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!

 

DISSENSION AT ST. PAUL’S

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Duval  has existed almost since the beginnings of Key West. A much loved institution. Till recently. Dissension has arisen.

Joe Lowe has been organist at St. Paul’s for forty years. Besides playing during religious  services, Lowe has also for many years played either the organ or piano or both at noon each week day. Many the day when I would be walking Duval, I would stop in for a few minutes to listen to Lowe’s rendition of classical and Broadway show tunes. Yes, Broadway show tunes in the House of God. A perfect setting. Many tourists enjoyed Lowe’s noon time endeavors, also.

St. Paul’s recently opted to let Lowe go. He will no longer be the musical mainstay at the Church. Some parishioners were not pleased. One was Mary Deasy. Mary had sung in the choir for years and, if I recall correctly, may also have been a member of the Church’s board at one time.

Mary picketed St. Paul’s. Two signs. Each in support of Lowe and in opposition to the Church’s position. Apparently Mary felt strongly about Lowe’s dismissal.

What a weird wind this morning! Strong! Coming in from the north east. More from the east. Off the Atlantic. Palm tree bending wind. Never the less, the weather will be in the low 80s today. It will continue in the low 80s till Thanksgiving Day. Then it will drop to the low 70s. Cold for us locals! A storm up north that will hit the eastern seaboard Wednesday will be the cause of the drop in temperature. When the weather up north is bad, it is bad here. Bad as we understand it.

I spent a good six hours yesterday writing this week’s KONK Life column. Walmart’s Shame. It has to do with the reasons behind Walmart low balling its employees pay wise and Walmart’s reluctance to do its fair share charity wise. Interesting stuff. Read the article, if you can.

The World Upside Down. My first published work. I will receive my copy of the book today. The bound covered one. I am excited. The book is apparently being well received in Europe. Amazon.it gives it five stars.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

AN OLD MAN COMPLAINS…..

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Two things bugged me yesterday. Though I have labeled them in the title as the complaints of an old man, they are such that would bother an adult of any age.

Publix. I was grocery shopping around 10 yesterday morning. A good crowd of shoppers. Such as one would expect on a Saturday morning. With all those people and all the carts they were pushing, why did Publix pick that time to stock its shelves? Boxes stacked here and there in every aisle. Stock clerks busy.

It was no fun shopping. For anyone!

Next came the Syracuse/Pitt football game. I was surprised to find it being shown on TV. It was on channel 3. Six minutes to go in the last quarter. The score 17-16. Syracuse down by one point. Syracuse had just gotten possession of the football via an interception or fumble. All of a sudden, I was watching another game. The station never went back to the Syracuse/Pitt game.

Can you blame me for being upset? Syracuse lost, by the way. 17-16.

My morning yesterday started with an early visit with Tammy for a manicure. Then to Publix. Following which I visited Larry Smith.

Larry is home convalescing from surgery. Double knee replacement. The surgery was done about 10 days ago. Larry was half propped up in the middle of his bed. There was a machine moving his leg up and down. The machine was periodically moved to the other knee.

Larry’s walking is limited to a walker to and from the bathroom.

He looked good. Apparently convalescing well. He was calm. Unusual for Larry. I suspect it was the pain pills.

I enjoyed my visit with Larry and Christine. Christine, always the dutiful wife,  was constantly doing her part. Move the machine, a new setting, etc. Whatever Larry needed. A terrific woman! A first class wife!

The World Upside Down has a review. On Amazon.com. In Italian so I do not know if it is good or bad.

The adage that you get what you pay for always seems to run true. Two years ago, a friend bought me a large flat screen TV. Forty five inches. It was purchased over the internet. When delivered, the delivery guy carried it in and set it up. Great service.

I looked for the brand name on the set. Could not find one. Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth, however.

The TV died this week. I had Tim Reynolds in to evaluate the situation. The problem has to do with the picture part. He told me I would be better off buying a new one.

I sense the purchase price was a bargain.  The set lasted only two years. An example of getting what you pay for.

