SEX AND SENIORS

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A recent study indicated a large number of older Americans have active sex lives. The survey stated one half of those over 65 are enjoying a sexual relationship.

The bottom line…..Seniors want to have fun!

At 82, I can say the desire never goes away. The ability sometimes does. Makes no difference. Viagra helps. In many instances, physical intimacy alone is sufficient.

I find sex better in my old age. The quality. Tender.

I have one complaint. Courting at 82 is no different from what it was at 22. Can be a pain in the ass!

The Chart Room again last night. Love the place! Packed with tourists. Only locals were Steve and Cindy. My Key West historians. They have lived here since 1974.

I intended to have a sandwich at home. On the drive home, decided I needed more people connection. I headed for Hogfish.

Hard to believe! The place full! People waiting to be seated. I was lucky to grab a seat at the bar.

Never fails. I met three fishermen and spent a couple of hours chatting with them. Typical Key West fishermen of old. Weather beaten faces, a tooth or two missing, happy in their work and play.

I am paying this morning for last night.

Donna and Terri telephoned yesterday. They had just left Tampa. Terri spent a few days with the doctors. A scheduled follow up visit. She will have many as her life continues.

The cancer problem no problem. Hurray!

The eye problem resolved. Terri has been slowly going blind. Glaucoma. Had it even before the cancer. Seems to have gotten worse the past couple of months. Accelerated rapidly.

Turns out it was the daily chemo pill she was taking. Increased pressure in her eyes dramatically. The doctors changed her pill a few days ago. Her vision was already better when she talked with me yesterday.

Trump speaks today before the NRA convention. Fourth year in a row. Wonder what he will say?

Following the Parkland shooting, he seemed to have jumped the fence and was on the side of gun control. Recall the meeting in the White House of students, parents and teachers.

Then a week or two later, he seemed to have returned to the side of the gun people.

The man is amazing. One day he supports safety. The next, the Second Amendment. The extreme of each.

I recall last year’s NRA convention when Trump said, “You have a friend!”

I suspect the friend of the NRA will show up again today. The strongest man in the world cannot stand up to those who contribute to the killing of American children.

Father Pat Conroy. The Catholic priest fired last week by House Speaker Ryan. Father Conroy wrote a letter to Ryan rescinding his resignation. A forced one you will recall.

Good!

The hypocrisy of Washington is too much to take sometimes.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

POLITICAL OBSERVATIONS

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Two political observations. Re current happenings.

Democrat sit in in well of House of Representatives. A shame grown men and women have to conduct themselves as they are to make a point. Not the way for government to be run.

I do not blame the sit ins. I blame the Republicans. Who are cowering to the NRA, who are under the thumb of the NRA.

Trump off to Scotland for the opening of a golf course. I believe his second course there. The Scots have been pissed off with Trump re the construction and operation of one of them. I am curious to see how well he will be received.

Trump should stay home. He needs to address the American people more. One good speech a President does not make.

A local political update. The genetically modified mosquito fiasco.

The Mosquito Control Board voted last night to adjourn the vote re the issue from August to election day in November. If Zika is a true crisis, the vote should not be delayed. I thought even August was too far away.

Politicians never seem to get things done properly/timely. Recall the Flint water crisis. Some six months ago made public. Recall further the furor in Washington re the problem. Congressional hearings held. Local officials defecated upon by Washington know it alls. Something had to be done.

Nothing done yet.

No federal monies have been allocated yet. The President, Senate and House have different numbers in mind as to how much. So nothing done so far. While Flint water no better today that six months ago.

Anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. Moved up a few additional notche. Still a long way to go, however.

Still have not grocery shopped. Wanted a heavy lunch to make up for a minimal breakfast. I was hungry! 5 Guys the winner.

Back Bar at cocktail time. Mark Watson bartending.

Good company. Rick, John, Donna and Terri, and Donna’s daughter Stacie.

