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Archives
of Old Kudos and Whiners
In order to save computer space we delete all pictures after six months.
January 2008
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Thursday
January 31, 2008 |
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[biggest fear about voting is getting trapped in the booth] My
mother, who was a real character, got stuck in the booth once. It was on of
those old fashioned kinds with a curtain that had to be opened by a large
lever in the booth. Ma, not being mechanical, couldn’t figure out a simple
lever and ended up crawling under the curtain to freedom and everyone else’s
amusement. |
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[Strategy]
Have you noticed that Winn Dixie, who is undergoing a multi million dollar
redo, doesn’t have many 2 for 1s or other sales? I think this is to let us
know how expensive food is; and then when they have their grand opening all
the sales will reappear and we’ll all be so grateful for all the new low
prices and the very popular 2 for 1s. |
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My
most favorite icon is the save icon. It has “save” my butt so many
times when I’ve been writing the great American novel and my computer screws
up and I don’t lose all my work. |
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I see just now on the internet
that John Edwards has announced he is withdrawing from the race. Now
we are down to Obama. Clinton, Romney and McCain. Romney and McCain are out
of the question for me and Hilary is too much like them on the war, leaving
Obama unless someone else runs as third party. You accurately describe Mc
Cain as learning absolutely nothing from the Vietnam experience. He is
definitely a warmonger–and he believes what he says about that.
Hawkman is an old Alabama amigo.
Hawks are his spirit totem. In 1972, he participated in full military
dress in Dewey Canyon III, a week-long Vietnam Veterans Against the
War demonstration in Washington, D.C. This was when John Kerry testified
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This was the first time
American vets opposed a war while American troops were still fighting in the
war. In 2003, wearing his Vietnam ribbons, Hawkman marched in Washington
D.C. with veterans and civilians against the Iraq War, which was one month
old. In 2005, he marched in a similar demonstration in Atlanta. He
often stood on street corners holding a “Peace” poster. He told me Vietnam
Veterans against The War now mentors members of Iraq Veterans Against
the Iraq War. He supported John Kerry in his bid for president, which I
could not do, because Kerry started talking like he was more of a hawk than
President Bush, in an effort to get the hawk votes. Kerry
eventually disappointed Hawkman, too.
GoodMorningKeyWest.com |

I was in Key West yesterday afternoon about 3:30 and was surprised at
how empty the streets were. There was a whole lot of parking available. I
wonder if it was the weather or the economy that kept the tourists away. |
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The acting county administrator
and the county staff clearly demonstrated that they believe in the "just
us" system. They only care about themselves and their lucrative salaries
and benefits packages. To all of the people who had their jobs eliminated,
would you please contact me at
golf12@earthlink.net |
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Chris Dean Blues Band will be performing tonight at Coconuts (MM30 at
the light). This is a special performance and the only night Coconuts could
book this great blues band. |
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There are, I think, many of us who
would like to know Tina's condition and learn of any progress, but
there are too many sources of disinformation here. People mean well many
times, but their sources are not always dependable. If there is someone out
there who is a reader and has true and reliable information I would like to
be the first to know. |
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Dubai in 1990
prior to the craziness. |
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[Hate] Time is a perishable
commodity. Money cannot buy this or good health. Energy spent hating and
committing petty crimes against people whom you dislike could make you
sicker. Instead of putting forth so much effort into your hate campaigns
perhaps you could change your tapes and simply ignore them and try to
do productive, positive things in your lives and attempt to have some
integrity. Hate takes a lot of work and a different path could lead you to
happiness and peace. |

Wow, it's great to hear that Cheeta is still around. He was my
favorite actor when I was a child and watching those Tarzan movies. |
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It’s getting easy to see that
Americas have had enough of the neo-conservatives. Rudy got trashed
and John McCain seems to be the man to beat. He is the most left leaning
Republican that still has a chance. Hillary is getting ready to run away
with the Democratic Party. I guess the independents, like me, are actually
acting like a third viable party. If either person wins, moderates from both
parties can celebrate. “Enough of the neo-cons” seems to be the way America
is turning. It smells like victory. It’s time to regroup and regain our
leadership of the free world.
Bashers of Republicans are a sorry
lot, they screech and throw falsehoods like chimps toss crap in a zoo. If
they were to engage in just a little thought before tossing excrement, their
message might have a smidgeon more weight. Yesterday one poster whinnied
that the illegals were crossing our borders at a higher rate than at any
time in history. The poster claims knowledge, yet shows us no proof of his
claim. Could his claim be pure political rhetoric? Now, let’s consider
what has happened to staunch the flow of illegals in the last 7 years.
