Since 2002. Published Tuesdays and Fridays
(Click here)
[The Great Outdoors] One recent Nature Conservancy poll found that only about 10 percent of American teens spend time outside every day. Compared with people who have lousy window views, those who can see trees and grass have been shown to recover faster in hospitals, perform better in school, and even display less violent behavior in neighborhoods where it’s common.
Korean researchers used functional MRI to watch brain activity in people viewing different images. When the volunteers were looking at urban scenes, their brains showed more blood flow in the amygdala, which processes fear and anxiety. In contrast, the natural scenes lit up the anterior cingulate and the insula—areas associated with empathy and altruism. Maybe nature makes us nicer as well as calmer. It may also make us nicer to ourselves. Stanford researcher Greg Bratman and his colleagues scanned the brains of 38 volunteers before and after they walked for 90 minutes, either in a large park or on a busy street in downtown Palo Alto. The nature walkers, but not the city walkers, showed decreased activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex—a part of the brain tied to depressive rumination, and from their own reports, the nature walkers beat themselves up less. Bratman believes that being outside in a pleasant environment (not the kind where you’re getting eaten alive by gnats or pummeled by hail) takes us outside of ourselves in a good way. Nature, he says, may influence “how you allocate your attention and whether or not you focus on negative emotions.” A few years ago, for example, in an experiment similar to Bratman’s, Stephen Kaplan and his colleagues found that a 50-minute walk in an arboretum improved executive attention skills, such as short-term memory, while walking along a city street did not. “Imagine a therapy that had no known side effects, was readily available, and could improve your cognitive functioning at zero cost,” the researchers wrote in their paper. It exists, they continued, and it’s called “interacting with nature.” |
[“Wikipedia”] Someone forgot to tell Britannica’s editors that they have gone belly up, because they are still on line. |
[Cannons] There is about one gun to each thousand men, and these were generally in batteries of four guns each. Each gun, caisson, and forges was drawn by four teams of horses. We had in all about twenty-five hundred wagons, with teams of six mules to each, and six hundred ambulances, with two horses to each. The loads were made comparatively light, about twenty-five hundred pounds net; each wagon carrying in addition the forage needed by its own team: Each soldier carried on his person forty rounds of ammunition, and in the wagons were enough cartridges to make up about two hundred rounds per man, and in like manner two hundred rounds of assorted ammunition were carried for each gun. The wagon-trains were divided equally between the four corps, so that each had about eight hundred wagons, and these usually on the march occupied five miles or more of road. Each corps commander managed his own train. ~General W. T. Sherman |
[“Egg whites for burns”] I burned my finger tip really bad last night; a huge white blister was forming as I held it in ice. I put my finger in an egg shell with the egg white, and the pain subsided. This morning there is no blister; skin looks normal. It’s amazing! |
[Bad Editor] I have been reading the CT for years. Although it’s never been, nor expected to be Edward R. Murrow award worthy, it surely has deteriorated. Bad, classless jokes about “harddrives”,”Jersey girls”,and don’t forget “gooks”. Have a little pride. I know there is no MENSA chapter here, but I have to believe there are more intelligent conversation to be had. Please don’t embarrass yourself and those of us that have a little sense. |
A most unusual name for a boat. |
[“RIP”] Buzzy was a one of a kind and we’ll miss him. |
[Cold] Dear Keysers, stop whining about everything. Here in South Carolina, we are at the southern edge of the winter storm going up the east coast. So far we’ve had snow, a 1/4 inch of freezing rain, sleet and more snow. |
Soundboard. Click on a sound and feel better or maybe even laugh! Link |
The bathroom vanities in my house are circa 1970. The master bath vanity has a white counter top, another has light pink. Both had stains, so I checked the internet for best cleaning solutions. Mr. Clean Magic eraser can work wonders–if I rub long enough. However, even that couldn’t erase everything. Dishwasher liquid soap was recommended. The poster said to let it set, and it would “pull the stains into the dishwasher gel”. Instead, the entire area covered with dishwashing gel turned an orange-yellow. Not good to wake up to that mess! Bleach had reacted the same way.
