SYRIAN SETTLEMENT, SUMMERS, NAVAL YARD SHOOTING…..TONIGHT

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What a week! Already! Unanticipated developments world wide!

Tonight, I do my blog talk radio show. Come join me. It is simple to locate. Turn on your computer and enter www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. I will be there! At 9. A one half hour quick moving talk show. Listen to me via your computer as if it were a radio.

I will be discussing the folly of the Syrian settlement and why it will not work as anticipated, the good fortune for the United States that Larry Summers withdrew from Federal Reserve consideration, and the Washington Naval Yard shooting.

Spent yesterday researching and writing all day. Conferred with my publisher.

Last night was the Chart Room. David and I were at the end of the bar. I enjoy his company. We talked about everything from mountain bikes to billiards. We agreed to meet some Saturday afternoon soon at the Monkey Bar to shoot a few games. I have not played billiards since I was in high school.

Peter and Mary at the Chart room, also.

I was hungry. Craved a full meal. Went to Outback. A rib eye steak, baked potato with butter and steamed vegetables. I always smile at the inconsistency in my vegetables when I eat there. A baked potato buried in butter and steamed vegetables. I am satisfying my desire for the bad and need for the good when I eat them.

Enjoy your day!

BANDAR bin SULTAN

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I spent the better part of Sunday yesterday working on my next KONK Life column. The one that will be published next thursday.

The article traces Bandar bin Sultan’s Middle East involvement and importance. He is part of the Saudi Arabia hierarchy. He has been a behind the scenes player in the Syria situation. Bandar is the man pulling the strings. The one seeking to orchestrate developments.

The column took six hours to complete. During that time, it was raining (actually pouring).

It was dinner time. I threw on my yellow slicker and headed over to Lisa’s for Sunday dinner.

Jake was not very welcoming. Our friendship may not be as solid as I thought. He was barking like crazy and confronted me in an attack mode. I think it was the bright yellow slicker. On the other hand, I thought dogs were color blind. I do not know why he did not like me. It took a while for him to settle down.

It was still raining when I left Lisa’s. I headed straight home. A little TV and then to bed.

A quiet day.

Tomorrow night my blog talk radio show! Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me. It will be a fast hard hitting half hour. Syria and Bandar bin Sultan will be discussed. As well as Larry Summers. I was glad to hear this morning that he had withdrawn his name from consideration to head the Federal Reserve. I have always thought Summers was out of step with the American people. He consistently favored the banks to the detriment of the public.

You can hear the show at www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

EDITING

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I have written a few books over the past several years. I have finally decided to publish one. The book is in the final stages of editing. The title is The World Upside Down.

A fun time last night!

First was the Chart Room.

Surprise! Charlotte was in town! Lovely Charlotte. From Charlotte, North Carolina. Charlotte visits Key West 3-4 times a year. The Chart Room is her favorite haunt. She is lovely and cheerful. A hug and kiss from her exciting!

Charlotte has always been a loner on her trips to Key West. Not last night. Charlotte is enamoured. She has a boy friend. Skip. Skip is a radio announcer. A nice guy.

My heart is broken!

Sheila and Peter were at the bar, also. JJ bartending.

In came Jaime! Another lovely! Jaime is from Raleigh, South Carolina. A big day and evening for her. It was her 30th birthday!

I normally would not mention a woman’s age. However, Jaime was happy and telling everyone so I assume it is ok. Jaime was sitting at the end of the bar on a stool with her feet up on another stool holding court. She was openly discussing what she had thus far done and not done in her life. An interesting review. She still has a lot of living before her.

Interestingly, it did not appear Jaime was upset about having reached 30. Most people these days are. I can assure everyone it is not the end of the world. I am 78 and still enjoying. And on rare occasion, experiencing something new.

Happy birthday again, Jaime! Enjoy your birthday and Key West! Come back and visit us soon!

A bunch of tourists were standing nearby. They were discussing their high school days. Back in the 1980s. Poor me. My high school days were from 1949 to 1953.

I stopped at Don’s Place on the way home. For one drink. I ended up staying quite a while.

Everyone was there. Including Don, Larry, David and Stan. I enjoyed the balance of my evening chatting with them. Good people all!

While at the Chart Room, JJ handed me a business card that some one had left for me. A week ago.

