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!

KEY WEST FILM FESTIVAL

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Yesterday had to be a lesson learned. No one should take my sport recommendations.

I thought Syracuse could upset the mighty Florida State. At the very least, beat the point spread. I was wrong in both instances.

Syracuse got beat by Florida State 59-3.

It happens. I have to congratulate the Florida State team. I have never seen a college football team play with such precision. Especially in the passing and receiving part of the game.

Syracuse’s time will come!

I had planned on watching the game at the Big Ten Sports Pub. Never made it. As I was showering, my stomach started rocking and rolling again. It was back to bed!

The Key West Film Festival has been ongoing this weekend. The second year the event has been held. I admire the locals who put the event together and are promoting it. In several years, it can develop into a big deal.

Star Mariel Hemingway is in Key West for the Festival. She is the granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway and a film star in her own right. She participated in the writing and stars in a documentary called Running From Crazy which is being featured at the Festival. It is about mental illness in the Hemingway family and her efforts to escape it.

The Festival is showcasing 35 different films over a 3 day period.

Hemingway, Hemingway, Hemingway! He is part of the fabric of Key West. Loved and remembered.

I recall this past summer my two visits to Lake Maggiore. I visited two different cities at the Italian southern end of the Lake. The Lake sits between Italy and Switzerland. I hope to visit the Swiss side next year.

Hemmingway spent time recovering from leg wounds received in World War I at Lake Maggiore. A Farewell To Arms has as its basis certain of his experiences there.

I was thrilled to have experienced Lake Maggiore and places where Hemingway visited. Especially the ones he drank at. There were only a few. He was a creature of habit. As Sloppy Joe’s was his bar of choice in Key West.

I continue to get congrats re my recently published book The World Upside Down. Thank you one and all. I am waiting for my first comments from those who have read it. Too soon yet. It was just published last Wednesday.

The Key West Citizen is our daily local newspaper. Not too many pages for 50 cents. However, it does report most of the news. I say most because there has developed a glowing hole in its reporting as concerns local commercial events.

I suspect it all has to do with money. If an organization is running an event and has a cash flow, the Citizen would want some advertising space purchased. A business, so I understand. On the other hand, I don’t know if it is proper. We all live, work, and play in the same community.

Enjoy your Sunday!

SYRACUSE v. FLORIDA STATE

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From the depths of the Bible comes today’s David and Goliath story. Syracuse v. Florida State.

Florida State is ranked #2 in the country. Syracuse unranked. Florida State is 9-0. Syracuse 5-4.

The Vegas line is 38.5 points.

Take Syracuse. A chancy but good bet in my opinion.

In the 60 odd years I have been a diehard Syracuse fan, there have been 3-4 upsets. Games where a lowly Syracuse team beat a high ranked one. It happens.

This year’s Syracuse team has been improving. If our quarterback and receivers can meld and the defense plays its finest game, Syracuse wins! Again, it has happened. It can happen.

I have that feeling. Nothing more.

As to the 38.5 point Vegas difference, a good bet. I do not see a 50-7 game here. Again, simply my opinion. One which is not supported by any data.

The game will be nationally televised on ABC at 3:30. I will probably be at John Lukas’ Big Ten Sports Pub watching the game.

I spent a day and a half in bed. By last night, my stomach appeared back to normal. I did not eat, however. Waited till this morning.

Around 9 last night, I got chest pains. Sort of big. They came and went for 5 minutes. I used my nitroglycerin spray. Within 45 seconds, the pain was gone. A few minutes later, they came back. Nitroglycerin spray again. Pain went away again in 45 seconds. A few minutes later, the chest pain again.

This time I telephoned my heart doctor. I spent some time in the hospital last night. He examined me, had me tested, etc. While all this was going on, I had no chest pains. He could find nothing. That was ok with me. There have been no pains since.

However, I am scheduled 7:30 Monday morning for a stress test. He also has put me on a small dose nitroglycerin pill which I am to take every day.

There are some inconveniences to getting old. I do not view them as disadvantages. The inconveniences are health problems. As long as correctable, who am I to complain.

Almost forgot! My book! The World Upside Down. The book was published last wednesday. It is available in ebook and paperback on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

Enjoy your day!

THE FLU

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Wednesday night I was at the bar at the Chart Room talking with Peter and Sean. We got into the flu shot. Peter was waiting for the new 65 plus one. The Vets and Walgreens were out of it. Sean said he had never taken the shot. I got mine two months ago

I proudly said I had been taking the shot for 15 years. Never got sick once! Prior to the shot, I would get the flu 2-3 times a winter. Flew a lot at the time. Since the shots began, nothing.

I talked too soon.

It hit me at noon yesterday and continued in full bloom till midnight. I am still uneasy. I have to do my TV/internet show this morning. Then I plan on returning home to bed.

I spent part of the morning yesterday finalizing today’s show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. That was all I did yesterday. I did not even go to bocce. Telephoned David and told him I was under the weather.

This week’s KONK Life article was titled Doolittle’s Raid. The United States’ first bombing of Tokyo early in World War II. One of the comments received was from a World War II veteran. He said he cried. I told him I cried too as I wrote it. The part where I related how all 16 planes crashed landed or the crew had to bail out over Japanese occupied territory, and how two were put against a wall and shot by the Japanese. The heaviest part of the story was that each crew member knew they were going on a dangerous mission and in the final analysis took off from the Hornet knowing they did not have enough fuel to reach friendly bases in China.

I get a thrill every time I think about my recently published book. The World Upside Down. The TV studio has begun running on the bottom of my show’s screen the title of the book.

The weather gets better every day. Temp in the high 70s. Wind has diminished significantly. Still a breeze, however. Cool and dry. No humidity. No need for air conditioning either day or night.

My Friday TV/internet show and tuesday blog talk radio show are You Tubed. Enter Key West Lou.

Not a very interesting blog. I did nothing, but be sick.

Enjoy your day! I plan on spending mine in bed after I do the TV show.