POLITICAL JUNKIE DAY

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I am a political junkie. Today is a day made for me and others like me. Hillary Clinton testifies before the Benghazi sub-committee. All day and probably into the evening.

I have to squeeze the hearing in among other activities. The anti-gravity treadmill one hour into the hearing. Fortunately, there is a TV set attached to the treadmill. Then I have an appointment for a haircut. Need the haircut. Tonight, bocce. I might skip boce depending on how interesting the hearing is at six this evening.

Last night began with Don’s Place. Don and David. Don’s wife Stephanie stopped by.

Don and I left to have dinner. Don wanted to go to La Te Da. I had been there two nights before. Why not. I could enjoy crispy duck again.

The outdoor bar and restaurant were very busy. Two evenings earlier, dead. Things always pick up all over Key West thursday evenings.

We had a good time.

Tonto bartending. She and Don friends from way back. Olga came running to the outdoor bar from the restaurant. Olga from Roostica. Turns out she also waits tables at La Te Da. I was the recipient of a big hug.

The duck was excellent. The people at the bar typical Key West friendly. We stayed quite a while.

The Catholic Church is at war. I love it. Things are getting hot at the Synod. The German bishops and the U.S. bishops are at odds over divorced persons being permitted to take communion. The Germans favor it. A change in church law would be required. The U.S. bishops want the law to be left as is.

My Church has to open the windows and let fresh air in.

The present no communion for divorced persons  rule is a man made law. Nowhere does the Bible say it. What the Germans want to do is provide a different more liberal interpretation.

There is intrigue at this Synod. I am confident one or more books will be written about the behind the scene shenanigans at some point.

I am disappointed Joe Biden has decided not to run.

I got to know him back in the 1980s when I was Chairman of the Board of vVsitors at the Syracuse University Law School. Biden was a Syracuse law grad. Attended many law school events.  Watched also a few football and basketball games from my Carrier Dome box.

Biden would have made an excellent President. His many years as a Senator would have made it much easier for him to work with Congress than any of the other candidates running.

A good man lost to the country.

My KONK Life column this week Lincoln the Man has been linked to my Key West Lou website. keywestlou.com.

Bocce tonight. We need three wins.

Enjoy your day!

DEM DEBATE KUMBAYA

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If the quality of the debate was the deciding factor between the Republicans and Democrats, the Democrats would win going away.

Last night was a for real political debate. Not dominated by showman Donald Trump. Issues actually discussed. Everyone at ease and kumbaya.

Hillary was great! I was impressed! She handled the debate well. Sounded and appeared Presidential.

Bernie Sanders likewise impressive. Bernie has a problem, however. Revolution. He speaks of it too much. Actual and political become mixed. His thoughts generally appealing. However, he is not Presidential timber from my perspective. Not even Vice-Presidential. His place is in the Senate where he would be capable of carrying on the fight.

Friend Howard Livingston and his Mile Marker 24 band out with a new CD. Sell Your Stuff Keep The Dog Live On An Island. I look forward to listening to it. Howard is the greatest! Personally and professionally.

Spent a bit of time yesterday afternoon fine tuning last night’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Confusion and chaos my opening theme. Confusion and chaos in the Republican Party and at the Synod in Rome.

Did some reading. Re the Catholic Church Bishops Synod and the issues and pressures involved. Interesting. Pope Francis has his hands full with the dogmatic old timers.

Per my usual tuesday custom, dinner at Roostica. Olga waited on me. Lovely. From one of the former Soviet Union countries.

Everyone going south! Not just people. Hawks and Monarch butterflies. In recent days, both have been seen over Key West in large numbers. The hawks going south, the butterflies to Mexico.

Beer is big money! Anheuser Busch and Miller #s 1 and 2 in beer sales. Two giants. They merged in effect. A friendly takeover. Anheuser Busch bought Miller for $106 billion.

Enjoy your day!

 

CROCODILE GONE?????

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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!

 

 

POPE FRANCIS ARRIVES

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Pope Francis’ plane lands late this afternoon in Washington. He meets tomorrow morning with President Obama.

As a Catholic, I am pleased the head of my Church is meeting with the head of my country. Note however that I am a fallen away Catholic. Once a Catholic always a Catholic, however. The nuns drove Catholicism into our heads!

Francis is impressive. He stands for change. Matters such as a welcoming approach to gays, cohabiting couples and divorced Catholics. He believes in global warming and the need to do something about it.

Many in the Catholic Church oppose the changes he recommends. The division is obvious.

A synod is a meeting of Bishops to deal with Church affairs. The last Synod was in October 2014. The next October 4-25 in Rome. Many bishops opposed him at the last Synod. It is expected they will again at the October one. They consider the changes the Pope wishes to implement heresy.

There also are lay persons in the United States who oppose the Pope’s recommended changes. Many sit in the U.S. Congress. They view the Pope as a politician and feel he is fair game to take on. Perhaps exhibiting disrespect, also. I hope not. However, respect has become a waning virtue in the U.S.

My day started on the anti-gravity treadmill yesterday. Then a stop at the Marriott Beachside to read the newspapers. Followed by a too heavy lunch at 5 Guys.

I need a new pair of sneaks. My recollection was there was a sneak store at the Winn-Dixie Shopping Center. No more. Still need sneaks.

Spent the afternoon researching for tonight’s blog talk radio show. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. Join me for a fast moving interesting half hour of political and social commentary.

Topics tonight include a recent study indicating 75 percent of Americans consider their government corrupt, Afghan sex slaves, generic drug rip offs, an imminent Saudi Arabia crucifixion, comment re this week’s KONK Life column U.S. War Ready?, Pope Francis and U.S. Representatives, Trump immortalized in a painting done with unusual type paint, and more.

I mentioned yesterday that Poker Run appeared to be highly successful. Since that time I have heard rumblings to the contrary. I am interested in what the Citizen will report.

Had dinner last night at Salute’s. A long time since I dined there. Sat outside. Devoured a tasty piece of grouper.

My companion was Nancy Miracle. First time I met her. She authored a biography of Marilyn Monroe a couple of years ago titled From Sardi’s To Sicily. She gave me a copy. It is on my reading list.

Ran into old friends at Salute’s. Bob from Sugarloaf. At least three years since we last saw each other. Bob was a successful television producer in his other life. Ran into John. John has hosted at most of the upscale restaurants in Key West.

Key West loves Harry Truman. Truman loved Key West. He vacationed in Key West 175 days over 11 visits.

Truman visited Great Britain  in 1956. The London Daily Telegraph wrote following Truman’s visit re Truman: “The Living and kicking symbol of everything everyone likes best about America.”

Enjoy your day!