DROPPING TO 63 DEGREES TONIGHT…..COLD!

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You northerners can laugh all you want! Sixty three degrees is cold in Key West! Our blood is thin.

I will probably wear long pants tonight. It has been months since last my legs were so covered.

Hogfish for dinner last night. I had my blog talk radio show to do at 9. I like to stay close to home. Enjoyed a lobster roll and read the newspapers.

Blog talk time later. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. If you missed the show, it is archived. It is also available on You tube.

I have visited Greece twice in the last year and a half. Roughly one month each time. Traveled the islands as well as visiting Athens. I love Greece! It has everything. Yesterday, today and the scent of tomorrow. It also has problems. Big time.

The euro and Germany have devastated the Greek economy. The highest rate of unemployment in all of Europe exists in Greece. Jobs almost non-existent. Many unemployed. Begging common place. Fathers cannot feed their families. Demonstrations. The Nazi party on the rise.

I have written four articles for KONK  Life concerning today’s Greece. Two of them are in my recently published book. The World Upside Down.

Now comes an even more tragic event. You will find it hard to believe. But as I have been repeatedly saying, desperate people do desperate things.

The World Health Organization announced yesterday an HIV twist never heard before. Anywhere. Fathers and single mothers are injecting themselves with the HIV virus. Intentionally. The reason simple. The Greek government considers HIV a disabling illness. Persons so afflicted receive a 700 euro a month pension from the government. Plus free medical to help contain and control the disease.

Seven hundred euros is a lot of money in the Greek economy of today. Rent can be paid and food put on the table. Not a lot, but enough to sustain a family.

Would you believe? Have you ever heard? Desperate people do do desperate things!

The World Upside Down is available for sale. Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. The Greek stories I have included in the book give you a taste of the book’s style. Read it. I am sure you will enjoy the essays. Consider purchasing extra copies as Christmas gifts for friends.

Syracuse beat California in the Maui Classic last night 92-81. I did not see the game. Got screwed up somehow. I thought there were only four teams in the tournament. Turns out there must be six. Syracuse plays Baylor tonight in the finals. Both teams are ranked. Syracuse #8 and Baylor #18. Should be a good game. The game will be Syracuse’s first test against a ranked team.

I will be watching the game from the comfort of my bed. It does not begin till 10 pm.

Tomorrow is turkey day! I enjoy the Thanksgiving meal. I will stuff myself. Recently lost 16 pounds so there is room to spare.

Lisa bought the turkey sunday. It has been sitting in my garage refrigerator thawing. I checked it this morning. Still hard as a rock! Lisa’s headache to resolve. I am sure she will.

Enjoy your day!

 

I DON’T UNDERSTAND

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Two weeks ago, the price of gasoline was $3.51 per gallon in Key West. Yesterday, it was $3.69. I do not understand how the price can go up that dramatically in two weeks. Especially since it has recently been announced that for the first time, the United States will this year export more petroleum product than it imports. It has been further reported that in five years, we will import no oil at all.

Whatever the reason, it appears the oil industry is ripping us off again.

Ran  some errands yesterday morning. Then stopped at Don’s Place. It was around noon. Not too many customers. Don, Hershel, and Rob at the bar. I joined them. Since it was too early for me, I ordered a glass of water. Hershel was drinking a bottle of Pepsi. Don and Rob nothing.

It did not seem like Don’s Place!

I watched this year’s Syracuse basketball team for the first time last night. The team played in Hawaii’s Maui Classic. Played Minnesota. Syracuse won by 8 points. The Vegas line had Syracuse winning by 1.

The team look good. That’s all. They are not ready for the big time yet. It could be an up and down season.

The team looked great on defense and then would collapse. The ball was permitted inside too many times. Cooney and Fair played well. Cooney definitely a 3 point shooter. Dropped five last night. Offensively, I thought Syracuse missed too many easy shoots.

I watched the game at the Big Ten Sports Pub. I basically had the place to myself. I was the only customer interested in the Syracuse/Minnesota game. Two customers came in later. They had come to watch the Kentucky game. That was it! There was more staff than customers.

People are not into basketball yet. Another problem last night was the weather. It rained big time. Heavy. Did not let up. When I left, I was not sure the car would make it home. The street flooding appeared to be more than normal. Key West’s sewers are not able to handle a heavy rain. It has something to do with the island being at sea level.

