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Friday February 29, 2008

[Zero programs for gifted kids] Yesterday’s writer didn’t explain his politically correct definition of gifted kids. Does he mean smart “gifted” or stupid “gifted”?

[Science is not fact] Only the truly faithful could make such an asinine statement.

[Here’s a shocker] 1 out of every 100 American adults are in jail! That cost us $49 billion last year.

[Bridge project to Pigeon Key] $34 million, are you kidding? I could build a new island for that. Whose brother-in-law is the contractor?  How many millions will their sewage system cost?  Monroe County is going nuts!

Hey Ed, forget the Key West Citizen. If they don't want to play ball why don't you have a bunch of bumper stickers made up for your site. They seem to be an effective way to get attention and it will probably cost less. Just a thought. Thanks for the great site!

It will be impossible to find any nexus between the Iraq war and the price of oil.  The oil market price is largely controlled by OPEC. That fact should scare the pants off of every single American and should generate a ground swell of public demand that we begin to exploit our own ample petro reserves.  Some attempt to blame the cost of gasoline on the Iraq war.  Damn it folks, just think about it, we won!  We could have seized all the damned oil in that country.  We didn’t, we now receive only a tiny fraction of our imported oil from Iraq.

I’m confused and bewildered that the poster is critical of the invasion, especially in view of the fact that the Saddam regime was the apex of corruption, repression, torture, murder of innocents, invader of neighbors, rape, killer of infants, users of WMD. This horror had to be ended.  Who was to end it?  To paraphrase the poster “if not us, then who”?  I understand that it may cause you political consternation that we are prevailing in the conflict.  None the less, I sincerely hope that you do not long for a return of Saddam’s predations, for had we not interceded, he would still be in power.  It grieves me that my conservative beliefs and postings cause distress to this liberally enamored poster who espouses liberal (please excuse the labels) shibboleths.  I commend the erudite poster for having the courage of his beliefs, and for speaking out in support thereof.  However, it is a shame that an intelligent voice such as his can be so misguided.  Respectfully, I suggest that the poster spend a little time with the National Review.  Yesterday our nation lost a great thinker, Bill Buckley. RIP.

What an uninformed diatribe against evolution.  Face it, evolution is not a theory, it is a fact.  The fossil record supports it, and now DNA evidence backs it up.  All of us animals and plants are descended from a single DNA-type molecule (capable of self-replication) that formed in the earth's primordial soup some five billion years ago.  If you go back far enough, we all have common ancestors.  People who argue against evolution are probably card-carrying member of the Flat Earth Society as well.

[2. Union rules prevent teachers who want to go the extra mile in helping kids from doing anything.  Stipends and supplements are required for anyone who performs any action outside the strictly defined union guidelines] There is no union contract stipulation in Monroe County that prevents a teacher who wants to go the extra mile.  If the teacher is asked by the administration to do extra work, then the teacher is to be paid.  You can go to the union website and read the contract yourself at http://www.utmonline.org/Final%20Teacher%20Contract%202007-2008.pdf

Otherwise your observations were spot on. 

[Here's the reality check] Monroe County total registered voters (all parties): active 50,302, inactive 12,000.  Registered republicans: active 19,059, inactive 3,757.  Total registered democrats: active 17,808, inactive 3,767.

Inactive: have not voted in a general (presidential) election in the last 8 years, or mail to you from the Board of Elections (BOE) was returned to the BOE (note BOE mail is not forwarded, so have you changed your mailing address?)  Want more info http://www.keys-elections.org/default.aspx

The only houses that have to install BAT (best available technology) septic systems are those in the “cold” areas--meaning never going to get sewer or have a plan to get sewer.  Big Pine has designated the cold and hot spots and that is a plan by 2010 which means that an interim system is ok--only if you are in the hot spot (eventually going to get sewer even if it means 2020). See the ruling from the Monroe County Health department Rule 64E-6.0181 (3).  Go to the health department and see the map of Big Pine to see if you are in an area going to get sewer or not and they will tell you if you are in a hot zone you will get sewer and only need an interim system; and yes, you will have to cut off the system when they finally actually install the central sewer, whenever they get the money to install.  And yes, you will have to pay the same hook-up as your neighbors but you may not be fined in the interim!

Find out for real by talking to the health department environmental specialist.  Everyone with the cesspits and old septic systems with a drain field better go ask and find out cause the fines are going to be steep even if its a couple of years.  Many of you may all ready have what will qualify for an interim system.  You know the government cannot go from scratch now, the first quarter of 2008, and have the sewers installed by July 2010, heck they will still be arguing where to put all the facilities for Eden Pines, Port Pine Heights, Doctors Arm and those located along US route 1.  It has them really scratching their heads where to put everything cause the land behind Scotty’s may not be big enough for the system for all the places close to and on US 1. Then I guess the Key Deer refuge is going to give them enough land for the rest of us--not!  It is going to get very interesting where the systems for Big Pine are going to be built; we are so stretched out here, heck we might end up having to pump everything to another Key. 

I have not the slightest notion but, they have to come up with something or do they? Can they change the rules in the middle of play, we will all find out.  After talking to the specialist (the real authority), do what suits your situation.  The one thing that I keep in mind is that the designation as an area of Critical State Concern makes us play by a whole new set of rules and I'm just trying to stay inside some very murky lines. Ignoring this whole ball of crap just isn't going to work this time around.

[Got Cats?]  Needed, un-spayed, un-neutered cats to go on a one day field trip to the vet.  When they get back home, they will be running in the modified class and will have had their shots.  Please let me the location of any outdoor kitties in your neighborhood and I will come and pick them up. Phone: 745-7457.

[KW Citizen stifles competition] The boneheads at the Citizen will not even make a free online version available to ex-keysers. So I go to the Coconut Telegraph and Keynoter online to find out what is going on in the keys. Call Larry Kahn at the Keynoter and get an ad from him. He is a righteous dude for a liberal.

[Education] The poster who addressed our public education system absolutely nailed it.  Most teachers are indeed dedicated and capable, but we, the voting public, have sold out our kids to the interests of the educational unions and the politicos that pander in order to receive union support.  We have permitted our schools to be warehouses for children while parents work.  The unions concern themselves with teacher benefits and work rules, thus the students’ needs are abrogated. Liberal speak is the dialect du jour.  Is a “gifted” child a child blessed with superior intellect, or is the child lacking intellect?  Many schools are abandoning grading so as not to “embarrass” poor achievers.  Some school districts discourage competition so as not to “hurt” those who do not win. Some have actually done away with the Valedictorian and Salutatorian awards to avoid "hurting feelings". 

By embracing the Unions, the teachers have relegated their professional status to that of educated labor, working to the rule.  We have stuffed our schools with highly paid administrators that have no role in educating our children.  The unions and the administrators fail to ensure that the teachers have an appropriate and safe work place that is conducive to learning.  We should demand that our schools concentrate on providing a quality education and abandon the relatively new role as an instrument for social change.  Our children deserve an education and educators that will appropriately prepare them for life.

We should amply reward our educators, if and when the proof of their success is evident.  Can we agree that an unsafe physician should be barred from the practice of medicine, can we also agree that teachers who cannot deliver should not be teachers,  We desperately need real reform of the very ethos of our educational system, simply slathering the pig that it’s become with cash, make up, and lipstick will not make it a beauty.

I was disappointed with both the Key West Citizen Editor and its writer, A. Crean, regarding the article about the 3 BOCC commissioners up for re-election.  Commissioner Sylvia Murphy is not one of "The Gang of Three".  The beginning of the article said she is. The end of the article--she is not, but is up for election.  The problem is, most people do not read anything all the way to the end. I talked to at least 5 people who thought Commissioner Murphy is a Gang of Three'er. I corrected their misunderstanding. but how many more out there?  The bigger point is that at all times, but even more crucial in election times, the press has to exemplify the 5 C's - be clear, complete, concise, correct, current.  Sloppy hurts, and it's irritating.

[Sewers and 2010 deadline] Can someone please point me to a government web site that explains the requirements I have to meet by 2010?  The only time I ever hear about replacing my septic system is on this board. 

A spoof video of the State's first palm tree removal. http://break.com/index/how-not-to-remove-a-tree.html

[4 million dollar park] I don't know if it cost 4 million or not but if there's going to be a good place for kids to be kids in a safe environment then I'm all for it. I have lived here most of my life and there's still nothing more for kids to do on this island than when my kids were growing up here 25 years ago.

[Rap "Music" is an oxymoron]  This is not music and the people who support this stuff should be made to go to music appreciation class.  There is no melody, there are no chords, there is no harmony but there is a hell of a lot of swearing and it is so incredibly repetitious, that if the CD was skipping, no one would ever know. If I need to lose neurons, I will listen to this crap.  PS your baseball hat is on crooked and I absolutely do not want to see your damn boxer shorts.  Get real.

Not surprising that you were stymied in your attempt to “compete” with The KW Citizen. But really, who are you trying to reach with your advertisement? Local Piners? Your ad in the News Barometer is very effective. Lower Keys locals? How about an ad on the radio. Tourists? Maybe put an ad in the various freebie magazines that cater to them. Truthfully, I kind of like BPK.com just the way it is--a forum by and for locals. But I know you got to get more “eyes on” your site so that your advertisers benefit.

[Something special for Leap Year] I'll be at work, will that be special enough?

[Citizen refuses ad from BPK.com] Talk about short-sighted!  Maybe you can offer to exchange links instead.  If you're that much competition it may appeal to them. 

To all concerned citizens and especially parents of the Keys, hear ye, hear ye, this I proclaim Protect the Children Day. You can do your part by going to this website, putting in Florida and your zip code and find out what, if any, sex offenders are on your street that you didn’t know about. It opened my eyes! http://www.familywatchdog.us/ShowMap.asp?frm=0

Sorry to see KeyLargoKey.com domain name up for sale as I said before the guy has balls but, someone is trying to silence him.  I hope they have lots of moola cause that site is worth the bucks!

Mr. Tom Willi (former County Administrator) hired our new fire chief and he sat on the board that fired our budget director who was a career service employee (fire chief was a probationary) employee, yet Mr. Willi appointed the fire chief to make a ruling and the end result was our budget director is without a job.

I wish people would quit equating the condition of the canals with the lack of a central sewer system. The canals appear much cleaner during the winter months when the population is about twice that of summer. Do you get it? More people should mean dirtier water. I'm thinking it's related more to the ability of warmer water to support the growth of the algae in the summer than a problem with our current waste system. Open the canals on both ends to keep the water from becoming stagnant if scuzzy canals are your issue, but don't blame the lack of central sewers. Prove to me that my septic system isn't working and I will be the first to replace it.

Is it true that if you cannot afford to pay for the sewage connection they will put a lean on your property, or make you sell out and move. Then who will get the property, the County, the State? 

[Change to Republican in order to vote in the August Primary to change 2 of our members of "The Gang of Three"] Why? If the Republican Party doesn't support The Gang of Three then they can vote for their change candidate in their Primary. Better yet, wait for the general election and vote for the Democratic candidate to stop the "Gang of Three" and break the stranglehold the Republican Party has on the County Commission.

[Money was put aside for park] Money was put aide for the BPK fire station too, but all the commissioners have to do is pass another law allowing them to use any monies they want. It’s one big “kitty” to them.

For those reading the pages of KeyLargoKey.com and other related pages I may have written: I would like to offer my sincere apologies for my poor grammar and possible miss-spelled words. Although I do have a high school diploma from 1965, grammar was one of my poorest subjects. I would hope the subject content overshadows my short comings. Off course there's always the Exit Page link. Exit Page link

Dunkin Donuts pulled their franchises down here because the local management mainly only employed illegals.  I say Bravo!  It's good to see a corporation standing up to illegal immigration, instead of employing them. 

[Bigpinekey.com tried to place an ad in the KW Citizen to get more visitors to the Coconut Telegraph] Ed, Not to worry. Just post this reply and all lovers of the Coconut Telegraph and its freedom of the press will gladly pass your site's link, WWW.BIGPINEKEY.COM, to everyone in our email address books who can benefit from it and enjoy it!  If there’s anything else we can do, let us know.

The Theory of Evolution posits that life evolves in a way to take best advantage of the circumstances in which the living being exists. A dog that wins a Kennel Club award may look pretty to a human judge but over bred dogs are notorious for suffering from debilitating diseases (another reason to get a mutt from the pound). It is a case of random characteristics giving an advantage that other members of the breed don't have in such abundance. Shaggy hair may look bad but it may provide a better chance at life on a cold windy plain. DNA suggests life may well be random and not created. If someone’s Supreme Being created life, why create life using DNA? That question is why religious believers fight Evolutionary Theory tooth and nail. It opens a door onto a dark eternal void--not a cloud with harp.

[Citizen won’t accept ad form BPK.com because they own all the media in the keys] So the big shots won't let you do the freedom of the press thing, huh? If you happen to have anything written from them concerning why they won't let you advertise, post it here in detail (best is a scanned in picture of the document) and it will, somehow, get to those who care and those who step on ants!

I hate to be a Doubting Thomas but I feel pretty certain that if we give the county commissioners the chance to raise our sales tax they will find a way to either extend the expiration date of the tax after the sewers are completed or they will rewrite the law to make it possible to use the tax for something else. As a home owner who has seen his property’s value quadruple in the last ten years I will add the $20,000 cost to the for sale price when I decide to sell. I feel the tax increase will affect every member of my family living in Monroe and all said and done will cost us more in the long run. No new taxes. I would rather pay for my own system hook up then to let the county get its hands deeper in my pockets. I will recoup the cost when I sell.

[Everybody, except our liberal candidates, hates any new taxes] I guess you don't want any liberals in Monroe County to support the 1% sales tax for wastewater, or else why would you insult them.

Key Largo Garden Cove Park coastal clean-up day. Saturday, March 8. Join us for a fun morning (9 am until 1 pm) collecting trash and litter from the shoreline of Monroe County’s most unappreciated park. It is our park, let’s treat it right! Meet us at 9 am at the east end of Garden Cove Drive (mile marker 106.5 ocean side) bring your gloves, closed-toe shoes, bug spray, plastic trash bags and a flotation jacket. Adult volunteers will need to sign a release of liability and volunteers under 18 years of age will need a release signed by their parents. Sponsored by Florida Keys chapter of the Isaac Walton League and Upper Keys Citizens Association. For more information call 305-451-0993. Bulletin Board

I wish people would quit equating the condition of the canals with the lack of a central sewer system. The canals appear much cleaner during the winter months when the population is about twice that of summer. Do you get it? More people should mean dirtier water. I'm thinking it's related more to the ability of warmer water to support the growth of the algae in the summer than a problem with our current waste system. Open the canals on both ends to keep the water from becoming stagnant if scuzzy canals are your issue, but don't blame the lack of central sewers. Prove to me that my septic system isn't working and I will be the first to replace it.

Now that we have the Pelicans protected from choking on fish carcasses, whatever shall we do about the 100 or so humans that die every year from hot dog carcasses?

With all this war and political crap going on, what ever happened to the AIDS epidemic? It seems nobody cares about that nasty stuff anymore when a quarter of the planet is dying from it and it isn't going away!

[Bigpinekey.com tried to place an ad in the KW Citizen. They said it was because they own keywest.com and floridakeys.com and we are competitors. That’s the problem with any one entity owning most of the media in an area—they can stifle competition. Cooke Communications owns just about all the major print and online media in the keys and they are stifling our ability to expand]

I feel your pain. I'm a small part owner of a TV station in Key West. We have to put up with Comcast wanting to get rid of us, and not allowing us to go public access. This limits our station to just going up to mm18 on cable channel 79. We'd be happy to advertise Bigpinekey.com on our station. Write to Mary Sparacio at msparacio@bellsouth.net

A museum curator and author says he found the Arc of the Covenant which held the chalice from the last supper. Weather he has it or not is moot because no one will ever believe him. Hell, some people believe the Twin towers were sabotaged by the US Government!

[Drill for 100’ bore hole for home waste water unit] What the hell are you talking about? You are describing a sink hole system, which if this is the case is a disaster to the environment just as drain fields or out houses. If these nitwitted bureaucrats are pushing anything but a true big city type, sucks it all in, sewage design, then it is a total con job so they can, in the future, make you do it all over again. On top of that, are we home owners supposed to house, maintain, and pay for individual pumping mechanisms on our properties?  This is ridicules if this is the case. It’s off to the Health Department for this local ASAP to find out the truth!

Do not open any message with an attachment entitled POSTCARD, regardless of who sent it to you. It is a virus which opens A postcard image, which 'burns' the whole hard disc (C) of your computer. This virus will be received from someone who has your e-mail address in his/her contact list. It is better to receive this message 25 times than to receive the virus and open it.

[Free Dog to good home] Excellent guard dog. Owner cannot afford to feed him anymore, as there are no more thieves, murderers, or molesters left in the neighborhood for him to eat. Most of them knew him as “Holy Shit!” GoodMorningKeyWest.com

[Evolution may be science but it certainly is not fact] With your kind if logic you give proof to that fact. Please cull yourself, please! 

My personal car insurance was a little higher this time around when I renewed as was my 2 neighbors. I think the Monroe County Commission should propose a 1 cent sales tax increase to help my neighbors and me with cost increases on our auto insurance. We get visitors to the Keys every single day. Because of these visitors my car is in greater danger or being hit by someone that isn’t insured. Its only fair that anyone that can hit my car should pay for the insurance. If the county and state requires me to have auto insurance and to keep it current and up to date then uninsured people should help pay the cost. I say yes to the 1 penny sales tax increase to help us all offset rising insurance rates. If anyone thinks that "it’s his car let him pay for it" he should look in the mirror and think "am I asking others to pay for my responsibilities?” Yes, to new taxes to pay for insurance increases.

[Sugarloaf Mini Mall] In response to several recent postings regarding the “alleged” illegal activities of that local Sugarloaf Realtor and warnings to Sugarloaf Residents of the impending construction of a mini mall at the corner of Sugarloaf Boulevard and US Hwy 1 on Lower Sugarloaf Key, the Realtor / Property Owner feels a response might be appropriate at this time.

Sugarloaf Residents need not worry about the construction of a mini mall or any other development on the subject property at this time.  Any development, other than what would be permitted “as of right”, would require public hearings in which neighborhood concerns would be heard, as was the case when the Bank wanted to purchase the property and relocate.  Neighbors were opposed and the Bank withdrew their application.  Aside from landscaping, there are no pending plans for development.

The Realtor / Property Owner has been working diligently, as time permitted, over the past 5 years to complete the removal of invasive exotic Brazilian Pepper trees that had infested the property, including the clearing of a 15’ wide driveway, permitted by the County, to access the site.  All work was performed and inspected under 4 separate County issued Land Clear Permits, including one for the driveway plus a fill permit issued in 2003 by Monroe County Public Works to facilitate access from the Boulevard to the property.  It has taken almost 5 years to complete the work because the County permits were conditioned upon “No mechanical machinery, all work to be done by hand”.  Only recently bringing in a Bobcat to remove uprooted, dead vegetation, as well as numerous piles of hurricane debris, which have been illegally dumped by local residents. As a result of anonymous complaints, both Code Enforcement and Growth Management have inspected the recent activity, to their satisfaction.  There were no violations.  The US Army Corps of Engineers have previously inspected the site as a result of another anonymous complaint and found no violation.

