MY MEMORIAL DAY

Posted on by

Memorial Day this year was not as in past years. No cookout, no party. I was forgotten. Unloved. If there were any parties, no one invited me.

I decided last week that this body of mine needs work. It has to be tuned. Otherwise, I am going to be in trouble big time health wise. So yesterday I returned to the gym. The same one that caused my major rib problem back in December.

This time with a new trainer. His name is Albert. A young fellow. From the Dominican Republic. Married to a Conch. She is with child.

He had been admonished by my former trainer Dan to go easy with me. I also brought a note from my doctor. Dr. Lefferts said beware, Louis takes blood thinners and bruises easily. He also has brittle bones.

At 78, I felt like a little kid bringing a note to his teacher.

Albert worked me for an hour. Not as bad as my other first time when I popped the rib. I survived. My next appointment is tomorrow.

I spent the rest of the day working on tonight’s blog talk radio show Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. If you miss the show at 9, it is archived immediately following the show. The next day it is available on You Tube, also.

Tonight’s interesting topics include CEO salaries at an all time high, Putin on the move, the Euro Union ordering member nations to cook their books, Greece wanting to sell 110 of its best beaches to pay Germany, Germany suggesting Greece sell Acropolis, the Parthenon, Mykonos, Santorini, and other islands in 2o10 to pay Germany, General Motors slow in recalling over 2 million cars, and more.

Interesting material. A fast moving half hour show. Guaranteed, you will enjoy!

My gym workout was at 11. By 3 in the afternoon while working on tonight’s show, I was exhausted. It was the workout. It had caught up with me. I was also a bit sore here and there. Nothing bad. I went to bed. Stayed there except for a sandwich a little later. Slept well thereafter.

Enjoy your day!

KEY WESTERS MAD

Posted on by

 

The Bill O’Reilly thing was the talk of the town yesterday. People were upset. Properly so. The Watters’ report was irresponsible and non representative.

The Key West Citizen ran a major article re the problem front page in yesterday’s paper. It turns out the Mayor was interviewed/filmed and pictures taken of typical Key West places of interest. Like an art gallery. Neither the Mayor nor the art gallery appeared in the film.

I spoke with two of the “stars.” Both felt they had been made to look like fools. They each claimed there was more to the interview that the brief comments shown. Their words had been supportive of  Key West. The feeling was that the portion shown represented slanted cherry picking on Watters’ part.

Time to bury Bill O’Reilly’s fifteen seconds in Key West. It is not worthy of further discussion.

Last night was Chart Room time. Peter and I sat at the round table and chatted for two hours. Peter is a smart man. A world traveler. We spoke of many things. I enjoyed my time with him.

Then it was over to Don’s Place. The O’Reilly thing dominated the conversation.

Yesterday morning was my TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. WOW! is the only way I can describe the reaction to the Iceland story. Some were shocked. Others believed that in today’s world such could happen.

I squeezed in an hour of private time for Louis in the afternoon. Stopped at Higgs Beach, pulled my old sand chair out of the trunk, and spent an hour on the beach. Taking in the usual beautiful sights…..women running around in two piece bikini/thong type bathing suits. Yes, I am a dirty old man. I like to look!

A very sick turtle was found more than a year ago in the keys. The poor thing had lockjaw and several infections. He was undernourished because he could not eat. The Turtle Hospital has fixed the turtle up. He is being returned to the ocean today at noon. At Higgs Beach behind Salute’s. A huge crowd is expected. I hope to be there. I am plan on taking the grandkids.

Enjoy your day!

 

GARBAGE JOURNALISM

Posted on by

 

I am irritated. So let me get right to the point. I take umbrage with that segment of the Bill O’Reilly Show entitled Watters’ World. A deplorable piece concerning Key West was recently run on the show. Disgraceful. A bald faced misrepresentation.

The man is Jesse Watters. A traveling reporter. He recently did a video piece on Key West. He was here in Key West. He asked the questions and did the interviewing. Someone else filmed. The product he brought back to the Bill O’Reilly Show was unrepresentative of our community.