Minnesota’s coach is Richard Pitino. Son of the legendary Rick Pitino. The father Rick and Syracuse’s Boeheim are best of friends. They have stood up for each other wedding wise and been godfather to each other’s children. I do not know if Richard is Boeheim’s godchild.

Richard is a dead ringer for his father. No question about from whence he comes. I suspect the fruit will not fall far from the tree. Richard will probably turn out to be a top flight coach.

My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me for a quick moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics for discussion will include Walmart’s cheapness, a federal judge complaining that no Wall Street wrongdoer has gone to jail, Moody dropping the credit rating of four major banks, the story of a Michigan man who has won a million dollar lottery two times, local U.S. police getting unused military/war machinery, the joke re the democracy cries when Egypt first demonstrated in the streets a couple of years ago, and more.

I think I am a man about town. Know everything that is going on. Turns out, not always. Antonia’s was sold a couple of months ago. To whom, I do not know. Christopher was the owner who sold. Christopher is originally from Boonville, New York. All of 15 miles from my hometown of Utica.

Antonia’s was once my favorite restaurant. I have not been there in five years. My choice. A personal reason. I said screw the place. Now that there is new ownership, I shall return. I hope the quality of the food is the same.

Enjoy your day!

 

TERRIBLE 24 HOURS

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I am sick of being sick!

My doctor recommended that rather than carry the nitroglycerin spray in my pocket for use as needed, that I go on a small nitro pill every day. I took it yesterday morning for the first time.

The pill resulted in 24 hours of hell!

As I think back, there have been three events in my life that caused me much discomfort and pain. The time I had e.coli, the time I had 25 per cent of my colon removed and the small intrestine and colon got screwed up, and the spasm when my back goes out.

There is now a fourth. What the nitroglycerin pill did to me.

A headache such as I have never experienced before. Like my head was going to explode. Big time nausea. Blood pressure down to around 90 over 50. No high blood pressure last night!

It was a horrendous day and night. Slept not one minute. Did not think I was ever going to get better.

I telephoned my doctor last night. His nurse advised stop taking the pill and go to bed…..you will be better in the morning. She was correct. I am.

She also told me my stress test results were ok. I see the doctor Thursday for a follow up.

There was no way I could do my blog talk radio show last night. Absolutely no way! That is why I was not there for you who listened in.

Enough of sickness. I feel fine this morning. I expect to stay that way. It is like I will tolerate no further problems. Not that any of us has control over such things.

One thing I cannot understand. When I drank a lot and used to raise hell, I always felt good. Now that I have backed off a bit, I seem to have one problem after another.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE WEATHER

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Key West is experiencing one of the finest Fall seasons in memory. So good! The days are generally in the low 80s. No heat. No humidity. No sweating. Nights just right. Air conditioning not required.

Heavenly bliss!

Tonight is my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Nine o’clock. Join me. I guarantee an interesting half hour.

One of the topics to be discussed concerns the $8.5 trillion of taxpayer money that Congress authorized the Pentagon to spend. It cannot be accounted for. What a way to run a business/government! $8.7 trillion is half the national debt. And they want to cut food stamps, Social Security and Medicare! Take care of national waste and nothing would have to be cut. Waste not, want not applies here.

I shall also be sharing the thoughts of a federal judge who this past week asked in a speech to the New York Bar Association why no Wall Street executives have been prosecuted. A point I have made many times in recent years.

My recently published book The World Upside Down is out there. Other than the 10 sold in Italy, I do not know what is happening.

As you are already aware, yesterday’s morning was spent doing a nuclear stress test in the hospital. Doctor will tell me results thursday. One of the nurses said to worry not. If anything was wrong, the doctor would be seeing me sooner.

I still feel wiped out. Between the flu and chest pains, I am dragging around.

Spent yesterday afternoon in bed.

I would have stayed in last night, except Don and Chris were in town and we had a meeting scheduled at the Chart Room. I missed them on their last visit to Key West.

We met as arranged. They have become friends. It was good to see them. Both world travelers for business purposes. Don recently returned from an Asian trip. Chris from Dusseldorf. I had a couple of drinks and some interesting chatter with them.

That was all I could handle, wanted to handle. The wiped out feeling. Went straight home and to bed. It was around 8 o’clock.

Enjoy your day!

SO FAR A DULL DAY

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Sunday was quiet. Nothing of any interest occurred. I took it easy.

This morning I had to be at the hospital at 7:30. I just returned close to noon. I had a nuclear stress test. I have had many stress tests  over the years. Both the treadmill one and the nuclear one. I prefer the nuclear. It is much easier.