Contrary to previous postings, no mangroves have ever been trimmed or removed and no wetlands have ever been filled, other than by the original developer in the 1940’s when the site was previously developed.  Aerial photos dating back to the 1960’s confirm the historical condition of the property to be the same as it is today.

A recent Vegetation Survey shows that these permitted clearing activities have left the parcel with a mixture of non-native landscape plants and native hardwood species in an “open park like setting” with numerous threatened, endangered and regionally important native plant species. All native species have been listed, tagged and identified for maintenance and preservation by a locally licensed landscape contractor who presently has equipment parked on the property to use in this ongoing landscape activity. 

Here's a fair and balanced (that means I agree with it) report on Kosovo by Gen Mackenzie, CA Army. http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=Tk_SXcSZ9yg

[4 million dollar park. The money was put aside years ago] So was the money for the Bike Past, but that money was "expropriated for public use", why, because bicyclists are not big spenders like tourists and baseball freaks!

Here is another brainy Keys person who should keep his or her mouth shut. The prisoners who stood trial at Nuremberg were not prisoners of war but persons charged with war crimes. There is a big difference. Ed, instead of censoring the crap out of these replies, you should try to set these flaming buttholes on the right track.

FIRM will hold 3 town hall meetings next week in Marathon, Key West and Key Largo to alert Monroe County Residents about issues we are facing concerning the pending changes in windstorm insurance coverage affecting all of us.  One of the most critical issues facing legislators is the continued lack of equitable and affordable windstorm insurance coverage for residents throughout the state but in particular, residents of Monroe County.

We are in jeopardy of losing the roll back rates and protection that we have received from Citizens Ins Corp. The roll back rate we now have is not permanent.  We need all the help we can get from FIRM members and all residents and homeowners in Monroe County.  Come to the meetings and be informed on the issues so you can help FIRM fight for all of us.  This fight is ongoing and we have lot of work to do this year.  Come To The meetings.  We need financial contributions from all who can donate.  Go to our website FIRMkeys.org to donate

Monday March 3rd at 6:30 PM - Marathon High School,  Wednesday March 5th at 6:30 pm - Key West High School and Thursday  March 6th  at 6:30 pm - Coral Shores High School.
Bulletin Board

[Evolution is not science] Your post is so full of "fail" I hardly know where to begin. First you say leave the bible out of it, yet you conclude referencing the bible. Fail! Next you try to make some bizarre correlation between the 2nd law of thermodynamics and breeding cattle. Epic fail! Then you take off on some wild tangent about Planned Parenthood that has nothing to do with the subject matter. I think you forgot to take your meds at that point.

The basis of your argument (and I am being generous calling it that) seems to be that evolution is wrong because you don't see it happening, some dead women was a racist, cows are ugly and the bible says so.

I know you would never allow contrary ideas to enter your cranium but I am compelled to offer up references to refute the massive stupidity of your statements. A short article that addresses all your "points" and more: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-misconceptions.html

Please now go back to worshiping your invisible sky wizard and leave those who have evolved alone.

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Friday February 29, 2008

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Wednesday February 27, 2008

[Waste water project must be completed by 2010] Okay, we understand this schedule, but what if people: 1 Cannot afford the price. 2 Are not in the Keys to do this (snowbirds). 3 Cannot find a contractor to do the work in a timely fashion 4 Cannot get a permit to do it ourselves. 5 Cannot get an accurate copy of the approved specifications. 6 Cannot find anything to tell us how to go about installing an approved hook up? 7 What do we do to get rid of the old waste systems we have now? 

I just read the Taking of Big Pine and I can’t believe that we’re so out of control that we’re expected to pay about an extra hundred thousand dollars to the County to build a home on Big Pine (if we’re lucky enough to get a building permit). The_Taking_of_Big_Pine

[Does anyone know how to get rid of rats on a boat?]  Yes. I started making them bring their own beer, sandwiches, bait and tackle and chip in for the gas and they quit coming around!

The Casino boat is gone from the Saddlebunch Keys and now they’ve freed the 160’ yacht from the flats between Blue Fish and Calda Channels. It looks like that’s the last of the big boats that got beached from Hurricane Wilma in 2005.

[stinky yellow sponge]  Nuke it.  Put it in the microwave oven to kill the germs.  Be careful, it will be hot when you take it out.

In my opinion Paul Bates is the only one running for election to the Village of Islamorada that will protect the voter/taxpayer's interest.  The rest really have no platform and only say “trust me, I will do the right thing”.  Paul is very clear what he wants to get done, if elected. I hope to see all of you on March 2nd, at Coconut Cove Marina.

It appears that there are a few folks that don't like what we say on Keylargokey.com.  We merely tell the truth and try to enlighten citizens in this county about what's really happening. Unlike some of the other media, the KW Citizen, Bill Becker and others, we investigate both sides of an issue not just the side that is popular to the majority that they promote. We try to expose both sides so we can get to the real issues.  We make no income on this site and beckon to no one.  We do this as a public service and we are sorry if we jolt you sometimes with both sides of a story, normally they do have two.  Thanks for visiting. KeyLargoKey.com

The poster suggests that these prisoners should have been “shot in combat”.  C’mon this is a brutal conflict, but the taking of prisoners is humane, and murder of prisoners is not the American way.  Plus, let’s not forget that the prisoner may have precious intelligence. 

Someone in Key West is organizing a recall petition to add to our county laws. Right now there is no provision to recall the gang of three. I wish him the best of luck and want to know where I can sign it.

[Turning down the 1% sales tax] I thought "we the people" were going to get a chance to vote on this issue?

[price of cheese] Fear not, China will come up with a lead-based alternative imitation cheese to offset the balance.

How is it that our elected officials felt it was appropriate to build a four million dollar park on Big Pine Key (Sands Rd) instead of providing funds to our local fire department (they need four million too)?  If I had to choose between a brand new Little League Park or a well functioning fire department, I'd choose having emergency assistance available, especially given our remote location.  At the very least they could have appropriated 1/2 the money to the fire department and made improvements on the numerous existing parks on BPK.  After all, aren't most families moving North since insurance and property taxes are outrageous and now we have the sewer issue to look forward to? Ee-yi-ye-yi-yo, let's play ball, though!

Marathon just got 2.1 million dollars from the State for the damage caused to their fire house during Wilma. Hurray for Marathon!

[Back up your statements with facts] Let’s see, there was once a "widely held opinion" that the world was flat.  How'd that work out? Besides, you'd hate to have the facts get in the way of a good old made up conspiracy theory.  I know I would hate it if facts were messing up my thought process.

[Sales tax R.I.P.]  This reminds me of Key West 20 some years ago. They could have raised sales tax by ˝% and they said no way, no more taxes. And they voted it down.  Then their property tax bills came out and some went up 300%.  It turns out that it cost only the property owners and the people they rent to.  None of the tourists that use the infrastructure paid a penny. And guess what? Tourists pay more sales taxes than the locals do.  I guess some things never change. No new taxes.

[Naked Mole-Rat] So that's what I've been feeling!

[No mangroves by bridge] 30 years ago the old bridge was still there and the mangrove trees were so thick on both sides of the causeway you couldn't see the bays. I used to walk home from the school bus on Little Torch.

[Stinky yellow sponge] If you have an automatic dishwasher, run the sponge with the dishes. It works wonders. A little bit of bleach helps too.

Happiness is like a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you.  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

[Terrorists at Guantanamo] How many times do you have to be told that prisoners of war do not get due process? Much less terrorists who were not wearing a uniform. Do you have any idea how many German POW's were in the USA during WW2? If all those people were put through the US judicial system it would have cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. As it were, when the war was over, they were taken home. Do you know what happened to more than 100,000 German POW's in Soviet captivity? Only 5,000 returned home 10 years after the was over. The others were worked to death in Siberia. Do you know what happened to Americans in North Vietnamese captivity? Did you write letters to the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba then? These terrorists are getting treated a lot better than they deserve. As for shooting them on the battlefield, we don’t shoot an enemy after he has surrendered! 

This is how it’s supposed to end. Go get ‘em, momma! urban_justice

Sugarloaf residents had better wake up or before you know it a mini mall will be at Sugarloaf Blvd and US1. Look how it is being filled and cleared.

[Funny fake error page] It is not an Error Page, but using the error page layout. A very funny page! http://www.atheists.com/about.htm

[I read it on Bigpinekey.com, it must be true] Finding the truth about a blog statement of any given subject is very difficult.  The hate in America has grown into a very bitter deity, simply because most do not want their little bubble broken to let reality in. This is what is killing America, the lies, the spin of facts to sell a product or idea, the dogma to control the sheep. We are in deep shit and are too afraid to make waves.  The bad guys got us by the short hairs!

You folks who blindly reject all tax increases are going to rue the loss of the possibility of the latest penny sales tax boost to pay for our sewers. But you're probably not totally invested in this area anyway.

[Yellow sponge stinking]  If you thoroughly rinse it in cold water at the end of the day, it will not stink the next morning.  I know it is hard to believe, but just try it.  This also works with wash rags. 

I too will jump on the Dr. Freund bandwagon. I have been using Chiropractic treatment to help my body since I was 18 years old. I have been to several Chiropractic doctors, some great, some good, and some just bad money-sucking wannabes. Dr. Freund is a no nonsense old school Chiropractor who charges very reasonable fees. Everything else said about him here is true. Help support a local Dr. here for 30 years. We have lost a lot and when our caregivers are gone then where will we be? I hope this helps someone's back.

Michael Reckwerdt has the same plans for his marina in Islamorada but wants to keep it secret. Although he is running for re-election in Islamorada he spends almost all of his time in Key West, while working on building condo's and doing away with the shrimp boats. Probably half of the buildings and live aboard boats at Robbie’s Marina on Lower Matecumbe Key are built without permits. As councilman he does not have to abide by the same rules that everybody else has to live by. Why has the code enforcement failed to visit his marina?

Reckwerdt’s political opponent in the upcoming village elections is Ron Levy. Levy has criticized Reckwerdt’s involvement in this shady deal and would you believe Reckwerdt's response  "Working waterfront in Islamorada is different." he said, "There's restaurants.  There are little mechanic shops. We don't have a shrimp fleet here."  I guess he forgot about the lobster and stone crab fishing fleet that goes out of the Sojourn docks, three miles from his house and Marina that has been leased by commercial fisherman for over 20 years.  Or maybe he wants to get rid of them, before he goes public with his plan to convert "Robbie's Marina" in Islamorada to a condo with a dock for your personal yacht. He also forgets that the beach across the street, is the only turtle nesting place in the Village of Islamorada, or maybe he does not care. Michael Reckwerdt has a problem remembering back 20 years in Islamorada, because he was a wild driver, involved in many traffic events, and wants to wipe his memory clean. ~flkeybob@terranova.net

Dr. Norman is a quack. ~bobshore1@cox.net

[Don't pee on my leg] I have installed an interim waste system and just why should I pay a damn cent more? The increase in sales tax or gas tax: once you give it to the county they will only want more, more, more!  This county has seen the 2010 deadline years ago and doesn't even have a plan for Big Pine Key. I'd rather give my money to good, honest, hard working Piners than pay the damn government a cent in fines. Instead of using the tax revenue to plan and install a system the local government will just go and buy restaurant property or sink another 5 million in an old ship. 

I have a permit from the county to operate my wastewater system that runs in 2 year time spans, then they inspect it again and give me another 2 year permit.  My goodness, this thing is awesome and works like a miniature wastewater treatment plant.  Do not let yourself be in the position to let the county take your home and fine you till you are homeless.  Do what has been mandated and follow the law and you can relax and enjoy life.  When the sewer is finally put in, if we ever get one at all, you just ditch the interim system and hook up to the new one.  It is the law and if you are able, you have to follow the law.  People are quoting all sorts of crazy prices for the system and my suggestion is not to listen to garbage on your sewer, but talk to any of the local (Big Pine) installers and find out exactly what it will cost for your system. You might see how installing one will save you worry, headaches and clean up our canals.

Never put an egg in the shell in the microwave to cook it. Splat! And then you can't get it off the insides because it cooks on the walls.

[Ignoring a widely held opinion or belief because the poster didn’t include chapter and verse] In other words, "I know what I believe, don't confuse me with facts".

[You sound like you are paranoid]  Once you get a virus, or hacked, or have some other computer malady befall you for the first time, you go through a spell of dread at every hiccup for a while, but it will pass.

Yesterday, Sandra Downs spoke with Assistant State Attorney Cathy Vogel about the abduction of five teenage boys by Monroe County Sheriff Deputies. One of the boys was Sandy’s son, Preston. They were taken from school and/or their homes and hauled in Deputy Sheriff vehicles to jail and held incommunicado in the adult population for most of the day, with no phone calls to their parents to let them know where their sons were, until it was decided by the Sheriff’s Office to tell the parents. These arrests and abductions were made without warrants, over the objections, in some cases, Sandy being one of the cases, of the parents. Sandy kept asking the five deputies who came to her home that morning in three squad cars, as she was cooking breakfast, and snatched Preston out from under her, where was their warrant? Show the warrant? They said they had a warrant, but they did not show it. They did not have a warrant. A warrant was never produced. There never was a warrant. GoodMorningKeyWest.com

[Why we should separate Church from State] An Israeli Member of Parliament has blamed a spate of earthquakes in the Middle East on gays. Shlomo Benizri, of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Shas party, said the tremors could be stopped by repealing liberal laws on homosexuality. Six earthquakes have struck Israel and neighboring Lebanon and Jordan in recent months, with two coming last week alone. Israel decriminalized homosexuality in 1988 and has since recognized same-sex marriages. To the outrage of the religious right, it last week enabled same-sex couples to adopt children. Mr Benizri believes it's no coincidence that the first of the recent quakes hit the country just two days later. "Why do earthquakes happen? One of the reasons is the things to which the Knesset gives legitimacy, to sodomy," he said during a parliamentary debate. "God says you shake your genitals where you are not supposed to and I will shake my world in order to wake you up," he added.

Has anyone heard if Capt David from All Keys Canvas got selected for the Jeopardy TV show?

[Fish carcasses harmful to pelicans] That picture was worth a thousand words, it also makes it easier on those who read but don't comprehend.

The concrete block building on the TIB bank corner was the $100,000 affordable housing years ago.

[Ultra-Conservative Writer]  Just ignore him like I do.  He has a very narrow view of the world and has been in denial ever since he first stated posting on this web site.  You may also recognize him as the mathematician and the accounting genius.

[E-tickets only--starting June 1] Paper is a luxury airlines can't afford any more. With the demise of paper tickets, passengers will get e-tickets. Customers who don't have computers or printers can use ticketing kiosks, such as these at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif.

Someone else agrees that the environmental wackos are bringing this nation to its knees. So what can we do besides voting Republican to get drilling in Anwar?  We need tons more oil before we can begin to switch over to other methods that haven't even been invented yet, let alone are in production.  I also think we should "be nice" to our neighbors up North. Canada is sitting on a yet unmeasured vast vat of oil--Hello Neighbor!  I'd sure rather give them the money than the damn Muslims that want to rule or at the least, kill us all.

When I first moved to Big Pine Key I found that there were only two kinds of women--those who were already taken, and those nobody wanted.  Some things change, some stay the same!

The kitchen sponge trick that works for me. Rule number 1, never let food get on the sponge. Buy one of those plastic brushes and rinse all the food off your dishes before washing. Then use the sponge with dish soap to clean your dishes. When you’re done, squeeze the sponge out firmly and place it where it can dry. No moisture, no food, no bacteria. The only thing your sponge ever sees is clean dish soap. I completely wear out my sponges before they ever smell bad. The power of the brush!

[Big Pine Barbie] This pale model comes dressed in her own Wrangler jeans two sizes too  small, a NASCAR t-shirt and tweety bird tattoo on her shoulder. She has a six-pack of Bud Light and a Hank Williams Jr. CD set. She can spit over 5 feet and kick mullet-haired Ken's  butt when she is drunk. Purchase her pickup truck separately and get a confederate flag  bumper sticker absolutely free.

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Wednesday February 27, 2008

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Tuesday February 26, 2008

The US prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were taken to the US military base to circumvent due process. The Bush administration argued that by taking them to Guantanamo they were exempt from US due process requirements. That consideration alone seems profoundly illegal to me. Guantanamo Bay is a US military base by a legal treaty that even Cuba does not deny. It’s as much US territory as Boca Chica NAS or any other US base worldwide.

As to the crimes committed in Afghanistan. It is wrong to assume my position on the war. It is my belief that were the prisoners at Guantanamo caught on the field of battle they would have been and should have been shot in combat. It is my belief that the US invasion of Afghanistan was legal and justified as retaliation for 9/11 (Iraq most definitely was not). My concern is that by allowing the US to deny legal due process we are giving our government the right, by default, to ignore our constitution and our laws. That bothers me a lot more than simply the rights of a few hundred (275, are you sure?) Afghani peasants caught in the muddle of war. If they are guilty of attacking the US let's hear all about it in open court per the 6th Amendment. My neighbors are constantly expressing fear of the government, disdain for the government and a general lack of respect for our government over such things as taxes and education. Should we not therefore hold our government to the highest moral standards in the matter of upholding the law and our civil rights?

Even if you disagree and want to permit the US government to openly torture people (Afghans today, tomorrow you and me) can we agree to differ and move on to trashing the gang of three?

I use the yellow kitchen sponge with the green scouring pad on the back, but it stinks! Phew! I try to leave it in a bowl filled with water, but my mate keeps taking it out and puts it on the edge of the sink where the bacteria grows and makes it stink more. Is there another dual purpose sponge that I can get that doesn’t stink?

There is a very bright ultra-conservative writer here who I find fascinating except for his penchant for negating anything that isn’t fully corroborated. Sir, this is not a court of law, it’s the goddamned internet! Ignoring a widely held opinion or belief because the poster didn’t include chapter and verse is a bit shallow even from the extreme-right.

[Boo hoo] How can I make a yellow onion more mild? I find that putting slices of fresh yellow onion in salads or on sandwiches is much too sharp. If I slice the onions and leave them on the counter for a couple of hours does that make them milder? I know it stinks up the whole kitchen. How about if I left them in water for an hour or so?

[Your County at work] If you renew your vehicle registration by phone, mail or online there is a $2.50 penalty. If you renew in person there is no penalty. Does that make sense; to penalize us for renewing by automated means that cost’s the County nothing? It seems they prefer that we show up in person and take up an employee’s time.

Our energy supplies are at peril.  You can’t think of energy without thinking of petroleum.  Petroleum is absolutely vital to every facet of our lives.  It is a major factor in the pricing of everything you touch.  Petroleum prices have skyrocketed--gone through the roof.  You know what your gasoline costs, but remember that the price of petroleum is a significant component of literally everything about you.  Did you know that we must import more than 60% of all of the petroleum we use?  Are you aware that that lions share of those imports come from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Mexico, and Nigeria.  What do you think folks, are these nations “Pals” of the old Red White and Blue?  O.K. who sets these oil prices, and how can they get away with setting them so damned high?  Easy answer:  OPEC (Oil Producing and Exporting Countries), in large measure, is the price setter.  Again, are these countries our pals?  Do you suppose that they take joy in screwing us?  How in the name of everything that’s Holy, did we get into this mess?  Why on earth do we rely on places like Saudi Arabia for the very life blood of our society?