My TV/internet show The Key West Lou Legal Hour is available on You Tube. Enter Key West Lou and the date of the show. The show is each Friday so it is easy to recall the date. The show will come out on top and be easy to click on.

I share this information with you to simplify things. I thought all one had to enter was Key West Lou. The show did come up but was buried amongst my shows for the past year. By putting in the date, no further searching is involved.

I am probably going to irritate some people now. I do not mean to do so. However, I have an opinion I feel compelled to express.

The deal with Iran announced in the last 24 hours bothers me. I question the trustworthiness of the Iranians. I question the competence of Kerry to have made the deal. I worry about Obama embracing it.

My experience business wise has always been that when doing business with a Middle Easterner, he would shake my hand with one hand while picking my pocket with the other. Or, at least trying.

The deal concerns me.

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

Square One Restaurant

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I had dinner last night at the Square One Restaurant. I should refer to it as the new Square One. It has been open about a year. Second time there for me.

I could not believe all the people! The place was packed. I could not get near the bar. I was glad I had telephoned for reservations.

Patrick Hayes was bartending. A Key West icon. I have known him for 25 years. He is best friends with Lisa. I recall attending he and Les’ wedding reception a couple of years ago. Patrick and Les had to go all the way to Iowa to make it legal.

Carmelo is the new owner of Square One. The décor is lovely, the food outstanding!

Jenna was my date. We had not been out together for quite some time. I enjoyed her company. We get along well together.

Yesterday morning, I did my TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I am not ashamed to admit I get a kick out of doing it.

I am into government waste. If Congress wants to screw the poor by reducing food stamps, cut elderly benefits available through Social Security and Medicare, and punish the sick by abolishing Obamacare, then it is high time the American people began looking closely at how Congress operates. Especially in the area of waste and apparent lack of concern about it.

The national debt is $17 trillion. I found where $8.7 trillion is sitting out there with no one able to say where the money went. Half the national debt!

The Pentagon since 1996 has not been able to explain what happened to $8.7 trillion. Via whistleblowers, the figure has been documented. As well as claims of doctoring the books. It boils down to the Pentagon not being able to balance its books.

You and I may not have known. However, all of Washington has for several years. Nothing has been done, except to give the Pentagon through 2017 to balance the books.

This Pentagon/$8.7 trillion problem was the one that most interested viewers to yesterday’s program based on e mails and telephone calls received after the show. Evidencing that the American people are starting to wake up a bit and are pissed the way government operates.

Syracuse and Pitt today. Syracuse has one other game after today. Boston College next week. I have no idea how Syracuse will fare today against Pitt.

Syracuse basketball coming alive. So far Syracuse has won all the easy ones. A couple close point wise, however. I wonder how my team will do when they start playing the big boys. We will get an indication starting tomorrow night. Syracuse is in a four team tournament in Hawaii. They open against Minnesota. ESPN2 will be carring the game at 5:30.

Happy birthday Milly Falabrino. Milly is an Italian friend.

The book is out there. Milly already has one in Italy. I am curious as to how many will actually read the book. The World Upside Down. No one has had time to finish reading the book as yet so I have no indication as to how people feel about it.

The book is available on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

FINALLY WENT OUT LAST NIGHT

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Late with the blog today. Had my TV/internet show this morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. No reactions yet to the show. I am confident I will hear the plus and minuses before the day is out. I will report them to you tomorrow morning.

You Tube continues to be a learning experience for me. Every time I think I have it down, something else comes up.

I have previously advised that to watch the show on You Tube, enter Key West Lou on the site. Up pops my picture and show identification. I did this yesterday to see last friday’s show. It was on page 2 of the site. The shows were not in order. I had to search for the most recent one.

I complained to Krystal this morning. Turns out I did not understand the directions she had given me. Nothing new. New instruction is you type in Key West Lou and date of the show. Today’s will be Key West Lou 11/22/13. The show you seek will pop up as #1. The key is to enter the date of the show.

Note that my show is done on Friday. However, it is not available on You Tube till tuesday. Don’t ask me why. I do not know.

