TIMES SQUARE BALL 11,875 POUND WATERFORD CRYSTAL

Posted on by

 

 

Tonight at midnight, a new year. 2018. A long time since the birth of Christ.

Times Square this evening will be the center of the universe. Thousands standing in the freezing cold waiting for the ball to drop. The ball, the one we have been watching for years, is rather large. Weighs 11,875 pounds. Twelve feet in diameter.  A Waterford crystal.

Brave people observing the drop tonight in person. The temperature will be freezing. In the teens with a chill factor of -5.

Booze not recommended. It contributes to the dehydration of the body in extreme temperatures.

Key West has sort of dropping balls. Sushi in a shoe at Bourbon Street, a wench coming down the mast at Schooner Wharf, a ball at Sloppy Joe’s. There are more. Each year another establishment is dropping something at midnight.

The bars and streets will be packed. Duval closed off.

I have only done 2 New Year’s eves in Key West. Other times, private parties or at home alone. As I get older, the evening becomes too much work. The crowds rowdy tourists. Parking impossible.

I learned long ago in Utica that New Years eve is amateur night. Since every evening is New Years Eve in Key West, I can afford to miss one a year.

My lesbian wives planned to have me with them tonight. Dinner at Abandonzza, drag show at Aqua, and then Sushi from the street at midnight.

I opted out.

The game plan for me this evening is the Syracuse/Virginia Tech game at 6. Then a TV movie. Followed by an early night to bed.

Aging enters into it.

Syracuse favored by 3.5 points. Both teams part of the ACC. Tonight begins the ACC season. Virginia Tech is the leading 3 point shooting team in the country. Shooting average 45.3 percent.

Last night the Chart Room. Not that crowded. Shaun bartending.

Chatted with Shaun and a few of the tourists. Then home to an early bed.

A good thing Trump does not live in Egypt.

An Egyptian court yesterday sentenced former President Mohamed Morsi and 19 others to three years in jail. The crime: Insulting the Judiciary.

Greece. Oh, how I love Greece!

A Greek anarchist group Rubicon support Palestinians. They are upset with Trump’s soon to be move of the American embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

This past week they rode motorcycles up to the Israeli Embassy and threw bottles of paint against the Embassy building.

Rubicons are not part of the Golden Dawn Party. The Rubicons came into being because they thought the Golden Dawn Party was failing in its responsibilities.

I have written over the years often of the Golden Dawn Party. I once thought that one day they would take over the government via the ballot box. Now, I am not sure.

The Golden Dawn Party are neo-Nazis. Dress like Hitler’s storm troopers. Presently the third largest party in Parliament. Represent 10 percent of the popular vote.

It is thought Trump’s election has re-energized the Party. Golden Dawn leaders say, “Trump’s policies have given us a new wind of support…..We should follow Trump’s beat.”

Crazy people!

What is happening in Iran? Surprising! The demonstrations. Proof that even the mighty can fall.

Could happen, though I doubt it.

Don’t forget the Annual Dachshund Walk at noon beginning at the court house on Whitehead.

Stay sober and safe tonight. Enjoy the evening otherwise!

Happy New Year!

ISABELLA

Posted on by

Met Isabella last night. A lovely lady.

Isabella is a 2 year old Old English Sheep Dog. Her master/owner/caretaker Tim Reynolds.

Tim is an old friend from more than 20 years back. Tim for 13 years was the Chef at Square One. A top chef at a top restaurant. He and owner Michael Stewart a team.

Tim now lives in the St. Petersburg area. In Key West for a few days.

We had dinner together last night at Salute’s. Tim, Barbara and me.

Tim greeted me outside Salute’s with Isabella. I was overwhelmed at first. Isabella full grown. Awesome.

Tim takes excellent care of Isabella. She was decked out in pink bows. Her coat shining. She behaved like a lady during dinner. Laid by the table and rarely moved.

Golf is not a cheap sport to play. Green fees expensive. The Key West Golf Course consistent with the national trend in that regard.

Fifty years ago, Key West golfers complained. The price of a round of golf on the weekend was raised to $3.50.

Al Roker was in Key West last week. For the Today show. Highlighting hurricane relief efforts in the Keys. Fifty one first responders were honored. The event took place at the Margaritaville Resort.

Sexual harassment in the news big time. Will continue to be.

You would assume female sexual harassment unchallenged is centuries old. Not so. I was surprised to learn that in ancient Rome female sexual harassment was not tolerated. Terms used in those days were accosting, stalking and abducting. Female sexual assault was considered contrary to good morals.

Recall last year’s Keystone pipeline furor. In North Dakota. The Sioux Indians involved.

Keystone people stated the pipeline was safe. Leakage would not be a problem.

Obama had rejected the pipeline on environmental grounds. Trump made Keystone a key plank in his energy policy. A federal permit to proceed with the pipeline’s construction was issued by the Trump administration in March.

The pipeline runs through several States. Last week, an underground leak occurred in South Dakota. Keystone claims the leak only 5,000 barrels and contained. Hopefully so.

