WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN

Posted on by

A first for me yesterday. Marching in Steve Attis’ New Orleans type funeral procession.

A warm experience. Joyous an even better description.

Steve in the casket riding up front. The musicians behind him. Skipper Krippitz leading them. With a drum. Walking backwards the whole way. Impressive!

The rest of us behind the musicians. Some two hundred strong. Led by Steve’s wife Midge in a wheel chair.

We leisurely marched/danced to When the Saints Go Marching In. The American gospel hymn that became a jazz favorite.

The song expressing the wish to go to Heaven.

Religious services were at St. Mary Star of the Sea. Sad. The atmosphere had changed.

Steve’s family in attendance. Came from everywhere. The most touching moment when one of Steve’s sons was doing a reading. It was difficult for him. His sister came up and put her arm around his shoulder. He finished.

I walked with Don, Tom and Nicky.

Then to Publix. Needed only a few things. Basics.

Publix packed like it was Thanksgiving or Christmas. Everyone buying for Super Bowl parties tonight. Every check out counter was open. The lines long in each one.

It has not been my good fortune to view the last two Syracuse games. I forgot they were playing wednesday and missed a great victory. I was walking for Steve yesterday and missed an even better game.

Syracuse beat #9 Virginia 66-62. Syracuse was down 12 at half. Syracuse scored 73 percent from the field in the second half. Made 66 percent of their 3 point shots through out the entire game.

Big time basketball!

It also was Jim Boeheim’s 1,000th victory. Forty one years a Syracuse coach. I know Jim Boeheim. A good person deserving the success he has achieved.

Syracuse/Clemson tuesday evening at 8.

Super Bowl tonight. Not that I had to tell you. Everyone knows. I will be watching at a private party.

Trump respects Putin. He disrespects judges. Does not make sense to me.

The protests everywhere continue to concern me. They probably will turn into violence at some point. Trump’s hype adds fuel to the fire.

Not healthy.

Trump’s sense of responsibility lacking.

Enjoy Super Bowl! Enjoy your sunday!

 

BICYCLE LOBBY FORMIDABLE

Posted on by

Some road corrections I cannot understand. One being the abnormal concern for bicycles in Key West. Bicycles dictating road changes to accommodate them.

Northern Boulevard permits bicyclists to operate in the driving lane of the relatively new North Roosevelt Boulevard. At the same time a wide sidewalk runs along the highway.

Now discussions are being had about redoing South Roosevelt Boulevard. Reducing the four lanes down to two. A primary motivation being to make room for bicyclists. The walk along the ocean is eight feet wide and has been accommodating bicyclists, pedestrians, runners, and moms with baby carriages, for years. All without problem.

Why the sudden the concern for bicycles? I only learned the reason the past few days. The bicycle lobby in Florida is formidable. An influence to be reckoned with. Who would have believed? An example of a big tree from a little acorn growing.

The media should unveil the lobby. Bring it out into the light. Make people aware.

It used to be WE THE PEOPLE ran the country. No more. Elected legislators do not listen to those who elected them. Instead, they are at the beck and call of lobbyists. Money talks!

We have lost control of our government over the past 30 years. Corporate America calls the shots. Be cognizant. Time to start taking our government back.

Last night, party time! Don, Herschel and Erika. I invited Herschel and Erika out to dinner. They are visiting for a week. Don joined us.

We started at Don’s Place. Then dinner at the outside bar at La Te Da.

La Te Da full. We had to squeeze a fourth seat in at the bar to accommodate our group.

A good time had by all. Except for an aggravating bartender. Service sucked. His personality matched the service. I was disappointed Tonto was not working.

Weather soon to be a problem. An Arctic blast coming in. Going to be below zero in some northern areas.

We will feel the Arctic weather in Florida friday and saturday. Thirty and 40 degree weather predicted for Orlando and above.

The blast will reach Key West. Not badly. However, cold enough.

The high today is 82 degrees. Friday will be a high of 73 and low of 67. Both cold for us. Laugh not. I will have the heat on for the 67 degree night. Seventy three by day is sweatshirt weather.

Saturday is projected to be a bit warmer. Seventy six-71 degrees.

It will be cold on the boats participating in the Lighted Boat Parade saturday night. Long pants and a jacket.

I wrote about Standing Rock yesterday. Suspected a Trojan horse. Still do. In spite of the fact that the Department of Army closed down the job yesterday. A victory for the Native American Sioux. A temporary one, I fear.

