GOVERNMENT WASTE

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People want to know! They should know! Where their government is wasting taxpayer dollars.

I decided to talk a bit each week on my TV/internet show about tax dollar waste. Provide a few examples.

Yesterday was the first day of this new portion of the show. Besides the story I enjoy repeating about the U.S. Senate’s private barbershop which loses $500,000 a year, I threw in three other juicy morsels. One had to do with the House of Representatives approving a $2.6 million study to determine how to teach Chinese prostitutes to drink more responsibly on the job. A winner!

The House is the outfit that recently voted to cut $40 billion from the food stamp program.

Feed back following the show indicated the waste examples garnered the most interest. Easy to understand.

The Chart Room first last night. Emily bartending. I enjoy her company. Even more, her popcorn. The best!

Chatted with Peter and Sheila. Sheila will be off to the Mexico/Cancun area wednesday for a few days. Good for her!

Sean and Katherine came in. They have been traveling frequently of late. I told Sean enjoy it. When the first baby comes, it is all over! He laughed.

Met an interesting couple. Ian and Kaylin from Scotland. Actually, the Island of Erin. It is off the west coast of Scotland. Ian is a builder and his wife works with him in the office.

Scotland. He must play golf, I thought. I was wrong. Ian does not play golf, even though there are seven golf courses on his island.

Ian, Kaylin, and their family have visited Key West often over the years. They are Key Westers at heart.

I sat a while in the Pier House lobby. Reading the newspapers. A comfortable setting. I have done it several times lately.

The next stop was Don’s Place. Bocce partner Frankie was there. He looks good. You will recall he had a couple of heavy heart surgeries several months ago. Died on the table during one of them. He just returned from three weeks in Mexico. The trip did him good. He looked like the Frankie of old.

Chatted with two of the guys from the team we beat thursday night. Good people. We agreed the water soaked clay decided the match, not talent. It was throw the ball and hope it gets somewhere near the polina. In some instances, three feet was a victory. We were luckier than they were. They drank more Polish brandy than we did, also. A contributing factor to our victory. A planned one. Hershel deserves the credit. It was his idea.

Decided on Outback for dinner. No room at the inn. Including the bar. I figured at least a 1/2 hour wait. Not my cup of tea. Instead walked down to the Chinese restaurant nearby. A mistake.

I enjoy Chinese food on occasion. I ordered the wrong dish. I wanted orange chicken. I got screwed up and ordered lemon chicken. A disaster!

Lemon chicken consisted of thin slices of white meat buried in fat. The final product resembled small pancakes. A similar color, also.

Awful! I ate half the meal before giving up. The lemon chicken did not give up. I was uncomfortable till 4 this morning.

I am interested in seeing the new movie Gravity which opened this weekend. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Sandra is an astronaut who breaks way from the outside of her ship or something while fixing it in outer space. The story is about her floating around and what experiences she had. The big question being did she survive. The movie is in 3D. Has to be terrific! The reviews all say it is a winner.

Saturday evening is not the right time to go to the movies. Too many kids. I am going to shot for tomorrow night. Probably will invite Jenna to join me.

Syracuse/Clemson this afternoon at 3:30. On ABC or NBC. Hope the game is aired here in Key West.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

HOLE DRILLING

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I have reached the age where I realize how little I know. A very recent discovery was drilling holes in bocce courts to enable the rain water to run out.

It was around 2 yesterday afternoon. It had been raining heavy since sun up. The bocce courts had to be flooded. I got a call at 1 that the water was up to the top on each court.

The sun was very hot after it stopped raining. Perhaps we might play, I thought. I drove over to the courts at 6.

No water to be seen anywhere! We were going to play. How, I asked. The courts were flooded 5 hours ago.

The City of Key West apparently now has a drill to remove the water.

Bocce courts are made of clay. Clay is hard. It does not absorb water easily. Beneath the clay, lies a bed of stones. The drill was used to make several holes on each court through the clay and into the stones. The water drained down and out.

One problem remained. The clay was still wet. A bit heavier than wet sand. Such meant the courts would be slow. They were.

The bocce ball had to be thrown three times as hard to reach the polina. Skill was out the window. Luck played a great part.

We won all the three games! We were very lucky, indeed!

It was a money match. Hershel brought a bottle of Polish brandy. Our opponents were known to enjoy shots. Hershel liquored them up. Whether it had an effect on the outcome, I cannot be sure.

I had one shot. Too sweet for me. It affected me in the middle of the night. I woke at 2 with a splitting headache. It took me till 7 to get rid of it. I attribute it to the brandy and not the gin I consumed.

