WHAT ZONE DEFENSE?

There is no joy in Mudville, mighty Casey has struck out…..

Baseball. A different sport. Yet fits the feeling of Syracuse basketball fans.

Boston College destroyed Syracuse yesterday 96-81. BC made 16 of 23 three attempts. Where was Syracuse’s fabled zone defense? Non-existent. As it has been in prior games this season.

My heart bleeds not only for the team and Syracuse, but also Coach Boeheim. His post season interviews reflect his sadness. He assumes full responsibility re the team’s failure to defend/win. He is the coach/teacher.

The team is not guarding. Give an opposing player an open shot and he is going to make it.

The scenario embarrassing and perplexing.

A long season ahead. Orange blood will flow.

I watched the game at home. I died.

Liz gave me a container of her home made Christmas cookies. Delicious. I was so nervous and irritated during the game I ate them all!

Spent the day at home. The Syracuse game took the energy out of me. I did some reading. Learned something new.

Greece in many respects is the mother of western civilization. Ancient Romans spoke Greek. Not Italian. The language did not exist at the time of the Caesars.

The aristocrats spoke Greek. The rest Latin. Described as Vulgar Latin. Classical Latin the language used in legal documents, oratory and administration.

I believe I advised recently that Cleopatra was not Egyptian. Her ethnicity Greek.

Greece’s expansion of its commercial activities resulted in Greece impacting everything it touched.

I am continually critical of the Key West City Commission. Experts at wasting money.

The new City Hall at the former Glynn Archer School is scheduled for its Grand Opening tomorrow at noon.  The spendthrift politicians will be there taking bows. Final cost, $18.8 million. Took six years to complete. Overrun huge.

There was a time most Middle East countries were our friends. Includes our all time Arab friend Saudi Arabia. Especially love Saudi Arabia. They appear to have contributed to 9/11. They gave us $4 a gallon gasoline. Who needs friends like them!

Israel and the Middle East nations come into play. Bitter enemies. From day one. Seems to get worse with each passing year. Truth be told, it never gets better.

In the meantime, the United States pays.

Middle East oil was cheap in the U.S. from 1950-1972. Then came the Yom Kipper War. Israel kicked the Arabs in the ass big time.

During the time, the U.S. supported Israel. As it always has.

OPEC was unhappy with the U.S. position. They stopped exporting oil to the U.S. When the embargo was lifted, OPEC still punished the U.S. by quadrupling the price of oil.

Three significant things occurred as a result thereof.

A recession. Makes sense if oil not delivered and then the price of oil quadrupled.

Japan captured the auto market by coming out with small gas saving automobiles. Affected our Detroit.

Finally, we got a national speed limit. 55 mph. Signed into law by President Nixon in 1974. The law remained in effect till 1995. It was thought by lawmakers that 55 mph was the fuel efficient speed.

I drove the highways of this country in those years. Especially the N.Y. Thruway. 55 mph no way to go! A hare’s pace.

A second government thought was that 55 mph would curb the appetite of American drivers for driving. Good luck! Driving is in the American blood.

I have a fear that the new Republican administration will cut in some fashion Social Security. In the past 5 years, I wrote two columns in KONK Life titled The Theft of Social Security.

Our government has taken close to $3 trillion from the Social Security Fund with no intent to ever pay it back. From surplus funds left over after benefits are paid.

Social Security is not free money to recipients. It comes from payroll contributions made over the years. Not tax dollars. It is the recipient’s own money being paid back.

The national debt is close to $20 trillion. The $3 trillion owed Social Security part of that number.

Most people are unaware that our government’s biggest creditor is Social Security. Japan, who we borrow from constantly, is only $1.4 trillion.

Social Security is self sufficient if the government stopped taking surplus monies out each year and failing to pay back at any time.

This short tale I believe is unknown to many of our legislators. Most cry out how Social Security is breaking the back of the U.S. economy. Bullshit!

Enough re the issue for the moment. I mention it because tomorrow night on my podcast show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou I will be discussing the matter at further length. Join me, if you can. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day! Your holiday!