Watters must have envisioned the show he wanted to film. He cherry picked his characters and set  the scene. Rigged the production, in effect. He made it look like Key West was composed of homeless, derelicts, druggies, and mental defectives. He interviewed all over Key West. The Southernmost Point, the waterfront, several spots on Duval, and in front of and in the parking lot at Don’s Place.

My friend Rob was interviewed. How he got caught up with this bunch I do not know. He was the only intelligent person interviewed. That does not mean I agreed with everything Rob said, however.

The video was unquestionably insulting. It stomped on Key West with both feet!

O’Reilly and Watters chatted a bit after the video was shown. O’Reilly described Key West as an outlaw town. He said he had been visiting Key West since 1971. I would like to know when. I have never seen him or had knowledge he was here. I question whether O’Reilly is a Truman of sorts. In addition, O’Reilly appeared to suggest that Key West was not a good vacation spot for children. I do not know if he only visited the strip clubs and the clothing optional bar on top of the Bull. Did he visit at all Fort Zachray Taylor Beach, the Fort Zach Museum, The Mel Fisher Museum, the  Custom House, the Hemingway House? Did he partake of the various fishing trips,  fish off the sidewalk next to the Atlantic, experience sunset at Mallory Square? Just some of the things that parents and their children do.

Fair and balanced the O’Reilly Show was not with regard to the Watters’ World report.

There is a Key Wester who writes a blog of sorts. He goes by the name of Jester. His comments concerning this situation are better than mine. He calls it as it is in no uncertain terms. Read it. Jester/Key West.

There are honorable people in Key West. I was pleased this week to note that Home Depot had the flag atop its building flying at half mast. A respectful company . Watters should have gone to Home Depot and interviewed the staff and customers if he wanted to meet real Key Westers. Home Depot being merely one example.

Larry Smith is still on the mend. His name came up last night at the Chart Room. I was chatting with Emily and David. Then a couple sitting next to me. Scott and Cathy Walker from Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. A town near Penn State. They have visited Key West before. In fact, they were here celebrating their anniversary. One year ago on December 7 they were married in Key West. Not kids. A mature couple.

Either Scott or Cathy has had a knee replacement. They told me to say hello to Larry. They had met him on one occasion and were sorry that he was no longer at the Wine Galley.

They told me their friend Mary Angel Coploff was a close friend of Larry’s and that I should mention her name to him. And let Larry know that Mary had both knees replaced at one time as Larry had. Mary did it two years ago.

Scott is in an interesting business. He builds log cabin homes. They are built for the cold. There was and is a market for them up north. There were many in the Utica area. What surprised me is that several years ago,  he was sent down here to build one on Big Pine.

Bocce season has been over for a month. We do not start again till January. This past season’s bocce party is tonight. At Don’s Place. It will be a good time!

Enjoy your day!

 

USS MAINE / CEMETARY / CUSTOM HOUSE

Posted on by

 

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!

 

 

ANOTHER SYRACUSE WIN

Posted on by

 

I was reading over my notes for last night’s blog talk radio show when the telephone rang. It was Don Manaher. Are you watching the game? What game? Syracuse and Indiana.

I had forgotten. How could I forget? I knew I would only be able to watch the first half because my radio show went on at 9. I rushed to the TV set in time to catch the first half.

I was disappointed. Syracuse had a 10-0 lead and blew it. They have done that before this season. The game was a one point difference at half time when my viewing ceased. I see from the morning news that Syracuse won 69-52. Apparently Indiana fell apart in the second half.

What I saw and what I think. Syracuse guards are outstanding. Three pointers galore this season! The problem was getting the ball inside. Syracuse cannot win on three pointers alone. I am sure Boeheim will be working on the flaw.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou went well. I particularly enjoyed my dissertation regarding the Senkaku Islands. The islands between China and Japan that  has created a developing feud between the two countries. One that could suck the United States in.

It bothers me that the media rarely sets forth the true story behind an incident. With regard to the Senkaku Islands, it is oil. I will have more to say on the issue on Friday’s TV/internet show.

My head was in the books yesterday. Actually, the internet. I was in deep research. I was interested in a Lt. Barbie. It was World War II and he was the Nazi officer in charge of destroying the French resistance in a certain part of France. He was a sick diabolical man.

