POST ELECTION BLUES

The morning after.

Perhaps blues is not the correct term. I am tired. I am a political junkie. Stayed up most of the night watching the election returns. It is an addiction.

No question, a Republican wave. No question, an Obama rejection.

From my perspective, the Republicans have been the bad guys the past several years. Now that they have control of both Houses, lets see what they can do. I am sure many bills will pass and be sent to the President. Hopefully, some will be so structured that he can sign them.

Progress is not impossible under the circumstances. Look what Clinton and a Republican House and Senate accomplished in Clinton’s last two years.

It was Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou last night. Post show comment indicates that Syria’s hashish was a hit. I am considering joining it with Afghanistan’s opium for my column in next week’s KONK Life.

My yesterday otherwise quiet.

Enjoy your day!

FICKLE WIND

There was a time when I sailed frequently. Generally off the north shore of Long Island. Sometimes in the Tampa area. A few times off Key West.

I learned that wind is fickle. It blew this way for a bit and then changed suddenly. The bottom wind went in one direct. Ten feet above in another direction.

Tropical Depression Nine broke up over the Yucatan yesterday. That should have been the end of it. Apparently not. Weather reports suggest it could regroup and turn into a hurricane. The amusing question being where is Nine going next.

This is funny! Some believe it will end up in the Pacific Ocean. Others, that it will end up between Cuba and Key West. A wide range. Never saw one reported that far apart.

If it turns into a hurricane and ends up between Cuba and Key West, Key West will be in trouble. So far, no one is concerned. After several years of living here, one becomes expert re hurricane predicting. I am not concerned.

The big parade tonight. The Fantasy Fest Parade. Some fifty floats covered with party goers. Most of the females close to nude. Seventy thousand people standing on both sides of Duval cheering and begging for beads. A good time!

Weather should be ok. Weatherman says mid 70s. Which means at least ten degrees warmer. The body heat at times is oppressive.

I am not sure I am going. This afternoon I babysit. Lisa has to work at a Fantasy Fest Montessori fundraiser from 2-4 somewhere. I have to drive and pick her up. There is no parking anywhere. Whatever, I will have a happy afternoon with Robert and Ally.

I miss WeBeFit. My trainers. Especially, Albert. I was his charge. My torn rotator cuff negates any gym type activity for a while.

Albert and his wife Jill had their first child wednesdy. Angelina. Congratulations!

I came across a couple of interesting pieces of information yesterday.

We fought a war in Afghanistan. A military one. Spent billions of dollars and lost many American lives. We fought a second war. One to combat opium growth. Afghanistan’s opium ultimately finds its way to our streets.

Recent figures indicate the United States has spent $7.6 billion on the drug war. At the same time, recent figures indicate opium production at a record high. 516 planted acres last year yielding $3 billion.

I was under the impression that people joined al Qaeda and ISIS for religious reasons. Maybe for al Qaeda. Not ISIS.

ISIS is attracting members because of sex and aggression. Not religion. Most are young men. They join to fight. Youthful aggression finds a way out. Sexually, not a bad deal either.  If a young girl is other than an Iraqi, she can go to to a center where she signs up to marry one of the fighters. If the fighter does not want a wife, a sex slave is provided. Generally from captured Iraqi women.

ISIS also pays its soldiers.

These fighters have it made. They have frequent sex, give vent to their natural fighting aggressions, and get paid besides.

Enjoy your day!

NAPOLEON DONE IN BY HEMORRHOIDS

The bottom right hand corner of the comics page of the Key West Citizen runs a daily history feature. A this day in history type thing. One mention this morning was that today is the anniversary of Napoleon having been defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

The importance of the day was the event itself. Napoleon’s defeat. What is lacking and is lacking in most reports is what many historians consider an impairment which had a major impact on the out come of the battle.

Napoleon’s hemorrhoids.

Napoleon’s hemorrhoids were killing him the night before the battle. He also had a bladder infection. He took opium to relieve the pain. The opium caused Napoleon to sleep late the next morning. Crucial hours were lost.

He could barely get on his horse. The pain. He took more opium.

He tried to move around the battlefield on his horse. Pain still bad. He took more opium.

