THE RIORDANS ARE BACK IN TOWN

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The Riordans have returned!

Dan and Lisa Riordan hail from Skaneateles, New York. They own a restaurant there. The Blue Water Grill. Normally, they rent a house for one month. This year, two! Good for them! Eventually they will buy. The pattern is the same for all of us.

Two daughters and a boy friend are with them for a few days.

I will be blessed for the next two months with Dan and Lisa watching the Syracuse games with me. Voracious fans!

One of their daughters works for the U.S. Treasury in Syracuse. She works with Michael Timpano. A name I have not heard in years. Michael grew up with my son. The best of friends back then. I knew Michael’s parents well. My contemporaries. I hope they are alive and well. Timpano was and still is a well respected name in the Utica area.

Dan and Lisa arrived in Key West Friday. They had to stock up on groceries. Went to Publix. They were shocked at the cost of food in Key West. Much higher than in upstate New York. The high price of groceries in Key West is an item of frequent discussion  amongst those who live here. A rip off!

I watched the Syracuse/Miami game with the Riordans and guest yesterday. A heart wrenching game. Nothing but pain.

Syracuse won 49-44. A football score. An ugly game. We were 20 point favorites going in. I hope this is not that type season.

What irritates me is that whenever I become a believer that this year’s Syracuse team is a great one, something screws up. Villanova made me a believer this year. Miami now makes me question my judgment. We shall see.

It was hard to believe yesterday’s weather. Rain! Rain! And then more rain! It never stopped. The type of rain that accompanies a hurricane or tropical storm. Monsoon type. Blew sideways on occasion.

I drove home from the Sports Pub immediately after the game at 4. I was fearful of flooding roads that might prevent me from making it. The streets were horrible! Water everywhere! The boulevard was especially dangerous. Because of the construction, the highway was flooded more than normal. You had to drive slow. I was concerned my car would flood.

It took me 35 minutes to get home. Normally, a 15 minute trip.

I heard from a friend in Greece this morning. Come buy an apartment he told me. Condominiums in central Athens that previously sold for several hundred euros a piece are now on the market for 14,000 euros. About $21,000 American money. A steal!

I continue to believe violence will occur in Greece. The unemployed figure continues to rise. Supermarkets are closing because people do not have the money to buy food. A bad situation.

What a difference as day makes! It is Sunday. The sun is shining. There is nary a cloud in the sky. Anticipated high today 80 degrees. However, rain is projected for this afternoon and evening.

Enjoy your day!

 

USS MAINE / CEMETARY / CUSTOM HOUSE

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1898 was a significant year in Key West history. The USS Maine was sunk in Havana harbor, a number of the sailors killed were buried in the Key West Cemetary, and the Custom House  became the site for the formal inquiry into the sinking of the USS Maine.

Threats of war had prevailed. There was an inevitable feeling that a war between the United States and Spain would occur. It did. The USS Maine was sunk in Havana harbor to flame the fires of war.

Many US sailors were killed. A good number were buried in the Key West Cemetary. On this date in 1898, a dedication of the plot where these brave men are buried was dedicated. It was estimated 10,000 people attended the ceremony. Can you imagine! There were not that many people in Key West at the time. They had to have come from all over the United States.

Later, a formal inquiry was held to determine the cause of the USS Maine being sunk. The cause was clear. However rules and regulations required a hearing. The inquiry was held at the Custom House.

The Custom House had been completed on 1891. It was a Federal building. It housed the post office, custom offices and federal district court.

Today the Custom House is home to the Key West Art and Historical Society. Best described as a museum with frequent art exhibits. Dear friend Sheila from the Chart Room recently joined the staff of the Custom House. Her office oversees the waters off Key West.

Daughter Lisa is a part of the history of the Custom House. When she first settled in Key West some 15 years ago, her initial employment was at the Custom House with the Key West Art and Historical Society. She was with the organization for several years. She served as Development Director. A major fund raising effort was underway at the time to secure funds for the repair and reconstruction of the Custom House. Lisa played a significant role in the fund raising and her effort was most respectable. She did her job. She raised a lot of money.

Yesterday was a bit busy. I started with an early morning pick up of my computer from Tim Reynolds. It is now fixed. I am doing this blog on it at the moment.

