Controversey abounds!

First, there is the Phil Mickelson thing. He is being critcised for using some old golf clubs. Specifically, Ping wedges with square grooves. Ones which were manufactured before April 1, 1990.

A legality issue has arisen.

Most professional golfers say it is wrong to use the clubs. Others say it is ok. There was a rule change followed by a court case. Ping won the court case. In effect, the decision legitimatized the square groove clubs manufatured by Ping.

These square grooves are supposed to provide an advantage. They assist in making the ball spin when hit out of the rough. Which means the ball will hit the green and hold with more precision.

Life moves in strange ways. Last Wednesday I was at the golf course. I keep 2 sets of clubs there. An old set. My first set. And a newer set purchased about 7 years ago.

I never use the older set. It is in a corner covered with dust.

The pro talked to me Wednesday about the old set. He asked if I knew what I had. I can hardly play golf. How would I know!

Turns out my old set gathering dust are pre 1990 Pings with square grooves. He said hold on to them. Some day they are going to be worth money.

Wednesday’s conversation meant nothing to me till yesterday when the Mickelson story hit the news. Now I understand!

I watched President Obama meet with the House Republicans yesterday. What an appearance!

In effect, it was him all alone with the enemy.

He was terrific!

The questions asked him were loaded and tough. He handled them all deftly. He understood the issues. I was impressed with the depth of his knowledge. His responses contained no bullshit. He knew what he was talking about. Where he agreed with a questioneer, he agreed. Where he disagreed, he did so firmly but as a gentleman.

I thought he showed more respect to the Republicans than they showed him. Some forgot with their snoddiness that he is the President of the United States. Whatever happened to respect the office even if you might not respect the man.

I am glad Obama is my President during these trying times. If there was any doubt, it was erased yesterday.

My day otherwise yesterday was busy. Paperwork took more hours than anticipated. It was an off and on thing. Five hours in the morning. Two in the late afternoon. In between, I sneaked in a visit with Lisa after her work day.

I stayed home last night. I was mentally drained. My body was even tired. It was early to bed and sleep.

The weather has turned again. Back to warm. I hope to get out today and move my body around. Perhaps I will start the day with a bike ride around the island.

Enjoy your day!

Good morning world!

Great radio show yesterday! The listening public increases each week. People like it. Thank you for tuning me in.

Modern science is amazing. The Key West Lou Legal Hour is a radio show. However it can be seen! On the intrernet! www.konkam.com. All over the world. A wow from my perspective!

There are two ladies living in Milan, Italy who watch while sipping wine and eating cookies. Our 1 pm time show is on at 7 pm in Milan. Then there are a bunch of groupies (the only way to describe them) in Jakarta, Indonesia who gather to view the show on the internet at 1 am their time.

May the radio show continue to entertain and be successful!

It was back home for me immediately after the show. More paper work to do. Usually I go out for lunch. Yesterdy I could not.

It was Hogfish at dinner time last night. It’s convenient for me. The next island down. The food is good. And my friend Yankee Jack sings on Thursday evenings..

The place was packed. Yankee’s groupies. Not a seat to be had on the side where he was playing.

So I walked into the bar looking for a spot. Before I found one, a lovely blonde came up to embrace and kiss me. I did not recognize her at first. My eyes. I need new glasses. It was Jules! My bocce partner!

Jules was having dinner at the bar with two lady friends. Janice and Linda.

Jules is in sales at the Westin. Janice and Linda are staying there. They do an annual trip to the Westin at this time each year and have become friends with Jules over time.

Janice is a self employed meeting planner. From Kansas City. A charmer. Linda is in computer support and hails from Yorktown, Virginia. A lovely. Actually both ladies were charming and lovely.

The women met while both were living in Boca Raton back when. They now meet in Key West to celebrate their birthdays each year. Linda’s was last Sunday and Janice’s is this Sunday.

I think they should invite me to Janice’s celebration this Sunday.

Jules is always the best. A great girl to be around. My bocce partner. We both can’t wait for the new season to start.

