U.S. IS CHANGING DIRECTION

Doug Jones’ victory in the Alabama Senate race yesterday tied with the Democratic sweep in Virginia several months ago indicates the United States has changed direction. The momentum is there. Except for that solid 30-35 percent of Trump voters, politically, mentally, socially, etc., America has seen the error of its ways.

Perhaps it had to be. The election of a Donald Trump. It has shaken things up. Not for the better in most instances.

Roy Moore is a sick man. How can a person who hates gays, blacks and Jews, yet loves 13-14 year olds, be elected to the Senate? I admit I was concerned. A crazy election. I thought “Albamians would stick to the script and elect a Republican, regardless of his propensities for the unsatisfactory and sick.

Glad I was wrong.

Then there is Trump in recent days. He cannot stop vilifying women. The most recent New York’s Senator Karen Gillibrand. Said she “would do anything for campaign contributions.” Inferring she was a whore.

Bad guy!

The election a stunning upset. Especially since Trump went all out for Moore. I cannot refer to Trump and Moore as birds of a feather. One likes only adult women whereas the other young girls.

The victory is being attributed to the exceptionally huge black turn out, suburban Republican wives, and college students.

I hope the Democrats are learning. One of the reasons Trump became President was because of Democratic failings.

I was impressed with the ground game on Jones’ behalf. Trust the Democrats will be able to keep it up in other States as 2018 approaches.

Saw the eye doctor and optician again yesterday morning. Turns out my prescription was way off. Waiting now for new lenses.

I was supposed to be at Guy de Boer’s home last night for a party. Around noon, I got tired. Exhausted. Called Guy around six and begged off.

This exhaustion is a pain! I was so tired, I did not go down stairs for something to eat at dinner time. I did not want to climb the stairs on the return trip.

I had planned on completing and fine tuning my podcast show scheduled for last night during the afternoon. No way! I was beat!

Winged it! Thought the show went smoothly. Listened to it this morning. Like every other show. Not obvious I was winging it.

Banks are thieves. So too, pharmaceutical houses.

The drug houses raise prices at will. Price gouging, in effect. Screw the public! Proper governmental controls and oversight lacking.

Avondale Pharmaceuticals the most recent example.

The gouging system simple. The company buys the rights to a drug that has little or no competition. Then massively inflate the price.

Two examples are Niacor and SSKI.

Niacor is a niacin/vitamin B pill. One hundred per bottle. Sold for $32.46 per bottle. Price raised to $295. An 800 percent increase.

SSKI’s increase 2,500 percent. Cost of a 30ml bottle went from $11.48 to $295.

I have been writing and reporting for two years re the Department of Defense’s inability to account for billions of dollars. Last week the Department announced it was preparing to audit the military. An inventory. Planes, guns, etc. First time.

Two days ago, the Department announced it had lost 44,000 military. Did not know where they were. The tracking system failed.

The were going to try to find them via the audit.

Yesterday, a third announcement by the Department and also the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money part I had been complaining about.

It was announced that between 1998 and 2015, the two Departments had lost a combined $21 trillion. Taxpayer funds. Not accountable. No receipts, vouchers, etc.

To make matters even worse, it was reported that the Departments were “plugging” the figures. Making up numbers to make any accounting balance.

Twenty one trillion dollars is more than the national debt. It equates to $65,000 per man, woman and child in the United States.

Party time again tonight. A fundraiser.

Mary Lou Hoover is one of the most able and active women in Key West. She has decided to enter politics. She is running for the Key West City Commission.

The fundraiser is scheduled for this evening from 5:30 to 8:00 at Kate Miano’s new home on Free School Lane.

Jean Thornton and I will be attending together and then walking down the street to Marquesa for dinner.

Iguanas have been a problem for close to 20 years. Never in Key West, all of a sudden they appeared. In droves. All sizes. The community grew.

Iguanas are prolific. They multiply rapidly. The problem in the Keys overall is out of control. As with pythons.

The State has finally decided to do something about it. A program involving self-help will be instituted throughout the Keys. Purpose, to eradicate or control.

