(Ed: Sorry I’m so late today, but too many of you are sending in posts and it’s taking me much longer to crank this thing out.)

Ladies & Gentlemen, Boys & Girls, Children of all ages – Category 4 band has joined the lineup for WETSTOCK 9, Sunday Sept. 1, Labor Day Weekend. This will make four bands this year for a lot of fun. Phoenix, Moose, Category 4, and Ray West Band will rock throughout the day. Live music should start at 1 pm (Keys time of course). It will be “One Day Of Peace & Music”.
See you there, Flip Flop Bob

[“Deer Zoo”] I disagree with an interactive center being located in residential neighborhoods. The whole point of using the USFWS land on US1 as an interactive/educational Key Deer viewing center is to keep these busloads of tourists off of residential streets and out of our neighborhoods (cutting down on traffic, illegal feeding and Deer strikes). Busing or directing tourists to No Name Key, Port Pine Heights or any other residential neighborhood defeats the whole purpose of an interactive education deer viewing center.

And the premise mentioned is not a “zoo”, but more in the lines of the Sheriff’s farm: a safe place for sick or injured adults, or abandoned fawns. Those deer in need of extra care who would not make it in the wild could be ambassadors of their species, instead of death statistics.

This would allow tourists to safely view and learn about the Key Deer while keeping these same tourists off of the residential streets, and out of the yards of private citizens, and resolve the cars-equal-food behavior the deer have learned.

[Heavenly Choir] Did you hear all the tree frogs ‘sing’ last night it was glorious!

Kudos to the owners of Springers Bar and Restaurant on Big Pine Key. They are always coming up with fresh ideas to keep folks coming in.

The peace bell has been replaced at West Martello.

[“Boater crackdown generates discontent”] During the weekend of July 19 to 21, officers issued five citations at the half-mile stretch of coastal water, which in recent years has developed into a popular raft-up party spot for boaters. They call it “enhanced enforcement”, it sounds more like legal harassment.

There’s nothing stopping them from enhancing enforcement (ie: nit-picking at boundaries of the laws) on land. This is the mentality of law enforcement, no matter the agency: enforce laws, create revenue for the department.

Here’s a couple of hints:

1) No wake zones start before the sign, when you can read it.
2) Speed limit signs mean you can increase your speed after you pass the sign, not when you can read it.

There are a ton more nuances to laws used by enforcers to take your money as they create a record/dossier on you.

Here’s a comment from the bottom of the article: Boater education and good will go a lot further than ticketing. I was taught that law enforcement officers were our friends and there to protect and serve. This teaches us to avoid and mistrust them.

And with the recent revelations on government spying on citizens, I’d have to assume local enforcers are doing all they can to gather evidence on the citizens of Monroe, within the boundaries of their laws, of course! Govern yourselves accordingly. 

[“Sucker born every minute”] There used to be a mega church led by Robert Tilton in Dallas that had 1 hour shows (commercials) that said for good things to happen to you, you must first sow a seed, with a stamp of course. They showed people(mostly people who did not have a pot to pee in) that sent them money and the good things that happened to them. He was later indicted for mail fraud. A line from a Hank Williams Jr song: they want you to send a donation to the lord, but they give you their address, but religion is a necessary evil. 

How come they don’t have brake lights on the front of cars?

[Grinder Pumps] Water company finds huge fat blob in London sewer. It may look like an iceberg, but there’s nothing cool about it. Utility company Thames Water says it has discovered what it calls the biggest “fatberg” ever recorded in Britain — a 15-ton blob of congealed fat and baby wipes the size of a bus lodged in a sewer drain. Thames Water says the mound of “wrongly flushed festering food fat mixed with wet wipes” was found under a road in the London suburb of Kingston.

Thames Water deals with fatbergs all the time. But the company said Tuesday it was sharing news of the massive lard lump in hopes that customers will think twice about what they dump down the drain. The company says untreated fatbergs cause flooding and backups.

Could this be our future with grinder pumps?

[“Spanish Main Street on Cudjoe Key”] That picture looks more like N. Roosevelt Blvd. in Key West.