I walk and then do not walk. I am becoming frustrated with myself. Realizing I need some regimentation, I went to a gym yesterday to sign up. With a trainer and everything. I went to We Be Fit. The gym that advertises on television that it can keep seniors in good shape and probably add on to their years.

I wanted to sign up. They would not let me. I first had to have a one hour consultation with whoever my trainer was to be. Whoever was not there at the time. I would get a call later in the day to schedule an appointment. No call. I will call them this morning. I find it strange that sometimes people are not anxious to make a dollar. I was there with credit card in hand prepared to pay for the whole thing up front.

I lunched at Mangrove Mama’s. I have not been there in 10 years. It is up US 1. Somewhere north of Key Haven and south of Big Pine. I ate in the bar and read the newspapers. The bar is small. A couple of booths. I sat at a booth and enjoyed a fish sandwich.

Yesterday afternoon was spent completing preparations for last night’s blog talk radio show. The show went on at 9 as scheduled.

I spoke about the Iceland revolution that we never heard about in the United states. I am going to dwell on it during my friday TV/internet show. The heart of the discussion centers on the failure of the American press to tell us about it. I blame corporate ownership of the major media companies for hiding news that might hurt them.

Protesting is getting out of hand on the streets of the Ukraine. Police joined with demonstrators yesterday in Turin, Italy in support of the protestors. Greece remains in turmoil. Africa a series of revolutionary wars.

Any one of these happenings can kindle World War III. Not the Middle East, as I have been saying. These are dangerous situations. Are we paying attention as we should? Do we care?

Buffalo’s Tom Dixon wrote and said he had ordered 5 copies of my book The World Upside Down. I wrote back and told him that made for a total of 6. His 5 and my 1! Joking, of course. I certainly hope that more than 6 have been sold.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

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Happy thanksgiving!

I love family holidays. The warmth of the company, the terrific food. I am prepared to pig out at 1 when I sit down with Lisa and family.

I have a ton of comments this morning.

When I was young and into my early years of law practice, there were something called Blue Laws. These laws prohibited retail selling on Sunday. Stores were closed. It gave people a day certain for rest and an opportunity to keep holy the Sabbath.

Only a few areas today have blue Laws. I am beginning to think there should be a return of them. For Sundays and legal holidays. It bothers me the many stores that will be open today to get a jump on Black Friday. Most, if not all, should be able to kick back and enjoy a holiday.

The weather outside…..It was 60 degrees this morning. Our first really cold day. In the high 50s during the night. The high today will be 75, however. The next week in the low 80s by day and low 70s in the evening. I have come to enjoy these occasional cold days. A break from the usual.

I wrote yesterday morning about Greece and some of the poor intentionally injecting themselves with the HIV virus to obtain a government pension of 700 euros a month. The sad story of what has been going on in Greece. Turns out I was wrong. The story was false.

The scenario. In late September, the World Health Organization issued a report that a significant number of Greeks were self inflicting themselves with the HIV virus. In order to qualify for a 700 euro a month pension which they would use in turn to feed their families. Greater love hath no man…..desperate people do desperate things.

I came across the report in an article in early October. I learned long ago that you cannot believe everything on the internet. I looked for some verification/support for the story. I could find none. Ergo, I placed the tale in tha back of my mind for another day. There was uncertainty as to validity on my part.

This past Monday, the story hit the internet and media big time. Liberals and conservatists alike were reporting the story. Even Russ Limbaugh and Matt Drudge. Ugh! All of a sudden for no particular reason, the story had legs.

I reported the situation in yesterday’s blog. Even talked about it on my blog talk radio show Tuesday evening. It fit into the Greece I have come to know.

I decided to do next week’s KONK Life column about the apparent very sad situation. Around noon yesterday, I went back on the internet to verify the facts, see if anything more had developed, etc. prior to writing the column.

Shock of shocks! I discovered the story was not true. There was as much coverage as the Monday revelation.

The World Health Organization is part of the United Nations. A well respected organization. It has done much good over the years. Also known as WHO. WHO retracted their September report. The organization said it had misspoken. Instead of self inflict, the verbiage should have been inject. The increase in prostitutes from East Europe was the cause/problem. Not self infliction, though WHO admitted their were some anecdotal cases reported.  The anecdotal bothers me, however for another day perhaps.

WHO claimed an editorial error. Their error became mine and everyone else’s. Sorry.

