Monday July 31, 2006

[Fighting neighbor advocate] You are such a hypocrite!  Just the other night you were screaming at your mate and all the neighbors heard you.  How about being on your knees begging your mate to take you back when he kicked you out of the house.  What about the story of how you accidentally sent the mug shot?  It was cleaver how you also accidentally used your mate’s email address to deceive everyone.  Come on, what a crock. I’m posting here and it doesn’t happen by accident. What about the policeman who showed up to make the arrest being your ex-husband? How about letting people know about your being a police dispatcher?  Why didn’t you tell the policeman (your ex-husband) the whole story? i.e. the neighbor flying out of the house pushing a young lady. Maybe because you didn’t see or hear everything and only told part of the story like what happened at the end not what instigated the whole affair?  

Maybe you should just apologize to everyone about this and stop calling the kettle black.  In other words, get your life/affairs together before you start slamming everyone else around you.  How would you like it if your neighbors called the police every time you got into a screaming match with your mate? I think you would be right here slamming the neighbor for sticking their noses in your business because you have such a good temper, you are so mature; and lest I forget, so caring.  Hogwash!

[Mile Marker 24 band] Someone writes in that they don't like the band and don't know why the bar was crowded and did a good business? Duh! Maybe the band is good and maybe people like their music. Why is that so hard to understand or are you jealous of their talent?

Fareed Zakaria (Newsweek) said, "Donald Rumsfeld is deranged and lives on another planet."

On Sunday morning's talking heads I heard two different spin doctors say that Hezbollah hates the Jews more than they love their children. I have to agree.

This is a beautiful photo of a giant flag in Arizona.   The photo is authentic and UN-Touched. The picture  was taken on a regular Kodak 35mm film. The person who took the picture couldn't believe the image created by the suns rays.   Nice of them to share it with the world!

A US citizen joins the military to serve his country. While serving he/she loses an arm and a leg, the use of one eye and maybe has some emotional problems from seeing friends blown to pieces or dieing in their arms. And of course as a "compassionate conservative" you have to view the benefits paid from the VA as a handout! The biggest handouts are to the big corporations that get big tax breaks and tax loopholes that only they can use. Subsidies for finding alternative energy sources that they will later sell back to us for more inflated profits. No bid contracts to big companies where elected officials use to be executives. Those are handouts. Benefits and compensation to those that have served and sacrificed is a moral National debt that we all should be happy to pay.

Who stole my hand painted fish mailbox on Little Torch? Please pay the bills that were inside and bring it back!

[Woman who called the cops on the fighting neighbors (should) shoot them both, and then turn the gun on herself] It's obvious that you have severe mental problems. Talking/writing about shooting anybody is never something to joke about or to talk about with any degree of sarcasm.  As far as not wanting to read about it more than once, what the hell do you think this is called a gossip column for?

[Global warming report] Patrick Michaels is a paid lackey for Exxon etc. how scientifically sound do you think his research could be?

In 1998, Exxon devised a plan to stall action on global warming written by Patrick Michaels.
Patrick Michaels. Senior Fellow The Cato Institute ...http://www.environmentaldefense.org/go/paidskeptics/

For all the people that are against mini season; why not get together and have it put on a ballot for the residents to vote on next election.

[Global warming] There are many studies both pro and con. Global warming is here and what I've read so far says it is a natural occurrence that is exacerbated by burnt fossil fuel. How's that grab you?

It's time to invest in Exxon.

[All TV will be in HDTV format by 2006] That was pushed back by the FCC to 2009, and HDTV does not refer or have anything to do with a wide screen TV. It merely means the ability to receive and or process a high definition signal.  Most TVs that are sold now are all HD-ready. When you buy your next TV just make sure its HD ready. It doesn’t have to be widescreen it can be your regular square image. 

But by 2009 the FCC forces the cable people to put out a HD signal only. Currently Comcast will give out both HD or regular analogue (without a cable box) or digital (with a cable box but not the HD channels). 

If you have an HD-TV, that has a cable card, you are able to pick up the channels from Comcast for free, no need for a set top box.

Pretty much the whole thing is, if you don’t have a TV by 2009, then Comcast will get to force you to rent a cable box and remote from them every month in order for you to watch TV.

I'm new down here. Can anyone tell me the best way to cook Key deer? And will that collar it was wearing keep fleas off my pitbull?

I am a northern Florida redneck, but I'm not an idiot and I don't rob traps. I do however, like country music. Does this make me a bad person?

Who is the person that keeps attacking the MM 24 band?  Could this be another case of musician jealousy? I am guessing that this person is a frustrated guitar player with limited commercial appeal, but then again I could be wrong.

In addition to his global warming rhetoric Al Gore is now concerned about a creature called Manbearpig, Which he says is 1/2 man, 1/2 bear and 1/2 pig, and threatens our very existence. I think Tipper needs to give Al a little more attention, medication and math lessons. 

Whales, Key Deer, etc. Shouldn't we give them a little of our medical help, after all they don't have vets to do heart bypasses.

[Gas prices are $3.34 and it's all Bush's fault] If it makes you feel any better, the Europeans are paying double that amount.  I'm sure that's Bush's fault too, right?  I don't know what you are whining about.  The higher the price of gas, the less people drive.  The less people drive and burn fossil fuel, the sooner we fix global warming. Don't you people realize President Bush is single handily saving the planet?  Unlike Clinton, who tried to destroy it by keeping gas prices low and thereby encouraging people to drive SUVs.

[Florida Keys survive on an economy that is tourist driven]  Money, money, money, that's all you think about, isn't it.  Never mind what it does to the environment as long as you make a few bucks, anything goes.  Well it's time that those of us that care about this planet unite and protect the fragile ecosystem here in the Keys against the almighty dollar. I'm calling on all environmental groups to band together and help us save the Keys from the ravages of tourism.  The time is now--ban mini season.

Are there ten or twelve people out there with a hundred thousand dollars or more that want to invest, and buy the Key Deer Bar & Grill?  Just take a minute and think about it.  We can make it exactly the way everyone seems to want a bar/restaurant to be.  We know what that is, because they bitch about it on this site all the time.  What bands to get, what kind of service to expect and who they want the clientele to be. No kids, no old folks...we can't lose!  But then again, lets buy it, tear down the wall between the bar and restaurant, clean it up, I mean really clean it up. The ceilings are a nice wood that could have a nice shine to them, scrub everything, wash the windows and fan blades, get rid of the old fashioned booths, put some counter height tables in with cool bar stool seating, open up the dingy wall behind the bar so we can see into the kitchen, kind of like a Logan's Restaurant sort of thing.  Make the dance floor bigger and the stage bigger so a decent band can fit.  We can't lose.

The dog abuser suffers from erectile dysfunction.  Doesn't that explain everything?

The government has said all TV must be digital by, I think the latest date is August, 2009, but they keep pushing that back.  Each station will make up its own mind whether to broadcast in HD, what format of HD, or simple standard resolution digital (now called enhanced definition).  Using ED they can broadcast several other channels , including additional TV channels (but only one with Bob Dole commercials), digital music channels, etc., since a channel big enough to  broadcast a full HD signal is the equivalent of 6 of today's channels. 

You're right, though, that today's type of sets will no longer be produced.  There was some talk in Congress about making a converter available so people with today's style TV's would not be cutoff. The best idea if you are buying a TV now would be to buy a digital one. Most have tuners that pick up today's TV format. 