It had a brief note written on the back. It was from Buffalo’s Bob Saraceno. He had stopped in looking for me. Sorry I missed you, Bob. Next time we will get together for sure.

In the last 10 days, I have visited doctors for two problems. My blood pressure was out of control. My ankle was killing me. The heart doctor increased one of my blood pressure medications. The foot doctor soft casted, ace bandaged and booted my leg. My blood pressure is fine. A bit on the low side. My ankle has not hurt since it was wrapped.

Amazing what a few days can do!!

Syracuse won big yesterday. Beat Wagner 54-0. Now that we have proven we can beat the little guys decisively, lets schedule more of the big guys. You have to play the best to be the best and establish credibility.

I have to move fast. Sloan will be here to work with me on the book at 10:30.

Enjoy your Sunday!

SISTERS OF CHARITY

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It is amazing the different things that come into play with this blog. My opening comments today involve the Sisters of Charity. A Catholic religious women’s order.

My high school back in Utica, NY was taught by Sisters of Charity. The nuns with the big white head dress. You could not miss one. The white head top that resembled a bird’s wings. Topping a blue frocked full length dress. A lovely face in between.

Today is the day in 1975 that Pope Pius VI declared Elizabeth Ann Seton a saint. Seton possessed two significant characteristics from my perspective. She was the first born American to become a Catholic saint. She also was the founder of the Sisters of Charity.

We heard much of her in high school.

One particular Sister of Charity had a decided impact on me. Sister Gertrude. She taught me history. She sensed I liked history and encouraged my studies in the area. She took me beyond the class books. She was also responsible for me going to Manhattan College. Her cousin was a Christian Brother and Director of Athletics. Sister Gertrude made sure I got accepted.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I share the observance with you because of Robert. As most of you are aware, he was born with cancer. After two major surgeries during the first eight days of his life at Miami Childrens Hospital, Robert is ok. God love him!

We generally think of older people and cancer. Walk the hallways of Miami Childrens Hospital. You will see and never forget that children are afflicted also.

My ankle has not hurt since the doctor soft casted, ace bandaged and booted me. Amazing! The boot is cumbersome. I complain not, however. I cannot wait to be rid of it though.

Spent a couple of hours at Don’s Place last night early in the evening. Don, Hershel and Stephanie there. Don and Steph had ridden over on their scooters prior to going to a movie.

Friend David was at Don’s also. David from the Chart Room. First time I have seen him at Don’s.

I got the bocce report for last Thursday. We lost all three games. The last 16-0. I would like to say it was because I was not there. Ho ho. It would not be true, however. We played the #1 team. They win everything almost every year. They are next to impossible to beat. By any team.

Don and Hershel told me we lost the first game 16-14. close. They further told me that in spite of the 16-0 beating in the last game, the other team told them we had scored the most points overall against them this season.

A moral victory.

My plan was to grab David and head over to the Chart Room. I was tired all of a sudden. Begged off. Went to Publix instead to shop and then home.

David told me Emily is still employed by the Pier House. The reason she was not there thursday night was because she is on vacation.

Permit me to remind you once more that The Key West Lou Legal Hour is You Tubed. My own You Tube site. Enter Lou’s Legal Hour. Take a look.

Syracuse football again today! My Syracuse! I bleed for Syracuse. My blood is traditional orange.

Syracuse plays Wagner today. Wagner. No disrespect, but there was a time when Syracuse would not even consider having a Wagner on its schedule. We have fallen. I know we are rebuilding. However, the return to days of glory seems to be taking forever. When?

Syracuse University itself screws the program up. I know. I was actively involved with the University for years. I had a box at the Carrier Dome. I was Chairman of the Law School Board of Visitors, made significant contributions not only to the University but also to its sports programs. I was a small big shot. I was invited to the Chancellors box, to his home, to special black tie events, etc.

Here is what happens.

The football program is going well. Syracuse is a top 10 or 20 team. A bowl game every year. Money coming in from the program.

Universities are run by the faculty. Not the administration or a successful sports program. The faculty is made up of mental giants. Book smart. Reality dumb.

At the height of a sport program’s success, the faculty gets uncomfortable. Too much emphasis on the sport. What is the purpose of a university, they ask. To run a sport program or teach? Teaching wins out in their minds. Recall again, the faculty is the power in running a university.

The professors decide it is time to cut back on support. That means funding. The university does. The program goes down hill. Coaches hired are not as good, players do not desire to attend a school whose program is in a downward spiral, teams of lesser stature are scheduled.