We have been playing on one of Don’s teams the past 4 years. Bat Construction. We are being moved to another of Don’s teams this season. The Donkeys. Don, Jules, Rob and I are being traded, so to speak. Just like professional baseball and football. None of us are happy about it. But we have no control.

The one good thing is that Joanie will be my team mate on the Donkeys. She has been a Donkey star forever. I have loved her for years.

I had a very good time last night with Jules and her friends. I lucked out in running into them. And in the background was the melodius voice of Yankee Jack. A great evening in every respect!

I think I am going to have a screw off day today. I have some paper work to finish. Should take me to about 10. Then I am off to do nothing things the rest of the day. Like read the newspapers at the Coffee House, start a new book at Borders, maybe lunch at the Yacht Club and who knows what.

Enjoy your day!

Golf yesterday.

It was cold. Low 60s.

A good group. Don, Tom, Tino, Aaron and me.

Every one shot better than me. By 20 to 35 strokes. Nothing new! However I was not the big loser. Strokes help. Aaron shot 20 strokes better than me and was the big loser. Tom was the big winner.

Last night was Aqua time with Bobby Nesbitt. Great singing! Great people listening! I enjoy Bobby.

Dinner at the bar at La Trattoria. Erin bartending. Ed Swift there. Aaron and Karen came in. The owners of Michael’s Restaurant, also. Always the sign of a good restaurant when other dining establishment owners frequent another place of business as theirs.

I hurried home after dinner. I wanted to watch President Obama’s State of the Union address. I made it just in time.

I get a chill each time the door to Congress opens and a booming voices announces…..”The President of the United States!”

My reaction to the speech was mixed. I don’t know. Words are fine. Actions better. We have to wait and see. The President has a full plate. There is much to be done. Against an adamantly fixed opposition. The “No” crowd.

Time will tell.

Radio show today!

The Key West Lou Legal Hour. At 1 pm. KONK 1680 AM. Better to turn on the computer and go to www.konkam.com. The show can be seen as well as heard! Call in and talk with me. 305-294-2769. Say hello, ask a question, agree or disagree with something I said. I would love to hear from you.

I am now at 25 pounds lost on the diet. It has taken 2 months. 30 pounds was my goal. I do not know if I am going to make it. The last few pounds are the hardest to lose. It is like climbing a mountain.

Enjoy your day!

I sleep with the TV on.

I woke this morning to Nelson Eddy singing. Eddy was a 1930s baritone and big time movie star. The Pavarotti of his day.

A nice way to wake!

Cold last night. Long pants and leather jacket time. In the high 50s during the evening while I was sleeping. 62 degrees now. The high today will only reach 67.

Crazy weather!

I play golf this morning. Long pants and heavy tops.

My teeth are falling apart. Lost 2 porcelin caps this past week. Had to see a dentist yesterday.

I saw Dr. George Lindner. He did a good job. Rebonded. I had one of the caps. The other I apparently swallowed.

First time I saw Dr. Lindner. Turns out he is my neighbor. He lives around the corner from me in Key Haven on West Cypress Terrace.

If a visit to the dentist can be an enjoyable experience, I enjoyed my time with Dr. Lindner. He is a Rutgers graduate. So we got to chat about Big East basketball and the Syracuse/Rutgers rivalry.

Lindner is relatively new to Key West. He bought out the Old Towne Dental practice on Simington last year and he and his wife relocated to Key West.

Last night was Yacht Club time. Bobby Nesbitt packed the place!

I had a couple of drinks at the bar and chatted with friends. Two are a husband and wife realtor team. They told me of a home that just sold in Key Haven for $324,000. Key Haven is the island of multi million dollar homes. The home had been foreclosed upon. The bank was happy to get anything it could. There was a cash buyer and the bank grabbed the money, even though it was significantly less than the debt owing.

When will this economic recession end? It’s frightening! Obama, move your ass. Chart a clear course tonight in your State of the Union address and follow it!

The bar was too noisy for dinner. So I drove over to Outback for my 6 ounce sirloin and veggies meal which fit my diet perfectly. I am stalemated at 24 pounds lost. Wish that scale needle would move! I am getting sick of the diet!

