[Dredging] It is good to know that HTA has not intimidated their employees but it is so much more than just a “study” (which sounds so innocent). The “study” is a necessary step in dredging the channel. In other words, the “study” is to determine if there is any possible way to dredge in the National Marine Sanctuary. The revenue from cruise ships amounts to 8% of the tourism pie. Are we seriously willing to sell the soul of our island for a few bucks? Are we that short sighted and greedy? The Pro-Dredging side tells us that we can mitigate any environmental consequences but the Army Corps of Engineers said that some things can’t be mitigated. Don’t be fooled by cheap lunches and BS. Please vote no!

[“Druggies stealing from free yard sale”] How dare you assume dopers stole from the “free” yard sale. You’re going to give drug addicts a bad name.

[Dredging] I took this picture last week from the Westin Hotel. This boat looks pretty big, maybe 11-12 stories. The only people who benefit from are HTA and the t-shirt shops. They are trying to scare us into believing that the larger operators are going to bypass KW. My intuition encourages me to think that smaller more boutique excursions could actually charge more money. But honestly, the $5 t-shirt shop is endemic of the problem that is consuming the tourist enigma. Do we really want more crap in KW? Or crap on a larger scale.

[“Who owns the FKAA”] It was created by the State of Florida. If you do your homework you will find they do not have any rules imposed on them by the State of Florida.

Winn Dixie is hiring 100 people in Key West.  Link

[Marathon Journal] Sometimes you get a really great story. This story is sourced all kinds of ways. Let us imagine that we had hardwood hammocks on our property. You clear the land without going through the permit process. You have broken the charter, state regulations, and ethics violations.

Any one of you would get heavily fined and told to plant all new replacement plants. Here though is the rub. If you got a city councilman running interference, you at first get a low fine and told to mitigate a small part of the destroyed hardwood hammocks. The fine is really low and only ten trees are required to come into compliance. That is just a slap on the wrist. Unfortunately, the Code Compliance Board could not make any clear decision on the violations.

I wish I had a city councilman in my corner. The players are Code Compliance Board and Department, Marathon City Councilman wannabe Mark Senmartin, and Marathon City Councilman Dick Ramsay. All the documents are available through the Freedom of Information Act. Just see the Marathon City Clerk.

-3% bonuses vs. across the board raises. Kudos to Councilmen Ramsay and Bull for promoting an across the board raise for our hard working city staff. They have not had a raise going on five years. It is amazing how city staff stay upbeat and continue to produce amazing, quality work results. I have said this before, and I will say it again. City staff should unionize like the Fire Department.

The Journal interviewed City Council candidate Pete Worthington. He was termed out a year ago. He is making a comeback this November election. Until Councilman Bull won after having sat out for a couple of years, termed-out candidates found it very difficult to win; see John Bartus.

-What is your major concern: We talked about several issues, which really all revolve around Marathon’s financial state. Pete talked about the Mayfield grant and other money coming in to support finishing the wastewater and stormwater projects. He seemed positive about the city’s sources of money from property taxes to sales tax income. Worthington wanted to return the city’s reserves to its proper level. Last, he was hopeful for the local economy as more transient units (hotel rooms) come back online.

-What is your take on the City Marina, Boot Key harbor, and Book Key the island: Pete saw a bright future for Marathon. These three areas together could become a national treasure. Of course, money has to be identified for a project of this size.

-Does Marathon go to litigation too often and why: He thought that the city must litigate in certain situations, especially to defend from lawsuits. Pete did think that the city is out of sync at times. For example, the Book Key island lawsuit.

-What is the state of commercial fishing industry: He said that the industry is doing well. The market is good. There are 6 to 8 pound lobsters that China as a major customer buys. Stone crab is moderate.

-What are your last thoughts: He sees a bright future for Marathon. The upcoming infrastructure improvements will help the local economy as well as regular residents.

Sunday’s sunrise on Big Pine Key.

The business of boating as of year end 2012

Total economic value: $121 billion
Employment: 964,000
Boating businesses: 34,833
Annual labor income: $40 billion
Annual spending: $83 billion

[Sewers] Thank you Mr. Drabinski for standing up for us all. I for one will be making a donation to the Sir Isaac Newton Society’s legal fund. I hope others do the same instead of saying “Good, someone else is going to do the hard work for me.”

[Flood Insurance Rate Hikes Are Imminent] Significant flood insurance rate  increases are a week away and severe  panic is beginning to set in, because  the federal legislation to delay the  increases has stalled. Florida’s elected officials are scrambling to fend off the increase

US nearly detonated atomic bomb over North Carolina – secret document. Link

“Living on an Island” boat tour of house for sale on Cedar Drive. I hope to meet YOU in the Keys real soon! Video
Sincerely, Nira

[Dredging] The study is tacit approval for actually bringing monster cruise ships to KW. Don’t be fooled.

