Wednesday May 31, 2006

If you think this planned widening of the fire breaks from 8' to 16' by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and TNC is ridiculous, then you need to email or write to Jon Andrew, who is Chief of the Southeast region of the USFWS.  His email address is Jon_Andrew@fws.gov.   His mailing address is:  Jon Andrew, Chief, National Wildlife Refuge System, Southeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 875 Century Blvd, Suite 420, Atlanta, GA  30345.  Let him know that the public is not happy with this plan, as the real agenda for this habitat destruction is for future prescribed burns.  Send as soon as possible, as they are starting the widening in a couple of weeks.

MCCLAIN, ANDREW PIERRE
Address: 29186 ROSE DRIVE, BIG PINE KEY, FL 33043
DOB: 06/18/1979 (26) Sex: M Race: W      

This is the real picture of the crack head robbing all those houses.  This kid has been a waste he's whole entire life.  I really wish somebody did shoot him. 

I like this site because it's like having my own person blog site, but without having to come up with something original to say every day.

[Gaps in flooring] I'm a building contractor and any visible gaps in any flooring is unacceptable. You should contact the Dept of Prof Regulation and complain.

[All those bad mouthing the USFWS and TNC] If you think you can do a better job managing the public lands of the Florida Keys than why don't you apply for one of the many job openings at either agency. They have many different types of job opening available for all types of experience, but since most of you are "experts" why not apply for the management positions? They also have openings for internships, biologists, forestry techs, exotic techs, land stewards and the like. So go ahead and back up your words by showing everyone how "you" can do better! They are doing the best they can with what they have, so leave them alone to do their work.

For those of you that have not heard, the Key Deer Refuge will be loosing more pineland at the hands of TNC and FWS. They plan to clear cut a new section of pristine pineland for an unnecessary fire road. They are also going to widen all existing fire roads to 16+ feet. This will result in the loss of approximately 7 acres of pineland.

These existing fire roads have been left un-maintained for years and do need attention, but to go from 8 to 16+ feet will cause extreme loss of habitat. It is unfortunate that the residents of this island were not notified until a very recent public meeting held by TNC, who by the way, were paid by FWS to conduct, (yes with your tax dollars). Residents that attended the meeting were outraged by this decision and were told by FWS that this plan is slated for mid June and will take place no matter what.

I personally feel this is completely unacceptable since we were also told there would be no prescribed burning taking place this year. However, there are plans for more burning in the near future. The very little of this island that is left alive after previous bad prescribed burns, wind, drought and storm surge simply must be left alone to recover. More habitat destruction at the hand of man is simply wrong; and you, the public, need to loudly voice your intolerance of these actions to get it stopped.

Please call or fax your views to the FWS S.E. Regional Director, Elizabeth Souheaver PH: 404-679-7163 or fax 404-679-4082. You may also call Ecological Services 772-562-3909. This is our home folks and your tax dollars are paying for this destruction. Remember this is starting in June so there is very little time, if we take control we can stop this.

[Injured deer] They will put it down if it is too broken to fix.

To the poor soul who hates God: Yes He could fix your broken nut, and make a way for you to have food on your table, clothes to wear and people to love the right way. His word says "The Lord draws near to those who draw near to Him." If you had a grown child who constantly cursed you, complained about you and was ungrateful would you be motivated to do anything for them?

It's a shame to burst people's bubble, but God isn't a cosmic bell-hop whose purpose is doing just what we want. He has His reasons that mostly make little sense to us. Like the ants in an anthill have no idea what the human, a million times bigger, is doing walking by. But God can be known through His son Jesus. He became one of us little ants and felt our pain.
 

I throw out this challenge. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Forget all of your hate and frustration with yourself and others for a moment and go to Him with a clear mind. Ask Him to prove Himself in your life, and then patiently watch for it. Remember God is boss and we're not. He will do it in His own time or He wouldn't be God. I've never met anyone who looked for God with an earnest, clear conscience who didn't find Him after all.  

That picture of Andrew McClain is wrong!  Andy McClain is much younger, and looks a whole lot more pissed off in his mug shot! ( LwWay7@aol.com sent in the wrong picture)

Proposed improvement for downtown New Orleans. A big drain!

For the person that thinks I carry my bills around to get the locals discount. I happened to have them in my possession because we were in the process of moving our homestead to Monroe County and did not know what I needed and did not clear out my purse from that day. 

I have my Monroe drivers license and have had it for quite a while now, but just because of the treatment that I received that day I would never go back.

Read the many complaints about Rob himself. It sounds like a person ready to explode. Maybe he better have his blood pressure checked.  I hope nothing to be wrong, but maybe it is found to be to too high and he needs to get on medication and maybe then he will chill out a bit. Come on now, we are in the Keys and did not expect to be harassed from a restaurant owner like that.

[instant message talk] IMHO = in my humble opinion

This goes to the idiot who presented the wrong picture with the correct information on the sleeping burglar. Don't try to B.S. us by showing us the wrong guy. Are you trying to protect his face, so that if we see him in the street we don't freaking lynch him right in the middle of the Winn-Dixie parking lot? Or is it that you are just a stupid idiot? If you are going to disclose information to the public make sure you are correct. The guy on the photo should not pay for something he did not do. Or is it, that you're practicing today's media trend of telling only 1/4 of the truth to the public? ( LwWay7@aol.com sent in the wrong picture)

Actually Urban Beach Week was tame this year. There was only one nightclub shooting. I figure taming it down world make it a fine civic event for Big Pine Key.

I'll just stick with the Cabernet.

I'm a long time resident. What the hell is a local's card? Never mind, don't answer. I've lived here this long, I don't think I really need it now.

That person in the yesterday's photo is not Andy McClain. ( LwWay7@aol.com sent in the wrong picture)

[I wish the Pagans were back]  They are. I know the collection plate is tempting, but maybe you should stop hanging out in churches so much.

[Rob's paint job] Where's home, Haiti?

Boondocks min-golf looks good to me too. I ‘m told that effort cost a cool one million.  Families with children need something to do. Old people too.  It is a done deal, live with it. 

The number one CD on Billboard this week is The Sound of Revenge by Chamillionaire featuring Krazie Bone. I am sure that the people down here who are in touch with the latest music all own and love this CD. I can't wait until the local bands start playing cuts from it.

 [Mini-golf] I usually hate everything, but they did a great job landscaping that place.

I have lived in the Keys almost all of my life (which is longer than I care to remember) and I have never had or would have a locals card. I know I'm a local and I can afford to eat out if I want.  "Local's Discount Card." It brings to mind the Old Dutchman's Pizza Joint whose busiest night was all-you-could-eat Discount Wednesday.

Why not celebrate life and join all your friends and neighbors on June, 10^th, next Sat. at the Help Trap Cancer Benefit for the local commercial fishing family, Buddy and Martha Becker?

[Sick Deer] If the deer is ambulatory and being fed and watered please just let nature take its course.  If it is the same one I’ve been trying to help I have been assured by sportsmen and hunters he will be fine. Perhaps a little lame.  My first instinct was to call also, but with the shoddy treatment and “help” they received after Wilma I am afraid they will indeed kill it.  There is a mitigation study planned by the Army Corps of Engineers for one month, soon, to determine the impact on all wildlife in the Keys. Just help the little fellow out and give it some time please. Business Directory>pets>wild bird rescue

Yesterday's picture of Andrew McClain Is not Andrew McClain.  The write up is about him.
(-- LwWay7@aol.com sent in the wrong picture) 

I love it when people criticize the older music and the people who like it. These are the same people who would run, not walk from a hip-hop concert. Wise up dude, hip-hop is the latest and greatest in current music. If you don't appreciate it, you are out of date.

[Locals discount]  I never ask for a “discount” from a merchant.  Those places that I frequent and offer a discount for locals give it to me automatically because I’m recognized as a local resident.  I saw a woman last season create a loud, shouting, obnoxious scene in a local restaurant demanding a locals discount.  She was very obviously a tourist or snow bird (most likely from Jersey). 

And all of the huge disturbance over a $2 or $3 discount on a lunch tab.  (How incredibly small and cheap to make a fool of oneself for a couple of dollars)  The establishment that I frequent gives their regular, recognized local customers an automatic discount on the food portion of the bill, but it is not advertised.  Local means local.  Not Miami, New Jersey, and as far as I’m concerned not Key West or Key Largo either.

Thanks for showing a picture of Mr. Hankey. You made my day.

Hey Ed, please post McClain's real picture.  Who the hell was that guy?  The Sheriff's Office has all their evidence together and will start serving the Burglary warrants on him Wednesday.  Also, from what I've heard, there will be more arrests also. ( LwWay7@aol.com sent in the wrong picture)

[Boondocks golf]  Before golf there was just another patch of stinky buttonwoods and now it's full of tropical plants and trees. It amazes me, the mentality of the people here in the Keys complaining about something so nice. It is really unbelievable sometimes.

Call Maya Totman at 872-1473 for any injured or sick wildlife (including deer). She will get the animal treated properly. If indicated she will call in a vet at her own expense. Maya operates the Exotic and Wild Bird Rescue on Big Pine Key.

I looked on the sheriff web site and saw a totally different face with that name. Also the guy pictured looks older than 26. Seems like some shabby journalism and misleading the people. This web site really should verify things before you just go and print anything, without thinking of the damage you might do to a person that had nothing to do with it. It was as easy as looking at the face and then the birthday. Shame, shame, shame.

(Ed: Mea culpa. I'm only one person doing everything and I barely have time to publish everyday. That's why we don't do news, only gossip. That is also why I always print the email of the person submitting anything of a personal nature. I've removed the photo of that poor unsuspecting dude that the jerk submitted in place of the real crook's picture.) ( LwWay7@aol.com sent in the wrong picture)

Rob's may have been correct in denying the discount to possible snowbirds posing as locals. However, I was there when they scammed my elderly parents and other relatives who visit us every year from up North on a buy one/ get one free entree deal. I posted about that two winters ago, and my family  still will not return to Rob's, nor will I or any of our local family members. What a foolish business decision that was for them. (And they were warned  at our table that if they did not honor their newspaper ad that we would never return.)

Where did Charlie Brandt the live on Big Pine?  What did they do to his 600,000 dollar home?

Once again this is about Robs.  I was the person who wrote exactly what  happened yesterday between Rob and my daughter and was told I was being sued for slander.  I believe this site is for people to voice concerns over things that happen in Big Pine and I will stick to this story 100%.  I am disputing the charge and Rob you don't have to worry about myself or any of my friends coming to your establishment ever again.  I look forward to hearing from your lawyer. I am sure I am not the only person who has negative things to say about you.  As a matter a fact I know I am not. I will print out all of the negative comments for my "court battle with you."  Get over it.  If you're not a regular, we're nothing to you. And that's a shame.

Moose. (player) Good to see you. Thanks for the souvenir

Hey Eric!  Do the right thing, dood.  This is no way to treat someone who's been very kind to you.  The Karma will outweigh this petty disturbance which you may notice will be posted at the bottom, appropriately.   

Wednesday May 31, 2006

Tuesday May 30, 2006

I am a regular reader and contributor to the BigPineKey.com website and find the Island Information site fascinating. Thank you for your research and dedication to compile this information. We are a unique spot on the planet and I appreciate the resource.   Recently I was asked by a state park ranger at Bahia Honda Beach who the conductor was on the first train that actually drove Mr. Flagler when he made his first trip to Key West on the Overseas Railroad.  I work in the Information, Ticket and Travel office at the Navy Base on Sigsbee Park.  (mcclaindo@naskw.navy.mil ) I live on BPK and regularly visit Bahia Honda to sunbathe. 

I spoke with my contact at Flagler’s Railroad Museum and Historic Tours of America and was able to determine that the chief engineer was a fellow by the name of Krome, my contact was able to only come up with the name of Goethe as the possible conductor.  Even Tom Hambright, our premiere historian, could not provide me with this information.  Does anyone know or tell me how to go about finding about this man?

I love history, especially Key’s History; and even though it is an odd request I’d like to provide the information as that is my job.  Thank you for the history of the Key names.  Now I have something to do today on my day off.  I believe the lowly conductor should not be forgotten.  If there are any other history buffs, or railroad buffs that may have the final answer please let me know. 

[Nature Conservancy] Yes, take a look at that site.  And TNC's history in the Keys is also full of the type of bullying in that Illinois case.

A few years back, two things happened here.  The Keys director for TNC had to resign under a hell of a cloud involving all sorts of misfeasance.  Ask any old timer from Key West or Sugarloaf about that.

As part of that, he took the blame for much bullying of landowners and even owners of occupied homes on Sugarloaf (oceanside) when TNC was pushing the idea that all of southeastern Sugarloaf should be "wild land," basically, I guess, 'cause they said so.

A good friend of mine (and yes, she still lives there and could not be bullied out) was subject to much of this harassment, as were a number of her neighbors.

When the director resigned (for other reasons) TNC decided to pin the blame on him for the Sugarloaf efforts, and backed off.  But they are, IMHO(?), rotten to the core.  Just one more charity/lliberal cause which has become enamored of money, power or both at the expense of what was originally (I thought) a worthy cause and a "my way or the highway, asshole" mentality.

For all you music fans out there. Here is a link to all the lyrics to your favorite songs. http://www.rare-lyrics.com/

FWS may be a part of the idea of widening the fire roads to 16+ feet and bulldozing some new ones, but read this TNC site and you will see fire is the initiative of TNC. In our long absence of permanent FWS management TNC has wormed their way into the decision making process of the FWS and their undue influence has stirred much controversy in recent years.   http://www.tncfire.org/

[The times, they are a-changin'] In the movies, it used to be that everyone rooted for the cavalry to kill the savage Indians. Now everyone's rooting for the Indian.

[Listening to each other's music and find common ground] We've already heard your music. It's called classic rock and we're all sick of it. That music was made over thirty years ago. Times have changed. Music has changed. If you don't like modern music just admit that you're stuck in the past and be satisfied. Stop discounting a whole new generation's music because they're not your generation.

I laughed my arse off at Rob's paint job. Thanks for sending it in. I felt like I was home and that's wonderful.

To the person who considers themselves somewhat of an expert on music. That's exactly right, you think that. No one else does! Please let us know when your band is playing so you may enlighten us.

I’ll bet the painter that Rob hired to do the headache inducing carnival job is laughing all the way to the bank. Never mind all of the negative stuff about the new colors.  I think it’s great.  In fact I think Rob should continue the theme.  Maybe add a corn dog and a cotton candy stand and dress the help up in clown outfits. 

I cannot believe I missed the trendy event called Urban Beach Week that was held in Miami Beach this past week. Only 557 people were arrested between Thursday morning and Saturday night on the beach, where revelers flocked for a celebration of hip-hop music and culture. Maybe Key West could host this event next year.

[Big Pine Restaurant Friday Night and it was great!]  I agree.  The Big Pine Restaurant (coffee shop) is the only decent, friendly clean place to get a good dinner meal on Big Pine.  Good food, service and prices.  Lunch is pretty darned good too.

I did not realize that there was anyone else out there besides my self who thought that Boondocks Golf was an eye sore.

This cat calling Mustang Sally and Brickhouse dumb songs really has a stick up his kiesta. I have to wonder if you have ever danced with a beautiful person of the opposite sex? If you have, you should realize what fun it is. Especially to those dumb songs.

[TNC gets audited] http://ataxingmatter.blogs.com/tax/2006/01/the_nature_cons.html

If anybody expects to find seriously great musicians playing at the night spots in the Keys they have a fat chance. That's not the idea. To quote Lawrence Welk (who was anything but a great musician) "We play music for people to drink and dance to, and that's why we're popular." We've attended a few professional good concerts at Tennessee Williams Center, but people weren't getting drunk or dancing there.

Now the players in the bar bands think themselves stupendous, and so does the crowd, (after some 90 proof lubrication). So we know the difference between fun music and serious music. The measure of a good bar band is how many cases the owner goes through in an evening, and he doesn't give a rip about how technically precise the performance was. Yep, I have to agree a lot of it is junk, but if you've been in the Keys any length of time you know that's what they consist of, and people love it. 

I'd die before I'd use a locals card or a coupon. I'd be too embarrassed to ask to negotiate the price of a meal. to me, it's like saying, "I'm broke and can't afford to eat out or leave you a good tip." I'd rather stay home.

To the person who wrote that they are a guitarist for "over 35 years etc." I would like you to contact me so we can compare notes. I would love to learn some new stuff. (You seem to have the part about being arrogant down pretty well.)  philomusic@hotmail.com.  (No Dale, it was not me)

[The person that did not receive their locals discount at Rob's] I ask, "Who in the hell carries around their phone, electric, and tax bill wherever they go, hoping to get a discount?"  Did you go back after you got your Monroe Co drivers license and try again--or did you move on to another local restaurant hoping for a discount with same bills? It sounds like a load of BS, if you ask me.

A man without song, is a man without love.

I loved the post from the parent who enjoyed their kids taste in music and they in return enjoyed their parent's music. And for all who can think out of the box--yeeha!  For the pompous ass that thinks because they know so much about music and wished everyone else knew as much as they do--grow up, live and let live. We are all here to enjoy life and music. This is America where we all have choices. Just because my choice of music is not yours does not make it wrong or inferior. Start living your own life and quit worrying about the rest of us who know so little about music. We know what we like and it's ok if it isn't what you like.

[Mai Lai revisited] "Soldiers murder two dozen civilians." It looks like Abu Grab and Guantanamo are going to take a back seat to this latest scandal perpetrated by the honorable and better-than-everyone-else Americans.

I have a locals card and hardly ever use it.  You don't get that big a discount and who can remember on which night you can use it and where.  Most of the places I frequent don't take it or never heard of it. 

I've never been to Rob's, so I don't know how loud it is there.  I went to Parrotdise tonight and the noise level was so high I couldn't wait to get out of there.

The person robbing you. -- LwWay7@aol.com                 

[How not to apply for a job] I am very disappointed with the treatment my daughter and I received at Rob's yesterday.  My daughter is 14 and out of school for the summer and I am looking for a part time job for her.  A great friend of mine called Rob and asked us to meet him at 4pm and that he could use her 3 shifts per week, which we did.  He did not show up until 4:30 pm and in the mean time we ordered dinner.  My sandwich was way to (spicy) hot. I only had one bite and asked them to take it off of my bill. He refused and said I ate the whole thing.  Mind you, it was only one bite. I refused to sign the ticket and Rob himself chased me out to my car for my signature.  Boy, that's not professionalism if I've ever heard of it.  I have disputed my charge and cancelled payment and will never step foot in that restaurant again.  It's a shame, my daughter would have brought much needed personality and good work ethics to the establishment.  I am sure she will find someone who will appreciate her and her hard work.  

Thanks to all of you who were part of the ABATE Memorial ride on Sunday

Classic Carpet and Tile on BPK is not where you want to get your flooring done.  Our installation was a nightmare and the finished product has huge gaps between the boards with the cork underlay clearly visible.  We were told that this is normal for wood flooring due to expansion and contraction (bear in mind that these gaps were visible immediately after installation, and the house has central air).  I'm not a physicist or a flooring expert, but I have seen wood flooring all over the Keys for years, and none of it has gaps like the ones in our floor.  It's just shoddy, unprofessional, take-our-crappy-service-or-do-it-yourself, unsatisfactory BPK service.  And yes, I am a local, so don't tell me some BS like "Go Back to Jersey," or "That's the way we do it here."  A little pride would go a long way here in BPK's few remaining businesses.  Classic Carpet was completely unprofessional and disorganized, but where else are you going to go?  Lack of competition only hurts the consumer.

Regarding small fire: Just have a pack of hotdogs handy.

I want Wal-Mart here.

[New kids on the block] My name is Joe Bachman and I am the new Entertainment Director & House Band Leader for The Rum Barrel in Key West.  I just moved down here to the beautiful Florida Keys with my wife Joanne to take on this amazing opportunity at The Rum Barrel. 

My band, "The Crew," is a two-piece acoustic duo consisting of Danny (Gunz) and myself.  We are both professional musicians from Philadelphia and we bring a high-energy, party-atmosphere to every show we play.  We are Nationally Sponsored by Jagermeister and we pride ourselves on making sure our crowds are "part of the show!"  We'll be playing at The Rum Barrel every Tuesday thru Sunday Nights from 6PM until 11PM

[Bands at the Tiki bar] You're a self-centered SOB. If you only want to hear the songs you like, than stay away and listen to your own music, or better yet, go the hell home.

A few people crapping in a body of water the size of the Gulf of Mexico is not the problem.  It's most likely overloaded, poorly maintained septic systems from the camp grounds or motels.  Another likely source are the cruise ships dumping just offshore.  So in the spirit of environmental responsibility, let's get rid of the camp grounds, motels and cruise ships.  Keep the Keys clean.

[For a broken heart] Just remember, you never lose your girl in the Keys, just your spot in line.

[Kittens make great tarpon bait]  Cute, huh? Troll of the week award.

Rob's new paint job. Looks like NAPA east.

Concerning campers and their bathroom habits.  The writer asked where are the conservation officers, the Department of Environmental Protection, etc.  Well on Sunday they were at Bahia Honda beach hassling me for having beer on the beach. Luckily I only had to pour out the first one and they let me keep the other 11, probably because I was a local girl.  Anyway, from now on, I guess I’ll have to go to the beach on the military installation where they actually sell beer.  Go figure.

I just checked out the Island Statistics on this site. There is some very interesting information there and proves we are indeed in Paradise. Island Information

[Higher Class] So does everyone I know, but they can spell the word "wear". You spelled it as in "tupperware".  A true sign of your higher class. You might want to clean the glass on your belly window so you can see where you are going while your head is up your arse. If you hang at the Tiki bar you can't be any different than the rest of us.

Lighten up.  Don't look at the new paint job at Robs if it's not to your liking.  I happen to like it, it's colorful, cheery, and sure as heck looks nicer than the abandoned and overgrown places scattered about.  Kudos to Rob's.

Ludacris is ludicrous. And when you mix Country with Rap--you get crap! Try again.

The whining about the lack of fast food, decent looking women, respectable service in local restaurants and bars pales in comparison to the problems that are really going on. As a displaced Conch, I have now found there are many problems that Keys people can fix themselves if they only try. Things could be worse, but they could also be better.

[The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart]  I got a broken nut, will he fix that? Will he put food on my table without some dude in black drag, asking me to, "Bend over for Jesus"?  Man, I wish the Pagans were back. At least they partied well and didn't play in closets.

[Public execution] Start looking at the big picture of the comments posted here and you can tell its summer again. Neighbor against neighbor bad mouthing our local bands instead of supporting them, criticizing paint jobs and bored to death whiners.  We should take that mother f**ker that burglarized our neighborhood and hang him like in the old days so we have something to celebrate together.

[Injured deer on BPK not getting better] Who would I call to help it or do they put them down?  I think I heard they kill them so I haven't called anyone,  but it is crippled and looks uncomfortable.  It is not getting better and you people need to slow down and not let your dogs chase after them, please.  I may end up spending credit card money for a Vet to come by and I would hate to see it get run over by a speeding Piner.

[Only a local can have a local drivers license] A Fl. Drivers License is a breeze to get. All you need is a local address.  Half the snowbirds, including those who drive their house here and stay in R/V parks, have Fl. drivers licenses.

Congratulations on being higher class, walking up-right, using a fork and drinking from a glass. Would you please spare some of your free time to learn how to spell wear and bathe? As in, I bathe (not bath) and wear shoes (not ware shoes). Again, congratulations on being higher class; now you just need a friggin brain to go with it.

[locals discount] It's cool, but having the local merchants take a beating on price from the very people they stay open all year to support seems kind of cruel to me.  It sure doesn't cost the poor merchant anything less to serve the locals-- half of whom come to this site and complain anyway.

Tuesday May 30, 2006

Memorial Day 2006

The FWS came up with these new firebreak locations in a vacuum with no input from The Nature Conservancy. TNC should not be getting beat up on this so badly. It's the Fish & Wildlife Service that are the bad guys in this instance.

Local discount means local not a part time resident. A snowbird is a part time resident. Any snowbird can have phone, electric and water bills, but only a local can have a local drivers license. Rob was correct in refusing to give you the coveted locals' discount. Coming to live here at your convenience does not make you a local.

One sign of a weak and poorly developed mind is a fondness for extreme, over-sweeping, generalizations and emotional rhetoric.  Judged that way, of course, 80% of us here are poster children for such a mind.

Today what has me going is this:  "All other plants are not from the Keys and are invasive destroyers. Don't use them."

This is nonsense (except for the statement that plants on the list are from the Keys.)

What makes Australian pines and Brazilian pepper such "destroyers," is just that trait.  They will spread, poorly controlled or uncontrolled, and choke out native stuff.  Ok so far.

Many common landscape trees, shrubs and flowers not from the Keys do not have such characteristics at all.  They will not spread, can't "escape," etc., etc., and there is no reason at all not to use them. They are not "native," but they are neither "invasive" nor "destroyers."

Near shore fecal problems with our water and campers are allowed at bridges and islands that have no facilities. I wonder where our problems are coming from without rain runoff this spring. Where is law enforcement, code enforcement, environmental protection? These people have no place else to relieve and clean themselves except the water, our water, which is vital to our economy and way of life. Wake up people, call your county reps now!

Music in bars, store fronts, sidewalks, schools, everywhere it's great, not always to my taste, but still great. I play  and have played for money in many different settings. My kids, not really kids anymore, would play some hip-hop or rap for me. Oh, yes, there is a difference and I didn't care for it, but I was very set in my time and kind of music that I liked. We didn't do well. Then I asked if they would listen to some Doors, Kinks, Zep, Stones and most of all Jimmy. We all found some new stuff that we liked. I became open to a bunch of Alt. rock and hip-hop. The kids were taken back by the Doors. My daughter fell into some very hip country/rock stuff and my son likes hip-hop and knows all the words to When the Music's Over (a Doors song)

Get out of the box and grow a little. It is for the most part live music that most of you talk about. Shoot, a song is over in a few min. and they should never sound the same way being live. Look at the players, their style, the way they work the crowd. You will find some very good players out there. Chill-out and enjoy this life, its the best deal you're going to get and it turns on a dime.

I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease..

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.

 I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen,"

When a flag had draped a coffin.
Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea

Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

I have been playing guitar for over thirty-five years, and I consider myself somewhat of an expert in the musical field. With very few exceptions, all the bands down here are basically terrible. They only play tired, three-chords songs from the 60's, and the louder the better. It is really too bad that the people down here don't have the level of musical appreciation that I do. If they did, they would never think about dancing to dumb songs like Mustang Sally or Brick House. 

I hope the person would have the courage to give us all the name of the CENSORED that was breaking in all these houses.  Or at least the correct web address so we can see this coward's face.  You already didn't kill him when you had the opportunity, so the least you can do is tell your fellow neighbors who this person is.

[God's back] The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. (Ps 34.18)   Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

My husband and I went to the Big Pine Restaurant Friday Night and it was great! We got two yummy appetizers, two rib dinners with salads, wine and we both had desert and everything was delicious and the bill was only $77. The service was great and the restaurant was clean.  Check it out.

[Getting scumbags off the streets will benefit the rest of the community]  Hold on a minute, lets not be too hasty. These people serve a useful purpose.  There's nothing like being surrounded by pathetic losers to make you feel better about yourself.

Friday morning at 2 AM I was traveling thru Marathon on the way to the Miami airport. As usual at that time I was traveling in the left lane so as to avoid any drunks who might fall onto the pavement and get run over. Imagine my surprise when I closely passed a sheriff’s cruiser parked facing South on a turn lane with all lights off. He couldn’t have been more than 2 feet from the left hand line of the North bound lane. As I traveled further North there was a second sheriff’s car parked in the same dangerous manner.

What bothers me about this is not so much the danger of the whole thing, but the fact that these police hold themselves above the law stating that “it is illegal to park on the right of way with your lights off” or to park there at all. These policemen carry guns, and have the power of life or death over all of us. I don’t believe men with this above the law attitude should be allowed to carry guns or be on the police force. This mind set is the flip side of the criminal mind set that believes that if they want it they can do it. Both are dangerous to society.

[pedophile's and rape] were those the words of a closet pedophile?

I hear gators do eat New Yorkers and their yip yap doggies but then they complain, "Hey this tastes like crap!"

Happy Memorial Day weekend

I don't know, it seems these piney are whiney so we ate at the No Name Pub on Sun and it was great. Great service, great food and friendly. It was worth the trip from Marathon and will continue to do so.

[For a broken heart] Push yourself to put in more hours at work or work on a hobby or project that requires your attention, maybe something new.  It's hard to be interested in anything right now, I'm sure, but fill the hours with something constructive.  If it involves being around other people with other things to discuss that helps even more.  Mostly it takes time and that time needs to be filled with other things to get your mind refocused.  Think of it as repair work to becoming a whole person again, because I do know how it feels to have your guts ripped out like that.

I agree that the old people down here don't know squat about what is good in music. Check out the new album by Ludacris "Chicken-N-Beer."  It is so much better than anything the Eagles or Allman Brothers ever did. Ludacris is a genius.

[sleep well sandman has been caught] What about the driver in the white car or the loud other car? Are they still investigating?

[Indigenous plants] If any grants for planting native plants exists the Florida native Plant Society may be aware of them. For Monroe County contact the Monroe County Biologist to see if there are any possibilities. Marathon Government Center  2798 Overseas Highway, Suite 400 Marathon, FL 33050. Biologist Counter (305) 289-2868 http://www.fnps.org/ 

Rob's does give a Locals Discount, he cuts the portions in half.

[Broken Heart] What ever you do, don't listen to the radio. When your hurt like you do it seems all the music is talking to you about how bad you feel. That was one of the worst part of breaking up. Personally, I take the drug and booze cure.

[Broken heart] The best way to get over someone is to get under someone new.

[You sound like you think you are a higher class than the rest of us. Why?] Because I walk up-right, bath, ware shoes, use a fork, and drink from a glass not a bottle! OK?

['Drug Cocktail' Sparks a Series of Overdose Deaths] They say its a problem, Why are more dead addicts a problem?

[Friendly service along with friendly dogs outside]  Were you referring to the four legged, mans best friend variety or one of the Avenue’s three tooth crack whores with dirty feet looking to score some free beer and a ten dollar parking lot quickie?