It’s tragic, and it's dumb as hell, but we have permitted liberal politicians who bow to every whim of the environmentalist political machine to ban us from gaining access to the abundant petroleum reserves that are off our shores and on our lands. Conservation and alternate schemes are just freaking dandy, but for the near future, we need oil--lots of it.  One last question: are these liberal politicos who are pocket change to the environmentalist machine Democrat or Republican?  There’s a lot more to say, maybe more tomorrow on health care or schooling or immigration.

That nasty tax that the BOCC nixed would have insured that the country waste water project could have been completed nearly on time.  Now, it looks like we’re going to be really late.  That nasty tax could have ensured that everyone who has an operational alimentary and urine producing system, by that I mean that’s any one who poops or pees on our islands, and anyone who spend a dime in our county would have had to pay.  But now dear friends, it looks like that option might be flushed.  Thank you so much Gang of Three, once again you’ve proved your disdain for your constituency.  Perhaps I’ll stand behind my beliefs and pee on your leg(s).  Maybe, just maybe, the tax might not be dead.  You rock Lazarus!

I've seen considerable negative writing about Masonry. I admit it is probably all propaganda similar to Hitler’s propaganda in 1920-30's. It seems stupid or ignorant for someone to spread propaganda about something they know absolutely nothing about. Has America grown so stupid to spread lies and untruths?

[Are we really sure that feeding fish carcasses to the pelicans is harmful] Yes. Feeding them fish carcasses can be harmful and even deadly. Brown pelicans should also never be fed. Many pelicans die by eating cleaned fish carcasses when protruding bones become wedged in their throats. The nutritional value of fish carcasses is low. Repeated feeding may also condition pelicans to chase items thrown into the water, such as fishing lures, which can cause serious injuries.  http://myfwc.com/critters/birds.htm  

Please also do not throw your fish heads and carcasses in the canals. Every key has trash service. They stink up the canals and we end up cleaning them up from the boat ramp near us to keep the flies from taking over. Yuck!

The North America Shriners have 22 orthopedic hospitals scattered throughout north America. 3 burn units also exist for any severely burned person free of charge including transportation. Most signers of our Declaration of Independence were Freemasons. To my knowledge, no MCSO deputy exists who is a Mason.

[There's a rule at BOCC meetings] There's only one rule and that’s that the rulers rule and the peasants obey!

The best chiropractor in the keys (and cheap too). Dr Freund is next to McDonald's in Marathon. 743-5507

[Coconuts Celebrates 25 Years] I have to give hearty congratulations to Joe and the Nut's gang, I was there when it first opened. I was forty years old then, now I'm 65 and not have been there in ten years, I sure miss it. The fights I had, the women I hooked up with, and the good times. I wish you another 25 and more.

[Fish carcasses harmful to pelicans]   Filleted fish carcasses!  The sharp pointy exposed bones get caught on the pouch or in the throat making it impossible for the bird to shake it loose or swallow it. Filleted fish carcasses also form a gridlock causing the sharp bones to puncture the stomach and rupture vital organs. If you still don't believe, ask any of the wildlife rescue people who deal with this tragedy too often.

[Get a referendum on the ballot to have a recall ordinance] It may take 10% of signed petitions of Monroe County Citizens, over a set period of time to get a referendum on the ballot. Write to our present Commissioners or write to our House of Representative Ron Saunders and ask him to sponsor legislation to get it on the ballot. I am supporting a new candidate that just threw her hat into the ring. Kim Wigington is her name. She is running against Commissioner Dixie Spehar. She needs contributions and support in this race. Spehar needs to go along with Commissioner Sonny McCoy. It is up to us to get out and vote, educate yourself and make the right choice, if not we deserve what we get.

This little animal really exists!  It's called a Naked Mole-Rat, from Africa. So if you are having a bad day and feeling sorry for yourself remember that going through life is hard enough, but to go through life looking like a dick with buck teeth must be horrible.

[W/D Robert Sighting] I heard he has a high position with Publix in the Vero Beach area. We wish the best for him and hope we can sight him ourselves.

If Cuba opens Key West is dead. I think this is a given. No one in their right mind will drive or fly into KW to hop a ferry or to fly to Cuba.  The Keys will turn into a waste land of cheap carnivals and last ditch businesses with lower and lower business tactics. Housing will go to the rich and only basic services for them will be the jobs available.  The Keys might even turn into a gated stretch of islands, all privately owned!  So much for Paradise.

Does anyone else remember 30 years ago when there were no mangroves along the highway between Big Pine & Little Torch Key overlooking Pine Channel? They are now so thick you almost can’t see the water. It’s probably time to put them on the endangered habitat list.

[Globalization’s downside] I was talking to someone at 2 for 20 pizza and was surprised when she told me that the price of cheese had doubled recently and they received notice that it is going up again! She said it is because the major American pizza chains are expanding at a fantastic rate into China. This rapid expansion has increased demand tremendously and is straining America’s cheese production. Supply and demand.

[Feeding fish carcasses to the pelicans can be fatal] This is how it was explained to me by a Vet who specializes in exotics. Any animal that doesn't chew its food decides what it will try to swallow based on weight or size. The fish they can catch and eat on their own have very small skeletons. Simply put, if they eat the head or carcass of a 10 pound fish, (something they normally couldn't catch or swallow) the bones are to large to digest in the amount of time it takes to pass them through. Ouch! Dead bird. Only feed them little scraps with very small bones, unless you don't like pelicans. Please remember that they can't chew.

Someone wrote a letter to the Citizen griping about evolution being taught in science class. She quoted the bible as though it were science. Lady, evolution is science. It has been proven beyond a doubt unless, of course, you believe in the immaculate conception in which case you’re in La La land and can’t think rationally.

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Tuesday February 26, 2008

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Sunday February 24, 2008

[Book Signing and Wine Tasting] “Bucket of Strangers” by Frank J. Basham & Wine Tasting featuring Big Pecker Wines. Sunday, March 2 from 3-6 pm at Parrotdise Waterfront Bar & Grille - Barry Ave on Little Torch Key. Open to the public. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be served.  A portion of the book sales benefit Habitat for Humanity of Key West & Lower Florida Keys.  Bulletin Board

I told Bill Becker that this case is enormous. Major crimes were committed by the Sheriff’s and State Attorney’s Offices. I said it’s important for Bill and other journalists to dig into this, because we are electing a new Sheriff and State Attorney this year. One of the sheriff candidates, Bob Peryam, is a Captain in the Sheriff’s Office. His law enforcement education credentials are suspect. His moral behavior as a law enforcement officer is suspect. His wife, Cindy, was head of Internal Affairs when Sandy Downs went to her armed with a mountain of documents and a tape recording of a Sheriff’s detective threatening a teenager and his friends, especially Preston, with prison or death, if the teenager did not make up something that made his friends, especially Preston, criminals. Cindy Peryam declined to investigate. She still is head of Internal Affairs. If Bob Peryam is elected Sheriff this case will never be solved and the ones responsible brought to justice. Nor will a much needed general housecleaning in the Sheriff’s and State Attorney’s Offices occur.  GoodMorningKeyWest.com

Why do some people in Monroe County think that stray cats, rats, and iguanas should be protected?    Who gives the anti-hunting people the right to transplant them?  I interpreted the Florida Fish and Game rules that these critters are not protected. 

If you live on a canal, get a live trap and attach one or two diving weights and a short rope.  Try baiting with lettuce and other vegetables for iguanas, and canned cat food for other critters.  Check the traps every morning and drown the critters. If you live in a less residential area where it would be safe to shoot, a 22 rifle makes very little sound if you don’t put the barrel out the window.   Another suggestion is a pellet rifle without rifling (without rifling, it can’t be traced).

I am a little right of center. I must say that I have never voted a straight ticket. I have all ways found folks in both parties as well as Independents worthy of my vote. I will support who ever our country picks as my President. That being said we need change in health care, schooling and how we power this great and busy country and who our country lets in and allows to stay. The bus that was hit by a woman, killing 4 kids and sending over 20 to the hospital was driven by a person who should not have been here. I don’t know where I am going with this. It just hurts so much to think of the mess we are in.

We know why the Cuban government is holding it's prisoners of conscience and we know all 230 of them should be freed and allowed to express their opinions.

We have no idea why the 400 plus prisoners in Guantanamo are being held. If there are criminal charges against them they have the right to face their accusers and get legal counsel. Why is that too much to ask in our country where everyone gets the right to have their say in open court?

We Americans love to shout out support for the Second Amendment, because we want our government to respect our rights. Let's hear it for the Fourth and Sixth Amendments too.  The prisoners in Guantanamo should be brought to the US, and tried publicly for their crimes. Not held five years, cut off from all the apparatus of legal protection. This is the US Government we're talking about, not some two bit dictator in Havana!

What the heck is going on at the corner of Gumbo Limbo St and Kyle in Port Pine Heights? There are cars parked on a ROGO lot and a broken down car with Big Pine Sucks written on it. If it sucks move! It looks like a mess. Then there is the Landscaper on Dryer and Kyle that thinks the ROGO lots are his private parking lot for his trucks. I wouldn't care, but I can't breath the wrong way and someone is up my butt. How is anyone going to sell their house if the neighborhood looks so nasty?

[The Masons] You want to know what they do.  One thing they do is they raise money for children whose families cannot afford proper treatment as they have some dozen hospitals scattered across America.  They also give free ID cards for your children.  You also get a short DVD for the rare case your child becomes missing or abducted.  They also held a children's fishing day at the White St. pier.  All you had to do was show up; they gave you a free fishing pole with bait. Free drinks were also available.  The pole was yours to keep as everything was donated.  I am not a Mason, but as a business owner I donate money and goods to this organization.  Paraphrasing that Jack Nicholson quote “Go sell crazy somewhere else”.

Have you ever done it in the back seat of your car? KeyLargoKey.com

[Prisoners of War] Guantanamo.  A poster laments the detention of prisoners in Gitmo, and keens that they are being denied American due process.  I note that the poster does not speak out against the acts that landed them in Gitmo.   I note that the poster does not lament the death and maiming of our troops that brought these Jihadists to custody.  These prisoners, in general, are not being charged with committing any crimes, their hostile acts against Americans were not committed on American soil, they were/are warriors, soldiers, engaged in war.  These persons are prisoners of war.  These prisoners are being treated humanely and most have already been released.  It’s worth noting that some have been recaptured while they were trying to kill Americans in battle.  I can recall no major military action that did not result in the taking of prisoners.  Prisoner combatants routinely remain in custody until the cessation of hostilities.  Ask John McCain.   A sure way for their masters to gain their release would be to cease jihad activities.  The poster is wrong--flat wrong--on his facts. 

Currently there are about 275 detainees not 400 plus as claimed by the poster.  The poster is flat wrong when he says that the public is denied knowledge concerning the prisoners.  That information is readily available on line, don’t believe me, check it out, there’s a lot to learn.  The poster is flat wrong when he claims that detainees are denied legal counsel, Gitmo is up to it’s chevrons with lawyers anxious to get publicity by representing detainees.

[Simply put I just want my back cracked]  Just take a ride on a dive boat in heavy weather, that'll do it!

A huge Kudos should be given to the County Comm for turning down the increase in the sales tax. Everyone who wanted to give the County more of their money, I suggest you put some of your own income in an envelope and send it to the county as a donation. That option you wanted is still wide open. Stand behind your beliefs.

Someone posted "I lost friends on 9/11 and I blame you liberals as much as I blame the militants". That’s okay because I blame you neo cons for over 3,000 American troops that died in Iraq which had nothing to do with 9/11.

Just the other day it was posted that Obama should be very careful, because bad things happen to those who clash with the Clintons.  Check out this headline: Dallas Star Telegram found on Friday mornings (2/22) Drudge report, “Police concerned about order to stop weapons screening at Obama rally” The story reports that the Secret Service ordered the local cops to stop weapons screening because the 17,000 plus crowd “seems friendly”. 

What is going on? Holy crap Batman!

[Choosing Chiropractic Care] In an effort to be objective, I would encourage readers of the disgruntled chiropractic care patient's ramblings to consider a couple of things. One of the most difficult things in medicine (modern, Eastern, and Holistic) is the patient who wants to direct the physician on a course of treatment. I suppose if one were interested enough in a particular treatment, say a narcotic or barbiturate, one could ask around or visit enough practices to find a physician who will hear the patient say, "Doc, I'm feeling confused and panicky lately, how about a prescription for some Xanax?" Eighty-five dollars later, you're leaving the office with a self-prescribed controlled substance. If you haven't had a kidney stone twice you may not know that many second-timers quickly head to the ER and inform the staff of the diagnosis (the pain is both remarkable and unmistakable). Do you think the doctors and nurses hook you up to an IV-drip and administer some pain management? Um, no. Allowing a patient to perform the diagnosis would be an incredible liability risk. My impression of chiropractic care seems more holistic (lifestyle and health management) and caters less to the patient looking for a self-diagnosed treatment, although it appears the option exists. And how exactly is a doctor from our community volunteering his time and expertise in a third world country ever a bad thing? And no, I'm not a doctor.

The poster who continues to "put a bucket on" free speech concerning serious breeches of our constitutional rights is either a propaganda mole for the Bush administration or terminally naive. Old CIA Skull and Bones member George Herbert Walker spoke often of this New World Order. Twenty years ago it was still secret, but of late it is being exposed all over the internet. Not conspiracy theories, but actual hard copy documentation, testimony of military officers, congressmen and retired CIA. What use is it to take time to list the overwhelming evidence to someone who refuses to acknowledge the truth?

There is actual bona-fide eyewitness testimony of the undertaker in charge of Oswald's body who swears gov't agents came into his morgue and forcefully placed Oswald's dead hand around the rifle supposedly "found" in the book depository in Dallas because Oswald's fingerprints were nowhere in that area. Research the single fingerprint that was found on the window sill and was hidden for 40 years. Turns out it belonged to an LBJ crony and felon who did lots of Johnson's dirty work. All this is readily accessible truth. If the poster is in fact that naive then it's like the poor wife whose neighbors see her with 2 black eyes and a busted lip. She's so in denial that her man is a psycho that she lies to keep from admitting the truth.

And I stand by my statements. Anyone who renders American citizens to overseas prisons, favors water boarding and passes directives to negate Habeas Corpus and other rights guaranteed in our Constitution is a cockroach! And those who believe the American people are ignorant sheep that will fall for these lies are brain dead trash. All this garbage is coming to light. Why else would Americans give Bush and the Congress below 20% approval?   
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkKbE9qCzQo&feature=related

Think Democrats are anti-war? Check out this draft bill for people age 18-42 introduced and co-sponsored by 3 Democrats.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-393

This guy babbling about killing iguanas, then raising and killing iguanas, and then holding iguana killing tournaments is how he stretches his skivvies.  Ignore the pinhead.  As an aside, thousands of peoples' lives are saved by pets every year (probably not iguanas, of course).  I sure hope this yahoo doesn't have a pet.

My experience with our local chiropractor has been different. I have found Dr. Norman to be a very compassionate doctor. The magic pill mentality of the bitter poster is just not reality. While one adjustment occasionally works (the magic pill) the vast majority of spinal ailments require repetitive therapies. It is easy to say that Norman just wants to sell you the monthly plan to pad his wallet, but the reality is it often takes years of poor posture, poor sleeping habits, ect to get into pain in the first place; and to expect it to resolve with one adjustment is a pipe dream, although it does often happen. As a dentist, I sit on a stool all day and twist to one side slightly. My spine adapted to this over the years and when I through my back out I was not stupid enough to think one adjustment would fix it.

The magic pill mentality is great at you getting from one episode of pain to the next one three months later. What Dr. Norman offers is lifestyle change that leads to never being in pain again. For the record, I have heard great things about Dr. Friend as well. Attacking Mikke's contribution to the people of Africa should tell everyone where the previous poster is coming from.

To the poster who doesn’t believe in conspiracy theory. The following is from the Trilateral Commission homepage.  You need to do your homework.  The CFR and the Trilateral Commission are civilian organizations with a sole purpose of creating a One World Government. 

The “growing interdependence” that so impressed the founders of the Trilateral Commission in the early 1970s is deepening into “globalization.” The need for shared thinking and leadership by the Trilateral countries, who (along with the principal international organizations) remain the primary anchors of the wider international system, has not diminished, but, if anything, intensified. At the same time, their leadership must change to take into account the dramatic transformation of the international system. As relations with other countries become more mature—and power more diffuse—the leadership tasks of the original Trilateral countries need to be carried out with others to an increasing extent.

[Dixie reselling Hickory House] Your statement was spot on and you can also add the lost revenue we would have been making if that 3.1 million was in the bank instead of sitting in some friend’s pocket.  If invested in AOD, an Alpine fund which pays at the very least 9.25% per year if purchased at $20 a share, there would be another $286,750 per year we could have been making. And on top of that because of the lost revenue, how much interest are we paying on borrowed monies?  And who is getting that interest? Even in a bank CD which at the time this money was spent was paying upwards of 5.50% and 6.00%.  Did anyone ever figure out how much the county makes on our taxes paid sitting in interest bearing accounts making over and above taxes collected.  Big bucks add up big quickly. Is that money accounted for?

I also love KeyLargoKey.com. Face it that guy has cajones!  I cannot believe he prints what we all hear. And there it is in black and white for all to see.  I hope the lady with the same name that just became a lawyer is related to him because he might need her.   I love it that no one seems to have the guts to answer him back; which means in my book they are hoping "it" goes away.  We all love to read it at least once a week for a great laugh.  Face it, the guy is good.  The Internet and our new found interaction is finally going to have some impact on what the government tries to do to our money.  "They" better watch out because we are all watching en masse! KeyLargoKey.com

Sunday February 24, 2008

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Saturday February 23, 2008

[Bahia Honda Coconut Palms] Here is the Parks Dept response to my inquiry regarding the coconut palms:
Thank you for your concern regarding the removal of Coconut Palms in Florida’s state parks. The Florida Park Service (FPS) aims to restore and preserve our state’s natural resources within state parks to provide citizens and visitors with the most authentic experience of the real Florida. Exotic plant removal is one way in which the FPS works to maintain the natural flora and fauna of Florida.

The Unit Management Plan for Bahia Honda State Park and the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FEPPC) classify coconut palms as an exotic species. However, they are not considered a category I or II invasive species. Being that they are not one of the more detrimental plants to the park’s native ecosystem, the coconut palms are of a lower priority for removal among the key’s state parks. The FPS currently does not plan to execute mass removal of the coconut palms. However, some trees may be removed incidentally to other exotic removal projects away from primary visitor use areas when the resources are available to do so.

Please feel free to contact our office if you have any further questions regarding this matter or Florida’s state parks at (850) 245-2157.