[Stupid] When you are dead, you don’t know that you are dead. It’s only difficult for others. It’s the same when you’re stupid.

Keys Birding Festival. Link

Easton’s lemonade truck on the No Name Bridge years ago.  Menu>History>Tidbits of Keys History

[Sewers] Thanks to everyone who is supporting the Sir Isaac Newton Coalition in our effort to optimize the Cudjoe Regional Wastewater System being installed. We currently have two lawsuits filed, one to address the County’s procedural errors in the DEP $90 million bond request and the other to stop construction that has been expedited in those areas that the FKAA has itself identified as candidates to be all gravity. This is only about 4% to 6% of the project, so there will be no overall cost or schedule impact. The entire problem could be resolved for about $7 million in additional construction costs with long term savings that are many times that.

However, we are dealing with a level of arrogance that goes beyond reason. One of the County Commissioners told me, “We have a building full of lawyers who can fight until you run out of money.” We hope that with your vocal and financial support we can out fight them in the Courts and eventually at the ballot box. Right now we need two things. Contributions to our legal fund and letters to Governor Scott, Senator Bullard, Representative Raschein, the DEP and the EPA. Go to our website www.newtoncoalition.com or e-mail us at 1nfo@newtoncoalition.com for information on both efforts.

2002 Ford E150 Cargo Van located in Marathon V6 140K miles, cold AC. Good stereo $2,500 Classified Ads > Autos

[Dredging] If you want our waterfront to look like St Martin, vote for more cruise ship people. Trashy, trashy, trashy and fat. I envy St Martin for all the t-shirts they sell. 

[“How I can find out how close to the island the Gulf stream is”] Check this NOAA site. Yesterday is was 19 miles off Sand Key. Link

Kyla Piscopink, Leigh Pujado, Kim Bergman, & Carolyn Copper practicing dancing for their benefit performance last week.

[Butterfly Population Dwindling] You may quote me: You don’t have butterflies in the Sahara Desert. Big Pine Key is a subtropical desert when it comes to flowering plants. I’ve said it before–Fenced yards with a profusion of flowers will attract butterflies in the manner of a butterfly garden writ large. To avoid spraying poisons and reduce the mosquito population, it would seem logical, and economical to encourage and import–flowering vegetation that seed profusely, purple marlins, dragon flies, inch long mosquito fish (Gambusia Affinis) for our freshwater ponds, damselflies, frogs, and maybe even give the bat tower another chance to redeem itself. Can these be imported? Of course. We wouldn’t need spraying if it weren’t for the imbalance of the environment. This is just another case of using a natural remedy instead of the chemistry of a prescription with harsh side effects.

[Independence] I think everybody should pay for anything they want and need out of their own pockets and never ask anyone else to support them period. Stand on your own two feet, be a man/woman and take no guff from anyone. Want it, work for it.

Wanted: Two kayak paddles. Classified Ads > Wanted

I’m coming home to the Keys next Sunday after being gone for 6 months (I waited for the poker run to be over).

I need to know: How is Tiki bar doing? Do they enforce dress code? Is there a lease requirement for dogs. Have Absolute shots gone up above $6? Is the parking lot underwater? Is there still taxi service? Is Father Tony still saying mass?

Eat your heart out at Conchtoberfest. Link

[Grinder Pumps] You’re going to need the Pushover Plunge if you’re getting a grinder pump. Funny Video

There are no boat ramps at Sombrero Beach.  Try Dodge Lake.  Search Google Maps: Aviation Blvd and Harbor Drive 33050

[Our Classified Ads Work!] Please remove 25′ boat. It sold. Please remove full face masks with communication units. It sold. Please remove 1988 Mako 22′. It sold.

I’m getting too many calls for these items.  Please remove them.

Jersey Girls & Bacon Grease Ladies, how can they look at themselves in the mirror or go out in public looking like that. Disgusting!

This nation is in debt over its head. No one in the world is going to help us so it is paramount that we increase our roll of workers not increase the social welfare rolls. Able-bodied people should give back to society in a manner consistent with their capabilities. That is a good thing for the individual and society. The pie is shrinking and the haves and the have-nots need to drop the selfishness.

[Fences] Is it true that on Big Pine to build a fence you have to have a 4’ setback from your property line because of the deer?

[Captain Doom and Gloom] “Butterfly Population Dwindling No Mosquito Control spraying on BPK”  Are you people suicidal or what? Do you realize mosquitoes are the most deadly creatures on this planet. On second thought, it might just be a good idea on BPK!

“Sewers lawsuit” Would it not be a good idea to keep ones eyes pealed on this lawsuit because we all know how the junta works in our county and state? Monye talks, BS walks! Watch your back guys!