Spent yesterday afternoon fine tuning this morning’s TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I did the show this morning. This blog is being written after the show.

I spent a lot of time on the government shut down. I did a segment on cause and effect. The long range causes which led to the shut down. Things like two wars, American businesses moving overseas, permitting banks to become too big to fail or prosecute, etc. Nothing just happens. It is a series of events over a long period of time which have lead to today’s problems.

May Deasy works as bookkeeper at the TV station. A nice person. I have known her for years. She served me with a new cup for my coffee at the station this morning. Mary had a cup made with the station’s logo and Lou’s Legal Hour printed on it. Thank you, Mary!

Tomorrow, Syracuse/Clemson. I hope! What more can I say?

Every few years a less than adequate Syracuse team beats a top 10 school. I recall some 25 years ago. I used to attend every Syracuse home football game. That particular Saturday, I could not. I was sitting in Mount Carmel Church in Utica at a family wedding. The game was  going on during the ceremony.

Many people had small radios pressed to their ears. I was one of them. Go Syracuse!

Syracuse beat Nebraska that day. Nebraska was ranked #1 in the nation.

It has been a long week. A lot of reading and writing. In addition, the Polish brandy last night. I am tired.

I am going to spend this afternoon in bed watching golf. The Presidents Cup.

Enjoy your day!

 

STACKING GROCERIES

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It was 1951. I was 16 years old and worked in a super market after school.

Baseball was the big sport in the U.S. at the time. The National League season had ended in a tie. The New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers. On this date in history, the one game that would decide it all was being played.

I was wearing my working attire. A large white apron. Quietly replenishing Campbell’s Tomato Soup on the shelve. The radio was playing. We were all listening to the game. The whole world was.

It was the top of the ninth. Brooklyn winning. Bobby Thomson at bat. He hit a 3 run homer. Everyone went crazy. It was not that we all were Giant fans. It was the excitement of the moment.

I have never forgotten that day.

A supermarket. The one I was working at was called McHarris. Two Syrian brothers owned and operated it. They taught me a lot.

Supermarkets in 1951 were not as they are today. What was large then, is small now. The McHarris store was about three times the size of the Fausto’s off Duval.

Two other things come to mind. The Campbell’s Tomato soup was 3 cans for $ .10. My salary was $ .16 2/3 an hour.

It is overcast this morning. It rained extremely heavy for about 20 minutes. Bocce is tonight. Unless the sun comes out soon, I doubt we will be able to play. The courts will still be wet. The best that can be hoped for is that there are no puddles. Then we will play. However, the courts will be very slow. I do not like slow. I prefer a fast court.

Tonight’s bocce game is a money game. The side bet we have with four other teams. If we play, it will be a drinking fun time. A bottle of Polish gin is involved. If we proceed, I will tell you the purpose of the Polish gin and how it played out.

I walked again yesterday. Just around Key Haven. There is no question about it. A little exercise goes a long way in reducing weight. I started another diet Monday. Just cutting back and walking. The scale this morning indicated minus 4 pounds. It is a combination of the two that is responsible. I am eating about 25 per cent of my normal diet. Not easy. Plus walking on a more regular basis than normal. A bit farther each day, also.

Yesterday afternoon was spent preparing for tomorrow’s TV/internet show. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I have more work to do this afternoon.

The topics are coming together. The government shut down obviously will be one. I have decided to add on a weekly basis for a while examples of government waste. Generally interesting and in some instances so bad they are funny.

Greece and the Nazi party a must. The heads of the Nazi party are being arrested and thrown into jail. Instead of killing the movement, I fear the arrests have planted the seeds for revolution.

Other topics include a Key West price war, Lancaster, Pa. as capital of the United States for one day, a U.S. militarized internet, Venezuela maltreating the U.S., and more.

The more will include the story of a man who is terminally ill. Cancer. No chance for recovery. Grows his own marijuana to kill the pain. He and his family were raided by the police. He was thrown in jail for 42 days. He was released from jail because the drugs he needed to control the pain were costing the county too much money. He was sent home to do what he had been doing.

The show is at 10 in the morning my time. Available on television from Key West through Boca Raton on Comcast Channel 87 and U-Verse Channel 19. Available on the internet world wide. www.weyw19.com. The show is You tubed and can be seen anytime. Enter Lou’s Legal hour.

Last night was my Duval crawl. I was out on the road.

Stopped first at Captain Tony’s. Always loved the place. Old and dingy. Always packed with tourists. Rarely a local. The customers all acting a bit crazy.

Then to Sloppy Joe’s. Packed, also. Tourists. Not having as much fun as those at Captain Tony’s.