[The Joy Of Flight]  As a former airline employee, and one who still travels on passes, I can almost certainly tell you the employment history of the two flight attendants you describe.  The nasty one is a longtime United employee (“Friendly Skies” my ass).  She resents now being forced to work with the longtime Continental employees (likely the second lady) who bought her airline and are trying to civilize the procedures so long acceptable in that company.  Continental employees went through this when Frank Lorenzo bought the original Frontier Airlines many years ago.  Frontier was known for good service and that influence slowly took over Continental and improved it.  Continental became know for the same good things our gals and guys at Frontier had always taken such pride in; being polite, friendly and helpful to their passengers, while taking care of their comfort and safety.  I’ve never noticed any of that among United flight crews, but they’ll learn.  Mergers are always tough

Key West’s homeless population is 1,422 and growing. That’s an awful lot of losers for such a small place.

[Crooks] Key Largo – Two men have been arrested after they fled from deputies in a stolen car, crashed into a Key Largo business and fled the scene on foot.  24 year old Luis Hernandez of Homestead and 27 year old Reyes Cabezas of Hialeah were booked into jail and face multiple charges.  

Is there any doubt left that Key Largo is the target of choice for the crooks from the north?

[Bait] I also looked in the bait freezer at Winn Dixie the other day and wonder why they put rice around all the bait?

[“Corporations and profits have killed the seas”] Corporations don’t fish, fisherman killed the seas.

This buoy was deployed off Suriname, the smallest country in South America on 20 February 2013 and stopped transmitting on 23 June 2013 as it entered the Gulf of Mexico. The Buoy was recovered on June 28, 2013, 5 miles south of N24.3251, W81.2424 and returned on July 5 by Capt. Joseph Britz and Troop 241 of Lithopolis, OH 

[“Channel-widening is legal under federal law”] Because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s good for us.

[Vacation rentals]  Check out vrbo.com to see who’s renting illegally in your neighborhood!  You’d be surprised to see how many get away with it. Link

This song was born to be bluegrass. Freddy Mercury is totally aghast and rolling over in his grave!
Hayseed Dixie – Fat Bottom Girls

[“Since you only get your info here on BPK, your under intelligent”]  Gee, I suppose you may be on to something.  Since I only have degrees in mathematics, computer science and a masters in Public Sector Management I suppose I am somewhat lacking in the smarts department.  Thank you for pointing out my obvious lack of intelligence. Based on your astute observation,  I plan to return my Phi Beta Kappa key at the earliest opportunity.

[Crooks] The FBI arrested two South Florida mayors Tuesday morning on bribery related charges. Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi and Sweetwater Mayor Manuel “Manny” Marono were taken into custody at their offices. Both complaints charge the  defendants with conspiracy to  commit extortion.

[Vietnam War Starts] Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin resolution in response to Vietnamese attacks on an American Destroyer that was prowling in the Gulf waters of the N. Vietnam gulf. The N. Vietnamese wouldn’t put up with another incursion into their territory and attacked the USS Maddox. There is a lingering question if the N. Vietnamese continued to attack American warships in their territory because the Johnson administration was determined to go to war and could not be trusted with the truth. On August 7, 1964 Johnson declared war (or something close to it) on them starting the Vietnam War. The Americans were looking to provoke the North and did. The Johnson Administration continued to lie to the American people throughout the war. 

[Regulators] Fishery Meeting on rules tomorrow, Thursday in Key Largo.  Link

[Regulators] Fisherman can’t govern themselves. Look at the success Haiti’s fisherman have had regulating their fishery. There’s not a single solitary fish to be found anywhere in its waters.

[“Getting Junk mail from bigpinekey.com”] Ed, since you didn’t see the forwarded emails, you don’t have all the facts. So here are the Facts – FTR and enumi and I were emailed; there is no FTR or enumi in my address book, or anywhere in my computer;  the only thing those 3 names have in common – ie are only source of those 3 names together – is CT.

Deer Ed switched to cloud, which is developing a reputation for stolen addresses. So,  thanks for your suggestions.  I appreciate your trying to opine. (Ed I received one today from a former contact in my address book, that I’d deleted.)

To nite at the NUT--Ukulele Jam nite,starting at 7pm. If you have ever wanted to play a string instrument here’s your chance. Start with the Uke. You can learn to play a few songs tonight at Coconuts. No kidding folks, in a few hours you too can be a Uke player. Yes you can! Video

[Spies Like Us] U.S. directs agents to cover up program used to investigate Americans. Big Brother is watching! Link

[Flood Insurance] Flood Insurance changes could stall housing recovery. Rates on 2nd homes could go up 25% indefinitely. Link

Islamorada’s “Hemingway” wrote about the Wrecker King of Indian Key–John Housman. Link

It’s the new push-up bra that claims to be able to give any woman cleavage, no matter how modest her breasts. And to substantiate their vow, the Thai lingerie brand Wacoal have launched their Mood Boost-Up Bra alongside a steamy online advert in which a beautiful model blessed with a humble A-cup dances seductively around her bedroom while demonstrating the bra’s appeal. But all is not quite as it might initially appear. Damn. Video 

150 people are killed by falling coconuts each year.  That’s worldwide, not just in the Keys.