[no good new music] Those first 3 aren't bad and I do have all three of them in my collection, I just noticed they are covered in dust. The bigger picture is did they stand the test of time. I really don't think they did. I can't remember the last time I heard any of these in a public forum (radio, TV etc.). All three are more than 10 years old. My fish bowl has lots of room for change, however I choose positive change. Your choice of music seems a little one sided and you could expand your horizons by listening to a variety of music. I'll take another listen to your music and you can listen to mine and maybe we will find common ground.

I just wanted to say that the other day, I was out running a few errands and noticed very little traffic so just for fun, I tried a few left

[Don't stop helping the turtles that are trying to cross the roads]  I agree.  I always stop and help a turtle trying to cross a road if it is at all safe to do so.  Living in Eden Pines I often see them crossing Watson or Key Deer Blvd. and always stop and take the little critter to the other side.  Last year I actually saw some young punk veer over into the wrong lane to go out of his way to run over and crush a turtle to death.  If you don’t want to stop don’t.  Just try to be a little humane and try your best to avoid hitting them.

turns onto US1.  I was surprised I still remember how.  Maybe it's time again to revisit the idea of blowing up the 7 mile bridge.  There isn't much above Sunshine Key worth driving that far for anyway. 

Don't know if he will handle a remodel dispute, but Hal Schumaker is a real bulldog of an attorney.  I've watched him work in Key West.  He gets the job done!  His office is in Marathon.

I haven't been by to see the new paint scheme at Rob's yet but I bet it ain't half the eyesore as the new mini-golf mess over at Boondock's on Ramrod.  What's next, a go-cart track and a Ferris wheel?

[prove premeditation] The only way it could be premeditation in the first place is if you knew someone was going to break in and then lay a trap for them instead of informing your local doughnut munchers.

A Walgreens and a couple of chain stores equal urban sprawl?  Yes and corporations are the root of all evil.  If only the government ran everything.  Just think how much better that would be!  You're either an employee of F&W or TNC or a completely brain-washed product of some ultra liberal educational institution.  In other words, a fascist.

Hey, Montanas dad, I'll see you Tues A.M.

They were cooking up a storm yesterday at Picnic Island. I saw everything from a roast pig to shrimp kabobs. Now I know how it got its name.

(?)[Eagles challenge] That sounded like a half reply to me.

(?)[clearing our pine forests] I hope the workers know that in the pine forests, there's a substance that really screws up diesel fuel, and ruins engines. Be careful, guys.

(?)[You dope] I suggest that you are calling the kettle black, if you don't know where Maja can be found.

(?) [Eagles challenge] You don't sound too confident. If it is that good and compared, you would be screaming it out. That speaks for itself. This is a pretty big world for such a shallow stereo type. You are older today than you were yesterday which now makes you an older person. Now reread your comment.

Kittens make great tarpon bait.  You use rubber bands to attach the hook.  Just pitch them out near tarpon water and hang on.  Cute, huh?

Monday May 29, 2006

Sunday May 28, 2006

The mosquito plane flew again this morning. I found a new feature on my three year old digital camera: movie clips. And I just found out when trying to play my new clip that it even has sound. Maybe I should have read the directions when I got the thousand dollar camera three tears ago!

[Eagles challenge] In reply to your challenge I have the name of an equally-as-good new album, but it's new so I won't even bother printing it for you to critized. If it's not old time rock, by the same old artists, no older person will give it its due.

I need a good remedy to get rid of a broken heart that doesn't involve drugs or alcohol.

[burglar] The young man that was caught was, in fact, the one that I feel robbed my home while we were in bed. I heard and chased him to his get-away car. The one with a damaged left side. Then I told the police that I didn't see him real good, but I new the voice and I told them who I felt the voice belonged to. to make a long story short, he was caught for something else and the judge reduced his bond from 50,000 bucks to eight or ten and he found the 10% and got out. I won't say his name but he is on the "done bad again" web site and boy does he have a history. This bad man has been in trouble a bunch. No, more than that! With any luck and a good judge he will go away for a very long time. By the way, I did have a gun and it was by choice that I didn't shoot him. Sorry.

You can find anything you want to know about generators, on line. After Wilma, I have one that runs the whole house. $1200

[No Good New Music] Wow, such a mouthful. So utterly old and close-minded it befuddles my mind as to where to begin. The Eagles? I listen to a lot of old music and love it, but to say nothing compares in the  past ten years is so utterly false as to indicate a conservatism that  fits nicely with Big Pine Key.

Here's a few for you. Nirvana's Nevermind,  Offspring's untitled. Beck, chose which you like, the guy is a genius.  White Stripes, ditto. Xavier Rud, self titled. Jack Johnson, Brushfire Fairy Tales. I could go on for pages.

I'm sorry you live in a fishbowl so small that the there is no room for change, but please, take the time to truly listen to the music before you paint with such a wide brush.  Just because it doesn't appeal to your sense of taste doesn't mean it doesn't compare. Look at the ratings. Check out the sales, are you saying all these people have bad taste too, or are you just a wee bit bitter?

[prove premeditation] The prosecutor has to prove it and if you do it right it will be extremely difficult to do. And you get another scumbag off the streets which will benefit the rest of the community and the country and the world. Get rid of criminals and you get rid of crime.

Prom in da 'hood. (N.J.)

Who are the corporate shills cheering for Walgreens and chain stores? How smarmy can you get; sucking up to Corporate America which will use you and discard you! Go to Kendall if you like urban sprawl.

Nothing adds to the atmosphere here like Buffet or Island music. Palm trees, warm breezes and Island Girls. Well, two out of three isn't bad. This is the sub tropics, you know, not Cleveland. So all you people that want to hear Mustang Sally or One Way Out again pack your station wagon and head north.

The gun link was from me, an armed woman--not macho.  Just prepared. There are crazy, hateful, nutballs here on  the Island as you can see from the little man who posted  about buying unmatched knives and screwdrivers.  I can bet his e-mail address was captured and stored for future use.  I liked the counter-post about money for his canteen and Bubba on top.  Guns really are a cure for Sociopathy.

I would like to thank Roger and all the people of Moose Lodge for lending me their 3 wheel bicycle. I can continue taking Montana for the daily long walks. We are both happier.

If you really want to find out all about the TNC ask for an accounting of the money (Grants which are tax free) that they receive from the Fish and Wildlife and other sources. Find out how much the TNC gets, what they do with it, and how much their employees get paid. Anytime you want to know what's going on remember to "Follow The Money"

[Rob's. Why in the world would anyone complain about this place]  Just ask any local. I do not type well, but if I did I could go on and on.

Ask the fish and wildlife how many alligators they dropped off at the end of Koehn? I bet you don't go near the place.

[Wild Bird Rescue really needs towels, sheets, etc. Ddrop off your unwanted old towels for her]  You dope!  Why don't you take a few seconds more and tell us where to drop off the towels? Business Directory>Bird Rescue

Florida Keys Dragon Boat Club is paddling weekly. We are forming teams and preparing for events. Captain John Duke 305- 304-5100.

I know a couple of other posts have listed this website, http://www.undueinfluence.com/nature_conservancy.htm, but everyone really needs to take the time to go there and read all about The Nature Conservancy.  They are not the good guys that they profess to be...really scary.  Here's an excerpt from the link:

"Another story of land grabbing:  In 1993 TNC tried to bully a German professor, Dr. Dieter Kuhn, into selling some land he owned in rural Illinois. Al Pyott, Illinois director of TNC, threatened Dr. Kuhn that if he did not cooperate in the creation of Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, his land would be taken by force of condemnation through Pyott’s influence with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which was listed in the local phone book in the same entry with TNC. Pyott wrote:  'The Nature Conservancy has, starting in 1987, made numerous efforts to contact you by letter, by phone, and through your agent, Mr. Clay, in an effort to discuss some basis for the acquisition of your property in Pulaski County.  If your land is not acquired through voluntary negotiation, we will recommend its acquisition through condemnation.166b'

TNC head at the time, the late John Sawhill, had to write a letter of apology to Dr. Kuhn.  Sawhill may have been prompted to apologize by Congressman Glenn Poshard (D-IL), who told TNC that if they continued their campaign of threats and bullying land owners, he would withdraw support for future refuge acquisition funding."

Scary, indeed.

[Rob's Philly Cheese Steak exactly like the ones I had in Philly] No way! What part of Philly were you in, West Philly? That's the only part of Philly that uses road kill and gator meats!

Please don't stop helping the turtles that are trying to cross the roads.  The one that "took a chunk" out of your finger was probably a Florida soft-shell turtle or a common snapping turtle, which can both be quite ornery, but most turtles are very passive and very shy of humans.  Just remember to wash your hands afterwards, as most reptiles can carry salmonella.

[Bands and Bars]  I like bands and I like bars.  I like live music and like to have music while I’m having my cocktail.  However, it’s not the music that some people object to--it’s the volume.  I agree with some of the posts that criticize some of the local bands.  All the local venues are fairly small and the bands don’t have to have the volume at skull-splitting levels to be heard.  That’s just ego on their part.  Loud doesn’t mean better.  They aren’t playing to 50,000 screaming fans at a stadium.  There playing to maybe 80 people at a local bar.  Professional musicians play their music at levels (loud enough) that allow everyone to hear and enjoy their music and still allow for conversation at the bar.  Anything else is amateurish and annoyingly loud.

Why does the Sheriff's arrest report show so many of these kind of charges: smuggle contraband - introduce into detention facility? 

About Dion’s:  First, they need to hire a new manager with experience in managing and running a convenience store.  They need to clean up the inside and make the place a little neater and somewhat more attractive. Not that it’s particularly dirty, but just cluttered looking.  A fresh, pleasing paint job on the exterior would help a lot.  It wouldn’t hurt to get rid of the druggies and bums hanging around on the side of the building either.  Some of these same suggestions apply to Tom Thumb as well. 

[If it weren't for all the work of TNC nature would not thrive in natural areas? Maybe someone should consult with God on that] OK, email me His email address would you? I got a few other things to bitch to S/Him about too.

[Robs is the only good place on Big Pine] I’ m glad you had a good time and enjoyed your visit.  Unfortunately, many of us have had the opposite experience. Two months ago my group of six had a very poor lunch both in terms of service and food quality.  We decided to a person to never go back.  Maybe things are turning around.  It goes without saying that Big Pine really needs a couple of good restaurants.  Perhaps after a few more complementary posts about Rob’s we’ll try it again.  (But what in the name of color-blindness was he thinking when he painted the place? Ugly, Ugly, Ugly!)

I agree with the poster that said how arrogant for someone to say that if it weren't for all of the fine work of The Nature Conservancy "nature would not thrive in natural areas".  This group is trying to play God way too much.  They say that lightening normally strikes every seven years, so they're trying to recreate that?  So, what happened?  Did lightening stop doing its natural thing?  Every time man tries to step in and "help Nature", they wind up making things much worse. 

I think the bands at the Tiki should only play songs that I like to hear, otherwise I am going to continue to whine on this website and complain about everything musical.

I called the Nature Conservancy once, to get a list of indigenous plants to replace all the non-indigenous plants the previous owner stuck in the ground. TNC didn't know what I was talking about. Then I asked if there was any grant money, tax help or other money stuff to help restore the Keys to what they are supposed to be. Again, "duah what? Call the  Governor" was the answer. Like all "government departments" they are only there to get that paycheck.

[mosquito plane]  I'm not sure what it was spraying, but it didn't affect the mosquitos in my neighborhood at all.

[clearing our pine forests]  You might as well face it, if it's a planned deal it's a done deal; and being there's government involved it will probably be done poorly without much care.

The only positive thing I have yet to see from Wilma is Bahia Honda Beach.  The beach is twice as wide as it was and there is “real” sand.  The kind you’d expect to be on a beach. It must have washed in with the surge.  Check it out.

When saving the turtle from the middle of the road I placed it in the direction in which it was originally headed. 

[Nature Conservancy] According to the post they don't make much money so supposedly that allows them to use as little brain power as possible which is usually the government way.

All this talk about pedophile's and rape and other crap that put people in prison is nuts. Look around the world, sex begins at puberty not at some designated age. You can go into the Army at 17 with a waver,  be trained to kill millions, but you can't drink a beer or have sex with a twelve year old, five foot ten, hooker from downtown, with 30,000 miles on her ass. It's all BS!

[generators] As far as my 2 cents, Honda is the best and I would go ask a professional.

I see the guy with the prison rape fetish is back.  Maybe if you'd learn how to shoot a gun, you wouldn't be so intimidated by them or the people that own them. 

Love the food at Robs.  It's the noise I can't stand.

I had no idea the depth of gratitude we all owe to TNC. To think, without them around to burn up all the nasty plants and little animals, this place would be a "mess of invasive species" (Are they talking about snowbirds or plants?).  Just because their controlled burns get a little out of control and take out a few homes is no reason to complain.  Those homes shouldn't be there anyway.  They're not native and they're not owned by TNC.

Even 48 year old gym owners have been known to take a liking to steroids!  

Sorry dude, I had three iguanas in my yard yesterday, and I do believe it is their mating season.

[get rid of live music and pipe in pay radio] The person that wrote this should open up a bar and try it. You wouldn't last six months. The live music has been there for years. A simpler solution would be for you to go to a bar that does not have a sign out front saying, "live music". It is that simple. How unintelligent you must be to think you are getting intelligent conversation at a bar. You sound like you think you are a higher class than the rest of us. Why?

I went to Rob's Island Grill a few years ago when the new location opened. It was really good.  I went back about a month later with a group of 10 and ate.  Not only was our food portions greatly reduced we were also treated like crap.  We inquired about the locals' discount prior to ordering; which we were assured that we would receive.  Came bill time there was no discount.  I reminded the waiter and he went back to Rob and asked him to apply the discount which was never received because we had not yet switched over our drivers licenses.  Not only did I produce a phone bill, electric bill and tax bill to prove residency he still refused.  In fact he replied that anyone can produce those things and not be locals.  He refused to apply the discount and I still refuse to give up my hard earned money to a piece of crap like that!

[Concerning generators] They are rated according to watts, which is a measure of electrical "horsepower", so to speak. A household refrigerator can use anywhere from 400 to 1,000+ watts depending on what gadgets it includes. An air conditioner or clothes washer take 1,500 watts plus, but use much more in the first few seconds of motor startup. Lights, smaller TVs, radio, computer, fans take a lot less wattage. You can get a nice truly portable generator, (one a normal person can move around) rated around 2,000 watts for $400.

That would be sufficient to operate a small refrigerator, fan, lights, TV, computer, albeit not all at the same time. If you insist on running an A/C or automatic washer you'll have to go for one of those bigger hosses that are hard to lug around and use more fuel. You would need at least a 5,000 watt or more because of the large current load at start-up. And the noise is incredible.

The way we handled the last hurricanes is to keep frozen jugs of ice in the fridge and run it two hours on, two off. We washed what we had to have to wear by hand and used fans instead of the A/C. That way we got by with our ancient 4,000 watt Coleman which is over 30 years old. It kept ticking along because we didn't overload it and used less fuel. 

If it's unbearably hot an idea is to choose out one small room with a small window A/C and run it occasionally. That way there's at least someplace to go to cool down, but there again you will need a stronger generator. A 4,000 watt will run a small A/C unit, but it lugs it down and uses a lot of fuel. We found it's better to use fans and shower often to beat the heat. We also use a small freezer that takes little current to keep ice for beverages and cold wash rags (good to cool off with). Harbor Freight up in Homestead sells a nice 2,000 watt generator for $400. Home Depot has different sizes but if you rent you want portability, so choose the smallest you can get by with.  

Sunday May 28, 2006

Saturday May 27, 2006

[Burglar Caught] Sleep well tonight Big Pine Key.  The "Sandman" has been arrested.

I am not expecting any petitions from our good buddies at FAVOR to stop TNC and FWS from clearing our pine forests any time soon. Why? Because the director of FAVOR is a TNC employee. Maybe we should call the Florida Keys Invasive Exotic Task Force, about the clearing of threatened cactus on protected land while leaving the Brazilian pepper in place. Nope. The chairperson is a TNC employee.  Should we complain to the County about a threatened species being removed from a county owned hammock? Maybe a phone call to the new county land steward would help. Nope, her husband is the TNC director.  When working your agenda, it always helps to have the key people in the right places.

I stopped to move a lost little turtle off of US 1 last year, and to show his appreciation the little bastard took a chunk out of my finger. Needless to say I don't stop for turtles anymore. Crack whores maybe, turtles and New Jersey women no way. 

All home owners, we are all on the same page regarding the increased windstorm rates. Please join the FIRM group they are doing a lot of good for all of us it does not cost anything. To join this organization just go to  www.firmkeys.org  and sign up. A lot of people thought by signing the petition they were also a member, but this is not so.

Robs is the only good place on Big Pine. I went there Friday night.  The place was packed.  Friendly service along with friendly dogs outside.  The food was good.  My only complaint is that I don't go there enough.  It was clean, busy with a bunch of handsome guys inside and the food was of generous proportions and was great.  Why in the world would anyone complain about this place?  Their Philly Cheese Steak was exactly like the ones I have had in Philly. 

[Dion's and Sarah leaving] Is that good or bad?  I could not tell from the posting.

I think the new management of the Tiki should get rid of all the live music and just pipe Sirius radio throughout the place. This move would let us be able to talk and hear one another over drinks. Let the screaming-guitar aficionados migrate to Boondocks and enjoy the lack of intelligent conversation. 

[Do yip-yap dogs make good alligator bait] Please, feed the New Yorkers to the gators and use the Yip-Yaps to troll for sharks.

[New way for Citizens Insurance to raise its rates]  Pay a "takeout" company to take policies, which is legal.  Then when the takeout company doubles its rates Citizens goes to the State and says we have to raise ours to comply with the law that says we have to be higher than anybody else.  Then when the takeout company collapses or, after their 3 year commitment, they turn those policys back to Citizens.  All legal, unless somebody can prove there was an under the table deal with the takeout company to raise the rates.  Why else would such a company take a policy whose rates were half what they needed be. Had they planned bankruptcy, fraud (taking our premiums when they knew they couldn't cover claims?

Go with the flow, Have some fun, Relax and enjoy your life.

I really need keys to one of these snowbird homes to use so I have somewhere to go with my lover.  These hotel rooms get expensive. 

[no good new music] I like the music from when I was young and am open to new music, but the problem is quality, simply put. The music being released today is garbage. You have the mentality of a moth to think that any CD put out in the last ten years is better that any Eagles CD period. I don't really even like the Eagles, but you can't deny their talent. I challenge anyone to name one CD in the last ten years that can even stand up to the Eagles. I'll be waiting.

The link to generators was interesting, but I rent and am interested in something portable, reliable and very basic. The difference in quality between, say, a Homelite or a Sthil. A generator that will run a fridge, window A/C and washer. Clues anyone?

I know and like every person that was fired from the Tiki Bar and would like to thank them all for great service and friendship. These people worked to the standards of the old owners which may have been lower than the new owners'. However, these people should have been given a chance after you told them what would be expected from them. Look in the Barometer, the only place in town not looking for help was the Tiki Bar. Out-of-towners (the owner) will find out the hard way that good help was already there. I witnessed the remaining employees walking on egg shells wondering if they will have a job tomorrow. Not a good first impression from the new owner.

Fellow Pine Nuts, Miss Maya at Wild Bird Rescue really needs towels, sheets, etc.  Go through your stuff and drop off your unwanted old towels for her. 

Come on Walgreens we all need you here on Big Pine.  You are no. 1.   Don't listen to the few who are moaners.  I've lived here 26 yrs and have seen a lot of good changes.

[Paint job at Rob’s Island Grill] I really don't know the man well, is he blind?

[Looe Key Tiki should get rid of bands] If you are at a bar and a band is playing and you realize that you are the only one whining because you just want to talk, stay home you cry baby. If you want entertainment go to a bar. If you want to talk, invite your friends to your house and sit around the kitchen table and talk your ass off. Only some really selfish person would suggest they fire the bands so you can talk. This site should put your picture on here so the community can see a face to go along with your selfish comment. Your nose is so high in the air you don't even notice that every one else is enjoying the music.  If you want to talk, go to a bar that doesn't have music. Don't go to a bar that has music and tell them to fire the band so you can talk.

I like live music and won't go to any bar that doesn't have it, but I won't cry because they don't have it. This town has something for everyone, so go where you fit in. Apparently the Tiki is not for you. If you think Brad and Michelle are in concert, let me tell you they are as mellow as it gets. Folks, it gets a lot louder, harder and faster. They are good musicians that are just trying to make a living. Where do you work? Let us come by and try to wreck your job.

[School Superintendent] Randy, the FCAT scores are out and it is just a matter of time until each school's grade comes out.  What will happen when a school doesn't get the "A" that you promised the taxpayers?

[Buffet Island music] Huh! That could only describe one band. You said it.

There's nothing macho about protecting yourself or your home and I am a very light sleeper and I sleep great.

RE: Semi tame alligator--what the f*&k.  Most people respect the fact that there are animals out there that can snatch a small child, and or pet. A friend of mine lives in an area where brown bears rule the earth. He taught his kids to keep an eye out no matter where they are. Education means Information.

So let's get this straight. If it weren't for all the fine work of TNC nature would not thrive in natural areas? Maybe someone should consult with God on that. How arrogant!

Cheyenne County District Judge Kristine Cecava of Lincoln, Nebraska sentenced a pedophile to 10 years probation instead of a jail term because she felt he was too short to go to prison because he would not be able to defend himself. I wonder how the 12 year old girl he had sex with parents feel about it. This Judge needs to be horsewhipped.

The TNC has done a lot of good, but there comes a time when enough is enough. 8 ft fire breaks are wide enough.  Let our island recover some please.  Give it a break.  TNC would not be doing the work for nothing so please don't act like you would.  All our goals are similar.  To protect what we have left.  We are not like anywhere else.  We are tiny so national standards don't fit.

Will someone please take a picture of Rob's new paint job? I would love to see it and get a good laugh. I am not home right now and can't wait till I am.

[Nature Conservancy] You guys don't get the point; these are the people that are supposed to be stewards of our precious island. They are the ones who are supposed to care for our native plants, yet they don't have a clue what is native and what is an evasive exotic. All they really care about is creating more fire lanes so they can continue to have controlled burns. The last controlled burns we had here got out of control and burned acres of private land. The fires came onto private property and the only response from the powers that be was, "Oh, well."  

We need to stand together on this one and stop the TNC and Fish and Wildlife from destroying our homeland. How many of you even know what the native vanilla orchid looks like? It is also called a worm vine. Well, these controlled burns that don't harm anything have completely wiped out this native plant on most of Big Pine Key. If you have ever seen this in flower, you would realize what we are all missing because of these controlled burns. .  I have attached a photo of one. They only bloom for a few hours when they do.

Every time the Mosquito Spray Guy does his thing, we get bigger mosquitoes. What's he feeding them, Grow Bug?

[Controlled burns] I'd like to see a un-controlled burn to get rid of the mosquitoes, rats, trash and what's left of the Snowbirds, on all the Keys!

I don't care what kind of music they play at the Looe Key Tiki as long as it's something you can dance to like a human instead of a s**t kicker!

Of all the HDTV TV's I've looked at, it seems they all are terrible. I figured out how to get the same effect with my old regular TV. I take my glasses off.

[The folks that work at for The Nature Conservancy make very little money ] That's BS and you know it. Little money compared to whom, President Bush? I was a rep who serviced that org, and it should be renamed The Nature Conspiracy!

I hate to bring it up, but I haven't seen an iguana in over a week. I'll bet that is why no one is writing about them lately (thank God). Are they only around during mating season; like about in the spring time or something?

[…go out and buy a long bladed screwdriver that doesn't match any that you have in your tool box or workshop]  Advice:  You need to start putting some money away so one of your friends can send you a little each month for your canteen account up at Raiford in the big house.  You try to pull any of that stuff and a good prosecutor is going to prove premeditation and you’re going to spend 10 to 20 in a cell with a big weight lifter named Bubba who likes to be on top and wearing Depends from playing house. 

Saturday May 27, 2006

Friday May 26, 2006

[To the lady that stopped traffic to save a turtle] I have also done the same thing. Then after some thought I wondered if I had placed the turtle on the right side of the road, or did I put the turtle on the wrong side; and he or she had to cross the road again. Then there's the folks that were almost  killed by me running around in the traffic and putting the turtle on the wrong or right side of the highway. I am still not sure. Anyway that turtle had some kind of virus and my whole family got sick. I forgot to wash my hands when I was saving him or her by putting it on the wrong or right whatever (I am still not sure) side of the road. Anyway the doctor's fee and meds came out to 378 bucks.

The Nature Conservancy does a lot of important work, especially in the Florida Keys.  Without their staff and volunteers, many of the natural and disturbed areas will eventually turn into a mess of invasive species, such as Australian Pines and Brazilian Pepper, to name a few.  Y'all want to have a healthy environment, but only a select few members of the community are actively involved in making this happen (thanks to those to give their time and money).  The others, simply voicing your opinion on a bulletin board hardly makes you an active member of the community.  Go ahead and protest the fire lines and fire thinning that TNC and other organizations create.  In the end, you'll loose many rare and endemic species that require that clearing/thinning to exist.  It's a nature process that we have altered.  Pave the Keys; just make sure we have good photographs of the flora and fauna to show our children.  Furthermore, when your house burns and your assets are lost because the adjacent property had too much fuel for a pineland, don't look for a shoulder to cry on or an environmental agency to blame. Fire thinning protects you.

For the cactus, that's an unfortunate mistake.  Cactus species are hardy, and fixing that problem is easy enough. I'm confident that many green pieces of the cactus are still on site, and they will eventually pup and restore the population that was removed.  If not, we can propagate the cactus species and create a new population.  Just Google "cactus propagation" and discover how easy it is. 

Song: I just don't look good naked any more.  http://www.goodolddogs.com/older.html

[Looe Key Tiki Bar]  We're never all going to agree on what's happening at the Tiki, some will say change is good, some will boycott the place.  The fact remains that most everyone that went to enjoy themselves at Tiki were on the most part treated very well.  If you're a regular, your drink was ready before you got to your seat.  It reminded me of Cheers, where everyone knew your name.  We became close friends with the managers, bartenders and wait staff.  I've been going there for over two years on a regular basis, and not once did I witness theft or any wrong doing.  Yes, there were times when service was bad, but usually it was because it was standing room only, and we regulars understood that.  I will truly miss those that have been fired, each and everyone one.  They worked very hard and cared about the business, and their customers.  It's not easy down here to get people to work, let alone work together and enjoy doing it.  I will miss the way it was.   

Stealing from the cash register is just one way it is done. Giving people drinks so you can get a bigger tip is another way. Stealing is stealing, if you get busted, don't cry.

Why did the new owners of Looe Key fire the waitress and bar staff? If they want to make money, they should get rid of the bands. More people would stay to drink, eat and socialize if they could hear each other talk.  Why does Brad and Michelle think it is a concert every night?

To the person seeking a babysitter for 4 girls age 2 to 12. It's not a babysitter you need, it's a SWAT team.

[Tiki Bar] I, for one, would like to see small concerts at the new, improved Tiki hut instead of those horrid cover bands and wailing solo acts. This concert venue is what we New Yorkers are used to. we would like to see some when we winter down here.

This link should help you select the proper generator. Home Generator Systems | Product Selection Guide
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The folks that work at for The Nature Conservancy make very little money considering all the education that they have.

Does anyone know of a good, affordable attorney serving Marathon through Big Pine for a remodel dispute?

Gravity. We would like to assure everyone that no animals were injured or hurt in the making of this movie. The Human cost appears to be appalling, but then, that's why we have such a liberal immigration policy. Turn the sound up, the music accompanying the pictures is perfect!  Parasail meets gravity

Considering how dry it's been this year, it would not be prudent for TNC or any one else to have any controlled burns.  Instead, they can get out there and remove dead and fallen plant material manually.  That's what we did after the hurricanes.  I think everyone needs to call the county and ask them to prohibit controlled burns this year.

[No good music in ten years] You're the person I wrote about. Here's your profile: You only like music you listened to when you were young. You only listen to those artists' new albums. You don't like any music that wasn't around when you were in your prime. You can't wait for the new Eagle's album. End of profile.

Don't feel bad my parents would only listen to the music of their youth too. Does anybody want to hear Glenn miller?

Radical new tire design by Michelin. The next generation of tires. They had a pair at the  Philadelphia car show. These tires are airless and are scheduled to be out on the market very soon. The bad news for law enforcement is that spike strips will not work on these tires. 
  
This is what great R&D will do, and just think of the impact on existing technology: no more air valves, no more air compressors at gas stations and no more repair kits.

The blond raccoons are just sun-bleached. What about the Canadian and English, eh?

[Society is breeding more and more uncaring viscous humans] That's for sure.  I was watching an episode of American Justice called "Thrill Killers".  It was about a young couple that started committing crimes for fun.  They eventually brutally murdered a couple of tourist in Ocean City, MD and chopped them to pieces to dispose of the bodies.  Unlike the local alligator killers, they didn't start out killing animals.  Instead, they were animal lovers.  They had an alligator and several snakes as pets.

I hope I put "of" in front of "which other school system would a third generation conch be a product?"  I teach writing so I'm unnaturally horrified by otherwise meaningless prepositional mishaps.  But more importantly, who's that guy in the picture?  I'm an idiot--I have no idea.  Please tell me it isn't Cal. 

Lock your door before you go to bed.

I don't care what kind of music the Tiki has as long as it's not Buffet island music. Boring.

If Rob wants more business he should apologize to all the locals he has thrown out of his place of business over the last three years. And if they come back treat them like he really does appreciate their business even if they don't belong to his little group of special friends.

There's a picture of the Olympic Gym owner, Art Smith floating around,  and baby, he's bare-chested and lifting up a 200 lb stump.  The picture evokes mental images of Roman Gods and of Hercules himself, and by God Art could audition for the role himself. He is much better built that Steve Reeves.  You go Art, not too shabby for a 48 year old landscaping contractor!