[A good chiropractor without all the consultations] I have just the man for everyone. His name is Dr. Frund(?) (Dr Friend is the English spelling of his German name) in Marathon. No fuss, no muss care. No unnecessary consultations, no classes to attend, no x-rays, no big medical bills, no insurance, no credit cards. He’s been practicing for 30 years or so and is the best. I went to that quack in the Big Pine shopping center who refused to treat me unless my wife and I went to his indoctrination classes.

Before he would even talk to me I had to sit on this stupid mechanical chair that rotated my ass. I felt like a fool in his office full of people. (there was a poster on the office wall about his chiropractic charity work in Africa or someplace, consulting natives on chiropractic. Yeah, I’m sure Africa is much better off because of it.) There were other people there on big horizontal machines being that were being vibrated or wiggled or something. I was embarrassed for them too.

I’ve been going to chiropractors for years whenever I needed too. I’d go to a doctor who would align my spine and in a couple of days I’d be fine. If I still felt a problem I’d go back for a second alignment, but that was rear. Not this quack. He wants you to make chiropractic a regular part of your lives and he wants you to lay and sit on his machines until you run out of money.  I was in a lot of discomfort and I knew all I needed was an alignment, but Dr Quack refused to align me unless I went to his indoctrination meetings with my wife. I told him I couldn’t wait for the classes because I was in plenty of discomfort. He still insisted we attend even though I was in pain. I even agreed to attend his classes if he would align me right then, but he refused, flat out. I said, “You mean to tell me that you’re refusing me treatment and are going to let me stay in pain until I complete your classes?” He said, “Yes.” I told him that whatever knowledge I got from his classes wasn’t going to help my pain and I’d still need an alignment. He still refused. That’s a doctor whose main interest appears to be money.

I then went to Dr Friend and told him about the machines and Dr Quack’s refusal to treat me. He laughed and said, “Some Chiropractors don’t understand Chiropractic.” Then for emphasis he help up his hands with both palms facing me and said, “It’s all in the hands; they don’t get it.”

I paid him the $75 cash for the initial visit and consultation. The next visit will be $50. I asked him when I should come back and he said, “The next time you have a problem or if you’d just like an alignment.” There was no life long commitment required. ~usa33043@yahoo.com

Tesla also is the man responsible for alternating current (AC). Edison was trying to make direct current (DC) the standard, but Tesla convinced the newly formed Westinghouse Electric that with DC you had to have capacitors, or generators or something close together to make up for the DC power drop. AC passes the current in alternating waves or something so those extra towers aren’t necessary. Or something like that. I should have paid more attention in school.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia last Sunday. The United States and many, but not all, European countries recognized it. The Serbian government did not impose an economic blockade on or take any military action against Kosovo, although it declared the Albanian leadership of Kosovo traitors to Serbia. The Russians vehemently repeated their objection to an independent Kosovo but did not take any overt action.

I love KeyLargoKey.com  They say what they feel and edit very little if anything.  It is like an unedited version of bigpinekey.com. I read, and love, both blogs every day.  Keep on posting so we can keep on laughing.

A home owner is being threatened with legal action after a woman claimed she trapped her hand in his letterbox while delivering unwanted junk mail. Joy Goodman, is seeking damages for personal injury and loss of earnings, claiming the top of her right index finger was severed when she delivered the mail. She claims she needs compensation because she is now unable to carry out her intricate job.

But the home owner vowed to fight the case. Paul O'Brien said: "When I received a solicitor's letter I thought someone was having a laugh. I actually told them they had sent it early. April Fool's Day is still six weeks away. I just cannot believe someone who came on to my property uninvited, to put junk mail through my door that I didn't want, can now sue me because they hurt themselves. There is nothing wrong with the letterbox. I haven't altered it or done anything to it. It's just like every other letterbox in this neighborhood."

It is not illegal to kill Iguanas in the Florida Keys! Let’s have an iguana tournament to help rid our islands of these invasive nasty lizards. We are looking for sponsors for a two day tournament to be held at Coconuts in Big Pine. There will be prizes for largest iguana, largest egg bearing iguana, aggregate weight of five iguanas and largest number of baby iguanas. There also will be an iguana chili cook off and a prize for the best iguana recipe. There will be games such as the iguana toss, iguana tug o war and the iguana squishing contest.

It looks like the Cracked Egg is open again, has anyone tried it out yet?  When is the Crazy Fish, and House of Music opening?

[The Taking of Big Pine Key] At Thursday’s meeting of the local Realtors Association luncheon held at Parrotdise Bar and Grill, the county's planners spoke and presented a short PowerPoint presentation PowerPoint presentation on the proposed mitigation ordinance. I find this to be yet another questionable action because of the fact that only a very few, selected members of our community were invited and involved (unknowingly) in a so called, public meeting. I have since spoken with several people that attended the meeting and the comments about their understanding of the issue were clouded at best. 

Once again I will tell all property owners of Big Pine and No Name that the application of the harvest value to every parcel is flawed, yet the county continues to move forward to a particular end, using flawed data.  This must be stopped. Until we correct this simple and very obvious error (to everyone except the county staff and management), we need to stop funding this course of action. The next Planning Commission Meeting is March 5th. Be there! The Taking of Big Pine Key

Concerning the German anti-smoker. It has been speculated that smokers have an oral fixation. If I was against smoking and my girlfriend insisted on fulfilling her oral fixation. CENSORED

The prisoners in Cuban jails are there because they do not see eye to eye on political issues with Fidel. The prisoners in Guantanamo were captured with weapons of war in their hands with intent to kill Americans. How can the two be compared? 

[No one agrees on anything] To our winter and seasonal visitors, welcome. We're glad you are here to share our beautiful paradise, but please don’t crawl down the road. You are on vacation sure, but some of us are not. I have to go to and from work as well as the store, so I can earn a living and support my family, but I want to get there safely so please don’t crawl. We'd like you to continue to visit our island, but you have to respect us by not crawling down the roads.

Treat iguanas as you would the other Keys invasive species: people!

[Xanax] It's the only reason my neighbors are still alive.

[The Freemasons] The secret society that JFK warned us about is alive and well down here in the Florida Keys.  Most importantly within the MCSO these Masons are receiving promotions far and above others (it was reported by a former MCSO deputy). This secret society is dangerous when it is inside our law enforcement department.  It needs to be exposed what activities these Masons are involved in. Does anyone know?

The difference between the prisoners in Cuba and the prisoners in Guantanamo is ever-so-slight, even so let me see if I can explain it. The Cuban prisoners did nothing except speak against Castro and his dictatorship. The Guantanamo prisoners are prisoners of war.  Prisoners who acted out against the USA in war.  They used bullets, bombs, explosives.  They killed people. I know that words can hurt, words can make people feel bad about themselves. As a dictator, words can lead to such awful things as freedom, but to me there's not much of a comparison.

[A Day in the Life] The 3,150 m long Lefortovo tunnel in Russia, (near Poland) is the longest in-city tunnel in all of Europe. It is nicknamed "The Tunnel of Death". See for yourself why. There is a river running over the tunnel and water leaks through in some areas. When the temperature reaches nearly 0°C like it does during the winter in Russia, the road freezes and becomes sheet ice. The result is the attached video which was taken during a single day with the tunnel surveillance camera. Congratulations to the dual-carriage bus driver - imagine the passengers in the back! What a ride! The next time you complain about traffic, remember this video. Russian engineering or perhaps it's the vodka?  http://youtube.com/watch?v=6fLW3OiH8OQ

To all you frustrated, rude, impacted, tail-gaiters out there. Where are you all going that you have to ride our bumpers so much? There's only 2 lanes out there people. You all need an anger management course. Slow down enjoy life. You’re not going to get there any faster. Take, a deep breath and enjoy where you live, look around at the beauty.

Lost Cargo is getting a whole load of fresh produce Sunday morning. Stop by and fill up.

[Isaksen Insurance] Our focus at this office is taking the time to help people find lower rates for their home, business and boat policies.  We have found that, generally, we can get better rates than anyone else.  We have excellent homeowner and boat programs. I just wrote a policy for someone who was paying an astronomical $2500 for a homeowner’s policy and I was able to get him a better policy for $900.   And there is now the new availability of dwelling with wind policies for homes that are rented out that is much more affordable than separate dwelling and wind policies. We have been pleasantly shocked by how low the quotes are that we have gotten lately for those people with rental homes, whose mortgages require they carry both dwelling fire and wind insurance.  I just did one of those and the premium was less than $700 for dwelling and wind coverage for close to $400,000 of coverage.  It depends on the circumstance and construction of the house, but we have many great options. 

New policies are coming out all the time.  We have excellent sources for boat and commercial policies too, such as stores, offices, restaurants, carpenters, cleaning services, etc. Isaksen Ins

Keys Arts Brochure Contest Deadline is March 3 Keys Arts is the Arts Council's quarterly guide to cultural events distributed to resorts, shops, galleries, chambers, libraries and other venues throughout the Keys. More info is on our website keysarts.com

[Not read a book but could name the NASCAR drivers] Well, every now and then, someone is just dumb enough to prove your point for you.

Yes, the sniper video is very cool; unfortunately it is not Taliban snipers being shot but rather mountain goats. Perhaps they are militant mountain goats? But in either event, they are smarter than the average Taliban fighter.

I had a revelation the other day after following the presidential race. The democrats propose a tax and surrender strategy that is not an option folks. It’s areal simple choice.

Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried.

Guantanamo houses enemy combatants: terrorist (wearing no official uniforms). They were captured on the battle field in Afghanistan and Iraq with weapons in hand, attempting to, and successfully killing our boys. Attempting to make a connection between them and Cuba's political prisoners makes you sound like a complete idiot. I suppose you would like to release all of these poor souls, pay for their commercial flight training, buy them some airline tickets and give them all razor knives.  I lost friends on 9/11 and I blame all of you bleeding heart liberals as much as I blame the murderers themselves. I am convinced that if "you people" have any say in the matter, another 9/11 is just around the corner. Yeah, yeah, yeah, your civil rights are being violated! I propose that those three thousand plus innocent people who were murdered on 9/11 had their civil rights violated to the tenth degree. You people scare the hell out of me, at least the terrorist stand up and say they hate America.  

The posts regarding Nikola Tesla reminded me of Spider Robinson’s “Callahan’s Key”. What a great read. And it was never on Oprah’s Book Club List – another plus!

[Iguanas] Plant native. Try red peppers by your non-native plants.  There are other tricks without killing them.  One neighbor’s hobby was shooting them and another neighbor’s hobby was calling code enforcement on him for a variety of violations.  He did not listen when I told him who ratted him out and he walked around for a year thinking some other person called the county.  People don't like it when you kill them, so you rednecks should find a new past time; maybe learn more about native foliage instead of over-fishing, over-lobstering and killing such neat creatures as the iguanas.  Your punishment is to watch the downed cow video and maybe you will develop a conscious.  Maybe, maybe not.   

A poster who buys into conspiracy theories says that a cabal of secret societies is attempting to rule the world .  He is simply wrong, and in keeping with his track record, he offers no proof of his claims.  Further, the poster follows the liberal play book by name calling, he apparently believes that so doing will bolster his credibility.  Further, the poster apparently does not believe that words have meanings.  The poster claimed that Kennedy was martyred; the fact is that the term martyr means to willingly accept death in support of your beliefs.  Kennedy was murdered by an all-purpose hater. In fact if was Ike, not JFK who warned of the "military industrial complex".  The poster seems to be a hater as well, because he accuses those who do not agree with him of being “neo-cons”, he uses the term as a pejorative. Those who do not agree with him are called "brain dead trash", "cockroaches", "neo con Nazis" and "filthy garbage".   In fact neo cons are persons who have drifted toward conservatism: thus they are new (neo) conservatives. That's me folks. 

He claims the CFR and Freemasons are secret societies that have great sway in public matters.  The CFR has been in existence since 1921, has wide U.S. and foreign membership, has a web site that chronicles its credo and goals--not much secret there.  The Freemasons are indeed a private fraternal organization whose ritual, in days past, was secretive. Back then membership was by invitation only.  Today, if you want to become a Freemason, just ask any member and you probably will be welcomed.  The Freemasons have accomplished wonderful acts of mercy and charity. 

By the way, just what in the hell is this “New World Order”? Does it have an office; is there a secret handshake, what about a de-coder ring?  The poster claims that the New World order is committed to reducing the worlds population by 80% and is using “eugenics” to accomplish that goal.  Folks this is the single most blatant bull shit in his entire posting.  First, please, folks, take just a few moments and Google “eugenics”, then think about what the poster said.  He said that "they" want to “reduce the world’s population by 80% using eugenics”.  I challenge the conspiracy believer to provide proof, any proof, that the Bush admin, the “neo cons”, or anyone else is committed to, or advocates reducing the earth’s population by 80%.  The poster claims that a college professor and a “young mother” who allegedly hold views contrary to “neo con” dicta were whisked away to foreign shores for interrogation/torture by un named thugs.  Again, poster, I challenge you, names, dates, and places.  The poster stated that Bush is attempting to establish a “dictatorship” by promoting the legislation to reinstate the laws enabling the electronic surveillance of suspected foreign terrorist who are in contact with persons on American soil. Folks, remember that there have been -0- Muslim terrorist attacks on U.S. soil while this legislation was in place, there have been plots identified and thwarted.   Apparently the poster, in his addled state, has forgotten that the Bush administration ends on 1/20/09.  No dictatorship possible there. 

I guess it's evident that this dude is seriously addled, remember that “been a Republican since Lincoln was alive”.  Understand this folks, persons of this ilk throw yards and yards of noxious crap onto the wall, in the hopes that some small bit of the crap just might get by the clean up crew, or that no one will hose the wall with truth.  If you will think back to the '20s in Germany, there was a movement that took advantage of the civil unrest and public shame at having lost WW1.  That movement made outrageous claims and beat a mind numbing drum of propaganda that blamed secret society, the Jews, and everyone else but themselves for their short comings, failures, and their sad situation.  I do know that every time this crap bubbles up, I'm going to try and put a bucket on it.

This came from Bernie Becker after I’d talked separately with her and Bill Becker yesterday afternoon about yesterday’s post, Dead.Sons. First Bill called me, then Bernie.
 
I told them both the angels had me write yesterday’s post to get this terrible situation aired out and hopefully put to rest in peace. Bill said he and Bernie both were given and passed polygraph tests administered by the Monroe County Sheriff‘s Office. And Judge Sandra Taylor had issued an order ruling Tom Stump had committed suicide. Bernie asked me to pray on it before doing anything more. I said I didn’t need to pray on it because the angels would speak to me about it in any event while I was asleep. I explained how it is with me and the angels, how they put me to do stuff I seldom want to do; how I feel like Jonah all the time, except the whale that swallowed Jonah is a lot nicer than the whale that swallows me when I don’t do what I’m told to do. I told Bernie what I had told Bill, that I just because a judge ruled suicide five years later was not conclusive proof, in the absence of a body. I said I did feel, however, that Tom was dead, given that he disappeared and no one’s heard from or seen him since. Bernie said they needed closure so they could wind up her and Tom’s affairs and get on with their lives. I said I understood that and I could se a judge making a ruling that Tom was dead so they could do that. She again asked me to pray on it. I again said the angels would tell me what to do.

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Saturday February 23, 2008

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Friday February 22, 2008

[Two-faced American Cuban policy] Human rights observers count 230 people as prisoners of conscience in Cuba. In Guantanamo Bay the United States holds about double that number without charges, without access to lawyers and no trial dates. What does the Good Book say about removing the log from your own eye before removing the splinter from your neighbor's?

[We are not alone] In Eunice, LA the mayor is ready to flush part of the city's "toilet tax." The town started charging households a $10-per-toilet fee under the administration of former Mayor to pay for badly needed improvements to the sewer system. It brings in $350,000 a year. Current Mayor Robert Morris is calling for a $5 cut in the fee. The fee was instituted in the early 1990s after problems with the sewer system brought fines from the Environmental Protection Agency.

I’m glad there is such uproar at the gang of three’s disdain for the working waterfront and blatant support of the developer. I’ve seen it all along and now the rest of the County is taking notice.

The "our shelter is a no kill shelter" poster is full of misinformation.  It is not illegal to kill iguanas.  They are listed by Monroe County, the state of Florida and the United States of America as an exotic animal.  No bag limits - hunting season always open.  However, in the Keys the county has banned the use of "firearms" - any weapon that uses gun power to fire a projectile is banned from use.  Use all other tools to kill them. 

On to the next point, the county also has an animal cruelty law in place.  It is very subjective but you will never get charged with it if you always kill on the first shot.  That is the key.  Now I have killed many iguanas, some in trees, with one shot.  Of course to collect my trophy out of the tree I had to knock it out.  And I am not climbing a dead pine so I used my rifle.  The trophy had a few extra holes but the first shot killed it. 

[Cuba torturing people to death] The writer says that it’s just not being publicized. Maybe it's not being publicized because it's not happening? Where does he get his secret information? Maybe from the unbiased the Cubans from Miami?

[Found] Does anyone know who this little dog belongs to?  I found her Thursday on Big Pine behind Winn-Dixie by the garbage cans.  She has a collar but no tag.  She is very gentle and used to people and riding in a car.  If you belong to her or know who does, please call 305-851-7578 and ask for Gail.  I’m guessing someone misses her because she is a real sweet girl.
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[Iguana Killing Club] The IKC’s stand on this subject is that if you think like a cat lady, killing iguanas is against the law. If you read the law, you’d be correct that killing them is all right. Read the law on exotics!

[Many snowbirds will not make eye contact] Maybe it’s just you that they don’t make eye contact with; it may be a weird vibe that you put out just in general that people pick up on. How do small children and pets respond to you?

The gang of three can’t be that out of touch with the people. There has to be stuff going on behind the scene that the people aren’t aware of. The gang can’t keep approving any development proposal that comes before them without thinking they are going to get something in return. It doesn’t make sense on any level. I hope the gang doesn’t think the developers will remember them when they are out of office. After the next election I think they’ll have a chance to find out how well the developers do remember them!

My Beautiful America

[A simple greedy idea that won't rock the boat]  Considering the biggest hassle blocking free energy or at least cheap energy is the greed of the companies providing such. So why not allow them to control all ways of generating clean power?  Example: We now generate electric power by burning everything or by pouring water over a wall to spin a mechanism.  Solar, bio chemical, wind, tides, geo and other methods are developing but are being made available by new companies to get the prices down, so they say, but in reality they are in direct competition with the established fuel burners.  This is wrong because the big shots who control the oil, coal, nuclear and other fuels all fight the new ideas. Why not just let the fuel establishment introduce the Clean Power systems into our environment over the shortest time possible, then shut down the dirty generating methods as they become obsolete. In ten years all could be clean again.  The work forces could be retrained and the generating plants turned into some other uses.  The key to this is simply that company profits will not change because you and I will still pay the same amount on our utility bills and everybody will be happy and be able to breathe again!

Telsa invented a method of generating and distributing electricity wirelessly (something about magnetism) in the 19^th century. His financers all backed out when they realized that there was no way to charge their customers for this free wireless electricity distribution.

