Good morning world!

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Good morning world!

I am up early this morning. Still dark outside. I have to babysit Robert and Ally starting at 8:30. Worth rising early for!

Yesterday’s Internet show was a winner. As usual. I am not bragging. I make the observation because it is what it is. Terrific! Love doing it!

The post show comments were more than normal. Mostly from women. The comments had to do with my explanation of a new Arizona law which says life begins before conception. That life begins from the first day of the last menstrual period of the woman.

Crazy! And the ladies found it so!

I decided to do  a column on the topic also. It will be published next thursday in KONK Life.

Last night was the Bloody Sea Battle. The Conch Republic’s fight for independence.

I watched the battle from the deck of the Ocean Key House. The battle took place directly in front of me. In fact, I got wet from the hose spray shelling between ships.

There is one part of this annual fight which thrills me. Every year. The air battle. The Conch’s in there World War I bi planes and the U.S. Navy their jets. The air battle is rigged. The Conch’s always win.

Afterwards, I fought the hoards and made my way to Schooners Wharf for the victory celebration. The pirate ladies in their scant costumes were exceptionally lovely. I mulled my way through the crowd. It was too busy to even think of being able to order a drink.

My son in law Corey has the job of jobs. He is an archaeologist. The Chief Archaeologist at the Mel Fisher Museum. He has been there more than 25 years. He dives the ocean looking for sunken Spanish galleons containing historical artifacts and treasure.

A neat job.

Occasionally, he is called upon to assist the students in a marine archeology class at the Lower Keys Community College. Yesterday was one of those days. He took a group out into Key West Harbour. Beneath its waters lies a frigate of old. The Marie J. Thompson. His classroom is the vessel. He takes the students down with him for an educational trip. Air tanks, face masks and the works.

The Marie J. Thompson is 160 feet long. It has the distinction of having been the largest ship ever built in the Bahamas.

I have no more time. I am running late. Have to hurry over to Lisa’s to pick up the grandkids. We are going to breakfast. Where, I do not know. They will tell me.

Enjoy your day!

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Bocce last night!

We played the Bubbas. They have been the # 1 team in the league for 10 years, with the exception of one season. Really good!

The first game was exciting. Neck and neck. We  pulled away at the end and won 16-11.

The second game started well. We were ahead 8-1. We got beat 16-10. The Bubbas went on a 15-2 run.

The third game was no match. They killed us.

We were not disappointed. We improve every season. Two years ago, the Bubbas were beating us 16-1 and 16-2. Our day will come!

The Key West Lou Legal Hour at 10 this morning my time. On the Internet. Available world wide. www.konkbroadcasting.com. A well prepared hard hitting show. Topics galore. Share an hour with me.

Enjoy your day!

Good morning world!

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Good morning world! Another lovely Key West day in the making. I woke this morning with a fiery orange ball confronting my eyes. Bright. I had to turn away. It was the rising sun.

In recent days, I have spent much time  at home. Generally writing. Yesterday was that way. A good part of the day was spent on Friday’s Internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Interesting material. The show is easy to put together. The world about us is crazy. Every week more and more of the unbelievable occur. I merely report the happenings. With a comment or two, of course.

This week’s show will include the high school valedictorian who is facing deportation in Florida, Muslims burning a Catholic Church in Sudan, toxic tushes, an update on the Ladies Lingerie League, and the best of all…..a new Arizona law that says conception begins the first day of the woman’s last menstrual cycle.

The last item re the new Arizona law is really crazy. In effect it says that a person exists even before the egg and sperm unite. Even before the sex act was performed.

My Internet talk show can be found at www.konkbroadcasting.com. Friday mornings. Ten o’clock my time. Join me for a fast moving hour of life today.

Amongst other things yesterday, I published a new article to my Amazon Kindle blog. Key West Lou Law. It is called Santa Claus And Guns. Kids sitting on Santa Claus’ lap with all kinds of sophisticated guns behind Santa. Happened in Arizona the past two years. The same state that decreed life begins the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period.

One of the things that bothered me about the Santa and guns story is the advertisement which resulted in a standing line crowd: “Get your holiday pictures with Santa and his machine gun.”

Donna posted a lengthy comment to yesterday’s blog. She and Terri went to a Hollywood party. They ended up watching a movie. An old B film. Stella Stevens was at the party. I remember her. The wacky girl friend in the first Poseidon movie. Also the Asian boy from 16 Candles. I do not recall him. However, loyal reader Moto did and commented on him.

Bocce tonight. It will be the first time in three weeks that I will have ventured out to play. I look forward to it. Fun, people and a drink or two.

