LUNATICS IN CHARGE OF ASYLUM

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Governments sometime get carried away. Do whatever it takes becomes the cry. The Biblical admonition that the end does not justify the means is forgotten.

The crazies take control.

The European Union has screwed up Europe. Many of its member countries are in dire economic shape. Like Greece, Italy and Spain. Germany is in good shape. However, if the debts of other nations are not paid, Germany will go down the tubes because a considerable amount of German monies are being loaned out through the European Union’s bank.

The internet has been afire the past 24 hours with news that Italy was going to include drugs, prostitution and smuggling sales in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) calculation this year. The inclusion of the  underground monies would help the GDP to relieve budget deficits.

Italy is going to cook its books to make its financial statement look better!

How Italy will be able to tax these illicit dollars confuses me. We are talking about the illegal. Dope traders, hookers and smugglers are going to set forth their earnings on tax returns? No way!

At this point, you are probably thinking…..Stupid Italians! No, stupid European Union!

The European Union and its bank have been having difficulty for years getting their loans paid. The European Union began considering new rules and regulations last July. The rules, etc. were finalized in January. The new rules require member nations to include in their GDP all activities that will produce more in their national accounts, REGARDLESS OF THEIR LEGALITY. Included is income from drugs, prostitution and smuggling.

Desperate people do desperate things. Desperate countries do desperate things.

Spain jumped on the band wagon in January when the new Euro rule was passed. Italy is getting into it now and will be following the new rule as of October 1.

It is not Italy that is crazy, it is the European Union and its bank. The European Union is both worried and greedy re monies it lent. They want to get paid back at some point. In order to do so, its member nations must have attractive balance sheets so the Euro Union can work its its internal machinations.

Such stupidity! The prelude to failure of this thing called the European Union over the next ten years. A house built on sand cannot stand.

Lets bring this absurd scenario down to the Key West level. Little Key West.

I was sitting at the bar at Don’s Place yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours. The realtor was showing my house again and I had to get out. I was thinking about what I subsequently wrote here. I glanced down the bar and it hit me…..These guys could do as well as the Euro people in resolving the European Union financial crisis. Perhaps better.

Enjoy your day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANKIE!

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Today is Frankie the Plumber’s birthday. He is sixty years young. Happy birthday Frankie!

Frankie is one of the most loved persons in Key West. Friendly by nature. One of the island’s best bocce players. Owner of the largest plumbing business in Key West.

A big party is scheduled for 2 this afternoon. I am invited. The whole town is invited. His home will be overflowing with people.

Unfortunately, it does not look like I will be making the party. My back! It was getting better. Then slipped back (a bit of redundancy?). I spent yesterday in bed. The big item of the day for me were the two basketball games I watched. Today, the back is only slightly better.

Florida looked awesome. They are #1! I was pulling for Dayton. Out of respect for Stephanie Kaple. It was not to be. A valiant run by Dayton. However, not competition for Florida. At least not yesterday.

I was excited by Wisconsin’s one point win over Arizona. For John Lukas! He is as much a Wisconsin fan as I am a Syracuse one. The game could have gone either way.

Officiating has been less than stellar this year in college basketball. Had Arizona won, officiating would have played into the post game commentary big time.

History repeats itself. I came across two historical items supporting the proposition.

We all know 1492 was the year Columbus discovered America. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella supported him financially. 1492, and specifically this day in 1492, was the day the King and Queen signed a decree expelling all Jews from Spain.

Then there is this day in 1856. Russia and Crimea two of the principals. Russia was at war with Great Britain, France, the Ottoman Empire and Sardinia. Over Crimea. Russia lost. The Peace of Paris was signed this day ending the Crimean War.

I read an interesting article yesterday concerning Ukraine. I have spoken to the issue several times in the past. The article suggests worldwide banks will destroy the Ukraine and not Russia. I expect to speak to this topic on my Tuesday blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

KEY WEST LOU LEGAL HOUR TOMORROW

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The weather is spectacular! 87 degrees yesterday. Not a cloud in the sky yesterday or this morning. No humidity.

The north is suffering. It is cold! Below freezing. I remember those days well.

