ROBERT GOT A BASKETBALL

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Stopped at Lisa’s yesterday morning. Robert was on the porch. He had a basketball. We played catch. He threw the ball well. Caught it well, also. I had him dribble. Did well at that also. However, he kept looking at the ball. He told me that maybe his Dad was going to erect a basket on the palm tree in front so he could play. We talked. I told him it was better to go to Bayview to play on a real court.

Ally had no interest in basketball. The first time she has not wanted to do what her brother was doing. A sign of maturity. She is growing up.

Then to the Plantation Coffee House. Owner Diane working. A nice person. The place was busy. The sign of a good season.

Those of you who have visited my home know I let the mail collect for months on the kitchen counter. Looks terrible. Makes me look lazy. Yesterday afternoon, I cleaned it up. Went through the last 30 days. The rest got dumped.

The Chart Room last night. Another good evening! Sheila, Sean, and Peter. Met Katherine from Michigan. We talked basketball. She is an avid fan. Dorothy and her husband came in. I chatted with Dorothy. Turns out she, her husband and children were frequent visitors to Club Meds world wide. I did a few in my younger days. We compared notes.

It was time to eat. I walked across the Pier House property to the Wine Galley. Larry Smith was playing the piano and singing. Had a light dinner at the bar. While I was sitting there, Katherine from Michigan showed up. She was not following me.

College basketball continues to be crazy. #3 Michigan got beat by Wisconsin. Friend John at the Big Ten Sports Pub had to be excited. He is a Wisconsin  grad. Louisville lost to Notre Dame in five over times. Wow!

Syracuse plays this afternoon. At 3. St. Johns. I will be watching at the Big Ten Sports Pub.

Enjoy your Sunday!

SYRACUSE IN TROUBLE

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Good bye Top Ten! Syracuse lost again yesterday. To Pitt. 65-55.

Syracuse is decimating itself. One of its stars has been out for several games for academic reasons. Another had knee surgery this week and is on crutches. Syracuse was only 7 deep at the beginning of the season. It is now 0 deep. Down realistically to 5 active players. The last statement is not precisely correct. Down to 3. Two of the presnt starters are not ready for the big time yet.

I feel sorry for Boeheim and the team. Hopes were bright at the beginning of the season. But a team needs its horses if it is going to win. This year’s scenario is like last year’s when Melo was lost at March Madness time.

It is going to be a long season!

I researched and wrote in the afternoon.

Last night was fun. Jenna and I went out.

The first stop was St. Paul’s Church. Elizabeth von Trapp was performing. Excellent!

Recall Sound of Music. The Captain and wife were her grandparents. Her father the oldest son.

In between songs, she shed some light on the realities of what the family went through when it escaped Austria and Hitler.

One was that her father was not a teen ager at the time. He was 21. When the family arrived in the United States, he was 23.

The family was escaping the Nazis. But it was not as described in the musical or movie. In both instances, the family snuck out of the house in the dark of night. They had to cross the mountains in the distance to get to a safe haven.

Elizabeth said no way! Over the mountains led directly to Germany. Instead, her grandfather locked the door to their home and the family calmly walked to the train station where they took the train to Italy.

The family was singing in the United States. They had two years of performances booked. All of a sudden, the US government feared they might be spies. They were placed on Ellis Island for three days. Three days of hearings.

Grandmother was confident. While the hearing was going on in a room, she had the family in the hall way singing and practicing. Three days later, the family was found sinless and permitted to remain in the United States.

It was an experience hearing Elizabeth. Her family is a part of our memories and history.

The show was over early. Jenna and I headed over to Hot Tin Roof. Last evening at Hot Tin Roof was one of the most enjoyable I have experienced in a long time.

We sat, drank and picked on food. Like sataki, hot shrimp and mashed potatoes. Yes, mashed potatoes. Jenna likes mashed potatoes. Actually, the mashed potatoes were unusually good.

The conversation was pleasant. A multitude of items discussed.

Big day today! Not Super Bowl. It is son in law Corey’s 50th birthday. Happy birthday, Corey! The best son in law a wife’s father could have.

The event is being celebrated with a special dinner this evening. Corey’s parents are in town for the event.