And the guy was right about Robert DeNiro's mole, ugh!  Leno isn't broadcast in HD yet.  The Vicora's Secret commercials are, however, pretty awesome.

My wife has this irresistible urge to kick the Orbit Gum girl in the teeth. Although I found her saucy "Stuff" magazine layout mighty hot, I must admit that those Orbit commercials arouse my ire more than anything south of the belt-line.  Anyone else harboring hostility for this Wrigley shill?

People who abuse animals were usually abused themselves as children. They are egomaniacs on power trips who feel empowered by withholding

food, water, love and kindness for their animal as it is the only thing they have power over and are rendered powerless in their every day lives over every one else thereby making them inferior and hence animal / child / alcohol / drug abuse.

Pound for pound and pounding for pounding, the Israeli military is one of the world's finest. But Hezbollah, with the discipline and ferocity of its fighters and ability to field advanced weaponry, has taken Israel by surprise.

United States officials worry that they're not prepared, either, for Hezbollah's style of warfare - a kind that pits finders against hiders and favors the hiders. Certain that other terrorists are learning from Hezbollah's successes, the United States is studying the conflict closely for lessons to apply to its own wars. Military planners suggest that the Pentagon take a page out of Hezbollah's book about small-unit, agile operations as it battles insurgents and cells in Iraq and Afghanistan and plans for countering more cells and their state sponsors across the Middle East and in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

[Bunch of petty whiners]  As much as I dislike whiners I realize this forum is made for both Kudos and Whiners.  It's good to vent. I didn't take your input as Kudos, by the way.

[I will be staying to make you low-life's miserable]  Oh goodie.  I wouldn't want you to miss the annual iguana roast and white tail dove shoot.  You can bring the watermelon.  Shirt and shoes are not required.

Say what? That you saw some dead lobster heads? I love it! What if you saw some dead fish heads? If it's a lobster Head you found, I think it is positively dead.

Kudos the person that said, "What a bunch of petty whiners you all are. Get a life."  I have to agree with you on this.  Some of the people griping on this website need to go somewhere else for a while and then they will appreciate what a beautiful paradise we really live in.  I wouldn't live anywhere else, and I'm right with you, on saying that if I ever catch anyone killing iguanas, or any other creatures, they will be sorry.  You have either lived here way too long and don't understand the really important problems out in the "real world", taking for granted what a wonderful place this is, or you just moved here, and want to change things to be like where you came from.

I recently found out that they are still collecting signatures on the alligator petition concerning the horrible killing of our little resident female alligator, Cola, that had lived in the Blue Hole on Big Pine for years.  The petition is asking the State Attorney's office to prosecute for the maximum for the charges of third degree felony of alligator poaching, rather than plea bargaining to lesser charges.  The State Attorney's office has a poor track record on prosecuting cases concerning animal cruelty and they hope the perpetrators, who have confessed to what they did, will plead guilty to lesser charges and then the State Attorney thinks he will look good at election time because he got his 100% conviction rate. BS!

If you haven't signed it yet, the editor of this fine website has it posted on the right side of the Gossip Column, right below the Manley deBoer link.  Just click on the "Alligator Petition" link, print it, sign, get other signatures if you are so inclined, and mail to FAVOR, P.O. Box 431840, Big Pine Key, FL  33043-1840.  We have to send a strong message to the lawmakers that animal cruelty will not be tolerated...studies have proven that young people who torture animals can go on to much worse crimes, if not dealt with early on.  I talked to one of the FAVOR board, and they said it doesn't matter whether you live in this area or not, since the crimes were committed in a Federal Refuge.  People from all over the world are signing this petition, so tell your friends, email everyone in your address book, and get them to sign.  Thank you for listening (reading).

[Iguana Killer Club Newsletter] Killing Iguanas is perfectly legal.  They are a different kind of rodent and there is always open season on rodents.  Kill all the rats and Iguanas you want.  Anyone who assaults you killing an Iguana is subject to arrest.  Confront me for killing an Iguana and I won't wait for the cops.  The new Florida law allows you to shoot anyone committing a felony against you. 

This guy is against killing Iguanas but he is ready to attack a human being. Who is screwed up here?  If you don't like people killing rats and Iguanas you have to live with it, like we have to live with the Key Deer, (useless disease ridden overgrown rats).  Go hug a tree and mind your own business.  Long live the IKC.  The law is explicit. Kill all the Iguanas you want, they are harder to kill than you would think. Kill some rats while you're at it.  If you really want some fun get an Alligator license, the state is having trouble getting people to help thin the population.  You can't hunt them in Monroe County, but the rest of south Florida is open (except for state and national parks).  You can use High powered semi-automatic rifles and blast away.  You can sell the hides for shoes, bags, belts and holsters, and the tails for food. 

Monday July 31, 2006

Sunday July 30, 2006

In response to the person who thought the Sheriff's actions were stupid on Wednesday; I was on that Pro-Line to the East of you.  I think you should consider a few things.  Were you not pulling your very small dinghy behind you that was not anchored?  Were you not directly in the center of Pine Channel just north of the bridge, where all the Pine Channel boating traffic runs?  Do you really think boats coming from the south could see you from the other side of the bridge?  Where did you go after you were asked to leave the channel?  Did you not go dive the shoreline, where it is illegal during the mini-season?  And, is it not true that you were breaking the cardinal rule of diving by diving alone?  Is it possible the Deputies were more concerned for your safety than writing tickets to the boats running the channel, who most likely couldn't see you?  Five deaths were five too many.  They probably prevented a sixth.  You should be thankful, not critical.  Now, whose actions were truly stupid?

[Mini lobster season] Choose to live next to train tracks or near an airport and your noise complaints fall on deaf ears. The entire length of the Florida Keys survive on an economy that is tourist driven. Get over it, it's not all about you and your new little piece of paradise! These "tourist's" who've been loyal to local business's for two or three decades buy the big ticket items with cash year after year that pay's for the piddly discount you demand every time you give up ten or fifteen bucks paid with a credit card. Yes, we do talk about you as soon as the door misses your hind end!

The whale] Has there ever been a greater testament to God's existence then allowing the human heart and soul's attempt to overcome his culling of sea mammals, sometimes in large pods, just because they can't understand the real harm is in their living? God has to love them more just for trying, yet he can't allow the whales and dolphins to live and pass on they're defects.

Calm has returned to our little neighborhood in Eden Pines.  The Terrible Neighbors have moved away.  People are once again neighbors and not just people. They are helping each other and security lights are being turned off at night.  Life is good.  Hopefully, this has been a valuable lesson for the Terrible Neighbors that felt they had to move away.  You must treat people like you would like to be treated.

I like the dumb ideas someone keeps sending in...ahhhh how do you spell me to, (two)m mmmm 2 ,,,, you nnow' imean youa'lKnow you know what i mean!

You say Winn-Dixie should prepare for mini season. Once again people wanting someone to take care of them. You knew it was mini season why didn't you stock up ahead of time?

Please remember that our local government has tried to eliminate mini season but that the state said, "F.U."

It won't be long, maybe a few more years and all of our labor force making below $50-60K/Yr will be from the mainland. If you think service is bad now wait until the people making over min wage have to start commuting 3-4 hours each way to do their jobs. Will they ride the buses with the lower wage earners or will they drive causing more traffic, accidents and pollution? The added fuel costs as we know will be eating into those higher salaries and creating less take home income and in turn have less disposable income.

Our community has been prostituted for the few at a cost to the public that we never will fully recover from again.