Don and Chris from the Syracuse area are in town. We are meeting this evening at 6:30 at the Chart Room. Don recently started his own business. His accounts are primarily in China. I am anxious to find out how he is doing.

Tomorrow at 9 my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou. Going to discuss wild and wooly Venezuela. The toilet paper shortage there was nothing compared to what is going on now. Another revolution could be around the corner. I also have some thoughts regarding General Motors to share.

China’s abolishing to a degree the one child rule is interesting. Especially the reason why. It will put the U.S. to shame. If there is time, Senator Shaheen’s recent expose that U.S. soldiers are being killed in Afghanistan by terrorists backed with U.S. money.

My book, my book! The World Upside Down. The excitement within me does not quiet down. Friend Anna in Novara bought 10 copies. She plans to give them as Christmas gifts. I hope all who receive them speak English. There is no Italian translation.

I am going to have a bite and go to bed. I am exhausted from the stress test.

Enjoy your day!

VETERANS DAY PARADE TERRIFIC!

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Yesterday morning found Duval and Mallory Square quiet. The powerboat races were over. The participants had left town.

Things changed by late afternoon. Key Westers and tourists joined to celebrate Veterans Day. The curbs were crowded the whole length of the parade.

I was correct when I suggested earlier yesterday that small town parades were the best. Yesterday afternoon’s parade did not make a liar out of me.

Participating were the coast Guard, a Navy contingent, policemen on horses, high school students including cheerleaders and band, and two special cars carrying World War II veterans. The World War II veterans received loud cheers.

There were floats. Candy was thrown from the floats to children. The kids were running out to pick the candy up from where it landed on the street.

A special touch was the handing out to viewers of small American flags. Proudly waived during the parade by young and old alike.

I was watching the grandchildren earlier in the day. We walked around Mallory Square. Ended up at the Ocean Key House for lunch. Outside on the dock. Ally wanted an aqua colored table. Robert wanted one with an umbrella. Both requests were accommodated.

It was a first time visit for Robert and Ally. They enjoyed the whole scene, especially the boats. We were seated by the rail with the ocean immediately below us.

I never know what we are going to talk about. I let the grandkids take the lead. Robert got into evolution. Nine years old! He explained we were descendants of monkeys, baboons, and apes.

I asked…..What about Adam and Eve? I was shocked. Neither had ever heard of Adam and Eve. I got into God created the world, then Adam, and finally Eve. A first for them.

Tuesday again. Blog talk radio time. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. This evening at 9.

I wait till the day of the show to decide content. Things move so fast in today’s world that many times yesterday’s news is old hat.

I suspect I will be discussing whether Hilary Clinton’s time has passed for the Presidency. My concern is she represents a different generation. Perhaps we need a person closer to today’s problems. I have some things to say about General Motors which you will find interesting. Egypt and democracy is another topic.

Join me. The show is only a half hour. A fast moving half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

SMALL TOWN PARADES

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Over the years, I have come to realize how enjoyable small town parades are. In some instances, the best!

Two small town parades stand out in my mind. One is the Fourth of July parade in Chatham on Cape Code. I not only enjoyed the parade, I had an overwhelming sense of patriotic pride as I watched it. The other is Key West’s Christmas Parade. You have not seen a Christmas parade till you have seen Key West’s. It is miles long. Children everywhere.

I have never seen Key West’s Veteran’s Day Parade. Hopefully this afternoon at 4 I will.

Veteran’s Day. A special day set aside to honor those who sacrificed for our country. Actually, sacrificed for you and me. I never served. I was part of the Korean War generation. The war ended my senior year in high school and I went to college instead of into the Army. By the time Vietnam was in full swing, I was a practicing attorney with a wife and four children.

Some things bother me about our soldiers and veterans. Permit me to share a few with you.

Our government talks a good game, but plays a poor one. The number of veterans with disability claims not being paid attention to is enormous. About half a million. Money is the problem. The House of Representatives should be ashamed to have forgotten these warriors of yesterday. House members talk a good game about supporting the military. In reality, they fail.

I worry that we now have a professional army. Such makes a military take over of the government easier. Anything is possible today.

Contractor soldiers. Our shadow army. Private mercenaries in the pay of the United States. Wrong that we use them. It is the military complex having become stronger. The controls over them are significantly less than over the real military. They answer not to government. Rather to the corporations for whom they work.