Speaking of Terri, she sings saturday night at Blue Heaven. Visit. She is not to be missed. Her voice outstanding.

Dinner later at Duffy’s. Maybe my last time, except for an occasional Maine lobster. It bothered me spending $5 extra for a prime rib I could not finish. Duffy’s other dishes do not appeal to me.

I have been doing some Hemingway reading the past few days. Re his loves. The man was a cocks man. Amazing how many women he had in addition to his wives. A couple were popular Key West writers.

The research was for a possible column. Will not be next week’s column. Too many and too much involved. The subject requires more research.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

SLING SHOT COURAGEOUS WEAPON

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A weapon from Biblical times. A rerun of David and Goliath.

Modern warfare involves the use of modern day weapons. Guns, armored vehicles, etc. Apparently not always.

A West Bank scenario.

This morning’s Key West Citizen carries a picture of a Palestinian fighter. In front of him fire, black and gray smoke. I assume beyond unseen Israeli soldiers, armored vehicles, whatever. Something.

The Palestinian fighter is using a sling shot as a weapon. He is viewed swinging a sling.

My observation. A person willing to face the enemy and modern weapons of war with a sling shot has courage. Great courage. In addition to a solid belief in the righteousness of his cause. He will never be beat. He will never win. He will hang in there through everything.

The lesson to be learned simple. Israel and the Palestinians better make peace. Otherwise this mess is going to turn into a 100 year war. One that no one wins.

The weather the same as the past two days. With two exceptions. The wind less strong. There are no white caps. Though the trees are still bending. The sun is shining brightly. It has not for two days.

Hurricane Wilma hit Key West in October 2005. A bad result. Big time flooding. As high as 6-7 feet in many homes.

Lisa had moved back into her house three months before. It had been extensively remodeled, new furniture purchased.

The water was 6 1/2 feet deep in Lisa’s home. The walls had to be ripped out up to 6 1/2 feet. Wet furniture thrown out. Mold the problem. The trashing required to be done immediately.

Lisa also lost her car.

Most families moved into trailers provided by the government. Most lived in them for 1-2 years. Lisa and family moved into my home. They were here a year. The problem was not the insurance payment. It was getting the contractor to do the job. Contractors had more work than they could handle.

Wilma did not touch my home. The house is built on top of eight feet of soil. The driveway pitched.

My blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I was on a soap box. Venting about things that bothered me. Two especially.

The Republican screw up in the House of Representatives. Disgraceful. I would say the same if they were Democrats. The Republicans must get their act together and govern. That is why they were sent to Washington.

The other is the sex scandal that has hit Louisville and Rick Pitino. Pitino says he did not know. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, he will still lose his job. I assume the same theory that was applied in Boeheim’s case would be applied to Pitino: If you did not know, you are still responsible because as coach you are #1, head of the program and required to know everything about the team.

I do not agree. Nor did I agree with what happened to Boeheim. The NCAA is as bad as the hierarchy of the NFL when it comes to running things.

On the other hand if Pitino knew, he should be fired.

Per my usual routine, Roostica for dinner before the show.

Saturday football coming up again. Syracuse plays Pitt. Pitt a six point favorite. I say no more.

Enjoy your day!

 

WORSE EVER CONGRESS

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It was 1948. Harry Truman was running for reelection. The major thrust of his campaign was the Congress that had been in office the previous two years was the worst ever. He referred to Congress as …..The do nothing Congress!

Truman was not the favorite in the race. Republican Tom Dewey was the anticipated winner. However, Truman spoke the truth re the Congress and won reelection.

Truth has a way of winning.

Today, we are confronted with a similar type Congress. A House of Representatives that has accomplished nothing.  They have not governed the nation. They do not seem to be able to govern themselves. The present Speaker fiasco being proof thereof.

In November 2013, I wrote a column entitled U.S. House of Representatives Works Too Hard. Title written with tongue in cheek.The contents reveal one of the reasons Congressional government has not worked in recent years. Congress fails to spend sufficient time in Washington to get anything done.