Do yip-yap dogs make good alligator bait? I am thinking about trying this out at the Blue Hole with my obnoxious NY neighbor's yipping dogs.  Come to think of it, maybe I should use the New Yorkers themselves for bait, but the gators probably wouldn't come near them--too loud and abrasive.

I would really like to hear modern jazz at the Tiki. I could sip my Merlot and pretend I was back in the City. It would be too cool.

Do our local macho men actually think the Big Pine Burglar actually reads this site? Evidently this guy is quiet enough to get into your home without waking you or your wife. You had better hope he isn't armed; he would make short work of your big talk while you are sleeping it off.

I am not much of a baseball fan, but if you are (and especially if you're a Red Sox fan), rent the movie "Fever Pitch" with Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore. It's directed by the Farrelly Brothers, from the Nick Hornby novel. It's a wonderfully sweet and laugh-out-loud funny movie. 5 stars!

[Just when you think it can’t get any worse] Rob’s Island Grill’s new paint job looks like Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles picked out the color scheme.  I think Rob needs to change the brand of whatever kinds of party favors he’s been using.  What an atrocious, nauseating and ridiculous thing to do.  No, Rob, don’t keep the former attractive exterior.  Instead, turn the place into a carnival-like nightmare.  The only thing missing is a Ferris wheel and a cotton candy concession.  You could actually attract more business if you turn your attention to self control, quality control, skimpy portions and service issues.  Guaranteed, you’re going to lose business.  Unbelievable.  And some people think a Wendy’s would spoil the landscape! 

Guns!  Are they addictive?  http://a-human-right.com/introduction.html

[Traffic situation] What a perfect argument that the flea market attracts the traffic of 5 fast food restaurants, Scotty's and any other business that might want to come here; not to mention that it looks like a concentration camp every time you drive by. Lets be fair, people, why is this acceptable but any business that would build a building that looks 100 % better than this dump shouldn't be allowed? Strange, rational Big Pine.

[Taxes do go away!] I just heard on CNN that in July a tax on long distance telephone calls will go away. It was levied in 1878 to finance the Spanish American War.  You will be able to apply for refunds, but for only 3 years worth.  Payouts are expected to be small for residential customers.

[new artist or music] I couldn't have said it better myself. There hasn't been 1 new release in 10 years worth the money, and now that most schools are forced to drop their music programs people should not expect it to get any better in the future. Shame on the world for allowing this to happen, more people voted for American idol than voted for the president of the USA. Need I say anymore?

Friday May 26, 2006

Thursday May 25, 2006

How come our good buddies at FAVOR haven't started a petition to stop TNC and F&W from raping and pillaging our pine forests?  Don't you care about the brutality of this crime that's about to be committed?  Studies have shown that organizations that practice the clear cutting of acres of pristine forest go on to much more sinister activities, like confiscation of private property.  We must stop them now, for their own good, before it's too late.  So FAVOR, how about it?  Are you the Friends and Volunteers of Refuges or not? 

I saw my first fawn of the season yesterday. Has anyone else seen one of those delightful creatures yet?

I'm not surprised that the Nature Conservancy tore out a threatened species.   After all, they want to widen all the fire breaks to 16 ft from the present 8 ft they are now; and clear the habitat buffers between peoples' houses and these fire breaks. Then people can have a clear view of what true habitat destruction is.  Seems tearing up habitat, good habitat is right up their alley.  It's a shame.  There's so little of it left. Soon they will talk about burning again as that is their real reason for fire breaks.  Maybe the Cactus was in the way of a planned burn.  Yes, it's a shame. 

They have just documented the first case of Bird Flu being transferred from human to human in Indonesia where this episode killed 7 people.

It just occurred to me that all the noise and lawsuit after lawsuit against chains isn't offset by much comment; and certainly no lawsuits over selling off affordable housing sites to build million dollar condos.  Could it be that the anti-retail people are really developers trying to get the land cheap?  Or do the people around here only care about where the worker bees might be spending their money and not where they live?

As a former bartender, I saw so many of them stealing, even as the owners sat in front of the cash register. Most prudent business owners clean house after buying a business and keep the main person on the payroll but do not have them working. Our family business was very successful and because of it, I retired at a very young age. We were taught that it is like your baby and you have to watch it all the time.  We also learned the rule of 99% hard work and 1% inspiration. 

South Florida lacks friendly customer service and the people here are money-grabbers. It is sad that many of us are not as cheery because of this.  Good help is truly hard to find down here and the few nice people like myself would never tolerate such customer abuse and low wages from sub-standard,  moronic business owners who do, indeed, hire fat criminals instead of  professional and genuinely friendly workers with high IQs.

[gator killer...a semi-tame alligator] Is there such a thing? Why don't you let your kids go play with one? Any gator that has been fed by people will be anything but semi tame. The 3 people who got eaten alive (yeah, that's right, think about how that must feel) were minding their own business. One was just snorkeling (probably her own fault, right?), one was just sitting on the bank (her fault too?) And what ever happen to the other person surely has to be his own fault too. All of those gators are said to be people fed.

Last year in June late one night a salt water croc crossed US1, ran right in front of our car with a dog in its mouth. It was coming from the residential area in Cudjoe by the sheriff's station. It is mating season and gator and crocs become a lot more aggressive during this time.

I'm sure this comment will cause an uproar, but these (gator killer) kids might have saved the life of your kids. We all know these gators have been fed by people for a while and it was only a matter of time till something bad happened to a human. That is why they could lure the gator so easily.  What if that gator would have attacked a person? My bet is the exact opposite would happen and we would have a petition to kill or relocate the gator. This petition sounds so stupid compared to many bigger problems that exist here.

[Gators ate 3 people] They said we taste like chicken!

So, Big Pine isn’t dieing? Let’s take a short inventory of what’s here now and what was here twenty years ago. Then: A home improvement store (Scotty’s). Now:  gone. Then: two drug stores: Now: one. Then: Dutchman’s Pizza with an all the pizza you can eat community night, Island Jims local caught sea food and specialties, Baltimore Oyster House, local sea food, Montego Bay, local sea food, all gone the rest are the same. We have more banks now, but how many banks do you need? All in all, there is less business now and the ones we are missing are causing us to drive to Key West or Marathon.

 How does one know what size generator to buy? Are there any solar ones that will run a fridge and A/C?

[CSI-Florida Keys] On Monday, someone gave very good advice on the Castle Doctrine. Just go out and buy a long bladed screwdriver that doesn't match any that you have in your tool box or workshop. Or buy a big kitchen knife that doesn't match any in your household. Buy them out of your area and pay cash. Keep them in a place in the house, wipe off your prints and don't use them. Then if a scumbag breaks in your house when you are home and you blow him away and he isn't armed. Get the knife or screwdriver with a handkerchief or towel and press it in his hand and wrap his fingers around it, and you were in fear of your life!

Our Island is going to hell, looks like shit and the business community is that of an Arizona ghost town. Let's fix these important issues.

To the person that asked if we read the newspapers; and that alligators killed three people in Florida last week.  Here's a word from one gator lover.  Three random killings by alligators, although very unusual, have nothing to do with the brutal killing of the little female alligator at the Blue Hole, which never hurt anyone.  When you think about the fact that there are estimated to be between one and two million alligators in Florida, and how many millions of people are here, with thousands moving in every week, it's a wonder that only three people have recently been killed.  Before this, only 17 fatalities from alligators have been recorded since 1947.  Don't try to use this unusual occurrence to lessen what was done at the Blue Hole.

Kudos to the well-spoken restaurant critic.  I agree with his/her opinions, and it's nice to read some posts from someone with intelligence.  Now when are they going to open a restaurant so I can go there to eat?

Sleep secure neighbors, I only load frangible rounds from Magsafe in my .40 cal. They will not penetrate two walls and still be lethal.  The castle doctrine does give you the right to use deadly force to counter deadly force. And a suspect, the sheriff says, is armed with a handgun so is a threat. I hear Glasers and Magsafe sales are up on Big Pine. So, hopefully soon we will be talking about the untimely demise of some punk burglar. (Ed: Yesterday someone wrote in with the name of the burglar and offered a reward for his body. I had to think twice about printing it, so I didn't. I must be getting old.)

This lady, Frankie, that died; what kind of dogs did she have, how many and who is taking care of them?  I am in the market for a new best friend.

I once defied death and stopped traffic in both directions on US 1 in front of Boondocks to move a turtle out of the road.  People yelled, honked, cursed and even one person I knew told me I shouldn’t do that. What is wrong with you people that 30 seconds ruins your day to save a life, any life?  Slow down. Enjoy your life it is fickle and can be taken at the drop of a hat.

Which other school system would a third generation Conch be a product?  But to be fair, Cal Sutphin speaks the same way, and he's from up north.  My kids and I listen to him every morning on the way to school.  I like them to start each day feeling really smart.  We call it Cal-loquialism and let it be.

[Alligator killers] Let's get it straight, those "boys" were not boys, they are men. Any one over 18 can go into the Army and kill millions of people. That makes you a man. I have no pity for those sick guys and hope they get the max. Society is breeding more and more uncaring viscous humans. We are in deep poop.

[Kudos to the new owners of Looe Key who are firing all the deadwood]  I wish I knew who you were, you SOB. We worked our butts off for Looe Key Tiki to serve your sorry ass, and that's the gratitude we get. So screw off and when the drink and food prices go through the roof, don't bitch when your sorry ass isn't allowed in there any longer. Remember No Name Pub? 

[Rob's New Paint Job] You can almost mistake it for a Napa Auto Parts. It looks like Rob painted the restaurant to give it more visibility. If Rob wants more business, give decent portions. The last fish sandwich I was served was so thin, I thought he might be filleting pinfish.

The Nature Conservancy's Florida Field Office is (407) 682-3664, x129. Call them and tell them not to widen the fire roads and to stop destroying pristine forest.

Regarding the post of setting off the redneck. I feel I should inform you just because you went to the Broward County Fair last year doesn't make you worldly. However, I wish I would have read your post before my sisters wedding. I never would have worn my bowling shirt or at least I would have ironed it first. But I got to give you credit; you have found a very clever way to con people into buying you a few drinks to support your habit. Isn't it a shame that we can't all just get along?

[Very few older people listen to any new artists or music. They're all stuck in the past] We're not stuck in the past, it's just there hasn't been any good music for the last ten years. I know you don't believe me, ask the kids, listen to the commercials, listen to most radio stations. And if you call today's screaming mimes artists, there's no hope for this world for sure.

To the person who is looking for Glenn Reber, he is still around but has no phone.

What about the traffic situation during the winter months with the flea market? Do you actually think it can get any worse with a fast food joint?

Does anyone know the laws and regs regarding having a small fire on your property?  Whether we have to wait for the rainy season (which we would do anyway out of common sense), have the FD inspect the pit, have hoses handy, check ol' Smokey's sign for acceptable levels of hazard, etc.   Anyone who has experience in the matter, please chime in.

My deals with Keys Federal Credit Union have been good ones. I have a local bank TIB (good bank). My home loan is with a different lending company, but my car and motorcycle are with Keys Federal. They just gave me a 6% loan on my motorcycle. BMW wanted over 12%. TIB bank was somewhere in the middle. That's on a 48 month note. Having to deal with any of these folks is tuff at best. No one likes to borrow money. I am way out of my comfort zone when I am asking for a loan. Maybe the person that had the problem with the Credit Union should give them another chance; after all, that's the way they make a buck, I always get everyone's name that I talk to and write everything down and watch my temper. I think I am full of fear after all this time, I am 56, married 37 years and have paid my bills on time for a great many years , but still full of fear. What a sick puppy I am. I long for the day I will no longer have to borrow money. I am getting old and it better happen fast. Go get 'em!

Is it time to drop the .9 cent price off the gas price?   

Re: Unedited post. I've read many perfectly punctuated, flawlessly spelled, grammatically correct postings on this site that made absolutely no sense what so ever.  So before you people, making fun of that poster, get too giddy thinking there might be someone in Big Pine less intelligent than you, guess again. 

Thanks for all comments on the raccoons ability to open a screw top container.  Shifty little rascals, them.  Am I the only long time Piner that has seen blonde raccoons? Seriously, a couple would come onto my porch upstairs and stand on their back legs and peer into the living room.  They were mostly blonde/yellow in color. This was many years ago.  I guess the music, dog and cat keep them at bay now.

Everybody tells me I should learn at least three languages, so I am. American English, British English, Australian English.

Does anyone remember a story about a dolphin that hung around Bahia Honda Bridge and stole bait from fishermen's hooks?

Mexico has twenty-four families that own everything. No one else in that country owns or controls anything. It's no wonder the citizens are running away just like the Cubans. Both are breeding their way into lower and lower social levels, because they do not have the education to know any better. Sort of like what is happening to Americans today.  There's going to be only three classes of people on this planet: The Rulers, the Military (to protect the Rulers), and servants/workers. Sound familiar?

I just went to Big Pine Dion's and it was closed tight with a chain outside around the handles at 9:30 PM. There's also a help wanted sign in the window. Get used to it folks. Five years from now, if even that long, there won't be a place on Big Pine after 6:00pm  because the help will already have been bussed back to the mainland.

We are going to be visiting Big Pine Key for a week at the end of June and we have been seeking a qualified sitter for our children. Do you have any of your members that might be interested in sitting? It would be perhaps a few evenings and a couple of days. They are all girls ages 12, 9, 5, and 2.  The 9 year old has Down Syndrome and does require extra attention. However her older sister is well aware of her habits and is of great benefit to her and the younger ones. Please contact me at your convenience. Rod_R@psenvelope.com

We miss you Rob and Mary. And your great customer services at the bank as well. Best of luck to both of you.

[Conspiracy] I saw a PBS program last night about an erupting volcano in Africa. After describing the lava flow and other details the narrator went into an explanation of the huge amount of sulphur and carbon dioxide the volcano was producing. This was an Italian made documentary and they said "This volcano emits more sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide gas in one day than all of the power plants on earth."

At that moment the sound on the program went down about 90%, but you could still hear if you turned the set way up. Now sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide are being blamed for global warming. Somebody didn't want people to hear they are produced naturally by the earth. Soon as the part about the volcano emitting the gases was finished the sound came back up. I've noticed this on other PBS shows where they try to keep facts from interfering with propaganda. 

Thursday May 25, 2006

Wednesday May 24, 2006

[Fine dining vs greasy spoon] I'm offended that that someone wrote that I should keep my opinion to myself unless I'm a professional food critic. I was even called uninformed. (I'm surprised he didn't accuse me of not living here long enough or that he was a fourth generation Conch) All because I wrote that if a cook was fat and slovenly the food would reflect that image. I stand by my comment. This is ridiculous that I must defend my comments because the writer said that there are fat cooks on TV. Those fat cooks are not slovenly. They are neat and clean and their food reflects that image. I 'm a retired cook. I never was a chef. My point in my original posting was that most restaurateurs don't know that difference; and place far too little importance on the cook's ability and knowledge of food preparation and kitchen management. Anyone can cook, but only a chef can do it well.

[Classic rock at Looe Key Tiki] They have to have that old rock because the majority of their customers are older; and most people only listen to music that was popular when they were young and impressionable. Very few older people listen to any new artists or music. They're all stuck in the past.

[Gas is necessary] I feel free to complain about the price of gasoline because it is a necessity for me to go to work in KW. Ice cream and bottled water are luxuries. There is a great difference.

Big Pine TV has a new flag for you to watch flapping in the breeze. Big Pine TV

[Castle Doctrine] You are not responsible to prove that the intruder was there to cause you bodily harm. Being in your home uninvited is proof of that, and no they do not have to be armed.  You will not go to jail and you are safe from legal action from the intruder or their family. 

[Spam FAX] cost big dollars in materials. One way is to try to get the senders information. Try to ask them what they are selling and you might be interested. If they are dumb enough to tell you anything, find their location, call the local police or the local FBI (it's a fed crime if over your state line) and make them arrest the culprits.

People keep talking about the Formula Retail Ordinance as if it was actually a law that was enacted. (Ed: it was.)

There was a comment the other day about a mom and pop fast food on Big Pine and a person replied with every excuse as to why it couldn't be done. I just wanted to say that I heard about this guy named Ray Kroc who had the same Idea and from what I hear, through "hard work and perseverance" he did pretty well. I guess it's easer to sit back and whine about everything.

[Spam Faxes] Do not call the removal number.  When you call that number you have to enter your fax number.  They then sell your fax number to other mass marketing companies.  So, yes it does remove you from that one particular company's list, but not from the marketing agency that controls them and thousands of other companies.  Your best bet is to ignore them and eventually they will stop because they don't have the manpower to find out if every number is a fax they dial. You calling to be removed is the confirmation they are looking for. Here is a site regarding junk faxes: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/unwantedfaxes.html

[Looe Key Tiki Bar]  Our new owner has fired 3/4 of the staff.  I went to a party on the weekend and talked with the owner of another restaurant in the area.  The owner told me that the new owner said they were firing people because they were stealing.  This is not true.  Why did they fire the cleaning staff?  And why did they fire one girl and ask her boyfriend to do extra shifts?  What's bad is that they fired them. What's worse is that the owner feels the need to bad mouth and lie about the staff.  And what's worse than that is that they are bringing Canadian people down to fill those jobs. That's the word. They are bringing down their own staff.

I have no intentions of giving my money to someone who won't be putting it back into our community.  Boondocks has a nice table area out front, and now that the Tiki raised the price of the draft, why go there? Yes, I heard the draft price is up to $2. 

The three employees that they did keep can count the days until they are fired too.  It's the new phase, use your employees and then dump them with no warning.  A friend of mine asked the new owner, Jack/Jock?, why did they fire the employees, he said because people were calling in saying bad things about the staff and that he had a spy watching and he wanted to lower the drink prices.  (Makes no sense) 

Spend your money where you want.  But remember every time you're at the Tiki, your money is going into the pocket of a non-Local owner  who doesn't care about our community--just about taking your money.

I'll go back, but it will be after I see all the renovations they are bragging about doing.  Let the owner put his money where his mouth is first.  Don't let them use your dollars to renovate, that's my opinion.

The Nature Conservancy were removing invasive exotics in April on Monroe County land on West Summerland Key.  They thought they were ripping out night blooming cereus, a slightly invasive epiphytic cactus (with very pretty flowers); in fact they decimated an entire population of native barbwire cactus.  Barbwire cactus (Acanthocereus tetragonus) is a state threatened, protected species that provides food for a number of native animals.  A ton of native cactus were ripped from the county owned hammock and left in a pile three feet high and fifteen feet long. TNC are the masters of public relations and media manipulation. Their shortfall in skills is, sadly, in basic Florida Keys ecology.

[Mondays unedited post on the Gator] Has that person ever heard of punctuation? That has to be one of the longest run-on sentences ever. And please get a dictionary and learn how to spell. You apparently have a computer. Use your spell check if you don't have a dictionary.

[Houseboat Row] Yes, I remember Houseboat row very well.  Of all the houseboats located there, only a very few were attractive and maintained.  Many were half sunk, broken down, trashed-out, crummy eyesores.  Do you suppose they all used sanitary pump out services or did they just flush their waste into the water?  If you had ever walked along the sea wall, and I had, you could see the filthy pollution of feces, garbage, beer cans, trash bags and all manner of debris floating around in the water.  Had the owners maintained their houseboats in a decent attractive manner and provided basic sanitation facilities they wouldn't have had the problem.  Towards the end, houseboat row, with only a very few exceptions looked like a floating slum.

[Hurricane season again] What isn't being reported is that water is one degree cooler this year (per NOAA hurricane forecast), which can limit the hurricanes. Why? Maybe it would slow the pace of newspaper sales, grants for scientists and Karl Roves' hurricane machine.

Editor, I am so glad you left the unedited version from the idiot that said (actual spelling and wording) "how many of you people actualy went and saw this gator most of these people on this site whineing...and this is comeing from a 3rd gen conch."  Very scary indeed.  To say (again, actual spelling) "it was siple hunting no more ruthless then spear fishing deer hunting comercial fishing..."  I rest my case.  When I try to send this post, my spell check is going to overload.

You know as soon as someone gets the axe, here comes the crap about where they worked. Stop about Looe Key. No one wants to hear it. Sometimes any change is good. Drunks and drugs were getting to be the norm;  and when you have to witness a drug buy in the local bar it's time for me to leave. And what does that say for the couple that brags about how much they spend a week in the bar? Do you know where the local AA meets? Kudos to the new owners. Spring cleaning is good for the soul.

Dion's should just close for good now that Sarah has finally moved on. There is absolutely no business. So who thinks the Big Pine Dion's should be condemned?

Speaking for myself, the Tiki died when Franny died.  It will never be the same in my eyes.  I am not young and have lost a lot of friends over the years, but have never missed anyone as much as I miss him.  I am glad you can't see what they are doing to the place my brother.

[fitness trainers]  I saw an ad in Doc Griders' office on the board about classes and also at the health food store there is a flyer for yoga.  They're both on BPK.

Ed: If the only picture you have of Houseboat Row is one from immediately after hurricane George please show the million-dollar houses with their damage and junk in the yards also. Houseboat Row came back nicely after the hurricane, and looked as Keysey as ever. I was there and walked past it every day.

Here's not only a grumpy, disgruntled old fogy, but a grumpy, disgruntled fat old fart fogy who loves Burger King. Three cheers for a Burger King nearer Big Pine! 

God Bless America, The land of the free.

[Problem solver] From a Paul Harvey listener: "Dig a moat the length of the Mexican border.  Use the dirt to raise New Orleans' levees.  Stock the moat with Florida alligators.  Any other problems you'd like me to solve?"

I moved from Big Pine Key to Key West thinking I was making myself a better life. What a mistake that was. I have never lived in a more miserable place, full of hate, greed, and dirt. I'm back on Big Pine and hope some day it will become more respectable and dignified so I can be proud to say I live here, but not yet!

I have big hair, and I can't wait to start doing line dances at the new, improved Looe Key Tiki. And I do stand by my man, all of them.

Its been a week after TNC (The Nature Conservancy) held a public meeting announcing they plan to clear 7 acres of what is left of healthy pineland habitat on BPK--now this. A huge pile of Barbwire cactus, one of two piles, lies in the sun to die on West Summerland Key. The TNC removed it stating it was an invasive species. Isn't Brazillian Pepper invasive? This cactus known as Acanthocereus tetragonus, more commonly called Barbwire or more fondly Dildo cactus is a state listed Threatened species that is protected by the state of Florida. The Nature Conservancy, hmmm? I wonder what would happen if you or I did this?

[Booze is expensive] Gasoline is $3.50 a gallon, an once per drink of alcohol, turns out to be around $224 a gallon at $3.50 a drink. Enjoy it slowly!

[Mosquito Control driver] Slow down and kill them; not try to catch them in Cahill Pines and Palms sub-division. What are you late for dinner? Kudos to the driver last night, or the night before, nice job. Easy goes it.

I don't know about anyone else, but I am more afraid of hearing Al Gore whine than I am about global warming. We may be able to do something about global warming in the long run, but there is nothing we can do for dull Al.

I don't mind people trying to make a living, but those who come to the Keys wanting to make a normal 40 hour living, only working three hours a day, three days a week, six months a year, and do next to nothing besides wait for their paychecks. This is why the Keys will die and the rich will take over.

I have banked with a large chain for years and have been some what satisfied. Learning that there was a local credit union, I thought it would be an opportunity to receive quality service for a bank that catered to locals. Recently I have learned that I was wrong. I had spoken to several people who just passed me along and offered me no help in my situation. I even called the branch manager in Marathon to plead my case. She not only acted as though she did not want to talk to me, she did not ask my name or offer to look at my account.

Quality service from a credit union that is here for the locals--I had it all wrong. What happened to locals helping out locals?  What happened to customer service or better yet, quality service? I think maybe Keys Federal Credit Union should change there mission statement to:” Our employees are here for a pay check and would like to take your hard earned cash”.  

The story of suspected serial killer Carl "Charlie" Brandt will be explored in a 48 Hours Mystery next week on CBS. The program, which airs at 10 p.m. Tuesday on WKMG Channel 6, recounts how Brandt and his wife visited their niece in Seminole County in 2004 and how his deadly slaughter caused authorities to look at him as a suspect in unsolved '

To the person that "fears" that BPK is turning into Disneyisland, fear not.  We don't want gift shops or tourist attractions; we want a Publix and a few decent restaurants.  But if the Hooter's babes want to wear mouse ears, that's OK.

When are we going to have more water pressure?

Editor, I am so glad you posted the unedited version from the person that said (actual spelling) "how many of you people actualy went and saw this gator most of these people on this site whineing...and this is comeing from a 3rd gen conch."  Very scary indeed.  I hope this is not a product of our school system down here.  What an idiot.

[Unedited 3d generation Conch] A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

I agree wholeheartedly with the person complaining about all the cover bands at the Tiki. Let's import bands that play metal, bluegrass, hip-hop, techno, country, baroque, or chamber music. Or how about bands that just appeal to the 20-30 year olds? Why hasn't someone thought of this before?  I wonder if Boondocks can handle the additional people that such a brilliant marketing move would surely bring?

On Monday, someone gave very good advice on the Castle Doctrine.  I too am tactical minded and have countless hours of firearms and legal training.  You do not automatically have the right to kill someone who enters your locked house.  Not only can you be prosecuted, but the civil case will take everything you own.  You must have a legitimate fear that your life is in danger, the bad guy must commit an aggressive act of assault or battery, and he must have the unrestricted ability to carry out his physical threat to you.  Just entering your home does not justify lethal force.

I heard the radio show too.  The Sheriff did not say it was Ok to just kill someone who enters your home.  Bill Becker was trying to get him to say it, and the Sheriff did not bite.  Also, remember this, if your bullet misses, it can travel through several trailers before it stops.  For your neighbor's sake, go to a range and practice on a regular basis if you plan on owning a gun. 

The only reason I am against the chain stores is the trash. We do not have a BK, Mickey D's, or Wendy's within twenty miles of BP, but on a daily basis, I clean up bags and cups from these places.

Don't you people read the newspaper?  Alligators killed three people in Florida last week and not a word from the gator lovers.

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Big Pine is not dying, it's looked the same way for about twenty years or so. There has always been a few buildings vacant. The only difference now is that a few land owners on US1 want to sell.  

Some (brainwashed by the idiot box people) on Big Pine feel as though we need junk food restaurants to feed their ever widening bodies and shopping malls to entertain there children. Maybe they need to move back to a town with all the ugly crap that a lot of people moved here to get away from.

Most chain food restaurants pay minimum wage, serve real crap (frozen stuff that's imported from foreign countries), no locally caught fish and they send all the profits out of town.     

"Is it true that global warming is going to ..."  Yes!  The end is near and we only have ourselves to blame.   We destroy everything we see, touch, smell, feel, hear, and think of.  And, we belch, fart and puke - usually at the most inappropriate times. We are disgusting vile creatures and don't deserve to live.  Viva la global warming!

[Alligator killers] To the person that said "I know all three of the Florida boys Personally. They are not bad people, whatsoever." Since there were 4 involved, which 3 do you know? I have never met any of them, but everyone I have talked to, that knows any of them, says just the opposite of them (and believe me, a lot of people are talking about this). You are on an anonymous message board, touting how nice they are...yeah, really nice people, to do what they did to several birds and a semi-tame alligator. One person I talked to knows one of the older killers, and she said this wasn't the first time he had done something like this. It was just the first time he had been caught. So don't try to lessen the brutality of their crimes. Everyone needs to go to http://favorfloridakeys.com/Petition.htm and sign the petition and mail it in to the organization FAVOR.      

I know they make a cigarette patch. Do they make a beer patch?

Wednesday May 24, 2006

Tuesday May 23, 2006

I just saw the Monday "Waterways" show on channel 19. Why does Mark Knapke, the manager of Ft. Zack State Park need to compromise with uninformed locals who don't understand what seed sources are?  I don't know the whole story, but I think we all need an information blitz about Australian pines and other invasives and perhaps a change in managers, someone who has the balls to do what he knows is best for Fla. and the Keys.

I have a great solution for the folks who are advocating the No Formula Retail ordinance for Big Pine to keep out chains.  I know of some neat little towns in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia where everything is pretty much the same as it was 50 years ago. They can go live there and never have to worry about Wal-Mart coming in, or chain supermarkets, or Home Depot. No tourists, either. Of course, unemployment is 50% and no one has any money, but hey, that shouldn't bother them.

Don't these morons know that many us of moved to Big Pine because there was a chain supermarket and we didn't have to choose between driving a 40 mile round trip to go grocery shopping or having to deal with one of the mom  and pop rip-off places? The only way I would accept a no retail ordinance for BPK is if a majority of registered voters on the island approved it in a referendum. If they pass an ordinance without that, I'm going to sue.

I heard a rumor the Tiki on Looe Key is going Country and Western. That should bring in the huge crowds from as far as Homestead. Can you say Bob's Country Bunker? Line dancing? I sure hope the bands know Rawhide and Stand by your Man. Bring on the big-haired women.

Does anyone know of a way to get a website on the search engines free or very cheep? (Lousy Tech Support: Go to the search engine you want and look for their link to submit your website which is usually at the bottom. There is usually a link for free submissions. You have to submit your sight every month or they'll remove you.)

The only majority that rules in America are those with the majority of the money!

Frankie Ziegler had a few more dogs than she liked people. I hope they are being looked after properly.

This is in response to the uninformed person who wrote that if a cook is overweight, slovenly and crude the food will be too. First off if you will pay anything for good food that leads me to believe that you can't cook yourself and probably don't know what good food is. And if that is the case, unless you are a food critic then you should probably leave the critiquing to the professionals. Secondly, although I will admit being slovenly and crude are not desirable in a cook that doesn't necessarily reflect in their food. And as for being overweight you should take a look at the TV most professional chefs are overweight that is because they eat their food. Myself I would question the ability of a skinny chef first although I believe someone's size does in no way reflect their ability to cook. So I feel that unless you know what you're talking about you should keep your opinions to your self.

[Roberta Castillo]  Anyone know why she left Florida Keys Realty?  I can take a guess.

I just read this whole web site: http://www.undueinfluence.com/nature_conservancy.htm, and I can't really tell which is worse, them or what they are against. They are doing the same thing as any red blooded American company or organized religion does, draining the money and power from the people, and not working for a living.

