Archive February 2008

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Thursday February 28, 2008

Brrrrrrr! I’ll bet even the snowbirds are feeling it this morning. Our 24 hour winter is here.

[Interim waste system] I truly hate to be the bearer of potentially really nasty news. You have already paid once to install an “interim waste water system”. The 2010 mandate requires that every wastewater disposal system be what they call Best Available Technology or BAT. If the standards have been upgraded since you installed your present system, you can bet that you will have to upgrade your existing system to meet the new standards. As it stands right now, you’re going to have to pay again. I know that is a tough chew, but it’s true. Remember that you’ll also have to scrap your system, (new or old) when the central sewer system reaches you. And it will.

Everybody, except our liberal candidates, hate any new taxes, but the 1% sales tax would require everybody who spends even a penny in Monroe to pay a share of the wastewater system. Everybody uses it, everybody should pay for it. For your sake, don’t get snookered into personally installing any new system, it just might not be BAT compliant when the deadline roles around. The 1% solution can be written in such fashion so that the proceeds can only be used for the wastewater project, plus the tax law can be written so that it expires when the project is completed. This proposed tax is the simplest, most fair, and by far the cheapest option open to Monroe County home owners.

(Ed: Bigpinekey.com tried to place an ad in the KW Citizen in order to get more visitors to the Coconut Telegraph, but they refused us the opportunity. They said it was because they own keywest.com and floridakeys.com and I am a competitor.

That’s the problem with any one entity owning most of the media in an area—they can stifle competition. Cooke Communications owns just about all the major print and online media in the keys and they are stifling our ability to expand. Boo on them.)

I have serious doubts that all the people taken prisoner in Afghanistan were necessarily combatants, they may have been observers or supporters of the Taliban or possibly even members of Al Qaeda, but we'll never know now. If they were taken as actual combatants it is hard to understand why they were taken half way around the world to Guantanamo to be questioned (not tortured). The Bush Administration deliberately declared these prisoners were not prisoners of war to avoid invoking the Geneva Conventions. All of this I find to be very questionable, and I would like to see more of my fellow Americans speaking up and questioning these antics, not making excuses for them.

As to the war in Iraq; that is another question. The invasion of Afghanistan was supported by the world community after the Afghan government (Taliban) failed to hand over the known perpetrators of the 9/11 attack on the United States. The war in Iraq was a strategic error and a tactical mistake. Spreading our forces too thin has given the Taliban room to return and are now causing problems for allied troops helping to rebuild the country. That's not good. Let us also remember that before the invasion of Iraq the dictator Hussein was penned in and unable to threaten his neighbors; and his government was reduced to selling oil for food. We paid $1.50 for a gallon of gas, paid for through the corrupt UN Food for Oil program. Nowadays we pay $3.50 for a gallon of gas paid for with huge sums of money to Halliburton and too many American lives lost in the field of battle. That was a bad miscalculation by the Bush Administration, regardless of your political affiliations.

The fact that other governments torture people is no reason to endorse our government doing the same. Torture is wrong whether it is the US, the Cubans or the Vietnamese or anyone else. The fact that people were tortured by our government "five years ago" doesn't make it right of proper. Water boarding is torture, if it weren't we wouldn't even be debating it. The fact that my fellow Americans would stand up and say torture isn't torture is deeply disturbing to me. I am a committed believer in the goodness and justness of our way of life and our Constitution and I would like to see other countries adopt them; not to see our government adopt the illegal and immoral practices of corrupt regimes.

Throwing around labels like "bleeding heart" or "liberal" is not a response to these issues. This is the sort of vigilance we need to exercise as free citizens of the greatest democracy in the world to set a shining example of openness and decency in government. If not us, then who?

The person who buys the government’s line that water boarding is not torture is crazy or blind. A practice that brings you close to death such as water boarding, certainly is torture. I guess its torture unless you’re a republican.

Please vote against the zoning change in Islamorada. Voters want the village to stay the same and not be overrun with new construction, especially across the street from the only turtle nesting beach and only working waterfront in the village. New construction means more water from our dwindling and disappearing source of water in Florida City.