[Poison Wood Trees] Anybody who lives here in the Keys knows not to touch the tree.  And why would you want to lick the leaves anyway?  Why don't you stick to licking a lollypop?

Gas prices are $3.34. It's time to protest. We need to let the oil companies know this is not acceptable. And by the way I haven't received the $100 I heard we were supposed to get. Tell me one more time how wonderful Bush is and all the good things he's done for this country.

I hear that concerned Monroe county citizens may start a petition to ban mini season. Has anyone else heard this?

The difference, if we abolish mini season, is that you only have to put up with one vile hoard of poachers instead of two.  For those who say it is only a few bad apples I disagree; it is the majority who are the problem.  To the minority who follow the rules, operate safely, and respect the community and the environment; sorry.  

[One parting shot at Global Warming]  Patrick Michaels, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia is one of about a dozen academics who for years have cast doubt on the so-called science surrounding global warming while downplaying the scientifically accepted idea that humans are causing it.  "We have had many predicted apocalypses through the ages that haven't shown up, and this is likely to be another one," Michaels said on CNN.  Now, let’s see, who shall I believe? 

To the writer saying, "Someone needs to stand up for animals".  How about you? What are you doing to make life better in the Keys?

I also had a $40,000 broken arm.  Thank God for insurance.

What a bunch of petty whiners you all are. Get a life. It is one thing after another, iguanas, BPK, min-season, Winn-Dixie, big-box stores, abortion. There is no end to your pettiness. This forum has gotten so pathetic; it makes me want to leave the Keys to get away from your constant complaining. To bad for you, that I will be staying and will strive with every ounce of my energy to continue to make you low-life's miserable. And if I ever catch you killing iguanas or discharging a firearm around me, you and I will have a major confrontation. Why don't you all move to Texas and make me really happy.

The printing of Mug Shots has never accomplished anything but hurt and embarrassment to the families of the arrested person. I doubt if the person ever sees their own picture posted as they are probably not in a position to use a computer. I hope Ed will stick to his/her resolve not to print any more.

Kudos to the lady who called the cops on her neighbors who were fighting.  Let's hope that couple never reproduces.  Lousy behavior like that should have been un-learned before they were old enough to start school.  It is not acceptable in civilized society.

I may be a Yankee as you put it but I have been here for over ten years. If you have cooked Maine lobster and found it mushy, you either prepared it improperly or it was bad to begin with. That Happens. As for the price per lb you've got to be kidding me! You all charge what for these "mudbugs" that are not even available yet. I tried to get real lobster and Publix in Marathon wanted 18.99/lb. I am not paying that. It's all a matter of taste and it depends on what you're used to. All I am saying is that for people to die over harvesting them is ridiculous. They aren't worth it.

To the woman who called the cops on the fighting neighbors. Please, next time, shoot them both, and then turn the gun on yourself. Maybe then we won't have to read about it but once.

[Green meat] That's why it's always like Christmas at Winn Dixie--red and green! Green meat and bright red tourists!

[Observing the Delta Aquarids] Meteors from these streams appear to come from the constellation Aquarius. The northern radiant is located in the northeastern portion of that constellation, while the southern radiant is located in the southern portion.

Home owners associations and their power to rule your life.  Very important information; read all of it and all pages. http://realestate.msn.com/buying/articlenewhome.aspx?cp-documentid=656249&gt1=8384  then get a lawyer named Mr. Bruno!

I think if the Sheriff asked a diver to move, it would've been because the diver was in the middle of a channel.  What makes more sense?  Ticketing every boat transiting a busy channel, which would be every few seconds during the mini-season, because some moron decided to dive right in the middle of it, or just removing the problem?  It would be a different story in open water, but not Pine Channel.  Based on all the compliments given to the Sheriffs during the mini-season, I believe they were looking out for the best interest of the diver.  Maybe what you did was legal, and the boat running the channel was illegal, but it makes much more sense to just ask you to move.

[Hints for next years Mini Season]  If a whale the size of a large motor home floats in the channel, have it broadcasted on the radio in English and Spanish (no skip that part). This was a big chum bag. Do not swim in whale blood and look for lobsters. One thing is not worth the other. The winner of who made the most money this week was the Coast Guard in the amount of time they got paid for looking for people. Pay your taxes, they need a bigger budget next year.

To those who blame Winn-Dixie for not being prepared for mini season, take some responsibility and stock up before the rush.

It was me that left the cake out in the rain. You see, the flea market park was melting, and all the sweet cream icing was flowing on the ground.

[Fighting neighbor advocate]  No, I have never had a loud screaming match with my mate or my next door neighbor.  It doesn't mean anyone is "far above" anyone else, it just means some people don't take disagreements to an unruly level.  There isn't any way you can come to a compromise or talk it over like normal people without having a loud screaming match?  That is out of control and hopefully you don't have children if that is how you behave.  I have had disagreements with my mate and neighbor, but I am still married and happily, as well as have neighbors that are good friends.  I have a dog and ask around if the dog bothers anyone to let us know.  One has, and the problem is now resolved and we are good friends with all the neighbors.  If I don't know something is bothering a neighbor I can't fix the problem.  It can be done without screaming like a juvenile when you have a good temper and are reasonable not to mention, caring.

You are right; the doctors here do over charge.  I had a broken wrist and was billed $23,000.  I was lucky to have good insurance.

I just do not understand why people think if they ban mini season the problem will go away. It will just move to opening day.

All TV will be in HDTV format by 2006. They won't even be making the regular TVs anymore.

If the mini-season is abolished, what would keep the same madness from happening when the actual season starts?  Everyone will come down on the first day of the season instead.  Then, more problems will be created because the northern Florida redneck idiots will rob commercial traps. 

"All the derelict junk heaps and their dirt bag occupants need to go too."  Oh, yeah?  And just where do you think they're going to go?  Is this what you want instead?  Well is it?  Be careful what you wish for.

We saw dead lobster heads at the reef the weekend before mini-season.  Just like the Eden Pines starving dogs, we are kicking ourselves for not telling anyone.

I saw Mile Marker 24 at the Looe Key Tiki Bar last night and I thought, "What?" There were a lot of people and the bar did a great job, but what is the big deal? The band even played some of the songs over again. People have been bofooned. There is no big record deal. This guy just tries to buy everything. I may be wrong, prove it.
p.s. and leave out the bs.

[HDTV] I could care less about high-def TV. What? Do I need to see that Jay Leno has spinach lodged in his molar? The close-up details of Robert DeNiro's mole? Egad! What's the point?

To the poster yesterday on country music. Could you tell us again what you think of it? And this time don't sugarcoat it.

This goes out to Kevin from Venture Out. Congrats on a great job done during this mini lobster season. Every time I was out and around on Venture Out there you were making sure all was going well and that everyone was happy. I know you stayed endless hours to watch over all. Also, Thank your store manager Cathy for a store well run and clean and thank your security guards for keeping things safe and running. An extra thanks to your guard, Terry, who was very polite and helpful while we needed help moving our boat trailer to the overflow lot. He made sure there was a spot and helped endlessly. I saw him more than your other guards, but Kudos to all the staff at Venture Out. I'll be back next year. 

[God's candidate (abridged)] Why is Sloan so biased against commerce? Sloan is not biased against commerce. He is biased against capitalism, which seems to have taken on an aura of holiness, and sometimes to make the point I have referred to capitalism as Capitalanity.