I started last night at Don’s Place. A good crowd. Chatted with Don, Hershel, and Stan a while. Mikey was in. Mikey used to hang out at Don’s Place. An excellent golfer, we played together several times. Though I was in a totally different league. Mikey moved to Lexington, Kentucky three years ago to a new job. Likes the job and doing well in it. Mikey is in Key West for the holiday. It was good to see him again.

Toni was sitting at the bar watching Kentucky play. She is a die hard Kentucky fan. She was jumping off the stool every time Kentucky did something right. Especially when they stole the ball.

Then to the Chart Room. Chatted with Sheila, Peter, and Emily. Met Dale. He is from the Jersey shore. Sails his sailboat down every winter for a six month Key West stay. An interesting guy.

Syracuse was playing Baylor in the finals of the Maui Classic at 10. I went home to watch the game. I saw only three minutes of it. I fell asleep. I see from this morning’s news that Syracuse won 74-67. A good victory since Baylor was a ranked team. Next week, Indiana.

I wrote a couple of days ago how I could not understand why the cost of gasoline in Key West went from $3.51 a gallon to $3.69 in two weeks. This morning I read on the internet that the cost off gasoline has gone down. The average yesterday across the U.S. was $3.29 a gallon. Why then $3.69 in Key West? I will never understand. Don’t write and tell me it is the cost of driving the gasoline from Miami to Key West. Not 40 cents a gallon worth!

Tomorrow morning my TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Lots of good stuff to talk about. Not including the Greece/HIV story obviously. Join me for an interesting fast moving hour.

Via television from Key West through Boca Raton on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com.

I finally got a copy of my book yesterday. The World Upside Down. I got to see it and hold it. Exciting! If you are interested, the book is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com both as an ebook and a paperback.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

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!

 

BUSY DAY YESTERDAY

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Friday began with The Key West Lou Legal Hour. My TV/internet show. Jenna was out of town. It was just me and Krystal.

I spent a lot time talking about present day poverty in the United States. Reductions in the food stamp program was my motivation.

Permit me to share three observations.

I recently read that one out of every four Americans works for $10 an hour or less. I also read that one out of four American children are enrolled in the food stamp program. If true, we are in more trouble than most think. Seeds have been sewn that can have serious consequences.

The last item concerns members of the House of Representatives. They went home yesterday. Their schedule for the balance of the year was announced. It indicated little time in Washington, much at home.

We have budget problems and a multitude of other matters confronting the Nation. Some with specific deadlines coming up in the next 2-3 months. What the hell are these guys doing?

Whatever I said on the show apparently hit home. Post show comment indicated a gigantic interest in the poverty issue.

After the show, it was off to Lisa’s for a while. A little father/daughter time. Jake was with us. Yesterday, he did not bark at me once. Was quiet and sedate. Just  hung around my feet. I cannot figure him out.

I continue to be tired. Maybe the blood pressure. Perhaps the diet. Could be a combination of the two.

Dinner with Pati last night. At the bar at the Marriott Beachside.

Pati is an environmentalist of the first order. To the extreme, I occasionally think. Motivated by goodness all the time, however. In one of my recent shows, I made a mistake. The issue involved the environment. Pati wrote. First apologizing all over the place. Then telling me she did not wish to offend. Then laying the error upon me.

I appreciated her letting me know. Last night was a sort of thank you. Also, we have always been saying lets have dinner together. Last night was the occasion.

The bar was packed. Michael Emerson was playing the guitar and singing. He chatted with us during breaks.

I ate a diet meal. Four shrimp. a little  tiny bit of some shredded beef, and a roll. One gin. My big meal of the day! Of the week!

It was a nice evening. I enjoyed Pati’s company.

Three brief comments regarding Greece, Egypt and Germany.

Two members of the Greek Nazi party were shot and killed this week outside a suburban headquarters. A couple of weeks ago, the leaders of the Nazi party, the Golden Dawn Party, were arrested on some BS charges and are in jail awaiting trial. Good cannot come of what is happening.

More than a year ago after my first trip to Greece, I wrote Greece was a tinderbox. Do not be surprised if the match is being thrown.

Egypt’s last President, Mursi, goes on trial Monday. He was arrested and has been confined to jail for months. Has not been permitted a visit by his attorney nor has he been provided with the written charges against him. And monday his life is on the line!

