interesting Harry Truman story. You will also hear about a $7.2 million verdict for “popcorn lung” caused by a chemical in artificial butter, and Florida having fallen victim to the West Nile Virus. Ten cases, with one dead.

Join me, if you can. I would enjoy sharing my hour with you.

Met Len Bloom last night. From Wausau, Wisconsin. A retired restauranteur, he is in Key West on vacation. He has been vacationing here one week a year for years. He sought me out at bocce. Len is a loyal blog fan.

Len is niow retired. He sold his restaurant. Plans on relocating to Key West. Soon.

Len, you will be a welcome addition!

Have to hustle. Must get showered, etc. and get to the studio on time.

Enjoy your day!