WOE IS SYRACUSE

Immigration, Ferguson, Ebola, bocce, nudity…..all take a back seat to the Syracuse basketball story. I mentioned recently I was concerned about this year’s basketball team. Concern being a rare occurrence. It has been many years since Syracuse has had a team not up to snuff. This may be the season.

I watched the Syracuse/California game last night. Not since Pearl Washington’s days have I seen  a Syracuse team that had neither a defense nor offense. The fabled Syracuse zone was not working. California was penetrating at will. As to the offense, there was none. Most of the time, Syracuse looked like a bunch of guys playing pick up ball. Everyone shooting. Shots forced. The ball not going in the hole.

Can Boeheim weave the team together? I think not. The talent is there. If he does, it will be the miracle of miracles.

The Syracuse basketball team is my team. Right or wrong. Good or bad. I am with them to the bitter end!

I spent much of yesterday writing next week’s KONK Life column. Why Decapitation. The story of what is behind the ISIS beheadings.

I only stayed for the first bocce game last night. I left early to watch the Syracuse/California game. We won the first game 16-15. A squeaker. Tom is back from New Jersey. He won the game for us. His last shot a bocce one. The opposing team could not knock the shot out.

My cell phone is dead. I do not know how we fared in the next two games.

Last evening was the last night of the season. Playoffs are saturday. We were on the bubble to make the playoffs. I do not know how we and the other teams on the bubble fared.

I am excited about tonight. I cannot wait. I will be attending an evening of Cole Porter music at the Waterfront Playhouse. Porter’s music thrills me.

Jenna is joining me. We will probably have dinner first at the Hot Tin Roof.

The President has spoken. An executive order is forthcoming re immigration. I think he was correct in doing what he did.

What concerns me is how off the track the Republicans are. Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma was one of the worst. I have always admired Coburn. Yesterday, he had it wrong however. He said on television before Obama’s talk that what the President was going to do would cause or was anarchy and that violence could result. Violence by the people.

I think some Republicans sit in a small smoked filled room with their glasses of bourbon in hand beating the drums about what a bad person Obama is. They do it so much, they start believing themselves. Lunacy.

Gail Collins, the syndicated writer for the New York Times, had an interesting observation in a recent column. It had to do with Republicans and Democrats. I do not share it with you in that vein. I share the following as an odd ball happening in today’s world.

Collins reported that a recent South African study revealed an off the wall happening in the Antarctic. Fur seals are having sex with penguins.

I wonder if someone will blame this relatively new development on global warming.

Enjoy your day!

 

HEMINGWAY HOUSE

The last time I visited the Hemingway House was 15 years ago. I decided to give it another shot yesterday. I am a fan and admirer of one of the world’s great writers. Imagine, he lived in Key West for ten years!

I did the touristy thing. Stood in line for a short while to purchase my admission. I think, $13. I thought the amount a bit steep. Did not recall paying that much 15 years ago. But then, it was 15 years ago!

The thing that impressed me the most was the same that did 15 years ago. The room where Hemingway wrote. It was over the garage. The garage was not attached to the house. No stairs to the room. Entrance was gained by sliding a board from a second floor window in the house to a window in the top floor room of the garage. Hemingway’s intent was to isolate himself. Not to be disturbed while he was writing.

The six toed cats intrigued me once again. Unusual.

There are a couple of urinals sitting on the lawn. By urinals, I mean those things men step up to and relieve themselves in. About five feet in length. Made of ceramic tiles. Bright tiny tiles.

The urinals have been hooked up to water lines and now serve as the cats’ drinking fountain.

The urinals are from the original Sloppy Joe’s on Green Street. Now, Captain Tony’s. When Joe was moving from Green Street to his present location on Duval, his friend Hemingway helped him. A bunch of guys literally carried the bar furniture from one place to another sometime after midnight one evening. A bit tipsy, I am sure.

Joe was not taking the urinals. Hemingway thought they were too attractive to leave. He disengaged them from the wall and had them removed to his house. The story is Hemingway carried them. I doubt it. Two or three together would be too heavy and cumbersome. On the other hand, Hemingway was a big man.

Then to the gym. One hour with Albert. Tough! I could get to dislike Albert.

Spent the rest of the day researching next week’s KONK Life column. It will involve the House of Representative threat to shut down the government again. This time over the EPA. The column will be revealing. I spent the last 25 years of my career in the environmental field. I know the motivations of the players first hand.

I find it interesting that this Congress that has passed little legislation has the time once again for a government shut down. And as of yesterday, Speaker Boehner announced the House intends to sue the President for purportedly over extending his Constitutional powers. Better the House do what they were elected to do. Pass legislation. Not be involved in political ploys.