[Immigration] I see these stories every day in Houston’s media.  That’s just one city. Down here immigration is no joke. Video

Alarming number of dolphin deaths hitting East coast shores. Link

Referred to as “Homo slackass-erectus”. Characterized by constant spineless posturing and spasmatic upper limb gestures which new research has shown to cause shorter legs and an inability to ambulate other than in an awkward shuffling gait. The drag-crotch shape also seems to affect brain function. Expect no eye contact or intelligent verbal communication. Unfortunately most are highly fertile.

[Ol’ Stick In The Mud] The stuck guy in the blue jacket has a lot of faith in the shovel operator and the shovel operator is obviously very good at operating this machinery. Notice that when he gets free he doesn’t even thank the operator. Video  

[Rearmament] Japan unveils the largest warship since World War II. Why was this ship allowed to be built? to defend against N Korea, China or to start another war? Link

The problem is it is from China and I fear that everything you design will be transmitted back to China without your knowledge by a back door bug. Can you imagine if China had all the blueprints for all the buildings, power plants and bridges in the world! Scary. I suspect that is why ZWsoft is so cheap. The software is so amazing many will want to use it. Videos

[Phony Fish] On Sunday I asked our restaurants if they serve Keys fish and shrimp. It has now been 2 days and not one has responded. So let’s call them out. If they don’t respond, well…

Hurricane Hole, Hogfish, Geiger Key, Kayas, Mangrove Mamas, Square Grouper, Crab Shack, Wharf, Boondocks, Looe Key Tiki, Big Pine Restaurant, No Name Pub, Bistro 31

Come on restaurant owners, this your chance for greatness. The clock is ticking.

[Illegal Rentals] There will be a new approach for illegal rentals, as it may prove easier to prosecute violator’s for sales tax & homestead violations. There is only 1 code officer for the entire County; and they estimate there are only 50 paid short-term rental licenses and at least 1,500 possible illegal rentals.

Lost dog reunited with family after seven months. Awwwww! Video

I checked out Southern Poverty Law Center’s hate map and was really surprised to see Key West had a marker. Irving Books, whoever or whatever that is, is listed as a hate group in Key West. Who would have thought Key West where the skinheads live in govt housing with more kids than Latinos and soaking up more govt freebies than inner city families would have our very own hate group listed.

Did ZaZa’s go out of business or are they on hiatus? I never see cars there anymore.

[“Blackened tilapia on menu”] Gee that’s great, but it’s still a fish that eats shit while it grows in a cage. I’m sure Craplapia are great for restaurant profits as it’s a cheap fish for them to buy. Korea has had dog on the menu. Other Asian countries eat bugs. Does that make it OK for you too.

I’ll tell you what, I’m going to jump headfirst off the hump on the 7-Mile Bridge at midnight on August 32nd. That should make it perfectly OK for you to go first on August 31st!

[Public Meeting] NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will hold a public meeting of the Sanctuary Advisory Council in Key West, Fla., on Tuesday, August 20.This meeting features presentations related to the sanctuary’s marine zoning and regulatory review. At 9:15 a.m., Ecosystem Protection working group chair Chris Bergh will report on the working group recommendations and discussions to date. Beth Dieveney, Sanctuary deputy superintendent of science and policy, will present on permit procedures, proposed regulation changes, and a framework for adaptive management at 11:15 a.m.

At 1:30 p.m., Sanctuary Superintendent Sean Morton will provide an overview of responses, accomplishments and future actions related to water quality issues. At 2:00 p.m., the Sanctuary Advisory Council will discuss the creation of a working group to address alternative funding sources, and the schedule and format for upcoming meetings.

The public comment periods are 10:45 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Events

[Vietnam War Protesters] Go to hell! You and your beloved communists killed 1.7 South Vietnamese and 3.5 million Cambodians after the war. Oh yeah, the VC and NVA were the good guys and we were bad? How dare we try and stop totalitarianism? Who do we think we are? So we’re supposed to watch a young girl get raped from across the street and ignore it according to you we-love-Castro types? It’s amazing how the only people defending totalitarianism are the ones who aren’t living under it. Statements such as “Go Saddam!” and “We love Mao!” or “Oh, leave those poor Taliban alone.” and don’t forget how wonderful the Soviets were.