Great basketball last night. I watched Kentucky get beat by South Carolina. Kentucky was #1 in the rankings and the only undefeated basketball team left. No more.

South Carolina came through when it had to and deserved to win. South Carolina’s record to date is unimpressive. I think they have lost 6 games. I watched them lose by 2 points Saturday night and thought they had a good team. They definitely had that good team last night. The better team. Congratulations, South Carolina!

Enjoy your day!

I never left the house yesterday.

I did paperwork half the day. And prepared for Thursday’s radio show the other half.

Remember the big court settlement the States made with the cigarette industry back in 1997. Florida got $11.3 billion. What happened to it? It is one of the things I will be talking about on the Key West Lou Legal Hour.

I was getting ready to go out for the evening when I discovered the Syracuse/Georgetown basketball game was available on TV in Key West. So I stayed home!

A major game! A big encounter! An anticipated battle between old rivalries!

Syracuse had only lost 1 game prior to last night’s meeting. Georgetown 3. Syracuse was ranked #4 in both national polls. Georgetown #7 and #11.

The game started badly for Syracuse. They were down 14-0 at the start of the game. Time to worry! I was!

Syracuse came back. Big time! Syracuse was winning by 5 points at half time. And won the game by 17!

Syracuse is good this year! Perhaps great! We shall see.

That was my day yesterday. A simple one.

Today I have more paperwork. And then the dentist at noon. I lost 2 porcelin caps this past week. I must be eating iron!

Enjoy your day!

A quiet Key West Sunday yesterday.

I spent the morning in bed watching the news talk shows.

Then it was off to Don’s Place. The great rib cook off was scheduled for yesterday.

Don is brilliant! He always has something going to bring in the customers. The place was packed! People cooking/grilling every where!

I did not stay. I could not be in the company of all those delicious appearing and luscious smelling ribs and remain on my diet. So I chatted a bit and then left.

It was the Coffee House for me. I sipped coffee and read the Sunday New York Times for a couple of hours.

Then to Lisa’s. Grandkids appeared to be in better health. They were driving their parents crazy.

Lisa was working on her internet department store Via Key West.

Donna Barnett spent a lot of time with Lisa when she recently was in Key West for her daughter’s wedding. While Terri was hoofing and singing in Finian’s Rainbow on Broadway, Donna had been busy making jewelry.

Lisa has prepared a whole page dedicated to Donna’s new work. It’s terrific! Take a look! http://www.viakeywest.com/.

I have always loved Donna’s skill. Her jewelry is spectacular. On more than one occasion we have been out together and some one has come up to ask her about a neck piece she was wearing. Inevitably, Donna sold the piece literally off her neck!

I went home to watch the Jets/Colts play off game. My intent was to go to the Gardens afterwards. I never made it. I became absorbed in both games. Watched Indianapolis and New Orleans win.

A movie star of classic proportions passed on last week. Jean Simmons. She hit her movie peak in the 1940s and 1950s. British born. Lovely. She became a big Hollywood star. She starred in Hamlet with Laurence Olivier, The Big Country with Gregory Peck, Guys and Dolls with Marlon Brando, Spartacus with Kirk Douglas and Elmer Gantry with Burt Lancaster.

What a list of leading men!

She was a true talent!

Speaking of Burt Lancaster, he once made a movie here in Key West. The Rose Tattoo. Anna Mangani was the female lead. She won the Academy Award for best actress for the role.

The movie was primarily filmed in a small corner house on Duncan Street. I think of the film every time I drive by on my way to Lisa’s. The house is now run down and overgrown with foliage. A for sale sign sits in front of it. Sad.

Enjoy your day!

The saga of the Audi convertible top that would not close has come to an end. A successful one.

My top would neither go up or down.

I read the book that comes with the car. The one they leave in the glove compartment. There were 7 or 8 pages covering the convertible top. The pages required more than a Phd. to comprehend. Of no assistance!