I had an email from Rose Stump, whose son Tom mysteriously disappeared some years ago in the Keys. Rose has not heard from him since, nor, apparently, has anyone who knew him. Another Keys intrigue, compounded by Tom’s wife later moving in with and marrying US 1 Radio News Coordinator Bill Becker, which spawned even more speculation about what really happened to Tom.
 
Rose wanted to know what would be the cost of publishing on my website a short add asking anyone who has information about her son to contact her by email. I replied that I’d lost a son in infancy and know how it feels. I said goodmorningkeywest.com and goodmorningfloridakeys.com are not commercial websites and I’d be glad to publish her ad for free, but I wanted to sleep on it to see what was the best way to do it. I added that I was sending a copy of my reply to Sandra Downs, who also had lost a son and knew what that was like. I did not tell Rose that it was through Sandy that I first came across Rose, when she emailed Sandy after her website was hacked. US 1 Radio interviewed Sandy about it and ran the interview all the next day, catapulting Sandy and her website into the public limelight. Into Rose Stump’s life. GoodMorningKeyWest.com

Dixie will be crowing about how she got the county $3.1 million for the Hickory House if the buyers, who made no down payment, don't opt out of the agreement in 6 months. (isn't it interesting how 180 days, the way she's talking about the opt out time, sounds like less than 6 months?). Of course there will be no mention of the $35,000 to $60,000 in legal fees and surveys to buy and sell this turkey; or the fact that we paid $3.1 million for a property appraised for $2.5 million;  or about the $50,000 lost property taxes on a $3.1 million property?  The spin is in, Dixie says we're making big bucks on the deal.  Is Dixie going to call for the county to take back the public waterfront access it gave to Boyd’s trailer park, which she says forced us to buy her friend's restaurant for waterfront access? I somehow doubt it.  Sorry Dixie you can't sell your way out of this one, and blaming Willi just won't fly.

[To our Winter and Seasonal Visitors] Welcome. We're glad you are here to share our beautiful paradise, but please slow down. You are on vacation so slow down. There's no rush to go to work and wherever you are going isn't going to disappear or move before you get there so slow down. My children are getting off the school bus and I enjoy sitting on my porch at dusk watching our beautiful Key Deer so please slow down. I am on my way to work, so I can serve you great island food and drink, but I want to get there safely so please slow down. We'd like you to continue to visit our island, but you have to respect us by slowing down.

After reading this blog for one year, I have come to a conclusion: You guys are so much cooler on line! Brad Paisley--So much cooler on line

Can anyone recommend a chiropractor in the area between Marathon and Key West?  I only want to go in and have my back aligned without having to go through consultations.  Simply put I just want my back cracked.

A virulent anti-smoker in Germany was so angry when his girlfriend lit up he emptied a fire extinguisher to put out the cigarette, caking her and their apartment in powder. "My colleagues said it looked like a bomb had gone off in there," said a spokesman for police in the western city of Bielefeld. "He managed to put the cigarette out though."

After the woman ignored his request not to smoke, the 42-year-old sprayed the contents of the extinguisher all around the flat shouting abuse, police said. "He said he wasn't bothered by the damage it caused," the spokesman said. "And that he's through with his girlfriend."

[Sugarloaf Key mini mall] I doubt it will happen, I also hope it won't happen because that type of mini mall degrades the area like fast food and gas stations.  Sugarloaf is up scale, so keep it that way!

[Found] Black and white, neutered, de-clawed male cat with a red collar on Rose Drive in Big Pine Key.  We are feeding him, but the poor guy is defenseless living outdoors without claws since there are raccoons and other cool wild animals roaming the hood.  I would love to see him get back home or to find him one.  He is very friendly and possibly abandoned.  Please contact Valerie, the cat lady.  I'm not allowed anymore critters or they'll be calling me Ellie Mae.
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[Many snowbirds will not make eye contact] I find the situation reversed. They always look at me like they want to talk, and I look away. I just want to get out of the market and go home and have as little contact with anyone as I’m able.

The sub-prime primer. Slide Show

Will you know-it-alls quit commenting on the window and door installation for the lady and giving her prices. It makes it hard on us contactors.

[County School Board has failed the military at a time of war] I might add the School Superintendent to that list. The reality is that they don't care.  Many of the military folks will be gone by Election Day and the parents of the kids in the other schools will still be here.  Sigsbee School was sacrificed to the re-election gods.

[Ringing in the ears] There is nothing you can take to help it as far as I know. The fine hairs in your ears have been damaged. The first relief I felt was in a boat in the middle of a lake. It is worst on days that the air is dense, like today. I keep a radio on and eventually you don't notice it most of the time.

I am looking for somebody to help me with my computer, it is only a personal with a web cam problem, thank you I will pay. (Ed: Save your money. Turn it off, unplug everything and bring it to the Computer Club meeting tomorrow at 10am. The volunteers will fix it for free.) Bulletin Board

[Thing I Hate About Everyone] People who point at their wrist while asking for the time. I know where my watch is, pal, where the hell is yours? Do I point at my crotch when I ask where the toilet is?
And people who are willing to get off their ass to search the entire room for the TV remote because they refuse to walk to the TV and change the channel manually.

[explain to Wildlife Rescue how the food chain works.]  Believe me, they know about the food chain, but rescuing wildlife means just that.  Try to explain, however, how humans can be so cruel as to feed filleted fish carcasses to pelicans, knowing full well that the birds will die.  Yes, there are people who don't give a damn.

Houses for sale, especially those on Big Pine Key; are the people looking being told about the 2010 mandate for upgraded sewer?  Even if you are in a Hot spot or Red zone which sometime in the distant future may get municipal sewer (Keep in mind Big Pine does not have a plan yet, let alone the money) and you have a cesspit or traditional 60's-70's or 80's drain field, Monroe County owners not in compliance are going to be fined after July 1 2010 if you do not have upgraded standards.  Are the prospective buyers of existing homes being told that they will have to upgrade or face fines?  Are any prospective buyers of overgrown empty lots being told that on Big Pine Key it is all most illegal to clear a lot? Does the selling agent go thru the possible mitigation fees with each and every client?  You would have to be deranged to purchase anything on Big Pine and guess who you have to thank for all of this: Environmental Wackos who started out wanting to save the snail darter to stop a dam and ended up bringing down the most powerful country in the world. 

I am not talking about people who have a love of the outdoors but those terrorists who use endangered species as a bayonet and that will use a rat to defend their I-got-mine attitude.   Because of their movement we have not been able to expand Nuclear power for electricity and even France is ahead of us by leaps and bounds and no longer depends on oil fired electric plants.  We couldn't drill in Anwar because I guess it would dirty up the snow up there and all the folks in Alaska that I spoke with wanted the new oil fields.  So wackos, enjoy the fruits of your labor and get the old checkbook out and start putting in those interim septic systems and if you need to look up the code for that its specified in Rule 64 E-6.0181 (3), FAC for new , modified, expanded or existing sewage treatment and disposal systems or to replace cesspits or undocumented systems!  If you’re real lucky when you go to get your permit they will have created a new section in the mitigation fees that adds another $15,000 to the cost!  Hey, it’s for the environment so its got to be good.

[Not Republicans" because we don't march in lock-step with Bush administration Neo-cons] That's a favorite tactic: don't answer truth with facts, just twist the writer's statements and accuse them of being 'non patriotic" ("Patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." ~T. Roosevelt).

JFK most certainly didn't allow himself to be murdered, but warned Americans repeatedly about the Military Industrial Complex (which in its latest incarnation includes Halliburton and Blackwater) and secret societies such as the CFR and Freemasons. The American people are beginning to wake up concerning the criminal activity of the current administration, and yes, some people are already being censored who try and expose the truth. A college professor was taken and flown to a prison in Turkey, (something now called "Rendition") and a young mother was detained at Kennedy airport and flown off to Egypt for "interrogation" for holding opinions contrary to Neo-con Nazis.

Fortunately only 20% of "republicans" now support the cockroaches who have hijacked the Republican Party. We are in a very dangerous time. Bush and his gang are desperate, and desperate men commit desperate acts. Congress denied Bush his latest attempt at dictatorship by voting against unlimited surveillance of American citizens with no accountability. Good for them, and us!

To the unfortunate poster who calls us "nuts", this nut and millions more are not about ready to allow Americans to be robbed, cheated and lied to by this brain-dead trash masquerading as intelligent elites any longer. The truth will out. You can't ship all of us to prisons in Turkey to be tortured no matter how much you want to. A lot of Americans don't want to live in a military dictatorship. So whatever it takes, this filthy garbage fouling up our gov't has to be rooted out!   

Have you got any more sniper videos? That was absolutely awesome! Video

I just signed a petition to urge my elected officials to say no to telecom immunity! The Senate passed a FISA reform bill last week that not only falls short on adequately protecting Americans from warrantless surveillance. It also shamefully grants retroactive immunity to the telecommunications companies that may have aided the Bush administration’s illegal domestic wiretapping.

Join the effort to stop telecom immunity by signing the emergency petition at the link http://www.pfaw.org/go/StopImmunity  Big brother is watching!

I guess now that Jerry Coleman and Tom Willi are gone the Citizen Jane webpage has nothing to gripe about.  I also notice they kind of quit griping about the commissioners. They must be waiting for election time for those two. KeyLargoKey.com

This town is unbelievable. I keep telling a friend to please find a compound on a remote island away from all the drama that goes on around this place. I'm ready to walk away from it all and not look back!

Why Cuba should not be opened up to America: All the Anti Bush people could go there to live their version of Utopia.

Air Break II Slide Show

This Republican is in a real quandary as to who should I root for on the Dem side.  I don't think that there is any difference whatsoever in the philosophy of Obama or Clinton.  I do know that if I were Obama, I'd be very, very cautious over the next week or so. Accidents happen, unhappy things happen to those who rise up in opposition to the Clinton camp.  On the other hand Obama talks but doesn't say anything and Obama’s bride, Michelle, has never found anything to be proud of in America until just last week.  That sure makes you wonder about the familial fondness and respect for our nation, especially when you consider that their revered family pastor is a rancid racist.  I hope I get a challenge on this, it will be fun!

[Conspiracy Nuts] Why do you people always brand a person for giving information you don't agree with, as a Republican or Democrat? Most free thinking people are neither, or could be Independents. If you say you are one of the two parties mentioned, then you might get simple minded spiteful replies to postings.  Which ever way it goes, branding people on one side of a fence usually has nothing to do with the topics’ information, so knock it off!

If anyone else cares to wade through the mountains of horse-hockey and actually read it, there's a document called "Vision 2020" which explains the goals of co-operation between U.S. military and Canada: The North American Union. Some of it is clear, but much of the document is pure propaganda, such as referring to "homeland" or "homelands" time after time and the threat of more WMDs being developed by unknown villains.

As for the term "homeland" up until a few years ago we lived in a country called the United States of America. "Homeland" is where your distant forefathers were from, so even though my people have been here since 1663, my "homeland" would be Austria, (you know: "Edelweiss, Edelweiss, bless my homeland forever"). The only people who could conceivably call this their "homeland" would be Native Americans or perhaps Mexicans whose ancestors lived in the southwest.

Is anyone else puking sick of this garbage as we are? Willie Nelson is right, whether he smokes a joint now and then or not. "Impeach Bush. Throw the Bastards OUT!" It just gets more insane and outrageous by the day. WMDs again. I can see the idiots rubbing their hands: "Cool, let's get a General to scare them with WMDs. This time, maybe the fools will fall for it!"

Cheetah, chimp buddy of Tarzan, celebrated his 75th birthday. He's older and smarter than McCain and better looking than Hillary. We've had it with 20 years of Tarzans. Cheetah for President. At least monkeys don't lie. They have too much integrity. 

[Iguana] It is not against state law to kill an iguana in Monroe County. It is not a violation of Monroe County ordinance to kill an iguana.  There is no fine for killing an iguana.  Don’t believe me, check it out in the Florida State Statutes, they are on line, check it out in the Monroe County ordinances, also on the web.  Hunting game is legal and regulated and is a big industry in Florida.  It is against the law to treat iguanas or any other anima l with cruelty.  Discharging a firearm in Monroe County may be against the county ordinances, and there may be some restrictions in the Florida statutes--a pellet rifle or pistol is not a firearm.  Iguanas are not protected specie by state statute or any federal regulation or any county ordinance that I am aware of.  The only good iguana is a dead iguana.  Over the years I’ve converted a lot of evil iguanas to righteousness.  The skin tans up nicely, makes great bikinis and the flesh makes dandy fritters.

If the Europeans were for Kerry, we certainly did the right thing by electing Bush!

[Council on Foreign Relations] I find it absolutely incredible that there are actually people that believe this hogwash. The country is overloaded with conspiracy addicts, but it seems that gravity draws them to the Keys.

[Xanax saved my life]  I was having severe anxiety attacks and was given Xanax.  It immediately got me back to normal and got my appetite back too.  It is a very addictive drug but with therapy and time I was able to wean my self off it.  If one needs to take it to live a normal life--keep taking it! 

Crane Point’s monthly Evening with the Stars program will be held Thursday, Feb. 28th at 7:30 p.m. All attendees will meet at the main museum entrance and can either take a trolley ride to the observation point or walk with a guide. Evening with the Stars is facilitated by Dr. David Heeschen who holds a PhD in Astronomy from Harvard University.

Dr. Heeschen will use two telescopes to facilitate observations of Saturn, Mars, the Orion nebula, stellar spectra and a double star. Guests are invited to bring their own telescopes, binoculars and chairs if they would like to sit and observe the skies. In case of overcast skies, Crane Point will place a notice on the Web site, www.cranepoint.net by 6:30 p.m. on the day of observation. Please call the office number below if you are concerned about the weather conditions for viewing.

Crane Point is located at MM 50, bayside across from the Kmart plaza. Please call (305) 743-3900 for more information. Price is $5 for nonmembers and free for members of Crane Point.

[Killing iguanas] Now I’m really confused.  Someone says, yes, can kill them humanely, someone else says trap them.  Who can let me know what I can do?

[When keylargokey.com speaks I do the opposite]  This post was probably from one of the Kay Thacker crowd.

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Friday February 22, 2008

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Wednesday February 20, 2008

Warning: beware of One Call Construction, Inc. They have an employee by the name of Curtis Gartenmayer working for them as a carpenter who is using their contractor’s license. He is the biggest thief and con artist and he has ripped people off from Key West to Marathon. This is what he does.

He works under someone else’s license, goes to your house and over-charges you and puts a band aide on the job and you get red tagged and you have to pay the fine. The work he does falls apart and you are out of luck. He's done and already stole your money. He will say he will be back to fix it, but he never does. He has done this over and over again. You can check Monroe Country public records by typing in Gartenmayer, Curtis or MCSO’s arrest record search feature.  Type in his name and the date 4/2007. He is a felon, fraud, there was a giant two page write up on him in the Key West Citizen. To read it go to keysnews.com then click on Archives “Contractor accused of fleeing customers” is the title. This man is on probation till 2010. This is just a smart warning because we have to stop this guy. His fraud history goes back as far as 2001 and longer. ~kkate49@gmail.com

Lights out for the total lunar eclipse tonight, Wednesday, starting at 8:40 pm with the lunar surface totally eclipsed from 10 to 10:55 pm.  Please don't ruin this event for the rest of us. Please turn off your outside spotlights for one night. 

[Mistrust government] You must live in la-la land, partner, I haven't been anywhere where the people don't mistrust their government.

I’m looking for a general practitioner in the Marathon area, any recommendations?

A federal judge upheld Arizona's new law that mandates the closure of businesses who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. U.S. District Judge Neil Wake rejected the arguments of business and immigrant-rights groups, which sued saying the law was an unconstitutional "usurping of the federal government's right to regulate immigration." Under the law, a company is placed on probation the first time it is found to have knowingly hired undocumented workers. The second time, its license is revoked, essentially ending its ability to operate in Arizona. Employers protesting the law have called it "a death penalty."

In his nearly 40-page decision, Wake wrote, "The act does not make employers conform to a stricter form of conduct than federal law." So far, the law is the only one in the country that mandates the closure of businesses that hire illegal immigrants. Several other states have contacted Arizona looking to duplicate it. Many businesses say they will not expand into Arizona while the law is in effect. All 15 county prosecutors in Arizona have agreed not to enforce the law until March 1, to allow the appeals to play out. Meanwhile, many illegals living in Arizona have left the state to go back to their country or move on to other states. Despite Wake’s ruling, it’s far from over. The employer and immigration-rights groups behind the protest of the law said they will now appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

[40% of Americans have not read a book in the last year] I'll bet the same ones can name all the top NASCAR drivers.

Taxes and wastewater are a real pain in the butt (pardon the pun).  This wastewater problem is worse than hemorrhoids because it hits not just some of us, but every single person who walks on Monroe County soil.  We can’t dodge having this damned sewer project imposed on us, no matter how loud we cry or bitch.  The only way for you to avoid paying for it is to sell out and get out of Monroe County.  That's the truth, and that simple fact hurts, but it’s the flat truth.  If the county fails to find tax funding, that’s public funding, then you, the property owner, will have to install individual state of the art systems and pay for it yourself.  You can figure about $20K initially. In fact it's probable that if you are not in compliance by 2010, because of that, you have to pay to install your own system, It's likely that you would have to pay again when the central system comes near your home.  Yep, that's right you could have to pay twice. If you’re a renter, bend over and get ready for higher rents.  Renters, you can bitch and cry all you want, but the only way to avoid it is to leave the county!  The project has got to get going, right now!  The project has got to be paid for.  The only fair solution that’s being talked about is the 1% sales tax. 

Let’s face it, everyone who walks on our soil will use toilet facilities, everyone should pay.  This tax would hit on every single person who is in the county who buys virtually anything.  Every other suggestion that I’ve heard, like another gas tax, has large loop holes.  For example, how many people who visit Little Palm Island will buy gas during their stay?  How many cruise ship tourists buy gas? How many tourists arrive by plane, stay in hotels, and never use a car during their visit.  What about those tourists who rent bikes or electric cars?  What about the day trippers who fill up their cars and boats on cheap mainland gas and don’t refuel till they are back on the mainland. What about the growing number of workers from the mainland who go home every night?   Remember that this tax would cost you only $1 every hundred that’s spent. 

Don’t forget that sales taxes are federal income tax deductable.  That’s a hell of a lot cheaper for you than a bigger rent check or paying off a 20k loan.  With this solution, the load would be spread around to every single person in our county who has a functioning alimentary tract.  There is no doubt that this tax could be crafted to guarantee that the funds generated go solely to the wastewater project.  For our sakes, we need to get this tax, we need it now! I hate taxes and root canals, and I hate this tax, but it's the absolute best solution to our big time ache.  Do yourself a favor, send letters to our country commissioners and tell them that you want this tax enacted, then send a letter to Rep Ron Saunders and tell him that you support this tax.  It will make a difference, and the few minutes you spend could save you many thousands. Business Directory > Government

Duncan Mathewson, the vice chairman of the Monroe County School Board, is seeking reelection to his District 3 seat. The district runs from Big Coppitt to Marathon. The former university professor, archaeologist, and author of several books has lived in the Florida Keys for more than 35 years, and first was elected to the board in 2004. The quiet-spoken educator and fellow board members Steven Pribramsky and John Dick often have introduced motions and voted in a bloc during board meetings.