The faculty is happy. Intellect over brawn has succeeded.

Everything is cyclical, however.

The economy takes a turn. A university needs money. Fewer students applying, faculty salary levels in danger. It looks to the down trodden football program. They, including the faculty, decide to reinvigorate the program. Money is thrown in. Better coaches hired. Everyone becomes aware the school is rebuilding. Good athletes begin to consider the school again.

That is where Syracuse is today and why. Now in a rebuilding posture. By University intent. The program’s success does not come over night. It is a 10-15 year effort.

A bad situation, to say the least. During my Syracuse University experiences as a sort of affluent alumnus, I became aware that the worst enemy of the sports program was the faculty. Their heads always in the clouds, their feet never on the ground.

Enjoy your day!

KNOCK KNOCK

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I am 78 years old. Yesterday, I played Knock Knock with a 4 year old girl. Fortunately, I had the experience to play. In recent years, it has been with Robert and Ally.

I was at Lee Nails getting a manicure from Tammy. Her 4 year old daughter was about. All of a sudden she came up to me and said…..You no belong here, you boy!

Then it was Knock Knock. She stood behind me, to the front, all over and Knock Knocked me. I think she thought it was fun that I could play. Strange, also.

She followed me out the door when I left. Her mouth was going a mile a minute. You have bike? No, I have a car. Why no bike? Where your car? And so on.

It was the best part of my day.

I now have two little friends. Jake and Tammy’s daughter.

I recorded this morning’s show yesterday afternoon. Still cannot do it live. Something is broke and not yet fixed. It was Krystal and me. Krystal is a most talented person!

I look forward to watching the show on TV in about a half hour. Join me. I think you will find today’s show interesting. I am disappointed in Obama. Distrust Putin. Fear the Saudis. That is how the show begins!

The Key West Lou Legal Hour is at 10 my time. Available on television from Key West through Boca Raton. Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Available world wide via the internet. www.weyw19.com.

Stopped at the Chart Room just after 4. It does not open till 4:30. Whoever is working always lets me in. Not yesterday.

It was Emily’s Day to work. No Emily. No JJ or Mary covering. A strange bartender. A bit of an ass, also. He saw me through the window and ignored me. I left.

Emily…..Where are you? I have bad vibes. Call or write me, please.

I had planned on watching my team play bocce last night. Never made it. I was tired from dragging the boot around all day. Heavy! Instead, I stayed home with my leg up watching television.

One thing, however. My ankle has not hurt since I was tapped up and began wearing the boot.

Tonight, I must go out! I am getting a bit stir crazy.

Enjoy your day!

AN EXCITING DAY

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Yesterday was far from exciting. The title misrepresents the day.

I went to the doctor for my ankle. I left his office with a soft cast from my toes to just below my knee. Covered with a couple of ace bandages. And a large black boot. The boot goes from my toes to just below my knee, also.

I have to live this way for one week. Boot comes off when I sleep and shower. One good thing. No pain since I got wrapped up and booted.

For those of you who have worn such a boot, you know it is heavy and uncomfortable.

Doctor said no fracture, no bone chip, no gout, and no shingles. Also, no arthritis. My thanks to all of you who were concerned and suggested such maladies. The doctor believes it is a nerve problem. Two nerves run right over the pain area.

I had planned on going out last night. It became too much work to get ready. I have to shower wearing a garbage bag kept tight with duck tape. I went to bed instead.

I have to record my tv/internet show this afternoon at 2. The TV station has yet to correct the cable problem preventing a live feed.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour will run at 10 tomorrow morning my time. As always, interesting topics. How I see the world. Subject matter will include my take on Syria, Obama blinked, Putin looking good, a chicken airlift, food stamp recipients up 13 million since Obama first took office, Chinese have language and sex problems, the Beatles and Key West, and more.

Join me. You will enjoy.

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

The show is also You Tubed 24 hours a day. Enter Lou’s Legal Hour.

No bocce tonight. One, I would get clay all over my toes, cast, and boot. The other is I would probably fall over at some point.

Enjoy your day!

PRESIDENT’S SPEECH, 9/11 AND BENGHAZI

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I had competition last night for my blog talk radio show. The President of the United States. I doubt anyone listened to me. The show is archived if you care to listen. www.blogtalkradio.com.