Some historians believe Napoleon’s physical condition and the opium effect on him physically and mentally contributed significantly to his defeat.

This morning’s Key West Citizen also ran an article where one of our local judges fell asleep on the bench while hearing a case. Judge Tegan Slaton. He had to be removed from the case. He said he had been taking ambien which must have caused the problem.

I never had a judge fall asleep on me. Though I thought sometimes they must have been asleep when I received their decision. I did have a juror sleep through most of one trial. It was obvious he was sleeping during the three days it took to complete the case. It was a 12 person jury and it took all 12 votes to decide the winner.

The jury came back 11 for my client and one I don’t know. The judge questioned the I don’t know juror. He said he could not decide since he slept through most of the trial.

We had to try the case over a month later. I still won.

Prior to my blog talk radio show tuesday evenings, I have dinner at Roostica’s. It is near my home and the Italian food is good.  While I was waiting for my meal to be served, I saw three young kids sitting at the bar in front of the pizza ovens. Each was making a pizza. Each was swirling the dough. The waitress told me children are permitted to do so. I cannot wait to take Robert and Ally.

Terrific show last night! I can feel when a show is going well. I had that feeling last night.

Post show comments indicate the ISIS situation in Iraq drew the most interest. Concern might be a better word.

Gym time later this morning. I aggravated my shoulder monday. Felt badly yesterday and throughout last night. I am nor concerned. I will tell Albert and he will have me do exercises that neither use nor affect my shoulder.

Enjoy your day!

ONE HUMAN FAMILY

Today’s Key West Citizen editorial is out of line. Its author appears uniformed.

The subject is One human Family. The term being representative of Key West for many years. The words painting an accurate picture of Key West’s people.

I have been a part of Key West for more than a quarter century. The term has always meant to me a binding together of the heterosexual and gay communities. One loving community.

The editorial lumps every today malady into the term in an effort to portray Key West as no longer that one loving family. It applies One Human Family to bicyclists screwing up traffic, Duval bars making too much noise, and so forth. None of which in my opinion fall under the umbrella of One Human Family.

A unique morning. The wind is strong off the ocean. A bit cold, also. It carries with it a clean smell. The only way the experience can be described.

One of the wonders of Key West is that on any given day we can watch the sun rise and set over water. Very few in this world are blessed with the experience.

Yesterday was a wild one! From 10 to 2, I was running around. Six separate stops in my travels. Dealing with necessary things that somehow all got lumped into yesterday. The traffic problems caused by the boulevard construction did not help. I was exhausted when I returned home.

I enjoyed a light dinner at Roostica. Ten chicken wings covered in a lemon oil and broiled.

Last night was my blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. I reviewed the weekly sins of the world. Post show comments indicate two the most popular.

One had to do with the dramatic rise in the cost of gasoline the past three weeks. Thirty seven cents a gallon! Yesterday alone, twelve cents. The  station near my home was $3.95 in the morning and $4.07 in the evening.

The other with Afghanistan’s opium trade. It was next to nothing when the U.S. went to war there 13 years ago. Today, it is a thriving $68 billion a year business. Thank you, Uncle Sam.

Watched the women’s NCAA final game last night. Another Connecticut  team the winner. The ladies are the Final Four Champions. Amazing! Connecticut! Both in men’s and women’s basketball!

Chamonix is in France. I have mentioned it in recent years. Chamonix is just over the border from northern Italy. A tiny village. An international ski resort. It sits in  a small valley half way up Mont Blanc. Mont Blanc is Europe’s highest peak.

I have visited several times. Only in the summer. Each time I enjoyed sitting at an outside cafe, drink in hand, enjoying the view. The gigantic mountain surrounding me. Awesome!

The earth moved yesterday in Chamonix. An earthquake. A 4.8. No damage or injuries fortunately.

I did a little home work regarding Chamonix and earthquakes. Turns out there have been tons going back to before Christ. Many in the last five years. All I can think of is that there is going to be big time devastation if a larger earthquake hits. Portions of Mont Blanc could come tumbling down on little Chamonix.

Monday afternoon Stephanie Kaple telephoned. To invite me to join her for dinner. How nice! She even gave me my choice of three evenings. We will be dining together friday night.

Enjoy your day!