So much for the new democratic Egypt that our leaders cheered about when Mubarak was overthrown. I hope lessons have been learned. A massive street demonstration is no guaranty that a democratic government will follow.

I do not like Angela Merkel. She is a trouble maker and opportunist. It was announced yesterday that she had sent her intelligence people to Russia to interview Snowden about who knew what and when concerning the U.S.’s bugging of her cell phone.

Merkel has economically destroyed many European countries with the Euro Union and the euro. She recently indicated that the member nations of the Euro Union should have one army. With Germany being in charge of the air force and navy. She is blowing the cell phone tapping incident out of all proportion. She is another Putin.

Now to the important. Syracuse plays Wake Forest today. The Vegas line has Syracuse a 4.5 favorite. My fingers are crossed.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ELECTION DAY KEY WEST

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Key West dances to its own tune even as regards elections. Local elections have their own day. Separate and apart from that early November voting time.

Today is election day in Key West. The mayoral race and other local offices.

This election day is particularly important. There is a question on the ballot. It has to do whether Key West should go forth with a study to determine if the channel could be dredged, its expense, etc. The study will cost Key West nothing.

There is a major move underway to dredge the channel. The reason is so the channel can support the mega cruise ships constructed and to be constructed. At this time, Key West channel cannot.

Money comes into play if the channel is dredged. It will cost Key West millions of dollars to do it.

I am opposed first on environmental grounds. Leave nature under the water alone! Additionally, I do not believe the cruise ships sufficiently support Key West’s best interest. Yes, some benefit big time. However, I am one who would like to see the tee shirt and other seedy establishments leave the port area. Return Key West to its natural habitat!

Birthday party last night! Lisa’s. Happy birthday dear daughter once again!

The best laid plans…..Lisa planned a dinner from Syboney’s. Cuban food. When she telephoned, the line was disconnected. We ended up eating two large pizzas. I am not a fan of Cuban food. I was happy.

Blowing out the candles and singing Happy Birthday! is always the best. The grandkids are into it big time. Especially Ally.

You all know I am enamoured with Greece having spent two summers in a row there. You will further recall my writing at length over the past year regarding Greece. I was especially concerned with the Nazi party. The Golden Dawn Party. I wrote a column several weeks ago about how scary it was and my fears for the future of Greece.

The Greek government in the past 48 hours has been arresting leaders of the Golden Dawn Party.  The arrests are an attempt to rid Greece of a political party that does not support the party now in power.

An Araminta Wordsworth wrote an article today in the National Post regarding what is going on in Greece. I am going to repeat one paragraph. It is right on with what I wrote in my recent column, though she says it better and in fewer words.

“Economic collapse, mass joblessness, uniformed paramilitaries, street violence, political assassinations and, now, a round up of opposition MPs–euro wracked Greece is beginning to feel eerily like Weimar Germany.”

Clemson at Syracuse saturday. Big time football. Clemson undefeated and ranked #3 nationally. Syracuse unranked and 2-2. The Vegas line is 12.5 points. I will consider it a Syracuse victory if we only lose by two touchdowns!

I hope I have to eat my words and Syracuse beats the hell out of Clemson!

On this day (10/1) in 1890, Congress passed a bill authorizing Yosemite National Park in California. On this same 10/1 day in 2013, Yosemite National Park closed because Congress failed to approve spending that would have kept it open. Part of the governmental shut down.

Blog talk radio tonight! My show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Join me at 9 for a fast moving half hour of current commentary. I definitely will be discussing the government shut down and government waste. Plus more. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

If you miss the show tonight, it is immediately archived and can be enjoyed to at any time. www.blogtalkradio.com.

Enjoy your day!

FIRST SNOW

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I woke this morning to learn that Montana has the distinction of being the first place in the U.S. where snow fell this year. Last night. The pics on TV showed heavy stuff.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour was yesterday morning. My TV/internet show. The topic that garnered the most interest surprised me. It was my dissertation regarding Pope Francis and his evidencing that he is a flaming liberal. I thought my comments regarding Congressional waste would be #1.

All comments concerned the Pope. Not one about Congressional waste. Could be people are so fed up with Washington that they pay little to no attention to anything about them any more. On the other hand, the Pope is a breath of fresh air. He appears to be energizing peoples of all faiths.