Finally, we cannot fight everyone’s battles. In the last decade, we have had boots on the ground in too many countries. Many of these involvements were none of our business. We paid not only with money, but also the lives of our young men and women.

Consistent with the previous thought, we cannot bring democracy to other nations. They are and will be what they want to be. Our system of government is not for everyone. True democracy is leaving people alone to decide for themselves what type of government they wish.

I spent six hours yesterday finishing this week’s KONK Life column. Doolittle’s Raid. I wrote it for two reasons. First, it is Veteran’s Day time. The second is that most people under 50 probably do not know what Doolittle’s Raid was. It concerns me that many are unaware of their history. I learned of Lexington and Concord, the steam engine, and whatever else, in grammar school. Are students similarly taught today? What is taught concerning World War II?

Dinner last night with Lisa and the family. Always a joy!

I am a lucky man. Lunch 2 out of 3 days with the grandkids. I am babysitting today.

Enjoy your holiday!

A BAD BOCCE NIGHT

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There is no joy in Mudville…..Mighty Casey has struck out!

So it was with bocce last night.

Let me put it in perspective.

It was a money game. The championship game in effect of the 5 team mini league we have within the big bocce league. We were tied for first place with the team we played. Whoever won 2 out of 3 games, won it all!

It wasn’t us. We lost all three.

That is not what made it bad. Defeat is easy to handle. It was how we lost in the first game that bothered us. We were winning 13-3. We lost 16-15.

Says it all!

Momentum, the tempo, was set. We lost the next two also. Though with dignity.

My day started yesterday with a Lori visit. Needed a haircut and beard trim. Then to the Plantation Coffee House. Said hello to Diane and read the newspapers.

The afternoon was non eventful. Stayed home researching and writing. However, did it outside under the shade of the tiki hut. Every now and then, I would dunk myself in the pool to cool off. Sometimes laid out a but till the sun dried me off.

It is Friday. The weekend is here. I have nothing planned. Such a weekend normally turns out to be pretty good. We shall see.

No TV/internet show this morning. I have been replaced for a live showing of the power boat races. I return next Friday.

Enjoy your day!

TWO BLOG DAYS IN ONE

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The frustrations involved with modern machinery.

WordPress is important to everrything I do involving Key West Lou. Without WordPress, there is no Key West Lou.

Such it was yesterday. WordPress was not resdpondiong correctly. Actually, not responding to me at all. Sloan finally got it worked out with them. Thank you Lord for Sloan!

Since I was not able to do the blog yesterday, I am doing a double header today. Enjoy.

My blog talk radio show wet well Tuesday evening. I hit poverty big. I also used a new headset and microphone. I was looking for better clarity. Apparently, I got it. I heard from about a dozen people that my voice came through loud and clear. Three of those commenting were listening from as far away as Novara, Italy, Calitzdorp, South Africa, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

I had a luncheon appointment at Salute’s tuesday. I was stood up. It was an established author. I ate alone. I told the author afterwards that I would not be buying his next book. He apologized. He had forgotten. The funny part is he had done the inviting, not me.

Though alone, lunch at Salute’s was pleasant. Ate outside. Terrific views of the beach and water.

Election results. Without question, the results showed an unhappiness with the Tea Party. On the other hand, I view it merely as an indication. Next year’s Congressional elections are a long way off. Much could happen in one year to demonize the President and return the Tea Party to its more favorable position.

The Tea Party bothers me. One reason is that the losers tuesday were still hard assed. No humility. They were going to go on and fight even harder.

I am waiting for the publisher to let me know the publication date of The World Upside Down. My first book. I feel like a woman waiting to give birth to her first child.

It has been difficult, at least for me, to get the You Tube thing straightened out. Notice, I have not mentioned You Tube in a week. There are new instructions. Hopefully the last.

Both for the TV/internet show and the blog talk radio show, go to You Tube and enter key west lou. That’s all. I have decided to join both shows together on You Tube. To separate them would be a mess. It meant that key west lou could only be used to gain entry to one. Needed another name considerably different from key west lou for the other show.

To the computer geniuses who read me: Help me. How do I get the most recent shows to appear at the top or first in the listing of shows. Most recent date first.

We have made one other change. You will not have to view five separate segments to see the TV/internet show. It is being posted as one unit. There will be an abrupt break and return when the show goes to commercials. All of a second or two. that’s all.

Enough for tuesday. Lets move on to wednesday.