It's almost hurricane season again and I am feeling anxious and scared like never before. Is it true that global warming is going to create a higher and bigger systems for rating hurricanes past category 5? Scary.

Homeland Insecurity has done its job perfectly. I have never been this scared of my government or other people since I was born.  Are we controlled or what?

Yes, raccoons can remove twist top lids on jars or anything else. They are very smart and nimble and have opposable thumbs. As far as closing your pet door and leaving another small area open-- critters don't know a door from an opening. They all look like doors to the critters. Plug up all holes no matter how small and your troubles will be over.

Good Website For Learning How To Tie Knots.
Animated Knots

http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/self_defense.html   Here is a swell link for you trigger-happy, dumb, drunken rednecks.  Knowledge is power. So is having an arsenal.

[Free Ad: Good luck!] I went to the new nail salon at Big Pine Shopping Plaza.  I got a great pedicure.  Great service and sensible prices.   The name is Best Nail Salon.

[solution for keeping the deer and raccoons out of trash cans]  Don't put food in there that they are after.  Pile up all the veggie & fruit matter for the deer & iguana's, everything else feed to the fish. 

[Each chain store brings a lot more traffic than any other type of business] Let me get this straight. If a chain (maybe a Burger King) located here, tore down the Old Conch & Stein, located their building well back onto the property and used attractive, concealing native landscape and unobtrusive signage it would  bring in a huge amount of new traffic, but comply with the Formula Retail ban.  But, if Billy and Susie Nobody used their life savings to open the same size burger joint called Billy's Burgers and located their building well back onto the property and used attractive, concealing landscape and unobtrusive signage that would be O.K. because they're not a chain and won't increase traffic, but they would comply with a Formula Retail Ban. 

What a lot of irrational foolishness.  Isn't is interesting how far some people (usually grumpy, disgruntled old fogies) will reach into fantasy to concoct infantile arguments to try and support their silly notions.

Thank Dog, somebody's doing something about over population!   http://www.cwfa.org/articledisplay.asp?id=1376&department=CWA&categoryid=life

[Castle Doctrine] My house is my safe haven.  If you have the balls to come into my locked house while I'm there, that means you are threatening my life. I gave you ample opportunity to leave if you still get through the locks, you are intending to do me harm.  I"m going to shoot you. Weapon or no weapon you are in my personal space, I don't have to back down. That's why the law was made. If more criminals thought they could be killed just by going into an occupied house than they wouldn't take the risk. Entering my locked house is enough threat.  There's no way I'm warning them so they can go out and do it to a hundred other people.  No way.  The more they get away with the more they think they can get away with later.     

[Marathon High School Student] I know all three of the Florida boys Personally. They are not bad people, whatsoever. Two of them have been active in the Marathon community since they've been kids. They've done service projects and have helped through many of the hurricane crises. The minor is a personal friend of mine. He was a major component in a large community event that centered on reconstruction of the Halloween activities in Marathon for children who were victims in the destruction of hurricane Katrina. I'm telling you, none of them are bad people; they made a mistake and will take responsibility for their actions just like everyone else. They shouldn't be looked down upon for one action, nor should anyone else.

[Alligator viewing] I've lived here most of my life and even I enjoyed going to the Blue hole to see the gator and the other wildlife. If we had company we always would take them there to see the gator.

[post about the raccoon]18 years ago when I first started coming down to the Keys and camping in a tent I was awakened one night to the sound of the zipper in the front room of our tent.  Not even thinking about who or what was out there, just not wanting all of our belongings to be stolen I unzipped the zipper to the middle section of the tent and quickly popped my head outside the hole to yell at whoever was in the front of the tent. Much to my surprise there was not a person at all, I found myself eye to eye with a raccoon holding an emptied bottle of cooking oil that it had opened and poured all over the place.  I scared off the thing and then I popped my head back in and zipped my side of the tent back up feeling that I could not do anything about the oil then.  The next morning I got out of the tent to find not only had the thing opened the bottle of cooking oil, but our bait cooler too. It threw squid all over the place, gotten into the garbage and many, many other things. 

To sum up the story, not only did we have to put a padlock on the zipper because not just one night of fun was in store because the next night the return of the coon came.  I chased it off then, but the answer is, yes, they can unscrew a can, bottle, unzip a tent, open coolers, pop open pull tab cans or probably anything else a human hand can do. So can their hands.  

[Spam FAXes] How can I stop these faxes from using up my toner and paper? I call the number on the bottom or the fax to remove my number from their list, but it only seems to confirm that the my FAX number is a working number. I went to the do not call web site the government has, but that is only for telephone calls.

Raccoons are almost as good with their hands as monkeys or humans.  Pet raccoons can unlatch their own cages to get out.  Plastic containers are no good even if locked, they can rip or chew through them if determined enough.  Get a metal toolbox or tackle box and put on a combo lock or padlock or you'll keep feeding them.

When I hear the argument that additional stores will bring more traffic to Big Pine’s already horrific traffic problems, I could puke. Since you obviously have the gift of prophesy please let me know about the upcoming hurricane season, gold prices, and will I get lucky tonight? No one knows exactly what will happen, but why would Marathon residents or Key West residents come here to shop at the same stores they have in their respective communities? The people living on islands West of us will still shop where they have in the past here, at Winn Dixie or in Key West. However, Big Pine residents will not have the added expense of driving to Marathon or Key West, thus saving gasoline, time, and reducing their “carbon footprint”. Let’s have the same number and type of stores we had twenty years ago when this island was still considered rural. A place that isn’t growing is dieing.

I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals. --Sir Winston Churchill

I just tried new bar in Key West called Red Fish Blue Fish. It was a nice place with nice people. I think it used to be Billy's. I'm not sure because I never went there. They have great drink specials. Check them out.

Here's a conservative who thinks Hillary (Nanny MacPhee) Clinton should have the chance to run for president. England didn't disappear with Margaret Thatcher and Israel is still there after Golda Meir. Having to work with a conservative congress, Nanny will learn she has to compromise (assuming we don't throw the conservatives out this year and in '08). If that happens things will get interesting, won't they?

Anyone remember Houseboat Row on Key West? The same type of folks whining about US1 being an eyesore on Big Pine are the ones who got rid of one of the most familiar and picturesque landmarks in the Keys. Key West post cards still feature Houseboat Row even though it's been gone for  a few years now. While the land at the end of the airport was empty it wasn't bad but soon as the condos were built across from Houseboat Row the pissing and moaning rose to a fever pitch.

It gripes me when common people can live simply in a funky home that doesn't meet "their" standards. It outraged them that those working poor didn't have to pay taxes because the houseboats technically weren't attached to land. How dare anyone choose a way of life different than what they want! So they bullied, bribed and BSed until they got their officials to get rid of Houseboat Row. They weren't satisfied until the poor were moved out of their million-dollar view. Don't bother going into your long explanations as to why your way is better. We like it here. Things will change gradually as they always do, but keep your sticky fingers the hell out of other people's business.  

More people than we know may have been going to see the alligator. Although I had to hold 2 jobs to meet expenses when living on Big Pine I would still try to get out to Blue Hole 2 or 3 times per week. I was almost never the only person there. As much as it's possible for a reptile to be happy the alligator seemed to be content. Visiting friends from the Great White North always wanted to see the alligator and my kids were used to it being there. It won't be the same Blue Hole without the familiar toothy smile. 

[3rd generation Conch]  I find your passion admirable and your message profoundly interesting.  I like your "never let words stand in the way of communication" attitude. 

If Looe Key is cleaning house, don't stop with just the help. Let's get some new fresh bands in there. Cover bands that play old rock are a dime a dozen and all twelve of those bands seem to play there.

[those that want chain stores never mention the increase in traffic]  "Extraordinary increase in traffic?"  It's obvious you have bought into the nonsense rhetoric that the NIMBY's and "no more new anything" people spew.  Do you really think that if we had, say, a Wendy's here that someone in Homestead would say, "You know, I'm hungry. Let's drive all the way down to Big Pine to Wendy's and get a burger."  Of course not, it's nonsense. Tourists passing through to Key West would stop if it suited them but they are passing through anyway.  You might get some folks from as far away as Ramrod.  The traffic increase stuff is just another load of crapola used by the "no new anything, no change, no improvement" crowd.

If you folks are so worried about extraordinary traffic problems you should be speaking out about the weekend flea market that backs-up traffic for a mile in each direction in high season.

Isn't it interesting that everyone is all upset about the price of gasoline being above $3.00 per gallon but the same people don't mind paying $1.59 for a bottle of water (about $12.72 per gallon) or $3.49 for a small carton of Haagen-Dazs ice cream ($27.92 per gallon). 

[3rd generation Conch] Please go back to school and learn how to write. I could not understand the point you were trying to make. I got lost in the grammar that you see as correct. Your daddy leared you good, huh?

Are there fitness trainers, a gym, classes, or anything like that on Big Pine Key?  I am a mom with two kids under 4, I need to work out and I need someone to watch the kids!  What is there up here (I live on Ramrod) so that I don't have to drive to Key West or Marathon to work out?

Glen Reber on Avenue E please call your Mother.

Tuesday May 23, 2006

Monday May 22, 2006

Sunday a big brown hawk was having a hell of a time bathing in a wheelbarrow I had filled with water beneath my window. I really like living here.

[Restaurants failing] Someone said it right the other day. "Your chef is the most important ingredient." Most restaurants don't have good cooks to begin with. They rely on someone they know or someone who worked in a greasy spoon. Most new restaurants don't know why customers don't return. Mostly it's because of the food.

Look at the cook. If he/she's neat, clean and intelligent looking the chances are that the food will reflect that. If the cook is overweight, slovenly and crude the food will be too. Most people will pay just about anything you ask for good food. I know I will.

[Cucumber is a fruit] Amazing. What a coincidence. So is my neighbor!

[No Chains] I have to speak out. Everyone always complains about traffic on the island, that's everybody! But those that want chain stores never mention the extraordinary increase in traffic that each of those enterprises bring. That's why the Retail Ordinance was passed in the first place. Have you all forgotten? Each chain store brings a lot more traffic than any other type of business. How come no one ever mentions the traffic increase? And if you've been here long enough you know that with such an increase in traffic eventually we'll have more traffic lights too.

It seems like most people on this site would complain if you hung them with a new rope.

When I moved to Key West in the early 70's, for the first few years, all I ever said was, "we need a..." After a while I started to realize that I had everything I really needed as it was. The rest of the people weren't satisfied so they kept saying, "I need..." And they made the town what it is today--Disneyisland. I fear that's what's happening to Big Pine right now. People saying, "I need..." more and more. It's too bad.

[erratic coffee taste] I have vague recollection that the water bill had an insert in it saying that they were going to purge the pipes with chlorine much stronger than before instead of the usual mix.  This is probably why your coffee is different each morning.  Change the filter under the sink with a new one if you are lucky to have one and for a while buy bottled water so you don't have to drink the killer mix.

Test your reflexes ReflexGame.com - The Reflex Tester Game

My wife told me we couldn't afford beer anymore and I'd have to quit. Then I caught her spending $65.00 on make-up. I asked how come I had to give up stuff and not her. She said she needed the make-up to look pretty for me. I told her that was what the beer was for.

How can anybody with any degree of pride and respect for the beauty of this island say that they don't want development on US1 on Big Pine?  Do you not drive the road? It is shameful. Debris, garbage, run down buildings, closed businesses. Development doesn't have to mean commercialism, bill boards, neon signs etc. It can mean well kept buildings, profitable well kept businesses, pride in natural landscape etc. Those who simply want no change and oppose everything will always lose. If you are unwilling to compromise and negotiate for the best possible result others will just ignore your unreasonable and unrealistic position and just do whatever they want.   

The goal should be well kept, profitable businesses that either enhance or blend into the natural beauty of the island NOT the status quo of a run down, dirty and unsightly strip of our island. This is not to say that some of our existing local businesses and business men and women don't follow these goals because many do. There are many good folks who work and run businesses on US1 that agree with this position and do what they can to enhance our island. It is just that there are a large number of others who either just don't care or don't have a clue. Be careful what you ask for...A vote may just prove what people really want on our island which is a US1 to be proud of not ashamed of.

[Clearing the forest] There's nothing we can do about it. If the Fish and Wildlife people are involved it means that one person in authority has made up his mind to destroy pristine forest and nothing will change that person's mind. Sometimes bureaucrats can't see the forest through the trees and we have to suffer their bad decisions.

Dear Mr. Willi, Mr. Symorski, and our Board of County Commissioners,
A government entity such as Monroe County should not be in the building industry. Developers are not in the business of building affordable housing they are in the business of making money ($100 to $200 million dollars on this deal Seahorse Trailer Park and Rowell’s Property.)  Why are you even talking to builders who do not want to build or do not know how to build affordable houses?  

Let us contact non-profits companies that have stated that they can build a 3 bedroom, 2 bath homes for less than $150,000, they are in the business of building real affordable housing. Boca Developers have stated they have no interest in operating or building mobile home parks. You don’t go to the dentist to get your broken leg fixed. 

I agree we need safe housing here in the Keys because of hurricanes and flooding, but not at the cost of losing the unique flavor of what the Keys always have been.  We need balance with our building and growth, not more density 100 non-affordable homes in Seahorse Trailer Park equals 135 market rate condos and homes in Rowell’s. You are making our real affordable housing (mobile home parks) a bargaining chip for unaffordable housing. You are creating a non-existent link between the so called 380 agreements.  Mobile Home Parks and Affordable Housing.

Why are you dealing with Boca Developers under the guise of getting affordable housing for our workforce people? Take this bargaining chip out of the equation.  Mobile home parks can only be used as redeveloped mobile home parks.  No offsite transfer of building rights should be allowed from any mobile home park. Take away the incentive for the Developers.

Mr. Willi we certainly do not need a partnership between the private sector developer and the County.  God help us if that happens; it will be the land of the rich and famous; with our workforce doing a one to four hour drive down US 1 on the JGT bus.

The real reason for the new fire roads around Big Pine is so they can install security cameras in key locations.  It's all part of a larger operation to rid the Keys of drugs and dealers.  Now may be a good time to secure that new homestead in Mexico before the prices soar.

To the person talking about the Castle Doctrine, just because someone breaks into your house or business, etc does not automatically mean they are there to do you bodily harm and does not give you the right to shoot someone. I am all for protecting my family, house, etc with maximum force necessary. you must prove with out reasonable doubt you were in fear for your life, but the person must have a weapon of some sort. If you shoot and kill an unarmed person even if they have broken into your home you will go to jail for many years. I am not a lawyer, but I have had hundreds of hours of training and tactical experience and shoot four to five times a month. Please don't ruin your life or someone else's for a split second of bad judgment.

Always be sure of your target and what lays beyond it. You are personally, morally, ethically and financially responsible for every round you shoot. Never shoot at anything you have not positively identified.

The only type of person that would possibly consider voting for Hilary Socialist Clinton is someone who counts on the government to take responsibility for providing them with shelter, food and any other freebie the government will give them.  Those of us who work hard, support ourselves, take responsibility for our own lives and our own success or lack there of would never vote for her.

Five days in a row and not one article about the demise of Looe Key Resort.  What's going on over there? The new owner's firing everybody and making changes that will kill off the old place.

A raccoon tip from Big Coppitt. The varmints quit bothering my garbage cans after I started placing a metal bucket on the lid. They did tip them over a few times but apparently ran off when the bucket fell and eventually gave up trying.

If you really want to know what The Nature Conservancy is all about, read this:  http://www.undueinfluence.com/nature_conservancy.htm.  Scary.  They won't ever get another dime from me.

One thing about Key West, don't get injured or sick on Sunday's because you will heal up before someone waits on you at the hospital.

[Life's mysteries]  We have a laundry room on the porch, fully enclosed.  There is an opening we made for the cat during hurricane season, but have since blocked it off.  Now we keep our cat food (deli cat) in a plastic container with a screw top lid in that room. Twice now we have found the cat food opened with the lid off and spilled around.  Is a raccoon capable of using its paws to unscrew a lid? There is an opening at the very top of the wall big enough I suppose for a coon to climb thru. What else could it be?

[conspiracy theory] Clearing and burning. Remember the government's primary motive is to control what they call "human weeds". If the brush and trees are preventing a clear view of us from Fat Albert and satellites they must be destroyed. The "big pine" trees were sprayed from helicopters and killed several years ago because they interfered with government snooping. People wondered why the beautiful shady pines all of a sudden turned brown and died. Only a few realized it wasn't mosquito spray they used those times. I challenge anyone to prove otherwise. Huge pine trees a hundred years old spread over several miles don't all just die at once naturally.  

There's a new con going on called Urban Art. It is also known as wall splatter, vandalism de art, sole street, immigrant expressionism, a bunch of other terms that describe the defacing of public and private property by mentally challenged morons. Today, you can get a Federal Grant for $65,000 or more to "improve your artistic techniques". Not on my watch!

Under Florida's Castle Doctrine our sheriff, himself, has green lighted killing the BPK burglar. The Sheriff's Office  thinks he is armed with a handgun so he made the guy a target. I hope to hell someone does kill the little freak now. Even the Simpson's lawyer could get you off after the Sheriff's comments on US1 radio.

[Vote] I agree that on major issues like the retail ordinance and swapping building rights, the people should decide.

[shot a gator with a .22 magnum 9 times in the head]  You obviously don’t know what you were doing and probably shouldn’t be hunting anything.  A .22 is not the gun of choice for gator hunting.  Your method of shooting it in the head nine times with a .22 and tying its leg to a tree isn’t much more humane than the punks with a ball bat.  Save your .22 popgun for squirrels and groundhogs.  Leave the gator hunting to the big boys with a permit and experience. 

If they don't have prescribed burns, the vultures will draw attention to all the Key deer that have starved to death as the result of poor management by Fish and Wildlife.  Think how disturbing that might be for the tourists. Jobs could be at risk. You don't want that, do you?

[The Castle Doctrine]  My property has perimeter and entry alarms and I do keep firearms for personal protection.  It’s a carryover from when I lived in the big city.  I also have many hours of training and range time.  For anyone even thinking about having a gun for home protection I would highly recommend that they read the following books by Massad F. Ayoob.  (Don’t get hung up on the Arab sounding name.)  He has operated a firearms training center in the Southwest for decades and has trained many thousands of law enforcement, military and civilians in every type of firearms use.  The books are:
Armed Response – A comprehensive guide to using firearms for self defense.
In the gravest extreme – The role of firearms in personal protection
The truth about self protection.

The books are available from Amazon.com.  The fact is that an untrained homeowner, not completely familiar or very proficient with a gun, is more of a danger to him/herself and family than to an intruder.  Bottom line:  If you buy a gun get professional advice, take a class, learn to use it, and practice.

[Fat Chick from New Jersey tried to commit suicide by sitting on her toilet with the seat up and flushing it]  Yes, it’s true.  Although the attempt was not successful the tight seal created by her gigantic ass against the porcelain appliance was so tight that a vacuum was created as the water drained from the bowl securely affixing her to the can.  Emergency crews are now working in an attempt, so far unsuccessful, to release her by feeding her massive quantities of prunes. When the prunes finally do take effect it will be the shot heard 'round the world.

You know, what really scares me about living on Big Pine? It's not the snowbirds, the development, the crowd at the Key Deer Bar and Grill, the increasing traffic, the iguanas or the occasional break-in: it is the people who actually defend the actions of a few redneck kids killing an innocent animal for thrills.

New sign for summer.

How come you "no new development" types don't mind banks, credit unions and real estate offices?  You only try to block businesses that would bring employment and benefits to some of the locals.  How many mom & pop places offer health benefits or 401Ks?  What's the real agenda here?  Or is it just that the Keys are controlled by those that benefit from tourists?

[Did I just describe a coward] If you were talking about running toward the USA you were describing an opportunist.

[W/D stock] I'll Trade you shares of Sunny Creek Ostrich Farm stock.

Monday May 22, 2006

Sunday May 21, 2006

[kill the gator with one shot to the head] They must have had those garlic-tipped bullets because I shot a gator on Big Pine with a .22 magnum 9 times in the head, from every angle, and then tied his leg to a tree because I didn't trust him to be dead. I went back a few hours later and he had stretched the rope to its limit. He was dead then; and I ate him. It tasted like veal. (I was expecting chicken.)

[Winn-Dixie Stock $1.47]  I'll trade you some Lucent Technology for your Winn-Dixie stock, one for one.

Who says only a few don't want development on US1? I think there are more people who like things as they are. A decision with such major impact should be put to the vote and let the majority rule. It's the American way. Or, at least, it used to be.

[Fire road] All of a sudden there's a fire crisis? It used to be we had a volunteer fire dept here and when a fire occurred everyone would show up and help in any way they could. We'd do just what the chief would tell us to do. It worked that way for many years to great effect. Now volunteers are no longer allowed. They rely on dedicated trained firefighters to do the job, which is very good, but they should still let volunteers provide added manpower when necessary. They're afraid of getting sued.

[Fruit have seeds] Yes. Tomatoes and cucumbers are fruit.

No Castro=No Problem? Then the Cubans should deal with the zealot and not wait for us to do it for them. Like the old saying goes: I'd rather die fighting for my country than die running away from it. Did I just describe a coward?

Smile, You're a Talking Head [John Derbyshire] OK, follow this closely. Over in Britain, a lawsuit has been going on, Apple Corps Ltd. (the music company started by the Beatles back in 1968) suing Apple Computer Inc., claiming that the U.S.-based computer company has broken a 1991 agreement in which each agreed not to enter into the other's field of business. Apple Corps argues that Apple Computer has infringed its territory by entering the music business. They want the courts to make Apple Computer to drop the apple logo from the iTunes Music Store and pay unspecified damages.

With me so far? Well, BBC TV wanted a talking head to come and give an opinion about the case, so they invited British blogger and journalist Guy Kewney, an expert on Internet music downloads. Guy duly showed up at the studio and sat in a reception area, waiting to be called to go on air. When the call came, though, there was a mix-up in the reception area. The minion sent to get Mr. Kewney got Mr. Kewney's taxi driver instead.

The taxi driver, who didn't know what was going on, was sat down in the studio, had a mike pinned to his jacket, and was then interviewed. He coped quite well. The interview can be watched here .

The cab driver is now, of course, a media star. He may never have to work again.

If you see a short overstuffed sausage trying to grab your nut sac, its probably Montana, the nut sac snatcher.

[I saw my first two white crown pigeons] Nah, they were Hoboken Eagles, getting out of the north before the new ice age starts.

According to the Citizen, our insurance will go up 21%. That's still an "Ouch!", but not as "Ouch" as the proposed 50+%.

I agree with paying your chef more money (if he/she is worth it) I know my favorite little pub recently lost their talent and the food is not the same. I guess I have to find another good place to have lunch.

The TNC's response to the fire lane letter mentions again and again safety, safety, safety of the public concerning wildfires. Hmmm, when was the last time we actually had a wildfire? Sounds like a rosy cover-up line for the truth which is more prescribed burns in the future. More dead turtles, deer, birds, reptiles, insects and forest itself especially pine trees. This was well demonstrated with the '03 and '04 burns that left huge swaths of dead trees on Sugarloaf, Cudjoe and large areas on Big Pine Key.

No, it was not all hurricane damage for you newcomers. So here it is in a nut shell. We are clear cutting acres of pristine forest so we can make food for wildlife? What about all the poisonwood trees that are coming down that feed the White Crowned Pigeons? Maybe the increased food supply the TNC was speaking of are all those dead animals, surely the vultures will be pleased. In fact the image of vultures sitting in all those dead trees seems to be the picture the TNC is painting for all of Big Pine Key. Perhaps they should reconsider their logo. (Ed: That was not the official response of TNC. I misread Saturday's letter to be official, but I was wrong. It was sent by an employee who lives on Big Pine and who has lived thru forest fires in anther state and writing as a worried private citizen. I recognized his name as being in the employ of TNC, but failed to notice that the email address was his own and not TNC's.)

[Couch accent]  I think my husband has this.  He wasn't born there but he has spent most of his life there. 

Anyone who frets about whether or not rhubarb is a vegetable probably is one.

[Why can't they cut down the "kindling" and leave the living things there to continue to grow]  Because that would make sense and when have you known any government agency to make sense?

[Hurricane Shelter]  Why should I dole out $8000 plus on one of these, when I have a perfectly good washing machine I can hide out in? As long as I don't plug it in, I should be OK.

Now about the new "roads" into virgin habitat...I think it's really nice that they are suddenly so concerned about our lives and safety (yeah, right)  But I have this sinking feeling that they have something else in mind as well, ulterior motives as it were. 

Why is this so important all of a sudden? What are they going to do next? What is really going on?  Many of you Piners have been here a lot longer than I and are a lot more creative than I am; do you have any idea?  Can we do anything about it? Think quick, kids, the bulldozers arrive on June 12th.

[Winn-Dixie stock price per share $1.47]  Not even close.  Winn-Dixie is now traded only on the Pink Sheets and the last price was $0.38. Ticker symbol WDIXQ.

[Why doesn't someone just open up a mom and pop fast food establishment]  Because Mom and Pop don’t have $600,000 or $700,000 for a piece of land and another $750,000 to $1 million for the permitting, architectural planning, mitigation and endless studies required by the County, construction, landscaping, equipment, furnishings and start-up costs.  That’s the whole problem.  No one but an established corporation with heavy financial resources will ever be able to afford to re-develop a piece of property on Big Pine.  Sure, some people have tried to open a business here but as evidenced by the failure of Conch & Stein and House of Music (and a couple of others not far behind) it’s not possible to try to re-hab an already failed business in a rundown structure and try to run it on a shoe string, Mom and Pop budget.   

[Fire roads] Why the hell would the wildlife people do another dumb thing? That area has made it this long, OK?

[inconsistent taste when making coffee] Do you use the tap water when you make your coffee?

Cucumber is a fruit.

Roberta Castillo is now with Century 21 Prestige Realty on Big Pine Key. Business Directory>Realtors

[Coffee taste different every time I brew it] I had the same problem until I got my Melitta “One-on-One” coffee brewer that uses pre measured "Java Pods".  You can find them easily online at www.Melitta.com    I order my re-fills on-line as well.  The coffee is slightly more expensive per cup but the quality and consistency is worth it.  They also offer a variety of blends, some with flavors.  They also have tea ‘pods’ for the tea lovers.  Try it, you’ll like it.

Mississippi and Alabama have Joined Florida and Georgia by signing into law the Castle Doctrine.  The bill states that if a criminal breaks into your home, occupied vehicle or your place of business, you may presume he is there to do bodily harm and may therefore use any force necessary against him.  Furthermore, the Castle Doctrine provides protection from criminal prosecution and civil litigation for those who defend themselves from criminal attack.

Sunday May 21, 2006

Saturday May 20, 2006

US Fish and Wildlife Service had a meeting on Thursday night.  They are planning to cut new fire roads into virgin pineland around the perimeter of Eden Pines Subdivision and Pine Heights, near the blue hole.  These roads will be 18- 20 feet wide. There will be 3 miles of this clearing of native habitat to be done in June.  This will result in the loss of 7 acres of pine rockland habitat.  Anyone who abuts the refuge in the east side of Eden Pines or lives on the north side of Coconut Palm Dr. will have a road  instead of pine forest behind their property. The two houses on acres will have a fire road on two sides of their property in addition to the existing roads.

This is in an area where there was little or no impact from Wilma's storm surge and all the trees are healthy.  This will clear 7 acres of the highest pineland (out of 17 acres) in  the Keys. This land is 7-8 feet above sea level.  The dead trees everywhere else will not be cut down.  This plan is endorsed by The Nature Conservancy, who had a lot to do with it.

[Nature Conservancy's Response] To set the record straight about the fire lines on Big Pine Key. The fire lines are being put in to protect the life and property of the residents of Big Pine and to help the fire fighters that have to protect the life and property of the residents of Big Pine in case there is a wildfire. These are not going to be roads, but strips of land 16 feet wide that have had the pine trees and tall shrubs removed to slow or stop the travel of a wildfire.

They are very effective in the protection of the peoples' homes. They also help to make the areas more usable for emergency vehicles responding to structural or wildfires. They will be blocked off at each end with locked gates or wooden barricades that can only be opened in an emergency.

The removal of pine trees and tall shrubs will increase the abundance of lower shrubs, forbes(?), and native grasses. This should increase the usable food for wildlife. Also a large amount of Non-native Brazilian pepper is going to be removed in the creation of the fire lines, this should add to the quality of the habitat that surrounds the fire lines.

Regarding the standing dead pines: The dead pines are not as flammable as the lower shrubs and small trees. I'm sorry if you don't like the look of the dead pines but the USFWS are not landscapers. There is a lot of wildlife value to dead standing trees. Woodpeckers, raptor perches and homes for an assortment of other critters. 

It appears TNC has lost its vision of conservation and sold out to people who have nothing better to do than destroy our forest. Your logic in clearing this forest is illogical. I don't subscribe to any part of it.

This Sunday, May 21, there will be a celebration of Rick Reasin's life at Mangrove Mama's MM20 from 3-6pm. Please bring along some stories and photos.

Key West already has a Duck Ave. Maybe they should rename Petronia Street, Chicken Street! Cluck, cluck.

[a lot of us like the Keys to look funky] Sure, things change, but the way they are changing is for the good of the newbies, which isn't very nice for folks who moved here years ago because we liked the place as it was. All you newbies think about is yourselves, your ocean view, your egos, and making money. The Keys were never for that, they were for a get-a-way hideout, but as I said, things change; usually for the worse.

Hurricane supplies will not be taxed from Sunday to midnight on June 1. I wonder if Generators are exempt?

If you're going to open a restaurant down here you must realize that your most important ingredient is your chef. Without him/her your food won't work. The chef must be paid enough money so he can live comfortably or else he'll leave and there goes your reputation for good food. I've seen so many restaurants close because of this. The owners didn't know that almost anyone can cook, but only a chef can do it well.

I think I know where all the low life folks from the House of Music have gone.  They were in Marathon at the “Bash at the Bridge” Thursday night.  Looking at the crowd, you could tell there would be no street crime in Marathon that night. Also, I think the only thing larger than John Bartus’ stomach is his ego.

Is it true that the Fat Chick from New Jersey tried to commit suicide by sitting on her toilet with the seat up and flushing it?

