A GLORIOUS SUNRISE

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A glorious sunrise this morning!

I was up early for a dentist appointment. As I leave my home, I drive towards the ocean. Fo

ur homes ahead is open water. As I approached the open water, the sun was breaking over the horizon. A bright orange ball!

The drive home gave me another beautiful viewing. Involving the water once again. I was driving up Southern Boulevard with the Atlantic on my right. The sun caused some sort of mist on the water. Like a light fog. Beautiful!

I needed a new tire on the Volkswagen. I had shopped around. The usual places such as Sears were extremely expensive. Someone told me about a business that comes to your home and changes the tire. I was further told that the price would be relatively cheap. I was not disappointed. I made a telephone call on Friday. Put in the order. I was told they would be at my home 10 o’clock monday morning. They were on time. It took 15 min. to change the tire.

The company is called Pit Stop Tire Shop. The owners name is Junior. The telephone number is 305-414-3992. The price was $100 cheaper than was quoted anywhere else. Do business with these people!

I did my blog talk radio show last night at nine in competition with the President’s State of the Union message. Such is life! I hate cannot wait to see the numbers. I am interested in how many listeners I ended up with.

I was advised this morning that the same audio problem I had last week occurred last night. We thought we had it beat. We will be working with the blog talk radio people this week to correct the situation.

Tonight is Syracuse basketball! Wake Forest the opponent. Nine o’clock. Syracuse an 8.5 favorite on the Vegas line.

I need to watch the game from my bed because of the teeth situation. I am not leaving home. I do not know if the game is televised. Someone help me. What is ESFC and can I get it on TV.

I stopped at Publix yesterday afternoon to pick up some liquid food. I will not be able to eat solid food today. Hopefully, I will lose a pound or two.

This week in driving up and down the Boulevard, I noticed that Checkers was closed. I figured they were either out of business because of the Boulevard construction or had closed down for remodeling. Turns out Checkers will be no more in Key West. The Checkers lease runs out February 1. Starbucks got in competition with them for the new lease. Starbucks out bid Checkers. Ergo, there will be a new Starbucks on the Boulevard. A good spot and size for a Starbucks.. The only other Starbucks in town is in the La Concha Hotel. I never stop him because it is too small. I’m sorry to see Checkers leave. They made a terrific cheeseburger.

Enjoy your day!

STATE OF THE UNION / TUESDAY TALK WITH KEY WEST LOU

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I can’t win. Tonight at nine is the State of the Union address. My blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West L is at the same time. How can I compete with the President! 30 million people will listen to the President. Overwhelming in comparison to the 2000 that would normally listen to me. Actually, I expect everyone to listen to the President. I am sorry I will not be able to do so because of the show.

As far as my audience is concerned, it is not that bad. The interesting thing about blog talk radio is that the show is archived. It is available for listening at any time during the week following the show. What happens is that a handful of people listen to the show at nine on Tuesday evenings. 99% of my listeners are those who listen to the archived version during the week. Interesting.

For those who will listen at some point in time to my show, I will be discussing issues including the disclosure that a majority of working age Americans are on food stamps for the first time,  Ukraine out of control, the miss distribution of wealth, Monsanto’ and toxic toxins purportedly killing human embryo cells, JP Morgan’s CEO Dimon receiving a 74% raise to $20 million, Huckabee’s stupid statement about a woman’s libido, and more.

Kelly Mc Gillis continues to leave her impact on Key West. The star of  Top Gun settled at one point in Key West. She became owner of several restaurants  with her husband Fred Tillman. They are since divorced. She has no current relationship with any of the restaurants. One still maintains her name, however. Kelly’s. Mc Gillis has not stayed away. She sponsors an annual  flag football team competition for women. Called the Key West Classic. A three day event. It was held this past weekend with its usual success.

My day yesterday started with a visit to the dentist. I am back! The implants were getting loose. It was to be expected. I thought whatever was involved would only include tightening up some of the sockets, etc. However a portion has to go to the lab for  some type of adjustment. Which means that from eight o’clock tomorrow morning to eight o’clock Thursday morning, I will be without teeth. Comforting! I will not leave the house nor will I see anyone during those 24 hours!

Dan, I will not be watching the Syracuse/Wake Forest game with you at Don’s Place tomorrow night as a result.

Pete Seeger died. The American folk singer. No question about the label fitting him. Not only was he a great singer, he also was a political activist. Amongst the songs he is best known for are Where Have All the Flowers Gone? and If I Had a Hammer.

I’ve said this before. As I get older, I feel I have been a part of history. Seeger was during my time. Though a little older than me. Every time someone from my past, whether directly or indirectly related, passes on, I feel a special loss.

I started last night at Don’s Place. Had to talk to Jimmy for a while. I chatted with David. Met Roberta. Roberta is David’s new lady friend. We had a nice talk. She knows Lisa well.

Then it was to the Chart Room. Glad I went!

Charlotte was there! Charlotte from North Carolina! I love her! She visits Key West every three or four months.

Charlotte will be coming down to Key West more frequently,  she told me. Her boyfriend, who I met some three months ago, has obtained employment in Key West. He is a radio announcer. He has a show on 104.9 BX. Charlotte is all excited. This means in due course she will be moving to Key West permanently.

It was fraternity reunion night! A group of fraternity brothers were celebrating their 20th reunion. Fraternity brothers of Delta Sigma Phi. They were here with their lady friends and wives having a great time. They told me they have gotten together every year for 20 years to celebrate. God bless them!

I was driving home and decided I was hungry. I did not want to eat too much. I stopped at the Chinese restaurant in the Sears Shopping Center for a bite.

