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Anonymous Letters to the Editor with Pictures. Published Daily by Noon Since 2002. No Saturday Edition
To hell with Columbus Day! He didn’t discover America, there were already thousands of people living here. As far as foreign discoverers, the Vikings, and latter, Amerigo Vespucci sailed here before Columbus did. Agreed, Columbus was the first European to commit genocide when he landed on Hispaniola and systematically exterminated the residents. Lets forget Columbus Day and celebrate Native Day in remembrance of those who lived here whose culture and lives were destroyed by Europeans. |
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[Sewers] I took this picture on Little Torch Key Friday. This tiny pipe is supposed to take all our crap to Cudjoe Key? I can see what all the fuss is about. You don’t have to be an engineer to see that this tiny s**t pipe, slightly larger than my thumb, is a disaster waiting to happen! |
[“Scam on building heights”] I see all the posts about this scam, and lord knows the CT is full of conspiracy theorists, but if the revised height change is directly tied to the FIRM maps from FEMA, that’s all the building can be raised (by the amount of the change in the FIRM map elevation). How is this a scam? I think it’s also capped, but I don’t have that fact.
Far be it for me to destroy a perfectly good conspiracy theory, but I don’t think the local developers have a heck of a lot of influence over FEMA. |
[Mosquito Board Candidates] I’m looking for your answer to this question and that will determine my vote. Given that someone just outbid the local Mosquito Control agency by some 40% on an RFP bid (likely pretty much apples to apples), will you be aggressively supporting an evaluation of outsourcing the county work? I would expect all the employees would move over to the winning bidder and you can even specify re-badging in the RFP, but at market salaries. When I see 40%, it means someone else has a better way, and we county taxpayers are paying one heck of a premium now. Nothing wrong with the service from Mosquito Control today, but if we can get the same service for 40% less, I think that’s worth the effort. I’m looking forward to hear which candidate is looking out best for the taxpayers. |
[Real vs Fake Boobs] The riddle of life is solved! Video |
[Bed & Breakfasts in Jeopardy] Just because you have been in business for many years and someone comes along with a better business model that will destroy you, doesn’t mean you have any right to continue your outdated business plan–or sue them. You didn’t give the people what they want. I’m writing about AirBnB in particular Link. Another new business model is the personal taxi business like Uber and Lyft. Netfilx gave the people what they wanted and it killed every video store in America because video stores didn’t give people what they wanted and Netflix did. Just because you have a traditional business doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep an eye out for the new business model that’s just around the corner that will render you obsolete. We owe not a thing to these old businesses models. Remember the buggy whip? Should we have enforced or passed laws to protect that industry? |
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[Firefighters Endorse Phil Goodman] The endorsement is from the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1424 Key West Fire Fighters. |
[“Dump the Pumps’ legal bill. Where can we see this bill, etc”] Answers to sewer questions on Monday’s CT: Non-profit Dump the Pumps, Inc. keeps a full accounting of donations and expenditures on Quick Books. The attorney’s bill was at the last meeting and discussed. Contributors are welcome to see it all. The Judge’s ruling is probably 4-6 weeks away, but DEP has admitted that the project does not meet Florida and US minimum standards of design. That is an understatement. Some of the absolute peak design flows stated on the permits are less than half of what a minimum flow should be. The E-One pumps are deemed unsafe and illegal by NEC and NFPA to use in neighborhood lift stations but DEP is not enforcing its Florida-wide prohibition of such “unlisted” pumps on our project because….. well, we don’t know why. Where can you see what’s planned? You will probably have to go to the FKAA office in Key West or the field offices on Blimp Road in Cudjoe and demand to see the plans. FKAA and DEP are hiding the plans from public view. FKAA is hiding them in shame, DEP is hiding them illegally claiming that the anti-terrorist legislation that restricts general public access to plans of stadiums and water treatment plants also covers sewer pipes. It does not and they know it. Most of the plans are in possession of Dump the Pumps and have been reviewed by some of their engineers. Their master degree PE refers to many instances of