Ryno is returning! A great guy. He left Key West last year for Syracuse. Missed Key West. Calls it home. Ryno was my teacher when I started doing my radio show. Glad he is returning.

Enjoy your day!

The first time…..

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The first time…..

My friend Anna wrote me from Milan this morning.

Italy is celebrating an annual holiday today. She referred to it as a Freedom Feast. It celebrates a time during World War II when the Germans had been substantially driven out of Italy. Today’s date commemorates that event. April 26, 1945.

Anna was five years old at the time. She was living in Novara, a town about 30 miles from Milan. The American troops came through. Tanks, jeeps, soldiers on foot. The whole works. The liberators.

Anna ran out of her house to see them up close. The soldiers were throwing chocolate and gum to the people.

Anna had neither seen nor tasted chocolate and gum up to that time.

She recalls the sweetness of the chocolate. The pink of the gum.

Anna had no idea what gum was. She swallowed it.

The things we take for granted were unknown to a five year old that day. Lets hope that none of our five year olds ever share a similar experience.

Spent most of yesterday working on Friday’s Internet show. Sloan joined me in the evening and we worked further on spreading Key West Lou to more followers.

I have not done the show in two weeks. Because of my dental problems. I look forward to returning. The topics will include the column I wrote for this week’s KONK Life about eyeless shrimp and clawless crabs in Gulf waters due to the BP aspill.

There will be a bit on the Catholic Church. My Church. The Church is bending far right and supports many of the recent anti-female venom. Most recently the Vatican ordered the U.S. Bishops to step on the nuns in this country. There are 55,000 nuns. They have openly come out against the Church’s position on many feminist issues. The nuns are not listening to Rome. Their attitude is don’t tread on us.

Plus more interesting topics currently impacting our lives.

Vincent Zito is a well known man about town. A very much respected Key West person.

Some thirteen years ago, Vincent started the Key West Pops. He was its leader, its motivator and its director. He was the man up front waving the baton.

The Key West Pops was a class operation that presented class shows. Always the highest level of performance.

Vincent announced this week that the Pops was closing down. The reason economics.

Vincent and the Pops went out with the same class that both showed over the yeasrs. The Pops left no debt. Vincent was proud to say that as the doors closed, all bills had been paid.

Key West will miss Vincent and his Pops.

It was 76 and cold yesterday in Key West. Don’t laugh. That cold front off the ocean is still lingering.

This morning is bright and sunny. There is a wind however. That same wind that has been affecting us the past several days. I am wearing a sweat shirt.

Enjoy your day!

I got hacked last night.

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I got hacked last night. It was limited to my p0221 Yahoo address. It was enough. Sorry. However these things happen.

The problem was cleared up last night as soon as discovered. It is ok to write me at p0221 Yahoo. Again, my apologies.

As in the world itself, there are nuts out there who have nothing better to do than cause havoc. The admonition Get A Life applies to such persons.

Spent my entire yesterday home. Never went out. My day was devoted to writing. Since I did not finish till around 8, my evening became a home one also.

My appetite was ravenous after a day’s work. I am still married to the blender. Everything blended thus far has had at the very least an acceptable taste to it. Not last night.

I blended two cans of Chef Boyardee Ravioli.

I keep the product in my home because (1) I like it, crazy as that may be, and (2) it is a quick meal to prepare.

The blended result was bad. I could not consume even half it. So bad that I probably will never eat Chef Boyardee again.

Donna emailed me yesterday. She and Terri have arrived in Los Angeles. She described their appartment. Marvelous! She told me that the view from the apartment is of the HOLLYWOOD sign in the distance and Silver Lake. Terri starts rehearsal Friday for the west coast opening of Follies.

Remember that cold front I mentioned coming in Saturday. It is still here. Sixty nine this morning. With a sharp cold 20 mph wind. The weather is scheduled to turn this afternoon. Temperatures in the mid to high 70s which will remain.

I read some where this morning that the cold front is not exactly like Siberia, but cold it is!

I know. The north east is buried in snow. We all suffer. I have to laugh. I complain about 70 degree weather and people up north are freezing.

That’s it. The message for today. Do not blend Chef Boyardee Ravioli and stay out of the cold.

Enjoy your day!

The weather! Plays a big part in our lives.

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The weather!

Plays a big part in our lives.

Yesterday, I commented on two days of wind and rain. Observed that it was coming from the south and moving north. It did. I suspect Key West’s unusual stormy weather was in some fashion connected with the nor’ easter which hit the north Atlantic states late yesterday. Snow. Big time! Like 8 plus inches in Jamestown, NY.