Another example of corporate America controlling government thinking/results. The people not important. We have become plebeians. Corporate America, patricians.

The Department of Army said different routes would be sought, piping would not be allowed under the Missouri River. A new environmental study to be done.

Why my concern that all is still not well, that yesterday’s victory is not etched in stone?

The decision to stop the job was made by the Department of Army. Not the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. True, the Corps is a division of the Army Department. However decisions had been made by the Engineers up to this point. Suggests to me the Engineers did not support the decision to close down the job.

The corporation’s CEO said his company would still be proceeding with the job. A screw you to the Native Americans and Department of Army.

The CEO was also confident that Trump would approve the continuation of the pipeline once sworn in. Trump has already publicly proclaimed he supports the pipeline.

Tomorrow December 7. As President Roosevelt said, “A day that will live in infamy.” Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.

The day before, Roosevelt was convinced the Japanese intended to attack Thailand. Intelligence had so advised him.

Roosevelt sent a telegram to Emperor Hirohito. Hoping to stop the attack on Thailand, the President asked that “for the sake of humanity,” the Emperor intervene “to prevent further death and destruction in the world.”

Japan’s vessels headed for Thailand were intended as a bluff. Its greater force was headed for Pearl Harbor.

A few weeks ago, the Greeks demonstrated against Obama while he was at a State dinner in his honor in Athens. I have already explained that scenario from the view point of my Greek friend Jim Brown.

Yesterday, another demonstration. This one for charity. Called the Athens Santa Run. Thousands of Greeks dress as Santas packing the streets of downtown Athens.

My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Standing Rock and Pearl Harbor lead the agenda of topics. Followed by a Venezuela update, Russia and the International Criminal Court, a German mayor knocked unconscious because he wanted his city to build free housing for Syrian immigrants, and more. www.bogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

 

GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

Posted on by

Four score and seven years ago…..

Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address on this day in 1863. The speech less that 300 words took less than 4 minutes to give.

We all learned in school that Lincoln wrote the speech on a paper bag with a pencil while riding the train to Gettysburg. Some say the paper bag was really the back of an envelope.

Both incorrect.

Historians are generally agreed that Lincoln started writing his speech two weeks before he gave it. He worked on it daily.

The paper bag tale is similar to Betsy Ross having sewed the firs American flag.

Recollections of Gettysburg at the time Lincoln gave the address generally leave out the condition of the battlefield. Strewn with rotting horse carcasses.

I did my thing on the anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. Love it! Invigorates me. Each time I finish, I feel I have accomplished something.

AlterG wants pics of Jenny and me. Jenny wanted pics of me on the treadmill with her standing next to me. We did two. They went ou without me seeing them. Saw them last night. No way can they be used! I know I am big. However no where as big as the photos make me appear. Jenny does not know it yet, but we are redoing the picture taking this morning.

The pics will be part of AlterG’s national advertising. They will lose business if they print a pic of me with a huge gut!

Walgreens for prescriptions followed by lunch at Harpoon Harry’s. Ham and eggs. Harpoon Harry’s has the best eggs anywhere. Light. No where else have I enjoyed eggs as I do at Harpoon Harry’s.

Don’s Place last night. Chatted with Don, David, Keith , Toni and Larry Smith. Bocci the topic. Nothing else.

Tonight the last league night. We are presently in third place. Can end up in second. Though I doubt it. Could be fourth. No worse.

Whatever, we will be in the playoffs. The playoffs are saturday and sunday. A long weekend of bocce ahead.

Don, Larry and I then headed to La Te Da. We wanted to see the new inside bar. Wow! Beautiful. Different. The bar I knew for 25 years gone. A new and different one in its place. I can handle the change.

We ate at the outside bar. Tonto bartending once again. I have known Tonto for 20 years.

Two telephone polls down on College Road yesterday. Traffic screwed up all day. A truck hooked into the overhead wires and unknowingly continued driving.

One thing I do not understand is why the poles toppled. The one pictured in this morning’s Key West Citizen shows the top third of one poll hanging. The top third. The polls are concrete. Hurricane polls. I am surprised the one in the paper snapped.

I had a hair appointment with Lori later this morning. Cancelled it. The nickel sized growth the doctor cut off my head is still healing.

Read yesterday that the average cost of a gallon of gasoline is $2.15. We are at $2.49 in Key West. Just once in my life I would like to buy gasoline somewhere at the average price. It does exist. People who drive to Key West from the north country always talk about it. How cheap gas was during the trip.