Eric Cantor was majority leader and a right winger. A favorite of the Tea Party. He said Congress should spend more time in their home districts rather than Washington. It was more important to be back home with constituents. The people who elected them and paid their salaries.

You saw how it worked for Cantor. He was defeated in a primary in his home district. His constituents could not be fooled. He came out smelling like a rose, however.  Within weeks, he had a job with a Washington power house lobbying group. His salary, $3.4 million a year.

I share the November 2013 article with you again as part of this column. It is worth repeating.  It says a lot about a present day Republican Party incapable of governing.

THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WORKS TOO HARD

The U.S. House of Representatives works too hard.

A blatant misstatement. A lie. A joke. The American people would be lucky if the House of Representatives merely worked. Not even hard.

I was watching television last week and there was a news report that the House of Representatives were going home for several days. The comment further was that the House would not be working more than eight days each month in November or December. They would return sometime during the first week in January.

The video accompanying the story showed Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Speaker John Boehner leading some Republican members out of the House.

The smile on Cantor’s face bothered me. Pompous and disconcerting. Like look at the sweet deal we have and screw you.

What disturbed me even further is that shutdown time and the debt ceiling await us again in mid December and early January. The obvious thrust of the story was such did not seem to concern Cantor and Boehner or their followers.

My curiosity was tickled. How can these people take so much time off? I dug a bit. This is the story.

Cantor is in charge of the work day schedule. He published the 2014 one on Twitter last week. He also published one the year before for 2013.

In 2013, the House worked a total of 124 days. In 2014, they are scheduled to work even less. One hundred thirteen days. This abbreviated working schedule began with the Republicans elected to the House in 2010. That is when they regained the majority.

By the way, House members are paid at least $174,000 a year regardless of how many days they work.

Cantor claims House members require extensive time off. They need to be back in their home districts. It is necessary for them to keep in touch with the people who pay them. Their constituents.

Cantor says a short House work schedule is required “…..to ensure that we never lose touch with the constituents we each represent while completing our work in Washington.”

Bullshit! How stupid he and his cronies must think the American people are.

Keep in mind that Cantor and his buddies are the same House members who gave us the recent government shutdown.

The numbers are telling.

2013 saw the House working 126 days. The base salary per member is $174,000 a year. Plus all kinds of benefits and perks. However, I am only concerned with direct  salary. One hundred twenty six working days amounts to $1,380 per day. In 2014, the House will work fewer days. It appears they needed two weeks more off. One hundred thirteen working days amounts to $1,540 per day.

Lets view the time worked and dollars paid from another perspective.

The average American works 2,080 hours per year. Average pay $29,000. $111 dollars per day. A far cry from what House members make. I refuse to use the term earn. A House member makes in effect 13 times the salary of the average American.

Tea Party success returned control of the House to the Republicans in 2010. The years since are the poorest production wise in modern times. The 112th House passed 283 bills that went to the President for his consideration. The present 113th House only 46 bills. Prior to the 112th and 113th Houses, the range of bills going to the President per session was 300 plus to 700 plus.

I have some observations.

If the House wants to work part time, the members should be paid part time. If the 425 members work only one third the year, they should receive one third pay. If House members need more time off, I suggest 20 years to life in a federal maximum security facility.

Let’s continue with the numbers.

The House only works one week on and two off. I believe it shows a contempt for the American people.

I have been harping on governmental waste in recent weeks. Brought on by Republican sought cuts in food stamps, Social Security and Medicare. The House’s working schedule is a perfect example of government waste and one where a $50 million per year savings could be accomplished.

Again, the basic salary of a House member is $174,000 a year. If they only work 126 days a year, they should be paid for 126 days. That would drop their salary to $60,065 per year. An annual savings of $113,935 per member. Multiplying the 425 members by that number evidences a savings of almost $50 million a year. That is, If House members were paid only for days worked. Like everyone else.