The Audi emergency service which came with the car or which I paid extra to purchase was of no help. They would flatbed the car to the nearest Audi dealer for repair. That is Miami. My headache to get the car back. The fact that the Miami dealer is 155 miles away meant nothing. I would have had to rent a car or fly to Miami to retrieve the car.

I sought assistance from the readers of this blog. Both here and on Facebook.

The response was fantastic! E mails, telephone calls and what have you. Every one wanted to help.The suggestions were excellent. However, none hit the mark. Some I had already tried. Others were tried and failed.

Some came close to the source of the problem as it turned out. The car’s battery.

Son in law Corey finally hit on the remedy.

Corey said everything is run by a computer. The computer feeds off the battery. Some things computer operated require more battery power than others.

I did not agree. I am a lawyer and know everything. If the lights, radio and windows were working, as well as the car running, how could it be the battery?

Lisa now comes into the picture. Last year she purchased an item for me on the Home Shopping Network. A gift that cost all of $8. A small battery. About 2″ x 2″. If your car battery goes dead or neeeds charging, you plug this small battery replica into the cigarette lighter. And 10 minutes later, the car battery is charged! Or so it is claimed!

Corey says lets try it. I did. After 10 minutes of letting this “toy” do its thing, I turned the key to start the car. It still started. Then I pressed the convertible top button. The top went down. As it was supposed to. Sweet and smooth!

Corey was right! Brilliant!

Obviously my battery was weakening and could not handle the convertible top motor which probably required a bit extra juice.

I was saved! Thank you, Corey! And thank you Lisa for what I thought was a useless gift when you gave it to me. What do I know!

Last night I happily drove my self into Key West in my car. An experience that earlier in the day I doubted would occur.

My first stop was the Chart Room. Congenial Michael bartending. Frank, Sean and Katherine at the bar.

I have not seen Sean and Katherine for about a month. Our paths just did not cross. Sean continues to be Key West’s finest news reporter. Katherine just got a big promotion at the Ocean Key House. In responsibility and bucks. She is now Sales Coordinator. Good for her!

Every one asked about my convertible top. Frank did not agree with Corey or the resolution. He said there is a glich in the car. It will happen again. Get rid of it!

Dinner was at the bar at La Trattoria. Erin bartending. The place crowded, as usual. I chatted with several locals who were dining at the bar also. Had a good time!

Then home to bed.

Syracuse continues its basketball roll. Beat Marquette yesterday. Now 18-1. A good record!

Texas got beat yesterday. Actually destroyed. By Connecticut. So Texas is no longer undefeated. That should drop Texas from #1 to # 5 in the rankings and move Syracuse up from at least #5 to #4. Not much room to move when you are so high up in the rankings.

The weather is fantastic! High 80s yesterday. A bit humid. Unusually warm weather for January in Key West. Just as 42 degrees two weeks ago was unusually cold. There is global warming and it screws up both hot and cold.

Today is Sunday. Love Sundays!

My goal today is to definitely be at Kate Miano’s Gardens at 5 tonight. It has been weeks since I have made it. There is music to hear and people to see.

Enjoy your day!

Strange day yesterday.

It started with an early telephone call from Lisa. Ally had a fever again. Could I babysit for a couple of hours? Of course.

Our time went well together. Ally and mine. We talked. Watched some kid’s movie on TV. Played tick, tack, toe.

My cell phone rang. It was the doctor’s office. The x rays showed a possible compression fracture of the spine. Needed an MRI.

When Lisa returned, I hurried over for the MRI.

Most, if not all of us, have had MRIs in the past. When they first came out, MRI’s were closed. Difficult to handle! Especially for one such as me who is claustrophobic. The newer ones were open and eliminated the problem.

Sometimes Key West can be behind the times when it comes to medicine. The MRI unit for me yesterday was of the old closed type. Wow! I kept my eyes closed the whole time and my mind every where else in the world.

My doctor telephoned later in the day. No fracture. My problem must be a back sprain. Stay on the motrin. Interestingly, since I started taking heavy doses of motrin the day before, I had had no back pain. Not even a little bit.