[Change to Republican] In order to vote in the August Primary to change 2 of our members of "The Gang of Three", if you are a registered Democrat or Independent you must be a registered Republican. There is no restriction changing again to Independent or Democrat after the Primary and prior to the General Election in November. For questions, call the Supervisor of Elections at 289-6017

[Marathon just got 2.1 million dollars for fire house] What about lower Sugarloaf Volunteer Firehouse? That poor place is falling apart and they are volunteers.

I once would have agreed with the poster relative to his questions as to whether or not the educational system needs more cash. I changed my mind when I went to work for them after retiring (Hey, a full time salary for 10 months of work a year isn't bad, is it?) Most teachers are dedicated and capable. They are, however, hamstrung from doing their jobs effectively by a number of factors.
1. Federal and state laws and regulations make it virtually impossible to deal effectively with kids who seriously misbehave. One kid, about whom they can do virtually nothing, can destroy the ability to teach the other 25 kids present in the class.
2. Union rules prevent teachers who want to go the extra mile in helping kids from doing anything. Stipends and supplements are required for anyone who performs any action outside the strictly defined union guidelines. In a word, districts cannot afford to let people do much of anything extra.
3. By government mandate, all the resources are concentrated at the end of the spectrum where they pay the least return. For example, Marathon High School has the equivalent of 5 full time teachers doing nothing but remedial work. At the same time they have zero programs for gifted kids. Monroe County has its "Closing the Gap" initiative which spends enormous amounts of money and time with little or no return.
4. Kids who do not belong in public schools are enrolled. Children who are totally unresponsive and some who have not even progressed to the point of being toilet trained are present. Often they require one-to-one supervision and have specific transportation needs, which cause an enormous costs to the taxpayer.

The list could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

I noticed today that the "Dunkin' " is gone from the donut establishment in the Overseas Plaza, and the same with store on Southard St. What's the haps?

How did the new director go from county biologist to the Director of Planning? He is not even close to being qualified, but he makes a six figure salary. Tom Willi appointed the new director--that should tell you something!

Waste water treatment
1. If you cannot afford the payments then you have to do like so many before you and give up and sell out or be fined to the point you lose your home to the county and state.
2. If you are not here to see the system installed no worry, the contractor gets all permits and makes sure the county does all the necessary inspections and puts your yard back together. Keep in mind this new system takes much less space than the old drain field system and the contractor has to have access to water and electricity if you are not here.
3. There are contractors right here on Big Pine Key that are not booked up yet till 2010 and can do the work in a timely manner. They have all the necessary equipment to do the work.
4. I do not know about a permit to do it yourself and would think the county would frown on it; and the equipment necessary (drill for 100’ bore hole and machine to grout the pipe to 65' is pretty expensive) would be pretty hard to come up with?
5. If you want an accurate copy of what your particular situation needs just go to the health department and they will tell you exactly what you need to install. It does depend on where you live and if you are in a hot (going to get sewer some time in the future) or a cold zone (never going to get city sewer).
6. If you want to know how to install an approved hook-up just go back to 3 and talk to the contractors putting them in; they can show you item by item.
7.The old waste system problem is easy, included in your contract for the new system is the clause that the old system you have will be pumped out, tank completely destroyed and the new system can be installed right where the old one was, the county just has to have proof the old system has been pumped and crushed.

Under most situations from what I have observed it takes 3 to 4 days to get rid of the old and replace with the new system and the company will monitor your system for 2 years as part of the contract.

[Old seven mile bridge project to pigeon key] DOT announced at a December 2007 meeting that work on the bridge would be put off at least a year, as Monroe County was unable to secure a $17 million loan through the state infrastructure bank. Total costs for the repair will be $34 million, of which the County Commission voted to fund half.

Possibly the powers over our tax dollars have finally seen that the sewers and the possibility of huge fines on homeowners who cannot afford it are more important than a bridge to nowhere and the walkers and runners can still use the existing bridge. A win-win as they are safer with no vehicular traffic anyway. My God, are we finally getting through to these dolts?

Evolution may be science but it certainly is not fact. Leaving the Bible out of it nature itself proves evolution wrong. Anyone who has lived close to nature or practiced animal husbandry, (no, girls that does not mean having a beast for a husband, even though yours might be one) knows that no animal or plant ever "evolves" into something greater or more perfect on its own. Left to themselves creatures always go to the lowest common denominator. Perhaps it's the law of entropy, but the ugliest of the lot often have the most ability to reproduce. Every rancher knows you can have a fine herd of healthy purebred cattle if you practice selective breeding; ie with human management. But just allow one mongrel cow in the herd and let "evolution" take it's course and in a couple years you will have a whole herd of mangy, ugly cows.