The only cleaner to use on older Formica is white vinegar with baking soda. As it bubbles up, hold a small brush in your hand, and brush like crazy. The stains will nearly disappear, even the awful orange/yellow stain from the dishwasher gel and bleach are gone. It also cleaned the tile, tubs & sinks super well. Link |
“We will pay it forward. ~FTR guy”. My god, has FTR guy become a socialist? |
[WD’s Former Trees] Don’t you worry; the new owners of the plaza aren’t absorbing all those fees. They’re running all the mom and pop stores out of the plaza with their big city leases and 100% increases in all their fees. Also I hate to see what electric is going to cost this summer with no shade. |
Sometimes you just have to grin and bear it. |
[Monroe County] Here’s a real world blog by a brave lady on the corruption and malfeasance in our lovely County. Very well researched. Link |
[Blizzard] If it’s any consolation, we are usually the warmest place in the nation. |
How come FTR always picks the wrong candidate and the wrong side of most issues? Is it genes? |
Railroad workers on a bridge in Lacoochee, Florida 1890 |
[“Snowbirds”] I very much liked and appreciated the explanation of why we don’t look forward, or actually appreciate, the overcrowding the snowbirds think we should be so thankful for. I too am quite happy here all summer long, although the months without overcrowding have diminished. If you want to be appreciated, try bringing some manners and driving skills with you when you come. We have many snowbirds volunteering within the community and appreciate them tremendously. Of course, most of the people who are willing to volunteer tend to have manners. “Get over it!” is not the same thing. Money can’t buy everything, and many of us value the laid back times more than your dollars. Most of us have our own money or we’d live where you do. |
[Southernmost City] Key West falsely bills itself as the southernmost point in continental U.S.A. Link |
[2016 Mercury Retrograde] Confusion in our lives. Scientific research has shown that Mercury has a rich concentration of iron and hence it exerts a magnetic influence over human beings on its nearest planet, the earth. Link |
[Sound Quality] Things are so different now. When I was young, sound quality was the thing. I spent all my money on speakers and amplifiers, etc. I always wanted the best fidelity I could afford. Now the young listen to only MP3s from YouTube. MP3s have the poorest sound quality there is. In order to make the file smaller they omit many parts of the sound and it really reduces fidelity. Kids mostly listen through ear buds or small computer speakers and they don’t seem to mind the poor sound as long as “it’s all about the bass–no treble”. Video |
[“All Keys Gas kaput”] ACE Hardware will cheerfully exchange your empty propane tank for a full one. Forget All Keys Gas. The former friendly owners sold out and is closing that location. |
[“Thief in the Avenues”] There are always thieves in the Avenues. That’s where they keep them. Did you just discover that? |
[“Glenn Frey”] That mug shot of him is from Columbus, Ohio in 1973. A few days after they did a show at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. They were touring for the first album. A band I was in years ago recorded a live DVD at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus. We tried to obtain copies of our mug shots for the release and they wouldn’t give them to us. Not public record apparently. Like MCSO. |
While vacationing in Paris I saw a taxi with a sign “English speaking driver“. I thought to myself, what a brilliant idea, we should have that here in the States. |
I like country music so …
Oh well, I guess I’ll just listen to them on YouTube for free. Video |
[Some Like It Hot] The Ghost Pepper was the first pepper to break one million on the Scoville heat rating scale. All about peppers. Link |
[“Propane denied at All Keys Gas”] It is my understanding that All Keys Gas was sold to Suburban Propane and they do not want to bother themselves with small, individual sales. I was also told they would no longer refill RVs tanks. If true, it’s nice to know how they feel about the needs of their neighbors. |
[Doctors and Used Cars Salesmen] What is the difference? Seems they both will sell and tell you anything to make a buck. I went to eight totally unrelated doctors to check my eyes and my back for what I thought I had problems with. I got eight different diagnoses as to what was wrong and a handful of medicine scripts that would have cost me a gob of money. Luckily my brother is a medical R&D doctor who knows his stuff. He laughed like hell and said, “You’ve been ‘Doctored’” which meant I was set up as a paying member of the suckers club. Beware of grinning doctors in white coats and used car salesmen with loud sport coats. |
[“Thief in the Avenues”] A lot of crime here are crimes of opportunity. Keep your car doors locked, your bikes locked. Don’t leave wallets and purses in vehicles even if they are locked. |
[Alan King’s The Middle East Story, 1980’s] If you have 7:28, this will answer any questions you may have about the Middle East. Video |
Super Bowl tickets averaging more than $5,000! Amazing isn’t it that people pay to freeze and be ripped off by vendors just to sit in a cold seat to watch immature grown men play kids games so they feel like macho morons and laugh all the way to their banks. Bring back the Gladiators and get it over with! |
[“There’s a thief among us in the Avenues”] I just saw the guy at Dion’s Monday. Why don’t you post your number[?] so when somebody sees him the cops can pick him up? He still has the same clothes and goofy looking beard. And to the thief: If you’re reading this (or somebody has to read it for you), stay out of my stuff. I don’t call 911 (oh yeah, and all my friends stuff too. Matter of fact, leave town while you’re still able.) |
[Conservation] Why doesn’t FKNMS concentrate on plastic in the ocean instead of putting their noses in the Keys commercial fishery business? |
