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Published on Big Pine Key’s garbage pick-up days:
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 [Close Encounters of the Fish Kind] Snorkeling a few miles out this past Thursday. Gorgeous day, mild SE wind. First encounter in 9 to 12 feet of water with not a school, but a whole university of tarpon! Anywhere from 40 to 50 monsters 4 to 6’ length.Wearing all black except for yellow fins, which I brought up to my waist to show color and that I’m not a big bait fish. They passed by, with a nice 6’ nurse shark following them. I decide it might be a good time to swim back in. On the way back another school of maybe 25 to 30, same 4-6’ length, no tag-along shark. One sole last tarpon of about 5’ just looks at me. Never seen something like that in all my years of diving. Should have bought a lottery ticket! |
Drinking alcohol on airplanes is bad for your body. New study shows it’s even worse than we thought. One of the few consolations of long-haul international flights is the free alcohol, right? Nope. Link |
| Common sleep aid, Melatonin, protects your eyesight as you age. In a 2020 study on mice, researchers showed for the first time that melatonin helped protect the retina from damage and the progression of nonexudative AMD. Then a study in 2021 found that patients with AMD had lower melatonin levels in blood serum and tear fluid, while another paper released the same year demonstrated that supplementary melatonin mitigated the progression of the retinal neurodegenerative disease retinitis pigmentosa. However, research is still very much in its early days. Link |
 [Oatmeal vs Porridge] What Is Porridge? Oatmeal can be made into a type of porridge, and the two terms are often used interchangeably because oatmeal is so commonly used. Not all porridge, however, is made from oats. Porridge is a hot cereal that can be made from a variety of grains, vegetables, or even some legumes. (Remember the nursery rhyme “Peas porridge hot?”) Porridge is most commonly boiled in water or milk until it has a mushy consistency. In some cases, broth is used. |
| [Money Wasted] Now a re-do on a 10 year-old Key West amphitheater? I can see taxing the tourists, but come on, we are pricing everybody out with these ridiculous money grabs. Key west is becoming unaffordable more and more. |
 There’s been a broad wing hawk screaming over Big Pine for the last week. He doesn’t shut up. I hope he finds a mate before the screaming drives me nuts. |
| [Blind ‘Eye’ Witness] A Chicago man is suing the city after he spent 12 years in jail on the testimony of a legally blind eyewitness. Darien Harris, now 31, was sentenced to 76 years in jail for murder in 2011. He was exonerated last year, after investigators discovered that the witness who placed him at the scene had severe glaucoma and could barely see. “Justice is supposed to be blind,” said Harris’ attorney. “The eyewitness is not supposed to be blind.” |
 Canned wine has recently benefited from a “miraculous” influx of “offbeat, ambitious” offerings, said Zachary Sussman in Punch. Heat damage is still a worry, so buy canned wines when they’re fresh. We sampled nearly 40 cans and found several high-quality options. These wines hit “that sweet spot between complexity and crushability,” and deserve space in your cooler this summer. 6cans/$50. Link |
| Atmospheric carbon is not a pollutant and humans cannot regulate it. Link |
 The Belmont Stakes was not held in Elmont NY this year due to renovations. It was held in Saratoga. |
| [Bumpy Ride] Because of climate change, the upper atmosphere is warming faster in the tropics than in the polar regions. This temperature difference between low and high latitudes increases wind shear in the jet streams, which enhances the formation of turbulent patches of air. Scientists say climate change will increase turbulence in the decades ahead. “Terrified” airline bosses are already taking steps that could make air travel a more restrictive and expensive experience. |
 [“Pope bad mouthing women”] When is the first or last time you ever saw the Pope and his ilk wearing “trousers?” Looks to me like they wear dresses/skirts. You’d think the Pope and friends would have more important things to gossip about! |
| [Close Call] A Colorado man survived a brush with death when his 10mm-wide silver chain necklace stopped a bullet from penetrating his neck. The victim had been embroiled in an argument when the shooting took place but walked away with just a puncture wound from the attack. |
 [Prostate Reading] Men, read this book! The Healthy Prostate by Dr. I P Freely M. D. Good reading for men. |
| [Florida Keys to United ArabEmirates] The United Way of Collier and the Keys and the Embassy of the United ArabEmirates in the United States are excited to announce the launch of a new learning exchange program that will connect reef restoration professionals from the UAE and US. Set to begin in February 2025, the program will enable experts from both countries to share best practices and collaborate on solutions to common conservation challenges. |
 [Sharks] I don’t understand how people get eaten by sharks. Don’t they hear the music? Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum daaaaaaaa |
| [Airport Noise Complaints] Of the 51,589 aircraft noise complaints recorded in Australia in 2023, almost half were made by one person in Perth. The unidentified resident, who lives under a flight path, filed 20,716 grievances, Airservices Australia said. An individual near Brisbane came in a distant second place, lodging 4,071 complaints over the year. The data was shared with the Australian Senate as part of an investigation into how aircraft noise affects cities. |
 [To Pee Or Not To Pee] That is a question for the bladder—and the brain. How do we sense the need to urinate? The basic urge is surprisingly complex and can go awry as we age. Link |
| I think I know why North Korea hates us so much. When Russia and the USA split Korea at the 38th parallel they knew that the land north of the line was 85% mountainous with very little arable land to grow food—they wouldn’t be able to sustain themselves—and they still can’t! That makes them very dangerous. |
 [Up In Smoke] On June 11, 1963 Vietnamese monk Thich Quang Duc burned himself alive on a Saigon street in an act of protest against South Vietnam. Duc’s self-immolation was an effort to shine a light on the treatment of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government. A photo of his death remains one of the most iconic images of the 20th century. |
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| Birth Control For Men. My shoulder blades are super horny and active, but they haven’t knocked up anyone yet. [?] |
 [Witches] On June 10, 1692 Bridget Bishop became the first person executed for witchcraft during the Salem witch trials. She was falsely accused of bewitching five women and sentenced to death after an eight-day trial. An additional 19 people were executed for witchcraft during the trials. Bishop wouldn’t be officially exonerated until 2001, more than 300 years after her death. |
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 [Colorful Meal] People seated at tables for a fish banquet to celebrate China’s annual Dragon Boat Festival in Jiangsu province, north of Shanghai. |
| The current Coconut Telegraph was published on 6/11/24 at 9:33 am. |