The sun came out towards the end of the afternoon yesterday in Key West. Temperature was in the low 70s. Warm for you northerners, cold for us in South Florida. It did not make any difference to my grandchildren. Robert and Ally showed up with Mom and Dad around 4 to swim. Crazy.

Sloan visited me for a couple of hours yesterday morning. We worked hard on all the things we are doing to expand this site. I would never have been able to do this alone. I would not even have known where to start.

I appreciate there are a lot of screw ups. Bear with me. We’ll have it down and correct in due course.

The balance of the day was spent researching and writing.

Solares Hill is a weekly publication. It comes with the Sunday Key West Citizen as  an enclosure. There is a column entitled Soundings by Mark Howell. An interesting column. I would describe it as a conglomeration of useless and little known information. I enjoy reading the column. Occasionally, I come across something to be shared.

Recently, Soundings commented on the coming Republican convention this summer. It is being held in Tampa, Florida.

Tampa officials issued a list of items considered security threats and prohibited at the convention. Included were water pistols, masks, and pieces of string. Not on the list were firearms. Why?  You can pack a concealed gun in Florida. It is legal. Florida law prohibits local restriction on the right to carry arms.

Perfectly legal. The Supreme Court said so some time ago. The Second amendment is to be upheld, with little if any restriction.

An inevitable scenario will develop. At some point in the near future, persons will walk around with a gun belt and gun on their hips. Shoot ’ems will occur. Like in the Old West and prohibition days of the 1930s.

Again why? Because the Supreme Court said it is ok to carry a gun, concealed or otherwise. Literal Constitutional interpretation overcame the need for reasonable restriction.

I got out for dinner. At Lisa’s. Mashed potatoes covered with gravy for me. Not bad. A change from blender created food.

Enjoy your day!

I did it! I went out last night!

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I did it! I went out last night!

Terrific!

Went to the Chart Room first. Except for JJ, I knew absolutely no one. Did not even have a drink. Left.

Headed immediately for Don’s place. Everyone there.

Don and David at the bar. Erika, Herschel and Tom seated along the windows. Tom gave me a big hug. Every one seemed genuinely pleased to see me again. I was more pleased to see them!

The names in the preceding paragraph are all members of my bocce team. Much of our conversation centered on bocce.

In the my two week absence, the team went 2-1 and 3-0. Six games. Five wins. Not bad! Obviously my bocce talents were not missed!

Position changes were made in my absence by Captain David and Don. Fortunately, I was left alone. I have played from the same end of the court for 5 years. It would be traumatic to go to the other end.

Tino stopped by. Walking his dog. He leaves next week to return to Chicago. He will be missed.

I had a couple of drinks. Enjoyed the companionship. It was a pleasant evening.

Yesterday’s day time was rain, rain, rain. I never left the house. Worked on friday’s Internet show.

The Drag Race was scheduled for Duval at 2. I don’t know if it took place. I suspect it did. Drag queens move where others fear to tread.

The weather is blistery this morning. No rain, yet. It will come. The wind is from the south. A sure sign that the weather will be bad. I have learned over the years that a southerly wind carries with it horrible weather.

I checked the weather report after I noted the wind direction. There is a Severe Weather Alert. From Miami north. The keys were warned to beware. Tornadoes and hail. The report also said a front was coming in from the south that was driving the bad weather.

I should have been a weather forecaster!

My best companion continues to be the blender. It will so be for another week. I am accustomed to it.

Today is sunday. The very least I will do is have dinner tonight with Lisa. Maybe more.

Enjoy your day!

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Am I late!

I stayed in bed longer than I should have. However, the bed this morning was too comfortable. It is raining big time here in Key West. The sound of the rain against the house and the wind blowing made the bed too restful to leave..

It seems like it has not rained in the keys forever. That long. The rain is needed.

This is a heavy rain. Rained all night also. My street is flooded. The storm is coming in from Atlantic. It will be an all day one.

The bars will do a big business today. The tourists will have no place else to go. Schooners Wharf, the Conch Republic, and Half Moon Raw Bar will be fun places. Drinking and dancing and whooping it up!

I got out for a bit yesterday. Needed a manicure. It was off to Lee Nails and Tammy. Because of my dental work, I speak little. After a while Tammy looked at me and said in her quaint distinctive Vietnamese dialect…..Why you no talk? Teeth? She and her husband read the blog daily.

Then a visit with Lisa. We did not converse. Not because of my problem. Lisa was on the telephone with a customer. The whole time I was there. I quietly read the newspapers and kissed the top of her good bye when I left.