South Vietnam could have been another S. Korea complete with human rights, a high standard of living and all the rest- but according to you moronic communistas that would have been “unjust!”. Yeah, I remember you stoned and drunk monkeys with your “Make peace, not war, man!” or “Tune in, turn on and drop out” and “Victory to the Vietcong!” So go back to smoking your weed, living on government handouts and hanging out in the bar with all the other mangy idiots!

[“Pay more to pay online”] I just found out from my wife that we are being charged for our direct payment via credit card to Keys Energy. I am suing! Enough of this BS ripping off in the freaking Keys.

Hate-reading is an activity that’s, well, exactly what it says it is. Have you ever found yourself visiting a website, Twitter feed, or Facebook page for the express purpose of ridiculing — or indulging your disdain for —the author and/or content? Then you’re hate-reading. And unless you’re a saint with limited Internet access, you’re probably guilty of doing it at some point.

I usually hate-read alone, late at night when I’m procrastinating, drunk, bored, or all three. When I finally walk away from my computer, I feel like I’ve just binged on a butter-sogged bag of popcorn before the movie even started: I’m slightly nauseated, but still can’t help licking my fingers for more fatty flavor.

[Captain Doom and Gloom] “The God Delusion”Some people really, really, really, really need to watch this. The whole documentary. However it takes a open and thinking mind to truly listen, and maybe for some a little courage too. Also, view the sidebar videos. Video

“Tea Party” I get a kick out the poster who always knocks the Tea Party. That poster obviously has no idea of what the Tea Party is and is trying to do to save America. Too many negative vibes on this blog form people who do not read the words.

“KW Road Non-construction” Some one told me the construction is show because they have not finished the design for the North Roosevelt Dog Park that will take over the old right lane and leave just a One Way into Key West so the traffic has to go around the island and see all the shops and stores and maybe buy something! Isn’t that way the speed limit was reduced too?

“IQ test are bogus BS” They are not geared to the person by local or background.  A University Professor would be a dumb SOB if he had to ‘intelligently’ survive in the deep jungle of the Amazon.  Same goes for the jungle native in the college. The capacity of a human to survive should be measured in IQ – Instinct Quotient, not book learnin’.  How about measuring the value of a human in money made? Most world billionaires never completed high school, let alone college. “I have a IQ of 188. How do I flush this toilet?” Accountant at local Utility company.

“Term Limits – one eight year term” Are you nuts? Look what happened in the last five years, in fact ever since we let the government run anything except a broom. What has to be done is to get men with balls and good common sense to run our maintenance department, not to run our lives or our ways of making a living. These greedy mutants are turning this country into The Money Pit, and do not care what happens to the rest of us. Maybe if we stop paying taxes, with everyone starting a church or a registered business, or a tax-less charity and we keep our money in our own pockets, will these bastards fade away. 

[Term Limits] A couple of GOP grandstanders (Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah) have threatened to shut down the government in order to defund Obamacare (a shutdown will stop soldiers from getting paid among other terrible consequences). Even if they succeed there is no chance in hell that Obamacare will be defunded, even Mitt Romney agrees. They are just grandstanding to garner more donations from the radical right and get their names in the paper. What do these creeps all have in common–they’ve been in power far too long and think the country is theirs alone. I say term limits are the answer to this sort of crap. Get rid of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell, John Bonner and the rest of the club that is crippling the government. Link

[Distraction] There’s a big terrorist threat so you close the embassies for a week?  To discourage guys who hold a grudge for centuries?  I’ll take it seriously when those embassies are closed, period, for the foreseeable future and all personal and their families evacuated asap.

Hey FTR, Who is “UBL“? And you are supposed to be infallible? I think we all know who OBL is, but could you kindly inform us all who UBL is

The BBC, which is pretty close to Britain’s version of MSNBC, has determined Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was simply a Muslim of convenience while his real hatred and radicalization stemmed from being a right-winger. Don’t get too worked up folks. This is just cult propaganda for cult members who desperately need moral relevance. They will believe everything their masters tell tell them to believe.

No one was killed in any of our embassies this past week. Take a minute and read FTRs posting on Tuesday and look how much that pisses him off. I applaud Obama removing targets from terrorists whom like to celebrate their small victories on Anniversary days with violence. No Americans were killed and that pisses the party of “NO” to no end.