Per my usual custom, I visited the Chart Room first last night. Emily was back from vacation. It was good to see her. I like Emily. Even more, I like the popcorn she makes. A little extra butter and a bit more  salt. Emily spent ten days vacationing on a hilltop in Ashville, North Carolina. She showed me some photos and videos she took with her cell phone. A beautiful place!

Sheila and Corey at the bar. An English family at the table. I did my hellos. They were leaving so I could not get any background information on them. I wish they had stayed longer. I would have enjoyed talking with them.

Then a drink at Don’s Place. Don, David, Michael and John in attendance. Don and I spoke of bocce. What else! We lost all 3 games thursday. I think we are in last place. Should not be. We are a better team. A much better team. One of our problems may be we know we are good. Ergo, we do not concentrate with each shot. We toss the ball figuring it will go where it is supposed to. It does not.

Bocce continued to haunt me. I went to Publix. After 9. Quiet. A good time to shop. I ran into two different ladies at opposite ends of the store who play bocce on thursday nights, also. Of course, they wanted to talk bocce. One proudly said we won all three games thursday. The other, we won two out of three. I humbly responded each time we lost all three. Tough!

I am distressed by this morning’s news regarding Greece. I find the Greek Nazi party, the Golden Dawn Party, totally reprehensible. Bad people. However they were legally elected. The third largest group in the Greek Parliament.

The government arrested the head of the party and 17 other high party officials yesterday. Warrants out for 20 others. The arrests were without question politically motivated. The leaders were arrested for basically being bad people.

I continue to believe from my early Catholic education that…..The end does not justify the means. You just do not go out and arrest the opposition. It is the same as has been happening in Egypt. What has occurred could unleash unrest on the streets and violence. Plus whatever else .

The Euro Commission and Euro Central Bank are said to have been consulted prior to the arrests and were in support of them.

I fear bad events are in the making.

Yesterday’s Key West Citizen had an interesting item in its Keys History section. On yesterday’s date in 1955, there was a motel price war in Key West. A bad one! Prices really low! Eight motels had signs up saying free rooms to tourists.

It would never happen today!

I was playing around on the computer researching Key West history. There was a Louis in Key West at one time who owned a department store on Duval. In the early 1900s. A. Louis. He owned the Bee Hive Department Store.

A lovely day outside. Sunny and bright. A blue sky. No breeze. The water still. Can’t wait to get out.

Enjoy your day!

 

LIGHTS OF KEY WEST

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Key West is a small island. Both in size and population. 1 1/2 x 4 miles. 29,000 people. The population triples during the season and on special occasions.

For a relatively tiny place, big things happen in Key West. Like yesterday. Diane Nyad completed her 100 mile plus swim from Havana to Key West.

A fete! The swim took her through waters infested with sharks and jelly fish. She had to contend with turbulent tides.

The trip took Diana just under 53 hours. She said afterwards that it was early morning, still dark, when all of a sudden she could see the lights of Key West. It heartened her. She was about 10 miles from Key West at the time.

Diana’s accomplishment is a big deal! She is the first to complete the swim without a shark cage. She is 64 years old. This was her fifth try over a period of 35 years. It took that long for her to be successful. Neither the swim nor success were easy.

Diana came ashore around 2 yesterday afternoon at Smathers Beach. She appeared tired. She was sunburned. She was also thrilled.

A huge crowd awaited her on shore and in the water. People of all ages. Even babies. Boats of all sizes. Cruise ships stopped or deviated their course so as not to interfere with her swim.

There were television and other cameras all over the place.

Diana made a brief statement. Her message was threefold. Never give up, you are never to old to chase your dream, and the swim looks like a solitary sport, but it was a team effort.

Everyone, including the President, sent immediate congratulations. Most Tweeted. National television last night and this morning carried her story and pictures of Diana coming ashore in Key West.

An impressive achievement! God bless you, Diana! You made us all feel good.

Now to Greece.

It was announced yesterday by the Greek government that as of September 1 stores were permitted to sell outdated food. The only exceptions were meat and milk products. The outdated foods had to be sold within a specified time. They were to be sold at reduced prices.

That is how bad things are in Greece! People cannot afford normal process for food. It is hoped this will help. Additionally, the stores cannot sell many items because the people have no money. The program supposedly will also help the store owner.

A disgrace when a government permits the sale of what may be bad food.

Today is tuesday. Tonight, my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Three certain topics are the Greek food situation, Syria, and computer hacking as a new way to wage war.