Sunday July 30, 2006

Saturday July 29, 2006

Editor, Please post this apology to the person who had their mug shot posted yesterday.  It was a stupid, immature thing to do and it really hurt a lot of people.  I did not mean to send it in the first place. It was not something that was supposed to leave my home.  I sincerely apologize for making him look bad to people.  My boyfriend's email was attached to the email as well, and he had no idea I did it.  I apologize to Mike, Derrick, and everyone else.  Derrick is not a bad person and I am truly regretful that such a cruel joke went too far.

Abolish mini-season! Down with the lobster heads! Raise the power lines! Save the Australian Pines! Hug the Poisonwood trees! Shoot the iguanas! Free Andrea Yates! Stop global warming! Boycott Winn-Dixie! Arrest your neighbors! Beach the whales!

Don't you just love this Web site?

The FWC said the whale was 30 ft.  I think is was 50 ft. How the hell can they measure a lobster?

Wow!  Miami Vice was intense.  Great firearms and boats. I would have invited Don Johnson back; he's much sexier than the other dude. Great film and don't forget to bring a few sweatshirts to the Key West theatre.

"Iguanas are an invasive, non-indigenous species." True.  Also, they're ugly, smell bad and are a major contributor to global warming.  I say go for it!  You'll be doing the planet and humanity a great service.

Make the legal size of lobster 12 inches.

I had the pleasure (misfortune) to be stopped last Wednesday by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol. The FWC people could take a lesson in manners from these guys. No hassle or B.S., just professionals doing their jobs. The FWC people last year were rude, threatening and overall just plain nasty. Thanks to the Sheriffs' officers; they need to run some training classes for the FWC people.     

I see everyone still likes to complain on this web site but there is good out there. I have been coming to Big Pine for years and good coffee has always been hard to find. 3 weeks ago I went to Bagel island and had a great cup of coffee. I went today (Lobstermainia) and met her husband who is a real nice guy. He was filling in for Donna and had me try all the coffee flavors. Wow, good stuff. I will be looking forward to being here this fall and winter with a great cup of coffee in hand. Good job Bagel Island.

MCSO, you are welcome to the Keys. You all do a great job and should have first shot at the lobster. Please don't think these comments are directed towards you. They are meant for the FWC.

"Mini-season means sacrificing our environment for the buck."  Yeah, where are all the environmentalists?  Why aren't they up in arms, creating petitions and filling law suits to stop the raping, plundering and pillaging of the fragile environment here in the Keys?  They have no problem getting involved when locals want to do something with their own property.  Is tourism the only thing environmentalists care about? 

Anyone who runs for office in Monroe Co. and will abolish Mini Season, I'll vote for.

"Good teacher said statistics are just a tool to be used by those with an agenda."  I'm not sure how "good" a teacher is that would make a statement like that.  But if you believe that, there's no point in debating the issue with you.  Good luck getting more government handouts.  Somehow I think that no matter how much you get, it will never be enough.  Oh yeah, and you're welcome for those you've already collected.

Does anyone know who left the cake out in the rain?

The truth be known is that mini season lasts about 8 days. That is from the time they hit town the Sunday before and start harvesting tails early until they pack up and leave by the following Sunday while they are still harvesting tails late.

FWC would be smart to put an inspection point at the County Line on the 18 mile stretch and start randomly checking coolers as the tourists leave. That might instill a little respect for our natural resources that are otherwise unprotected.

I think the Sheriffs dept. should hold a class for the FWC. Maybe after learning a little respect, we would respect them more.

I'm sick and tired of  WTC conspirators'  blogs.   The trade center was a foreign terrorist act. There are many people on this site whom may have a lost someone that morning so stop the crap

[To the Yankee who thinks that northern lobster taste better] I will end the argument with instructions to look at the price per pound and then tell me which has the highest demand. In my opinion the northern lobster are mushy and lack texture.

P.S. I would not turn one down either. 

Why can't the sailboats in Pine Channel anchor somewhere else until the electric company raises the power lines?

[Raise the power lines!]  No! Raise the Titanic, raise the roof, raise hell, raise a garden, raise your snotty kids, raise a barn but don’t raise the lines.  Get the boats out of Pine Channel.  And not just the sail boats...all the derelict junk heaps and their dirt bag occupants need to go too.

[Poisonwood trees] I'll take them all and plant them around my property to keep the mutants from attacking. How's that?

I had the luck of running into the Sheriff's water patrol in Pine Channel and although they were nice to me, there actions seemed a bit stupid. They approached me to tell me that what I was doing was legal but they noticed a boat come very close to me with my flag up and suggested I move. Why didn't they go after the boat that was going way to fast and too close to a dive flag? They didn't do a thing to him, yet they observed him acting recklessly and negligently. Good job guys maybe he won't get that close or hit someone else in the future.

Returning from fishing yesterday we spotted a boat (with a South Carolina hull number, by the way) sitting aground with its bow jammed into the mangroves.  We idled over and stood off a reasonable distance and asked what happened.  Judging from the visible equipment onboard they had been out for lobster.  Of the four obviously intoxicated young punk occupants, one of them slurred, “I guess I didn’t know how shallow it was in here.  Quite an understatement considering his position.  We asked if everyone was O.K. and were told, “Yeah, but we would really like to get back.”  Since there were no injuries and since they were in no obvious jeopardy of sinking or falling to other harm we told them, “Well boys, the penalty for being stupid is to wait about another 4 hours for high tide and float yourselves outta there.”  And that’s were we left them.  Maybe next year they’ll go to Disney World.

Whoever wrote about the meteor shower? What time and in what direction? Thanks.

[Thank you TDC for all the stinking lobster heads all over the place!]  The TDC will be quick to tell you that they do not fund nor promote Mini-season.  They do, however, get obscene amounts of money to promote hotels, motels, camping facilities, bars, restaurants, dive shops, innumerable other retail establishments, various tourist oriented publications and tourist visitors in general.  While it’s true they don’t actively promote or fund the actual event of Mini-season they would be the first to scream like a money bloated hog if our elected officials tried to stop it. 

The overwhelming opinion of Monroe County residents is that the event causes more havoc in neighborhoods and does more destruction to the ocean environment than it’s worth.  Mini-season was a bad idea that has turned into a once a year disaster.

It is against the law to harass or injure wild animals. Call the SPCA if you want factual info, not a gossip line

With all the Mini season diver deaths one thing concerns me. Is there a fair distribution of their possessions?

[Why don't the four local bands play any Country music]  Because the majority of us hate it.  Whining, bawling, silly lyrics singing about the same old stuff, set to twangy, been-done-a-thousand-times-before rhythm.  It has also been proven to lead to a completely stupid thing called line dancing.  The only thing more nauseous would be listening to old people belch.  ("Howdeeeee.  Swing your partner round and round, throw her in the toilet and flush ‘er down.  Yee-Haw")  Try moving to Texas.  You can get all of the country music you can stomach and the shit kickers to go with it.

To the woman who called the cops on the fighting neighbors, I am glad you are so far above everyone else and you never ever had a loud screaming match with your mate or a next door neighbor. As far as I am concerned, you fight every time you put something in this publication, the only difference between your fighting and your neighbors is that you do it on here, this way no one knows who you are. Aren't you the police dispatcher from Cudjoe sub-station? Grow up, everyone fights and yes sometimes it gets physical, just take a walk down to Duval Street some night.