I just heard on US1. “Housing First” PAC formed. Not surprised. I saw that one coming. “Not just Peary Court” they say. “Will remain after the referendum.” “Not like channel widening referendum.” Hmmm … I hope they have good plans (re: city owned property) for all that money when that referendum fails. Weekley, Mike Mongo, (who opposes the purchase) and Ed Swift, among others are involved. Article in Citizen tomorrow by Gwen Filosa. Show me the money. They have registered and have a website, all unknown now. |
[Imported Seafood] If it’s against the law to kill a turtle, where does turtle soup come from? |
[Winn Dixie Plaza] I wonder if the tree removal/replacement indicates that the owner will also fix the Church Lane, pot-hole-obstacle-course, behind the stores. The semi-truck traffic has destroyed the roadway. Maybe the landscape project is a sign that the center is being upgraded. I look for the positive. |
The Southernmost Coconut Castaways, the official home “Friend Club” of Howard Livingston and the MM24 Band, will be having their next Jump Up” (social) February 6th at The Smokin’ Tuna Saloon (the OFFICIAL Home Bar of The Southernmost Coconut Castaways) in Key West from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. It is a “Pre-Super Bowl Party” so all are encouraged to wear their “team colors”! Special pricing on eats and drinks, raffles, prizes, give aways, contests, awards, and LIVE music provided by Scott Kirby! Charity Of The Month is Keys To Be The Change, an organization that helps the youth of Monroe County. Everyone is ALWAYS welcome to attend! Note: no 2 for 1 coupons accepted. For more information about The Southernmost Coconut Castaways, a charitable/volunteer/fun non-profit Club and organization with the motto “Serving Community Roles With Caribbean Souls”, go to Link or stop by their “merch & info table” and learn how you can become “another Castaway” like Howard sings about! |
A fun prank to play on a passed out vegan. |
[Secure Erase] A built in code to erase all data on any hard drive. Read all before using! Link |
[“There’s a thief among us in the Avenues”] The guy just got arrested for trespassing at Dion’s. Look at MCSO mug shot for his name, etc. |
I would like to ask if I may use your photo of fish in a rice field in a small educational textbook in danish for high school level? (it is non profit project) do you have a picture format which can be used for print? (ED: Hej, You don’t need my permission because I stole the image. Click image to expand it to full size > right click the image > select Save as > select the location where to save it > Save. It is now on your computer to do with as you wish.) |
[“Winn Dixie parking lot”] I’ve heard lots of various reasons for the work at Winn Dixie. I ran all of them by who I think is a fairly knowledgeable person over there. It has nothing to do with the chickens. They have a permit pulled and it cost $19,000. There are various reasons the trees are being replaced. A lawsuit and people tripping on tree roots are the roots are tearing up the concrete. They are replacing them with palms. They are also fixing the drainage of the parking lot. Yeah! |
It really cracks me up to read how the latest snow storm has caused billions of dollars of losses. Losses where? in the mega stores and other junk markets. That storm is no worse than any other storm has been for the last 50 years, but the greedy merchants use anything they can to make a buck and deduct tax write-offs. |
I have a big anvil and the number 15 embossed on its base. Does 15 tell the weight, or what else? |
Hah! As to the suggestion that as locals we should stop whining about the cranky snowbirds and just don a pair of big boy pants and deal with them, I have a short pant suggestion: warm woolen trousers. |
[“Legend of Threes”] This is why religions thrive within the sickly brains of holy rollers. |
[Garage Sale Bargains] Someone insulted a person for selling a brand new ceiling fan in the box for ten dollars instead of appreciating the sellers lack of greed. Many people have yard sales to get rid of stuff not to get rich like the poster seemed to imply. Also the poster is the one who’s “not going to make it”. with his greedy attitude. The last time I had a yard sale I gave stuff away if someone thought the item was too expensive. You probably think me a fool also. Not everyone is broke or poor. |
[“The great tree massacre”] Blessings to the people who authorized cleaning the debris off of the WD chicken coop and hopefully resurfacing that swimming pool [flooding] into a safe and clean parking lot. Has the price of chicken gone down in the market? |
Lead, the curse of drinking water is only one thing that we screwed up with. It is amazing that the second most important thing on this planet beside our air is being used as a tool of control. 7/8 of this rock is covered with water, but no, the floundering fathers won’t make processing plants to clean that fish dung, plastic filled, salty mess, so we can drink it. What is needed is hundreds of fresh water lakes all over this rock to hold our future and breed our foods. Oh, there is not enough profit in it, you say? The politicos can’t be bothered with that idea? The people are not important except as a customer base? War is more important to the infrastructure? |
I don’t know about you people but I am getting very scared about who will be our next ruler. If this country goes the way of Monroe County‘s system of politics, then we will be saluting the hammer and sickle in 2016. |
[FTR] Marco Rubio: “This is the greatest society in all of human history. Many of the decisions made in Washington today by both parties are threatening that greatness. And if we stay on this road that were are now on, our children are going to be the first Americans ever to inherit a diminished country.” (continued on the National Politics page …) |
Submit anything but National Politics to island@bigpinekey.com For National Politics go directly to that page, log in, and post your comment. NATIONAL POLITICS |