After the Corey festivities have concluded, I plan on stopping at Don’s Place to watch what is left of the Super Bowl game. The place will be crowded.

Was Peter correct in identifying Chelsea Clinton at the beach the other day? I suspect so. Though no one actually seems to know. Some one thought that she was in Key West to interview a Key West figure for NBC. All mysterious and strange. My gut feeling is that she really is in town and is being secreted for some reason. Perhaps privacy?

Paul of Peter, Paul and Mary is in Key West also. He will be attending Larry Smith’s special show tomorrow night at the Wine Galley.

Sloan is due here in an hour. We have work to do.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

FORGET ABOUT #1

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Last week I was irritated Syracuse was not ranked #1 after beating Louisville. Only #3 and #4.

Yesterday Syracuse played unranked Villanova. A few nights ago, Villanova defeated Louisville who was ranked #5 at the time. Yesterday, Villanova beat Syracuse.

Two top 5 teams in one week!

An accomplishment!

Syracuse limped away.

Excuses/reasons. Two of our starting 5 fouled out. The bench gets smaller in height as you move down it. In the first half, the ball just would not go in the basket. That simple. Too many shoots missed. Many were lay ups.

Syracuse played better in the second half. But not good enough to win. Villanova came out on top in overtime.

Such is life!

I watched the game at the Big Ten Sports Pub. I was the only Syracuse fan there until the overtime when Dan and Lisa came in. Where were the 20-30 Syracuse fans who usually show up? They were there for the first two Syracuse games. The crowd has dwindled till yesterday it was basically only me.

Why, again? I doubt it is me. I shower before each game. I have concluded it has to be the Big Ten Sports Pub. The fans may not like the way it is configured, the noise, etc. I do not know. All I know is that something is wrong.

I also do not know where they are watching the game. John’s place is the best venue in town for sports viewing in my opinion.

Remember the former college guys at the Chart Room the night before raising hell. They were celebrating their ten year reunion. They were at the Big Ten yesterday during the Syracuse game. They were not watching the game. They were playing foosball. Had a competition going. Yelling and screaming same as the night before. Downing shots every few minutes.

Gentlemen they were. They asked me to play foosball with them. I declined. I am too old for the sport. Ho ho.

The Wizard of Oz will be playing a major part in our lives for the next month. Robert and Ally are munchkins in the high school play to be performed at the end of February.

Robert has graduated. He is playing a munchkin with a speaking role. Robert has 25 lines. Wowie!

Chittenango is a little town between Utica and Syracuse. It is on Route 5, a two lane New York State highway. Route 5 runs right through the center of downtown chittenago. Downtown is modest. All of 5,000 people.

Lisa said she had a vague recollection that Chittenango had something to do with the Wizard of Oz. I did not know. I knew the town was famous for hams. It is the Ham That Am town.

I checked Lisa’s comment on the internet. She was correct. Chittenango and the Wizard of Oz are tightly related.

L. Frank Baum wrote the Wizard of Oz in 1900. He was a resident of Chittenango at the time. To commemorate the event, Chittenango has a yellow brick road. The sidewalks on both sides of downtown Route 5 are painted yellow. There is a store called Auntie ‘Ems. There is also an annual three day festival. Several of the surviving munchkins show up each year. Munchkins from the 1939 movie which starred Judy Garland.

A small world!

Enjoy your Sunday!

LOVELY CHARLOTTE

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There was a rumbling on Duval last night. Charlotte was back in town!

Lovely Charlotte!

Really!

Charlotte visits Key West 3-4 times a year. She is from North Carolina. The only negative about her is her employer. United Healthcare.

Charlotte appears to be good friends with Emily. Emily was bartending last night. The two probably hit the Green Parrot after Emily shut down.

Ollie was at the Chart Room, also. I spent my time chatting with Ollie and Charlotte.

The Chart Room was noisy. About ten mid 30 guys were seated at the round table raising hell. The noise! Turned out they were on the first night of their college reunion.

It was reunion time at Don’s Place, also. I stopped at Don’s before heading over to the Chart Room.

David was there with three Ohio high school buddies and their wives. David had not seen his buddies since high school. They were making more noise than the thirty year olds at the Chart Room.