I saw my first two white crown pigeons Friday.

This video is from a Dallas news broadcast. Watch the small desert lizard on the left side of the table and listen to the discussion.  This news guy will never live this down, that's for sure! Lizard Video

To the person advocating that I be skinned and made into slippers: I will hunt you down, bite off your nut sac and then eat it. Yours truly, Montana the dog.

[Breeding for God...Japan is over-run with old people] That's precisely why they have learned to cut down on breeding. There's no room to grow food, to live, to even crap over there. They can't kill off everyone over 40, but they'd like to, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to start with the religious radicals who do nothing for this rock except take from others and breed more mindless "followers".  

A petition to remove the other alligator from the Blue Hole?  I've got news for you buddy.  The other gator has left the Blue Hole, since his mate was killed.

And you say people want to ruin a couple of kids' lives for doing what Florida boys do--eat alligators?  Your take on this is so twisted.  Their killing of the gator, and birds, was a thrill kill, and nothing more.  They took a little of the meat to a party a couple nights later, along with part of the carcass, just to show off what they had done.  Most of the edible parts wound up in the ocean in Marathon.

You do the crime, you do the time.  It's that simple.  No one has ruined their lives; they possibly have done it to themselves.  And by the way, they're not kids, they're 18 and 19 (almost 20).

[DaVinci Code] Not fiction but faction.  I haven't seen the movie; however, the book brings to light the oppressive nature of the Catholic Church--especially of women.  Having been raised Catholic and having attended Catholic school for twelve years, I am intensely aware of the church's perception of my role as a woman.  The covert lessons are most dangerous and most difficult to undo.  I'm no longer comfortable raising my children in the Church under the guise of tradition.  My conscience is clear.  Imagine what we could get done around here if we took that hour per week spent in church and used it in valuable service to others?  Separate morality from crap and that's what you're left with:  service to others.

[he's back] I was with a group of friends and we wanted to go somewhere for lunch.  Rob’s was suggested and, against my better judgment and being out-voted, I deferred to the group.  I requested a BLT.  What I got was three slices of tomato so thin that you could read a newspaper through them, a piece of lettuce that didn’t even cover the toast and one slice of over cooked bacon cut in half (one half on each side of the cut sandwich).  No one was too impressed with their meal either.  We had to nearly beg for refills of our beverages.  Another one bites the dust!

[Rhubarb is a vegetable. Fruit have seeds] Are you saying that vegetables don't have seeds?  What about Cucumbers?

[Those boys were just being Florida boys.] This is the whole point, those brats are out of control like every miss-raised offspring is in Florida. They're parents should do the time along with them. Better yet, just cull their DNA once and for all!

[Conspiracy theories are mere entertainment] Let's try Nixon's Watergate, John Kennedy, WW1, WW2, Exxon.  Yeah, they're all entertainment.

[If Dan Quayle was Bush's vice president]   That's easy. Dumb and Dumber! They probably would  get reelected by the southern vote.

[English] Yes the Government is going to make that the American official Language. It's about time.  If you live in the U.S.A. learn the correct language. Many people came from different countries in the past and they learned the English that is spoken in America;  be it with a New York, Boston, Virginian, or even Couch accent. They are American.

[Alligators are beautiful] dangerous, been here unchanged for 30 million years, eat anything, only crap where they don't sleep and don't bother anyone unless you bother them or look good enough to eat. Now for humans. We destroy everything they see, touch, smell, feel, hear, and think of. Who's the bad guy here?

Kmart is open in Key West and it is nice!

[Idea of the Day] Why doesn't someone just open up a mom and pop fast food establishment with a drive thru? That way it will be a local business and everyone that wants it, will get their fast food.

[“We can't let the few who want no change ever to let their whining voices be the loudest.”]  A voice of reason rises up in a cacophony of NIMBYists.

“Once the sun goes down, all the weirdos turn crazy!” --Homer Simpson

A recent update:  According to the Winn-Dixie web site “...it has become relatively clear that there is no substantial likelihood of a meaningful recovery for existing shareholders under a plan of reorganization— meaning that existing holders of Winn-Dixie common stock will probably receive little or no value for their stock when the Company emerges from Chapter 11 (bankruptcy).”  They have also recently announced the closing of an additional 35 stores.  As yet, no store closures affect locations in the Keys. (Stock price per share $1.47.)

Empty as usual...

Alligator killers.  [“Those boys were just being Florida boys.”]  No, they weren’t.  When the “Florida boys” would go gator hunting, in many cases to help feed the family, they would kill the gator with one shot to the head.  Not kill a few protected birds, lure the gator with them, shoot its eyes out with a pellet gun and bludgeon it to death with a ball bat.  The outrage about this killing is not so much about the poaching of a gator but because of the unjustifiably cruel way it was done.  If they had just wanted to poach a gator they could have driven up to the glades and shot one and been done with it.  They chose to beat a protected gator to death in a protected habitat area with total disregard for anything but their own sick desire for excitement and to impress someone.  This is evidenced by the picture they so proudly posted on the internet that will, if there is any justice, help get them convicted and sentenced to fullest punishment allowable.

No one but themselves can ever be said to be responsible for ruining their lives.  I read that one of them is in the military.  He will likely be dishonorably discharged in addition to the civilian penalties--rightfully so.  Hopefully, this whole sordid affair will send a message to some other young, thrill seeking punk that this type of behavioral violence is not a good way to look like a big shot or attract attention. 

Saturday May 20, 2006

Friday May 19, 2006

[Parrotdise Bar & Grill should be right next to the Overseas Highway, then it would do some business]  Where have you been?  Certainly not at Parrotdise lately.  I go there frequently and can tell you that even now, during the off-season, they do a respectable lunch business, have a steady dinner business and usually have a full house on weekend nights.  Continued improvements, attractive remodeling in process, good drinks and good food will increase business even more.  Last "season" you had to wait 40 minutes for a table on weekends.  Oh, look, it’s almost happy hour.  Gotta run!

Does anyone have a solution for keeping the deer and raccoons out of trash cans?  I awoke again this morning to find trash and garbage strewn across the road.  I have tried getting new cans with tighter lids and using bungee cords to secure them. I’ve tried splashing ammonia in the cans thinking the strong fumes would discourage them and also tried sprinkling cayenne pepper in and on top of the cans.  Nothing seems to work.  I’m not a morning person and I don’t really want to have to get up at 4:30 a.m. twice a week to haul a can to the roadside.  Reasonable suggestions short of firearms would be welcome.

[Reporting from the great frozen north] The beer is cold, the chicks are hot and there are no iguanas or Key Deer, but plenty of sluts.

[web cam. Ed falling off the roof]  Would the partner in crime be filming it for historical documentation or hysterical documentation?

Angel's 11th Hatch Day

OK. Enough already! You want to ruin a couple of kids' lives for what Florida boys have done for generations--eat alligators. Well, screw that! My friends and I are gathering petitions to have the last gator removed from the Blue Hole as a danger to people. In light of the recent attacks, I'll bet we are successful too. Now tell your precious little demon spawn what happened to that gator as well. Those boys were just being Florida boys.

I heard a rumor that there was a new band forming in the Keys called "Opus Dei and the Knights." I sure hope they can play "Shout."

To the individual recognizing that "the sky is falling" segment of those living on Big Pine being foolish and shortsighted. You are directly on point!  Folks, a cleaned up US1 and a few well run, clean businesses will only help the island.  We can't let the few who want no change ever to let their whining voices be the loudest. Controlled growth with plenty of input from us on Big Pine is the way to assure that what does come here is aesthetically pleasing and enhances the island.  Deteriorating buildings, businesses that are either closed or should be and junk on the side of the road don't do anything to enhance any of our ways of life or the beauty of this island.

Sorry to disappoint, but Parrotdise is not allowed to build any outside dinning because of their setbacks.

Did anybody go to the meeting Thursday about the fish and wildlife "fire protection" thing?  I hear they are going to cut roads through the little native habitat that's left (at least the part that still has living trees on it).  Why can't they cut down the "kindling" (you know, the dead pine trees) and leave the living ones there to continue to grow?

Excellent article in Thursday's Key West Citizen (http://www.keysnews.com/314244896969245.bsp.htm) by Mandy Bolen on the alligator poaching case.  The state attorney's office needs to prosecute these guys to the fullest extent of the law, with no plea bargaining to lesser charges.  Go to http://www.favorfloridakeys.com/Petition.htm and sign the petition and mail to FAVOR, P.O. Box 431840, Big Pine Key, FL  33043-1840.  It doesn't matter where you are from, as these crimes were committed in a National Wildlife Refuge at a tourist attraction.

I saw yogurt spelled yoghurt here.  I checked the packages in my refrigerator and they all say yogurt, no "h".

I sure hope that photo of the American flag isn't the one flying on Big Pine. If so, it needs to be replaced and done quickly too. No one wants to see our flag in tatters. If you need a new one just ask for some bucks to replace it.

Dock bumpers are those things swinging out around the gunwales of a rental boat while underway.  Fenders are the inflatable rubber cushions that prudent boaters carry to be placed alongside the vessel during a period of potential chafe, such as when docking the boat at Parrotdise.

Why yes, Hawaii has mountains, but they don't have shelter's in the mountains to escape to. Most areas in Hawaii are significantly above sea level, so flooding isn't so much an issue, except coastal cities/towns.  Another problem; you get battered by stronger winds in the mountains, like a friend of mine that lived in the Bahamas when they were hit by a hurricane several years ago and they were in the mountains.  Their house was destroyed and they had to leave during the storm, while lower lying houses were untouched.  I can't believe you used the guy that died in his boat as an example of someone who died in a hurricane.  First of all, throughout world history, death comes to those who are stupid. I believe that he was drunk also. Survival of the fittest! 

We don't have the land mass to produce strong tornados that can sustain themselves long enough to do severe damage, like what happened to Homestead with Andrew.  You are just trying to scare people, but the most important thing is: that it's the individual's choice.  Like many long time residents, I will stay, that could change depending on the storm, but if a storm comes that is like all the rest we have had in the last 12 years, I will stay. 

"...more people are driven insane through religious hysteria than by drinking alcohol." --WC Fields

I think it might be a good idea if everyone carried a bottle of liquor around with them and whenever someone uses the "H" word (hurricane) they should be forced to take a penalty swallow.  Maybe then people would learn to relax and accept the fact that we have exactly the same chance this year as every year in past history to be impacted by a h-------e, no more, no less.   Relax, prepare for the worst and rejoice if we get anything less than the worse.  That way, everybody else can enjoy life without hearing about h--------s constantly.

One of the best-kept secrets (until now) in the Lower Keys is Five Brothers Two, behind the mini-golf resort at Boondocks on Ramrod Key. Terrific food at terrific prices served by terrific people.

Relax.  Eventually, the "Sandman" burglar will be caught, killed or captured.  There are numerous security cameras in and around many private homes throughout the area.  I know because I installed them.  Either that or someone will end up killing him in their home.  It's inevitable if he keeps it up.  Just ask Don at "Jigs" how many people have purchased guns from him.  The best defense is to have a dog and motion lighting all around the house.  That way, he will hit somewhere else.

[Is Darren Bell the one that ran over Debbie Borges on her bicycle] No, Mr Bell unfortunately hit a car on Pine Channel and the lady died leaving behind small children.

The man who hit Debbie was not charged with any traffic infractions. She (Debbie) was not crossing at the light, on BPK, and the FHP ruled it an accident.

On a lighter note, Debbie's daughter Samantha will be graduating next Friday night from Key West High School. She was a recipient of a Take Stock in Children Scholarship and credits her many friends and Take Stock Mentor Jack Murphy for helping her reach her goals in school and life (so far).  I would like to thank everyone in our great communities who have helped out the last couple of years. You know who you all are, you have made a difference, and I love you very much. I am very proud of the lady Sam has become (I know her Mom is too), I am happy she had such a great place to call home.

Allowing your pet to crap anywhere without taking the bag used to pick it up, is simply disgusting and rude.  The law providing for a "fine" is unenforceable, therefore unnecessary. 

The DaVinci Code opens today (Friday) and the Catholic Church has it's shorts in a bunch. It's a work of fiction folks. Just like the Bible.

Whatever there reason Mr. Reasin expired need not be dragged through the mud.  His passing is the main subject only to those who want to gossip.  Sometime sickness overcomes us to a capacity we are not able to accept.  It is not a selfish act nor a cowardly one, it is simply a choice.  Please just deal with support and not have to know every detail of every minute and reason.  There is a hurting woman here and she is the one who needs help; send a card and swallow your questions.

Rhubarb is indeed a vegetable, and a very tasty one too!  Ever had real rhubarb pie?  Unreal!

[Parrotdise Bar & Grill should be next to the highway]  Ya, guys. Why don't you put some wheels on it and roll it closer to the highway?

[The Electrians Who Care]  A Douglas Bell Electrician came over and hooked-up our new Generator and was kind enough to slowly explain the process to me. Being clueless about the whole procedure really eased my generator anxiety and stress.  That was above and beyond his duty and I hope that the nice, blonde guy received the gift certificate I sent him showing my gratitude.  They're the Best. Business Directory>Electrician

There are almost never any successful conspiracies.  Conspiracy theories are mere entertainment, at best.  The following is a quote from Sonny Barger, founder of  "The Hell's Angels" :  "Three people can keep a secret as long as two of them are dead."

I wouldn't worry to much about the government listening into your phone calls. If its run as efficiently as other government programs they will probably just send out a flyer for you to fill out asking who you talk to and why.

That Chocolate Pot de Crème at Parrotdise is the bomb during a certain time of the month.  Holy Jesus!

I feel like a light just went on. The ranting from the long winded poster bashing successful (greedy rich) people are that of an educator. I just have a few words of advice for you. First, get off the couch and stop  living your life through books and movies. They are fictional, not real life. Second, stop whining and make something of yourself before it's too late. If someone can't be successful in this country it's no ones fault but their own. Blaming others for your failures is immature. And finally, if you're still teaching, stop polluting young minds with this liberal rubbish. You don't want these kids to grow up and feel as bad about themselves as you obviously do, now do you?

[Breeding for God] Every living thing on this planet is set up to reproduce whether it knows about God or not. Do you suppose there may be some isolated little folks living in the Rain Forest all to themselves even now? And if we could get a peek I'll just about guarantee they are having babies back in there, and don't know a darned thing about God.

Reproduction is natural. There are some creatures that kill their own progeny but it's not the usual and not nature's way. Regardless of what your opinion of God is if we keep killing our unborn babies it stands to reason we will run short of young people to work and perpetuate society. It has already happened in Japan. They are over-run with old people and don't have enough young workers to care for them.

Bumpers. You know; like the ones the water cops throw over to avoid bumping your boat.

[a lot of us like the Keys to look funky, so you'll just have to live with  that]  That's pretty presumptuous on your part don't you think?  All we have to do is elect the right people into office and we can have what we  want and you will just have to live with that.  By the way, your "I got mine, screw you no new development attitude" is the reason that only the self-serving greedy rich can afford homes in the Keys.  It's called supply and demand.

Friday May 19, 2006

Thursday May 18, 2006

Please Publix, come to Big Pine] One problem remains, the same people will still work there.

Could be the people who go ballistic when some of us say we would like to keep the small-town charm of the Keys are the same crowd who holler communism every time there's a post in favor of worker housing. The narrow minds are those who expect others to automatically accept their own "vision" of what the modern developed Keys should look like.

It would be nice if there were one pineapple farm and one charcoal kiln left for historical reference, but people need to build for a place to call home. that includes all the people who want to come live and work in the Keys, not just the privileged rich. We like fast food sometimes and it's handy, but go in a burger joint in D.C. and one of the same chain in L.A. and it looks identical and tastes the same.

I'd like to be a fly on the wall watching some of these folks go nuts when they read the Gossip Page. Just settle yourself. Nobody wants to go back to cooking with charcoal, (except on the grill) and most of us would enjoy perhaps one or two chain restaurants for variety. The point is a lot of us like the Keys to look funky, so you'll just have to live with that. Pop a couple of your relaxation pills and chill out.

I keep seeing all those people threatening to shoot the burglar. The problem remains--the residents are asleep and the thief is very silent. Your cannons aren't worth much if you're macho asses are asleep; are they?

There was a movement by many countries to distribute birth control methods to their over populated areas. Why it didn't work: because the people were brainwashed by organized religion to believe they have to breed for God. All they are doing is supplying fodder for the power mongers and the war machine profiteers.

[Clogged cheese and bread isle it W/D] I couldn't agree more. What nitwit put those new displays in the center of the busiest aisle in the store? If we can get past that then we have to try and go around the stockperson's cart while they unload the yoghurt.

If Flip Flop Bob would just skin Montana, he could make a nice pair of slippers and his break would heal quicker.

[The Movies] Did you ever notice that the black guy is always the first one to be killed by the slasher? You'd think that the movie people would have noticed that by now and at least killed the Mexican first.

[ask a veteran of WWII what they think about War] I did, and most say it should be the politicos and business rulers that should fight their own battles for profit and power. A few like to kill, and that's the sad part.

[Burglary Paranoia]  This person has one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow and is pissing all over today.  Oprah who?

What a big splash for The DaVinci Code movie. It's being released in France with one of the biggest fanfares to date. Amongst all the hoopla is a concerted effort to diminish the film's impact by negative segment publicity like, "Albinos against the movie" and of course the Catholic Church. Opus Dai is even giving tours to the media to debunk any myth about their secrecy and purpose. The Louvre has even opened its doors to the media to show that the new (horrendous) pyramid covering the entrance has  more than 666 glass panes.

[stopped at a Publix store] That's nice and what part of Hawaii do you live on? It sure ain't the freaking Keys' Publix Stores.

I seriously thought that the hurricane shelter at Skeeters was a joke. It looks like a modified barrel to go over Niagara Falls in. What if you have it strapped down and the water comes up over the top and stays for longer than 12 hours? RIP 

Amen to the suggestions on the outdoor smokers section at Parrotdise. (Ed: They already have Full Service out on the Beach)

Rhubarb is a vegetable. Fruit have seeds.

[Bar top wood] My memory is a little foggy on some things. Some of the wood was from Sunshine Key and some from Sugarloaf Key. The wood was actually collected and cleaned by my neighbor at the time. His name is Mike and his wife is Patti who was long time bartender at Coconuts. She might even still be there; its been a couple of lifetimes for me! The small, square 4-top tables with riser for pizza were built from the same lumber.

It just so happened that they tore down the catwalks and stacked the boards on the roadside at same time I was remodeling the Pub (imagine that). We were knocking down the walls to make one big room and building the bar with the help of many good friends. We never stopped serving cold beer thru the project!    --RoyBoy

Parrotdise Bar and Grill has made great strides forward.  They have the knowledge, dreams, and plans for outdoor dinning, areas for smoking, decks with beautiful views.  What they also have is the Monroe County permitting and all the red tape and waiting periods to go through.  Have patience and you'll see.

Is this Darren Bell person the one that ran over Debbie Borges on her bicycle? I couldn’t find the info using the clues you gave and if he is the one, I will definitely wish to be there but don’t know where there is, what time, etc. If not, what ever became of the driver that hit and killed Debbie?

[The Sandman Burglar heard on the news yesterday that 6 homes in Sands have been robbed while people were inside them. They said they suspect he might also be carrying a handgun. This guy is very bold and doesn't care if you are home. He's defiantly going to care if he pries my door open; and, yes, I'll wait till he does before pulling both triggers.

[show your ignorance regarding verbiage, it figures you have to be a Republican]  Congratulations!  I knew that my rhubarb comment would draw at least one thin skinned, name calling liberal out of the weeds.

People have died in the recent hurricanes.  Last year, during Hurricane Dennis, a boat tied up at a dock on Stock Island sank and the occupant got stuck in the forward cabin and died.  Second, Hawaii has something called mountains!  They block wind and I've never heard of a 1,000 ft storm surge.  Let's not forget about those spinning things called tornados.  I have yet to see a cement house survive a tornado.  And did I mention there is no fire, EMS, police, or even an open hospital during the storm? Last, who in the hell came up with the idea of a floating tin can for a hurricane shelter?  You've got to be kidding me! 

I went to see Rocky Horror Picture Show last night at the Red Barn theater and it was fantastic. Thanks Marsha, good idea. "Let's do the Time Warp again."

I don't think Lesley Reasin will be looking on this site for condolences.  Her address is in the phone book and a card would be nice.  Especially because no one signs their Kudos and Whiners so she wouldn't have an idea on whom you are.  This is an awful thing to go through and she will need much support to get to a point in her life that she can function.  She was married to him a long time and they were very close.  When we have problems in life it isn't always an easy thing to overcome and without support it makes it even harder.  Give them both credit for all they have done and her support to carry on.

[Alligators are beautiful animals]  Actually, they're pretty damn ugly and very dangerous.  And humans (some anyway) are probably the only mammal stupid enough not to realize that.  But they do have one quality that some humans apparently relate to.  They have a brain the size of a pea, making them equal in intelligence to those who love them.

Can you imagine some guy going 90 mph on US1 with these balloons trailing about a few yards behind him?
 
Instructions for a fun time on the interstate: Step 1. Tie balloons to car. Step 2. Drive like a bat out of hell. Step 3. Watch people freak out.

I hope the person who has been burglarizing Sands Subdivision stays off Ramrod Key.  Most of the people I know who live on this island own guns and know how to use them.  Some of us aren't afraid to use them and can shoot straight too!  What a pity to have to kill a desperate "crackhead", stupid enough to break into an occupied home.

[Hurricane evacuation] Yeah, but Hawaii has mountains they can go to. You can't really compare us to them.

[Parrotdise Bar and Grille improving the boat dock, adding an awning etc]  Be patient.  They have many plans for continued improvements and additions that include your suggestions.  But they, like everyone else, have to struggle through the County permitting process.  It just takes time. 

http://www.nbc.com/nbc/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/fruitcake_lady/

Put bumpers on your own boat and quit complaining about Parrotdise.

[Web Cam] Your flag is attempting an escape.  If you repeat your previous performance (falling off the roof) have a partner in crime standing by with the video cam for historical documentation.

It used to be that made-up characters like Ebenezer Scrooge, Mr. Potter (from It's a Wonderful Life) and Mr. Burns, (from The Simpsons) were exaggerated examples of greedy money-grubbing hogs, but darned if they haven't come to life as real people. At least according to some of the posts you read here.

Working people with different priorities to them are "dim-witted" and "failures". My God. Potter said the same thing about the people in the town of Bedford Falls. He thought George Bailey was a fool for wanting to help the poor get a home. These trolls are too far gone to realize that millions of folks, less well-off than they are, work many times harder under tougher conditions.

People in other countries dislike America because we hog so much of the world's resources and bully people around with our vaunted military. It's an easy way to soothe what little conscience may be lurking way back in their cold, calculating brains to just think of those people as dim-wits; Peons you step over on your way to "success". Greedy people to me are a cipher. Their heart is small and cold, and in the scheme of humanity they count for little except to be pitied.   

Hey, friends! How's it going down at Mako?

[Test] Put your senses to the challenge.  BBC - Science & Nature - Human Body and Mind - Body - Senses Challenge

Most conspiracy theory’s have two major flaws. 1. That the government is competent enough to pull it off.  2. And the government won’t leak the information. Imagine the combo if Dan Quayle was Bush's vice president?

Can anybody put an end to all the rumors about Mr. Reasin and tell me what happened?  He was my accountant years ago and seemed to be happy with his retirement, life and wife.  I have been checking all the local newspapers online and I have yet to read anything about his untimely death.  It is really hard for me to believe that this is not some sort of horrific accident.  Mrs. Reasin must know that even though people down there like to bitch, piss and moan, that she does live in a community that does pull together in a time of need and that they are there for her in what ever she may need. May he rest in peace. (Ed: Bill Becker reported on US1 radio's Morning Magazine that Rick shot himself)

[shopped at Publix on the mainland] Go back to the mainland and stay there. That way our lines will be shorter here. How about that?

[Web cam] It looks like the flag is about to let go!  What will we watch if it fly's away?  Who will replace it? Big Pine TV

[cop and military TV]  No, I watch PBS all the time and I love it.  I'm just glad that my tax dollars are finally going to something worth while instead of Sesame Street and stupid nature shows.

A double barreled sawed off 12 gauge makes a great little home defense weapon.

[Dock Bumpers] What the hell are bumpers? I'd suggest you get yourself a couple of large fenders for your boat.

Now that Hurricane talk is back in season.  I would like to emphasize to the County officials to please send a letter to corporations and businesses (especially in Marathon) what mandatory evacuation means.  After Wilma, our boss wanted everyone back the following day. Even though the winds were still blowing I had to cross the 7 Mile Bridge scare sh*tless, live in my van till I found a new apt and still go to work so I could stay here.  He was also upset that by that Thursday those who did evacuate weren't back to work, (the county had just allowed people back in). At what cost do employers expect employees to sacrifice their families? How will the County help?

The Parrotdise Bar & Grill should be right next to the Overseas Highway, then it would do some business! (?)

Thursday May 18, 2006

Wednesday May 17, 2006

Flip Flop Bob needs to wear shoes and maybe he wouldn't have broken his foot.

[Those Hurricane shelters] Do they float? How much air do they hold? What does the insurance cost for one? Can I get a Home Owners Insurance discount if I buy one? Do they come with a Bar Option?

[Microsoft, the largest company in America] Microsoft is not the largest company in America, the Federal Government is.

[No Name Pub's bar] The bar is covered with planks from the walkway on a bridge in Summerland Key when they built the new bridges in the 80's. Definitely not the Old Wooden Bridge which was torn down in the 60's or 70's.

Architect and engineers compete to see whose team can build the most spectacular structure using little more than cans of food at Canstruction, the 13th annual NYC Design and Build competition in New York.

Letting your pet crap on someone else's property is a $100 fine. If the pet is running free, it's another $100, and you can, humanly, take the beastly pooper to the pound. That's the law.

Once again what is your problem?  The lady with the blonde mullet cut at Walton's pet store in Big Pine needs an attitude adjustment.  She is just down right rude or an unhappy person!  How do you stay in business?

My condolences to Leslie the wife of Rick Reason who passed away Monday.

Don't get mad, a great many of you Yankees don't know what we call fish down here.  If you aren't using the Latin names for the fish it is, "When in Rome."

A few days ago I was on the mainland and on my return I stopped at a Publix store on an impulse and stocked up on all my non-perishable kitchen and grocery items.  What a pleasure it was to shop there.  Wide, uncluttered isles, a wonderful selection of everything, no excessive long lines waiting to checkout, a polite and friendly English speaking checker and an equally friendly and helpful bagger who, when finished sacking my groceries actually asked me if he could help me to my car with my groceries.  What a pleasure.  It made a mundane chore enjoyable.

Yesterday I went to the BPK Winn-Dixie.  I couldn’t even get down the cheese and bread isle because it was blocked with merchandise stacked in the isle causing a terrific traffic jam.  Two items I use frequently were out of stock.  The meat case looked like it needed serious cosmetic attention. Most of the chicken section was empty and the seafood section smelled like spoiled shrimp.  The custom cut meat case was completely empty.  There were five people ahead of me for service at the slow-motion deli counter so I picked up pre-packaged cold cuts and cheese.  Now, disgusted, I quickly grabbed my remaining list items and went to the checkout lanes to find only three open with each lined up with customers four deep with completely full carts.  After a twenty something minutes of standing in line I was greeted with a surly cashier who’s only heavily accented words to me were to ask if I had my Winn-Dixie card and then to tell me how much I saved while shoving my receipt back to me as I finished bagging my own groceries. 

Please Publix, come to Big Pine.

No mater how bad it gets in BPK at least you don’t have big city rush hour.

The boards that were used to make the bar at No Name Pub were from the  fishing catwalks which were attached to the old narrow US1 bridges. They dismantled them all when the new bridges were built in  the early eighties.

Parrotdise Bar & Grill should make their pier more boat friendly by placing rubber bumpers on it if they want people to come by boat. That place could do a lot better business if they added an outdoor deck with an awning on it out front on the water. They have an enviable location for a restaurant if they just knew how to use it. It would have some ambiance then and might then at least make there dinner prices more palatable. I know I would then come there then since it would then stand out as a place to go with friends or visitors since there is nowhere else around here to go by boat or to eat outside on the water where there is a nice view. I know a lot of people here who like to go to a place that you can eat outside on the water and they are locals who eat out all year. I think the ambiance would also appeal to tourists who can see it from US1 on their car trips south. Smokers would be more apt to go there also since they could eat outside and drink outside.

If you have hurricane related questions or comments, please feel free to use the storm-safe message board.

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/keyskeet

It's free to all, there is no log in, no adds and no comments will be screened out, except profanity or sexual content.

Of course we also want your storm shelter comments, all of them, good, bad or anything you want to say.

Royal (the former owner who still has a pizza there named after him) told me that the top of the bar at the No Name Pub was made from the planks from the wooden maintenance catwalk that ran along the underside of old 7-Mile bridge.  He never said anything about the Old Wooden Bridge.

Ouch!  The new page format viewed by Firefox are a bad combination!  For some reason the text won't automatically wrap making for a very wide page!  It's OK in IE. (Lousy tech support: Try the new version of Internet Explorer 7.0. They ripped off all the good things from Firefox and Opera and it works with all everything.)

No one has died from a hurricane down here in years, stop being ridiculous.  The only reason people die during a hurricane, is because they get drunk while getting ready for it or during it.  Let me ask you this: Where do people that live in Hawaii evacuate to?  They don't, and we have better building codes than they do.  If you are afraid of a hurricane then by all means you should go. As a child growing up in south Florida, my parent's never left.  Nothing ever happened.  Concrete houses are great, especially the older ones that have been here for over 50 years.

My deepest sympathy to Lesley Reasin for your terrible loss.  Rick was an old and dear and a real true friend, and a good person.  He will be sorely missed by many people.  Lesley, you too have many true friends, and they will be there for you in these times of sadness. 

It's your good friend reporting on the conditions here in the Great Frozen North. There are no iguanas, chickens or Key deer, but there are still plenty of drunks, thieves, hit-and-run drivers and crack whores. Some things never change.