The weather was absolutely perfect yesterday. In the high 80s with only a slight breeze. I decided to have a special lunch to go with the special day.

Stone crabs.

I went out to the Shrimp Shack and bought a half dozen jumbo ones. Took them home. Rinsed them off. And ate them sitting on my deck under the tiki hut watching the boats go by.

My back felt great! The meal was terrific! The weather spectacular! A wave of ambition overtook me. I succumbed to it. A mistake.

I decided to wash the car. Me. With hose, pail and water.

I never wash my car. Servile labor and I are not a match.

The washing went well. I decided to put the top down so I could easily clean the inside of the car. The top popped open about an inch. And stopped! And then would neither open nor close.

I tried everything. Read the book kept in the glove compartment as to what to do. The top still would not budge.

I telephoned Audi emergency service. No problem. From their perspective. They would flat bed my car to Miami on Monday to the dealer. It was my headache to get the car back to Key West afterwards, however.

No bargain!

Last time I acquire a car in Miami. Niles dealership in Key West just got a new customer.

I telephoned Corey. My son in law has a talent at fixing everything mechanical. He is coming over this morning to try. He was already on the computer last night researching the problem and telephoning me with questions.

Obviously, I never got to go out last night. No way to travel! And if Corey cannot fix the top this morning, I am going to be land locked out here for a few days.

I am not upset. I could have a compression fracture of the spine.

Enjoy your day!

Great radio show yesterday!

The best yet!

Thanks to those of you who listened in. The audience is growing by leaps and bounds.

The topics were timely.

I started with yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision giving corporations the right to make unlimited contributions for the advertising of political candidates.

I concluded the show with the trial which just started this past Tuesday in New York in civilian court of a foreign woman who is charged with attempted murder. The alleged crime having occurred in an Afghanistan police station and involving U.S. Military and FBI agents. The issue from my perspective was whether she should have been tried in a military or Afghanistan court as opposed to a civilian one. There is much background to the case. One item is that the defendant is related by marriage to Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the admitted mastermind of 9/11.

I was also pleased with yesterday’s show because I am getting better at fitting topics within the 9 1/2 minute segments I have between commercials. Not easy.

My back has been bothering me for a week. Not badly. Just consistently. I figured a week was long enough. So I saw the doctor yesterday. She ordered x-rays. I will know this morning. She suspects a disc problem. I hope she is wrong. That’s all I need at my age. I have osteoporosis so she may be correct.

Lisa needed me to babysit at dinner time. She, Corey and Robert had some event at Montessori involving Robert. Rather than stay in, I decided to take Ally to a Haitian relief benefit on White Street.

We walked. The event was nearby.

The primary reason I wanted to go was because the relief event was being sponsored by KONK 1680 AM radio. My station! The sponsor of the Key West Lou Legal Hour!

It was a street party on White. In front of the radio station. The street blocked off. Singers on a flat bed. Hot dogs, beer, huge cookies and other goodies. All free. Sort of. A donation required for whatever was consumed. A cool way to fund raise I thought.

Young ladies walking around with boxes. Just put a donation in the slot. Another good way to collect money for a good cause. And the two bicycles. Buy a chance and maybe win one.

Ally and I walked around. We bought a large chocolate chip cookie. Got a soda. And sat on the curb in front of Fausto’s eating and drinking and watching the singers and people.

The crowd grew in the hour we were there.

KONK 1680 AM is owned by Guy deBoer. He organized the event with the assistance of the station’s program director Mark “Ryno” Masca.

These guys had worked their asses off preparing for the event. And were all over the place last night.

Don Riggs, the station’s news director, was wandering around helping out also.

Ryno, by the way, is originally from Waterville, N.Y. about 15 miles south of my hometown of Utica.

DeBoer’s radio concept is exciting. His idea is to open up public dialogue and discussion on all issues affecting society. A different topic each hour from 7 am to 7 pm five days a week.

I enjoy participating. We are an on-air family.

And as evident, deBoer extends himself beyond the radio station. The Haitian fundraiser is an example.