Today, a double anniversary. A day to remember in both instances.

First, 9/11. Forget not those who died, forget not the persons responsible.

Benghazi is already a year old. Seems like yesterday. The same mind framed people involved. Forget not the four who died, forget not again the persons responsible.

Babysat last night. Till late. It was after 11 when Lisa and husband returned. The only one still awake was Jake. He was laying on the couch next to me.

Robert and Ally were good. As usual. Baths and everything else done. In bed at 8:30 without a complaint.

Visited my doctor yesterday for the ankle pain. She has referred me. I see another doctor this morning at 9. Interestingly, no pain yesterday. It makes me wonder.
Dr. Lefferts suspected I might have a bone spur or small fracture. Dr. Louis does not think so. I believe it to be nerve related. We shall see.

I live and learn.

I have always admired Peary Court here in Key West. Initially, Naval housing. Private rentals after the Navy pulled out. Peary Court was sold this week.

Keys History in this morning’s Key West Citizen made me aware of something I never put together. Peary Court is named after Robert E. Peary, purportedly the first man to reach the North Pole. The feat was accomplished in 1909. In the 1880s, Peary was stationed as a Naval officer in Key west.

Have to move my butt. I do not wish to be late for my doctor’s appointment.

Enjoy your day!

PAIN!!!!!

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My yesterday was not normal. I was in pain. PAIN! PAIN! PAIN!

The worse ever? I do not know. The previous big time bad occurred when my back went out and I suffer spasms for several days.

I have occasionally of late been getting a pain in my lower right ankle. On the outside to the rear of the ankle bone. A sudden sharp pain. Extreme. However, it went as soon as it came so I gave it no concern.

Yesterday, it came big time! From about one in the afternoon to late evening. Off and on. A wild pain in the area described. Lasted from 20 seconds to a couple of minutes. Let me say…..It hurt, I hurt!

After a while, a residual pain developed. The heel. It hurt to just walk to the bathroom.

This morning so far, nothing.

I called my doctor. I have a 4 o’clock appointment.

Due to the pain, I never left the house. I did not read or write. The pain was disconcerting. I could do nothing.

Ergo, I have nothing special to report. My day was spent in bed waiting for the next shot of pain to occur.

Let me share one thing I am sick of. Listening to the Syria talk. A mess!

Tonight, I have two things on the agenda.

I am babysitting. I will be with Robert and Ally from 6 to I do not know when.

I will be doing my Tuesday blog talk radio show, also. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I will be doing it from Lisa’s home. I will pack up and bring everything with me.

Robert, Ally, and Jake all go to bed at the same time. 8:30. Lisa says the grandkids can stay up till 9:30 to watch me do the show. Jake will probably be with us. I hope he does not bark.

Robert and Ally have been with me a few times when I have done my TV show. They quietly sit on high stools behind the camera and watch. After the show concludes, I let them get on camera a bit. They can see themselves on a screen. We take turns making believe the show is live. We interview each other. They love it!

Tonight’s blog talk radio show is interesting. I will mention Syria briefly and what I think about where we are at. Then some global cooling. You read it correctly. Cooling. The Artic was much colder last year. The ice bank grew. A bit about Saudi Arabia and their permitting death row prisoners to fight in Syria. Saved them from death by the sword. Plus more.

Join me at 9 this evening. A quick moving half hour of timely topics. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

BEATLES AND KEY WEST

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The Beatles spent two days in Key West back in 1964. Not for an engagement unfortunately. The reason given is that they were on their way by plane from Montreal to Jacksonville. They were to appear during the half time show at the Gator Bowl. Hurricane Dora was about. It ultimately swept across the middle keys and northward.

Due to the purported Hurricane Dora change of stop, the Beatles never got to appear at the Gator Bowl.

Such was reported in the History of the Keys section of the Key West Citizen this morning.

There is more to the story.

Florida was still segregated in 1964. The Gator Bowl provided only segregated seating. The Beatles informed the Gator Bowl people they would not appear if the crowd was segregated. The Bowl personnel agreed to the Beatle demand.

Bowl seating was not the only segregation problem. Jacksonville’s hotels were segregated, also. A demand was made that the hotel cease its segregation practice at least for the game. The hotel refused.

It is claimed the Beatles resolved the problem. They used Hurricane Dora as an excuse and had their plane diverted to Key West. From which they could not timely leave to make the Gator Bowl game.