[Big Pine to look like Disney World from US 1]  No one wants US1 to look like Disney World or Orlando or “Anytown USA.”  People who make these ridiculous "the sky is falling", over-reactionary comments are foolish and short sighted.  Many of us do want to see the old abandoned buildings re-modeled or replaced, attractively landscaped and open for business rather than sit empty and deteriorating into slum like conditions.  So a fast food franchise or a nice national restaurant chain may want to locate here. So what?  Mom and Pop enterprises are now priced out of the market and only a company with deep pockets can afford to develop here.  It would certainly be a step up from what we have to offer now and the only difference would be the name on the door.  For a cordial evening dinner it would certainly be nice to have something to choose from besides dumps like Key Deer Bar or the House of Music (or whatever their name will be next time) or a coffee shop (nice as it is for breakfast and lunch it’s not fine dining). 

No one advocates uncontrolled growth.  Just a reasonable and well thought out approach to make BPK more attractive along the highway and allowing some controlled addition of a few businesses that have expressed an interest in locating here on already developed (and in some cases abandoned) commercial property.  There are only a few parcels of land available to do anything with commercially with anyway; so the “Anytown USA” argument is not only transparent but just nonsense and rhetoric.  

No doubt there is a small segment of people on Big Pine who detest any re-development of any kind or any attempt at beautifying US1 with a new business here and there. (They have their narrow minds and way of life and to hell with anyone with a different opinion)  No doubt they are descendents of the people who objected to the Flagler railroad because they claimed it would ruin their way of life!   I’m sure they would love to roll back time so that the only business on BPK was a charcoal kiln and a pineapple farm.  

To the rhubarb replier. The farting noise is a raspberry. The colloquial use of the word rhubarb is an "argument", like one between a manager and an umpire over a bad call. If you're going to show your ignorance regarding verbiage, it figures you have to be a Republican. George W. wouldn't know the difference, either.

[to Leslie Reasin] We are your neighbors and our thoughts and prayers are with you.

I think someone is playing with the Kudos & Whiners address again.  My 'puter is fine but no Kudos since Friday?  Everybody ok out there?  Ed, I hope you have not been playing on the roof again?  I just hope you are ok and the machinery is on the fritz. (Lousy tech support: Try this: IE>Tools>General Tab>Settings Button>Check "Every time you start I.E.">OK>OK.)

Yippee!  Yippee!  Yippee!  Rain wonderful Rain!  Thank God it finally rained!  Now can we have a rainy season?  I swear the grass is dancing!

The bar at No Name Pub was not built with lumber from the Old Wooden Bridge.   It was, in fact, built with Dade County Pine, that used to be the fishing catwalks for the old bridges on US 1, before the new bridges (except Bahia Honda) were built.   I know this to be true, as the bar was built in late 1986, by me and many of my friends when I owned the No Name Pub business (not the property) from 1986 to 1990. The Old Wooden Bridge was long gone by then.  That's the facts, Jacks. If you lived here longer than 20 minutes, you would already know this, ask a local   --RoyBoy

[Hurricane Shelter] If you are the only one left, would you really want to be here?

Not all the trash is from the mainland. I have neighbors who do not use a trash can. They put their trash out in bags on the ground days before garbage day. Thinking that maybe they couldn't afford one, we put one in their yard. They still do not use it!

Alligators aren't cute.  They're beautiful animals, but they are predators and should be respected for that.  Stupid people that feed an alligator cause that alligator to look at us as a food source.  Then someone else gets too close and they become the handout.  Then you have those people that make the mistake of swimming at night, or getting too close to the water's edge, sitting down, looking like a raccoon or dog.  With some, that might be their last mistake.  I feel sorry for those 3 ladies and their families.

[Flip Flop Bob] My 3 yr. old daughter said she will loan you her bike. It still has training wheels on it.  Call Jim 872-4818

[Answer to the canned tuna and the kids post] It's a super thing that you evacuate, even better to go to such a fine facility, at only $250 plus per night how could one object. And they even have a back up power supply. Of course even their rates are higher this year and bookings are hard to get at best. Last year they were considered a safe haven, but not this year, seems they were removed from the list.

Back to the Kids in the shelter. No way, heck, I don't even approve using it, unless of course you have nowhere that's safe to go when a storm threatens.  After all, that's what it is for--staying alive.

www.storm-safe.com  Read the instructions and warnings, view the presentation www.storm-safe.com/storm_safe.ppt and take special consideration to the bridges and the total destruction of all housing along the coasts. Ask yourself if you really want to stay or be unprotected if a similar water event happens here?  (Please keep in mind that I left out the pictures of the dead bodies)

Is anyone else as sick and tired, as we are, of all the cop and military shows on television? The government is fascist enough without puffing up the police state with play-acted heroes of secret strike units who can do no wrong every night over TV. We worry a lot more about these people than terrorists, because if we find a real terrorist we can cap 'em with a .45 if need be then go home and have dinner.

Cops and soldiers. on the other hand. can herd everyone off to internment camps in the name of some scoff-law like the Patriot Act and life as we know it is over. A society obsessed with cops and soldiers is a society of sheep like the Germans back in the 1930's. We admire each and every soldier who serves our country, but true soldiers hate war and love individual freedom.

If you can find one, ask a veteran of WWII what they think. Most we have known were glad to lay down their guns and forget all the blood and guts. It is their legacy that they left us a peaceful society mostly unconcerned with violence. When children watch this bovine scatology over TV they grow up thinking that a hero is someone wound up tight as a psycho screaming into a cell phone and shooting everyone in sight.  

[Burglary Paranoia] You only have to be right once to make it all worthwhile.  Safety Deposit Box at the Bank. Multiple Lights on Timers.  Security cameras, some real some fake. Baby monitors to hear noise on your outside. Lock everything. Put the good drugs in a home safe. Loaded and accessible firearm(s). Neighborhood watch.  Private, unmarked security guards. There are more have-nots here on the island and the economy is getting worse, so be prepared. 

Don't you people watch Oprah? This is where I learned some of these tricks.  Her June issue of O Magazine is real good especially page 157. Quiz next week.

To the person whining about Microsoft in India and stating it is the biggest company in America? Think again on both counts. It is neither the biggest nor the only US company in India. I live in India and Islamorada. Until you see what is going on here (India) with US corporations, you won't believe it. If the US doesn't wake up, it will have the same standard of living as India and be the new India of the world.

The name of the person who killed the young mother on US1 last year is Darren Bell.  According to the Monroe County sheriff's web site he is scheduled for trial in Key West June 15th. Check the criminal records link on this site.  Charges are many but include vehicular manslaughter.  I hope the courtroom is packed with Piners rooting for the prosecution.

To the airline employee who doesn't like Bush and disagrees with his rule the world attitude.  How do you equate freeing people from dictators and spreading democracy with "ruling the world?"  If anyone is trying to rule the world, it's the dictators.  Your friends in the socialist countries in Europe hate America for the same reason you hate the rich. They're more successful than you and make you look bad.  It's difficult to convince people that double digit inflation and unemployment is normal; with a country  as successful as the USA proving otherwise.  Unless, of course, you paint the successful ones as evil.  Dim witted people in other countries (and here) buy into it mainly because it's easier than working hard and less painful than admitting you're a failure.  Also, what airline do you work for? I want to make sure I avoid them.

Just a shout out to my friends in Big Pine, especially Tumbleweed.

Rocky moved to Utah years ago

Wednesday May 17, 2006

Tuesday May 16, 2006

Rain, glorious rain! I thought it would never arrive.

Checked out the Family Hurricane Shelter advertised on your site.  It can float and it can be secured to the ground.  How would one ever know?

Please visit  http://wwwstorm-safe.com/FAQ.htm  (frequently asked questions page) If you have other questions, please contact us at keyskeet@msn.com

[afternoon happy hour] Try the Big Pine Moose Lodge.

[rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable]  Neither.  A rhubarb is the farting like sound one makes with the mouth to indicate displeasure at places like sporting events, a poor stage performance or an appearance by Hillary Clinton.

[Denying U.S. citizenship] Look's like we really set off the redneck who probably never has been out of Monroe County.  I don't deny my citizenship when I travel (I do carry a U.S. passport that is required) but I don't flaunt it either and always try to blend in with my surroundings.  No loud, obnoxious in your face American attitudes, no Florida State tee shirts, and certainly no jogging clothes while out for dinner.  My airline employer in fact encourages us to not act American while overseas.  As for the occasional insults about political agendas, I just simply say that I don't like Bush either and disagree with his rule the world attitude.  On more than one occasion this has resulted in a free round from some local who appreciates that not all Americans are war mongers.

Really! The whore I see has a college education, works full-time at a BPK bank and only turns tricks to help pay her rent and food bills. And damn is she good. And she does not smoke crack or drink.

[$1,980 house] For those so quick to call a person a liar here is a  link to the Tyler property listing. You sound like a great candidate to move there!http://www.realtytrac.com/freeSearchResult.asp?selCounties=KSRE

[Gardening Rule]  What?  I've never heard such a thing, all my weeds come out easily.  If you don't know if it's a weed perhaps consult with a neighbor that does.

[Hurricane shelters looks like a death trap] The people that think this is a death trap are the people that would possibly stay during a storm. At least, it's getting there attention, maybe if a death storm was upon them, they too would get the picture, evacuate or die, or come up with a better idea than bitch and throw stones. In my option most people don't take any of this serious.

We must get to these people before being threatened by a bad storm and make them realize the true danger of a very possible death.

[feed the deer]  Put out Pots of water at night, fruit and veggies are always good and you can buy cracked corn at Coconuts.  Just remember to change the water daily for mosquitos will breed. 

[Day three without no mention of Iguanas]  You had to do it didn't you?

Do you still think gators are cute?http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ALLIGATOR_ATTACKS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-05-15-06-49-22

I get such a kick out of these people who whine about the availability and price of liquor in Big Pine. Do you pour such interest in other things?

I broke my foot a week ago and I need a 3 wheeled bicycle so I can continue to walk my dog Montana. I will buy, or rent as I only need it for 6 to 8 weeks while the cast is on. Call Flip Flop Bob 872-9855.

[Road rage] I not only saw what happened, I nearly got tangled up in it! Boo on both of you. I was the little black pick up that pulled over and let you both go by. Get over it, jeeezzzzz.

Hulk Hogan is home with his 7 yappers.  Don't you watch his show? He is at war with the neighbors over his numerous pets.  Bad example.

How about a card to Lesley Reasin? She could use much cheering up.  We all never know what tomorrow will bring and friends are most important in times like this.

[Family Hurricane Shelter advertised]  I can’t imagine being in that tin coffin with the wife and a couple of kids when it breaks loose and, pushed by a 90 mph wind, goes rolling down the road with you inside like so many stones in a rock polisher all the while being beat to death by the water jugs and cans of tuna and Spaghetti O’s flying around inside with you.  Or, when the big surge comes in, it breaks loose and, when you finally open up, you realize that you have been blown out to sea about four miles.   My hurricane shelter is much improved.  It’s called the Hard Rock Resort and Casino in Ft. Lauderdale.  It features entertainment, gambling, restaurants, hookers, a great room with a mini-bar and a television and room service.   No contest!

1 Shiny BMW: $39,990, 1 Parking ticket: :75, 2 New BMW windows: $587, Realizing that you really shouldn't have parked in front of that fire hydrant: Priceless!

What a sad day.  All my love to Rick Reasin. Leslie, we are all here for you in this awful time. What a sad day.

Guess what? The best waitress is back with her smile. Miss Ginny is at CrossBones in Summerland Key. Ya Hooo!                       

The burglaries in Big Pine have us concerned. Can someone, at least, tell us what area has been a target and if they think its kids or what?

I agree that the Keys are so filthy. US1 is so ugly. There is trash thrown all over the place. Human feces and nasty smelly fishing garbage from the Miami tourist who leave all their filth on the    fishing bridges. They shouldn’t have the privilege of fishing on our bridges because they abuse it and can't see the beauty beyond their beer bottles, baby diapers and using our bridges as there toilets. Come on Fish and Wildlife, DOT and environmentalist people in charge of this; get with it. The Keys smell and nobody gives a poop except the nasty bridge people. In Georgia they fine you $1,000 for throwing a piece of paper out your window, but here you can dump a fridge on the side of the road and nobody in charge cares.

[Today's Rumor] Publix is scouting out the Keys W/D.

How is it that when I call Microsoft, the largest company in America, I talk to someone in India?

Watch out for the Alligators at dusk and dawn. They're eating folks alive.  Stay away from the canals at those times or carry protection. Three people have been killed in the past week by hungry Miami Alligators. 

I live on Father Tony Way and my house was robbed this weekend while I was sleeping and I have children in the house. He pried my door open with a screw driver, popped the chain, took my wallet out of my purse and a prescription of Loratabs which I had on the fridge.

This is terrifying and 3 other houses on my street were robbed the same night. One woman was in the home and was calling the police and yelling and he was still trying to pry her door open knowing she was there. This guy is very bold and doesn't care if you are home. The lights were even on in my house. We suspect it is someone local because of the Key Deer Grill break in and it happened right after I went to bed. All I turned off was the TV. My front room is at the entrance of the house so he must have heard me go to bed and then broke in. I can tell you that if he tries again he is going to get shot.

If anyone finds a large leopard print wallet please call me at Paradise Insurance. My insurance, license and all the other things we keep in our wallets are hard to replace and I would be grateful. No questions asked. I am sure it got dumped somewhere in the trash or in the bushes.  Take Care Everyone and God Bless!

[confession of a deer feeder] I went to Coconut Farm and bought a big sack of grain to feed my little Key Deer.  It was about $13.00 and should last a long time.  Fruits and veggies are good too, but they should have grain also.  Remember it is illegal to feed the deer.  So arrest me.

The posts from people who expect Big Pine to look like Disney World from US 1 remind me of something. Several years ago we had our kids in Orlando and were invited to go look at a new development called Tradition. We drove through and you never saw a tricycle in the yard, a trash can left out or a blade of grass out of place. You also never saw anyone but young, impeccably groomed white people. My oldest son was 12 at the time and said, "Let's get out of here, Pop. This place gives me the creeps. It looks like Twilight Zone." We all agreed it reminded us of the episode where a whole village was trapped under a gigantic glass bowl. Everybody who lived there was blissfully happy in their own little perfect world. Only one person realized it was really a prison.

So to some of us the funky buildings, trailers and people make Big Pine all the more charming because it's real. Those who think otherwise should go live in Tradition or...the Twilight Zone!

[CVS and removing plants] Walgreens owns most of the land next to CVS. Walgreens will not allow CVS trucks to unload or "dock" east and west much longer, CVS will now have to back there trucks right next to the building and off-load without backing flush to the building. So that whole west side will have to be cleared and made ready for a different unloading system. I don't think the plants had much to do with anything else, but I have been so wrong so many times I would not take a word I say to the bank. Enjoy the gossip.

Enter the Gillette Fusion Sweepstakes: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/fan_forum/gillette/fusion

A year ago Sunday, a mother was killed on US-1 just south of Big Pine Key.  The accident was caused by a Big Pine Key man passing on the shoulder.  What was his name?  What ever happened to him and the case?  I thought he was driving on a suspended license, too.

[home in Tyler, Kansas for $1,890. I bet someone moved a decimal] Hold on there, Bunky. I wouldn't be so quick to rush to judgment.  Marquette, Kansas is offering free lots to people that move there and build a home. Check out:  http://marquetteks.us/freehomesite.htm

Seems to me that if it's acceptable to expect the residents of Big Pine to  drive 30+ miles to a grocery store, drug store or decent restaurant that we  can also drive that far to a bank, real estate office or bar.  I say lets ban everything commercial on Big Pine.  Bulldoze all existing  buildings on US 1 from the Key Deer tunnel to the bridge and landscape with  native plants.  That eliminates the need for affordable housing and will give the tree huggers lots to love. I'm sure Neugent and his backers would agree.

[Two more gator attacks in So Fla.] The gators are getting even.

I heard that the bar in No Name Pub is made of planks from the Old Wooden Bridge.

If you see Tommy Busey, tell him Marc and Lee Ann said, “Hey”.

Hi, Joe Zeppi. I hope everything is going well for you. Good to see you’re keeping up with the ranting and raving here on Big Time Key.

Tuesday May 16, 2006

Monday May 15, 2006

[Gardening Rule] When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

[Sunday's Speckled trout] they are Sea Trout also called Weak Fish. Don't get mad. A great many of you folks don't know our fish. That's just fine. Don't take what you're not going to eat and be very gentle with the ones you're going to release. Enjoy our bay. That's where you caught them if you were here on Big Pine, the Rocky Channel area. They are also covered by a Slot-Limit.

A pencil will write anyway you want, the Russians discovered that while we were spending millions to find out how frogs hatch in space. Figure that one out.

Work force housing is the number one issue in the Keys and these jaded politicians won't notice the problem until more businesses close from lack of help. Then it will be too late because they will have already given away all the trailer parks which were the only true affordable housing for the low paid workers we desperately need.

Bill Clinton was a president you could really laugh at. An interviewer asked him once during his campaign if he was the smartest of the three front-runners. He answered, "That's like asking if Moe is the smartest one of the Three Stooges." 

The few Key Deer that are doing good are the ones that are tagged. That's easy enough to keep track of a few.  I Put Water out for them. God Bless Them.

I'm not a spineless pussy (I hope you were referring to Friday's writer) for denying being an American. I just don't want to spend my vacations defending policies that I can't defend and I sure don't want to be a target of terrorism.

[there are a great deal of predators among us] like lawyers, Real Estate Brokers, House Flippers, Tax Assessors, Politicos, Builders and Developers, see the Yellow Pages for more.

This is a poem made up entirely of actual quotations from George W.  
I think we all agree, the past is over.
This is still a dangerous world.
It's a world of madmen and uncertainty
And potential mental losses.
 
Rarely is the question asked
Is our children learning?
Will the highways of the Internet
Become more few?
 
How many hands have I shaked?
They misunderestimate me.
I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity.
 
I know that the human being
And the fish can coexist.
Families is where our nation finds hope,
Where our wings take dream.
 
Put food on your family!
Knock down the tollbooth!
Vulcanize society!  
 
Make the pie higher!
Make the pie higher!
Help cure Mad Cowboy Disease

Woody the Pharmacist is back at Albertsons not CVS.

[Wish list] I would love to have a fast food restaurant on B.P.K. I would love to be able to come home from working, (45 min commute each way), drive-thru order a hot meal and continue on my way.  Or better yet.  How about a restaurant like Olive Garden or Cabraros.   A place where a family can go and the main attraction isn't the bar, but food. 

No liquor store in Walgreens.  Please! Walgreen's in Marathon sells Chablis for $9.99. So does the local W/D.  A jug at the local liquor store is $13.  Profit or price gouging?  Oh yes, we will run the little guy out of business.  They cause me to pick up in the city and buy it for less.  Convience?  What convience? Price gouging, yes.   

The county had a special session to keep the ambience of us in Big Pine Key. This if the year 2006 not 1980.  What ambience on US1 thru Big Pine Key do you adore?  Please!  Cheap T111 siding, abandoned 60's bldgs, the dirty Tom Thumb, the storage junk yard?  The boat barn? The run down tropical leaking pools? Or how about a car thru a wall?  The post office building? The crystal shop?  The strike zone.   What is it?  Early 60's run down, abandoned, condemned junk.

Could we please clean up US1?  Specialty hardware has planted new landscaping, Tom Thumb looks like junk.  Cracked Egg is the cracked egg.  What happened to yard buffers on fencing for storage facilities.  Do we have to look at peoples' trailers that are stored?  Where is code enforcement on getting the property owner to clean up tropical pools?  If they won't let anyone new in, clean up what you got.    Whoever painted and cleaned up the old Carpet bldg thank you.  Now it's another empty bldg--but painted.

[“NY doesn't make good pizza, Philly is the only pizza ]  O.K., that’s it.  I’ve been to both places and I can tell you that in Little Italy in New York City you can get one of the best pizzas outside of Sicily, thin or thick crust and with really fresh stuff on top with real cheese.  In Philadelphia you can get a Philly Cheese steak at Pat’s and a good groping in most men’s rooms.

There is no way you can improve HoM and have it ready to open by June 1st. The entire floor needs to be taken up to repair the pipes that are responsible for the nasty odor. Besides, the motivation is for all the wrong reasons in my opinion.

CVS Pharmacy had some landscaping done recently on the west side of their building. They tore out most of that nasty Sceavola that was there, but purposely left a single Scaevola plant? Why didn't they take the opportunity to get rid of all of it? If the work was done by a professional landscaper he should have known that Sceavola is listed as a Category I invasive exotic.

Category I - Invasive exotics that are altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives. This definition does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused.

Someone should open up a bar that caters to crack whores and coke heads. Maybe that would keep them from infiltrating the decent establishments. Or better yet, let's get together and buy them a one-way bus ticket to New Jersey.

[drop kick a yipping yap dog about 60 yards] Good point, but I would really like to drop kick the owners, but many of them weigh over 250 pounds. And that's just the women. Where is Hulk Hogan when you need him?

A Japanese company has developed a digital camera with the worlds fastest shutter speed.  I may now be able to capture a picture of my wife with her mouth shut!

[Dancing Lin] I'd like to thank Angus and Kathleen for the use of the hardwood floor at  the House of Music.  Two hours a week, for most of the past year, about a dozen lovers of dance have been heating up the dance floor to country music at the House of Music.  We are now looking for a place to dance and meet friends in or near BPK.  You won't find us addicted to anything but dance. You can find us at the BPK Senior Center on Wed. nights.

[denying US citizenship] Why don't you travel the world kissing everyone's' asses and then you could settle down in Somalia and talk to your new friends about how bad it was being from the US? You big pussy.  Grow a spine Ambassador of the Anus.

I call it B.S. on the home in Tyler, Kansas for $1,890. I bet someone moved a decimal.

Is rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable?

I just hope that the new owner of the old HoM has the name, atmosphere and food of Keys' tradition such as Capt. Crossbones did.  You should try the food.  It is absolutely wonderful and the owners were really very nice.

How about a restaurant name such as "Pirates Booty" and serve reasonable priced great seafood? 

Yes, we need another nice restaurant that has good food with a Keys atmosphere.  I am so tired of all these new restaurants with the stupid names that serve NY food.  This is not NY!

Why do you suppose the woman with the yipping little dust mop at the end of my road thinks it's OK to walk the mutt across the street to crap in other people's yard? I'll bet she sets her alarm to get the dirty work over with before her neighbors wake up.

The Old Wooden Bridge is the one leading out to No Name Key, but it's not really wooden anymore.

To Tommies' family. I only had the pure pleasure of meeting and actually talking to Tom a few times. I knew from our brief meetings and could tell he was a good person.  Other people, who are important and well respected in the construction business in this small community, also liked and respected him. I feel sorry for his family and their loss. But even more sorry for those who took advantage of his passing away. Those people have to live with themselves for the rest of their lives.  Sleep well and good luck.

Monday May 15, 2006

Mother's Day 2006

[Starving Key Deer] I think that it would be unnatural to put out water and food for them and would only increase their reliance upon humans. Besides, I think that some of them immigrated here illegally.

[gossip of the day]  The former House of Music will re-open with new management and under a new name on or about June 1^st.  I heard it yesterday from one of the new owners.  Good luck!

I think you paranoid types can rest easy (for now).  The NSA phone monitoring is, for the most part, just detection of origination and destination patterns.  So unless you're calling patterns indicate illegal activities, you have nothing to worry about.  Besides, if you use a cordless phone or blue tooth wireless device, almost anyone can listen to your calls anyway.  What you really need to be concerned about is HDTV.  Once you have those converter boxes in your home, they'll be able to see and hear everything you do.  And turning the box off won't help.

I thought the Leo comment was a hoot!  So was the cereal killer question. Somebody has a wicked sly sense of humor and is giving us free grins, so enjoy!

[Road Rage] Early Friday night I was intentional cut off by a big old white van that pulled on to Key Deer Blvd from the Winn Dixie’s parking lot turning left. This was no mistake. This guy saw my car nearing, looked me right in the eye, smiled and pulled right out in front of me. There was clearly inadequate space him to do so safely. It was as if he was daring me to hit him. Although I was at legal speed, only panic breaking prevented me from slamming into his driver’s door. In my 30 + years of driving, I have never felt such rage.

OK, I admit it, I snapped. I’m normally easy going and let things like this go. Not that day! I saw I could do so safely so, I did a U turn, passed him in the yellow striped lines, pulled in front of him, and came to an abrupt stop (I hope all his grocery’s went flying!) Satisfied, I then was able to safely turn right and proceed on my way.

 I apologize to anyone who witnessed this. This is not topical behavior for me. My hope was to send a strong message to this driver that his actions would not be tolerated; at least not by me, not on that particular day.

Drivers, please remember to be safe, curious and non-provoking, since just about anyone is cable of road rage. I admit two wrongs do not make a right, and again I apologize. I know I'm going to get flamed.  Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Women's thoughts on men.

Three months ago today, we lost our beloved Tommy to Lung Cancer/Respiratory Failure yet gossip and innuendo continues regarding his death and former companion, hereafter known as F.C. (to save space).  Tommy's family offers this open letter to all who feel they need answers. 

Tommy passed away 2/l3/06 at LKMC ICU due to a "grapefruit sized" malignant/inoperable tumor on/in his left lung, leaving behind his son and heir.

Regarding F.C. and why he was not mentioned or included:
1. Not a family member
2. For more than a year the relationship was explosive and abusive and most of his acquaintances knew this.
3. In his home for 2 weeks on the couch, when confronted to get him to ER, hysterical laughing began and Tom did not want a confrontation.
4. When at last Dr. sent him to ER forms were "improperly" signed preventing DNR against Tom's vocally given wishes.
5. Local family were excluded from the list of relatives, refused information for 28 hrs. F.C. told them to, "Go to hell!"
6. Tommy's last year of life was agonizing, physically, emotionally and mentally. The 2 weeks in ICU are unforgivable, prolonging the end. The finality was that F.C. and friends raped his home of all his personal and material possessions, some prior to his passing, during the day. His surviving family, son and friends have been left to remember and deal with this venomous behavior.

Let Tommy rest in peace as well as his entire extended family and true friends. F.C., remember that material possessions rot but love never given is what we all had and will be able to cherish.

To the Bread Baker, Pie Maker, Hee Haw Kansas and White Diesel Trucker --Remember: God does not like ugly and has a forever memory!

Let me get this straight. A former co-owner (not Angus [pictured]) of the House of Music is giving statements to a Marathon rag saying that he is taking the place over? Blames Angus and Kathleen for all of the HoM's problems and says he knows how to fix them and make it a nice family place? What did he do to fix the problems back when he was an owner? What happened to the bank that was going to open a branch office there? Does anyone else find this whole thing a little hard to believe?

Has anybody else moved here from Detroit?  We can escape the snow but there is apparently no escape from Joey Harrington.  So cute yet so useless (perhaps a bit like this deputy you're all stirred up about). 

Our Key Deer are suffering.  Not to worry.  US Fish and Wildlife are doing just fine.  In fact, I'll bet they manage to make this a win-win situation for themselves.  When the herd shrinks to "dangerous" levels, they will need to staff up and confiscate even more private property to protect the remaining precious few.  I say, lets help them out a little.  Take some pictures of the starving suffering Key deer and email them to Lynn_Scarlett@ios.doi.gov  (head of US Dept. of the Interior), just to show them what an outstanding job F&W is doing.

[The National Security Agency has been collecting phone records]  The Fed has been taping, digitizing, every phone, every email, every form of communication every citizen has made since 1986. They search each message for tell tail key words, and ideas. We are Big Brothered and don't forget it!

[another bank on Big Pine]  Oh, my God! A bank.  There must be more than three locations and that means that they are a, sob, whimper, filthy chain. (insert gloom and doom music here) This is it. The end. The end of life on Big Pine as we know it.  Get the women and children off the streets.  It’s a chain.  Demise is upon us.  God forbid they have an attractive building and nice landscaping.  Oh, what evil hath descended upon us?

[life is better since Bush] How old are you, 15? You don't remember when we had to make our own decisions, had jobs, had freedom to travel anywhere, had good food on the table cheaply, had water that we could see through, had tools and parts made in America, had cars for $3000, had fuel for $.50 a gallon, had property that we couldn't get evicted off of by the government, had music that made sense, had schools that taught our kids something useful, had shop classes, had our own mind set, didn't have to lock our doors, had free thought, had freedom!  You've been dumbed as all are being dumbed, and I have to suffer for it.

[Ten Commandments in a courthouse] To believe in and to swear to a myth and to show ones membership in a mystic cult, suggests insanity. To use a paper book of contrived meaningless words to control a weak person into giving their opinion, is ludicrous.

The first quarter economic reports are out and no matter what you personally think of President Bush you can’t argue with facts.  These figures come from various agencies and parts of the private sector charged with keeping track of statistics like these.  The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) has risen another 4.8%, the largest increase in 3 years.  Unemployment is down to 4.5%, the lowest in years.  New housing starts are up for the second year in a row as well as another new increase in small and medium sized business starts creating an estimated 185,000 new jobs.  The stock market (DOW) is near record breaking levels and interest rates remain low.  New and used home sales are steady or showing slight gains across the nation (except probably Monroe County due to the insurance fiasco). 

You may not agree with the current administrations position on Iraq and the war, and you may choose to believe the constant gloom and doom drivel from the left wingers about how terrible everything is but it’s just not all bad.  And, just for the record, don’t continue to blame Bush for the high gas prices.  He and this administration don’t have much control over what diaper heads wants to charge for their oil.  A big part of the problem is China’s gigantic demand for oil and their willingness to pay a premium price for it, thereby driving the cost up for all users.  As a result we all suffer. 

The other night I was in a bar talking to friends about the rip off of $3.00+ per gallon of gasoline. We sat there for hours hacking over what to do, while having drinks costing $3.50 each for a lousy ounce of alcohol over some frozen water. Who are the dummies now?