As with the pythons, never to be controlled in my opinion. Too late. Hopefully, contained.

Why are iguanas a problem? They eat flowers and foliage. You spend money for a lovely garden. They devour it. Their defecation a problem, also. They shit in our pools! Don’t laugh. The pool has to be drained and refilled.

Irma and Me selling well. I am impressed! The only story of Hurricane Irma on the book shelves. Buy a copy to enjoy yourself or give as a Christmas gift. Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and KoboBooks.

Enjoy your day!

PRE-SEASON BASKETBALL POLL…..AN INSUILT

Yes, my blood does flow orange! I am furious this morning. The Associated Press pre-season poll came out. Nowhere is Syracuse listed. Not in the top 25 or at the bottom re those teams that received even one vote.

I am not going to dwell on the NCAA findings and judgment. Syracuse will survive and excel. This year’s team is as talented as prior teams. With or without Boeheim for the fist nine ACC games, Syracuse’s coaching staff is experienced and deep.

Screw the numbers, Syracuse will be in the mix at the end of the season.

Spent yesterday afternoon working on tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou.

Interesting topics. Highlight’s of my Looting of Social Security article, a tea party Congressman retiring after only five years because he wants more time spent with family even though Congress only works one week on and two off, religion and politics, Saudi Arabia afraid U.S. becoming anti Saudi Arabia, a Monsanto update, and more.

Join me at 9 o’clock my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Dinner with Don and Chris at Marquesa last night. Good people. Return to Key West several times a year. Don is presently spending a lot of time working in South Korea.

Fantasy Fest is over. It was obvious last night on Duval. Quiet like a cemetery.

Parrot Heads arrive wednesday. Convention time. Jimmy Buffett people. Strange as it may sound, Howard Livingston has been asked to entertain the group saturday evening at the Casa Marina.

Seaking of Howard, the front page of today’s Key West Citizen carries a photo of Howard. A detailed complimentary article. Tells Howard’s story yesterday and today. A terrific human being!

An interesting news bit in the Citizen, also. Keys Energy has a large abandoned building in Bahama Village. It has not been used for over 50 years. Keys Energy wants to give it to Key West. The facility was formerly a diesel generator plant.

Louis says, beware of Greeks bearing gifts. The building is an economic disaster waiting to hit.

Keys Energy admits there are some environmental problems. The some are gigantic. I have not seen the paperwork nor the facility. However, I spent my legal career as an environmental attorney. my work included facilities such as this one. the contamination has to be fantastic It will run down into the soil itself. Contaminated soil is one of the most expensive things to remove.

A point to be considered also is that the law generally requires the owner at the time of a cleanup to be responsible for the cost.

The building is no bargain.

The last play of the Miami/Duke game will not be forgotten. Ever. What bothers me is that post-game, the ACC suspended the referees for two games. The ACC determined post-game that the refs had not made calls it should have made during the play.

Wrong on the part of the ACC. The determination on the field is the last call. In all sports, collegiate and professional. Confusion the only guaranteed outcome of the ACC’s decision and what will follow.

Enjoy your day!

ZOMBIE BIKE RIDE

Today’s blog will be short and to the point. It is just after 11 as I start. I had dinner with Jenna last night at Tavern ‘n Town. Had a flat tire when I left.

Keith pick me up this morning and drioe me back to the Marriott. Called AAA. Took a couple of hours for them to arrive. Tire changed. Spare a for real tire. New. Low on air. Stopped at the gas station to fill it.

Got home. Fell! First time in a long time. Tripped going up the stairs. Left shoulder and ribs sore. I was hurrying and forgot to pay attention.

Zombie Bike Ride today. A part of Fantasy Fest. Began three years ago. People dress in a scary fashion ride their decorated bikes on a 4 mile trip.

Three years ago when started, there were 40 bike riders. Today, over 1,000 are already registered. A party afterwards, of course. All the therapists at Body Owners were excited friday. They are all participating as a unit.

On top of everything else, I could not sleep last night. Time not wasted. Worked from 1 to 6 researching this week’s KONK Life column.