Disaster! An arm on my newest set of glasses fell off. Just like that. I assume it can be fixed. I searched and found one of the smallest screws I have ever seen. It had to have fallen from the glasses. My optician is away till next Wednesday. No problem, I have another set. In fact, I have several sets of prescription glasses in all shades and colors.

Walked yesterday a bit far for me. I was ambitious/energetic for some reason. Walked the Atlantic on South Roosevelt Boulevard from the airport to 1800 and back. I have not lost a pound in several days. Have not gained either. I am still eating little. I keep getting on the scale hoping for a three pound drop all at one time.

Don’s Place first last night. One drink. Chatted with Keith and Jen.

Then to the Chart Room. Surprisingly, very few customers. The powerboat people apparently were not drinking at that time.

Emily bartending. Key West’s oracle of wisdom. Peter and Che at the bar.

Met a lovely lady. Cheryl. She knew Emily. Cheryl used to live in Key West. Had to go north to North Carolina several months ago to care for her mother. Now she is back. Cheryl is an ultra sound technician. She is working at the Advanced Urgent Care Center on North Roosevelt Boulevard.

A nice person. Hope I run into her again.

The TV and radio shows take time to prepare. Especially the TV show. I finished my research and prep one day early this week. By Wednesday afternoon, I was done. I was pleased with myself. It meant I could screw off this afternoon.

Krystal called me late yesterday. There will be no show Friday morning. The television studio will be filming live the power boat races starting at 10. My show was scheduled for 10.

I complained a bit. All the work I had done! Krystal said to use it next week. I cannot. Most of the material is stale by then. Oh, well.

An important historical event took place on this date in 1918. The start of the Russian Revolution. The one between the White Bolsheviks and the Red one’s. A fellow by the name of Kerensky was a White Bolshevik and the first Presinet of free Russia following the Czar’s dethroning. Philosophical differences arose. Lenin was head of the Red group. Finally, the Reds beat the Whites. That is the war that started on this day in 1918.

Kerensky had to flee Russia. Flee or be killed. The choice was simple. He left. He eventually ended up in the United States.

Why the Russian history lesson? I was fortunate to have known Kerensky.

It was 1956-7. I was a senior at Manhattan College. A history major. One of my courses was Russian history from around 1880 to a couple of years following the Revolution. Kerensky taught the course. He was my/our professor. Imagine how exciting it was to hear from the lips of a man who not only lived during those years, but also was the important leader of one of the two revolutionary groups.

Bocce tonight. I look forward to it. Our last money game. We have to win 2 out of 3 games to come in first in the 5 team mini competition we also play.

Enjoy your day!

DON’T TREAD ON ME…..NAVY AND TEA PARTY CONFLICT

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U.S. Navy Seals have been told they no longer can wear the Continental flag and snake patch on their jacket shoulders.  The patch symbolizes Don’t Tread On Me. The reason is some what associated with political correctness. The Navy claims the symbol is associated with radical groups. Without so  stating or signifying, the flag of the Tea Party is a Don’t Tread On Me one, also.

The topic is # 1 for discussion on my blog talk radio show this evening. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Followed by cattle rustling, truck hijackings, and Tide thefts being on the rise and why.

Join me at 9. A fast moving half hour of interesting and revealing information. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Ran around a bit during the day yesterday.

Visited the Radio Shack. I do tonight’s blog talk radio show via Skype. Need headphones and mike for clarity. The set I have been using was falling apart. The new one appears to work fine. I tested it this morning.

Then Publix. Always fun. There may be a story in my Publix exploits.

Home Depot the final stop. Walked the aisles. Everyone of them.  A 25 minute jaunt.

I am in need of an air compressor. Nothing fancy. To put air in the bicycle tires and so forth. Adam bought one for me two years ago. He always used it. I let him do whatever had to be done. Adam was not available. So I tried to put air in the tire. The machine did not work.

Adam had purchased it at Home Depot. I decided to pick one up yesterday. I found the exact same one boxed. Read the directions. Lo and behold! It had to be plugged in! Ran on electricity. I did not know. Did not figure it out because the cord was wound into the machine. It could also be old age catching up with me.

I did not buy a new one. Later today I will try the one I have again. Plugging it in first, of course.

Wrote the rest of the day. Put together tonight’s blog talk radio show.

The weather continues to be spectacular. Around 80. However last night and this morning forceful winds. Coming off the Atlantic. Strongest yet this Fall. Not hurricane strength. Could be tropical storm strength, however. Palm trees and shrubbery bending big time. Waves in the pool.

Enjoy your day!