[48,000 employees in the WTC and less than 1200 showed up for work]  We have here another example of brain dead stupidity.   This nut-case has 48,000 people in on the Big Conspiracy to blow up the buildings but not one person ever leaked a single thing about the Big Conspiracy or explained why 48,000 didn’t go to work that day. (And isn’t it interesting that 1200 people did go to work.  I guess they weren’t in on the “Big Conspiracy”)   It’s frightening to realize that we have such distorted mentalities living amongst us. 

Iguanas are not protected. And, yes, it is ok to shoot them with a pellet gun in Monroe County. Go for it, we all do.

If they abolish mini-season won't the tourist just come the following week when the regular season opens? What's the difference?

[Iguanas]  Shoot ‘em.  But be sly.  Don’t make a big deal out of it, kill them quickly (go for a head shot), dispose of the body quickly (not in the canal), don’t tell all the neighbors about it and don’t take any pictures.  If confronted by someone say that when you tried to shoo it away from your ganja plants it became aggressive and lashed its tail at you and you believed it to be a menace.

[Does anyone have any ideas on how to get some cabinets moved down to Big Pine from the DC area]  Please note the photo to the left of your posting that the editor so graciously placed there.  In the event you don’t know, it is a U-Haul truck that you can rent just for the purpose you described.  There are numerous other rental truck outlets as well; Ryder being one of them.  Or, you can contract with a moving company to do the job.  Oh, I think I may have missed something.  You probably want it done for nothing.  Are you hoping some shmuck will raise his hand and offer to use his truck and equipment, load and unload, assume the liability for damage to your goods and spend the time on the road so you can save a few bucks?  Now I get it! 

Looks like we are having the same problem with the pine trees as the Gulf Coast. http://risingfromruin.msnbc.com/2006/07/pine_tree_troub.html#posts

[Poor people don't go to doctors] Are you totally insane or just blind? The emergency rooms are clogged with a constant flow of the poor. Why do you think we are paying the outrageous health insurance premiums?  The poor not only go to doctors, but they then sue them for unavoidable complications.  By the way the Keys have some of the most expensive health care in the country.  I had a broken arm that required surgery.  I told a surgeon friend of mine from the West Coast what the bill was. ($40,000) He told me that I was mistaken or just exaggerating by about a factor of four.  There was no way that that particular surgery could cost more than $10,000, so I showed him the bill.  He was floored.    

[You can't discharge a firearm in Monroe County] The Keys need target ranges now!

Isn't it illegal and unethical to leave emancipated and un-watered dogs in tiny barbed-wired kennels in the elements 24/7?  Why do all the neighbors ignore this and why does this individual neglect the animals?  A broken heart/deep unresolved issues?  If I lived that way, I would commit doggie suicide.  What a sad, pathetic way to treat mans best friend.  Someone needs to stand up for animals.

The Company has decided that we can hold a Company party. Due to liability issues, we can have alcohol, but will be limited to one (1) drink each person.  I am in charge of the cups.

[Country music] Check out Mike and Possum at Key Deer on Thursdays and Mangrove Mamas on Friday. They also play Geiger Key.

We could vote on everything by computerized ballot. That way the people would truly be heard.

This is for the person who wants to ship some Cabinets from DC:  Go to www.uship.com and check it out.

[Abolish Mini Season] Why not? I wouldn't eat one of those polluted bugs if you paid me. Same goes for fish caught near land. God knows what contaminates are in them!? I won't even swim in my canal/septic system, and I've lived here for 42 years!

Happy birthday Kimmy V.  Make it a great one! Cheers to you.  Love you lots.

Saturday July 29, 2006

Friday July 28, 2006
Mini-Season Aftermath Edition

I work on the water. I also have a business here on Big Pine Key. This has been a tuff Mini-season for me on the water but a great one at our business. What to do, what to do? Folks running their boat hard and fast looking at GPS numbers and not where they are boating, running hard with dive flags up, divers several hundred feet from the boat, no dive flag and coming off flats at 50 and 60 mph on PWC. It's just a few days, no telling how long the damage will last on the ocean and my nerves. I guess I am not able to deal with the "hurry and rush" of it all. I guess I am just getting old. That's it. Oh, poop! I bet that's it.

It costs extra, but since I quit drinking the free tap water and started buying Arkansas Spring water and taking Glucosamine / Chondroitin supplements my tennis elbow and joint pains have magically disappeared.  Recent studies show that fluoride is not a good thing for our drinking water through all of those old icky pipes. 

[Winn-Dixie cannot possibly maintain the staffing levels to cope with the logistical land-slide of rich over-zealous Mini-Lobster hunters] What, are you nuts?  Do you think that Winn-Dix might have some sort of clue that an event like this was going to take place since it's been happening annually for many, many years?  Don't defend those short-sighted mismanaged morons who can't think ahead enough to stock enough goods for what should be a banner time for them.  There is no excuse for such poor planning. Here's their opportunity to make extra money selling more products and how do they respond?  In the usual way, by running out of stuff and therefore not making the additional profits; and worse by pissing off their regular customers.  It's shortsighted and poor management no matter how you slice it.

Winn-Dixie, where the meat is greener than the vegetables.

It's Medication Time!  Alcohol makes depression worse. You know that old saying, "It'll kill you or make you crazy?"  Get help before it's too late to take those twelve steps. http://www.aafloridakeys.org/midkeys.html

The mug shot I sent in came up with my boyfriends email address by accident because his email is default on our Outlook Mail.  Please remove it or change it to latitude25n@hotmail.com because he is super f**ing pissed at me.

Editor, I have tried several times today to get you to change the email address attached to the mug shot posted.  My Outlook default address is my boyfriend's, not mine.  It was an accident that it was sent at all. I made the email Sunday night jokingly.  It got put into the outbox without my knowledge and automatically got sent with another email.  That email was not meant to leave my Outlook mailbox.  Please post a correction because it is now causing problems.  It was an email I made and got labeled with my boyfriend's address.  I wish you would just delete the whole thing because it was an accident that I have had to thoroughly apologize for.  Please post a correction. (Ed: Ok. It is gone and we will not publish any more mug shots because of this.)

Thank you TDC for all the stinking lobster heads all over the place!

Raise the power lines!

I think there were more diver deaths this mini-season than any other.

I just checked the Dish Network and DirecTV websites.  One lists 6 HD channels as available and the other 29.

Abolish Mini Season! 65% of the spiny lobster catch for the entire state is caught in Monroe County between Mini Season and the end of August. Most of this is by out-of-towners. Every year they wipe out the entire population of shorts in my canal. They know FWC can't catch them all. They rape our backyards and favorite spots and leave. The only ones that benefit from this idiotic practice is the Hotels, restaurants and a few other businesses that could care less what happens to the locals or the population of lobster. Let the rest of Florida go dive in their own waters and get their lobster there!

It should be that only Monroe County residents can harvest lobster in Monroe county. Don't let the big hotels and the Key West Chamber of Commerce tell you what to do!

Quit acting like a frightened sheep and get off of you butts and speak out. Raise your voices. Go to the meetings and let the world know we are not going to lay here and let everyone from all over come here and corn hole us for two days every year. Let's put a stop to the mini-season for once and for all!

Manhole covers are round because the manholes are round.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

[Why wasn't the community allowed to decide on the issue of Australian pines] Because you would get tired of paying for the costs of having a vote on every decision that needs to be made.  First it will be, "Should we outlaw certain trees?" Then lizards, then prohibiting ugly pool stores, then open season on tourists. For better or worse (you choose) this is why we elect officials; to make these decisions on our behalf.  If you want to make the decisions directly you should run for office.