Join me. The show is a fast moving one half hour. Nine o’clock is the start time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

WRITING

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I am writing. Besides the blog.

I have been writing off and on for several years. I do something on the computer. Then bury it in a document folder. Where the writings remain buried!

I am writing anew and resurrecting some of the old. I am reviewing and revising.

I promise to publish at least one book by year end. For real.

Spent yesterday morning working on last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. The program was devoted to a Nazi party’s rise to power in Greece in recent years. Evidenced by blackshirts, a youth movement, a flag with a somewhat familiar swastika, the Nazi salute, police and courts friendly with the blackshirts, beatings in the streets, certain commercial stores with large Xs on windows and Do Not Shop Here signs, anti-Jewish sayings and songs, and more.

History is repeating itself in Greece. I am bothered that the world seems unaware and/or does not care.

Plato and Socrates would think ill of what is occurring. Their heads would hang in shame seeing what is happening in the land where democracy was born.

The rise of Nazism is an important issue. At least from my perspective. I plan on devoting a significant portion of Friday’s television/internet show to the issue. Join me. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Ten in the morning my time. Via Comcast from Key West to Miami. www.tvchannel19.com. Available world wide on the internet. www.weyw19.com. The show is You Tubed also and available 24 hours a day for viewing.

I spent a portion of yesterday writing. Rough drafted two short stories.

Sloan worked with me for a while mid-afternoon.

Grabbed a quick dinner at the new pizzeria on Stock island. The special was chicken parmagian over spaghetti. Way too much food for me! I left bloated!

Bocce begins tomorrow night. A new season. Hooray!

I had planned to practice before this season began. I need to learn how to blast. As usual, never got to doing it. I will have to depend on my partner Frankie for assistance in that regard.

A lovely day! Magnificent1 I cannot wait to get out.

Enjoy your day!

SHIRREL RHOADES

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I had lunch yesterday at Azur with an extremely interesting man. Shirrel Rhoades.

After an exciting life in that other world, Shirrel retired to Key West. Busy his whole life, he needed to fill in his time a bit doing something productive. Sitting around and contemplating his navel was not an option.

Shirrel delved into his bag of experiences. One was publishing. Shirrel started a publishing business in Key West. Actually two. One is Absolutely Amazing e Books. The other The New Atlantian Library.

Shirrel’s publishing concept is simple. He publishes via e mail. As more and more people leave hard copy and go to the internet to read, he may be at the forefront of the transition’s publishing phase.

His background varied and professional. Shirrel has been a writer, publisher, professor, film maker, and movie critic. He has held high level executive positions with the Reader’s Digest, Marvel Comics, The Ladies Home Journal, and Harper’s Magazine.

He was the man who brought us the Captain Marvel comic book for many years.

I enjoyed Shirrel’s company.

I enjoyed Azur, also. I do not eat there enough. The food is outstanding. I am still on my Italian trip kick. I enjoyed a dish of rigatonis.

Stephanie Manaher was having lunch with some lady friends. Stephanie is a school teacher and wife to the infamous Don of Don’s Place. A lady.

Last night was the Chart Room. I was there for several hours. JJ bartending. Peter and I talked most of the time.

Peter can be found every morning at Fort Zachary Taylor Beach. He has a special spot near the tree line on one side of the Beach.

Female turtles have been coming onto the beach, digging large holes, and depositing their eggs. Then covering the eggs with sand. The mother is then gone, never to see her young ones.

It takes 60 days for the eggs to hatch. Each female drops about 100 eggs. Three or four will survive the hatching, trekking and swim out into the ocean.

There was a hole nearby Peter. It had been there for more than 60 days. The Park Rangers carefully removed the sand from the turtle nest in order to determine what was going on. Turns out nothing. No eggs. Whatever the mother may have done, it was a dry run.

Met an interesting couple. Cory and Brieanna. Vacationing at the Pier House. They hail from somewhere on the Florida mainland. Nice people.

Cory is an insurance broker with Allied Solutions in Boca Raton. His company deals with insurance programs for financial institutions such as banks and credit unions. Brieanna is a doctor. She specializes in end of life problems. She does much work with Hospice.

Tonight, I return to the air! After nine weeks! Blog talk radio. Nine this evening. One half hour. The entire half hour will be devoted to the rising Nazi power in Greece. You will be amazed by what I learned on my trip!

Join me. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!