STORMS ARE FICKLE

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Major storms may be predictable, but are not precise as to location. Storms are fickle. The big northeaster hit 50 miles east of where it was predicted. New York City escaped the major impact.

The snow storm not hitting where predicted is like a hurricane due to hit Key West and does not. After a while, the natives do not take serious hurricane warnings and remain. All exclaim they have heard it before and nothing happened.

The problem is that some day it will happen. Whether another Key West hurricane or major New york City snow storm. And some will not react to warnings because they have been there before and nothing happened.

The Florida keys have a GMO problem. Concerning mosquitoes. Something is done in a lab to the males. The female offspring die as a result. The Florida Keys Mosquito District is suggesting the program will help prevent dengue and is considerably cheaper than present methods used to keep the mosquito population down.

The plan has yet to receive the approval of the FDA. There will be no GM mosquitoes till so approved. Never the less, Oxitec, the British company wanting to do the modifying, has already constructed a breeding laboratory for the male mosquitoes in Marathon.

I hope the lab never becomes operable. The people of the keys are being used as guinea pigs. I am not alone in my thinking. Already 130,00 have signed a petition protesting the situation.

Tuesday comes fast every week. My blog talk radio show tonight at 9. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me. A fun half hour.

Topics include the Greek election, Koch brothers should be concerned re Greece’s election results, young people in Japan lacking in libido, the cost of fighting ISIS and the land retaken as a result, an example of Citicorp’s Washington influence, Georgia driver given a ticket for eating a cheeseburger while driving, the snow storm and global warming, and more.

Syracuse is killing me! Syracuse lost last night to North Carolina 93-83. Syracuse played well for 35 minutes. The game was lost in the last 5 minutes.

My time yesterday was spent getting ready for tonight’s blog talk radio show and watching the basketball game.

Friends in Greece and Italy have been e-mailing re the Greek election. The next three months in Europe will be interesting. A global recession could be in the making. Europe in economic turmoil definitely.

Enjoy your day!

POPE WRONG

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A perfect Key West day in the making! Everything just right. No wind. You can hear the silence. Sun shining. No clouds. Colors bright and cheerful.

I took a walk yesterday morning. Afterwards, I went over to the Pier House Beach Bar for a cup of coffee. Sat at the corner of the bar reading the newspapers. It was around noon. Cool to cold on the water. No one on the beach even though the sun was shining.

One of the newspapers was USA Today. Its feature front page article concerned Pope Francis and recent statements he made concerning birth control. I disagree with those statements. The first time I have disagreed with anything he has had to say.

The Pope opposes artificial means of birth control. That means the pill, inserted devices and condoms amongst others. “No need to breed like the rabbits” he said. The Pope said there should be “responsible parenting.”

The Pope recommended Church approved ways to limit pregnancy be used. The primary one being the rhythm system. Most who have tried it understand that in reality it is Vatican roulette. You take your chances with regard to a pregnancy.

All Catholic women were religious back in the 1950s and 1960s. Good Catholics. They would not think of practising birth control. Couples were having babies like crazy.

We had five pregnancies in 5 years. We lost the last one. We were the perfect example of the failure of the rhythm system. I was very much involved with the process. I kept track of the daily temperature readings. I had a chart on the back of the bedroom door so we would not screw up.

Eventually, priests realized the hardships involved in not practising birth control. A time arrived when women would go to confession and tell the priest they were practising birth control. Instead of denouncing the conduct, the priests were telling the ladies to follow their conscience.

Catholic Churches are empty today. I believe one of the reasons is the birth control issue. It started driving people away as early as the 1960s and 1970s.

I have strong feelings re the issue. I believe the Catholic Church’s position is based on man’s misinterpretation of the Bible. Just as some present day followers of Mohammed misinterpret the Koran.

The basketball game got me fouled up. My blog talk radio show was at 9. At 9, I was so engrossed in the Syracuse/Boston College game that I forgot what time it was. As a result, the show started 10 minutes late. I could only do a 20 minute show. Sorry.

Syracuse won 69-61. The team looked good and bad. I have no further comment.

I had to contend with the State of the Union which began at 9. I went through this last year. My total numbers will be consistent. Those that did not listen last night, will do so during the week in the archive or on Facebook or You Tube.

I caught the last part of the State of the Union address. Caught the rest in reruns through the night. It was a sales pitch. Democratic candidates should have used the information provided in the November elections instead of walking away from the President.

I find the State of the Union exciting to watch. It is part of our governmental process. Whether you agree with the President had to say is immaterial. The speech is as American as apple pie.

KONK Life publishes this week’s column today. Debtors’ Prison. It has also been posted to my Key West Lou page. Left hand corner, second listing. It is titled KONK Life Key West Lou Column. It is easy to find from that point. One click away.

The column is also featured today on WordPress. An accident in figuring out some things to get the posting working correctly. After today, the column will no longer appear on WordPress. Only Key West Lou.