All money raised from last night’s fundraiser and others will be used to purchase necessary supplies to be sent to Haiti. They will be delivered to that needy island by a local vessel. The Schooner Wolf will leave from Key West Bight on February 8 with the supplies.

Ally and I had a good time. She is at an age where she silently takes everything in. She absorbs.

The walk home was fun. It was dark. We were walking Duncan street. The street lights were on.
Ally got into shadows. Mine and hers. It was discovery time. She got all excited walking on my shadow!

The beauty and charm of a 4 year old!

It was still early. I had not eaten, except for a few bites of the cookie. So I decided to head out to Hogfish. Yankee Jack was singing.

What a crowd! The place was packed. Most appeared to be Yankee Jack groupies. They were sitting and drinking. Not eating. Whooping it up to Yankee’s diddies.

I enjoyed some hogfish. I enjoyed Yankee. I enjoyed the crowd.

Now you enjoy your day!

Today is the Key West Lou Legal Hour radio show!

Listen in!

1 pm!

KONK 1680 AM radio here in Key West. Anywhere else in the world on the internet at http://www.konkam.com/. You can see as well as listen on the internet site.

If you would like to share a thought, comment, disagree or just say hello, call ins can be made. 305-294-2769.

Today we are going to talk politics, strange dumb laws, the 1800 Atlantic beach problem, the lobster trap case, No Name Key, taxes, marijauna, the Prop 8 trial and terrorist trials. Quite a mix!

Golf yesterday was terrific! And fun!

It was the first day of Don’s new golf league. Match play. A different opponent each week.

My partner is bocci buddy Rob. We played against Nate and Dean. I specifically played against Dean.

It was fun! It was action!

Nate is a former professional golfer. He played in the big time on tour. He now is the celebrity bartender at Bagatelle’s. Dean is chef at Pepe’s. Rob is a bartender at Don’s Place. Me, I do nothing. I am retired.

Nate, Dean and Rob all hit the ball long. Especially off the tee. I cannot get off the tee. Where they were in 1, I was in 2 or 3.

My close game kept me in the match, however.

Dean beat me by one hole on the front side. I considered it a moral victory.

On the back side, I beat Dean by one hole. The match was not decided till the 18th hole. I had to work! Such drama!

Overall, Dean and I tied. We each won the same number of holes.

A great match! I was thrilled he did not destroy me as I had anticipated.

I received strokes, of course. 14. 7 a side. I needed them.

Dean shot a 99. I a 114. A 15 point spread. The strokes were appropriate and the handicap system worked as far as we were concerned.

Rob had a hard time with Nate. Remember, Nate is a former pro. He shot a 77. Rob shot 100. Rob got 14 shots, also.

Nate destroyed Rob on the front side. However Rob came back on the back 9. Rob won the back 9. Nate won the match overall however as he won more holes totally. The front 9 did Rob in.

I thought Rob played terrifically! Especially on the back side! And against a former pro!

Afterwards, I had to hurry over to Lisa’s to babysit again. The grandkids still sick.

Yesterday was Wednesday and Wednesday is Bobby Nesbitt time at Aqua. I stopped at Aqua at cocktail time to hear Bobby. All I can say is that I enjoy his singing. Anytime you get a chance to hear Bobby, do it. He is a treat!

Later I stopped at Pepe’s for dinner. I knew it was Dean’s night off. But I had not been to Pepe’s in a while.

Pepe’s claims it is the oldest restaurant in Key West. It further claims the pirates used to meet there back in the 1700s to plan their raids on the Spanish galleons traveling the Caribbean.

Interesting folklore!

Pepe’s serves mother’s food. Overloaded dishes of good wholesome food. I had a half a broiled chicken with mashed potatoes. Great gravy covering the mashed potatoes. Yes, Mom’s cooking!

I ate all of the chicken. Picked at the potatoes. I was trying to edge back into my diet.

That was my day. Not a bad one. Actually a very good one. I played golf, saw my grandchildren, heard Bobby sing and ate a wholesome dinner. Sort of a God’s in His Heaven, all’s right with the world day!

Remember to join me on the radio show at 1.

Enjoy your day!