That's why people like Margaret Sanger (one of Hillary's heroines), founder of Planned Parenthood, believe so strongly in eugenics, (manipulation of human population by abortion, sterilization and euthanasia to achieve a "master race"). Sanger called less-than-perfect people (like most of us in the Keys) "human weeds" and "useless eaters", terms often found in CFR documents in recent years. Surely most everything evolves, just look at G.W. Bush. He ran for president in 2000 saying he was for “change”, he would be honest, avoid wars and balance the budget, but in a few short years he has evolved into a wannabe dictator any banana republic would be proud of.

Evolution theory that claims creatures change from something less complicated to something more complex and intelligent is purely bogus and laughable. If it took millions of years for, say, a worm to change into a fish, then there would be thousands of examples of half-worm and half-fish in the fossil record, of which there are none. The advent of DNA research has driven the final nails into Darwin Theory's coffin. DNA evidence proves that everything on earth reproduces "after its own kind”. Fact. I think I read that somewhere in the beginning of a book when I was a kid.

I had seen a thing on TV about sponges and rags in the kitchen. The sponges in particular are a real breeding ground for bacteria...the rags as well. When I had the use of a standard kitchen and we had no dishwasher, I would only use the dishrags one time and then 86 them to laundry-land. The TV show exposed the actual bacteria in the kitchen, utensils, sponges, etc with a black light. The results turned me toward using a lot more disposable paper products. Many things, however, do not lend themselves to paper plates. I definitely miss the dishwasher. Conventional wisdom says hot, hot water or bleach will kill most invasive bacteria.

I was depressed last night so I called Lifeline. I got a call center in Pakistan. I told them I was suicidal. They got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck or fly a plane!

Since I am a local business owner over the years I have had the opportunity to deal with Monroe County Fire Rescue personnel (under Mr. Paros and Chief Martin). But only recently I've witnessed the behavior of this new Fire Chief and I was quite disturbed. He is loud, jittery and full of himself. But the most concerning observation was the fact that statements I heard from him did not ring true, he was contradicting his own facts, did not let anyone tell him otherwise and it was obvious that he is not up to speed on local fire issues! Whose idea was it to have this guy in charge? One could say that he was "shooting from the hip". I hope that his bosses take notice of this and I wonder whether he has the much needed qualifications to be in charge of such a department. On a positive note, I've had the opportunity to interact with the county Fire Marshal men (Wally and Steve) and found them to be knowledgeable, polite and easy to communicate with. I have had conversations with other local business owners who share my opinion. ~taverneering@yahoo.com

Your problem is not the sponge, it is keeping it in a bowl of water that's causing odors. The best way to avoid odors on a kitchen sponge or dishcloth is to keep it as dry as possible and prevent bacteria from food particles from growing on it. When you finish using it, rinse thoroughly and then microwave it for 1 minute. At the very least wring it out after use and let it air dry.

I'm not sure why, but sometimes I am drawn to reading the diatribes of Monroe County's stupid. I actually read GoodMorningKeyWest.com yesterday. Sloan, let me act like Webster for a moment. Let me define "Kidnapped by law enforcement officers and held incommunicado." That would be better known as "Arrested." It's what happens to a person when they commit a crime. A hint to you and the original author of that statement, if you don't want to be "kidnapped by law enforcement officers and held incommunicado," stay out of trouble. Oh, and another thing, "nolle prosse" is not a ruling made by a Judge.