Enjoy your day!

CHILL FACTOR -49 DEGREES

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Wowie! Cold in the north today. Chill factors as low as -49. Upstate New York projected at -20. With one foot of snow!

My friends up north laugh when I do this. But…..it is going to be cold tonight in Key West. -62. That means a blanket or heat.

All in all, crazy weather. Global warming?

After living alone so long, I have become domesticated to a degree. Was in Publix yesterday. Saw eggplants. A sudden desire overwhelmed me! I bought one. Cooked it for dinner last night.

Cut the plant in half. Thin sliced the half I was going to use. Heated some olive oil in a large frying pan. Then the slices. Cooked them to a light brown on each side.

Delicious! Just like my mother used to make.

I observed something interesting in the process. The eggplant slices absorbed the oil rapidly. Gulped it right up. Like a paper towel soaking up a spill.

Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou last night. One of my better shows. Spent more than a half the show discussing issues involving policemen.

As part of the police portion, I made reference to the new Black Panther group formed in Dallas. Shades of the ’60s. Blacks, many of whom are retired Army Rangers, have formed a paramilitary group to protect blacks from being killed by police. A confrontation/eruption is sure to follow at some point. Violence begets violence.

Nudity continues to be an issue in Key West. As regards Fantasy Fest. A do good group has their nose in the issue.

There is a special meeting of the City Commission tonight to review matters. Harry Bethel, a leader in the anti-nudity movement, says the Commission will discuss curbing nudity during Fantasy Fest. Bethel announced earlier that in all his years of living in Key West, he has never attended a Fantasy Fest. A blind man shall lead them!

Numbers sometime tell an interesting story. It has been reported that in Alabama, food stamp recipients outnumber public school students by 20 percent. Yet we keep hearing how the economy has recovered. Not for those on food stamps!

Enjoy your day!

HELEN BASINGER

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I have been meeting some of the most charming and interesting women lately. Last night, it was Helen Basinger.

I was sitting at the Tavern ‘n Town bar having dinner when she and her husband Joel sat next to me. Joel was busy with a guest that had accompanied them. Ergo, I had Helen all to myself.

There was an instantaneous match! Helen wrote a book! It was published last month. Quit Smoking Now and Forever – Conquering the Nicotine Demon. The title speaks for itself. The book is available on amazon.com.

Helen was born and raised in England. She has a distinctive British accent. Lived in France a while. Then Turkey for a number of years. Came to the USA in 2008. She and Joel have been residents of Key West for two years.

Helen operates a business. Freedom Healing. Its purpose to help people break free from negative habits and emotions. I suspect I am ready made for her professional talents.

Her Turkey time lead to the waters between Turkey and Greece and the ferry boats. We agreed ferry boats are buses.

I enjoyed our exchange tremendously. I would like to meet with her again.

It was Bobby Nesbitt time at Tavern ‘n Town. Bobby is a premier entertainer. Tonight and tomorrow night he is appearing at Tennessee Williams doing a one man Fred Astaire show.

I never appreciated Fred Astaire till recently. I caught 24 hours of his movies on the Turner Classics Channel. A talent! A joy to watch!

Tavern ‘n Town was not crowded crowded. About three quarters full. A noisy bunch. I suspect that most were New Year tourists who will be leaving Key West today.

Lynda and Bob Frechette were on the other side of the bar. We raised our glasses to each other in a New Year toast.

Earlier in the day, I watched the Syracuse/Virginia Tech game. Syracuse was winning by 19 points at half. The team looked good. Very good. I started thinking maybe. Syracuse won by two points. No more maybe. I am back to disappointment and I do not know.

Villanova has a terrific team this year. Ranked in the top ten. Beat yesterday by Seton Hall. I still think Villanova will be a Final Four team.

I forgot to share with you yesterday that I wrote this coming week’s KONK Life column. Rank Insubordination. I pressed the button and it was off to the publisher. The column obviously concerns what is going on with New York City’s Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD.

Patrick is from upstate New York. He is a snowbird. He is also a constant commentator to this blog. Almost daily. Tough to handle most times. We are at opposite ends of the spectrum philosophically regarding many things. I consider him the indispensable opposition and even though I rarely agree, I am happy to have his comments.

Patrick can be helpful.

Yesterday’s comment was brief. It contained the name Warren Wilhelm. Who is Warren Wilhelm? I did not know. I Googled the name. The result interesting. Different.

Warren Wilhelm is New York City’s Mayor Bill de Blasio. His trip to de Blasio unusual.

The Mayor was born Wilfred Wilhelm. He legally changed his name in 1983 to Warren de Blasio-Wilhelm. He legally changed his name again in 2002 to Bill de Blasio.

I do not know what to make of this. However, I thank Patrick for piquing my curiosity.

Enjoy your Sunday!