In any event, this is only the beginning. All pipelines leak. This one is merely the first of many to come.

Yesterday was the 154th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln’s brief but famous words. He spoke of “…..government of the people, by the people, for the people” not perishing from the earth.

Take heed of Lincoln’s words. We are losing the government he described.

Forget not Irma and Me. The book is available on amazon.com.

Charles Manson died yesterday at the age of 83. Hard to describe the man. He was evil personified. Despicable.

A cult leader, he was responsible for the deaths of seven people over a period of two nights in August 1969 in the Los Angeles area.

His group’s first victim was actress Sharon Tate. Eight months pregnant, she was stabbed 16 times.

Manson received life in prison. Never paroled.

Tomorrow I am undergoing a heart catheterization at a Hollywood hospital. Which sadly means no blog tomorrow and perhaps also wednesday. In addition, my tuesday podcast Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou will not air.

Worry not. I will be back. This is my fourth heart catheterization. Not a big deal unless the doctor screws up.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

keystone people said the l

I’M HAPPY FOR A CHANGE

Posted on by

“I’m happy for a change!”

Not my words. Jim Boeheim’s. Properly so.

Boeheim spoke at a press conference following yesterday’s Syracuse/Pitt game. Syracuse has played poorly till the past few days. Horribly!

They beat Miami handily a few days ago. Yesterday, destroyed Pitt! I could not believe my eyes watching the game.

Two times in the first half Syracuse lead by 28 points. Threes were dropping in with ease. Long ones. The defense was what it should be. Pitt went something like 14 minutes in the first half without scoring a basket.

The final score 77-66. Not indicative of the size of the victory. The last few minutes Pitt was on a scoring spree. Syracuse subdued by that point.

Is Syracuse back? I think so. I hope so. If so, it is going to be a hell of a season!

I am most happy for Boeheim. A gentleman. A class act. It had to be killing him he could not get the team together the first half of the season.

The weather outside is frightful…..

When it is cold up north, the cold extends to Key West. In a different fashion, of course. No snow. The temperature not as low.

It does get cold, however. It has been in the 80s and humid for a couple of weeks. All of a sudden yesterday around noon, the cold front hit. Just like that. Huge winds. Temperature dropped 15 degrees. Heavy rain.

Stayed cold. Still cold. The temperature was a low of 57 during the night. Fifty seven at 8 this morning. Weather Channel said it felt like 52. High today 60. Will be 60 during the night, also.

I turned the heat on last night. It will remain on till the cold spell leaves.

First stop last night was Tavern ‘n Town. Went early hoping to get a bar seat. No way. I left. Sad because I wanted to hear Bobby Nesbitt sing.

Next stop was the Chart Room. Cold walking in from the parking lot. The Pier House sits on open water. The wind blowing in.

Victor bartending. Sat next to a gent from Lansing, Michigan. Max. Retired. In his other life, he put conglomerates together.

Max older than me. By one year. Eighty two. Much in common to discuss.

Too bad Liz was not with us. The conversation would have been interesting. Liz and Max both supported Trump.

Fighting the cold wind, walked over to the Hot Tin Roof. I was dressed for the cold. A heavy winter jacket.

Nevertheless, needed body heating and soul satisfying food. Lobster bisque and lobster mac and cheese.

Ran into Buffalo’s Tom and Fran at the Hot Tin Roof. They were having dinner with his brother. Tonight, they will be having dinner with me.

Tom missed the Syracuse game earlier in the day. He could not believe the story I told him. He is a die hard Syracuse fan, also.

United Airlines first non-stop flight from Chicago arrived saturday.

The airport is relatively new. Followed by an update a couple of years ago to accommodate additional arriving and departing flights. The update outgrown already.

The season is in full swing. No break in January any more. People all over. Restaurants and bars packed. Hotels getting top dollar. Tourists not complaining.

I worry. Key West is going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Goose or chicken?

The Citizen’s Today In Keys History listed two interesting events which occurred on this date. The City of Key West was incorporated in 1828. The first traffic light was installed in Key West in 1935.

I did a search to determine where the first light was installed. Could not come up with the information. However in reading a Key West history, the year of incorporation was listed as May 1889. Don’t know which is correct.

In the last 24 hours, I read somewhere that Obama has played 333 rounds of golf while President. Sounded like…..When did he work?

I did some digging re the issue of Presidential golf. Turns out Obama is a piker as far as number of rounds of golf. Woodrow Wilson played 1,200 rounds. Dwight Eisenhower 800.

Some more robot information.

An Australian mining company is mining with robots 24 hours a day. The Rio Tinto Mining Company. Four mines located in Australia’s northwest in an area called Mars-red.

Robots are used for rock drilling. They are described as robotic drilling rigs. Autonomous (driverless) trucks and trains also used. Driverless trains haul the ore hundreds of miles to a port. The trains load and unload themselves automatically.

Rio Tinto is in the forefront re robotic/autonomous mining. The need for human miners reduced to almost nothing.

I obtained the information from an MIT article. The article failed to mention what happened to the human employees let go. An issue requiring serious attention.

Enjoy your sunday!