[Before Bush people liked American]  Before Bush we had a President who was the laughing stock of the free world.  Clinton was tabloid fodder in every European country and in every grocery store check out lane here in the U.S.  Despite being attacked on various fronts (the terrorist bombing of the USS Cole, two terrorist attacks on U.S. Embassies resulting in many deaths, the terrorists murder of U.S. Marines in Libya, the first terrorist bombing of the World Trade center and more) Clinton did nothing to retaliate against the terrorists responsible (Bin Laden and the Taliban).  He also turned his back on two distinct opportunities to have Osama Bin Laden but chose to let him go.  He was much too busy with his zipper, using Monica’s vagina for a cigar humidor, hiding incriminating records, lying under oath and trying to extract himself from his latest scandal.  As for his wife, she has about as much class as a garden slug and less credibility.  He simply rode the prosperity of the Regan years, doing nothing special and left a sagging economy and a dangerous world in his wake.

The Middle Eastern rag heads have always hated our way of life and freedoms.  They’re maniacal animals and nothing there has changed much.  The French, of course, can’t stand an American unless we are liberating them from a dictator who has taken over their country.  (The French version of fighting for their freedom is Run, Hide, Surrender, Collaborate, and Wait for the Americans) A few other nations have chosen not to participate in or support the war but that doesn’t equate to hatred of America.  More like a serious difference of opinion.  They will still come knocking and groveling at our door when they need something.

It’s a shame that you are “very defensive and deny my citizenship when I travel.”  You are a disgrace to our country and a spineless pussy.  If you feel the need to deny your American citizenship I suggest you pack your bags and get the hell out to wherever you think you can be proud of.  We don’t need or want you here.

[$12 million NASA pen that writes in zero gravity]  False.  Another false urban legend.  Check Snopes.com for the real story about pencils and pens in space.

It’s a darn shame that there are just no good places on Big Pine to go for afternoon happy hour.  Since Montego Bay went away my friends and I have tried a couple of other places.  House of Music was too smelly and often blaring with head banging hard rock from the juke box in the afternoon and idiots pounding on, and yelling at the video games. 

We tried Rob’s but it’s just too bright, the seating is uncomfortable at the bar and the atmosphere just didn’t cut it.

Coconut’s has its own following and if you’re not there early the bar is full.  We tried Key Deer Bar and Grill, but eventually left because of the terrible food, the parade of dirt bags in and out, inconsistent staff and the owners loud, vulgar temper tantrums. 

It would just be nice if someone would open a place with a decent atmosphere, fair prices, no crack whores or coke heads hanging around, where a few friends could gather in the afternoon for a cocktail and conversation.  Oh, well.  It’s not going to happen anytime soon. 

What is with GWB’s picture on the front page? Enough already.

[someone yells at their dog to shut up as tough it understands English] Ever think you are the dumb one and your dog just doesn't want to have a conversation with you?  Mine talks all the time, in fact too much. Bitch!

Checked out the Family Hurricane Shelter advertised on your site.  It can float and it can be secured to the ground.  How would one ever know?

Glad to know Woody the Pharmacist is back.  Now would that be the former Eckerds that is now CVS in the Overseas Market Place?

Thumbs down. Lucky you.  You travel. You’ve actually been abroad. I agree Bush sucks.

[as good as NY pizza] You've got to be kidding? NY doesn't make pizza, they make round goo with plastic toppings. Philly is the only pizza place in the world, and the greasier the better. 

[From a Keynoter Article] New HoM owner Mark Peterson, who also happens to be a former owner of the business, said he is committed to re-opening the establishment, but under a new name and new look.

Partnering with a longtime friend and his then-wife, Peterson originally owned and operated the House of Music between spring 2004 and 2005. He left the business in May of last year due to personal conflicts, and started a new company specializing in automotive finishes.

 
 "We really wanted to turn this into a highly respected, community-oriented place from the beginning," he said. "We got sidetracked by personal issues and tunnel vision."

While Peterson has already begun cleaning up the exterior and interior of the business, he said the real challenge is cleaning up the customer base known to frequent the former establishment. Both the sale and use of drugs was widespread at the House of Music, Peterson said, and he wants to send a clear message that drug activity will not be tolerated in the future.

Peterson hopes to have the front portion of the bar and restaurant re-opened under a new name by the first of June, however, his work won't be anywhere near done when he finally decides on the business' new name.

"I'll spend most of the summer cleaning this place up, and I'll probably just sell fast food and drinks up front while I renovate the back," he explained. "It's going to take some time."

You can drop kick a yipping yap dog about 60 yards with a pair of Nikes and a good technique.  They won’t yip or yap for quite some time after clearing the goal post.

[Where's Boot Road] On Boot Key in Marathon, I think.

[Garlic dipped bullets] I have shot and carried a gun most of my life and I'm pretty sure a bullet dipped in garlic or chocolate or even Holy Water, well placed, will kill you.

L.E.O. stands for law enforcement officer. You S.M.F.er   How come when someone asks a question they don't know the answer to someone always has to come up with a smart ass answer? Not everyone on Big Pine has an arrest sheet. This used to be a fun little site now everyone just seems like their on P.M.S.

Day three without no mention of Iguanas. There is hope.

[Key Deer are starving] I had a conversation about this with one of them and the response was they don't like to interfere in the Deer's lives, besides the more that die make their jobs more secure.  My food budget has gone up too and they also receive fresh water at my place.

Can you believe these are cakes? 

Since when are phone calls private?  It seems I've had to listen to everybody's private business in every public venue (and at unusually high decibels) since cell phones became popular.

[Why the mangroves were cut down on Iroquois St]  Those were not Mangroves,  just shrubs planted by homeowners years ago. As a resident on Iroquois St, I witnessed Hurricane Wilma, and the  storm surge remove most of the shrubs, not to mention a large portion of the asphalt street as well. FEMA and  Monroe County repaired the street and placed large rocks and fill in order to prevent further erosion. As for the view, I think that if you factor in the property taxes and insurance rates, we certainly pay for the view!  If the view is not as nice from your trailer window, K-Mart will sell you a plastic pool for $15.99.  All you need to add is water and a few blow up ducks.

Here’s a great opportunity for someone used to living in a dying town as we are. This place is in Tyler, Kansas and costs $1,890 full price plus closing costs. A nice three bedroom for those with children. Close to shopping (20 miles). No worries about large chain store moving in.

I am trying to contact a bartender / waitress from the area who goes by the name of Rocky.  I remember her from years ago.  I think she lived on Ramrod for some time.  I have ended up with some important papers of hers through a home purchase and found them in a shed, and would like to get them to her.  captfunyet@aol.com

One good thing about the U.S. is it has managed to survive all of its presidents so far. Just bear your concerns in mind when we vote in the mid-terms this November.

[Officer Rodriguez] Wow!  It seams that he is famous by everyone, but I have to say that I dealt with him only one time and he was a very nice/fair officer. 

I wasn't offended, but I read some of these whiners and they seem to put themselves out on a limb, innocently I'm sure.  But there are a great deal of predators among us, so be very careful who you offer help to. One option would be to tell the past owners (Galley Grill) that someone was inquiring and let them decide if they want to answer the whiner themselves. In that case you would be out of it completely.

Speckled trout. Scaled, gutted and cooked on the grill in tin foil. What a treat

Key Deer: Keep giving them fresh water. And any good fresh vegies you can spare. We'll keep them going.

Where is the Old Wooden Bridge?

Another burglary on Big Pine. People watch out for each others' houses.

One person wrote: Is it true that it has only rained one time since Wilma? The very next person said, "Does anyone know why my few surviving palm trees are dying?  The answer to the first question is yes, maybe twice, and the answer to the second question is because Wilma saturated the ground with salt and much of that salt remains in the ground because of a lack of rain. If you really have to plant something now, then dig the whole and flush it with water before you plant, but the smart thing to do is to wait for the rainy season to begin.

I spent my first winter in Big Pine this year and fell in love with the people and climate. I think I will move here forever. Thanks for making life worth living again.

Sunday May 14, 2006

Saturday May 13, 2006

[ruin our country to the point it will never recover] I agree. Before Bush people liked Americans, but were mistrustful of our government. Now with our false war, torture, spying, eavesdropping and lobbyist deciding policy the rest of the world hates us and will never trust us again. I used to be proud to be an American; now I'm very defensive and deny my citizenship when I travel to questionable countries. I tell them I'm from Canada.

Sorry to disagree, but my life is better since Bush took office.

Where's Boot Road?

[American children who are regularly exterminated] Third world families are larger out of necessity. They don't have any social services to take care of the parents--they need the children to look after the adult's welfare in old age.

A stiff drink was needed after taking this photo.

“What good fortune for those in power that people do not think” --Adolf Hitler

I checked several sources and have found no verification that Garlic dipped bullets do anything but kill vampires.  I checked with several ammunition manufacturers and none had ever heard of garlic dipped bullets.  I Googled it and the only reference that came up was a gangster that was shot by Capone’s gang who wanted the leg cut off because he feared the garlic dipped bullets would cause gangrene. 

I found references to Mercury filled hollow points and feces dipped projectiles but nothing on garlic dipped.  I think this is one for MythBusters.

Picture of the wonderful services of our considerate county during an extreme drought situation. I am not a snowbird, but a hard working full time resident of Big Pine Key. Some of my hard earned money is apparently wasted as I frivolously water my lawn at a maximum of 15 minutes every other day after sunset only to have a brainless idiot operating a tractor, scalp my lawn to the roots. Thanks a lot Jackass!

Cancer cures smoking!

[Gun guy] You sound pretty knowledgeable up until you said your shotgun would not penetrate. Slugs, they’ll go through your whole house, 2X4s included.

[palm trees dying] We've had no rain and they need to be watered. 

A woman I work with was burglarized last night as she slept in her house on Big Pine, the first night she had been there after moving. Something needs to be done!

L.E.O. stands for law enforcement officer. You S.M.F.er

Good for you Bo and the Hitchhikers, learning 50 new songs in one year is an awesome accomplishment. Some bands learn one song every six months. By adding to your list, you keep us coming back for more. Good Job!

You hit it on the head, HoM smelled like poo-poo every time I went there, plus they brought the wrong kind of music in my opinion for the Keys. They should have focused on reggae, calypso, island ,blues just like Key West. I would have been there a lot.

I don't understand cereal killers. Why don't they just eat bacon and eggs?

The only good thing about yipping yap dogs is that they can be used as an emergency wipe if you run out of toilet paper.

An LEO is a Law Enforcement Officer.  You know, the man arresting you.

Welcome to Dead Pine Key.

Zero gravity: When NASA first sending up Astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity. To combat the problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 million developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, on almost any surface, including glass, at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300 degrees C. The Russians used a pencil. Your taxes are due again. Enjoy paying them.

Our Constitution: They keep talking about drafting a constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours?  It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it has worked for over 200 years and hell, we're not using it anymore.

The Ten Commandments: The real reason we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse is, that you can not post "Thou Shalt Not Steal", "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" and "Thou Shalt Not Lie" in a building full of Lawyers, Judges and Politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.

My neighbor has a yap dog that has been trying to hump my cat. My cat, of course, is disgusted by the dog's "friendliness." Isn't there some law that prevents such disgusting behavior? Come to think of it, I have seen stranger pairings at the Cow Palace on Friday night--never mind.

I have a serious problem. I think my dog Sparky is gay. Is there a place like Big Gay Al's animal shelter where I can take him?

In reference to the mangroves on Iroquois Street which one "inquiring mind" not minding their own business inquired about. The growth was not mangroves but plants planted by the home owners years ago. Same plants were removed by the county to fix the road after Hurricane Wilma washed out the road. Get your story straight before you make some kind of accusation. What's the matter, no view from your trailer?  I don't live there either, just for your info.

Two days without mention of Iguanas.

Thanks for sweeping the rocks from in front of Coconuts. Whoever you are!

[Eavesdropping] Phone calls should no longer be ended by saying goodbye to the person on the other end of the conversation.  From this date forward end all phone calls by saying "buck fush".

NSA can monitor my phone any time. I have nothing to hide. Remember 9/11?

[Bad opinion of law enforcement] Did you read about the CIA agent who is being investigated on bribery charges? And, how many local law enforcement officers in our county, over the past years, have been asked to retire or worse,  because of their wrong doings?

I have total respect for hard working, helpful, and honest lawmen. They deserve respect. There are too many lawmen who just don't want to get involved with some of, what they think are small problems, but are big and important problems that only the law can fix.

[palm trees are dying]  It's probably lethal yellowing.

The palms are dying from a few different things.  First there has been a resurgence of lethal yellowing since the storms.  Next there is this little thing about less than an inch of rain in the last eight months.  The trees could possibly withstand the drought but coupled with the fact that there is still so much salt in and on the ground there are a lot of things dying besides the palms.

[Paradise Petro] They are screwing us. Don't buy gas there. Hopefully they will be out of business before the next hurricane. Then when we really need gas in an emergency we won't be getting screwed by P.P.

Who is Leo? That's an acronym for Law Enforcement Officer. So I guess if Leo asks who you are, it's best to tell him.

Dum dums are just a home made fragmenting bullet and are not illegal in Florida.

I just wanted everyone to know that Woody Stoddard, the pharmacists that used to be at the Eckerd from years ago, is now working at Albertsons in Key West. Welcome back Woody we have missed you.  Now we can get our prescriptions from someone we know and trust.  I had my Rx in 15 minutes.

[Bo Fodor and the Hitchhikers] Nice plug for your band. But I know several people who won't come to Boondocks when you are playing because of the outlandish noise level. I suggest that you lower your volume; it's simply not necessary.  And before you write back and suggest that we all just stay away if we don't like the decibel level, don't bother. We do stay away.

[Past owners of The Galley Grill] I was answering someone's post from the day before; and the part about I know where they live is not to hurt them or anything like that.  I happen to live across the street from them and would have passed a message on to them.  I would not give an address or phone number out for their own privacy.  If you have not noticed there are some really strange people at times that post to this site and I would not want to put my neighbors into any harms way in case the prior person posting had revenge in mind for them. 

Sometimes people do not always know when a business is selling or closing and thought maybe I could pass a message on if they wanted it passed on.  Or perhaps it was a friend and lost the address or phone number. Sorry if that offended you.

Does anybody know where the Joe's Plumbing blue Chevy van went? It had all my stuff in it and I had to move to Jacksonville and I can't find it anywhere.

The Key Deer are starving and have a severe thirst. The powers that be ( government} federal, state, local, Key Deer Refuge, Fish & Wildlife, DOT,  and on and on have built tunnels, confiscated  land, restricted owners rights and after a natural disaster our Key Deer are suffering.  The official word was that it was OK to put out fresh water for them and they do learn to drink out of a bucket.  There are injured deer. My food budget is considerably larger. We are in a severe drought situation. Pro or con they are suffering.

Big Piners really do care about people and many of us will be down in Key West  Saturday helping out with another fundraiser.  http://www.battleinthebay.com/   See you there, good neighbors!

From somebody who has only a glass of wine once a year with Christmas dinner I still have to say Big Pine has some of the best people around. If I walk over the island many people I see are friendly and will even offer a ride sometimes. Though they were hassled, the clerks in Dion's were courteous and helpful. Tell you what, the next time you go out on Big Pine, instead of preparing for rudeness, try to expect to meet a friend. Smile like people should who live in one of the most beautiful spots on earth. Treat that person as someone of value who is worth talking to and be interested in what they say. Could be in order to have friends we ought to show ourselves friendly first. We all get slapped down by the occasional brute, but I'll bet the next new friend will make up for it!

I had a great pizza from Pizza Works.  It was almost as good as a N.Y. one. Also, the delivery was within a half hour. This pizza maker is a keeper. I hope he stays.

Saturday May 13, 2006

Friday May 12, 2006

[Seahorse Trailer Park] Here’s the present deal that BOCCA Developers are selling: They are lobbying each County commissioner to get them to support transferring 131 market rate permits worth, at a minimum, 30 million dollars to BOCCA Developers and then turning them into 131 $1.5 million condominiums – value added, worth another 20 million dollars of margin.

All this, while displacing 200 working folks in our community. If you ever wanted to fill up a county commission meeting or tell a county commissioner you wanted to string 'em up, this is the time.

These guys, BOCCA Developers, and any commissioner associated with them should be impeached. I am so outraged at this subterfuge and disregard for our community I want to just scream – and I am, to you. --County Commissioner George Neugent

[Yapping dogs] are breaking the noise ordnance. Call the cops on them, because they don't give a dam about you! They are running your life, so do them too.

It is scary when no magazine company will renew your subscription, except for cash, when you are over 65.

To the mutants who screw up Boot Road, build bon fires in the middle of it, leave trash, broken glass, and dump fuel on the road, I hope you are the last of your line. If I catch you, you will be!

Dear Cops: If you want to get brownie points with your superiors, patrol Boot Road after dark. You can grab a few dozen drug freaks and punks destroying the area, every night.

Is it true it has only rained one time since hurricane Wilma?

[It's vs. Its] The dog wouldn't stop its incessant yapping. 

It kills me how all you people want blood for an alligator killer. But I hear no one complaining about our govt. killing everyday or being killed everyday. Half of this country put this loser in the White House and he has done nothing but ruin our country to the point it will never recover. Now even half of you realize the mistake you made according to the polls. gas prices, illegal phone taps, Bush's No. 1 campaign contributor was Enron which stole money from investors and financed Bush with stolen money. The point is our president is the biggest murderer, thief and liar the world has ever seen and all you care about is an alligator.

I don't approve what these kids did , but you fanatics need to get a life because our current President has messed up all of our lives. I just hope you same people have seen the light before you vote another Bush in to office. Screw the gator, save our country!

HoM never had a chance because of their failure to fix the septic tank. It smelled horrible from day one and never got any better. Yes, they tried hard to bring in good bands but running to the Key Deer to use the bathroom and get a reasonably priced beer got old.

Bo Fodor and the Hitchhikers would like to thank all the people in the key's for another successful season. Wow it has been four and a half years that we have been playing at the "Boondocks". We could not have done it without the continued support of all the great friends we have made over the years. Now it has finally thinned out and the snowbirds went home, so it is safe for the locals to come out and play again.

The Hitchhiker band has learned about 50 new songs since last season and always plays what the people want to hear. We are your band. When I see two local live entertainment clubs close in the area it makes me realize how lucky I am to still be a success after four and a half years of packing them in at the Boondocks and the top Key West clubs. We need to thank Lanny, John and Larry for believing in our band and letting us do it our way. Sure there are some that don't care for us, but every weekend we see how many people really do love to rock and roll and that what keeps us coming back.

Inquiring minds wants to know who cut the mangroves down on Iroquois  St in Eden Pines so they could have a million dollar view?

That's called "tempting the fates." For future reference: Don't. This Jeep owner was so aware of Jeep's propensity for roll-over's that he painted a sign on his underbody.

Biloxi?  Like Myrtle Beach?  I have never seen that comparison, but if you say so. 

[Poor opinion of law enforcement] FBI: f----g bumbling idiots, CIA:  crazy ignorant a--holes, Police:  people only laying in cars eating.

[Dumdum's are illegal] I only use smart rounds.

I wanted to let everyone know that there will be an informative public meeting to discuss the USFWS plans to help mitigate the high fire danger on Big Pine and Cudjoe. The meeting will be held Thursday May 18th at the Big Pine United Methodist church. 7-9 PM.  The refuge will be discussing the where, what, whys, and how's of the fire hazard reduction.  There will be a short question and answer period at the end of the meeting.

The Nature conservancy is handling the logistics for this meeting so if anyone has any question they can call Chuck at 305-745-8402 ex 104.  Or email chuck_byrd@tnc.org   Bulletin Board

Charlie (Karl) Brandt was a nice person, it was true.  He could have been your neighbor and you would have the same to say.  He helped people and was very friendly and was in town posing as one of us for years.  One never knows and it's just a terrible shame that his family and wife didn't go further with giving information to authorities instead of keeping quiet and writing in a diary.  Possibly he could have been under surveillance or whatever the police do when someone is suspected of murder.  Could be those two women would be alive today if the police had a clue.  For all we know you could be posing for us as well, how would we know until you do it or get caught?

Egg commits suicide.

What is your interest with the past Galley Grill owners?  And if they had something to tell them why would knowing where they live have anything to do with it--don't they have a telephone?  Is there a hidden message here?  If so, should they be warned?

I always love it when someone yells at their dog to shut up (like, maybe, it understands English?)

What's all the whining about beer getting low at W/D? Geez, people and their priorities! If your life is centered around how much access to alcohol is in a damn store check out the great AA meetings you have in Big Pine. And small dogs yap, but big ones bite and leave bigger piles of crop around. Give me a dog that fits under the couch any day.

What are the total spaces at Seahorse? How many spaces are needed to build? Can duplexes or quadroplexes use less space then single homes?

[Mexicans] Most of them are quite religious and don't believe in killing their children before they are born, so small wonder they are gaining rapidly in numbers with American children who are regularly exterminated before they see the light of day. Funny how the poor immigrants don't mind raising their children, even if it is hard. (Yeah, I know. Watch 'em piss and moan over this one)

I am the drunk who had the seizure at the HoM and I deeply respect the efforts of the EMTs and the patrons of the bar when I was ill. If not for their efforts and assistance I would not be here. To the person who thinks that Big Pine is just a haven for addicts and users you are incorrect. People who live on Big Pine have always looked out for each other, no matter what they do, say or how they behave. It's just a way of life. I'm proud to have been a part of local color and flavor. Because I was sick that day does not represent the total community of Big Pine; and I was, and still am, grateful that my friends and what I consider family were there to help me.

OK. Help me out here. Is the House of Music open or closed? Open? OK, who is opening it up? Do you have the sewer system fixed? How about the garbage pick up? Is that taken care of? Are all of the license and permits in the same name or have they been changed? Will you still be getting your beer and booze for Walgreens or have you paid all you bills? By all your bills I mean all your bills; or is the new person starting fresh , with a new name and new permits? The reason I ask these questions is that in doing business you must play fair. Buy from liquor and beer wholesalers, pay for garbage service, pay for all you ad-work newspaper, radio, web site, service staff, insurance, sales tax and all the things that other business owners must pay. Please fill me in on this stuff or I won't sleep a wink. Fair is fair.

[serial killer] Last Update on the 48 Hours show on CBS. They announced this morning on the radio that the show will air on Tuesday, May 30th, not the regular Saturday show. Anyway, no more updates.

It is scary that someone like this could live in your neighborhood, and you don't even know it.

The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA Today.

Bush did not deny any of the contents of the article, but he did say: Our intelligence activities strictly target Al Qaeda and their known affiliates. Al Qaeda is our enemy, and we want to know their plans.

Collecting information on "tens of millions of Americans" doesn't seem very targeted.

The term "Affordable Housing" hasn't been defined legally. Let me give it a try. If anyone deserves to "afford" a little of paradise it should be those that have served and sacrificed for our country. A 100% disabled Veteran, between Social Security Disability and VA Disability pensions makes about $36K/year. If that person cannot qualify for the mortgage based solely on income factors, then the unit is not affordable.

Price Check: Paradise petroleum $3.17, Ramrod Chevron $2.99, Summerland Chevron $3.04. You decide.

Did Wilma wipe out human kindness?  Yes.  We don't give a rat's rear end about humans here in the Keys.  We only care about plants and animals.  And not just any plant or animal, we only love "native" species.  You know, the kind that attract tourist.  In fact, screw anything non-indigenous.  If it was not here first, so it should leave or die.

Giving your cat money is not a good idea.  They may appear level headed on the surface, but most are just party animals.

Friday May 12, 2006

Thursday May 11, 2006

[demise of another business] You have a business. You can't make enough to survive. You can't buy products cheap enough to offer them at a fair price. You can't get decent help or pay them a decent living wage. You can't get services that are dependable. You can't buy maintenance parts at sane prices. You pay ridiculously high taxes which are unknown in most states. You can't support your family and your property. You can't get a job anywhere else because they are in the same boat you are. So you quit and walk away and "they" get the land.

I can keep silent no longer. Lets all raise our glasses high to Mr. and Mrs. Bangus (Angus and Kathleen) from the former Big Pine House of Music, people who had lofty dreams for our little rag-tag island. They had a vision, that a decrepit local dive could be rehabilitated and turned into a regional music center, a beacon for fans of live music throughout the Southeast. What was their downfall?

First, they should have built their dream on a different island, like Sugarloaf or Ramrod. Big Pine Drunks helped put them under. On one of their last nights in business I stopped there for a few beers and to listen to the music. An ambulance was there before me, and the EMTs were treating a drunk who had a seizure at the bar. When the music started, local drunks took to the dance floor, falling all over each other and people sitting at nearby tables. One of the drunks was a pregnant woman, chain-smoking and barely able to stand. As I left, police had just entered the inside bar area to deal with another drunk problem. No business can survive under those conditions, and Angus and Kathleen were much too kind to their best (and worst) customers: the Big Pine Drunks.

May the HoM R.I.P.

After living in a town that did not pick up garbage I welcome the noisy trucks. Its the next door neighbors late night TV that rankles my nerves; and the practice of leaving SUV's idling with engines on. Save the ozone!

I just spent the last several months in Biloxi Mississippi.  The amount of destruction is indescribable.  What used to resemble Myrtle Beach is now a completely empty stretch of beach for 100 miles, strewn with debris.  I could go on and on but you get the picture.  Real Estate has actually gone up there.  People look at the destruction as an opportunity to build it better.

Keep the faith.  Big Pine will spring back better than before.  Those who stick it out will reap the benefits. It's kind of like the stock market.  It's all cyclical.

[In denial] I will take my yapping small dogs over a large dog any day. They are easier to clean up after and are easier to travel with. I have found that the reason they bark so much is because someone is teasing them just to hear them bark. Kids on bicycles are the worst. They will ride back and forth to see how irritated they can get the dogs. And by the way, country music rules.

If I had known I would live this long, I may have taken better care of myself, but not if it meant the sacrifice of anything I have done.

[Its about it] It is true "It's" is a contraction of "it is". And so when it is asked, "When do you use the word "its" without the apostrophe, it is quite clear: There are too many its in this post.

[Garlic dipped bullets are real] First used in WW1, then in the 1920's. The effect of garlic and lead creates a lead oxide poison that gets into the blood stream when a victim is shot or wounded. The reaction is an extremely painful, long lasting death for which there's no cure. It's much more painful than advanced Rabies. If you are caught with these bullets it can be a minimum of 7 years in prison. Don't modify any ammo beyond factory specs, it's not worth it. Dumdum's are illegal too.

[Insurance sucks] I dropped all insurance except Homeowners Liability, just in case some Snowbird looks it up, and tries to do a slip and fall on my property and sue me for what I got. There is a scam for this going on right now, and they take no prisoners.

[W/D shelves are empty and beer is very low] Oh my god, they're starving us out of the Keys!

[Artillery practice] I was only partly joking about the 9mm.  It really lacks in stopping power if you get a 300 pounder coming at you.  The writer is correct; the best choice for home protection is a shotgun.  I personally use one with an extended magazine.  I also attached a laser for effect and a flashlight.  I alternate ammo, using slugs first, double 00 buck then number 7.  This gives you upfront stopping power, then a little wider spread with the buckshot and number 7 for a bigger spread.  Then you start again with slugs.  The best part about a shotgun is it usually won’t penetrate the wall and hit someone in the next room.  Don’t forget practice, practice, practice.  Practice makes perfect

Prison is another term for criminal training center.

No. The people that owned the Galley Grill did not leave the Keys.  As far as I know they plan to stay yet for a while.  Did you want to say something to them? I can relay a message for I do know where they live. 

Never give your dog beer!

Hi, Belinda.

If you were living at any campground/RV park in a coastal community in Florida the past 20 years and didn't know that you could be evicted at any time for real estate development, you were living with your head up your butt in denial. I know, I'm one of them.

[Derelict boats being used as liveaboards up and down the Keys] I agree that something must be done.  Many are dumping illegally, both in the waters and on the land.  There are still over 300 left abandoned after last year's hurricane season that we are going to pay dearly to recover.  The Lady Luck alone is expected to cost us as tax payers 500 thousand dollars to remove. What happened to the owners that have brought another boat down and already has broken free nearly colliding with other boats?  All of us that have boats in the water need to become more responsible for the environment as well as financially.

The Navy did not pull out in the 1960’s.  We are alive and well and with near perfect weather it is one of the only year round training facilities for pilots in this country.  The Coast Guard has a huge presence here too.  Homeland security you know. 

Finally a good use for my PC.

[16 year old pizza delivery young man]  Your mother must be very proud of you.  Could you post which company you deliver for so that I may order and tip you well?  I don’t eat pizza; do ya’ll have other stuff?

I never meet a yap dog owner that understood how annoying the yapping was. I found that they are generally inconsiderate people who believe everyone loves their dogs as much as they do. "Love is blind." The yap owners know about love, but not about being neighborly.

What? House of Music is going to be bulldozed to make room for a bank? It better not be a branch office of a bank, Piners won't stand for any outside chains coming into our town. It would be OK if it was locally-owned, like the First Angus Bank.

[alligator killer] One of these youths is a recent failed product in the Sheriff's Office's Explorer group. A Marathon teacher said he had a problem with the slap-on-the-wrist concept, as it has shown to be an ineffective deterrent to future criminal activities.  All three of them should be processed to the fullest extent for the torture and murder of this protected animal.

Here is his letter:  http://keynoter.com/articles/2006/05/10/letters/let04.txt  And another letter in the same issue:  http://keynoter.com/articles/2006/05/10/letters/let05.txt

Kudos to these folks for having the guts to say what most of us are feeling about this.  If they don't make examples of these perpetrators, what message is that sending to the rest of the youth, including my boys?  If one of mine had done this, I would want them punished.  Hopefully, I have raised them in a way that I never have to worry about this.  

A friend of the alligator killer said he is a good person. That's what was said of Charlie Brandt, and look how he turned out, murdering several people over the years.  Almost every serial killer started out torturing animals, and yet, once caught killing people, those that knew them said how nice they were.

I don't remember anyone stereotyping all teenagers.  Studies have shown there to be a correlation between youth that abuse animals and violence on down the road.

All it takes is for you to train your dogs not to bark at everything. But they do have to exercise their voice. How would you like to be told to shut up every time you were voicing?