So it all can be placed in perspective, David is 60. His high school buddies had to be 60 also.

Syracuse plays Villanova at 11 this morning. I have to hustle. I will be watching the game at the Big Ten Sports Pub. If Dan and Lisa are still in town, I am sure they will be joining me.

Syracuse could lose. I know I say it every week. It is that time of the year and that type of team.

I did the Key West Lou Legal Hour yesterday morning. Great show! Such modesty! But it was and they are.

I discussed three examples of fraud. From Subway to jailed criminals to an Italian bank. Made sort of a trilogy out of it. Turns out viewers enjoyed the fraud stories the most.

I have had a slow leak in one of my tires. I went to Sears. The slow leak could not be mended due to the nail’s location. Needed a new tire. Only 12,000 miles on the car. It is a 2010 Volkswagen Beetle convertible. Purchased new.

Volkswagen stopped making the Beetle convertible in 2010.

I was told the tire had been discontinued and there were none available. Sears found a substitute. Discontinued also.

I could not win. I was tired from having hung around Sears for two hours besides.

Put the tire back on the car. The air will hold for about three weeks. In the meantime, I have to find a tire. Any suggestions? I plan on telephoning Volkswagen in Miami monday.

The spare would not work while waiting for a new tire. It is one of those donut things and is not made for a week or two of miles.

The world continues to become more crazy. Especially with the gun issue here in the United States.

A Wisconsin sheriff yesterday told his residents to learn how to handle a gun and to get one. For economic reasons, his department had been cut 48 jobs. He felt he could no longer do an effective job.

Enjoy your day!

 

SYRACUSE RODNEY DANGERFIELD OF RANKINGS

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It seems like I have been up all night. I had my blog talk radio show at 7. Was out of bed at 5 in anticipation. I am going to bed when I finish this blog for a couple of hours of much needed shut eye.

Syracuse, my Syracuse! Rarely loved by anyone other than the alumni.

#6 Syracuse beat #1 Louisville saturday by 2 points. A top notch game. I assumed Syracuse would be ranked first when the new rankings came out yesterday. Syracuse was not. Tied for third in one and fourth in another. The teams ahead of us have one defeat also. However, none beat Louisville.

Then I read an article by a spoprtswriter. He spelled out five teams from which the Final Four would emerge. He never mentioned Syracuse.

Remember Rodney Dangerfield? His best line was that he never got any respect. So it appears with Syracuse. Previous years, as well as this one.

It does not matter as long as we keep winning. Screw them all!

Syracuse played Cincinnati yesterday afternoon. Another squeaker. Syracuse won by 2 points. Syracuse did not play well. Cincinnati did. Cincinnati was deadly with their three pointers.

Watched the game at the Big Ten Sports Pub with Don and Chris and Dan and Lisa and others.

Then it was to the Chart Room with Don and Chris. Followed by dinner with them at the Hot Tin Roof.

A pleasant afternoon and evening. Especially good company.

I watched the inauguration yesterday. The swearing in portion. Excellent! Moving! Produced a tear or two out of me. I thought the ceremony was upbeat and positive. Almot 1 million standing out in the cold watching. I switched to FOX afterwards for their comments. They cut up and dissected every part of the ceremony, including Obama’s speech. It was disgraceful. They should know better. Yesterday was  a Democrat AND Republican day.

Robert and Ally are into the theatrical world. Key West High School is having a play late in February. The Wizard of Oz. Robert and Ally will play munchkins. They are excited!

Cameron is also in the presentation. He is playing the scare crow.

I was up before the crack of dawn this morning. At 7 was the Key West Lou Talk Show. A one half hour call in show on blog talk radio. Finally, some one called in. Anna from Novara, Italy. Her concerns involved the Italian economy, the euro, and Germany.

This afternoon I have my other radio show. Around 4. On Pirate Radio in Key West. Ryno’s show. Only 8-10 minutes. Ryno and I talk about anything and everything. Locals, if you are free, listen in.

Enjoy your day!

FRED CABANAS RIP

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Fred Cabanas is dead. At 60. His plane went down somewhere over Mexico’s Cozumel Island.