The Supreme cCurt decided yesterday that cell phones are free from police seizure and inspection without a search warrant. Strange that the conservative portion of the Court supported the decision. Chief Justice Roberts even wrote it.

There is an Op-Ed column in this morning’s New York Times by Linda Greenfield. The title explains it…..Supreme Court Justices Have Cell Phones, Too.

Enjoy your day!

WHERE DO I BEGIN…..

Several disjointed items to share.

Today’s blog is being done even later than yesterday. I was up and out very early this morning. A friend was in distress. Needed help. When I returned home, there was only time to shower and rush to the TV studio to do my show.

It was a terrific show! One of the best I have prepared!

No one got to see it, however.

Technical difficulties. Audio was good. No visual, however.

It was decided to record the show. Different equipment from televising. I started again. The show has been recorded. It will run on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19 at 4:30 saturday afternoon and 3 sunday afternoon.

Sorry the show did not air today as scheduled.

A special sorry to Valarie from Delaware. Valarie wrote and said she would be watching the show. Valerie, I hope you can get to it this weekend.

The lead item in the show was the hacking of the New York Times website. Even more important than Syria from my perspective. I view hacking as the new way to wage war. The issue is sufficiently heavy in my mind that I have decided to do next week’s KONK Life column on it.

Bocce last night! We won all three games. Everyone was on. The courts swift. We destroyed the opposition. Humbled them.

You will recall we were destroyed last week. Badly. The team we decisively beat last night killed the team that beat us last week two weeks ago.

That’s bocce!

At the present, my television show is available in 325,000 homes. Beginning next week, that number increases to just under 600,000. My station is expanding its coverage area up through Boca Raton.

As you may recall, my tv/internet show is You Tubed. It has been You Tubed as part of the station and Jenna’s shows. I have graduated. I now have my own You Tube account.

Because of name problems, I cannot use Key West Lou as the site name. Lou’s Legal Hour is the title/name. Merely go to You Tube and enter Lou’s Legal Hour. There will be my shows standing alone. The past three weeks are in. Earlier shows will not be entered. However, they still can be viewed by entering the Key West Lou Legal Hour and searching for them from the station’s other shows and Jenna’s shows.

Please do not let me confuse you. Lou’s Legal Hour is solely for the purpose of going to my You Tube account. It has no other purpose. Key West Lou lives on!

Enjoy your holiday weekend!

WE LIVE IN CHANGING TIMES

I have gained a few pounds since I returned from Europe. It is not the eating. It is the lack of exercise. I walked a lot on the trip.

Guilt has been added to the pounds. I decided to walk yesterday. Did the Home Depot for a while.

I have been writing three books at one time for the past couple of years. One is a series of short stories. I wrote a new short story yesterday afternoon. It is the tale of a deaf man who heard for the first time at age 40. Touching.

Following which I spent some time reviewing and finalizing my notes for last night’s blog talk radio show. It is all in the refining.

The show went well. I had some technical difficulties at the beginning. Started about 3 minutes late. It could be me. Sloan will be here this afternoon and we will run through the get on the air process again.

Topics last night included transgenderism as a civil rights issue, the Syrian problem which began as a civil war and now has the added dimension of being an oil battle between certain world powers, China owning all pandas in U.S. zoos, and Florida’s proposal to urine test high school athletes.

If you missed the show last night, it is archived and available 24 hours a day. Merely go to www.blogtalkradio.com, hit the archive button and enter Key West Lou or Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

We live in changing times. Dramatically changing times. I fear that most world leaders and people do not realize it. There is a danger in failing to recognize changes which are rapidly occurring.

Two examples.

Syria. I say the United States should stay out. That is not the point of this comment, however. It is that our major support is from two nations who are no longer world powers. Great Britain and France. We are the only big guy left among the three. We must open our eyes and form alliances also with real major powers. The world is not only changing, it has changed.

The New York Times. I could not get into the Times on my tablet yesterday. I found out in the evening that it was off the air because it had been hacked. Hacked by the Syrian Electronic Army. The same army that successfully hacked in the recent past the Financial Times, the Washington Post, and Huffington Post. The same Army that sent out Twitter messages from Obama and Oprah Winfrey supporting Syria’s Assad.

The Times hacking and others mentioned are clear examples that wars need not be fought on battlefields to be effective.

Enjoy your day!

MEDICAL REPATRIATION

 

There is a new term out there. Few have heard it. Many will as time goes on.

It is medical repatriation.

Formal sounding. Serious in its implications.

I spoke of medical repatriation on the Key West Lou Legal Hour yesterday. The term involves illegal persons and hospital bills.