First, the old “Catch and Release”
policy that began in an, ahem, previous administration, has been rescinded.
We’ve seen “Operation Jump Start”, a program whereby the National Guard
provides assistance in patrolling the border in Texas, Arizona, California,
and New Mexico, 6000 National Guardsmen were assigned. Border Patrol
increased the number of agents from 9,000 to 12,000, with an additional
6,000 requested. Funding has been increased by 66%. In excess of 6 million
illegals have been apprehended and returned to Mexico. There have been many
attempts to build fencing to enlarge on the existing 80 miles of (semi)
secure fencing, but all attempts have been rebuffed by Congress. Most
importantly, there is a growing, already substantial body of anecdotal
evidence that suggests that the numbers of illegal aliens are on the
decline. There are claims that there are labor shortages.
Let’s
face it; Democrats do not want to have a secure southern border. The
Democrat establishment curries favor with the illegal alien populace. They
want to spend our security and economy to buy the votes of the illegals,
their families, and sympathizers Please, please, someone challenge me on
this, there is so much overwhelming evidence to support that charge that if
I were a Democrat, I’d hide my head in shame. |
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I'm not
sure why I did it. I guess I was just bored. By it was definitely 30
minutes of my life that I will never get back. I actually took the time to
scan over the internet sites created by our newest gang of three, otherwise
known as the three S's (Sal, Sloan, and Sandy). I am completely
dumbfounded at what these people are claiming, some of which just can not
possibly be true. It always upsets me when people think they have it so bad
here. I guess you can't have a community without a few lunatics. |
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This is chilling picture of a man with just seconds to live. |
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["panic-buy"
carrots]
These people
need a life and a job. |
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Spanish for your Nanny
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5fda4_wo6JI |
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Pray for guidance and reserve your seat for the heavenly musical
“Nunsense” by Dan Gogin. This is Keys Kids 3rd production of
the season and opens Wednesday Feb. 6th and runs until Sunday
February 10th at Key West High School (no performances on
Saturday). This comedy is in the skilled hands of Director Mimi McDonald,
Musical Director Bruno Casolari and Choreographer Penny Leto. Tickets can
be purchased at Mac Arthur music 294-9329 and start at $10 with a discounted
family ticket. For more information contact
nora.revelin@keysschools.com or 509-1370.
Bulletin Board |
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[lowering the house price also lowers their commission] Why would any
realtor agree to lowering their commission rate at the time of sale because
their client will walk away with less profit due to a high mortgage
payoff? Where the justification that a realtor should share the loss? Why
would any realtor lessen the high mortgage payoff burden for the seller when
the realtor had no ownership interest in the property? The realtor must be
nuts to agree to this arrangement. When a realtor lists a property with an
ownership interest, their are FREC rules that govern what must be disclosed,
and, Real Estate office's have their own policy addressing commission
rates.
A
commission rate is negotiated prior to listing the property. The Realtor
Commission Rate is crystal clear in the listing agreement and is binding
throughout the listing period. A commission rate reduction must be clearly
addressed in the listing agreement; if not the commission rate that
is written in the listing agreement is binding. When a price reduction
occurs without a commission rate reduction agreement during the listing
period, the commission rate written in the listing agreement prevails. You
are confusing rate vs actual dollars.
Educate
yourself, read the FREC handbook (oops, do you even know who FREC is). |
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Does anyone in the lower Keys have any info on the sport of powered
parachuting? I've flown in the two seat version, and have begun to get
an itch to try the backpack version. I'm wondering if there is a club, or
an instructor in the lower keys? I'd appreciate any info. |
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Hillary said she will bring the troops home within 60 days. She never
said that! She said it would take till at least 2010. |
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[Investing and the
stock market]
Check out
the Motley Fool website
www.fool.com. Don't let their name throw you, you can get good advice
there. |
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Does
your doctor charge any less for a physical where he finds something
wrong with you than he does when he finds you are healthy? Probably not.