grossly substandard design in his deposition before DEP and FKAA lawyers. That deposition and others will be accessible through a Dump the Pumps website link when their webmaster returns from a trip. A retired lawyer has encouraged a malfeasance suit against certain politicians and officials involved with this project. Misfeasance and non-feasance also apply. An equal protection lawsuit and class action lawsuit for illegal takings, property devaluation, and loss of quiet enjoyment and privacy are also being seriously considered by and on behalf of grinder pit recipients. Unless a lawyer can be found who will take the case on contingency, that would take still more legal fund money. Because the sewer system will not reliably work and nearly all properties are required to connect, the suits might conceivably be extended to cover damages to all who are forced onto the system. Even the brand new treatment plant is undersized and not expandable. FKAA knew that when it was first permitted, but had already spent a bundle on design, so they chose to hide the mistake instead of fixing it. Lack of money due to previous misappropriation was the issue back then, but that problem went away with grants, EPA-DEP loans, and the sales tax referendum approval to fund sewers before all else. Still they persist in building a fatally flawed system, apparently just to honor their commitment to E-1 brand grinder pumps and to free sewer money for more misappropriations. If it feels like you are being robbed, you are, but I doubt that Bruno the Leg Breaker can help much. Governor Scott could help with just a simple phone call, but has not bothered, so you know he lost my vote |
[“Increase building heights”] As the government in the Keys keeps trying to find out ways around restrictions that the voting public has put in place, it brings up two questions I have. Why do they want to turn the Keys into something like Miami Beach and why do we keep electing the same politicians that have that mind set? |
[“Four more Sunday Editions”] Be glad the Ed is weaning us CT addicts off the idea of a Sunday edition slowly instead of making us go cold turkey. |
[Contagion] Could someone at Winn Dixie put up a big sign at the door reminding people to cover their damn mouths when they are coughing? |
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Hello out there in Coconut Telegraph Land! I am Roger Cousineau and I am here to respond to Sunday’s post on my qualifications for Mosquito Control Commissioner District 2. I am a strong believer in openness (I realize how ironic this seems as a response to an anonymous poster, but this message is for everyone) and accountability when it comes to people running for public office, and we should investigate their qualifications and commitment. Actually I would suggest that you as a voter become as fully informed as possible; there are several other forums out there that have also been posted, and I have a website and a Facebook page as well. If you need help finding any links you can contact me through email roger4bugboard@gmail.com, and I’ll help you find them.
With respect to my being an outsider and not disclosing that I am a realtor during the forum, I do encourage you to watch the YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlbBZdHLPQ4 at 44:50 min) – not just for the above mentioned reason, but to see for yourself the context of that “outsider” question. The question asked was about my past employment with the phone company 27 years ago and as a school teacher 20 years ago and being seen as an outsider based on that. (The questioner seemed curious about my life before relocating to the Keys but not since.) The connection of the two, I must admit, still baffles me today as did it in the forum. Being a 20 year resident makes me no more of an outsider than the appointee from North Carolina who has been here five years less. If you have attended any of the other forums, or have viewed them, you will see that my being a realtor is no secret. It has been mentioned in virtually every forum. As far as my rapport with my students as an English teacher and my ability to communicate with 14 year olds, you are right I was a successful teacher and a big part of that success was my ability to communicate. I have a communications degree and once elected I intend on communicating with the public about what we are doing at Mosquito Control. Regarding my military service, that too is a fact and I served as an Army Cryptologist and was stationed in Germany. Now as to the health risks that mosquitoes pose, I assure you that I do understand them and have known people who have dengue and chikungunya, and the complications they have had from them is nothing to take lightly. I am also well aware of the dangers of pesticide exposure and while in office will seek out effective and healthier alternatives. Mosquito Control will be my primary focus