An interesting article in the Wall St. Journal yesterday. The Koch brothers have a sort of Pac called Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce. Freedom Partners contributed $129 million last year in order to assure Republican control of the U.S. Senate.

The same group is presently raising $899 million for the run up to the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections.

Is this the way to influence elections? I think not. Nor is it healthy for the country.

WordPress still screwed up. Sloan working on it. You are having trouble commenting. Please be patient.

Enjoy your day!

POLITICAL JUNKIE DAY

Posted on by

I am a political junkie. Today is a day made for me and others like me. Hillary Clinton testifies before the Benghazi sub-committee. All day and probably into the evening.

I have to squeeze the hearing in among other activities. The anti-gravity treadmill one hour into the hearing. Fortunately, there is a TV set attached to the treadmill. Then I have an appointment for a haircut. Need the haircut. Tonight, bocce. I might skip boce depending on how interesting the hearing is at six this evening.

Last night began with Don’s Place. Don and David. Don’s wife Stephanie stopped by.

Don and I left to have dinner. Don wanted to go to La Te Da. I had been there two nights before. Why not. I could enjoy crispy duck again.

The outdoor bar and restaurant were very busy. Two evenings earlier, dead. Things always pick up all over Key West thursday evenings.

We had a good time.

Tonto bartending. She and Don friends from way back. Olga came running to the outdoor bar from the restaurant. Olga from Roostica. Turns out she also waits tables at La Te Da. I was the recipient of a big hug.

The duck was excellent. The people at the bar typical Key West friendly. We stayed quite a while.

The Catholic Church is at war. I love it. Things are getting hot at the Synod. The German bishops and the U.S. bishops are at odds over divorced persons being permitted to take communion. The Germans favor it. A change in church law would be required. The U.S. bishops want the law to be left as is.

My Church has to open the windows and let fresh air in.

The present no communion for divorced persons  rule is a man made law. Nowhere does the Bible say it. What the Germans want to do is provide a different more liberal interpretation.

There is intrigue at this Synod. I am confident one or more books will be written about the behind the scene shenanigans at some point.

I am disappointed Joe Biden has decided not to run.

I got to know him back in the 1980s when I was Chairman of the Board of vVsitors at the Syracuse University Law School. Biden was a Syracuse law grad. Attended many law school events.  Watched also a few football and basketball games from my Carrier Dome box.

Biden would have made an excellent President. His many years as a Senator would have made it much easier for him to work with Congress than any of the other candidates running.

A good man lost to the country.

My KONK Life column this week Lincoln the Man has been linked to my Key West Lou website. keywestlou.com.

Bocce tonight. We need three wins.

Enjoy your day!

BEACH SEX

Posted on by

A couple. Consensual sex. Bradenton Beach. Middle of the afternoon. Beach not crowded. A three year old girl nearby. Someone nearby videod.

An interesting issue. Sex on beach. Not wild. He on top, she under him. It has happened many times on beaches everywhere, though not common.

The Bradenton couple were arrested. Tried. Jury and all. The jury returned its verdict yesterday. Guilty. Lewd conduct the charge. Both facing up to 15 years in jail. Prosecutor insists and believes they will receive lengthy sentences.

My problem. Banking executives crashed our economy in 2008. Millions hurt. Tax payer dollars required to the bail banks out. No criminal charges ever brought. Banks too big to prosecute.

Where is the justice?

Wednesday has turned out to be my screw off day. I need a break after writing sunday, monday and tuesday. I try to do nothing.

I went to Body Owners in the morning. My half hour on the anti-gravity treadmill.

Later in the afternoon, I shaved. My beard a week old. I almost did not shave. I had the beginnings of a beard.

Stopped at Don’s Place around 6. Spent a couple of hours chatting with Don. Always enjoyable.

Then to Geiger Key for dinner. No empty seats at the bar. Tables all empty. I did not want to be the solitary customer at a table. Left.

Went to Hogfish. What a difference! Like day and night! Jam packed. A money maker!

I was able to get a seat at the bar. I enjoyed something different. Grouper sliders. Outstanding! Recommend them.

I have not mentioned the diet in a while. Still on it. Nothing happening. It has been well over a month. I hit 35 pounds lost and then stopped. In a month plus, I have neither gained nor loss. I have tried mixing up the foods a bit. Nothing seems to help. That is one reason I am thrilled with the anti-gravity treadmill. Maybe some exercise will help.

Enjoy your day!