I walked upstairs to the clothing optional bar on the roof of the Bull. Advertised as a place for people who like to party without their clothes. At least 5 years since I had been up there. It too was quiet. It has always been quiet when I am there. The only nudity I saw was the bar maid’s bare breasts. I cannot win.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

CONCH REPUBLIC ANNEXES USA

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Marty (the other one) is a loyal blog reader. He emailed a suggestion apparently motivated by the government shutdown and American life in general.

Words of wisdom.

Marty suggested the Conch Republic annex the United States. His reasons were simple. Leadership would be easier. People’s attitudes lighter. Americans would start enjoying life for a change.

Right on my friend!

The vote has been tabulated. The people heard. The ballot question yesterday as to whether Key West participate in a free study to determine the feasibility of dredging the channel to accommodate larger mega cruise ships went down to defeat. Significantly! By 3-1. 74 per cent of the people voted against it.

Hooray for democracy!

There is a lady named Anna who once a week comes by. She cleans the house and washes and irons. For the past eight years. Anna is not responsible for the outside. A task in and of itself. I either hire some one to do it or do it myself.

Yesterday morning, I felt energized. I was in a work mood. I did a bit of clean up of the deck.

Palm trees can be a pain. Fallen coconuts and palm branches. Took care of them. The deck at one end was covered with what looked like berries. I do not know what they really were. Living on the ocean, you never know what is going to be blown in. I swept up the berries. I finished by hosing the deck and furniture.

An ambitious undertaking for Louis!

I was still full of energy. Sex would have been good. Decided to walk. Drove to Duval Square and parked the car. Walked towards the Atlantic Ocean. Past La Te Da. Down to the Southernmost Complex. Through the Southernmost grounds. Across the street onto the Reach’s grounds. Through them. Then did the return trip the same way.

Took all of 25 minutes. Felt like an hour or more. The humidity was heavy! Very heavy! My tee shirt soaking wet. I did not think I was going to make it back to the car.

Stopped at Publix on the way home. Needed bananas and strawberries. They are staples to me.

Spent the afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Made a sandwich for dinner.

Afterwards, went upstairs to lie on the bed and watch Chris Matthews. It was 7 o’clock. I fell asleep. I woke at five minutes to 9. The radio show begins at 9. I ran downstairs, turned on the computer and did all the things necessary to get on air. As I connected, I heard…..Your show goes live in 10 seconds.

A close call.

It was an easy show to do. What with the governmental shutdown and governmental waste. I threw a little Greece in and the half hour was over.

I have stayed in the past few nights.  I have to get out tonight. I will get out tonight.

Enjoy your day!

FIRST SNOW

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I woke this morning to learn that Montana has the distinction of being the first place in the U.S. where snow fell this year. Last night. The pics on TV showed heavy stuff.

The Key West Lou Legal Hour was yesterday morning. My TV/internet show. The topic that garnered the most interest surprised me. It was my dissertation regarding Pope Francis and his evidencing that he is a flaming liberal. I thought my comments regarding Congressional waste would be #1.

All comments concerned the Pope. Not one about Congressional waste. Could be people are so fed up with Washington that they pay little to no attention to anything about them any more. On the other hand, the Pope is a breath of fresh air. He appears to be energizing peoples of all faiths.

Per my usual custom, I visited the Chart Room first last night. Emily was back from vacation. It was good to see her. I like Emily. Even more, I like the popcorn she makes. A little extra butter and a bit more  salt. Emily spent ten days vacationing on a hilltop in Ashville, North Carolina. She showed me some photos and videos she took with her cell phone. A beautiful place!

Sheila and Corey at the bar. An English family at the table. I did my hellos. They were leaving so I could not get any background information on them. I wish they had stayed longer. I would have enjoyed talking with them.

Then a drink at Don’s Place. Don, David, Michael and John in attendance. Don and I spoke of bocce. What else! We lost all 3 games thursday. I think we are in last place. Should not be. We are a better team. A much better team. One of our problems may be we know we are good. Ergo, we do not concentrate with each shot. We toss the ball figuring it will go where it is supposed to. It does not.

Bocce continued to haunt me. I went to Publix. After 9. Quiet. A good time to shop. I ran into two different ladies at opposite ends of the store who play bocce on thursday nights, also. Of course, they wanted to talk bocce. One proudly said we won all three games thursday. The other, we won two out of three. I humbly responded each time we lost all three. Tough!

I am distressed by this morning’s news regarding Greece. I find the Greek Nazi party, the Golden Dawn Party, totally reprehensible. Bad people. However they were legally elected. The third largest group in the Greek Parliament.