as your Mosquito Commissioner and not a jumping point for other political gains. For instance, I am not simply running for Mosquito Control because I thought I would lose to George Neugent in a primary; I am actually fully engaged and interested in Mosquito Control. As your Mosquito Control Commissioner, I do assure you that I will attend training that is provided to all Mosquito Control Commissioners. The current District 2 political appointee has never attended any of the educational opportunities available. He says that he finds no value in further education or in learning about new or alternative techniques from other Mosquito Controls around the country, but with the next sentence claims he wants to be innovative which is followed with some generalities and never specifics. While the wages of Mosquito Control Commissioners were discussed, I wonder if a Commissioner that only attends one meeting a month and does nothing else is earning their salary? I would say no. Furthermore, there is nothing stopping any commissioner from voluntarily foregoing their salary and/or benefits, which I guess one may do if they were serious about salaries being too high and not just playing politics. Now, let’s discuss stewardship of your tax dollars. As a government agency, Mosquito Control is accountable to you and all the tax payers. Their activities and records are public property, open to you. There is no shielding, no proprietary nature and no closed doors like many corporations, and certainly no minority of shareholders’ interests to look for above others. Florida is a Sunshine Law state. That’s why salaries are public record, mosquito control activities are public record, and my campaign contributions are public record. I have received neither party affiliated funds nor party affiliated advertisement; and, yes I have received individual contributions, which are fully disclosed here Link. Now compare that to the incumbent, who received four thousand dollars from the Florida Keys’ Republican Committee (from donors who are unknown and outside the Sunshine Law) upon announcing his desire to run. Tell me who has more political gain in this regard? I encourage all voters to please investigate the qualifications, commitment and people running for public office. And after you have done that, I hope that you’ll vote for Roger Cousineau for Mosquito Control District 2. Thank you |
[Air Strikes] My experience with war is only with movies and I know they are just fantasy. Can someone explain why air attacks don’t destroy ISIL? I imagine a firefight and the good guys calling in air strikes on the enemy and the enemy is destroyed! What am I missing? I thought air strikes would have destroyed all of ISIL by now. Why are ISIL so hard to stop? Can’t we use bigger bombs or carpet bombing? I thought if you knew someone was shooting at you you just called in an air strike and blew up the area–end of shooting! I guess there’s more to it than that and I’d really like to know what it is. |
Who remembers the Cuban Missile Crisis? In October 1962, an American U-2 spy plane secretly photographed nuclear missile sites being built by the Soviet Union on the island of Cuba. For thirteen days in October the world was seemingly on the brink of nuclear war as all of us hoped for a peaceful resolution. Here are 2 photos, one with the Chevy and missiles on A1A in Key West across from the airport. The 2nd photo is the Casa Marina being taken over by the troops. Key West was locked and loaded. I will never forget Bay View Park surrounded by concertina wire, armed troops, tents and equipment. Just like in the movies, but this time it was for real!. (Ed: only one photo was sent.) |
Columbus Day is a stupid holiday. Get rid of it! Only banks and the post office celebrate it. It’s not worth the inconvenience to the rest of us. |
[Ebola] A Texas health care worker who cared for Liberian Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan at a Dallas hospital has tested positive for the disease, hospital officials said Sunday. The worker became infected despite wearing full protective gear while treating Duncan, who later died from the disease, during his second visit to the hospital.
Now one of two things are going on. Either the health worker was not wearing full protective gear. Or she was and the CDC doesn’t know it’s butt from it’s Ebola. You pick. |
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[“Voting against school tax”] I hope you understand 2 things before you vote ‘no’. This is not an increase, just extending what we already pay. If it fails, the costs it covers will default to property taxes – so instead of tourists’ sales tax dollars, we’ll make it up with property owners’ taxes and that will be an increase. I believe the Citizen said the average homeowner would have to make $56,000 a year in taxable purchases to break even on the sales tax vs property tax levy.