How come when I click on arrests reports/mug shots, I get a request denied from somebody named Proxy? It also was on my Favorites, but now when I click there it comes up with “page cannot be displayed”. Menu > Arrest Reports Mug Shots

This neo con is rethinking disparaging the conspiracy theorists. There is a new and amazing theory that was unearthed during research into previous conspiracy postings. The theory is a huge bombshell, a genuine shocker! Eugenics and the New World Order have been discovered to be playing a frightening role in the current presidential race! It starts back at Yale. We already know that both Bush1 and Bush2 were Yalies, both were members of the Skull and Bones. We also know that John Kerry was also a Yalie. Young John was also a member of Skull and Bones. Kerry and Bush2 were rivals. It’s widely known that the Bush2’s academic performance was substantially superior to Kerry’s. It’s also widely known that Bush2 was very popular with the ladies and with his classmates. Kerry was not. Kerry lacked the wit, the good looks, quick mind, even the personality. Kerry also lacked the money of the popular frat boy Bush2. Kerry was deeply resentful and developed a deep seated and enduring hate for all things associated with the Bush family. It is believed that it was during this time that Kerry was first introduced to the New World Order--he was enthralled.

Kerry early on determined that he would ensure his place in history by embarking on a career in public service in opposition to the works of the Bush dynasty and in support of NWO precepts. He further determined that he would seek out a mate with whom he would provide the world with children superior to any progeny of the prolific Bush family. Kerry sought to date wealthy and intellectual females from Harvard and Radcliff. Kerry met the young, soon to be famed, black poet/novelist Margaret Atwood. Atwood was a brilliant Harvard/Radcliff student from a well-to-do Canadian family. The chemistry and the intellectual attraction was intense. It is believed that Kerry recognized that offspring of such a union would surely be a superior human with the incredible potential of vanquishing the Bush primacy. The issue of that union--can it be, is it, Barak Obama?

If the theory is true, Atwood ultimately spurned Kerry and the child was raised in Hawaii by a middle class multi-racial couple, the female from Kansas, the male from Africa. Powerful, wealthy, and influential NWO types diligently followed the progress of the youngster and made certain that he received nothing but the best education in keeping with NWO precepts, and that nothing but the best of opportunities were presented to him. And now, Barak Hussein Obama stands with pride as a leading contender for the Presidency of the United States of America. Bush2’s Presidency is meandering to a close. Kerry failed in his Presidential aspirations but has succeeded in marrying very wealthy women. We must note the uncanny resemblance that Obama has to Kerry in his stature and posture. We must note that like Kerry, Obama has a resonant voice and a Kerry reminiscent gift of eloquent speech. Who is one of Obama’s most earnest supporters? John Kerry! John Kerry’s allegiance to ultra-left-wing causes such as the New World Order (eugenics) are legendary. Obama himself pledges obeisance to ultra-left-wing causes. Can we doubt that Obama is a latter day “Stepford” candidate who was sired, inculcated, groomed, and presented to the world by the New World Order? Be afraid, be very afraid!

So goes conspiracy theories. Nah, it’s all crap, I’ll keep taking shots at conspiracy theories.

ASPCA: Free Pet Safety Pack
(dog bought separately)

I ran against George Neugent in 2006, when I lived on Little Torch Key, which lies in his County Commission District. His 4-year term has two more years to go. In March last year, I moved back to Key West, Sonny McCoy’s District. His term in office is ending and I’m running for his seat. Sylvia Murphy’s and Dixie Spehar’s terms also are ending. County commissioners are voted on at large/county wide by all registered voters. Candidates for the County Commission, however, can only run for the county commission seat in the district where they live. My recent tryst with George viz a vie Sandy Downs/the Goodmans was not about his seat. It was about something very serious and hurtful that happened in his District that he, as a county commissioner, could have jumped on when he learned of it. At least, that’s what I would have done, if I wuz in his shoes. Instead, George attacked Sandy and Jerry Coleman, and me, and blindly defended his friends, the Goodmans. When Sandy offered again to sit down with him and show him the evidence she has, he first said okay, then he said he preferred not to get involved. I’d not seen this side of George before, and was left not feeling much better about him than I feel about the Gang of Three. GoodMorningKeyWest.com

Tomorrow is Leap Year! I hope we all make it special. Drink responsibly.

Someone posted that in America it "has become so easy to blame someone else for your shortcomings." Do you mean like blaming the liberal media for everything? It seems you did indeed blame "someone" else in your post.

[4 million dollar park] The money was put aside years ago, during our prosperity years. We waited a long time for it. The commissioners should have been doing the same for the Fire Dept, which I support in needing new facilities. Maybe we should go back 20 years and sue all the former and present commissioners for being negligent in their duties. That would help the shortfall. In the meantime, let the kids play ball, skate, and run amok. When all the families leave, they will be able to sell the “park” and put up a condo or a sewer plant.