The government arrested the head of the party and 17 other high party officials yesterday. Warrants out for 20 others. The arrests were without question politically motivated. The leaders were arrested for basically being bad people.

I continue to believe from my early Catholic education that…..The end does not justify the means. You just do not go out and arrest the opposition. It is the same as has been happening in Egypt. What has occurred could unleash unrest on the streets and violence. Plus whatever else .

The Euro Commission and Euro Central Bank are said to have been consulted prior to the arrests and were in support of them.

I fear bad events are in the making.

Yesterday’s Key West Citizen had an interesting item in its Keys History section. On yesterday’s date in 1955, there was a motel price war in Key West. A bad one! Prices really low! Eight motels had signs up saying free rooms to tourists.

It would never happen today!

I was playing around on the computer researching Key West history. There was a Louis in Key West at one time who owned a department store on Duval. In the early 1900s. A. Louis. He owned the Bee Hive Department Store.

A lovely day outside. Sunny and bright. A blue sky. No breeze. The water still. Can’t wait to get out.

Enjoy your day!

 

WIRELESS ZONE

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My divorce from Verizon at the K Mart shopping center was finalized yesterday. I was fed up! I am not going into all the details as to why. You have heard me complain enough the past two years.

I discovered another Verizon store in the Winn-Dixie shopping center. It is called the WIRELESS ZONE. Do not walk. Run when you need cell phone assistance. My sense is the people are good.

The place is locally owned. I met one of the owners who was kind enough to take care of me. His name is Manny Rioseco. He dealt with my problems professionally and politely. He was unhurried. He dug deeper into my cell phone that anyone had in the past. The phone is working today. I hope it continues to work. My tablet a sudden problem, also. I am not sure yet if the problem is resolved.

Manny also told me I was entitled to just under$100 a month off on my monthly billing. Why didn’t the other Verizon tell me in any of my many visits to them?

My new friends…..Manny Rioseco and the Wireless Zone.

I have already done my TV/internet  show this morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. One of my best! If you missed the show, it is You Tubed. You can catch it beginning tomorrow. Enter Lou’s Legal Hour.

I get pissed off on occasion. A report just came out that the median family wage has gone down over the past five years. Add to it the House of Representative’s recent action passing a bill to eliminate $40 billion from the food stamp program.

I countered with some things Congress does to spend money inappropriately. In other words, wastefully. Like the US Senate. This a…..Did you know? The US Senate has its own barber shop. It is called Senate Hair Care Services. The barber shop is run with taxpayer dollars. It runs a deficit of about $500,00 a year. It has lost $5.25 million over 15 years.

Hooray for the Senators! They get next to free haircuts at taxpayer expense. They are required to pay $3.50. All the while, the median family wage has gone down, $40 billion is being cut in food stamps, and free breakfasts for children is being eliminated.

A shade of another color. The House of Representative members who want to do away with Obamacare get the very best medical free as Congresspersons.

Our elected representatives are caring people!

My yesterday was busy.

Started with a haircut with Lori. Always pleasant. Then a manicure with Tammy. Another delightful experience.

Tammy and her husband recently bought a new home on Seidenberg. Big! Tammy and I chatted about it yesterday. She recalled her life in Hue, Vietnam. She said when it rained outside, it rained inside. The whole family lived together in a small abode. The bathroom was an outhouse. Cold and scary at night.

It was Blossom’s for lunch. New owners! Five days. I wish them well. I enjoyed my usual Cuban cheese toast with tomato and a cup of Cuban coffee.

I spent what ever free time I had working on my book which is soon to be published. The World Upside Down. I am working with the publisher now editing, etc.

Bocce last night. We lost all three games. Something is wrong. This is the third consecutive season we have sucked. I see a meeting coming. Don and David will ask the team members….. What are we doing wrong? Hours will go into the discussion and hopeful resolution.

Remember the Kim I mentioned last weekend. I met her and her male counterpart last weekend at the Chart Room. Kim is a bocce player. She played against us last night. A terrific player! Always on the money! Killed us with every shot!

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

KEY WEST POKER RUN

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This is the weekend! Key West Poker Run weekend! The 41st year for this event.

The Poker Run has Key West giving itself over to bikers. More than 10,000 motorcycles have roared down US 1 into Key West. They leave with the same noise sunday evening and monday morning.

The bikers ride in on the most expensive motorcycles. Alone or with a companion. A wife or girl friend sitting behind them and holding on for dear life.

The Poker Run is a charity event. In the area of $100,000 will be raised. One of the recipients is the Key West Rotary Club. The Rotary turns the money over to specified charities.