I really hope the school board reconsiders their investments, but in the meantime, I’m voting for the extension of the sales tax to avoid a certain hammering of property taxes. |
[“Acceptance”] Acceptance is when I totally agree with everything you say. |
I have given up on trying to change anyone or anything! I am tired of wasting precious time. This does not mean I no longer care, nor will I be silent on some particular topics – but it does mean I have more important things to do. Long ago I learned there is a much happier life than seeing how much money you can make. If I have food on the table, a roof over my head, good health and friends – what more could one possibly ask for. Trying to scheme and scam citizens and taxpayers out of their money, trying to screw over a community for the benefit of a few wealthy individuals is sick. I am not talking any one specific person here, actually 6 or 7 individuals and family names do come to mind. For so many years I spent a great deal of my time trying to help KW be the best that is could be. Finally I have run out of aspirin from the excessive head beating against the unmovable, deaf wall. |
[“Moved to Panama”] Panama, where the locals look down on newbies, tourists, and part time residents just like they do here and everywhere else. It’s something to do with human nature. You’re kidding yourself if you believe it is any other way. |
[“Unlicensed Contractor”] Sue, sue, sue, that’s all you blood suckers know. What happened to real men who fall down and get up again then go back to work? Save the world shoot the lawyers! Be a man, be responsible for your own actions! |
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Victorville in California is perhaps most famous for its airliner storage and recycling businesses. Photographically, the airfield is a fairly tough nut to crack from the outside, so the best way to see it is from the air, as Paul Dunn found out. Link |
[“Increase building heights”] The ploy is to crack the ice by allowing building heights to rise based on certain existing criteria. And the ploy will allow developers, further down the road, to inch by inch continually raise heights until we look like the Gulf Coast of Florida. |
I have just finished reading Eleanor McAdams’ comments. First of all she labels herself as Republican candidate (Ed: That error was totally due to my ignorance, please don’t hold it against her.) It’s pretty easy to say what you wouldn’t have done. How about telling us more about what you would do. |
[Help Wanted] Driver needed. Bee’s Honey Pots. Must be local, speak English, and have a clean driving record. Call Classified Ads > Help Wanted |
Found dog. Large male, white Labrador, 12 to 15 years old. Tag says DJ and phone 305 896-8236. He was found in Tropical Bay subdivision. Call me Classified Ads > Lost and Found |
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[Classic Rock in Bars] Thanks to the person who explained why modern music wasn’t played in bars. He was partially correct that most modern music needs technology and synthetic instruments to create the modern sound. Much of modern pop music doesn’t even have musical instruments on it–all synthesized sounds. He cited Lorde who herself performs with only a drummer and the third person in her trio is a guy with a laptop creating her unique sound and over-dubs. I’d like to add that another reason bands around here only play classic rock is that they haven’t listened to popular music since they were young. You try to praise a pop tune and they have no idea what you’re talking about and immediately make a sour face or say something negative. They don’t get it. |
[Eleanor McAdams in yesterday’s CT] Isn’t she the Democrat candidate in the Dist. 2 County Commission race? (Ed: Yes she is. I apologize to Ms McAdams and Democrats for my foolish error.) |
[“Racial Classification”] When someone decided to lump our Asian friends into both the Mongoloid and Caucasoid categories simultaneously — going only by their skin tones. Mongoloid is now used like the word retarded (like with Downs Syndrome) and anything with “oid” at the end racially-speaking, is considered derogatory. My apologies to anyone offended. I won’t respond on this topic anymore, it’s not the place for it, it’s too inflammatory and the ignorance level is deafening. Be happy who you are. You can’t do anything about it anyway. |
Lost pole saw on 10/9/14. Please call Classified Ads > Lost and Found |
[Cheap is Better] Every Keys home has a history of recurring repair works. It can be really irritating and embarrassing if the problem shows up when there are friends and relatives around. An efficient handyman service can help you to eradicate the issue forever. If you are thinking about renovating your Paradise (pun intended) home, you should get an able, efficient and professional handyman to take care of all the repairs and needs of your home. I vote for the cheaper handyman versus contractor. Its just economics. |