Tomorrow morning my TV debut. Last week does not count. I was only on for 4 minutes. The audio went dead. I start anew tomorrow.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour will be both televised and available via internet. Scheduled time first. Ten in the morning my time. Comcast Channel 87 for TV viewing throughout the Florida Keys. The internet showing is available world wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

There will be many United States’ viewers. In addition, people will be watching from 35-40 different countries on the internet.

Interesting topics. It has been a crazy week world wide. Topics will include the fiscal cliff, Los Angeles voting to require porn movie makers with in the City to wear condoms, Bernie Fine avoiding the bullet, an abuse of power story involving a 3 year old, a woman masturbating in a Florida Starbucks, Romney’s claim that Obama bought the election, secession, European demonstrations which have gone unreported, the Battle of Guadalcanal, Birds Eye Peas, Wendy’s, a bad Irish pregnancy/hospital situation, and more.

Join me! I guarantee you will enjoy!

I had a dermatologist visit yesterday. There was a small growth on my back. I wanted it removed. The doctor found 3 other bad things to deal with. All four were cut out. No big deal. A shot of pain killer. A slice. A band aid.

I do not know what it is. In recent years, every time I have a medical procedure, no matter how small, I get tired afterwards. Yesterday was no different. I crashed on the bed for a few hours.

Before getting tired tired, I headed over to Blossoms for lunch. Blossoms first line of business is not sandwiches. It is feed for animals. You sit with large bags of various feeds nearby. Only in Key West!

I had an interesting experience driving home.

When I purchased my Key West home 14 years ago, my island (Key Haven) was loaded with raccoons. Not rabid ones, fortunately. On the maps, my island of Key Haven was and still is listed as Racoon Key. That in and of itself tells you how many raccoons were here.

I have not seen a racoon in several years. Not even one. In their place, I have seen many iguanas. Did the iguanas chase out the raccoons? I do not know. What I do know is that iguanas are a pain in the ass! They are all over, eat your planted flowers and shrubbery, and shit all over the place. If in the pool, the pool has to be drained and cleaned before refilling.

Because of construction, I take side streets to avoid the traffic jams. I was on one of those Key West side streets yesterday. All of a sudden, there was an iguana in the road in front of me. Right in the middle. A big one. About three feet.

I slowed and beeped my horn. I stopped and beeped my horn. The iguana was completely oblivious to me. I finally got out of the car and walked in front of the iguana. About 5 feet away.

The iguana still did not move. I clapped my hands hard. No movement. I moved towards the iguana. Nothing.

I stood there looking at him. The iguana finally looked up at me. Our eyes met. He proceeded forward and walked around me.

I wonder how it will be when the pythons are here in large numbers. One thing is sure,  I will not get out of my car!

Before collapsing into bed, I published an article on Amazon Kindle: Is A Fertilized Egg A Person????? Another way of asking whether life begins at conception. A today political issue dealing with birth control, contraception, and abortion.

There were major demonstrations in Greece, Italy and Portugal yesterday. All about the euro, austerity and Germany. 70,000 persons in Rome alone. Damage and injury.

There has been little reported by our media concerning these demonstrations. Why?

Interestingly, youth make up the majority of protestors. Recent college graduates and persons in the 20-30 age bracket. The group that cannot get jobs. To place the situation in perspective, unemployment in Italy is pushing 35 per cent. Look how hard it is in the Unite States with unemployment hovering around 8 per cent. Keep in mind also that the Egyptian revolution of two years ago was driven by recent college grads who could not find employment.

What am I saying? Trying to say? I am not sure. However, it bothers me that there appears to be a concerted effort to keep the American public unaware of the demonstrations.

Romney’s comments yesterday to the effect that Obama bought the election drives home a point that I understood while the campaigning was going on. Romney just does not get it!

Enjoy your day!

 

FROM INTERNET SHOW TO BP RELATED DOLPHIN DEATHS

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Yesterday’s internet show a winner! The Key West Lou Legal hour was back to normal. The trip is yesterday’s news.

I was bombarded following the show with e mails and telephone calls. People telling me what topics interested them most. Yesterday’s were the two stories concerning Presidents.