I was determined to get out last night. Stomach was still not right.

Stopped at Don’s Place first. Enjoyed a drink with David and Hershel. Hershel has the new book on order. Dave says he will be ordering his today.

Then to the Chart Room. Crowded! Turns out there is a wedding this weekend. A lot of the wedding party in the Chart Room. Emily was bartending and Peter was at the other end of the bar entertaining some ladies.

I met an interesting woman. Stephanie. 29. From Colorado. In the publishing business. It was a perfect match! I bored her with my book. Got into my blog. She does a blog, also. Though not daily. I checked it out this morning. Interesting. Nice appearing. Take a look. www.coloradostephanie.blogspot.com. The blog is called Boots & Bacon.

Stephanie has a husband. Nick. I met him briefly. Merely to say hello.

Stephanie and Nick are here for the wedding. Friends John Paul and Tiffany. Magic sounding names.

I thought I should eat. I have not been doing much of that this week. A little illness is always good for weight loss. I have now lost 16 pounds.

I went to Roostica. Figured I would do it up good. I had a craving for lasagna. If you are going to cheat, you might as well do it big time!

Cheryl and Roger were there. Snowbirds. Returned to Key West last week. Interesting news. They no longer live in Kankakee (I am sure I spelled it wrong) outside Chicago. They bought a new home in Cape Coral, just outside Fort Myers. Cheryl and Roger plan on going back and forth during the year. Key West will always be in their blood. They will use their gigantic motor home to travel.

I am having dinner with a lovely lady this evening. Jenna.

Key West’s premier musician Larry Smith has been disabled a couple of weeks. He will continue in a disabled fashion for a few more. He had a double knee replacement. We spoke on the phone this afternoon. I plan on visiting him tomorrow.

Every one is family in Key West. Larry is still bed ridden. He has some sort of machine that has to be run almost constantly under his knees. It requires ice. A lot of it. Don visits Larry every day and brings with him the necessary ice. I spoke with Mary Deasy this morning. She told me she was going to be with Larry at 2 this afternoon to do something for him. Larry’s wife Christine has also been waiting on Larry hand and foot when not school teaching.

David and I were talking about Larry last night. Larry has been bow legged in recent years. Badly. Now he is straight legged. Which means he is taller. Probably two inches. It has to screw up Larry’s golf swing! Additionally, his pants will all be too long.

The book is out there! A week now. I know some are buying it. European orders thus far include China, Greece, and Italy. Many in the U.S. have requested the book. I am getting a slew of emails from people I do not even know telling me they have ordered the book. Most are aware of the book through this blog.

The World Upside Down by Louis Petrone. Available in ebook or paperback on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

 

ANOTHER DAY

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Key West weather continues to be fantastic! Low 80s, no humidity, cool in the evening. How much longer will we be so blessed? I figure about two weeks. Then it will be long pants and a jacket.

Yesterday morning, I thought I was better. One hundred per cent. I was not. Though I was not that bad. My stomach was a bit off all day. I experienced dizzy spells. Such  being the case, I opted to spend another day at home. Not totally in bed. Finished friday’s TV/internet show and did some comfort reading.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour airs friday morning at 10. On television and the internet. Television from Key West through Boca Raton. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Via the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com. The show is available post show on you Tube

Topics will include a few words about Kennedy, how the Pentagon cannot account for $8.7 billion, U.S. dollars designated for Afghanistan reconstruction ending up in the hands of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda who kill American soldiers, Vet hospital lack of funding causing long delays in treatment leading to death, Walmart’s audacity, and more. Join me. An interesting and revealing show.

One of the books I am reading is A Short History of the United States by Robert V. Remini. I share a quote from the book with you. “It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their selfish purposes. When the laws attempt to make the rich richer, and the potent more powerful, the humble members of society–the farmers, the mechanics, and laborers–who have neither the time nor the means of securing like favors to themselves, have a right to complain of the injustice of their Government. Government must treat all equally, rich and poor…”

Sounds familiar. History does repeat itself.

Who wrote these words? President Thomas Jefferson.

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!