This Keys sewer project is a disaster waiting to be built. Any person with half a brain knows you cannot dump do-do into a hole and expect it to go away forever. Like the stupid nuke depositories, they are just hiding the stuff form our eyes and not getting rid of anything. Poo is just as bad and will do us all in by poisoning out waters and food sources. Why he waste cannot be filtered and used as fertilizer or generating fuel is beyond me. Cost? So what? Get the stuff taken care of the right way instead of covering it up. In the old days when people took control of their lives and had gardens and out houses, all was well, but today we are lazy and controlled by the markets so the hell with it. Too many people! |
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[NASA – Opposite Behaviors? Arctic Sea Ice Shrinks] Antarctic sea ice is seeing a rapid period of growth this year, but that doesn’t mean the Poles are safe from climate change. While the Arctic Ocean ice cap has diminished over the last three decades, the sea ice cover at the opposite pole of the planet has expanded. The Sky is not falling. Over the next several 100 years we may get a few inches of higher water. There is also a very good chance that we will start to enter the earths cooling period. There’s a lot of money in Global warming, sorry, Climate change. The Climate has always changed. That’s just what it does. Do some of your very own research. It’s easy, it’s fun and enlightening. It’s also a little spooky to find out that our government is a few fries short of a Happy Meal on many, many things. Link |
[Expanding Medicaid] If former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist gets his old job back, he promises to expand Medicaid to roughly 1 million low-income residents by calling a special session of the Legislature or through an executive order. If Gov. Rick Scott is re-elected, the decision will be once again left to the Legislature with little meddling from him. “I would prefer to work with our partners in the Senate and the House … but if they would be unwilling, I would be willing to try to do it by executive order,” Crist said. “Rick Scott won’t lift a finger to get it done.” |
[Attack of the Killer Iguana!] A woman staying at a Key West resort was bitten by an iguana there Wednesday night, but the reptile nipped her toe because she harassed the iguana to the point of angering it, according to a city Police Department report. It’s not clear who called police to the Coconut Mallory Resort at 1445 N. Roosevelt Blvd., but Amy Russell, 39, reportedly from Alabama, told police the iguana bit her toe and she feared contracting salmonella. (Coconut Mallory? Timeshare owner? From Alabama? Says a lot right there) Most iguanas are wild and the resort doesn’t own the “bright green medium-sized iguana,” Officer Brenda Sellers wrote in her report. Also, iguanas generally stay away from humans and rarely bite. Sellers wrote in her report that Russell, upon showing her toe with “bright red toenail polish,” “was squeezing her toe like she was trying to make it look red.” But the officer wrote “no injury was visible.” (Of course not, when you run barefoot in a trailer park your whole life your feet get tough. Mine are.) Two other women at the resort told Sellers that Russell was “pushing her foot toward the iguana, antagonizing it.” Sure enough, a video taken of the alleged poolside attack shows her “repeatedly shoving her foot towards” the animal to the point where the iguana wrapped its mouth around her toe. The iguana wasn’t charged. (For once KWPD got this call right!) |
[“Commissioner Neugent doesn’t use his Big Pine office”] Just so you know, I had a meeting with George Neugent at his Big Pine Key office just a couple weeks ago. It was a convenient location to talk about the issues of the community that I have a concern about. ~Paul Roxenberg, President, Big Pine Key Volunteer Fire Department |
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And do we know who the first Rap artist was? That’s right kids, it was Johnny Cash! Cry Cry Cry was originally released in 1955. Video |
[“Texas nurse who had worn protective gear tests positive for Ebola”] Did you see this beauty yet? Doesn’t exactly leave me feeling Center for Disease Control, President Obama, and all points in between and beyond are awake yet. Nor am I left feeling Ebola can be, or will be, contained in west Africa, or in Texas. Imagine the fun, if certain suicide-inclined African radicals got themselves infected and got on airplanes headed to just about anywhere such as France, England, Canada, USA. Is no one safe? |
50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration. Link |
[“Commissioner Neugent’s additional $150,000”] Yesterday’s post said he made that money by investing in stocks, etc. I believe it. I’ve had a great year myself. The stock market has fattened my bank account like never before. Like everyone else, I wish I had more money invested. It’s been a great ride and it’s not over yet! |
Todd German, Chairman of Hometown PAC, told me the other day that he felt Eleanor McAdams did very well at Hometown’s recent candidate forum. I said I agreed. Eleanor is running against incumbent 4-term county commissioner George Neugent, against whom I ran in 2006 and 2010, as an Independent.