We at KeylargoKey.com have some reservations about this 69 year old wide-eyed and laughing (bubba) individual. About a year ago we called Duncan at his home to ask him a few questions.  He never returned the call.  Also his attendance record on the Value Adjustment board meeting has been dismal.  In fact, we don't think he has even made one meeting. I really don't know why people think so highly of this individual.  Maybe it's because he held Mel Fisher's jock strap for so long. Who knows, it's the Keys. (for the unedited text: KeyLargoKey.com

I have a Deputy living on my street.  Personally, I am glad to have the patrol car sitting there, especially at night.  Most people will tell you that a parked police car does a lot for community security.  So basically, even though the deputy is not on duty, the car is still working.  This is a great thing considering how few deputies there are actually working the streets.  Let’s not start fixing things that aren't broken.  The last thing we should do is decrease security.   

[Funds for one thing used for another] Remember the Bicycle Trail? It was organized and paid for by the Bicycle Coalition of America 15 years ago, and it still is not done. Why? Because the monies given to the states involved were "appropriated" by the politicos for "other needy projects". This was private money and they just out right stole it, and nothing can be done about it.

Try this for your tinnitus.

How much should it cost for 7 windows and 2 doors to be purchased and installed?  I've had quotes from $6k - $13k.  Thanks for any info!

[Mistrust the government]  We do mistrust the government here in Monroe County as they already raided the till by taking sewer money and buying the Vandenberg and the Hickory House.  Pay attention!

[No more excuse for the embargo] We’re all kissy-face with China and other communist countries that have far worse human rights abuses than Cuba, yet we embargo our neighbor.

Florida has finally recognized science over objections from the religious right. They will now be allowed to teach “a” theory of evolution in public schools instead of the weird science that the Christians believe in.

[Big Pine Canal Blow Out]  Wow, if you do that, somebody stand ready with the video cam and post it please!

[Winn-Dixie] They finally put the bread crumbs with the bread. Robert couldn't do that. Now if they would only put all the nuts in the same place we’d be getting somewhere.

How about electric buses with those spy towers converted into energy beam generators to feed the busses? Call Mr. Tesla!

[Fat lady] I saw one of the fattest women (in stretch clothing) at W/D yesterday. She was at the new fried chicken wing counter filling up a large container. I think many uneducated people don’t really understand the correlation between nutrition and weight gain. I watched a bit of some TV program about losing weight and a nutritionist was explaining very simple concepts like oil is all fat to a real pig-o and the fat lady was astonished!

Does anyone have any recommendations on a reasonable health insurance provider for the Keys?

[The level of government mistrust here is astounding]  It’s pretty much the same as every town and country on the planet, and often earned over long years of painful experience.

[Cheaper to UPS my s**t to the Governor] The mental images of that delivery are cracking me up!  Please, alert the media when you do this!

[Marijuana vs. Xanax]  Xanax is a legally prescribed medication.  As long as the fiancé acquires his Xanax legally, what’s the big deal?  Maybe your family member should get some too!

[Now, what’s the excuse for the embargo?] Probably same as before; human rights abuse and communism in general.  Haven't heard any announcements about freedom being reestablished as yet.

[Winn-Dixie] I agree 100%. Since Robert is gone it's actually getting ridiculous. How about the chairs in the doorway, you can't get a cart through. They lost a great manager. I guess we all have to learn different languages now to find out where the Q-tips are.

[Leaving site, disgusted with the stupid people] Good, we avid readers won't miss you!

[Press 1 for Castro] You just have to love it. On the 11:00 news last night they interviewed a woman that came to the United States 6 years ago and she was saying she is worried about her son who is still in Cuba, supposedly in jail.  6 years she has been here and still hasn't bothered to learn how to speak English, I guess she is waiting for us to make Spanish the National language of the U.S. I just hope somehow this doesn't turn into another massive Cuban boat-lift unless it's one way back to Cuba.

[Monroe County animal ordinance] Thank you for posting the code. It was interesting. On the first reading of the code, you appear to be correct. On subsequent reading, including the definitions, a case could be made that chickens and roosters are exempt, if they are not "kept". http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?sid=9&pid=11270
Sec. 3-20. Keeping wild animals and livestock.
(1)   Zoning.  No livestock, such as cows, goats, sheep or pigs, barnyard animals such as chickens, ducks, rabbits or geese, shall be kept either penned or loose in any zone where not otherwise permitted in Monroe County. Animals considered wild shall not be kept in any residential zone in Monroe County. 
(2)   Wild animals.   
(a)   No person, partnership or corporation shall possess or harbor any wild animal(s). This prohibition does not apply to zoological parks, properly licensed transient animal exhibitions, circuses, or licensed veterinarians or DNR-licensed caregivers to wild animals. Keeper means any person possessing or having custody of an animal. 

[Conspiracy] A short answer to the bilious bags of wind that blow incessantly about how we should "shut up" and "pray" concerning our "acres of sovereign U.S. Territory" on the decks of aircraft carriers.  If "mushroom clouds start sprouting all over America" it will only be for the same reason the WTC towers imploded perfectly at freefall speed: an inside job by rogue New World Order thugs.  Grow up. Your government doesn't need to "annex territory". It holds poor nations around the world hostage by economic and military threats. The last 4 presidents have been puppets of the CFR(?) and New World Order, and we are being sold off to the highest bidders from China and Eastern Europe.  This is no hippie, tiger. We've been Republican since Lincoln; hard-working conservative patriots, and the last real Republican in the White House was Ike.  These war-hawk big-gun posters remind me of little John-John Kennedy innocently saluting as his martyred father's caisson passed by, totally unaware that he had been murdered by the very "Secret Society" he warned us all about.

Tattoos on women, to me, make them look less attractive. This of course is one older man's opinion. But what started out as one small and feminine tattoo has spread to a culture that is just repulsive. You know that you have that for life right? The very popular place to get them now is over their butt-crack and they are appropriately named "a tramp-stamp" because the most beautiful woman looks cheaper with it. Again, just my opinion but I know I am not alone on this one.

[Xanax] Most people I know who take Xanax take it for controlling anxiety attacks and get it by prescription which makes it legal. Last time I heard pot wasn't. Trust me, if you have never had an anxiety attack you haven't missed anything, it sucks.

[Vodka] I remember back in the early 60's when we made our own booze from a 5 gallon, yes a 5 gallon jug of medical alcohol we bought from the local drug store for about $2.50.  It was 100% pure juice and we would cut it with 50% water and add fun stuff to get some sort of flavor. Talk about hangovers, Ohhhh! Great stuff

We've been using Delicious Organics, a family owned store in Miami that delivers to us each Thursday. We order online by Wednesday and we get our organic groceries and household items with a ten dollar delivery charge Thursday evening. The driver brings the cooler upstairs for my wife if I'm not home and next week we return the empty coolers for the full ones. It is amazing, not cheap, but excellent organic value on all household products. 

Predators tell children how to kill themselves

[334 days of W left] Yes, it amazes me despite this having been the worst president in the history of this country that there are still people unwilling to admit it and will defend this butt-head to the end. I have some land for sale near the everglades for you...it is a little moist, but I think you will love it!

Under the proposed 1 cent hike in the sales tax, you would have to spend $10,000 in taxable purchases a month in order to pay $100 toward the sewer system.  It is estimated that the state will be fining us several hundred dollars per month for each dwelling that is in a non-compliant state. That money will go into the state's black hole with our BBOC standing hat-in-hand begging for a portion to apply toward getting the sewering done.

Lacking the wherewithal (and desire) to spend at that rate, I would rather that all who poop contribute, through a 1 cent addition to our sales tax for the sewering project. I would prefer that we were not facing this mandate, but we are.  It's time to get real.  

[Family Watchdog] This is not fair. If you did a crime and did the time, then you should be left alone to start a new life, not be hounded by bleeding heart nitwits who think their poop doesn't stink. What’s next a Neighborhood Spy Watch, where Mr. and Mrs. Busybody snoops in your window to check and see if you are living up to their standards?  http://www.familywatchdog.us/

[Canal Blow Out] I have to tell you it's a good idea, but if the Army Corps gets wind of it they will blow you out.

Femtocells were designed to solve the bad-reception-at-home problem. We’ve all had dropped calls or bad reception. But the issue is especially big for those who lack a landline. Many end up standing in the driveway to make quality calls. Why? Your cell phone has to communicate with a nearby cellular tower. That connection can be interrupted by building materials in your home. Femtocells promise to give you great reception inside your house.

A femtocell is a personal cellular access point. It’s like having a mini cellular tower in your house. It’s usually a small box that resembles a router. You connect it to your home router and broadband Internet connection. Your phone connects wirelessly to the femtocell, rather than a cellular tower. Your call is then routed through the Internet. But it does not use Wi-Fi. It is a cellular access point. It uses the same kind of wireless signal as a cellular tower. It just does it on a much smaller scale.

[Home improvements] A sewer isn’t a home improvement. It is something the State has forced upon us (my septic tank works just fine and is already paid for). Everyone must pay for this new burden.

The county commission will vote today to sell the Hickory House Restaurant—finally. The only thing wrong with the deal is that the developer can back out of the deal up to six months later without penalty if they change their mind.

[Your house--your cost] What a misinformed poster that doesn’t think gas prices effect everything. And house expenses don’t effect rental prices.

Stunning racks from Montana.

Living in the Keys, you frequently stumble upon the “only here” moments. Two months after moving to here, I was dispatched to a 20-ton sperm whale that had beached itself off of Big Pine Key. “Only in the Keys,” I thought to myself. Three days later I received a call, and was told the now-dead whale had broken free of its tow and washed back, this time planting itself firmly in the shallow waters near the south end of the Seven Mile Bridge. There it would stay until nature did the job the feds had paid several thousand dollars to attempt to accomplish: Disposal of the carcass. It may have taken several months, but you get the idea.
 
Only in the Keys.
 
The list goes on, but last week another one of those moments sprung up, as a former county government attorney convicted last year in federal court of obstruction, witness tampering and conspiracy, Jim Hendrick, was the featured speaker during the regular Friends of the Marathon Library lecture series…GoodMorningKeyWest.com

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Wednesday February 20, 2008

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Tuesday February 19, 2008

Fidel Castro has finally retired after fifty years of rule. We won’t have Castro to kick around any more. Now, what’s the excuse for the embargo?

Whoever it is who rants about the value of aircraft carriers to a nation would do well to take an American history class.  Naval airpower allows this country to project power, anywhere, any time.  Recent history reveals foreign countries don't always support American policy overseas, denying our military access to their airports, air space and national waters.  A carrier flight deck is 3.5 acres of sovereign U.S. territory.  It's the highly trained, mobile, and versatile military that allows America to talk the talk and walk the walk.  As far as cost goes, go back and truly study the U.S. budget.  What percentage of the total U.S. budget goes towards the military?  It's a surprisingly low percentage.  Again, before you rant and rave, make sure you know what you're talking about.  Better for you to keep your mouth shut and have everyone think you're a fool than open it and remove all doubt. 

Could someone organize a Big Pine Canal Blow Out? I experimented with my boat by tying it to the davits and then kicked it in gear and got it up to about 1000 RPM.  You would not believe the debris plume that erupted behind my boat and blew down to my neighbors dock.  If we could get everyone to cooperate at the same time, you could blow out the whole damn canal back into the channel when the tide was going out.

[Mistrust government] It’s remarkable the responses I’ve read to the proposed sales tax increase almost all worry that the Commissioners will raid the kitty and use the money for something else. The level of government mistrust here is astounding.

One of my family members is engaged to a fine man who convinced her to stop smoking pot. This would be okay if he wasn’t on Xanax himself. I guess it’s all right to use drugs every day as long as they don’t make you feel good.

A gallon of diesel emits more toxic stuff than a gallon of gasoline, but because diesel produces more power per stroke, a diesel gets more miles per gallon. And with crafty advertising that equates to less pollution per mile than gasoline. It's all in the typing!

Monroe County ordinance: See Chapter 3: Animals and Foul  http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?sid=9&pid=11270

[Your house--your cost] Quit using the old "landlord will have to raise the rent" excuse for forcing others to pay for your home improvements. I mean using your logic it would stand to reason that the 5 cents a gallon increase in fuel and the 1 penny sales tax will already be forcing landlords to raise your rent, right? I guess all businesses using fuel for their trucks now have to pass on the rising fuel costs to everyone. All groceries will cost more, anything you will purchase will have to raise because everything moves by truck. Its nothing more then making others pay your bills for you. Stay out of my pockets. No tax increase.

I can’t understand how we put up with 5-6 deputies taking their Monroe county sheriff’s vehicle to their residences in Florida City. It’s really no benefit to the County. Also, if all the deputies which are making a good salary would report to the substations in their own cars and have a roll call to review the incidents of the previous day and then be assigned a patrol car for their shift a lot of money on gas could be saved as well as a reduction of vehicles needed. The patrol car could be used for the 3 shifts instead of sitting idle at a residence for 16 hrs a day.

[Daily dumping of 300million gallons of crap in to the ocean] Dear Senator Burt Saunders, Please continue to get legs behind Legislature to assist in having this practice stop of daily dumping 300 million gallons of lightly treated sewage three miles out into our ocean.  I am a resident in Key Largo, Florida, Monroe County. Our County is now in the process of trying to get the Keys sewered and our wastewater treated.  If Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach stop dumping into our oceans (of which some of the dumping comes south to the Keys) this will also help the Keys to clean up some of our wastewater problems.  Please continue your work with this much needed legislation. I commend your efforts.  Hoping more residents here in Monroe County also email you their comments and support.

Bill Clinton's legacy in Africa was the debacle of Somalia and the abandonment of Rwanda's Tutsis to the 1994 genocide. But with the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, Bush's primary contribution will be greatly extending millions of lives even though the programmed has been criticized for emphasizing abstinence in Aids education and using religious organizations to deliver care.  My dear Bush bashing friend, those aren’t the words of any Bushie, but the words of a foreign newspaper., you should know that the article was much longer and even more effusive in it's praise of the Bush. 

Next, is immigration out of control?  No, there still is way too much illegal immigration, but the nationwide jobs that are routinely filled by illegal aliens go unfilled.  Border crossing arrests of illegals have plummeted, and border towns report that Mexican families are departing for Mexico in droves.  California growers are moving their operations to Mexico claiming cheap labor shortages here force the move.  The illegal alien situation is improving.  Next, I challenge you to tell us what American citizens are not getting the “help” that they need.  Words and accusations are real cheap, back up your words, if you can.

[Vodka] One can make vodka out of anything that ferments; all vodka is 190 proof alkie which is considered pure alcohol that has had all the properties and character cooked out of it then mixed with pure distilled water. Anything else is mostly just poppycock put out by the distilleries to try to get customers to buy there product. Always buy the cheapest vodka you can as there is no difference between it and the most expensive. Vodka is vodka, no more no less.

With the amount of taxes we citizens here in Monroe County pay the pyramid and the structure needs to be readjusted.  Quality of life should not be allowed to become less than it is already. Our BOCC, Planning Commission meetings televised and access to the County website are services we pay dearly for and should not be minimized or allowed to be sent to the butcher block and cut out.  How about some of the salaries that our Department Directors are making?  Especially the new ones that Willi hired when he was the County Administrator, or some of the new positions he made up while he was in charge? (Ed: The county website is back online today.)

George (Neugent) is not going to turn me and I ain’t holding my breath on God turning him. I’m just the bait shrimp God used to get a nibble or two. I told George privately to back off, get out of the way, he was too close to this thing with the Goodmans and what was done by them, although I probably can’t prove it, to Sandy and her family through the Sheriff’s and State Attorney’s Offices. These are seriously bad people, the Goodmans and their Republican confederates, and George is in the verge, if not already there, of merging all the way with them, thus with what is running with them, which down Costa Rica way, where you now are headed, is called El Diablo. I wish I wuz joking, but I’m not. It’s my line of work to know such things, sadly.

Now you can finally understand the sub-prime mess. http://docs.google.com/TeamPresent?docid=ddp4zq7n_0cdjsr4fn&skipauth=true

Looking for Court TV to solve your case with contractor or developer who built your home or remodeled it? Here is your chance to get it for free -- and some extra money. Contact them and tell them about your problem and what needs to be done to fix it. It may be a great opportunity to sort out certain problems. http://www.ccfj.net

[Other ways to offset your forced tax increases] No donations to Habitat this year, no donations to the fire dept, no donations to local fund raisers. I mean if landlords are forced to raise rents because of the waste water increase then the average person is forced to offset his or her costs also.

You are a naive fool if you believe politicians won’t pick the pocket of the sales tax increase. They will find a way to rob it blind. How many times have you seen what was supposed to be funds used for 1 thing taken and used for another pet project. Are we really that foolish? The cost to the snowbirds will be nearly nothing. They only shop here part of the year. If you fulltime residents want to pay for part time residents improvements just swing by their houses and leave them a check.

[Ringing in my ears] I suggest getting to a doctor to check your blood pressure and plumbing. I had the same problem and it was just that, high blood pressure and clogged pipes.

As First Lady, Hillary assumed authority over Health Care Reform, a process that cost the taxpayers over $13 million. She told both Bill Bradley and Pat Moynahan, key votes were needed to pass her legislation, that she would "demonize "anyone who opposed it. But it was opposed; she couldn't even get it to a vote in a Congress controlled by her own party. (And in the next election, her party lost control of both the House and Senate.)

The Goodman's new best seller book. KeyLargoKey.com

The Moon will turn an eerie shade of red for people in the western hemisphere late Wednesday and early Thursday, recreating the eclipse that saved Christopher Columbus more than five centuries ago.  In a lunar eclipse, the Sun, Earth and Moon are directly aligned and the Moon swings into the cone of shadow cast by the Earth.  But the Moon does not become invisible, as there is still residual light that is deflected towards it by our atmosphere.

Lunar eclipses have long been associated with superstitions and signs of ill omen, especially in battle.  The defeat of the Persian king Darius III by Alexander the Great in the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC was foretold by soothsayers when the Moon turned blood-red a few days earlier.  And an eclipse is credited with saving the life of Christopher Columbus and his crew in 1504. 

Stranded on the coast of Jamaica, the explorers were running out of food and faced with increasingly hostile local inhabitants who were refusing to provide them with any more supplies.  Columbus, looking at an astronomical almanac compiled by a German mathematician, realized that a total eclipse of the Moon would occur on February 29, 1504.  He called the native leaders and warned them if they did not cooperate, he would make the Moon disappear from the sky the following night.  The warning, of course, came true, prompting the terrified people to beg Columbus to restore the Moon -- which he did, in return for as much food as his men needed. He and the crew were rescued on June 29, 1504.

[W/D former manager] I consider it a great day if I can find someone that speaks English. Another thing, who gets the blame now for all the buy 1 get 1 free items’ shelves always being empty? You can't blame Robert, he's not there!

When I was in the army in Colorado Springs in 1974, Mexican pot was 10 buckaroos an ounce. Most of the time I could only afford 5 dollars worth, but that was ok because I also had a 2 dollar line of credit at the liquor store on 8th street. You only got paid once a month in the army and believe me at the end of the month a person could do a lot of amazing things with just seeds and stems. Life was good and all it took was a 39 cent quart of Hamms beer and a big old bowl of seeds and stems. Never forget were you where once in your life.  