[Those who go to prison, come out real criminals]  That's not true.  My stepson was in prison for a couple of years, and he came out a much better young man for it.  If he had not gone to jail, there is no telling what else he might have done that would have been worse than what he was caught for.  He had no prior arrests, not because he hadn't done anything bad before, but he just hadn't been caught until that time.  Just slapping them on the wrist and giving them community service is no good; community service in the Keys sucks; they usually wind up working for a friend, who will sign off for their hours without them having to do anything.

I signed the alligator petition, and I suggest everyone else do so.

After living on Big Pine for the last 27 years it broke my heart to leave for good last week. I miss all my friends dearly but I hope they have the chance to leave the Keys when the time comes under their own terms and aren't forced out like I was. Get out while you can, folks, before you end up someplace you'd rather not be with everything you cherish gone for good.

[When do you use the word "its" without the apostrophe] When it's possessive. The dog licks its butt,  the cat finds its home, the wife loses its temper, etc.   It's really pretty simple.  At least it should be, but it's really easy to make a mistake.  Everybody's so apostrophe crazy right now, adding them to plurals and possessives, which usually shouldn't have any, that even those who know and care what they're doing find it easy to slip.

[Yapping dogs] Where I live, the relocated northerners and snowbirds for some reason seem to like to have two to four Yorkshire Terriers per house. I just don't understand why, as they, as well as all of their nearby neighbors have to endure almost 24 hr yapping. So usually at night I shut my windows and turn on the AC when I definitely would not do so otherwise.  I wish there was someway that I could have them pay for my unnecessary electricity expense. My neighbors are extremely inconsiderate.

A full five-fingered Piner salute (as opposed to the well known one-finger Piner salute used under different circumstances) to the young man of 16 delivering pizzas and helping his family. He's not shooting alligators or selling drugs, he's making an honest dollar. We're proud of you and you deserve the respect and help of your neighbors and the business you work for.

Please don't get discouraged or give up. Despite the obvious carping vented here every day; honest hard workers will save America as they always have. Willing hands are sorely needed and if you keep your faith in God, keep your eye open for opportunity and keep looking for blessings in odd places you will prevail. Try to be a giver, even in small ways, and think of each gift as a seed planted for the future, because it certainly is.

From somebody who has walked the earth a long time and seen it from many angles; takers never seem to have enough, while givers are blessed even in bad times. Look to the Lord for your strength. He loves you and someday you will understand why you had to come up the rough side. You will make a mighty man with a heart of gold; able to know and help the pain of others. You don't have to give your name, but if we could know whose pizza you deliver, I'll bet you have some good tips coming!  

[Friend of Theo the Alligator killer] Nobody is stereo-typing him. Psychological studies have shown that individuals willing to inflict harm on animals are more likely to do so to humans. He and his partner in crime brutally killed an animal and should be held accountable for their actions.

It's now 11:03am (Wednesday) and I'm having Piney Gossip withdrawal! Arrrgh! (Ed: Sorry we published so late, but the larder at corporate headquarters needed replenishing and the line at W/D was long.)

Whenever I read this website I realize how glad I am that I left the Keys.  What a bunch of unhappy and antagonistic people-haters. Keep up the good work.

This has been a lesson in American capitalism at its worst?  The lack of employees in the Keys has little to do with capitalism.  It's environmentalism at it's worst.  It's basic economics--supply and demand.   It's amazing how many people don't seem to understand this. The demand for property has increased because it's a desirable place to live.  The supply of new homes is almost non-existent due to growth restrictions.  The real estate boom of the last few years has resulted in many long time residents  cashing out and leaving.  There are no good paying jobs in the Keys, making it difficult for new working residents to afford homes at current prices.   So, if you screw around with supply, this is what you get.  You can't have it both ways.

Big Pine Key cold case uncovers chilling mutilation murders. Florida Keys authorities have closed a gory cold case that will give you the chills. It's a case of the murders of women whose bodies were mutilated: heads cut off and hearts cut out. It took 17 years, but Monroe County Sheriff's authorities say they finally know who killed three women and possibly others as far away as Germany. Detective Becky Herrin says Carl Brandt's first victim was a homeless woman whose mutilated body was found in 1989. Then in 2004, Brandt's wife and niece were killed and dismembered in the same pattern as the earlier murder. But, instead of confessing, Brandt hung himself. Last night the case reopened when a family friend finally came forward to confess that Brandt's wife suspected her husband was the killer before she herself was murdered. Even though the suspect is dead, the pieces of the puzzling murders have finally come together to reveal the pattern of a possible serial killer, and the investigation is expanding to try to solve other similar murders.

Story at http://cbs4.com/localbriefs#story1

[White House as sacred ground] We are asked if we ever read newspapers, etc. I would reply to that statement by asking if that person ever reads anything except the mass media mush and is PBS his favorite TV channel? Perhaps Al Franken or Michael Moore are his favorite political commentators.

Imagine not doing enough for N.O. after Katrina. We certainly can't expect people to take care of themselves; not when we have a big daddy Gov. and those terrible gas prices all because of Bush. Never mind trivia like a market is a market is a market. Our young men and women dying needlessly; never mind that the world is a different place today and it has been evolving towards this "place" for a long time. Just keep sticking your head in the sand or have another Bud Light and things will be just fine. Can you imagine that the rest of the world is angry at us? Gee whiz Fidel, Chavez, and the rest of the gang that I always thought were such a fun group. His face doesn't look right to you; may I suggest that you probably are spending a little too much time in the sun. Try to find a shady spot. Drink some Kool-aid and let your befuddled mind rest.

Is it greed to accumulate large sums of money if at the same time you have elevated thousands or perhaps millions of people to a higher lifestyle? Should Henry Ford have stopped making cars after the first one hundred or so? I am sure by that time he had enough to feed himself and his family? Should Bill Gates ceased making software after the first few thousand? He no doubt had enough to sustain his family by that time.

The point is greed, using your definition of greed, is nonsense. Market value is market value. If a man overpays for something it will even out when he disposes of it. Inflation is automatically adjusted to the worth of the goods. If you pay me $100 for a hammer, at that moment, to you, that's what that hammer is worth. You bought your car for $100 and many years later sold it for $200 and say you doubled your money? Surely you jest. You must know you meant you doubled your number. But your buying power, the only thing that really counts, was only a fraction of your original purchase.

Why, oh, why, in the midst of this dusty spring drought are they mowing the sides of the road in Port Pine Heights? 

Thursday May 11, 2006

Wednesday May 10, 2006

[I'll take my yapping dogs over humans] You're probably right, but that isn't the complaint the writers have been trying to remedy. You carelessly force those around you to endure the irritating yapping at all hours of the day and night for your own selfish reason.

[USA hypocrites] Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is Communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

[derelict boats]  Don't worry we have gone thru stages like this before when the water in front of Sea Center all the way to Sheriffs Island was like Hong Kong. Then a wee little hurricane came along and voila, it was clean again!

Iran wrote Bush a letter telling him to follow Jesus' words and to act like a Christian. Wow!

Something strange is happening at W/D. The shelves are empty and beer is very low. Does anyone  know what is going on? Is Publix moving in?

A Keys story for those frustrated with Waste Management. Several years back a guy I knew had a severe falling out with WM. He happened to have an old Cadillac engine block behind his house which weighed around a half-ton. With the help of another angry friend they slipped up to a commercial dumpster serviced by the large WM truck; you know the kind that picks the whole dumpster up over the truck and lets the trash fall in. They hoisted the old block in there and covered it with trash bags.

Of course on pickup day the dumpster went up, up, up, then a tremendous crash as the big block dropped like a boulder into the works of the garbage truck, doing thousands of dollars of damage. That's a bit extreme, I agree. I do hope the frustration level doesn't get that high on Big Pine. Now it sure wasn't me who did that. We've not had any problem with WM. Too bad, though. Somebody's trash is always going to have to get picked up early, unless people wouldn't mind a smelly garbage truck showing up just in time for the evening barbecue.    

Is the boil water thing still in effect? This bottled water is expensive.

Howard Livingston and The Mile Marker 24 Band will be performing at the Sugarloaf KOA Resort on Sugarloaf Key, Florida Saturday, May 13, 2006 (That is this Saturday!) The show starts early at 5:00 PM. If you are in the area please stop by and join us. As always, have a free margarita on the band and let’s celebrate the wonderful Florida Keys and we will be playing all the songs from our new CD Meet Me In The Keys. Let’s have a party!

Employers may as well start posting permanent help wanted signs on their business store fronts and in the newspapers because what few workers are left won't be able to fill all the jobs. Then again there will be fewer jobs available because less and less of us can afford to go out because of the cost or because we don't have the time or energy because we work two jobs and 100 hours a week. That means more businesses will have to close and the few businesses left will be able to raise prices but still won't pay their employees better and thus the cycle starts all over. This has been a lesson in American Capitalism at its worst.

[Dead Pines] Yep, I think we're going to have to change the name of our fair island to Big Brown Key.

Redneck Pistol.

[complaining about the garbage trucks]  Get over it.  These guys have the nastiest job imaginable; picking up your rotting garbage and trash.  It’s a job I’m sure you wouldn’t do.  They have to start early in the morning to get through their route and try to be done before it gets too late in the day.  So one time the truck sat for a few minutes and annoyed you and you have to call the cops?  You must be a pleasure to live next to.  Get a grip.  Get a life!

It looked for while like the deal between the County and Walgreen’s had been struck clearing the way for Walgreen’s to proceed.  In typical County fashion, however, the Commission and the bureaucrats decided to drag Walgreen’s back to the negotiation table to squeeze their huevos yet one more time to ask for even more concessions beyond the already generous ones that Walgreen’s had already agreed to.  This nonsense has to stop.  Let the company get on with their business and get rid of that old Scotty’s mess. 

Teenagers or anyone else caught stealing in your home is a clear and real threat to you and your family.  By the new Florida law, the Castle Doctrine, you are within your right to use lethal force to protect yourself and your family from them.  According to Florida law you cannot be prosecuted nor can the family's of the criminal legally sue.  

I didn't realize that the teen who killed a gator was one of my good friends. Although I don't agree with what Theo did, I just wanted to make it clear that he is a good person who I know would never grow up to be a rapist, wife beater, or any of the other slanderous things you were accusing him of. I met him through the Sheriff Explorer program and knew right away that he would become a great friend. So I would advise you to not stereotype all teenagers.

For all the people kicking country music: Ya'll are lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut!  Besides, if you play a country song backwards you get your dog, wife, truck and job back.

Is there anyone out there like me who thinks American Idol is a total waste of time?  My dog actually blows chunks if I put it on for just a few minutes. It is just a trendy version of that even stupider Gong Show.  

"It's" is a contraction of "it is". When do you the word "its" without the apostrophe?

I am the best at complaining, however when I read everyone else and their complaints, I want to complain.  Big Pine Key is the best of all the islands to live on.  I have lived on all of them except Key West.  Can we please go back to the way it was 20 years ago.  Everyone knew everyone and the coconut telegraph line was very simple.  Now we have a computer site to help this?  Meet me in the grocery line at Winn Dixie on Monday night at 6:00.  I have something to complain about. 

[Alligator killers]  I said psychological evaluation, not prison. Please think long and hard if we really want these boys to go to prison.  Those who go in, come out real criminals.  I loved that gator, but prison?  Let's get all the facts, any prior arrests? What kind of students were they?  Maybe community service working with wildlife to teach them to appreciate their environment would be a good remedy.  Maybe have them wear big signs and walk all through Big Pine so people can voice how we all feel about them killing our local gator.  Maybe a long probation along with the other ideas.  But prison?  Give us all the stats on these boys. Then we can decide. Until that time no petition.

More developers are coming to the Keys and buying Mobile Home Parks, for example Seahorse Trailer Park located in Big Pine Key, and the Vagabond located on the northern end of Key Largo. Some of the residents were unaware of their plight until they read about it in local papers.  When mobile home land owners decide to sell or redevelop a mobile home park, tenants have few legal protections.

A bill supported by Federation of Manufactured Home Owners of Florida, Inc. in 2001 ensures that manufactured home owners will receive assistance with relocation costs when they are evicted because the park owner changes the use of land.  (Chapter 723 Florida Statue.) http://www.fmo.org/fmo_home/default.asp   (1-727-530-7539)

I find myself asking; if I lived at Seahorse; having few legal options what can I do? If you own your mobile home and rent the land;  NOW is the time to act while you still have some options. This is what I would do.

1.  I would go and knock on my neighbor’s door,  Unite.

2. Form a Home Owners Association, file with the State of Florida, you will have a greater legal standing.    It will take some time and effort but it will be worth the effort

3. Post flyers and notices on bulletin boards at supermarkets, local stores where it would be allowed to do so, inviting people to the meeting.

4. Contact local papers (and major newspapers,) and ask to be published; local radio stations to put out the time and location of the meeting. When doing the above please request them to pass the information on to their friends and relatives, and also request their email address, if any, to keep them informed of current and future events.

5. Call and ask for the publications to be mailed to you, toll free 1-888-862-7010; mail; Florida Mobile Home Relocation Corp. P.O. Box 14125; Tallahassee, Fl 32317     Florida Mobile Home Act.  (FMHRC) http://www.myflorida.com/

Consider the alternative of facing eviction and the potential threat of the bulldozer clearing your park and home.

I am a 16 year old pizza delivery driver. I give up my weekends to delivery food to you. I try hard in school and don't want work to interfere on the weeknights. I pay for my own gas, insurance, car payments and cell phone bill every month. I work very hard for my money to just get by each month. Every night I work I feel like quitting and walking out. Working in a pizza joint is hard enough; dealing with everyone bitching about something then I have to bring food to somebody who gives me a $2 tip.

I happen to know that everyone is under stress when it comes to money; I was raised by a single mother who had to have two jobs just to keep our heads above water. So naturally from our struggles I gained a good work ethic. I am now trying to become as independent as possible to relieve the stress from my mother.

I had the mother of all nightmares last night: I dreamt that obese rednecks moved in next door who played loud country music, sunbathed in the nude and had four yapping yip dogs. It must have been that extra hot burrito and beer I had for dinner. Never again. 

Who are the people that owned the Galley grille? Did they leave the Keys as well?

[Is a tax surcharge fair]  Sure is! You are not here year round supporting our economy, so pay the extra.

[Christian right speaks out] The House of Music will finally be bulldozed. Big Pine Key had way to many places to become alcoholics. It has been a place where peoples' lives are ruined. The spread of sexual disease, immorality, drunkenness, people cheating on their spouses and drug deals. My prayers are finally answered. Next is Key Deer Bar B-B-Q. Big Piners need to sober up and get off drugs. Stop the sexually immorality. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Bulldoze the Key Deer and the HoM, put in a Road House and/or a Red Lobster. Capt Crossbones was very good last night, they could use more seating and tell the help to loosen up and have some fun with the customers. Excellent fried shrimp dinner!

Cat Ba Island in the NW part of the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam. It was an unexpected five hour boat ride from Hanoi. The very slow trawler stopped for us to explore the natural limestone caverns where the North Vietnamese kept their munitions and headquarters during the "American War" The Bay is dotted with those tall gum drop shaped limestone mountains. The Viet Cong looking crew were practicing their English with such phrases as, "Where do you keep your wallet." (No kidding.)

The back wall of the hotel was live rock. I arrived at night and checked into the hotel thinking it was about thirty rooms. When I left the lobby there was a massive wall of cliff-face where the rest of the hotel should be. There were only about nine rooms. The hotel was only one room deep.

I got high on my balcony overlooking the bay where so many live aboards were anchored. They had a whole business rowing people to the boats (for about a penny). All the rowboats were made of woven grass sealed with tar and all the rowers were women wearing those large conical hats. It was truly foreign.

[Real Estate] The person who let the young man have the coupe for a giveaway price has the right to try to get market price or give his belongings to United Way if they so choose.  That's the great thing about living here.  We have the right to sweat bullets and earn money which we can then invest and make more and more and more; or give it away to whom ever we wish! 

If you really like the couple who is struggling to buy your house and they need a little help with the financing or a slightly lower price to make the deal--you choose whether to do the deal. Not a good way to do business, unfortunately. To really make the big bucks you have to be hard and fast.  Again that is your choice not anyone else's, at least we have the opportunity.  But, those still trying to sell at last years (before Wilma) prices will learn if they have to sell, that is not going to fly. It looks as if marginal properties are all ready down 30% or more.  Now the real architectural delights on the water are going to bring millions because they have all concrete hurricane proof construction and elevators, garages, huge lots. And the view alone from your veranda, of water, sun and sky is worth a million to begin with let alone the several million safe house.  You get what you pay for unless you're an idiot or hard working enough to make something out of a nothing footprint. In a nutshell, if you want it; go after it and if you don't; sit down and have another toke.

I do not believe the issue is whether or not someone should be allowed to have their yipping dog. The issue is the owner not giving a crap about an otherwise nice neighborhood. What I see is people putting their dogs outside for a time, for whatever purpose, then locking themselves in their habitat with the doors and windows shut, and the air conditioner on, happily oblivious to the ranting of their beloved pooch. My best guess is that the parents of the Big Pine burglar have a yipper. No control over any of their animals. No concern for the neighborhood or anybody else's privacy. The noise is as intrusive as any thief.

As far as calling the cops is concerned, I've tried that, only to be informed it is a matter for Animal Control. It's not their job to keep the peace you know.

[bird flu] Free-ranging chickens are invasive exotics; pelicans and seagulls are natives. Go back to N.J. or learn more about your environment.

Capt. Dan will stay open. With HoM closed, where else can you go for a cold drink and food at the same place on Big Pine? Kudos to Capt. Dan for weathering the storm.

I just read a bit of statistical data put out by the National Retailer's Association of the U.S.  As it turns out there was an impact form illegal aliens boycotting on May 1. I'm not making this up. I'm just forwarding data that's being published.  On that particular day when immigrants generally stayed out of retail outlets.   Retail Sales were down by 4.2. Shoplifting events were down by 67.8%.

That's not racist.  Not profiling.  Not nationalistic or xenophobic.  That's just the way it was. Just the data.  Heck, it could be that a 4.2% drop in sales represents more of a loss than 67.8% less stuff being stolen.  If not, maybe the retailers need to enjoy more, and more of this boycott action. 

[HoM bulldozed] We knew it had to either be another bar, bank, church or realtor.

Well there Mom and Pop business people, 8 empty stores in the building next to the out of business House Of Music. There are only 8 stores in the whole rental space. Doesn't that freak anyone out? Conch and Whatever looks like poop. We need some help as part of Monroe County (We are part of Monroe county aren't we?). Maybe the County could plant some green stuff along US 1. Something needs to be done, fast. I have lived here all my life and it makes me very sad to see it this way. I hope we are for a rebuild, not unlike Key West after the Navy moved out in the early 60's. Boy that was even poopier than Big Pine Key is now. Here's to hope!

[wireless or satellite for an R/V]  www.motosat.com will give you the satellite solution.  $5,000 to start, $80/month.  I use Cingular in my R/V. Free startup and $80/month unlimited.  I've been very satisfied all around the country.  I even use it as backup at my home on BPK when the cable goes out.

For real bedside stopping power, absolute deadliness at across a room or less range, with almost no need to even aim (your wife can do it if you're not home) my own favorite is the StreetSweeper or pump-action combat/police shotgun (with legal barrel, of course.)  A short-barreled shotgun is the best, period, for this limited use. (Of course, pretty expensive and single-purpose compared to a pistol.)

[High speed internet for a motor home]  A lot of people use Direcway.  If  it's set up correctly, it works as well as DSL.  Some set it up manually using a tripod. There is information available on the internet for doing this.  Search for "Dustyfoot". But if that's not your thing and you can afford it, automatic systems are available, such as DataStorm.  They mount on top of the motor home and find the correct satellite automatically.  I've never had good luck using a cell phone for internet.

Don't throw stones at the Kennedys?  They're nothing but a bunch of overweight substance abusers.  Even their cat has an alcohol problem.

My sincere sympathy to the person that was caught in the FEMA/County/Insurer Bermuda Triangle, concerning his downstairs enclosure.

I was caught in the same nightmare on a much smaller scale.  FEMA said I was lacking 30 square inches of vent space in the enclosure, even though the county approved it when the house was built.  Their solution:  Hacksaw out the existing vents. Yea, I'm sure structurally, that is a great idea!

Finger pointing all around and then my insurance agent dropped the ball and the flood insurer reduced my policy, which then didn’t cover the mortgage.  So the bank starts sending threatening letters.  All this happened without anyone notifying me.  It took months and hours on the phone to get it straightened out, if it even is, at this point.

The result, naturally, is just paying the insurer more. I wish you luck, my friend. You will need it.

(?) House of Music. I wish I was a bank.  I hate to defuse the rumor, but the building will continue to stand as long as I have a strong back and everyone's support to keep it standing. I've been given a second chance.  Wish me luck.

Paul is that you?

Wednesday May 10, 2006

Tuesday May 9, 2006

[Greed] Some people still don't get it. Ever see the movie Key Largo? At one point Humphrey Bogart is introducing Edward G. Robinson, (who plays Johnny Rocco the gangster). He tells the folks listening "What makes Johnny Rocco different is he wants more." Rocco agrees. "Yeah, that's it...MORE!" Lionel Barrymore asks "Think you'll ever get enough?" Rocco answers "Well, I haven't yet!"

The measure of greed is how much is enough? How much profit/money is enough to satisfy? Like Rocco people today want more and more. "Fair market value" is a ridiculous term when dealing with limitless amounts of easy cash. I got to speak briefly to a drug kingpin once after he had been arrested in Miami. He said they found $32 million in boxes around his house. He explained when you deal with so large amount of cash it becomes nothing but paper after awhile, (he ended up buying off a judge for $400K, a mere tip to him).

 
Some people reading this will say I'm really dumb but back in 1959 I bought a 1940 Chevy coupe as my first car for $100. It ran well and we kept it until 1994. By then we had kids and a few other project cars so we decided to sell the Chevy. A young boy in our neighborhood really wanted a car like it, but because "fair market value" on a decent 1940 Chevy was in the thousands he didn't think he could afford it. Well we talked awhile and I remembered what I paid for the car. We sold it to the young fellow for $200. Hey, I had doubled my money and had good use out of it all those years. In short, it was enough. Get the picture? 

[Gossip of the Day] I understand House Of Music will stay open a few more days. The new owners have not served HoM there walking papers yet. I am told the new owners will be a bank. The building will be bulldozed and another bank will come to Big Pine Key.

I just got a letter from FEMA that says my flood policy has been revoked because I failed to get a county building permit within six months of this year's flood policy renewal date and have an inspection by code enforcement.   The "voluntary" inspection is required so I can be forced to rip out the bathroom, kitchenette and workshop room, along with all interior walls of the downstairs portion of my home or go without insurance.

I bought my home on BPK in 2003. It has a legal downstairs enclosure that was converted to living space over ten years ago.  At the time of sale, I checked with the appropriate county departments and had an inspection report sent with my flood insurance request.  I was told that because the enclosure had been taxed as living space for over four years, it was not considered a violation and was issued a flood policy with a 50 percent surcharge; and the enclosure was excluded from coverage.

Now, three years after I bought the house, the rules change.  FEMA and our BOCC have agreed that county inspections of the enclosure may be required by code enforcement before the flood policy can be renewed each year.

The lenders who made the loans on the property will now force me into foreclosure.  I am not aware of this unfair situation occurring anywhere else in the nation.  The insurance folks blame FEMA, FEMA blames lax county code enforcement and the county blames the courts for allowing lower enclosures that have been used as living space for over four years to remain.

It is simply not fair to screw the homeowner who played by all the rules.

[demise of another business] Yesterday's writer claimed one of the reasons HoM closed is because of a poor location. Are you kidding? It's probably the best location on the island; right on US1 with an access road and a lot of parking. What more could you want? And so what if the commercial district gets worse. I wouldn't mind more stores leaving. Move to the city if you want the "city." I like the country.

Just ask for the "Arkansas cut" hillbilly overalls.

Ah, to be a Republican. Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy, but providing health care to all Americans is socialism. HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.

[Deputy Rodriguez] I don't know much about his work ethic, but he's very easy on the eyes.  He was helpful to me once when I was involved in a fender bender.  He arrived quickly and gave me good advice. 

Does anyone have info on true high speed wireless or satellite internet access for a laptop in a vehicle (motor home)? (Lousy tech support: Verizon is the only provider that goes everywhere--so far. It's not as fast as fixed broadband, but it's a lot faster than dial-up. You simply use your cell phone to connect to your laptop. I've used satellite broadband in other countries, but it is as slow as dial-up.)

[Kids today]  Has anybody read Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman I think, but I don't have it in front of me.  It has been around for a while but is eerily prophetic.  Good insight into the "kids today" problem.  He suggests that it was Huxley, not Orwell that got it right.

The false values and inventory glut in lower Keys real estate was fueled by greed and not by need. Flippers and investors are responsible for the upcoming second depression. Liars, mortgages combined rising false values is a deadly combination.  Very few people bought houses the last 5 years because they needed to move here. You people who still clinging to half to million dollar asking prices better get ready for insulting offers if you get any offers at all for the next 6 months.  You'd have to be an idiot to purchase a house now with a busy hurricane season looming and uncertain rising wind and flood insurance and possible rising taxes as the county prepares for declining property values. People who need to should just rent for half the money and let the greedy worry about all that while waiting for prices to come down to reality. 

[country music] Listening to Country is like drowning in a sea of crap.

I have been a shooter for over 30 years and have never heard of Garlic dipped bullets.  Do you use those to shoot vampires?  Hollow point FMJ is all you need.  Silver tip is expensive but does do the job.  Glazer safety bullets are the best, they are plus-P with razor shards built into the hollow point serrations, the best stopping power available.  Of course it goes without saying you are using a .45 or .357 Sig because 9mm just pisses them off.

[Noisy garbage truck] Age ain’t just a number, honey. You might be 30 but you sound like a bitchy old woman. So what if they had to take a leak—they weren’t on your property.  Get over it and get a life. Boy I wish that was all there was to complain about.

Nation Illiteracy Week. Write for free help!

[high speed Internet carrier]  I use Bellsouth Ultra and have excellent service.  No problems and almost no maintenance downtime, and good tech support.  Whatever you do, do not use Comcast.  I got rid of them because of on-going problems, horrible tech support and excessive downtime any time it would rain anywhere south of Miami.  I have a friend who has tried Comcast and is ready to go back to Bellsouth because of the poor service.

[Affordable housing is a relative term] Ask the illegals who live with all their relatives in one apartment just to be able to afford to live here.

Listen up yap dog haters.  I'll give up my yap dog when they pry my kibble stained fingers from around her.

I'll take my yapping dogs over humans anytime.

[Country Music Are the lyrics over your head] No they are usually written on the walls of men's rooms, along with your wife's phone number.

[one garlic dipped silvertip hollow point ] You use that round and they will put you away for 1000 years. Don't use anything except rounds that are OK in Florida. Just shoot them twice!

The holy land is the most unholy land on the earth. Hundreds of millions of people have been slain on that land in the name of different gods.

I went into the gas station today and asked for five dollars worth of gas. The clerk farted and gave me a receipt.

[High speed Internet] Comcast is supposed to offer a total package soon, local phone service, high speed internet, TV, and other commercial BS. Gee, I'll be able to get all the obnoxious advertising super fast. Wow, Wee!

[Trashing Waste Management]  Because they deserve it!

It looks as though the same problem we have in Big Pine Key, with the derelicts and their derelict boats using the bays for their homes, is happening on Sugarloaf Key, Cudjoe Key, and all the rest. There must be a law to rid our waters of this trash. Can somebody do something?

[Capt Dan Speaks] The House of Music put their heart , sole  and dollars into their business. They were good neighbors.  We borrowed back and forth and had a friendly relationship. I will miss going over after we closed and listening to the live music. Angus Bangus is always a hit, and the Moondogs are exceptional.

It is a tough business. After the hurricanes the season was not as good as previous years, so making it through the summer will be a tough deal. I will do everything I can do to keep my Key Deer open. And with a little help from my friends we'll be here come October. Thank you for your support.

This sure sounds a lot like the former Luther. Click here: http://www.blueshado.com/media/deadhamster.shtml  

Waste Management here is the worst I have ever seen. I guess it is hard getting good help here like everyone says. They are the laziest bunch I have ever seen. They actually got into a fight with one of my neighbors. I told my neighbors to prosecute them for assault and sue the company since he was knocked to the ground on his bad knee.

[A thought about off-shore oil drilling] Whose government would you prefer riding herd on the wells drilling and operation, ours our Cuba's? Perhaps we should get the fields built before they do.

If you have a problem with Waste Management, call them.  If you have a problem with your neighbor's yippy dog, tell them.  If you can't afford a home here, move or shut-up about the prices.  And not locking your doors at night in the Avenues?  That's just crazy.  Come on people, use some common sense.

And one more thing: Trashing Deputies and the Sheriff's Office is just wrong.  Those are good guys with the tough job of dealing with us wayward Piners.  You can't blame them for your problems.

[the donkey in the air] Funny stuff, that.  Now who is Dean Lopez? (Ed: KW funeral parlor) The garbage truck wakes me too but only on Sat as I arise at 4am and I am in Key West working by the time they come around during the week.  Yapping dogs:  Give me a break, big dogs bark also.  There is a dog on my street that when he gets excited sounds as if he is being killed.  That one I agree is a nuisance.  Why does the Ed call his/her tech support lousy? I have had consistent good support from Ed

Hi Ed. The link to the May archives does not work. (Ed: oops!)

If a real estate agent was sitting in your living room and told you they could sell your house real fast for $500,000 but since you only paid $100,000 5 years ago they weren't going to list it for more than that $100,000, how fast would you throw them off your property?  If your warped conscious says to list for the $100,000, give me a call and I'll give you a cash deal tomorrow.  The price inflation isn't due to the sellers, it's the idiot buyers.  Of course, if they sell it later for a loss they can deduct it from their income tax - maybe that's what's going on.

[Waste Management]  I rather they come to pick-up at 5am. That way the maggots don't get a chance, and that reduces our fly problem.

[anyone caught stealing] If your caught stealing in my house, pimple face or not you will be shot, it's called castle domain and you won't go to jail for it. The law was changed last year so now you can shoot anyone anywhere. You just have to say that you were threatened. Previously you only could shoot someone if they entered your house.

Capt. Dan's smart. Capt. D