George seems to have his head stuck where the sun doesn’t shine on anything having to do with Cudjoe Regional Sewer System. George seems to have become totally identified with being a County Commissioner, as if the job is him and he is the job. George is one of two County Commissioners living in Marathon. The other commissioner is David Rice. The lower Keys, from below Seven Mile Bridge down through the Saddlebunch Keys, which make up the bulk of George’s County Commissioner district, do not have a local representative on the 5-member County Commission. We need new blood, we need a County Commissioner who puts the environment first, and the lower Keys need a County Commissioner. I just now pulled this from the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Office’s website: Independents – 15,577 Easily, the Democrats and the Independents can elect Eleanor McAdams in the November 4 general election. Maybe just as easily, the readers of the popular Coconut Telegraph can elect Eleanor. To follow that forum, you’d think about 99 percent of its readers do not care for career elected officials. Eleanor had no idea I would write and submit this to the Coconut Telegraph, so don’t blame her for it. ~Sloan Bashinsky. |
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My 2 cents says that Commissioner Neugent will answer the question regarding his additional $150,000. Why? Because he reads the Telegraph and if he doesn’t his secretary does, and will tell him that people are making a fuss on the Telegraph and want to know. |
Pentagon accused of whitewashing history of Vietnam War era. Link |
[“Neighborhood Fruit”] I thought that was the weirdo down my street building a big pink house! |
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With friends like us… Liberals pointed out Pres George Bush was kissing the butt and holding hands with the Arabs to enrich his oil buddies. Can anyone explain what is the reason Pres Obama is kissing the butt and bowing to the Arabs? If it’s not for enriching friends, then what is the purpose? Meanwhile Turks watch Kurds getting slaughtered at Kobani. How’s that apology tour working out for the USA? |
ISIS is winning. By the time you read this the Syrian town on the border of Turkey, Kobani, will nearly certainly have fallen to ISIS. ISIS fighters are on the outskirts of Baghdad. Given the ineptitude of the Iraqi armed forces, it is probable that Baghdad will fall. With their growing success, ISIS is rapidly becoming a very attractive organization to join for Muslim youths. It is reported that over 3000 European youths have joined ISIS. It is estimated that at least 100 American youths have joined ISIS. Its fighters now number at least 100,000.
ISIS has now urged/ordered its American sympathizers to seek out and massacre the families of American military personnel. It’s only a matter of time before it happens. Soon, unless the US and the world take real action, we will see a new Mideast state comprised of Syria and Iraq. The state will be a caliphate of terror. With the combined wealth of those nations, ISIS will be a juggernaut of terror. Last year, Moner Mohammad Abusalha, a Vero Beach youth, returned to the US after joining ISIS as a fighter. On his return, he traveled through our nation unwatched, unchallenged. He then returned to his ISIS brethren and had the joy of becoming the first American suicide bomber. In addition to himself, he blew up a restaurant full of Syrian soldiers. He left a legacy, a video in which he said: “You think you are safe where you are in America,” he said, threatening his own country and a half-dozen others. “You are not safe.” We will never know why he did not wear a suicide vest to some venue in Vero Beach or perhaps Key West. Think for just a moment about the very real possibility that an ISIS sycophant might wear a suicide vest into any one of Key Wests churches one bright Sunday morning and push the button, or perhaps Sloppy Joe’s at 10 pm on a Saturday. Don’t delude yourself, it can happen. Don’t kid yourself, Obama’s efforts to push back at ISIS are nothing more than symbolic gesture to appease the American public. The air strikes have been few and far between and have been ineffective. The reason that Obama refuses to take real action against ISIS is that he fears that the Democrat base will not vote for Democrat candidates in the midterm elections. We and the world will pay a macabre price for his political pandering. |