[Ringing in the ears] It’s called tinnitus and can be very annoying, prevent sleep, disrupt activities, cause anxiety and a host of other problems as a result of the constant perception of “noise” or “buzzing” in the ears.  Sometimes just on one side (uni-lateral tinnitus) or sometimes on both sides (bi-lateral tinnitus).  Go to the American Tinnitis Association web site (ata.org) for the best information on the condition.  It is also very important that you be evaluated by an ear specialist and/or neurologist to rule out any organic cause (lesion or tumor etc).  There are prescription medications that can help in some cases.  There are also many capsules, tablets, supplements, gadgets and other so-called “cures” on the internet, the overwhelming majority of which don’t work.  If the condition is mild, a “white noise generator” can help a sufferer get to sleep by masking the ringing or buzzing.  It is also very important to learn not to focus or become obsessed with the noise but rather learn to try and ignore it.  I have had the condition for many, many years due to gunfire and noise exposure and have learned to live with it.  I can usually “tune it out” until a sharp noise, something reminding me of the condition or other loud event brings it back.  For me, very loud music is the most common problem.  I know how frustrating the condition can be and hope this helps a little and you can eventually find some relief.

[Knowledge is power] 40% of Americans have not read a book in the last year.

[BOCC proves its arrogance again] (Reprinted with the permission of News-Barometer.) The county commission’s approval of a working waterfront preservation plan last week did little, if anything, to preserve real working waterfront. What it did was to prove to any who cared to listen that the three members who vote in a bloc on nearly all development issues care little about protection of anything except a developer’s wishes.

The working waterfront preservation plan started with the best of intentions. The county sought a way to maintain what was left of the dwindling waterfront that supports our commercial fishing industry, while allowing enough economic incentive to land owners to aid in that preservation process. What we ended up with is a plan that assures that most traditional working waterfronts will become luxury waterfront resorts that cater to the wealthy guests that are just about all that can afford to visit our fabulous Keys anymore. Commercial fishing has been the one industry that has survived both good and bad economic times in the Keys. The businesses are usually passed down through generations, and entire families make their living from the bounty collected in Keys waters. But our commission, on the strength of votes from Mayor Sonny McCoy, and Commissioners Dixie Spehar and Mario DiGennaro, tried to put the first knife in the heart of the commercial fishing industry last Monday.

After well-respected members of the industry, advisory boards, staff personnel and concerned residents had finally hammered out an agreement that seemed to be palatable to both the industry and the land owners, the commission tossed out most of that and went with a plan written by developer’s representative Jerry Coleman. We remember Coleman as the workforce housing task force consultant who has written a slew of ordinances, most of which have been rejected in initial form by the state Department of Community Affairs because they all, in essence, gave away the store when it came to preserving managed growth in the Keys. And the worst part of the whole nearly unbelievable scenario was that the commissioners agreed to Coleman’s plan, even after he admitted he was working for the developer, without even seeing the final documents until less than 10 minutes before the vote.

They voted on the unseen proposal over the advice of Growth Management Director Drew Trivette and County Attorney Suzanne Hutton. It was blatant, it bordered on asinine, and it, unfortunately, is what we have come to expect from the “Gang of Three.” Coleman told the commission that preserving working waterfront no longer had any place in the Keys because the commercial fishing industry would be gone in a few years anyway and would no longer be a viable entity. Hogwash. And we have to ask how much Coleman paid for his crystal ball. He needs to ask for a refund.

The Florida Keys are still one of the top five commercial fisheries in the United States. We don’t land the poundage that other large fisheries do, but what we land has a high dollar value. It’s not only a viable industry today, but it will remain a viable industry far beyond tourism for the rich.

With this move, our three controlling commissioners have voided their oath to the people. We would urge them all to skip every meeting from now on and just send the applicable developer’s representative to take their seat on the dais. We will get the same response, and none of us will have to worry about the shock and disbelief factor again. With idiotic moves such as this, this commission has solidified the public’s perception of it as one that is completely and irrevocably out of touch with the general populace. And that means it’s time to sweep house.

The primaries are in August. The backlash against the two incumbents who were part of this travesty should be immense. The voters must send a message. If they don’t, we all get exactly what others pay for.

It is funny that someone is bragging about being related to Jimmy Hoffa.  He was as dirty as they get. He was involved in money laundering and all other sorts of organized crime.  Just because his front was to stand up for the worker does not mean he was honest or good for the workers or the Nation in general. 

[Saint Peter’s Presidents Day flea market] What got me was the parking on the brand new soccer fields! The kids can't play on them if they are too wet for fear of them tearing up the turf with their cleats, yet there are over 50 cars driving on and off the turf to park on the field. What the heck?

Redneck tribute to mullets. mullet of the redneck variety

Vodka is one of the world's most popular distilled beverages. It is a clear liquid containing water and ethanol purified by distillation from a fermented substance such as potatoes, grain or sugar beet molasses.

[How to get rid of rats on a boat] Sink the boat.

[W/D former manager] I was a big fan of Robert. If you asked him he would order it for you. You also have to remember the work force we have to deal with here. It's not very good. Maybe you should to try to run a business here.

I am so disgusted with the stupid people that post here, that I will no longer take part! 

I have missed this blog for a few days and first I must say I have missed it.  I laugh away every day.  Now for the purpose of my email.  I saw someone wrote in about the cocktail party that Ed Swift's company hosted for the Realtors and was wondering if any men beat up women at the event.  I was there and I did not see any assaults on anyone, male or female.  However I also noticed the culprit at the last assault also was not there.  The moral of this tale is that not all Realtors behave this way, just one.  He was not present and it was a very nice, friendly function where we all did some networking and learned about Ed Swift's new project.  Sadly one idiot gives an entire profession a bad name.  We are not bad people and we have made most of you reading this right now a lot of money.

[Kaman’s prosthetic is the coolest invention] Is he going to invent a prosthetic anus for us taxpayers too?

[Ringing in the Ears] Does it happen when you turn your blonde head cross wind? Oh, sorry, that's whistling!

We used to see “blind mullets” years ago in Everglades City. They floated around us as we swam in the Barron River near the raw sewage outfall. The old-timers told us not to eat them. They said “they taste like crap”.

With all the taxes being imposed on us peasants, a national depression is sure to hit us. We will be working for our masters like the old days!

The posters who panned our aircraft carriers and urged an abandonment of all overseas U.S. military bases, these posters believe that conventional warfare is passé!  Kudos for reaching heights of lunacy that I thought impossible.  These dudes are remarkable in that I couldn’t have believed that anyone could have their head that far up their butt and still be able to operate a keyboard.  It’s hard to tell where to begin, but here goes.  The U.S. won the cold war because we had the world’s best military, a lynch pin of that military is the unique ability of our military to project force anywhere in the world on short notice.  We would not be able to accomplish this were it not for aircraft carriers.  Dude, you’ve got to know that the “giant planes” you champion require large dry land airfields which just might not be available anywhere near the scene of the action.  The aircraft carriers deliver force to the ground anywhere in the world to permit the ultimate troop incursion.  Carriers have played a prime role in every single conflict for at least the last 30 years.  My dear friend, I would earnestly suggest that you pray that we never become engaged in anything but a conventional war, the options are horrific to contemplate.  Imagine a non conventional conflict with N. Korea, China, Russia, Iran, or an al Qaeda ruled Pakistan or Afghanistan.  Imagine mushroom clouds sprouting in America.  Your suggestion that American foreign policy is imperial, is simply disgusting. 

If we are an imperialistic nation, we are miserable failures at it.  Can you name a single country, nation, or territory that we have annexed in the last century?  Now let’s see, we fought the Spanish American war, we won.  Is Spain or Cuba or even the Philippines under American rule?  What about Germany and Japan, and Italy, and Korea, and Panama, Grenada, Bosnia, even Iraq has an independent democratically elected government.  We whipped every single one of these nations, yet none of these independent nations is under U.S. control.  Your liberal flower power bull crap rhetoric is old and tired.  Check out the true “imperialists”, it’s the Muslim fundamentalist movement that vows to convert the world, vows to subjugate the world’s population, and is prepared to die to accomplish their goal.  That, my foolish liberal friend, really is imperialism.  Were it not for the existence of our military bases throughout the world, the world would be even a more dangerous place that it is today.

I contacted Winn-Dixie last Friday via their website. I asked about their former manager Robert, but have had no reply.

Tonight is Eden Pines Colony Meeting with guest appearance by our Commissioner George Neugent.  www.EdenPinesOwners.com

[Sewering cost] Let's see at $16,000 to $20,000 per property divided by 365 days = 44 to 55 years of flushing once a day divided by how many dumps you take per day.  I think I'll UPS the stuff to the Governor, it will be cheaper!

Sat: Benefit ride starting at the Caribbean Club around 9am then on to the Safari Lounge around noon and coming down the Keys to Boondocks by mid afternoon. Sun: Shovelhead bike show at mm104 at the Caribbean Club starts at noon with lots to do and see!

It now costs me $13 to drive to Key West and back. I saved $65 by not going to work last week. If you don’t think the slow tourist season is a result of high gas prices you’re way off track. Maybe if the County improved bus service instead of reducing service some of us citizens could save some money.

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Sunday February 17, 2008

[Sales tax] Kudos to Commissioner Neugent. Some of us are genetically disposed to resist the imposition of any new tax; we are dedicated to reduction of existing taxes.  In this instance however, this sales tax dedicated to funding the central waste water project is a great idea whose time has come.  Now, right now, we must realize that Monroe County tax payers have no choice but to install centralized waste water collection.  This project must be paid for.  The time for arguing the merits of the project is long gone.  The wolf (this project) is at our door. The project must be completed by 2010.  If we fail to be in compliance, property owners will be hit with severe penalties. 

Imagine for a moment that we could flush (pardon the pun) everyone from the Keys except those of us property owners who are full time residents who pay County ad valorum taxes.  The streets would be almost empty.  As it stands now, ii is that relatively small group who will get stuck with the full cost.  It certainly seems only rational that every single person who lives in or visits the Keys should pay for waste water disposal.  This sales tax, if enacted, must have rock solid provision that all funds generated be applied only to the planning, installation and operation of the system.  We must take care that the tax has a sunset provision too. 

[Pickles] I’m glad the community is coming together to find the great pickle.

[Dead animals in barrels]  Would it be esthetically more pleasing to see them lined up on tables awaiting cremation?  Wherever their bodies are, they are still dead. Thanks to the shelters which euthanize unwanted animals which end up there because of irresponsible people.

I thought vodka was only made from potatoes. I saw some today that was made from grain. When you distill grain don’t you get whiskey?

No barnyard animals in any residential zone in Monroe County] Please advise the exact rule number of the specific code to which you are referring. My call to code enforcement resulted in the code enforcement man saying there is not such code that you stated in your post. (Ed: I did it again. I deleted the code numbers. Sorry)

Ford is selling its Jaguar and Land Rover division to India. That’s as close to England as they can come.

George Will opined that “energy policy has become a mare’s nest of environmental and national-security fallacies.” What is a mare’s nest? I thought only birds had nests. Isn’t a mare a female horse or the Greek goddess of dreams?

[Mysteries of Life] If you have a cut on your finger and it comes in contact with E Coli bacteria it’ll surely get infected, but if you have bleeding hemorrhoids they never get infected?

The merchants along the area of Tavernier should have the name of the key on their businesses. I never know where I am when I’m driving through that stretch of road.

[The Scoop from Madame LeFeye Herself] You can find and buy my Pickles at the Big Pine Key Moose Lodge and at Good Food Conspiracy Health Food Store (I am going to take some over to her) today) and E-Fish. They can also be found at Albertson's in Key West. At the present time we are no longer taking any on-line orders because the shipping cost has rocketed making it impossible to ship. Our business is still strong as ever, but it has grown too large to keep up with the growing demand for just the two of us at the current rate. I want to thank all you pickle fans out there who have helped make my pickles such a great success. They are the best. You all rock! Kudos to you all.

Its hard for me to believe that Commissioner Neugent wants to increase our sales tax to pay for new sewers. It will cost every citizen thousands more in the long haul. The cost of sewering private homes should be incurred by the homeowners. It’s their homes that need the work. I am a long term renter because I choose to not purchase a home here in the Keys. I feel homes are way overpriced here. I am a hard working person who takes excellent care of my landlord’s property and treat it as my own. I know from conversations with my landlord that 10 years ago the home sold for $150,000. It is worth over $500.000 now. With such an increase in value it would seem a person could take out a loan and pay for the system and still come out way ahead. We pay school taxes even if we don’t have kids in school and we pay in other ways for people that visit our area. Please help keep the Commissioners and homeowners wanting others to pay for their required improvements out of our pockets. If I get an increase in health care costs or insurance costs I don’t ask for others to pay for my improvements so you should stay out of my pockets. Fight the sales tax increase.

I prefer sensible shoes! Video

[Voting Made Easy] Village election March 11, 2008 Run-off April 8, 2008
Seat 1 Don Achenberg (R)  "appointed" incumbent – retired trucker. Achenberg does not want to protect working waterfront marina and voted to let "Sojourn" build five large houses (previously zoned single family and now zoned by him as multi-family) across the street from turtle nesting beach and will abolish lobster boats at the marina. Lives next door to Bill Fountain (Developer). Achenberg is for big development in Islamorada. and refuses to publish his biographical info.

Ron Levy (R) - former council member - voters attempted to remove him from office for ordering village employees to perform tasks, while he was an elected official. Now he likes to chide current elected officials for micro-managing, when he was the biggest offender during his time in office. Of all the candidates, this is probably the worst one. Recommendation: Do not vote for either Reckwerdt or Levy. This will send message to the one elected, with the least amount of votes, of all of the candidates, that the voters did not want either candidate.  ~flkeybob@terranova.net

Let me tell you all That WD on BPK is on the road to ruination. They send these so-call district managers from Miami who want to run the store like they do up in Miami and it just won't work here. When WD started with there renovations part of there slogan was every store will be equipped for there particular area. Well, WD take a good look at what you did. BPK is the only store for 25 miles in each way. I needed a mop several weeks ago and it was such a confused mess in that area and the mop I needed, a simple good mop, was not there. I had to purchase a simple item at another store--this is not good business. What you say is not what you are doing.  Are you waiting for a buyout from Publix? That mop area still is a hazard. A bottle of cleaning fluid fell on my toe. 

Lost Cargo’s produce will be at the community fair at Sugarloaf Airport. We will be there all day Sunday with boiled peanuts and fresh produce.

[Changing primary date] Is Florida trying to compete with New Hampshire and Iowa for early primary money by moving the primary date? I don’t know if we got any more money, but if we did it was at the expense of losing Florida delegates.

I would like Microsoft Word to have “sheets” like Excel does. Are there any word processors that have sheets?

The interim County Administrator was not “forced” to terminate dozens of jobs. She and the 11 department heads could have taken a fair and equitable salary cut, but instead decided to cut jobs instead.  One man who was terminated had been working for the county for 17 years, and now he is unemployed. 

Why do we continue to build aircraft carriers capable of launching a fighter jet every 20 seconds when our enemy uses just about anything in the present war to kill our children?  IED’s, suicide bombers, old ordnance, we, America, supplied to them.  The pattern has been to arm these countries and produce superior technology to combat them. Smells funny to me.  War sucks. The economy sucks.  Fraud, waste and abuse are rampant and we wonder why we are in the mess we are.  Most taxpayers feel helpless to initiate change in any tangible way. So we will take our “rebate” and go away happy.  Sheeple is the term someone coined here and it fits to a T.

How come Papa Joe’s restaurant never re-opened after hurricane Wilma? That was a cool place. Did the owners just lose interest?

A girl in Miami got arrested for bigamy when she married ten men in four years. She must be one hot cookie!

Want to know how to rid your property of those pesky mangroves?
KeyLargoKey.com

[Here's a good thing] Kathy Vowels is home and doing pretty well. We really need to pull together a benefit for her. She has had a very rough year.

The Justice Dept is doing the investigation into the CIA’s destruction of the torture tapes from Guantanamo. That’s rather like a fox investigating another fox.

If sales tax goes up to 8.5%, it won’t really do any good to buy online or from out of state.  Legally, you will still owe the tax.  Some websites are starting to charge the tax.  Others leave it up to their customers to be honest and claim their internet purchases (snicker, snicker).

If W/D had a union Robert would still be employed. Jimmy Hoffa where are you?

[Does working for tax payers guarantee the employee a job for life, and does public employment guarantee a certain salary level regardless of performance] Evidently, except for those who pissed somebody off and are now laid off as punishment (aka budget cuts). The reason the county is not run like a business is immunity. Countrywide, public sector employees are immune from private sector management styles and rules. Public employees do not see public service as service, but entitlement, with ultimate protection.

I personally know some county workers who are competent, effective, and very good at their jobs. I also know some county workers who are the exact opposite. It's the good ones I worry about. They are the ones who are more likely to leave for other jobs, usually to work in the private sector. Like oil, competence seeks its own level.

You know you’re getting old when you have to wear your glasses to clean the seeds out of your pot.

Please don't (cat) liter. Yes, there were barrels of dead cats in the photograph.  It's horrible, but this is what happens when people don't spay and neuter their pets.  Almost 10,000 pets are "euthanized" every day in the United States.  Please be responsible and have your pets spayed or neutered.  Call me if you have any cats that need to be spayed or neutered, I will gladly help out.  Valerie, volunteer for Forgotten Felines. 745-7457. Business Directory > Pets

[Poster credits Arizona law enforcement] Because it was in response to a N.Y. Times article about Phoenix Az. and recent curbs on illegal immigration that are steering Hispanic immigrants out of the state. Illegal entries into Arizona were not at issue in that specific article. Bush's admin efforts or lack of, in controlling illegal entries into Arizona had no bearing on people exiting the state, they were already there. If Bush was doing his job, Az., other states and cities would not have to enact any immigration related laws.  

That same poster states that there's a shortage of agricultural and construction workers. Yes there is a shortage of workers willing to accept wages half or less than that of legal American workers. Big business has screwed Americans by using that illegal work force with the blessing of every president. The poster should also  searched for “what illegal immigration cost Americans” or “cost of illegal immigration” then balance that against cheap wages, most times with no collected taxes. Add taxpayer supported health care and schooling for illegals and you’ll see that cheap illegal labor is no longer cheap!

Once many crops had to be picked by hand; now much of it is done by machinery. Question: is it time to re-tool America's farm production again or just let the flood of cheap illegal workers continue? Then after a time, give them all amnesty again and again "just because they're already here" like our government keeps doing? The American people have said no more! Bush's half-assed efforts on enforcing immigration laws is a con so he can present another amnesty plan before leaving office to build his legacy. 

Boy, the guy or gal complaining about the animals sure is angry unhappy person!  Those are the kinds of people that should never, ever move to the Keys because they need an island all to them selves.

[Voting Made Easy II] No new taxes or increases. If you cannot manage the money you have then get the hell out of office. Tuff love is needed. Anyone that voted yes to the Vandenberg and yes to the purchase of a restaurant should be removed from office. Take a stand.