I made the mistake of storing glass window panes atop one another for a long time and now the panes are discolored.  Does anyone know how to remove the discoloration? I've tried Soft Scrub and Lime-Away to no avail.

[Why get rid of the Poisonwood trees]  Why don't you give one a big hug and see if you can't figure it out.  Make sure you kiss the leaves too.

Mini season should be for the citizens of the county adjacent the water. We should have first crack at our resources before letting them pillaged and plunder for the almighty buck county businesses receive.

Manhole covers are round for a simple reason that with a round cover, it is impossible for the cover to fall into the hole after being removed and replaced. A square cover, improperly placed, can easily fall into the hole dangering people inside and people on the road. Keep sending in your dumb questions to the dumb idea guy.

I watched an ant climb a blade of grass this morning. When he reached the top, his weight bent the blade down to the ground. Then, twisting his thorax with insectile precision, he grabbed hold of the next blade. In this manner, he traveled across the lawn. Covering as much distance vertically as he did horizontally, which amused and delighted me.

And then, all at once, I had what is called an epiphany, a moment of heightened awareness in which everything becomes clear. Yes, hunched over that ant on my hands and knees, I suddenly knew what I had to do…Quit drinking before noon.

It must be a slow two days for bug brains, there were only 44 vehicles on Boot Road Thursday. 

[Six lobster] It should have read: Boat $50K, hotel, food, beer, ice, lobster gear, air refills, beer, ice, hookers, DUI lawyer, property damages, civil law suit...priceless!  And not to mention senseless.

See the Delta Aquarid Meteors. This small meteor shower hits its peak before dawn July 28. You might also see some a few mornings afterward.

Have you heard that a BP woman was found dead today diving? I heard it on US1.

Of course you wouldn't call the cops when crime happens in your neighborhood because you're thug criminals with drugs and illegal activity going on. 

Old is when "Getting lucky" means you find your car in the parking lot.  

A bunch of soldiers with guns talking and playing with children. Gladiator, American Style

Two more dead divers trying to get lobsters.

I know I'm probably throwing a lit match into a tinder box, but here goes.  Iguanas.  They are an invasive, non-indigenous species.  They eat like horses and leave turds that would clog up a lot of people's toilets.  They scrap with pets and are generally a menace to the Keys.  I say shoot 'em.  I've heard that you can't discharge a firearm in Monroe County, but what about an air rifle?  I have a nice Gamo rifle that'll shoot a pellet at 1100 feet per second.  I'd like to thin the herd a little. 

The other day, when I was reaching for the gun, my wife went off on me and said that they, like everything else down in the Keys, are "protected."  She said that the tree-huggers and loonies would come after us if they found out I shot one of these precious lizards.  I say that's a bunch of bunk.  We decided to settle the argument by posting it on the K&W site and seeing what our fellow Big Piners think.  Now...let's hear it!  My trigger finger is twitching! 

Manhole covers are round so they won’t fall into the hole.  It is impossible for the round cover to fall in.  If it was square, you would be able to tilt/turn it a certain way and it would fall through. 

[Gov't statistics]  Here's are a few more. Clinton left office: gas $1.39/gal, a huge federal surplus, no unnecessary wars. Bush in office gas 3.00+/gal, huge oil profits, huge golden parachutes for oil execs, 2500+ needless deaths in Iraq and oh, yeah, a staggering Federal deficit that is cutting into benefits for Veterans, elderly health care and yet another thing the statistics don't show is the blatant disregard for the average American.

[Save The Endive Foundation] I donated all my Lottery winnings to this foundation then I found out they were fronting for the Purple Cabbage slaw movement...well that's $4 wasted!

[WTC trains stopped by a regular guy doing his job correctly.  That’s why so many more didn’t die.] That's the biggest pile of bull I ever read. For one, those trains can't be stopped by one man, it takes the control to do it. And two, there were supposed to be 48,000+ employees in those building and less than 1200 showed up for work. Get it right!

[Court overturned murder conviction] Yay! Free Andrea Yates!

Lobster Divers= 5,000,000. Lobster= 3

My good friend just had major surgery and said that he received fantastic care and treatment from the VA in Miami. I asked him why so many people complained about the VA? He said that all the people he had talked to who were complaining were trying to receive something for nothing. They all wanted more than was justified; a free ride.

When the number of dead tourists equal the amount of lobster taken I will be very happy.

I love country music. Why don't the four local bands play any? All they play is boring rock (Mustang Sally) or blues (The thrill is Gone). I guess I will have to go to Homestead to get good music. And another question; why are most of the guitar players down here fat as toads? Good living or bad diet?

[Raise the power line]  Yet another silly idea to waste money.  Why should the utility company spend thousands of dollars (the costs to be passed on to us consumers) to the raise the power lines because a few morons can’t adequately moor their boats during times of heavy storm activity.  Get the boats out of Pine Channel.

[Yes, the climate is currently warming, but this is part of nature's cycle] So that means people don't have to give a damn about pollution, excess consumerism, of over sized vehicles, of over population, of radiation, of everything that makes money and is unnecessary, right? Don't burry the problems under your greedy egos, fix them for our kids!

Did you see the tourist bug hunter that ran aground Wednesday? He was high and dry right off the 7 mile bridge where thousands of people could laugh at him until the next tide.

I love lobster season. That's the period where FWC officers who take all the lobster they want go out and arrest people that do the same. Code enforcement is great too. If they are your friends, you can do whatever you like and they look the other way. The system here is morally bankrupt. The people that are supposed to make it a fair playing field only make it more uneven by picking on those that are not "connected." Shame on you.

Why do all you people blame the Presidents for whatever went wrong (never right) during their administrations? The President does make decisions, but only because he is a mouth piece for the junta behinds him. The article a few days ago, explaining about the Electoral College should have made thing more clear, in that We the People have little say in anything, government wise. The Presidents are only for show.

[The junta would cringe in their leather seats...]  I actually had to look up the meaning of junta.  But are you sure a progressive metal band based out of Union City, New Jersey is responsible for the reverse evolution of the human race?

I, too, must give kudos to the Sheriff's Office.  One of their boats stopped me in Pine Channel on Wednesday.  While my attention was on the boat that stopped me, an officer on a jet-ski snuck up behind me and actually startled me.  The officer on the jet-ski did a complete safety inspection and checked my lobsters in a matter of only a few minutes.  He was so professional and courteous that I actually asked him to write me a ticket for not having my fire extinguisher.  He let me off with a warning and I've gained tremendous respect for them.  Other departments could take lessons from them.

If you use a web mail service you can reduce junk mail by setting your Internet Explorer to "Block junk mail" in Tools.

The best music can be heard at the Green Parrot in Key West. They book quality acts and never charge a cover. Of course they only hire three to four local bands a year.  Maybe because our local talent all sound like a karaoke contest.

[MCSO residency] A lot of sheriffs drive from Miami and so do about forty percent of the fire department employees. It's hard to live in the Keys and live on what cops and firemen make so they have to hire from out of town to keep enough employees.

[Gourmet Seafood] If you consider these overgrown crayfish gourmet seafood I feel sorry for you. They are pretty much tasteless except for what you put on them and every one pretty much agrees that the best way to cook them is on the grill. You must be a lifetime Floridian (not that there's anything wrong with that) to consider these mud bugs gourmet seafood. Try a fresh cold water Maine lobster steaming hot, dunked in melted butter. Now you are talking real seafood with flavor!