Well done Mr. President. Look it up folks the Benghazi Embassy was offered more security and they refused it. Last time I pointed that out FTR told me I was lying then when I supplied the proof he pulled the old “Gee. I didn’t know that so it must be false” routine. It wasn’t.

Meanwhile yet another terrorist has been killed by a drone strike. Thank Heavens our President followed Bill Clinton’s use of this valuable tool.

 Thanks and a tip of FTR’s old fedora to the poster who wrote of Florida’s Governor, Rick Scott the other day. While it is true that the posting was negative, it provided me an intro in to setting facts straight.

While it is true that the last budget signed by Scott was the biggest in Florida history, the budget was balanced. Obama sure as hell can’t say that, nor could that weasel Charley Crist say that, Even though the budget was large, there was no need to raise state taxes. In fact, for the first time in 6 years we had a budget surplus. Obama sure as hell can’t say that, nor could Crist.

It is true that Scott endorsed raises for teachers.  But, did you know that the average teacher salary in Florida is among the lowest in the country, at about $46,000 a year, and lags the national average by about $10,000? Scott’s raises amounted to an average of about $2500. p/a.  Raises for teachers were the right thing to do.

Scott’s decision on accepting the Medicaid component of the Affordable Care act for about a million low income Floridians shifts the burden from Florida’s tax payers to the Federal Government. Further, it will last for only 3 years, and will be dependent on Team Obama’s paying its bills. In a news conference Scott said: “While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost of new people in Medicaid, I cannot, in good conscience, deny the uninsured access to care,” His decision will save Florida hundreds of millions of dollar, it was the humane, the right thing to do.

Those on the left could learn a lot from Republican Governors like Scott. For example May and June unemployment rates were the lowest since September 2008. As this is written, Florida’s July unemployment numbers are not available. Nonetheless we know that we have created well more than 333k jobs in Florida since 2010. In fact in June alone we added 2,300 private sector jobs.

The Tea Party is alive and well. Certainly, there are family disputes between Tea Party thinkers and old line Republicans, but you can be rock solid sure that the Tea Party vote will go to the most conservative candidates. None of those will be Democrats or liberals. Tea Party thinkers vote.

The Tea Party Tea Party is quieter today, by design. It has matured, it has matured from a protest movement to a political movement. Large-scale rallies have given way to strategic letter-writing and phone-banking campaigns to push or oppose legislative agendas. The elected positions that Tea Party thinkers are filling at the local levels are more important for the future of the movement and the future of the country. The Tea Party and its brother, the Republican party are creating a farm team for the future.

Part 2) Speaking of Polls, there is a fascinating, even amazing poll just released by The Washing Examiner.  They reported yesterday: “In a new Rasmussen Reports poll, Clinton tops five others as the one candidate voters don’t want to win in 2016. The question asked was: “Regardless of whom you would vote for, which candidate would you LEAST like to see win the Democratic nomination in 2016? Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Martin O’Malley, Andrew Cuomo, Antonio Villaraigosa or Cory Booker?”

The results: Clinton 27 percent, Biden 24 percent. The rest were in the 15 percent to 17 percent, reported Rasmussen.

The message to liberals of all stripes, is that if you don’t trust Hillary, you are not the Lone Ranger, you have plenty of companions.

Part 3) If you have any interest in sewers, and who isn’t, take a look at this: Link

Antarctic Sea Ice hits another record: 900,000 square kilometers above average. Antarctic Sea Ice has hit it’s 23rd daily record for the year. In terms of the number of daily records in a year, the Big Year for sea-ice was 2008 where records occurred on 125 days. 2010 was nearly as “big” when records occurred on 118 days. 2013 is currently in  fifth spot. If the tally rises to 28 records this year, it will leap to third place. Link

In order to replace the use of coal in the UK, power stations are being refitted to burn wood chips.  But the UK doesn’t have enough forests to supply the wood chips, (biofuel) so…wait for it…Wait…Yup, power companies in the UK are planning on purchasing timber in the United States to be converted to wood chips to be shipped across the Atlantic to burn in the previously coal-fired power plants. Our Swamp forests in the US are being felled to help keep the lights on in the UK.  The trade is driven by mandated EU rules promoting renewable energy to combat supposed climate change. Many millions of tons of wood pellets will soon be shipped annually to help keep the lights on in the UK. Other EU nations may follow. Critics say subsidising wood burning wastes money, does nothing to tackle energy issues in the short term, and is wrecking some of the finest forests in the US. The insanity of this is difficult for me to put in perspective, but it seems comparable to shining spotlights on solar panels. Link