Neugent’s sales tax increase is the fair way to go. It’s based on the principal that if you “go” you should pay for the sewers too.

Winn Dixie makes for a crummy shopping experience if you’re in a hurry. One example is that they have nuts in three different places in the store. Another is that Goya Salsa Verde has been out of stock for four months. There is still a place on the shelf for it, but it remains empty.

[Ringing in the Ears]  I work among many doctors, including audiologists and otolaryngologists (ENTs).  None of them know of a solution for tinnitus.  I have it 24/7.  If your ears are ringing, you have already damaged them in some way.  As a word of caution, even though wearing headphones with music may help mask the ringing, your ears are more susceptible to future damage.  Don’t expose them to loud sounds.  The only words of comfort that I can offer is that you have lots of company sharing your ailment.

I was thinking, ouch. There a few businesses that have lasted on Pine key with the same owners. I think one of the longest is Johns Hardware, Gas & propane Marney's Health Food Store, cafe and poor box drop off (home of the world famous Poor Box Fashion Show) and Coconuts Bar and Drive-thru Liquor store, pool hall, game room, music emporium. All are family owned and run and have to do whatever it takes to make it work. Job well done; you are a special bunch and the changes you have seen are known by only a few of us.

If you would like to meet Mr. Dennis Ward who is running against State Attorney Mark Kohl, you will have the chance on Monday at the Big Pine Key Civic Association, Inc. meeting.  Bring your questions and listen to his answers. The meeting is open to the public. Please come and get educated on your candidate(s) Aug. 26th primary, and find out what they want to do, so when we go to vote we get the right ones into office then we can get some good changes in our local government officials.  Refreshments will be available.  Directions to St. Francis Episcopal Church1-1/2 Miles North of US1, on west side of the Blvd just before Watson Blvd.  See you there.

[8.5% Sales Tax] Commissioner Neugent has it right. We have to bite the bullet and all pay for the sewers or else only us property owners will have to pay and be penalized too. We don’t have any choice in this matter. If we don’t have sewers by 2010 all of us property owners will be fined severely. Let’s increase the sales tax so all who crap in the keys pays their fair share.

[Winn Dixie Manager] Hasn’t it occurred to anyone that Robert might have been given a promotion for doing a good job?

The county worker who complained that he shouldn’t have to take a pay cut when he claims to be doing the job of at least one co-worker, has a very valid point. Efficiency should be rewarded and the slacker should be canned.  He’s dead wrong however when he blames our Monroe County fiscal situation on the “war”.  Our current fiscal crunch is not affected one way or another by the largess of the Federal government.  The blame falls right on our local shoulders.  We (that’s you and me) permitted the mismanagement to exist.  We (that’s you and me) voted the gang of three into office.  We got the quality of government that we deserved.  We’ll do better next time.  It’s time we demanded efficiency from our county employees, it’s time we demanded professionalism from our hired county administrators, and it’s long past time that we demand responsibility and culpability from our elected officials.

Another mullet spotting at the Jacksonville Zoo.  Note the Harley t-shirt and little kid in the picture with the camouflage hat. Classic. Don't worry folks, Johnny Hoghead has appointed a special committee to investigate popular mullet people watering holes and we are on the road gathering data. 

Bob Hope's line about zombies was great. If it were today he could say "You mean Neo-Cons?" It's unbelievable how sycophantic they are, parroting everything the administration says and having no opinions or thoughts of their own. Their motto is "Don't confuse me with the truth".

Madame Le Feye (back to the camera) is a good friend of mine, and she and her hubby still make their great pickles when they need a batch...mostly to sell them at Albertson's. Yes, they are the best pickles we have ever had.  She can also marry you (she performed our service, and it was awesome).

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Sunday February 17, 2008

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Saturday February 16, 2008

Let me be very clear right up front – I don’t want to pay anything and for sure no more than the next guy for a sewer. However, knowing there are “no free lunches” and the state of Florida Statutes states that everyone will achieve either Best Available Technology (BAT) or Advanced Wastewater Treatment by 2010, which is only30 months away, I think it would be responsible of me to try and find a revenue source to fund some of the cost. 99-395 which is the Florida Statute that says “you will” achieve these standards does not say anything about – with or without funding.

And for what I am about to say, unless things change legislatively this is what will happen: FYI an Equivalent Development Unit which equates to one residential unit (137 gallons of usage) carries a price tag of about 16 to $20,000. I have prepared myself mentally and financially to pay that amount personally because without subsidy money coming from the Feds or the State of Florida that is what it is going to cost you Mr. & Mrs. Property Owners to put in place the equipment to provide that level of treatment. Come 2010 you will get a letter, depending on your flows, from either the Department of Health, Monroe County, or Department of Environmental Protection saying you are not compliant and you must become compliant by such and such a date or you will have to pay a daily penalty.

It is documented that visitors and tourist pay about half of our sales taxes. One penny produces approximately $30M annually. Over a 15 year period this would address our financial needs as a revenue source to move forward in an uninterrupted manner to implement the stringent standards the state is holding us accountable to do. They (the state) should also allow us to implement a revenue source to subsidize the cost of doing such. Do you want to pay the full cost of an EDU at about $20K Mr. or Mrs. property owner or one penny at a time on you and our tourists’ purchases – its your choice for the moment.

We are presently playing Russian Roulette with the State’s Pie ‘n the Sky scheme of bonding. Last year we got no funding from the State, a State which is crying financial shortfalls; if we get no funding again this year we would be looking at the property owner as being payee of last resort as we move forward with implementation. The property owners should be paying extremely close attention to where, the money we don’t have, is to come from.

My colleagues took $5.1M and bought a defunct restaurant – Hickory House – and sunk a ship – the Vandenberg – and now, because of their actions, we don’t have $3M for engineering design for Big Pine Key.

This money would also be available for repairing roads that will be torn up implementing infrastructure. When my colleagues are asking to raise gas taxes by 6 cents – this could, one penny at a time, save you Mr. & Mrs. Homeowner from having to fork out $20K per EDU plus an additional 6 cents a gallon for gas. Most folks, after seeing the alternative, support it. Having spoken with 4 of the municipalities, several of their representatives including the Key Largo Wastewater District have expressed positive interest. Think about it, call me and give me your thoughts – don’t just reject it out-of-hand. ~Neugent-George@monroecounty-fl.gov

Make government as efficient as private enterprise at accomplishing programs and nobody will mind taxation and the funding of social programs.  Tax money well spent is an investment in our country that everyone could love.  Look at the multitude of government bureaucracies and associated expense just in our little area.  New office buildings, new vehicles, new boats, new hanger, new aircraft, city, county state, sheriff's office, Fish & Wildlife, state Sanctuary, Federal Sanctuary, Coast Guard, Customs, etc. etc. Often the result isn't even good service or enforcement.  What is the total price tag for the settlement of lawsuits? Many staffers go to meetings incessantly. Brutal analysis of what gets done for the money is the starting point.  No efficiency, no funding.  Line item veto, etc. We cannot afford more taxation just to have the money wasted by inept, status quo bureaucrats. 

I spent an hour on Wednesday and Thursday setting up T-ball teams at the Sugarloaf school fields. This was shortly after my son’s team practiced after school.  For people to say the fields are not necessary or needed they should have been at the meeting that was held on who, what, and when the fields could, and would be used.  One person was arguing that the Big Pine teams need to be on Big Pine, where we only have one field (which is in constant use this time of year and over flowing) so the Key West teams which have 5(?) fields can come up and use the Sugarloaf field.  Shame on the members of this community who have complained about lights shinning in their homes, have tried to stop the building of Mariners Park and now complain about the school lights. (they go off by 9:00pm)  How many of you go to bed before then?  Was your childhood so miserable that you would deny the youth of this community positive recreation which helps stem the tide of crime and drug abuse?  You need to come out and see the happy faces of these children and the enjoyment they exhibit.  Better yet, why don’t you come out and volunteer, then you’ll be in the light, not hiding from it.

P.S. I have lived next to a security light on my neighbor’s property for ten years, shinning into my son’s room.  Do I like it? No, I have complained to no avail so I learned to pull the blinds down.

A penny added to the sales tax to help pay for our sewer system.  What a great idea since, sooner or later,  every person in the Keys, visitor or resident, will have to use the sewers and sooner or later, everyone here will pay a sales tax on some purchase. Why not link the two events so everyone contributes something to the cost of those sewers?  It sounds fair to me.

Looks like we are about to see a lot more things shut down in the Keys, like the Juvenile Justice Detention Center.  I have a feeling that this is just the beginning.  But that animal farm goes on and on. We have our priorities.  The County is laying people off, the City of Key West isn't far behind, and I'll bet taxes will keep right on going up.  The County is already talking about raising gasoline taxes.  It looks like we've come full circle, or close to it.  And accomplished what—a lower cost of living in the Keys?  Tell me another story. I'm not sleepy yet.

The Taking Of Big Pine & No Name Key Update. It's your property or is it?

We have had alternative fuel for 100 years, but big oil with the help of gov't put them out of business. The first diesel engine was designed to run on peanut oil. Before gov't outlawed homemade alcohol in the 1920's farmers did run off some whiskey from their stills but they also made distillate, (ethanol) which they burned in their tractor engines. Bio diesel and ethanol burn cleaner with less wear on engines. For awhile government vehicles burned ethanol and bio-diesel back in the early 1900s, but big oil slowly took over. We'd have all the "alternative" fuel we need at a cheaper price if not for oil companies in bed with top gov't politicians who hold us hostage. Someday the American people are going to get smart and begin to question their godlike officials. What they'll find out is their tin pot emperors have no clothes, and we've been lied to, robbed and cheated for generations.  

[The Great Pickle Search] You can contact her at  www.MadameLeFeye.com    I went to the Moose Club today and got your info! I hope you reach her, they are great pickles!

I happened to notice a newspaper article about Kenneth Franciose, arrested for the TIB bank robbery. I knew him very well and his wife Colleen (Coco) I worked for them when they owned Fin's 24 on Summerland Key. He had a real gambling problem back then, and other illegal habits he and his wife took partook of.  I would have never guessed his problem would become so severe that he would rob a bank.  I no longer reside in the keys, however if anyone out there used to work for Fins, I would love to know whatever became of his now ex-wife, Coco, who lived on Big Coppitt, I think. It was a real interesting story as some of you may be aware.

The Steam Plant is holding a Realtor's Social-Cocktail Party tonight with an open bar.  Anyone want to take bets on which Realtor pummels his girlfriend in front of everyone?

Ricardo is on the west coast with Winn-Dixie; don’t look for him to want to come back to this store with all the employment problems. Robert will be heading home to the west coast also, and yes it is unfortunate. It has only been about 4-5 days and in spite of Bob’s (the acting manager) best efforts, upper management has left the staff and their customers in a mess. Good luck Robert, and to Winn Dixie: watch out for Publix!

You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give! ~Sir Winston Churchill

heart_shaped_pizzas

I am a county worker.  Why should I have to cut my pay when I do my job better than the next guy?  I’m already doing his job for him.  All the county heads should have done what the sheriff did last year when he forecasted this disaster. When a person quit or retired, he didn't fill the position unless it was an essential position.  This means no pink slips. The problem corrected itself. 

The reason for all of these cuts is the war.  The federal government was fat with money, they drained themselves over the years and now they came after our tax money.  Now on top of this is Amendment 1.  Let’s just say Amendment 1 can hurt you physically.  With all the position cuts with the Sheriff's Office they had to take away the middle patrol shift that overlapped the day and night shifts.  So at 6:30 AM or PM, if you’re getting choked by a criminal in Big Pine or Stock Island your nearest cop is at Cudjoe 10 minutes away.  Is that worth your $20 in savings?

As far as the election.  I think Captain Peryam or Phil Mandina are your real candidates.  Sandra Downs is one kooky, crazy lady.  She let her kid skip school to go work which is where he died from an electric arc.  God rest his soul, but your mother is coo coo(sorry my coo coo clock just went off)at least according to two local law enforcement agencies, a States Attorneys’ office, a states office and a few federal agencies who had to, from what I understand, politely ask her to leave and then escort her from their properties. I think some citizens should go pull some public records of all the police reports of her silliness in Monroe County.  ~evaniser@yahoo.com

I remember in 1957 when Sputnik would orbit the earth and everyone would stand out on their front lawns and watch the little satellite pass overhead. It was surprisingly easy to see even though, at 187 lbs, it was only slightly larger than a basketball.

Amendment 1 passed with flying colors and reduced our property taxes by about $240 a year. Now the County has to make up all that lost revenue and they’re proposing that they raise the sales tax to 8.5%, raise the gas tax by 6 cents a gallon and assess each property owner for fire services. So what did we really save?

Does anyone know a home remedy to stop the ringing in my ears? I tried blowing my nose and even went to a doctor, but he said it was all in my head. Some nights the ringing drives me crazy.

[Illegal Aliens]  A poster says that Federal efforts to curb illegal immigration are not responsible for the slowdown of illegal entries, the poster credits Arizona law enforcement.  The poster does not tell you that there is a tremendous shortage of agricultural workers nation wide.  These workers are typically illegal aliens.  California is especially hard hit.  The New York Times (no Bush admin fan) has published several reports concerning this fact.  Recently the NYT reported that some California farmers are actually moving their operations to Mexico where labor is plentiful.  Several South Eastern states also report a shortage of laborers for crop harvesting and agricultural work, these jobs are often taken by illegal aliens.  The construction industry nation wide also reports labor shortages in jobs often held by illegals.  The poster is correct when he says that Bush, the congress and our citizenry has not done enough to combat the problem, but we should levy credit where it’s due.  Bush admin efforts are making a difference.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I really like the Vista operating system. One of my favorite things is that you no longer have to click "start" to stop it.

Faced with staggering budget shortfalls and massive debt, the interim County Administrator has been forced to terminate dozens of county employees to try and balance the budget. (Note that none of the county staff making six figure salaries have lost their jobs or taken a cut) It is nothing short of disgraceful that so many employees are now faced with unemployment and the fear and uncertainty that go along with it.  Some will find other jobs in the community and others will not.  Some will be able to stay in their homes while others will be forced to leave in order to seek employment, provide for their families, and put their lives back on track.  Imagine the nightmare that these people now face.  Imagine the frustration and resentment they must feel when they read about the millions of dollars used for ship sinking, buying a restaurant, hundreds of thousands of dollars for outrageous “consulting” fees, multi-million dollar county construction projects many more millions over budget due to mismanagement and cost overruns, all approved and defended by some members of our County Commission, fiscal responsibility and the welfare of our taxpayers and citizens be damned.  Arrogant and reckless spending has brought this travesty to our community doorstep.  In the November elections we will have the opportunity to bring about badly needed change to the County Commission by electing persons with the good and welfare of our citizens first and foremost in mind and not acting at the whim of special interests or for their own self-aggrandizement.  Change is needed and the only way to achieve that change is to vote.  Let’s not forget come November!

[Complaints to the State Attorney]  Please be aware that simply voicing your opinion to the State Attorney that the circumstances of the BOCC meeting of 2/4 were suspicious is not sufficient grounds to initiate an investigation.  If you have real information, evidence, or testimony that Florida laws are being violated you should reduce that information to report form, and submit it to both the State Attorney and to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement via certified mail.  I’d suggest that you forward a copy of your complaint to the Governor’s office as well.  If you have a substantial amount of information you might also send a letter to the Foreperson of the Monroe County Grand Jury and request a Grand Jury investigation into your suspicions.  Believe it or not the Grand Jury actually has the authority to conduct such investigations.  Does anyone here recall the "runaway" Grand Juries during the terms of the late Dade State Attorney Dick Gerstein?

[Winn Dixie Losing Robert]  Oh, my gosh! The Winn Dixie will get worse now that Robert is gone.  He did so many improvements to that store and worked very hard doing it.  Every time I had a problem and needed help he always helped in a courteous and professional manner. I knew something was going on when I was in there just two evenings ago and the overhead music was Rap.  It looks like the only thing we can do now is hope for a Publix.

All those expensive improvements on the store will now be for naught without a good store manager to manage it properly. I know in the past that a few of the executives from Winn Dixie used to read this site and if you do, I have to tell you that I think you made a terrible mistake losing Robert.  But who am I? Yep, just another customer that you lost!

[The Great Pickle Hunt] The name is Madame LeFeye’s and they are no longer being produced.  It is rumored that another individual has purchased the recipe and will be making the tasty little critters again at some point in the future.  If you know someone who is a member of the Big Pine Moose Lodge, the Lodge still has a few jars for sale, but they are no longer available in the stores.

One of the greatest movie lines of all time.  And timely today as well. Bob Hope

Attention all keys nuisance animal owners! New rules have gone into effect. Crowing roosters and barking dogs can get you on TV and now can cost you big bucks. No barnyard animals shall be kept either penned or loose in 'any residential zone' in Monroe County. Animal control officers may catch, seize or pick up any animal that is a nuisance, issue a citation to pay a fine and/or appear in court (on TV) or make a complaint to the state attorney.

Monroe county now has new code enforcement fees if the county prevails in prosecuting a case (yours) before the special magistrate, "the county shall be entitled to recover 'all costs' incurred in prosecuting that case and such costs may be included in the lien (on your house). Now, not only will you be fined and brought before the special magistrate on TV, but also charged for all the time and other expenses county employees can tally up prosecuting your case. That alone should scare you enough to keep your animals quite and respect your neighbors. If not, playing DCEFR (dialing code enforcement for revenge) may become a new keys' parlor game. Save cash, avoid court and stay off channel 76; keep your f***ing animals quite! Ya’ all have a nice, quite, peaceful day now.

[Winn Dixie] Yes, Robert is missed, but he did not put together the management teams. Also, Sam is not the bakery manager.   Let's see how fast WD goes down hill again. It once was a great store had excellent customer service, it was kept clean and friendly. Now, just take a look at the very expensive bathrooms--filthy all day long. No one ever cleans them.  “Corporate” is the big problem.  The family that once owned and was on the board is no longer there. After their bankruptcy they even did away with Hope Lodge.

Long time Big Pine Key resident Anita Carson is seriously ill any our prayers are needed. Contact New York Jim honda516@aol.com

To the person that posted the comment about the Monroe County Animal Shelter in Key Largo, was the picture that you posted along with your article from that shelter? To me it looked like a bunch of dead animals in barrels for God sakes! (Ed: No, that was our tasteless addition.)

Hurray for Sheriff Joe Arpaio in Arizona. There is absolutely no reason why every sheriff in America couldn't do the same as he instead of sitting on their fat cans (just take a look at some of these bastions of law enforcement) and collecting the big bucks. A Sherriff’s position is a sought after job because it pays well, and should be filled by qualified individuals who are able to do the job. I'm afraid this panty-hosed candidate in the keys just doesn’t fill the bill. 

[Commissioner Neugent wants to raise the sales tax to 8.5% to pay for the sewers] It's war then, right? So I'll buy everything online and out of state.

I will never vote for anybody who wants to be a Politian, but I will vote for the person every body wants to be a Politian.

If the sales tax goes up to 8.5% I’ll buy anything over a hundred dollars online or out of state.