Last night’s blog talk radio show is archived and available. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Last friday’s TV show was You Tubed at 5 last night. Key West Lou 11/29/13.

Enjoy your day!

BLUE LAWS

Posted on by

 

My day yesterday started at the TV studio at 10. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. Once again, it was enjoyable to do.

There is always some topic that garners the most interest. I base which one on post show comments. Yesterday, it was my tirade on Black Friday. I do not mind Black Friday on Friday. I do mind it starting Thanksgiving. I believe every one is entitled to a paid day off on a holiday. Especially low paid employees. A day of rest and feast with the family.

Back when I was young and up through my early years in the practice, there were something called Blue Laws. All over the United states. Blue Laws prohibited stores from being open and selling on Sundays. The day was one of rest and also to pay homage to God. The keep holy the Sabbath thing.

Blue Laws are no more, except in a few small places. Commercial greed has won over. I say bring back the Blue Laws. Prohibit Black Friday on Thanksgiving. Give everyone a break.

I spent the afternoon writing. I have two books going at the present. One is Growing Up Italian. It covers my life from birth through college. I worked on the book yesterday. I am still at the outlining stage. Much to do. I hope to devote 3-4 hours a day to it through December.

The publisher and I are in a bit of a disagreement. I want the growing up book. He thinks I should come out with a book of essays similar to the one just published. Book publication and promotion are not my field.  I rely on the publisher. We shall see.

In the mean time, The World Upside Down appears to have been acquired by some. I am at the stage where people are asking me to autograph their copy of the book. Amazing!

Cold yesterday morning. Cold last night. In between, terrific weather. By day, high 70s. This morning 70. Cold for me. Cold for most Key Westers. I repeat myself. Once you have lived on a sub-tropical island as Key West for an extended time, your blood thins. The cold is more dramatically felt.

Last night spent at Hogfish. Had dinner with Pati. Ran into Steve. Steve is a Syracuse graduate, also. We used to watch Syracuse basketball together. Last season, he was nowhere to be found. We were happy to see each other last night. He is back. I will once again have a pro Syracuse companion at the games.

I was home early. Early enough to see a good part of the Arizona/Duke game.

Syracuse plays Indiana Tuesday night. Tuesday is blog talk radio for me. I will probably only catch half the game and that will be at home.

Enjoy your day!

THE DAY AFTER…..

Posted on by

Love Thanksgiving dinner! I overate. Nothing new. I had an edge this time. Recently lost 16 pounds so there was a lot of room to do damage. The scale this morning said I only gained one pound.

Lisa cooked a magnificent meal. A typical one. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy and salad. Pumpkin pie for desert.

Ally helped her mother. She was kneeling on a chair by the kitchen cupboard. She made the salad. She mashed the potatoes. The potatoes were a first time for her. She kept asking if she they were finished yet.

Robert was quiet when I arrived. What’s the matter, I asked. His brother Cameron was home from college. Robert had taken over Cameron’s bedroom. Robert could not sleep in what he now considered his bedroom the night before. He could have slept in the room he previously shared with his sister Ally. There are bunk beds in the room. However, he thought he was beyond the bunk bed and sharing the sleeping with Ally. He slept on the couch instead. He then spoke like an adult. He told me the couch was uncomfortable and he did not sleep all night.

Jake had a field day. He was not to be table fed. However, he was there looking up constantly with those sad eyes. Jake ended up having a full meal.

Dinner was at one. I hurried home afterwards. Did not even stay for pumpkin pie. My TV/internet show this morning was not ready. Not even close as it turned out. It took me five straight hours to get it together.

Yesterday was a long pants day. First time in several months. Today the weather is back to warm. Shorts!

Many are telling me they are ordering my recently published book The World Upside Down for Xmas presents or stocking stuffers. A good idea. If you are so inclined, the book can be found on Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.

I am off to do The Key West Lou Legal hour. If you miss show and want to see it, go to You Tube. Enter Key West Lou and the date of the show. The show is every Friday. The show will appear at the top of the You Tube list. The show is live Friday. It is not You Tubed till Tuesday, however.

Enjoy your day!

Square One Restaurant

Posted on by

 

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

Posted on by

 

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

Posted on by

 

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!