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2022 January

Friday, January 14, 2021

Letters to the editor with pictures since 2002.
Published on Big Pine Key’s garbage days, Tuesdays and Fridays.

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[Top 5 symptoms in both types of COVID]
runny nose
headache
fatigue (mild or severe)
sneezing
sore throat
[Shot Mandate Shot Down] The US Supreme Court to Americans: “tough luck if you get Covid at work”. The Republican-appointed majority court says the risk is one workers have to accept in order to get a paycheck.  Link
[Bring Back Voting] How many of you remember when elections were straight forward. Elections were held just one day from 7am till 7pm and voter ID cards were used. There was no early voting and only medical or limited excuses (verification required) accepted. Results were reported at the end of the day. What was wrong with that system? Nothing. It worked successfully for hundreds of years. But then there were the crybabies who claimed that the system was unfair. The winners cried long enough and the system was changed. And now look what we have now — a huge clusterf**k
[Pot Prevents Covid] No it doesn’t. I can attest from personal experience that it doesn’t. I’ve been mildly Covided for a month and I vape pot every day. Link

[Science] “Goldfish Taught to Drive” And they still have a longer attention span than most teenagers behind the wheel.
[“Pass this around quick before they take it down”] Duh! Why do you think they will take it down? Because it is bs and dangerous misinformation and probably from one of the Russian or Chinese websites or from other phony “patriots”. People, you’ve got to stop with these bs websites meant to divide us and ferment rebellion under false pretenses.
Take the survey. To better serve you, I want to get your input on how you stay informed about your community and what’s going on across the country. Answering a few questions below will give me and my staff useful insight on how we can get information to you in a way that is useful. Link
[Ukraine Has Been Cyberattacked] Ukraine hit by massive cyber-attack on government websites. Suspected Russian hackers leave message warning: “Ukrainians … be afraid and expect worse.” Link

[Cycling Record] Motorcyclist who identifies as bicyclist sets cycling world record. No matter what others may think, we must accept his identity. “Gee, he was fast. I don’t know how he did it” a bicyclist said.
[State Income Tax] Iowa set one tax rate 4%. That’s flat & fair for everyone.  No tax brackets. Governor Kim Reynolds delivered the state of state address.  She will lower state income taxes.  They have a billion dollar surplus, which means they have over taxed all residents. Link
Florida Keys Southernmost Car Club free SHOW & SHINE car show Sunday, Jan 16th, Noon to 3pm at the Sugarloaf Lodge parking lot MM17. New club caps and t-shirts will be available for $25. 2022 membership includes a T-shirt and decal.

The oldest continuing SHOW & SHINE in the Lower Keys. Always the 3rd Sunday of each month Noon to 3pm. Always our shows are free to all customs, classics, street rods, sports cars and chrome loaded motorcycles. The Sugarloaf Lodge parking lot was selected as a central location for many members.   MM 17 next to Hwy US 1. Plenty of trees and a large grassy area is available for more parking or a picnic. The tiki bar is closed but there are convenient restrooms. Folks coming to our shows from out of town can get a discount on rooms. More info?  Call Dick Moody 305-942-1758 Link

We spend $750 billion annually on defense and the center of American government fell in just two hours to the Duck Dynasty guy and a guy in the Chewbacca bikini.

[Queen Fires Prince] Britain’s Royal Family has stripped Prince Andrew of his military roles and royal patronages and said he will no longer be known as “His Royal Highness”, as the second son of the Queen fights a lawsuit in the United States in which he is accused of sexual abuse. The 61-year-old Duke of York was forced to step down from public duties in 2019 because of his connections to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and after a disastrous interview on the BBC’s flagship current affairs program, which he had hoped would clear his name. Link
[It Can’t Happen Here] The brain goes into “denial” when it senses a threat to our survival. “It can’t happen here” is magical thinking, i.e., a form of denial. All it takes is one side messing with the rule of law, like having double standards for them and us. Where do you think the U.S. is today? The same rules for everyone? Or two sets of rules? This is how it begins. You can write the following verse because you see it, read about it everyday: First they came for the “terrorist” parents at School Board meetings …
Frank Zappa — It Can’t Happen Here
Upcoming live events at the White House. Link
Last Stand will hold its Annual Meeting via Zoom Thursday, January 20th, 2022 at 5:30 pm.  This year we are excited to announce our program will feature noted author Carl Hiaasen. For decades, Carl Hiaasen has been writing crime and satirical fiction set on a backdrop of Florida environmental and political corruption. The public is invited to join in the meeting and enjoy what is sure to be a lively discussion about today’s challenges to environmentalism.

The meeting begins with a review of Last Stand’s achievements this past year and a look ahead to 2022. Following Mr. Hiaasen’s talk, we will honor a long time Florida Keys advocate who has fought land-use issues in the area for decades. Be sure to watch the award ceremony to find out who it is. The meeting will conclude with the election of board members and several big prize giveaways!  Link

[Ronnie Specter is dead] The Ronnettes were the biggest girl group of all. With Phil Specter’s “wall of sound” they had the biggest AM radio hits of the 60s. Famous for her eye makeup and beehive hairdo they rocked! The Ronettes: Ronnie, her sister and cousin were from Harlem and made it big. Critics say that Be My Baby is the greatest rock and roll song ever.
Ronettes — Be My Baby
[Norms] It’s time to stop mourning the death of “norms” and move to the acceptance phase. Norms are dead; and you can’t reach across the aisle to someone who is not bound by reality.
There are two blood drives on Big Pine this month.  All donors will receive a $20 eGift Card plus a Long Sleeve T-Shirt and Wellness Checkup.
Monday, January 17 @ Bealls 11:00AM-4:00PM Link
Monday, January 31 @ Bealls @ 10:30AM-3:30PM Link
[“No food in Keys , have to go to mainland”] What makes you think there’s food on the mainland? Have you not been reading the news, heard about supply chain issues? Here’s a new one for you – on Jan 15th truckers who do not have the vaxx will not be allowed to cross state lines. It was time to prepare for hurricane season last May. The COVID storm has been churning for two years. If you’ve done nothing, you’re ready for nothing. But I digress. Since when is there “no food” in the Keys? Back in the day we fished! Learn how to throw a line and use a fillet knife.
South Florida Symphony Orchestra presents Tchaikovsky’s final symphony, “Pathétique,” and a World Premiere by SFSO Composer-in-Residence John Gottsch — the passionate Princess Yurievskaya. Saturday, January 22 at the Tennessee Williams Theatre at The College of the Florida Keys, Key West.
[Fixing Bridges] Florida will receive roughly $245 million to repair and improve its bridges over five years under President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law, the Department of Transportation announced Friday. The state has 408 bridges in poor condition, according to the agency’s 2020 National Bridge Inventory report. Florida will receive $49 million in federal aid to replace and preserve bridges during the 2022 federal fiscal year, which lasts through September. The Federal Highway Administration will distribute $26.5 billion to upgrade bridges in states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico over five years under the law. Link
I feel sorry for poor Queen Elizabeth losing her husband and now the latest royal scandal involving her favorite son Prince Andrew diddling a teenage girl. (I think the former prince might beat the lawsuit claiming he was entrapped by billionaire Jeffery Epstein.) The Queen has watched almost her whole royal family shamed by scandal. Most of the scandals were because of women.
[Not Fair] How is it that you can sue Walmart if you fall, McDonald’s if you get fat, but not Budweiser for all the ugly people you’ve slept with?

 

[Bic] Netflix’s The Black Book is the first movie that showed a Bic lighter instead of movieland’s favorite, Zippo. (Some of us have a lot of extra time to waste.)