Dear Editor, Do you mean to tell me that you do not spend every waking [or sleeping/dreaming 24/7] moment caring for this website? You should be ashamed of yourself! I actually had to scroll sideways Wednesday. I might have missed something important.

BPK Funny Fridays: WARNING– Side effects may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, rash, loose stool, explosive diarrhea, lack of sexual desire, gas with oily discharge, and a strange desire to watch "Breakin' 2– Electric Boogaloo."

We need to get our government on this bird flu thing. I'd say we should send Dick Cheney to shoot any bird that even has a runny beak. If a walking piece of poultry even clears its throat– BAM!
~Christopher Titus

After nearly two weeks of violence and mounting casualties on both sides, help is on the way. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice finally cashed in her miles today and sprung for a surprise visit to Beirut's "Oh my God, don't let them shoot down my plane with a Stinger missile" International Airport.
~Jon Stewart

The internet's a creepy thing, especially if you have kids. It says something very creepy about the fact that I use the same machine to masturbate with as I use to teach my kid the alphabet.
~Greg Giraldo

Saddam Hussein has been on a hunger strike for seventeen days. They had to nurse him back to health with a feeding tube to get him healthy enough so he can go back on trial. And then be put to death. It is an odd thing. Two years ago, we were dropping ten thousand pound bombs on the guy. Now we're feeding him nutrients through a tube. No wonder he's confused.
~Jimmy Kimmel

Women: You can't live with them, and you can't get them to dress up in a skimpy little Nazi costume and beat you with a warm squash or something.
~Emo Phillips

I was walking down Fifth Avenue today and I found a wallet, and I was gonna keep it, rather than return it, but I thought: well, if I lost a hundred and fifty dollars, how would I feel? And I realized I would want to be taught a lesson.
~Emo Phillips

We won the Miss Universe pageant. Meet Miss Puerto Rico, or as I call her, Miss "U.S.A.'s Territory with Commonwealth Status" Puerto Rico. She is so beautiful, you almost want to let her vote in federal elections.
~Stephen Colbert

What's the two things they tell you are healthiest to eat? Chicken and fish. You know what you should do? Combine them... eat a penguin.
~Dave Attell

This Friday, 'American Idol' winner Taylor Hicks will go to the White House to meet with President Bush. That's pretty cool, isn't it? Imagine an awkward Southern guy, who nobody thought could win anything, sitting down with the 'American Idol,' Taylor Hicks.
~Jay Leno


Despite the heat, President Bush is keeping busy. Earlier this week at the White House, President Bush met with the Prime Minister of India. There was an awkward moment when Bush asked the Indian Prime Minister, "Now that you're here, could you see why my computer is acting up?"
~Conan O'Brien


If you believe that there is a God... a God that made your body, and yet you think that you can do anything with that body that's dirty– then the fault lies with the manufacturer.
~Lenny Bruce

Can somebody explain to me why Pepsi and Coke advertise? Are we missing something? Seriously, everyone in this room has drank enough Pepsi and Coke in their lifetime they could piss it for a week. Did you ever go into a restaurant and say, 'Hey! I'd like a Coke.' And they say, 'We only serve Pepsi,' and you went, 'well, f**k you! Son of a bitch! What kind of a dump is this? Well, listen F**knuts, I'm goin' across the street. I'm gonna go eat at 'Buckets of Sh*t.' That's right! 'Buckets of Sh*t!' I know the food's lousy, but they serve a Coke!'
~Lewis Black

I think we should take Iraq and Iran and combine them into one country and call it "Irate". All the pissed off people live in one place and get it over with.
~Denis Leary

"There was one embarrassing moment today for President Bush when they phoned the Pentagon about evacuating Lebanese-Americans. He said, "I didn't even know Dick Cheney's daughter was over there."
~Jay Leno

I got food poisoning today. I don't know when I'll use it.
~Steven Wright

This mini-lobster season stuff has gotten ridiculous. The people from Miami and parts north come down here and literally destroy everything in the ocean, including themselves. We need to get rid of this two-day fiasco. Even people from New Jersey act better then these mad mini-lobster-people.

Friday July 28, 2006

Thursday July 27, 2006

[One week mini season] No, mini-season is two days, 12:01 the last Wednesday of every July to midnight the last Thursday of every July.  Then it ends. Regular season starts Aug. 6. Mini-season is two days. And the TDC does not endorse mini-season and provides no money or publicity to support it.

I am so tired of seeing misinformation on this site.

Why are manhole covers round?

The TDC does not support mini season.

I've been down here for a couple months and the music sucks! I've seen one band that rocks at the Looe Key Tiki bar, but that's it. Most of these bands play all that old crap and not too well. I thought there were some big groups playing down here, where are they? While I'm venting, I don't get the Mile Marker 24 thing, what's the big deal? Would they have a crowd if they didn't buy drinks?

To believe or not believe (in God), that is the question.  The 17th century French mathematician and physicist, Blaise Pascal concluded that it is always a better "bet" to believe in God, because the expected value to be gained from believing in God is always greater than the expected value resulting from non-belief. And most of the world apparently agrees with him.  Religions differ in their description of God and what actions offend or please him.  But one common thread among most religions is the existence of God and a set of rules to be followed to produce a stable, productive society.  Maybe most the world is wrong and liberals are right.  Who knows?  But if you liberals are wrong, you guys are royally screwed. One thing is for sure, we will all find out soon enough.

[What ever happened to the fact that more than 3/4 of the employees didn't show up for work that day (WTC)]  Are we talking about New York or the Keys?

[Amen to the global warming response.]  Thanks for the sensible reply. In the seventies, there was a global cooling scare. Glaciers were coming to Central Park. Today it's global warming: palm trees are coming to Central Park. Yes, the climate is currently warming, but this is part of nature's cycle. It's not a permanent condition. Nature's cycles are everywhere, even in the birth-to-death cycle of sperm whales. Was the animal sick? Of course it was! None of us dies healthy, and that includes animals. We all get sick and die. Not front page stuff.

Winn-Dixie is here to serve the local customer's population size and I imagine that it cannot possibly maintain the staffing levels to cope with the logistical land-slide of rich over-zealous Mini-Lobster hunters that forgot to pack their lunch. And I really don't like to stand in the lines you people create every year. There is only the one store serving several Keys, so if you don't like it, take your boat and go catch your own damn lunch.

I'm Local. I got stopped in Big Pine Channel today by the Sheriffs Dept.  I was trying to back up in the current when the capt. of the MCSO boat said, "Stop. we'll come to you." He did exactly that without bumping into our boat and checked all our safety equip. We were on our way.  Also they were very courteous. Kudos to the MCSO.

[Fighting neighbors] To the person that said that neighbor was horrible and should have done something like call the cops, bahh.  Way to go neighbor for not butting in their business, we need more people like you down here, unlike the lets-call-the-cops-every-time-the-neighbor-farts-neighbor.  

[With regard to the ¾ of employees who did not show up to work at the World Trade Center on 9/11] I live nearby (in the much maligned NJ).  The day after the attack there was an article in the NYTimes about a man who worked as an engineer on the trains coming into the station that was the Trade Center.  When he heard the second building had been crashed into and was on fire he stopped all the trains from going to that all important stop.  The paper estimated he saved tens of thousands of lives.  Nothing more was made of him.  So…the trains were stopped by a regular guy doing his job correctly.  That’s why so many more didn’t die.