The Beatles made their first American appearance on The Ed Sullivan show. The Ed Sullivan Show was the biggest thing on television at the time. It was February 1964. If an act appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, they were not just good, they were exceptional.

Ed Sullivan introduced the Beatles to America in February 1964.

He also introduced another who became a big time celebrity. Elvis Presley. On today’s date in 1956, Elvis appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show.

I was fortunate to have seen both the Beatles and Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show. America was glued to their sets for each performance.

Elvis’ appearance was a bit strange. Elvis sang standing with a guitar. He rotated his hips in the Elvis Presley fashion. Some at the time thought his hip action was inflammatory and immoral. The Catholic church being one.

When Elvis performed on The Ed Sullivan Show, the camera only caught him from his midsection up. Midsection being above his hips.

We have come a long way!

Yesterday was National Grandparents Day. How many knew? I did not till the family wished me a Happy Grandparents Day last night.

Grandparents Day has been a national holiday since 1979 when Carter signed it into law. The movement to establish a National Grandparents Day began in 1961. It was led by a Hermine Beckett Hanna.

The reason I mention Hanna is that she lived in upstate New York. A familiar locale to me and many of my friends. When I was attending law school at Syracuse University, I delivered milk in the morning starting at 4:30 for Marble Farms Dairy to its customers in North Syracuse.

Sunday dinner was with Lisa and the family. Jake continues to love me. I sat on the couch to read the newspapers. He jumped up and laid beside me with his head on my leg.

I stopped at Don’s Place afterwards. It was close to empty. The pro football crowd had left.

Tomorrow night I do my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Join me at 9 in the evening. One half hour of interesting material. The subject matter will obviously include Syria. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Enjoy your day!

HARRY TRUMAN AND BASEBALL

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Key West loves Harry Truman. Key West assumes Harry Truman loved Key West. Otherwise, why would he have made 11 trips to Key West during his Presidency. The 11 trips totaled 175 days.

Truman enjoyed the weather, the Naval base where he stayed, fishing, playing cards on a screened in porch each evening, walking the streets of old Key West and more.

Truman unquestionably is a part of Key West’s colorful past.

World War II changed many things. Baseball being one.

Presidents used to occasionally watch a Washington Senators game. Not during World war II, however. Whether because of Roosevelt’s incapacity or fear for his life, Roosevelt never made the trip to the ball park.

On this day in history, September 8, Truman went to watch the Washington Senators play. The year was 1945. World war II had recently concluded. Truman had ordered atomic bombs to be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki one month earlier. The Japanese had formally surrendered on the deck of the USS Missouri one week earlier.

Historians suspect Truman attended the game to signify to the American people that the War was over and that there should be a return to normalcy.

The Commissioner of Baseball at the time was A. B. Chandler. He was with Truman. They both signed the same baseball. It is obviously worth a lot of money today.

Truman did the game big time. He brought his wife, cabinet members, and other high level Washingtonians.

I hung around the house during the day yesterday. Treated myself to a lazy day. I seem to be sneaking a lot of them in lately.

Last night was the Chart Room and Sloppy Joe’s.

I rarely do Duval Street. Ergo. I rarely visit Sloppy Joe’s. When I do, I know exactly what I will be ordering. Sloppy fries! A basket of soggy French fries covered in melted mozzarella cheese and a red sauce. Good! No, terrific!

Smoking in a place where food is served has been banned in Key West and Florida for years. Probably because of tradition. Sloppy Joe’s would not be what it was without smoked filled air. So no one stopped anyone from smoking after the law was enacted.

No more.

There was no ash tray on the table. I asked the waitress for one. She said, no. How long, I asked. A few months, she said.

Nothing is forever. Everything comes to an end.

I wonder what Hemingway would have to say about it?

Syracuse, my Syracuse! Not the better team that I thought. Northwestern beat Syracuse yesterday 48-27. Oh, well. Hope springs eternal, however. There are many more games to play and Syracuse may win a few.

I would like to remind all that my tv/internet show The Key West Lou Legal Hour is You Tubed. If you miss a Friday show or have never seen one, merely go to You Tube and enter: Lou’s Legal Hour. The show is broken into 5 segments with commercials in between. The commercials have been deleted on You Tube. You will be able to see 5 eight minute unencumbered segments.

Enjoy your Sunday!