Fred was a Key West icon. A legend. His mark is well imbedded in Key West. He will be long remembered.

Some of Fred’s accomplishments were his family life, his business Cabanas Aeronautics Unlimited, his daredevil flying, being the Marlboro Man for the smoke designs he made from his bi-plane, being the General of the Conch Republic Air Force, and his movie parts. He also had a rare distinction. He was a Conch. Fourth generation.

It would be remiss not to mention one other item. Fred flew a bi-plane in the bloody Conch Republic Battle for Independence which occurs each year. The bi-plane bombs the US Coast Guard vessels. With biodegradable rolls of toilet paper! You have seen nothing till you have seen toilet paper tossed by Fred unrolling as it hurries down to do in the US Coast Guard.

Fred will be buried tomorrow. At sea. Somewhere on the gulf stream. He will be buried from Key West’s tallest and best known ship the Wolf. Afterwards, there will be a celebration of his life at a hangar at the Key West Airport. Roast pig and alcohol will be consumed. The desire is for a party as Fred would have enjoyed it.

I stopped dieting. I did not shop. I was without food this morning. Nothing for breakfast. At 8, I was at Publix picking up a few things. A good time to shop. There was no one in the store. I was all alone with the help.

Today is Inauguration Day. There is a more than normal excitement. I sense it over TV and in conversations with Key Westers. The last time I recall this degree of excitement was when John Kennedy was inaugurated. I was a young practising attorney at the time.

Today is Martin Luther King Day, also. I recall his killing. It was inevitable. He was in the forefront of the civil rights movement. Actually, he had his nose in everyone’s face. You just knew his life was on the line.

Today has another significance historically. The Key West Citizen reported this morning that President Ulysses Grant visited Key West this day in 1871. The paper included a picture of Grant in a horse drawn cab on Duval Street waving to the crowd.

Syracuse basketball again today! At 3:30. Against Cincinnati. Cincinnati has only 3 losses. I worry about this game, also.

Where are the new national rankings? I thought they came out sunday evenings. Guess not. I hope Syracuse is #1. It is deserved after the Louisville game.

As usual, I will be at the Big Ten Sports Pub watching the game. With Don and Chris and Dan and Lisa and I do not know who else.

Show time tomorrow morning. The new blog talk radio show I am trying to get off the ground. Tough! I suspect 7 am may not be the best time. However, for those of you who are hearty and up, join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Call in and ask questions, if you are so inclined. Lets have a good talk or listen.

I have another radio show later in the afternoon. I will be appearing weekly on tuesday afternoons on Ryno’s Show. Pirate Radio. Somewhere around 3:45 and 4. The time is flexible. Ryno has me on the air as soon as I walk in the door.

Enjoy the holiday!

 

ON THE ROAD AGAIN…..

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Normality has returned to my life! With the demise of the diet, I was out and about yesterday. Freedom!

Last night it was the Chart Room. For about two hours. Friends like Captain Peter, Ollie, Sean, Katherine, Dave and Sheila. And the always charming Emily! I chatted with all about things important and unimportant. While enjoying two drinks and popcorn.

A glorious evening! I did not go out to eat. I did not want to push my luck.

I experienced another enjoyable Key West Lou Legal Hour yesterday on TV and the internet. Apparently my viewers did also. The NRA issue attracted the most comment. The gun issue heats up more each day.

Two phases of the issue struck a chord. The one dealing with 67 million guns having been sold in the United States since Obama’s election in 2008. The other being the reponsibility of gun manufacturers and retailers for the fervor generated by the NRA. They are the power behind the scene.

After the show, I went over to the Plantation Coffee House. Enjoyed a cup of coffee and read the newspapers. Charming Diane and husband Theo were watching the shop. I avoided the Plantation Coffee House during the two months I was dieting. Normally, I would order a toasted bagel loaded with cream cheese. Not healthy for a diet.

I was pleased with myself yesterday. Even though back in the saddle, I did not order a bagel. Not even tempted.

Then to Lisa’s for a visit. Robert and Ally were home. A pleasant surprise. For whatever reason,  no school in the afternoon. Robert was outside. He has a pocket knife. His father is teaching him responsibility. Worries me. He was carving on a piece of wood. Ally was inside at the kitchen table with Lisa playing a game.