Publix was my next stop. I was desperate for food for the blender. Purchased fruits primarily. Bananas and strawberries. Yogurt. Enough to carry me a few days.

I had planned on going out last night. Never made it. I don’t know if I was tired, changed my mind, or what. I went to bed instead. Perhaps tonight.

I had forgotten to do my KONK Life column for next week. The deadline to submit was 5 yesterday. At 3 I started working rapidly and diligently. An interesting article. I titled it Eyeless Shrimp, Clawless Crabs, Fish with No Gills: Thank You BP.

I will talk about it next Friday on my Internet show, also. A revealing subject.

The band keeps playing. Nothing like thunder off the ocean. And the lightning! Comes right into your home. If it were a 24 hour thing, there would have been no need for Thomas Edison to have invented the electric light bulb.

Enjoy your day!

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I have spent 8 consecutive nights in. I have to get out!

Definitely tonight! I will just speak slower than usual and with less exuberance.

I plan on having a couple of drinks also.

This blender way of eating is not too bad. There is a definite side benefit. I have lost 11 pounds in 8 days. I agree, not healthy. But I needed it. I have roughly another week with my blender. If the weight loss continues, it will be a WOW!

Interestingly, I do not watch what I throw in the blender. I cook a meal as I normally would. Chop it up. Throw it in the blender. And drink away!  I am mixing everything. Protein, carbs and I know bad foods.

Dentist visit yesterday morning. This has been a long  and at times horrendous process. I thought I would have only one more visit after yesterday. Such is not the case. There are several more.

Conch Republic Days start today. A ten day festival. All kinds of fun parties and fun things to do. Like tomorrow’s Drag Race down Duval and in one week the Bloody Battle for secession.

I have been in the process of optimizing, etc. Key West Lou. It works. I have so many more readers. However, it is excruciatingly painful. Things keep happening that should not. Like I wanted to put a picture in somewhere on FB Fan of a party I threw about 8 years ago. My friend Gus from Utica was there. It was a hell of a party! As the photo evidences. It ended up in  the wrong place labeled as if taken the day before. Same thing happened with a photo of me and my lesbian wives which was taken about a year ago.

In due course, everything will smooth out. It is like my teeth, however. There is always something else to be done, to be corrected.

Tonight the streets of Key West. I hope I remember my way.

Enjoy your day!

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Dick Clark is no longer with us. Not quite true. What he started, established, will be with us forever.

Two little known things about Dick Clark.

First, he was a Syracuse University graduate. I am partial to Syracuse.

Second, Dick Clark’s television career began in my home town, Utica, New York. Late 1940s to early 1950s. He was a TV announcer. He was not Dick Clark then. His name was Dick Clay.

Clark grew up in the Utica area. He started working radio first in one form or another in 1945 at radio station WRUN. His uncle owned the station. His father managed it.

Utica lived locally with Clark via his work in those times. Times covering my grammar and high school years. Then the world lived with him via American Bandstand.

Clark had an important life. He left his mark on American music. Fifty years from now, people will still be talking about him.

May he rest in peace.

No Internet show tomorrow. The Key West Lou Legal hour will not be seen for the second week in a row. My ongoing dental work prevents it. KONK will rerun one of my earlier shows. Listen in anyhow, you may have missed it. I will return next week. www.konkbroadcasting.com.

Donna and Terri.That telephone call I reported yesterday actually came a day earlier. I got screwed up.

Donna telephoned again yesterday morning. They are really moving at this point. They expected to arrive at the Grand Canyon in the afternoon. In the evening, they would begin a two night stay in Vegas.

Not a bad trip!

I published yesterday another article on Amazon Kindle. The column is known as Key West Lou Law. The article was entitled Mexican Flag Yes / American Flag No. It has to do with what I consider a bad federal court decision in California.

Mexican and American high school students constantly fight. Each side portrays its country’s flag by carrying one and wearing them on their tee shirts. The decision said it was ok for the Mexicans to do so, but not the Americans. Mexican flags yes. American flags no.

Why do some court decisions take us further away from our basic values and rights?

I must say again something I have in writing and on the air  for the past few years. America for Americans! Our way or the highway!

Moto, my friend. You are ill.

Moto has been a loyal blog reader it seems forever. He comments frequently. He reported yesterday some stomach problems, testing, and more testing today. Thinks it might be gall bladder. Whatever, I wish you good luck. My prayers are with you.

It is all part of the aging process. Some body part breaks down occasionally. As long as the problem is fixable, care not. If repair is not possible, then worry.

I see the dentist this morning.

Enjoy your day!