If prisoners of war do not get due process what was the Nuremberg trials? That due process seemed pretty successful.

Why did God make mothers? Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

I recently went to see Dr. Paul Barrett for aggravated shoulder and neck pain. The relief was immediate. Thank you Dr. Paul.

I can’t understand how the residents of Shark Key who didn’t have to pay impact fees and use the ROGO system to get their building permits, can now get sewers when the rest of us that followed the rules are now expected to pay $15,00 to $20,000 for sewers when it’s no fault of our own? At least the 1 cent sales tax would apply to Shark Key residents. I heard Tom Willi’s wife worked for the son-in-law of the owner of Shark Key. Maybe that’s how they got sewers. Mr. Willi said all residents should be treated equal so Shark Key residents could hook up. What about the “treated equal” part to us who are going to have to pay.

Maybe we could start a class action suit against the commissioners for not meeting the deadline.

Why is it the taxpayers' responsibility if workers don't have whatever it takes to make more money? I wish I had more money, but I don't think anybody's going to give me any.

RIP Buddy Miles singer and drummer. He performed with some of the greatest names in musical history such as: Stevie Wonder, Muddy Waters, Michael Bloomfield, Wilson Pickett, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, David Crosby, Jack Bruce, Eric Burden, Peter Torque, Billy Gibbons, Prince, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmy Vaughan, Rick James, Kool and the Gang, Jr. Brown, Ike Turner, Pinetop Perkins, Jr. Wells, Koko Taylor, Johnny Taylor, Barry White, Aretha Franklin, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Lockwood, Jr., Billy Cox, David Bowie and so many others; the list is shorter of whom he did not play with, than who he did.

How's your season going Angel? Enjoying the view from where you sat with your "friends"? You are making the pile of dirty money larger and you insult us all.

That concrete block building on the corner at TIB bank was the out-building for the old Big Pine Inn. When the Inn burned down in 1977, that was all that was left.

They're from the BBC, so some may be outside the American frame of reference. Top 25 television put-downs - Telegraph

How many of you really enjoy getting little angel love notes from every person in your address book? You know, the ones “I love you so here's a too cutesy angel” and some mushy poem to prove it. Bleh! Like the cute wasn't bad enough, then they force you by threatening bad luck if you don't send it on to others and back to them to prove you read the email. A vicious circle. The angel here is my version. He probably made you smile. I know I smiled when I finished trying to see up his loincloth...you just looked again, didn't you?

[Waste water project what ifs] You loose your house to judgments and liens.

[KeyLargoKey.com] My overall impression of this site was that it was edited by a high school student, probably one that routinely has his lunch money forcibly taken every day. The pathetic attempts at humor fall flat and come off as vindictive and juvenile. Any possible good that the authors are trying to accomplish is undone by low brow tone of the site. Worst of all were the spelling mistakes. In the first article I read the word angel was misspelled as "ANGLE" not once but 3 times! And this was while commenting on a letter from Sloan featuring (as always) the proper spelling. Spell check will never replace proof reading, amigo.

[Mr. Benizri believes earthquakes happen because of gays] Well, if God said masturbation was a sin and all crank-yankers go to hell, then he'd be first in a very long line of religious nuts!

[Inside look at Big Pine Key] I just found out that Rob's Bar and Grill is up for sale. Asking price $2.25 million. KD's is a mess. I don’t have a clue what’s up with that property and I understand the House of Music is still in a fix. They did a great deal of work without permits and now have to get "after the fact" permits that are very costly. Capt. Dan’s will now be the Crazy Fish. Dan’s son will open and manage the club. At the stop light in downtown Big Pine Key TIB is getting rid of that trailer they’ve been using for years and putting up a nice big Sweetwater commercial building. I think they made the move because First State bank bought the corner from Century 21 and is moving their bank to a US1--a hi-profile spot. Winn/Dixie has moved on their drug store; that is because Walgreens has worked thru all the red tape and can start to demo the old Scotty's and begin building their new 16,000 SF store as soon as they like. I also see the S.W. corner at the light has been cleared and is for sale. I believe the price is 1.8 million dollars. That will make a great spot for a fast food joint that can pay big bucks for the land. If anyone would care to add any info or correct my info please do.

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Thursday February 28, 2008