Syracuse basketball this afternoon at 4! A big game! The biggest so far this year. Syracuse plays #1 ranked Louisville. Both teams have lost one game. Statistically, the teams are evenly matched. Louisville however is a 7 point favorite on the Vegas Line.

Louisville has always been a tough game for Syracuse. Pitino who worked under Boeheim early on in his career, seems to have Boeheim’s number. Additionally, Louisville is at full strength whereas Sutherland, Syracuse’s third highest scorer, is benched for academics.

My gut tells me we are going to lose. Hope I am wrong.

I will be watching the game at the Big Ten Sports Pub along with Dan and Lisa and Don and Chris and a multitude of other Syracuse fans.

The weather was as I predicted two days ago. The cold front came in about 5 in the afternoon thursday. It always happens fast. Within ten minutes, the wind was howling, the sky black and the temperature dropped 10 degrees. Dropped another 8 during the night to 62. Cold!

Yesterday and last night were cold also. Temperature in the low 60s. I wore long pants and a leather jacket while out.

Temperature is slated to return to 75 today. Already in the low 70s outside.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

MY FIRST PIRATE RADIO SHOW

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I am becoming the Walter Cronkite of Key West.

I did my first radio show appearance for Pirate Radio yesterday. A Key West name! I will be appearing every tuesday afternoon as a guest on Mark Ryno’s show. Either at 3:45 or 4 o’clock.

The topic will be whatever Ryno and I want to talk about. Yesterday, it was the NRA, the military industrial complex, and the Sandy funding issue in Congress.

The whole talk exchange is 8 minutes.

Ryno has two distinctions. He was raised in upstate New York in a town called Waterville. About 15 miles south of my home town of Utica. The other is that when I did my first radio show three years ago at KONK Broadcasting, Ryno was the one who taught me. He took me in a little room, swiftly pointed to several knobs and said do this and that. And he walked out! I knew nothing and screwed up big time!

The Pirate Radio Station is located in a lovely tiny two story building at Sunrise Marina. Next to the County Jail. It was my first time there. The view from Pirate Radio over Sunrise Marina is the best I have seen in Key West. A wow!

The call numbers for Mark’s show are 101.7 WKYZ and 96.7 WKYZ. It is aired from Key West northward to the middle Keys.

Worked alone a bit in the afternoon on friday’s TV/Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. The show is developing. Topics so far include the NRA, the debt ceiling issue, Hulk Hogan, escape from a Greek jail, the Pope’s chief of staff Archbishop Georg Ganswein and his picture on the cover of Vanity Fair, Louis Armstrong, Eastern Airlines, John Kennedy, Louis XIV’s beheading, Roe v. Wade, and more.

A good show in the making!

Worked with Sloan at 5 for a while.

A big day today!

A pedicure and manicure with Tammy at noon. Babysitting the grandkids at 5:30. We will probably go out to dinner together.

Key West weather continues to be abnormal. Eighty one degrees yesterday. Sixth day in a row in the 80s.

The London helicopter crash is frightening. Two persons killed. I know the area where it occurred well from my London trip several years ago. South of the River Thames near the Underground and Train Station.

Syracuse basketball saturday. Against Louisville. Louisville presently ranked #1, Syracuse #6. Both teams have only lost one game. A battle!

I have not seen Louisville play this season. Understand they are close to perfect. Syracuse has been less than perfect. The team has not blended yet. It does not play as a team. It does not make foul shots. Plus, Southerland is benched because of grades. I feel uncomfortable about the outcome.

One good thing is that I shall be watching the game with good friends. Dan and Lisa and Don and Chris. Plus, the rest of the Syracuse gang. At John’s Big Ten Sports Pub, of course.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

TWO FOR ONE

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Bargain day! Two blogs for one.

My computer was still in the shop yesterday. Sunday morning. I had to go to Lisa’s to do the blog. My bed felt good. The bed won out! I never did yesterday’s blog. Sorry.

Following is what would have been yesterday’s blog covering Saturday’s events.