The law in the United States is that a hospital is required to care for an injured or sick person till that person is “stabilized.” Not cured. Regardless of ability to pay. Until recently, hospitals have been caring for illegal persons till cured. The result was increased billing to those who had the ability to pay. An unfair but Christian like approach.

Medicaid does not pay the medical bills of those illegally in the United States.

Hospitals have begun to change the format for handling illegals. Now they hire a plane and ship these still sick persons back to their country of origin. The expense of the plane is on the hospital. It is cheaper for a hospital to go this route rather than absorb the balance of a cure bill and rehabilitation.

A recent case involves two Mexican illegals who were working. Their employer provided each with a $100,000 medical policy. The two men had an automobile accident resulting in serious brain injuries. The $100,000 per person was eaten up in less than one week. The hospital flew them back to Mexico on the eleventh day. While both were comatose, a state they had been in since the happening of the accident.

Bad business! Such conduct sets a precedent for a hospital to throw the sick out when the money runs out. I am talking about U.S. citizens who are sick and have no insurance or have insurance that has run out.

I fear that what happens to others today, will happen to us tomorrow.

I discussed the above on my tv/internet show yesterday.

Afterwards, I hurried home to write next week’s column for KONK Life. Vengeance Is Mine Sayeth The Lord. It has to do with the 19 year old Boston bomber and forgiveness. Cardinal O’Malley last week said we should forgive. I say no! Execute him! After a fair trial, of course.

From my previous writings and shows, you are aware that I am against the death penalty. My concern is that an innocent person could be put to death. The system is not perfect. However with the Boston bomber the story is different. From the videos, pictures, television and everything else, there is no question of guilt. Guilt for a horrific and heinous crime. Let him die!

The Chart Room last night was crowded and fun. Jean Thornton invited me to watch the Great Sea Battle from the porch of the Hot Tin Roof with some others. She was buying. I could not refuse such a generous offer from such a beautiful lady.

We ate and drank and watched the Conch Republic win another battle against the forces of the United States. There was no way the Conch Republic was going to lose. Four airplanes. Two bi of World War I vintage, another post World War II, and a sea plane. All dropping unfurling toilet paper rolls as bombs. Biodegradable, I might add.

The U.S. Navy had two jets flying over. No competition for the four Conch planes.

Four pirate ships made up the Conch Navy. Frankie is Admiral. The pirates were appropriately dressed.

The United States was represented by a small 14 foot power boat with a red stripe on the side. No competition. Sequestration prevented the Coast Guard cutter from participating.

The bombs fell, the pirate ship guns hosed the 14 foot power boat and threw cabbage, tomatoes and eggs at it.

The war was easily won.

Stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. Erika, Hershel, Michael, Don, and Stephanie in attendance. Erika’s brother was there. He has just returned from six years in South Korea. He taught English. He had many interesting stories to share.

The weather continues to be magnificent. Several people commented last night that yesterday had been one of Key West’s best days.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY

 

Book review time! I finished reading Fifty Shades of Grey yesterday morning.

The book is a trilogy. The three volumes fast moving. The author is a woman. E. L. James. I specify her sex since from my perspective it is a woman’s book written by a woman.

Fifty Shades is #1 on the New York Times best seller list. It is being read world wide. Book stores keep running out.

Fifty Shades is a love novel. Again, written by a woman for women. Not generally the type of book men read. Too lovey dovey.

My sense is the book is going to raise sex to another level.

Sex and love are big time in the novel. They are integrated. One.

I am 77. This is the fourth time in my life that I have seen something occur which affected societal mores.

The birth control pill became popular in the 1960s. It freed women from the fear of unwanted pregnancy. Pre-marital sex and promiscuity were rampant. The female was liberated.  Women were able to have sex like men without the fear of consequence.

The pill elevated sex to a new level.

Then came the Joy of Sex. A 1972 novel. Explained the mechanics of sex. Advised men and women how to better enjoy sex.

The major piece of information in the book was the clitoris. Not known as well then as it is today. Hard to believe, but that is how it was.  Women were generally only enjoying vaginal orgasms. The clitoral revelation made it possible for them to enjoy clitoral orgasms. And for some, orgasms for the first time.

Joy of Sex was an international best seller, #1 on the New York Times best seller list.

Once more sex was elevated to a new level.

In 1981 and 1982, two relatively small studies were done regarding the g-spot. Medical science had been aware of the g-spot since the 1940s. A Dr. Grafenberg identified it by name in the 1950s. The g was taken from the first letter of his last name.

Some men’s sex magazine became aware of the studies. Playboy or Penthouse, perhaps. A major article was written. The thrust was that a man’s knowledge and use of the g-spot would place him in a position to better satisfy his woman.