[What have environmentalists done for humans] Well, let’s see.  They have cost us billions of tax dollars due to needless obstructions to untold numbers of public works projects to “protect” some obscure species of moth or guppy that would probably just have moved out of the way if left on its own. They have prevented us from tapping into our vast oil reserves leaving us more dependent on foreign oil (yet continue to demand a solution to our foreign oil dependence).  They have prevented us from the construction of much nuclear power plants leaving us still dependant on coal fired power plants that add to the “greenhouse” effect they constantly howl about.  They have created a gigantic lobby at all levels of government that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars every year so they can suck up more and more grant money to study the latest crises that they invented.  Don’t forget the tens upon tens of thousand of acres of public land that they have seized via court action for their own agendas and the additional thousands of acres of private land that they have stolen from citizens in every corner of the country to protect yet another “endangered” life form that no one ever heard of until they “discovered” it.  Let us not forget the global warming fiasco that is the latest craze that not even respected climatologists agree on.  That’s worth who knows how many more millions of tax dollars that they can stuff into their coffers for endless studies and research that never produce any definitive result.  (It does, however, give Al Gore and his Hollywood wacko pals something to hang onto in the absence of anything meaningful)  Yes, the environmentalists have contributed so much. 

[Fighting Neighbors]  How in the world do you think the guy got arrested?  I had my cell phone in my hand and called the Sheriff's Dept the second it got physical.  I also woke up my boyfriend to break up the fight.  Then, we were both up until 4am filling out witness statements to make sure justice was served.  No lecture needed about being a good neighbor, friend.  Decent people don't sit there and do nothing.  In fact, if I had not stood there and watched the whole thing, they would not have arrested the punk because there would have been no witnesses.  My street is a wonderful community of home owners. These renters are jackasses.  Don't be so rude until you know the whole story.  I thought it was assumed that I called the police when I said he got arrested.

This is not lobster season with lobster heads all over the place! It is maggot season.

Good grief.  Now we are going to get our collective shorts in a bunch and start to wring our hands and whimper about pregnant horses and their urine.  Is there is no end to the crises people will ferret out to have something to lose sleep over.  If you just have to have a crusade, try to find something really horrendous to occupy your mind and time.  I hear that curly endive suffers horribly when being chopped for a salad.  Really, something needs to be done about this cruel and herbicidal practice.  Please call the “Save the Endive Foundation” at 1-800-NO SALAD to make a donation.

All of a sudden you are too wide for my screen.  Please change back.

Dear editor,  I do not know what changed the format for today's postings but I hope it is not permanent.  It came out real wide so I not only had to scroll down as usual, but scroll side to side and that was a hassle. 

Dear Editor,  Why does the K&W page require all that back and forth. It is too time consuming especially if trying to read on company time.  Is this just a fluke or is it the wave of the future? Please put it back with the ads on the right so all the dialog fits the screen.  Pretty please. Thanks.

(Ed: I fixed it. I should have known that on the one day I didn't check the site after I published that it would be out of whack.)

[Another dumb idea] With all the retirees in the Keys riding Hoveround assist chairs, why not turn them into "Suckaround" chairs that have vacuum cleaners and bag attachments so they can suck up all the garbage, litter, beer cans, used condoms, syringes, etc. that are everywhere on the islands. The chairs could drag magnets around so they could pick up recyclable metal. How about lawnmower models that cut the grass (weeds) when they're on the way to the store to get more beer, syringes and condoms? Why not ones with extra seating to give locals an alternative to the lousy local taxi service? The elderly could deliver pizza, newspapers, even pick up your prescriptions for you. Why not? They're already there?  From what I see on TV commercials, they're practically giving the scooters away, or you can sign up to win one. There's no license or insurance required, and I don't think you can get a DUI on one. Where's mine? More dumb ideas to come...

[What has Bush done]  I wondered if Clinton's glory could hold a candle to our current president's performance. I decided to investigate:  According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the first four years of Clinton's presidency were marked with an unemployment rate of 6 percent, while the first four years of Bush's presidency produced an unemployment rate of 5.5 percent.  According to InflationData.com, the 8-year average consumer inflation rate during Clinton's presidency was 2.6 percent. The 5-year average inflation rate under Bush is only 2.55 percent.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average home ownership rate for all American citizens under Clinton was 65.53 percent; under Bush it is 68.38 percent.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the poverty level across all demographics under Clinton was 13.29 percent; under Bush it is only 12.25 percent.  The Uniform Crime Report, administered by the FBI, lists an average of 1,429,000 violent crimes reported each year under Clinton, while there have been an average of 1,198,000 violent crimes reported yearly under Bush. Also, the arrest rate under Clinton was 49.66 percent; under Bush it is 50.81 percent. The numbers - all from credible sources - speak for themselves. These are simply the facts.    

[Fighting neighbors] some lady suggested that if your neighbors are fighting it is your moral duty to go over there and offer assistance. Is she does go over there she'd better wear a bullet-proof vest. Hey, Mable, mind your own business.

Reduce junk mail How To Get Off A Mailing List - Consumer Assistance .

[Whale] You had a great idea. Let the rotten carcass wash ashore and stink like shit, that should have been done before mini season.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get some cabinets moved down to Big Pine from the DC area? Know of any trucks with room? Ideas?

[who cares about my credit score] You should because it isn't just used for loans.  Just as an example, of the things people with bad credit scores pay more for is auto insurance regardless of their driving record.

Yeah, the censoring Editor had to be working Wednesday. Everything was just peachy clean.  Must be a broad!

My brand new DISH HD has 40 channels. Ok, 36 since 4, 6, 7 and 10 list that way plus with their actual satellite channels 64xx.  I can tune to them all. If you haven't installed since around May 1 you aren't getting signals from their new satellite launched in February.   Unfortunately, it does take a separate dish pointed east.

Hail, hail, I too. "wish people would just leave stranded whales and dolphin alone and let them die in peace. I know how people feel and how much they want to help, but screwing with these poor mammals just makes you feel good. It tortures the critters. Let them die in peace." Dang, half it's injuries could be caused by the stress incurred just by having the likes of you around!

[human species is in reverse evolution] Of course it is, and it's planed that way. Just think if we kept our best and strongest, and sent the mutants, the terminals, the mental, and criminals off to war. The junta would cringe in their leather seats, wondering who would push them out of their cushy jobs. Now we cannot have the good ones bothering the Rulers, now can we? They'd have to pay us more too!

Just to let you know DirecTV went full HDTV as of June 1st. And to the Dish guy on this site: Stop trying to make Dish what it's not. I had dish for 8 months and threw it away.

[Bring all your lobster to the United Methodist Church food pantry.]  Beautiful.  You want me to take ALL my lobster to the food pantry so some bum can feast on gourmet seafood that actually costs me more than it’s worth at the market.  Perhaps I should take along a nice steak and a bottle of merlot with each tail also. And we may as well throw in a Caesar salad.  Perhaps include a delicate crème brûlée for desert and an aged Remy Martin cognac for an aperitif.   We wouldn’t want the poor devils to suffer through an inadequate meal.  How about if we add an MP3 player so they can have a little mood music with dinner?  The theme could be Midnight in the Mangroves.  Harrumph!   I have a better idea.  You donate your lobster if it makes you feel good.  I’ll stick to donating SPAM and Beanie Weenies to the poor down trodden during the annual food drive.