I hurried to Lisa’s and did the blog. Visited with the grandkids. Then the drive home. Bikers and runners galore. The trip took forever. There was a Triathlon with over 400 participants. Traffic diverted every where.  Traffic lanes closed down to accommodate the bikers and runners.

It took me 1.5 hours to make the return trip. Normally 15 minutes. That was it! As much as I love Syracuse, no way was I going back out to fight my way to Caroline and John’s Big Ten Pub. I missed the Syracuse/Villanova game. I see Syracuse won by 11 points. Good!

Remember the Auntie Maime movie of forty or more years ago. Starred Rosiland Russell. She had a female friend staying with her. Sort of a social retard. Never went out, never dated. Then she did. There was a scene several months later as she descended a staircase. She was obviously pregnant. She shouted out, “I lived!”

I lived Saturday night!

Ate and drank.

Don and Stephanie hosted a small dinner party at the Braza Lena. I was invited.

The Braza Lena is the restaurant where they serve all the meat you want. I figured what the hell! It was time I blew my diet.

I drank and ate. Big time. Even had desert. It felt good!

The company was good, also. Beside Don and Steph, there was Herschel and Erika and David.

My car was parked at the Pier House. I walked Duval to get it. Something struck me. For the first time, I thought Duval was honky tonk. Yes, sadly it has become so. A decidedly different flavor from 15-25 years ago. I did not like it.

Now for yesterday. Sunday.

As I already told you, I stayed in bed in the morning. Comfortably buried in the sheet and blanket.

Watched Meet the Press from the bed. I was impressed with Colin Powell. As always.

Tim Reynolds called. One computer fixed. The old one. The newer one with the virus was still being worked on. I drove over to pick up the repaired one. The one I am writing on at the moment.

The virus is Money Pak. What a pain! Locks the screen. Hopefully, Tim will have it repaired by today. I am becoming uncomfortable.

Stopped at Lisa’s on the way home. Robert and Ally were doing homework. Studiously and diligently. I was impressed. I read the Sunday newspapers and then left for home.

The Seattle/Atlanta game was terrific! Especially the last two minutes. Even more so the last 20 seconds. It is called professionalism.

The big thing on the agenda today is a routine visit with the heart doctor.

Tomorrow morning at 7 my blog talk radio show. The Key West Lou Blog Talk Radio Show.

I will be there! The cell phone problem has been corrected.

The show is a one half hour talk show. I talk. You talk, if you call in.

You do not have to wait till 7 when the show starts to call in. You may call in before 7 and will be placed on hold in the order called in.

Find me and the show at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

DOTTI BACK IN TOWN

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I was sitting quietly by the computer last night working on friday’s show. The telephone rang. It was  a voice from the past. Dotti.

Dotti is an old Key West friend. I have not seen her in several years. She married and moved to Mexico. She is back. Working at a jewelry store on Duval.

Are you dressed, she asked. Of course was the reply. I am at Louie’s Backyard. Meet me for a drink.

Away I went.

The evening was perfect. Stars galore. The weather cool. Dotti lovely. The diet Pepsi’s fantastic.

I enjoyed the evening.

I spent a good portion of yesterday preparing for friday’s show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. More to do.

The show is at 10 in the morning my time. Airs on television on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. All the way from Key West through Miami-Dade County. The show is available in 250,00 homes via television alone.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour is also available on the internet. World wide. www.tvchannel19.com.

Join me. An interesting fun filled hour.

Syracuse basketball tonight! We are into it. Big East league play. Providence is tonight’s opponent. The game is at Providence. Seven o’clock.

I will be watching at the Big Ten Sports Pub.

This Brent Musburger thing this morning is ridiculous. The media has better to do.

Musburger mentioned on TV during the Alabama/Notre Dame game that A. J. McCarron’s girl friend was beautiful. ESPN issued a written apology.

What garbage! We go too far with political niceties these days. Suppose a female sportscaster had said A. J. McCarron was handsome? Would an apology have been warranted?

Ascertained the screw up with the blog talk radio show. I have not been able to get into the site to do the show for two weeks. Sloan figured it out. My cell phone does not take a second number after the initial telephone one. Some thing to do with programming. I will be at Verizon later to get it corrected.

Enjoy your day!