[Regressive Party] The USA is 17th in the world in education, 38th in the world in the quality of our healthcare system as it is today, 34th in the world in the rate of infant mortality, 34th out of the 35 industrialized nations in percentage of poor children. But, not to worry, we are still #1. We are #1 in the world in rate of gun ownership (Yemen is #2) and we are #1 in homicide rates in the industrialized countries.  

The above facts are all related.   Together they are a recipe for disaster.  Violence happens when desperate people are hungry, poor, jobless, sick and uneducated.  Easy access to guns adds to this equation.  It is time for our “Do Nothing Congress” to do something!  This doesn’t happen when it votes to cut programs like SNAP, Meals on Wheels, Medicaid and Head Start. It doesn’t happen when benefits are taken away from our most vulnerable citizens — the sick, poor, elderly and hungry children.  Congress wastes precious time voting 43 times to attempt to stop a law designed to provide affordable healthcare to millions of Americans, but ignores votes and discussions on gun control and immigration.  The Regressives are more interested in the game of politics and funding their own seats in Congress than they are in working together to come up with solutions to help its fellow citizens and bring America back to # 1 in everything not just murder. 

Perhaps all of the Regressives in Congress should get off their ivory towers and spend one of their 100 vacation days with a poor family in our inner cities or rural areas.  It could be an eye opener to sit down at their kitchen tables.

[“Pull together as a nation and get Obamacare to work”] Ok, lets do it folks! I’ve got on my cheerleader outfit, pom poms in hand. Give me an O. Give me a B. Give me an A. Give me an M. Give me another A. Give me a C-A-R-E, Obamacare, Obamacare, rah, rah, rah!

Is that what you had in mind?

Republicans are denying Americans health care coverage that the majority voted for. give it up you lost and Americans won. You had no plan and seem to accept the overpriced healthcare available to rich Americans. What about the rest? Who pays for them? You. Isn’t it better to have the low priced Americans pay their own way, by making healthcare affordable like in other countries? Aren’t we as good as other countries.

[“Syria had been denying they even had chemical weapons”]  No, Syria didn’t. It was obvious chemical weapons had been used.  President Assad denied that he used chemical weapons.  He said that the rebels used them to try to get the US involved, militarily, in their civil war.  It almost worked.

I have a question for the poster asking health care supporters why do we think its O.K. for Congress to exempt themselves. The poster says if you support it you should have to use it. Using that logic I guess any member of our government that votes to use our forces in war should have to enlist. Should only women in the government be the only ones that are able to vote on abortion issues? Should only those that have kids in school vote on education issues?

Republicans lost the Election. They lost the debate on Healthcare. So now the sore losers are willing to shut down the government because they can’t get their way. And they wonder why they are so unpopular.

“Syria — It seems our country’s intelligence was spot on. Until our President threatened action against Syria they have been denying they even had chemical weapons.”  Thus sayeth a poster on Sunday.

Please permit me to gently, ever so gently, remind that poster that after Mr. Obama made his first bellicose threat against Syria, he nearly immediately rescinded that threat by saying he really had to consult with Congress before he would undertake any military action. Then he and we learned that he was unable to bring together a coalition of nations to become involved. Then his surrogate, Veep Joe Biden, assured all who would listen that any military action against Syria would be “amazingly small.” Then he said that we really have to go to the UN. Deer Friends, that record is a record of vacillation, a record that not even an 8th grader would fear.

Assad refused to do a damned thing until Putin, uninvited by anyone, jumped in.  You have to remember that Assad is a major client of Russia. Russia has a strong interest in keeping Assad in power. Assad purchases billions of bucks of Soviet war machinery. If there had been a US military strike against Assad, the rebels would have benefited in a big way. Perhaps enough to actually topple Assad. Certainly Putin would recognize that if the rebels were to win, with American help, then it is nearly certain that the rebels would be very friendly to America. An American friendly Syria would be a huge burr under the saddles of the Russians and Iran.  Obama had an opportunity, but he chose not to exploit it.

Never forget, any gain in stature or strength of Russia, and especially Putin is very, very bad news for the U.S.  In this instance, Putin won hands down, Obama again showed the world that his foreign policy was  weak and vacillating.  

Part 2) There has been a leak from the halls of power in Mosquito Control. It’s been learned how they intend to utilize genetically altered mosquitoes in their never ending war with the nasty little critters. There are many different strains of genetically altered mosquito.

One strain is genetically altered so that the males are sterile.   Another, and more spectacular, strain causes the mating pair to explode during copulation. So, if you’re sitting on your porch on a calm summer evening and you begin to see tiny flashes of light in your shrubbery and hear tiny popping noises, you’ll know what’s happening.  Yet another genetic alteration results in female mosquitoes having a chronic, serious, sick headache.

Part 3) Re Gulfstream location.  NOAA’s web site will give you the info you want, I think that’s it’s always a day or two old, but it’s better than a sharp stick in the eye, and I’ve found it to be pretty accurate..  Good hunting. Link