Perhaps politicians are all cut from the same cloth. Perhaps not. The Senate works significantly more days per year than the House.

You would assume there is much written on the issue. There is not. My research discovered only two articles of any substance. Both excellent. If you are further interested, I suggest you read them.

One is Congress Announces It Will Be In Session Fewer Days In 2014. Written by Mike Krumbotz, October 31, 2013 for the Yahoo News Sideshow.

The other is House To Be In Session Only 126 Days In 2013. Written by Robert Longley, December 12, 2012 for About.com/USGovernmentInfo.

The House of Representatives is a national disgrace. They must be voted out. It will not be easy. Americans have to get so mad at being fleeced so that they will not take it anymore. Otherwise, the status quo will prevail.

GREAT BLIZZARD OF 1888

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Sitting here in Key West enjoying 80 degree weather, I write first of snow. Lots of snow. The Great Blizzard of 1888. The northeast. New York City hit hard, as Boston  was in recent weeks. However, the Great Blizzard took only 24 hours.

Considered one of the most severe blizzards ever, it claimed 400 lives. Twenty to sixty inches of snow fell in different areas. Winds 45 mph. Snowdrifts in excess of 50 feet.

Roscoe Conkling had studied law in my home town of Utica, NY. He became District Attorney of the County and Mayor of Utica. Then engaged in a thriving law practice. He was considered a great orator. Conkling was elected to the House of Representatives several times and then served for 18 years in the U.S. Senate.

He became a major political figure state wide and nationally. He made presidents. One being Ulysses Grant. Grant offered him the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Conkling refused. Years earlier, he was nominated to the Supreme Court as an Associate Justice and was confirmed by the Senate. He refused the nomination after his confirmation.

He was a known philanderer. A woman chaser. There is the story of the husband coming home early, Conkling going out the back window, the husband chasing him with a shotgun.

Conkling took care of his body. He worked out daily.

He was in his office on Wall Street when the Great Blizzard hit. He could not get a horse and carriage to take him home. Being in the excellent shape he was, he decided to walk. Three miles from Wall Street to 25th Street. He never made it home. He collapsed, came down with pneumonia and died.

He is buried in Utica. A simple yet massive stone. It sits on a little hill which runs along Oneida Street. The retaining wall holding the hill has been crumbling for years.

His stone faces west. Utica developed to the west. The cemetery to the east behind the stone. When Conkling was buried, he was placed in his grave as he was so that he could forever have an uninterrupted view of the valley before him. Progress decided otherwise and Utica developed in that area to the west, thereby placing his stone near a heavy traffic thoroughfare. Few take the time to look at the stone. Even fewer know Conkling is buried there.

I write about the blizzard and Conkling for a number of reasons. Today is the anniversary of the Great Blizzard. His career was outstanding. His stone and place of burial interesting.

I enjoy walking through cemeteries. The history of an area or the person is carved into the stones. What can be learned fascinating. I first came across Conkling’s stone and burial place on one of those walks many years ago.

Fantasy Fest seems to have survived its most recent onslaught. The Key West Commission and Fantasy Fest promoters met last night. Some minimal advertising changes were agreed to. Otherwise, everything will remain as it has been.

I agree with the outcome. My philosophy is if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Spring break is upon us. The college kids appear well behaved. They seem to be having a great time.

I envy them. I neither knew of spring break nor could have afforded it had I known when I was in college.

My blog talk radio show last night. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Listeners appeared most interested in the letter sent to Iran by 47 Republican Senators.

I spoke of Nicholas Maduro. He is President of Venezuela. I have been talking about him for three years. The man is a nut case. He becomes more troublesome by the day. Troublesome as regards the United States. The man bears watching.

KONK Life hits the streets today. If you have a chance, read my column. Mass Killings Common. I wrote the article because of recent ISIS atrocities such beheadings and burning people alive.

Enjoy your day!