My recently published book The World Upside Down came up in conversation twice yesterday. First with my dentist. He reads my KONK Life column religiously every week. He asked where the book could be purchased. I told him on the Internet. Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com. The book came up again last night with Charlotte. She was not aware it had been published. She will be ordering it.

Enjoy your day!

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW…..

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It is all about Oz! The Wizard of Oz!

Key West High School is presenting the show next week. Grandson Cameron has a lead role. Strawman. Grandkids Robert and Ally are all excited. Practicing away. They are munchkins. I am excited. Cannot wait to see them perform!

I stayed in last night. State of the Union time.

The State of the Union has become ritualistic. The President comes before both houses of Congress and spells out his agenda for the year. He also comments on the health of the Nation. Congress sits and listens. The President’s party smile. The opposition look grim. Contrast Boehner and Biden last night behind the President.

The best part of the State of the Union from my perspective is the gate keeper who enters the Congressional Chamber and speaks in a loud voce, just short of yelling…..The President of the United States!

What did I learn last night? The President’s program is ambitious. He needs only to accomplish a small part for it to be a great year. Jobs are key. I am for infrastructure. I wish the Republicans would bend on  this point. It is a sure way to jobs and positive cash flow.

The Republicans have to give some. Being the opposition does not mean opposing everything. On occasion, cooperation for the good of the country is required.

Senator Cruz was making news on all the TV channels this morning. A new Senator. He has the good fortune of being on the Committee passing judgment on Hagel. Cruz went a step too far in tuesday’s discussions. He accused American war hero Hagel of cozying up to Iran. Not just absurd. Stupid! Even McCain came to Hagel’s defense.

Comcast is in the news big time this morning. My favorite internet provider. Said with tongue in cheek. Comcast bought out GE’s 49 per cent interest in NBC and Universal. Comcast now owns all 100 per cent of NBC. Comcast is also the largest provided of internet services. They became the same in 2002 when they bought AT&T Broadband.

Two thoughts.

First, I hope Comcast does not screw up NBC as it has its Key West internet service. Sometimes top management becomes too distant from its people in the trenches.

Second, is this purchase a step too far? Corporations like Comcast get larger and larger. Just like the banks did. At some point too big to fail? I sometimes think banks and major corporations are our shadow government.

Friday is two days away. My TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. The show is developing well. Interesting topics. Like the Pope’s resignation, the State of the Union message, wrestling and the Olympics, a Vienna Museum nudist showing, an Akron police chief and DNA, and more.

Join me friday morning at 10. I guarantee you will enjoy!

Syracuse basketball again tonight. Seven o’clock. It is being carried on ESPN. I am not sure whether I will be watching from bed or John’s Big Ten Sports Pub.

I hope Syracuse wins. I am not sure this season. Every game is a nerve wrecker.

Enjoy your day!

NORTH DAKOTA OIL BOOM…..WOW!

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Very interesting evening last night at the Chart Room!

Che and Peter engrossed in conversation in the corner with a couple from Las Vegas. Dorothy and Doc in for a drink. Mary bartending.

Me, I met Kevin from North Dakota. What an education I got! Learned so much! I want to share every morsel with you.

Kevin owns a small company that manufactures drill bits. He sells world wide. He is on vacation in Key West with his wife Sheila. First time. They love it!

He and I really got into North Dakota. Recall news over the past couple of years of building an oil pipeline running from Canada to Louisiana. Build or not to build the issue. Environmentalists strongly against it. The pipeline was an issue in the recent campaign.

North Dakota is presently benefiting from an oil boom. It would benefit even more if the pipeline were built. The pipeline would create thousands of good paying jobs up and down its length in the United States..

Here is what Kevin told me.

Young men just out of high school are earning $100,000  a year. Work a 60-70 hour week. Employed as roughnecks.

Wal-Mart is not know for generous wages. Wal-Mart pays its stock clerks $17 an hour.

MacDonald pays $15 an hour with a $300 sign up bonus.

There are presently 3,500 unfilled jobs. People are coming from all over to fill them. Kevin told me he sees many Florida plates.

Kevin lives in Williston. Five years ago it had a population of 15,000. Today, 50,000 and growing.

The United States is in an economic recession. We need jobs. Plain and simple. To build/extend the pipeline to Louisiana would create a ton of jobs. Good paying ones.

It is the eternal clash. I was an environmental attorney. I understand the importance of protecting our lands from damage caused by corporate greed. However on occasion the pendulum must swing when there is a greater need. In this instance, jobs!

The rest of my yesterday was not as exciting as my conversation with Kevin. I did the dentist thing again. Will be doing it for a while yet. Pain still there. However, minimal. Read a small news piece in the Key West Citizen about a Senator Stephen R. Mallory. From Key West. He as a US Senator in the 1850s. Came the Civil War, he went the other way. Joined the Confederacy where he served as Secretary of the Navy. Mallory Square is named after him.

The python hunt ends monday at 5. 1,500 hunters involved. Through last friday, a total of 50 pythons killed. Does not seem to have been worth the effort.

Pope Benedict XVI is retiring at the end of the month. I find his retirement strange.  I do not buy the age/health argument. Last Pope to retire was around 415 AD. I think it has more to do with the ongoing Vatican Bank investigation involving money laundering. Time will tell.

The Olympics have decreed wrestling will no longer be one of its sports. Beginning with the 2020 Olympics. What are they going to replace it with? Foosball?

I did my blog talk radio show this morning at 7. Still not enough people calling in. I had one this morning. It was over the Pope’s retirement. I am considering trying a new time. If it does not get enough call ins at a later time, then it is me. I would not have been cut out to be a blog talk radio host.

Enjoy your day!