The g-spot raised sex to even a further level.

Now comes Fifty Shades. No question a love novel. Different, however. BD/SM is the primary method of sexual play and expression.

More women than men are reading Fifty Shades. Most will want sex to provide the pleasures reflected in the book. The belief being that  BD/SM will provide increased sexual satisfaction.

Fifty Shades elevates sex to another level. Just as the pill, Joy of Sex, and the g-spot did.

Exploration time in the bedroom again!

Lets move to the more mundane.

Last night was fun! Jenna and Krystal were my guests for drinks and dinner. It was the Chart Room and Hot Tin Roof.

After the ladies left,  I stopped into the Chart Room again. Che was at the bar. I said hello. Did not have a drink. Told Che I was heading over to Don’s Place. He opted to follow me in his car.

Don was at the bar talking with Stan. I joined them. Bocce the conversation. We are team mates.

I missed Thursday night bocce this week. I was behind with the material for my Friday show. Every time I do not play, my team wins!
There has to be a message in that. The team beat Larry’s team 2-1.

Che arrived. The conversation changed. All sort of problems were discussed. The conversation got cerebral. I left. My head could take no more.

Syracuse beat Missouri in football yesterday 31-27. Good for Syracuse! A struggling team this year. They are now 6-5.

Today Syracuse basketball! One pm. I will be watching the game at John Lukas’ Big Ten Pub.

Syracuse is playing Wagner. A warm up game for Syracuse. Syracuse should win easily.

My Utica good friend Gus graduated from Wagner. It would have been nice if we could have watched the game together.

The college football picture was screwed up big time yesterday. Both Kansas State and Oregon lost. Notre Dame is the only undefeated major college team. Notre Dame has to get by USC next week to stay numero uno.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

SUNDAY A MIXED BAG

Good morning!

A lovely Key West morning! Sun is bright. Sky pure blue. No clouds. Water blue. A bit of wind.

The weather lately has been amazing. We seem to have left the rainy season. It is cooler, however. No 80s. Mid 70s by day. Mid 60s by night. No need for air conditioning. Sleep with the windows open and a light blanket for cover.

My morning yesterday was quiet. As I have suggested before, the way a Sunday should begin. I laid in bed watching the morning TV talk shows. Meet the Press, The Chris Matthews Show, etc. Shows that feed the political junkie me.

Later, grabbed a beach chair and towel and drove over to Higgs Beach. Stopped on the way to buy the Sunday New York Times. $5.50! Outrageous!

Read the paper and watched the ladies a while. Got hungry. Stopped in Salute’s. Enjoyed a fish sandwich at the bar.

My intent later in the afternoon was to be at the Big Ten Sports Bar to watch Syracuse’s first basketball game of the season. Never made it.

When I returned from Salute’s, I took a quick shower before heading over to the Sports Bar. Laid on the bed for a few minutes. Turned on TV. One of my all time favorite movies was playing. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing. Starred William Holden and Jennifer Jones. 1955 vintage. I decided to watch the movie. Never made it to the Sports Bar. Missed the Syracuse game. I must be getting old!

I knew William Holden. Back in the 1970s, I used to go to La Costa a couple of times a year. A spa outside San Diego. Holden was generally there. We became La costa friends.

I used to go to lose weight. He went to dry out.

The thing that sticks in my mind about him was that he was always the gentleman.

We used to spend our evenings smoking cigars and chatting. I rarely smoked a cigar back then. Do not now. However, there was nothing else to do in the evening at the spa.

Oops. Almost forgot. Syracuse won. Beat San Diego State 62-49.

Billy Kristol was on one of the talk shows yesterday morning. He is a very much respected conservative. He spoke of the Republican Party debacle.

He expressed the need for the Republican Party to accept new ideas.

Regarding taxing the wealthy more, he said go for it! Let me quote him. Taxing the wealthy “…won’t kill the country if we raise taxes a little bit on millionaires…half of whom voted Democratic and half of whom live in Hollywood and are hostile.”

Think about Obama’s proposed tax hike. Only four percentage points more. From 35 per cent to 39 per cent.

When Clinton was President, the federal tax rate was 39 per cent. Where Obama wants to take us now. The country prospered. Everyone made money big time. Even me. If you add the New York State income tax onto the 39 per cent, I was paying close to 50 per cent of my income in taxes. I did not mind. Nor did anyone else. The economy was booming! Money was flowing in!

The 4 per cent is nothing more than pocket change to today’s rich.

We have been paying 35 per cent for years. Is the economy booming? Has it boomed in recent years? The argument against raising the tax on the rich is a bogus one.

Grandkids day! They are off from school. Today is Veterans Day.

Enjoy your day!