Eight blocks of Duval Street have been closed off. A mini Mardi Gras atmosphere exists. Tents and stands. Cold beer and food. This afternoon in front of Sloppy Joe’s there will be a stage and all kinds of entertainment.

The bikers look like tough mean guys. Black leather vests, Hitler type helmets, etc. Most are doctors, lawyers, accountants and business men from all over the United States. Most have their bikes shipped to Miami. The bikers fly down and pick up their bikes in Miami. Then the 155 mile ride down US 1 with the sun, wind and water encircling them.

It is noise time, also. Big time noise! The bikes roar! However, this weekend no one cares. It is their time! Biker party time!

Did my tv/internet show yesterday morning. The Key West Lou Legal Hour. I heard about it all day and into last night. Viewers were excited about my supermarket comments/expose. Rising prices, corporate farms, favorable laws, and genetically modified seeds. The genetically modified seeds really hit home.

I had a good time last night. Unusually good.

My evening started at the Chart Room. Took me a bit longer to get there from my home in Key Haven. I was behind about 30 bikers coming into town.

A new bartender. Victor. He is filling in for Emily who is on vacation. Sheila and Peter holding court.

Met some terrific people.

Trish and Tommy. They live in Marathon. Marathon is all of 45 miles away. They periodically come into Key West for a fun weekend. We had some deep conversation about the economy. Nice people.

Then Mark and Kim. Locals. High school sweet hearts who found each other again after 41 years. Kim plays booce on thursday nights. My night. I will be looking for her from now on.

David was a no show. I wanted to play billiards with him this afternoon. I did not have his number and Sheila could not remember it. So much for billiards this afternoon.

Today is David’s birthday. Happy birthday, David!

I was hungry. Desired a good meal. Walked across Duval to the Hot Tin Roof. Chatted with manager Joseph a bit. Enjoyed scallops over a bed of extra wide linguine covered with a light oil. Finished the meal off with a snifter of Grand Marnier.

At that point, I should have gone home. It was time. My body was ready. I was prepped for bed.

Instead, I went to Don’s Place. Glad I did! I had a good time there, also.

Spent time chatting with Don, Michael, Nancy, Joanie, and David. I do not know who I love more. Nancy or Joanie?

Don introduced me to two young ladies. Karen was from Buffalo. Don is from Buffalo. Actually, Karen was from Amherst which is close to Buffalo.

Karen, I loved dearly! She reads my blog every day!

She is becoming a Key Wester. Has a condo at Truman Annex. She also is an acquaintance of a lawyer friend from upstate New York. Garry Outtrim. Garry practices in Herkimer, New York. He is associated with my law school class mate George Aney. Love George! George graduated somewhere near the bottom of our class. He turned out to be a most successful attorney. The best! George frequently joked about his class standing and his success later in the practice. He would say…..So and so was smarter than me, but I made the money!

Melissa was with Karen. Melissa is from Seattle. She has been living in Key West six weeks. Working. Still looking for a place to live.

I read an article yesterday about Pope Frances. The writer referred to him as a “…..flaming liberal.” I agree. Jesus was a liberal, loved everyone. Why should his representative on earth be any different.

Syracuse plays Tulane today. The Vegas line is 17 points. Syracuse is favored.

I was critical last week of Syracuse scheduling Wagner in football. Apparently it is habit forming. Miami, a football giant, plays Savannah State today. Miami is a 60 point favorite.

Enjoy your day!

GENETICALLY MODIFIED SEEDS

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Finished my tv/internet show prep yesterday afternoon. The main story to be presented involved supermarkets, ag-farms, genetically modified seeds, increasing cost of groceries, and laws protecting the grower as opposed to the consumer. Guaranteed interesting!

Did The Key West Lou Legal Hour earlier this morning. Spent a lot of time on supermarkets, genetically modified seeds and Monsanto. If you missed the show, it is You Tubed. Will appear beginning next Friday. Enter Lou’s Legal Hour. All other shows available now on You Tube.

No bocce last night. Some of the courts had 3 foot in diameter puddles. All had water soaked clay at the ends. Too bad because I was psyched to play.

It was six o’clock and no where to go. Decided on Don’s Place. Stayed and drank with my team mates.

When I rose this morning, there was a full moon shining on the water off my deck. Beautiful! A God is good event.

Key West gets a lot of strange demonstrators. Far out types.

This morning I observed at the intersection of US 1 and Northern Boulevard a man sitting on a folding chair on the intersection’s island. His hair was green. His face covered with a dark gray cloth. Made him look like one of the combatants in the Syrian War. He had in his lap what appeared to be a gas mask.

I assume he was there to protest the chemical weapons problem in Syria.

Enjoy your day!

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!