The John Holland story. Holland was a forefather of FDR and the two Bushes. Said a better way, FDR and the two Bushes are Holland’s descendants.

The other involved Grover Cleveland. Cleveland was the Democratic candidate for President in the 1884 election. Politics back then as dirty as today. It came out during the campaign that Cleveland had a 10 year old illegitimate son. He was supporting both the son and his former mistress. The Republicans came up with a tidbit for the campaign: “Ma, Ma, where’s my
Pa? Gone to the white House, ha, ha, ha.”

Cleveland won the election. I doubt he could today.

Visited Lisa for a while after the show. Robert somewhere in middle Florida with the cancer survivor group and Ally at day camp. Lisa and Corey pick up Robert today in Miami. The family will be a unit once more.

Then a visit to the dentist. A minor problem.

Last night started with the Chart Room. Big crowd. Many locals. Emily, Sheila, Captain Peter, Sean and Katherine. Hemingway Hank was back with his wife Patricia. Hank was proudly wearing a medal around his neck. For the ninth year, he has been selected as a finalist in the Hemingway Look A Like Contest. Hope he wins. He’s due.

Met Billy and Cindy Schott.

Billy is a true blue loyal reader of this blog. Every day. He and Cindy were married last year at this time on Smathers Beach. Key West is in their blood. Billy occasionally e mails me. He was at the Chart Room last night to meet me.

Billy and Cindy are from the Austin, Texas area. Billy was a kicker for the 1971-1975 Texas University football teams. Later, he played pro ball with the Houston Oilers. Today, he works for the Big 12 as a TV liason. Off season, his responsibilities incude collecting urine samples for testing. He might be described as the Pee Commissioner of Texas.

Cindy is an art teacher and also has her own catering business.

I spent my whole time at the Chart Room with them. Interesting and nice people. I suspect that since they were married in Key West, they will continue to visit each year at this time.

Dinner was at the bar at the Hot Tin Roof. Great food, as usual. I had chicken. I had had it before and liked it. The breast is splayed, grilled, and then quickly seared in a light oil. Magnificent!

A packed house at the Hot Tin Roof, also. Joseph and Valerie were kept busy.

The new Publix opened thursday where Albertson’s used to be. It was pushing 11 in the evening. I decided to stop by and see it on my way home.

The store is set up just as Albertsons was. I knew none of the employees. I suspect they were all former Albertson employees.

Publix is going all out in the customer war with Winn Dixie. Visitors since the opening get a lovely bouquet of flowers. Baskets emptied by an employee at check out. Carts delivered to your car with the groceries by an employee. It will not last. However, it is a nice touch.

I purchased nothing so I received none of the benefits described.

There has been an increase in dolphin deaths in the Gulf area. A significant increase. 186 washed up on shore in a three month period. More than half young ones. Calves. This is occurring in the area between Louisiana and western Florida. The dead dolphins are grossly underweight and anemic.

Some experts attribute the deaths to the BP spill and the cold waters of the last two years. They zero in on the BP spill as a causing factor because tests indicate the dolphins were undernourished and anemic before the cold waters came. It is thought that the BP spill screwed up the dolphin food chain.

BP came out last year and said everything A-OK. Worry not folks. I said no way could such a mammoth problem be cured in such a short time. The effects of the spill would be felt for years. The dolphin problem is an example.

A brief comment regarding the Colorado movie house shootings. There are two schools of thought on how to avoid such a situation. One is better gun control. The other is everyone should carry a firearm for protection purposes. Shoot the bad guy before he shoots you.

The right to bear arms has been clearly recognized by the courts in the past few years. Most people seem to have missed these decisions. In some states, people may openly carry a fire arm. Some college campuses permitt students to do so.

Those against guns walk around with the misconception that laws are in place to protect them from weapon bearing individuals. They are clearly wrong. While they slept, the NRA did its job.

Let me say what I have said before on my show and in writing. Twenty years from now we will be a gun bearing society. Just as in the Old West.

My day is going to be busy. I have to work through the trip photos so they can be posted in due course.

Enjoy your day!