I decided to write about a woman. Strong women are very much in the news these days. I wrote of a woman whose exploits began in 60 AD. Her name, Boudicca. Also known as the Warrior Queen. An interesting story. I will write the article this afternoon.

Syracuse lost to Pitt yesterday 23-20. Pitt scored a field goal with 3 seconds left. Syracuse played well in the first half. Sucked in the second. Pitt a good team. Ranked.

No question, good things next year. No way this year.

I was supposed to be at Don’s Place at 9:30 this morning. The Buffalo Bills are playing the Jaguars in London. The reason for the early starting time. Clara was bringing breakfast. I was going to bring two dozen bagels. Never made it to Don’s.

The Marquesa is a fine restaurant. Top shelf dining. It is part if a hotel complex. The rooms are beautiful. The pool area gorgeous. A block off Duval.

Marquesa announced it is expanding. Construction to begin in January. Marquesa has bought the William Kerr House on Simonton and the Pilot House next door. The acquisitions will add 14 new rooms, a swimming pool and additional parking.

I am sorry if I offend some. However, I think Chairman Gowdy of the Benghazi sub-committee is an asshole. Inept. Some writers have been making fun of him. He has been referred to as Gowdy Doody. Also a most interesting observation: He led the Republicans into a Russian winter.

Theatrical people are passing on. The great Maureen O’Hara. A wonderful actress. Her career began in the 1940s. Also, Fenster. Remember Fenster? He was a part of the Adams Family TV show. His real name, Marty Ingles.

As Porky Pig was wont to say…..That’s all folks!

Enjoy your Sunday!

CROCODILE GONE?????

This morning’s Key West Citizen carries another picture of the crocodile that has spent the past week lolling off Smathers Beach. A brief note under the photo suggests the croc is gone. It was not seen over the weekend. However, there was a sighting off Hilton Haven during that time.

Quite a trip from Smathers to Hilton Haven. Going straight across west, not too long a trip. However only land, no water. It would appear if it is the same croc, it had a very long trip around Key West’s perimeter to get to Hilton Haven.

My suspicion, another crocodile.

Interestingly, since the Smathers Beach crocodile story hit a week ago, there have been further articles and talk that there are more crocs in the area than most thought. An iguana type invasion in the making?

Congratulations to the Marquesa for standing up to the phony lawsuit against them. There is a disabled person and attorney who have brought over 1,400 lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Toilets not proper, improper access, and now no lift for a disabled person to get in and out of a pool. Marquesa was sued re the pool thing.

Marquesa’s defense is that the pool is not public, all amenities are for use by registered hotel guests only, and the plaintiff in the case was never registered as a guest at the hotel.

A court appearance is scheduled for early December.

I have a sense of something that has happened or is happening in Key West. Tourists are not eating as much as they have in the past at restaurants. They are drinking. Eating appetizers or cheaper street foods rather than full meals. Paying top dollar at hotels.

After paying for the hotel room and average $10 drinks, tourists are forced to cut somewhere. It is with the food.

I could be wrong.

Spent yesterday afternoon writing this week’s KONK Life column. The Doctors Killed the President. The story of President James Garfield’s demise. The doctors screwed up.

Pope Francis opened the Synod yesterday in Rome. A convention of sorts of 270 bishops. To deal with Church problems. Serious business. Especially since the Pope is trying hard to open the doors of the Church and the bishops are opposing him.

A few interesting opening comments by the Pope. “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Church is a “field hospital” whose doors must be open to all who knock. “A Church with closed doors betrays herself and her mission, and instead of being a bridge, becomes a roadblock.”

Denmark has a problem. A falling birth rate. Of concern to the government. Who will care for the elderly one of the concerns. China has a similar problem. Not enough female births. Result not enough women for marriage and child bearing. Caused by China limiting the number of children each couple might have.

Denmark has had a liberal sex policy for years. Sex education begins early in the school years. Birth control one of the items pushed. A contributing factor. Having unprotected sex at an appropriate time in life now being pushed also. Do your duty the cry. Do it for Denmark!

Enjoy your day!