Why would your realtor lower his commission when you lower your over-priced
house and finally sell it. Maybe if you weren't so ready the day you listed
it you would have sold it months ago and saved a lot of tax, insurance and
mortgage money. Don't be greedy and you might sell it. |
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[Crispy French fries] Try soaking them in
ice water before frying. Pat them dry then immediately fry. I always fry
mine at a little lower temperature then most people. |
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I just read the
sandyforsheriff.com website. It sounds more like a kid running for
class President than a professional running for Sheriff. |
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If you remember these things
Social Security will last through your lifetime, maybe! |
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[Bush Sr.] You’re right
about him raising taxes, but the worst thing he did was barter with the
democrats who insisted on raising taxes in concession for things he wanted
to pass. Then as soon as he gave them their tax increase, they turned around
and said, “Read my lips.” |
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[Investing] The best book I ever read was "The Wall Street Journal
Complete Money and Investing Guidebook” (The Wall Street Journal Guidebooks,
Paperback) Available on Amazon for 10 bucks. Whatever you do, don't pay
attention to anything regarding investing on this site. |
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Finally
a clear, researched and accurate definition of the Federal Reserve.
Be gone all you of the paranoid mindset. (I heard that JFK recently called
about an RV space at Lucky's Landing.) |
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[Amendment 1 passed] This is not a good thing. In years to come, as
less money comes into the county coffers, and that $246 saved is a faint
memory, people are going to look around ask how did it get this bad? Now my
landlord can claim homestead exemption on his rental properties, so his tax
liability will not increase this year. Guess what, my rent is still going up
$75 more a month. |
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Key West
documentary film trailer. Those were the days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qE2wfzNi_s |
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Do
you like real Pińa Caldas? Then you have to make them at home. They
help hot flashes! In a blender add a bunch of ice, two shots of Bacardi
rum, four ounces of Coco Lopez, four ounces of pineapple juice then blend,
pour in to a pretty glass and garnish with a pineapple slice and a big
straw. A float of Meyers rum is optional and much fun if you're not
driving. If you want your favorite bar to make this, you may have to bring
your own can of Coco Lopez as they serve a generic mix that sits in a tub
for days and tastes awful. |
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If you
woke up today free to choose what you will have for breakfast, and
where to eat it. If you spent most of the day working where you choose to
work, doing what you wanted to do for your wages, or choosing to go work
elsewhere. If you live in the Keys, or in New Jersey because you can. Be
sure to thank our treasure of veterans, for without them you would not have
those choices. |
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Canadian national health care
http://www.freemarketcure.com/brainsurgery.php |
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[Q-tips] There were none to be found. I was told they would be on the
next truck. W/D is good at brain teasers; Q-tips are on the aisle with the
band aids. Otherwise W/D is looking good. |
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[The realtor lost $3,000]
Here's the really sad part. The realtor didn't lose anything because it's
not their investment. They just make a little less. Convincing you to lower
your sale price helps them complete the sale and make a commission before
your contract expires and someone else gets a crack at it. They win if they
sell it, regardless of price. I agree with the homeowners. They’re the one
who takes the big hit. Ouch is right! |
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I hope
someone at Winn Dixie can explain why they are taking up so much room for
wine. |
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[Is it an
election or an auction]
The buying of the president 2008 is online, with its own website. The Center
for Public Integrity's signature political project is bigger than ever
before.
http://buyingofthepresident.org/ |
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Has anyone heard of any of these stories?
Spooky
Ghost Tales from Big Pine Key, Florida. This island appears like any other
place in the States, but this town has scary mysteries concealed in the
dark. Night is living-dead-time here. People who have never spent the night
in this town will say to you it's lies, but seeing is believing and if you
spend the night here in Big Pine Key, you may perhaps catch a glimpse of a
phantom. These are some of the spooky things that have happened here
recently.
The
phantom of a man sporting a sheriff outfit has, every now and then, been
seen striding through a Big Pine Key vicinity churchyard. One thing's for
certain, this ghost undeniably is scary; one that should be avoided.
The
phantom of an old guy with a huge white beard is, from time to time, spotted
looking down by the water at Coupon Bight.
A
lady with a sword sticking out of her head is rumored to have been witnessed
on several instances pulling a cadaver across the dirt in Coupon Bight
Aquatic Preserve at midnight.
A
medieval armor lacking a human inside can now and then be noticed pondering
next to the water's edge at Long Beach. One of the local residents
confidently says that this ghost enjoys startling unwise folks who come
searching for ghosts in Big Pine Key.
The
ghost of a female with a plastic bag strapped around her head has repeatedly
been distinguished by The Grasses shuffling orbs around.
A big
bloodcurdling spirit has been observed on a handful of instances appearing
terrifying beside a deserted road near Big Pine Key around midnight. A
number of the people here say this ghost may be the soul of a local resident
who passed on here in Big Pine Key some decades ago.
The
ghost of a tied up man may be distinguished repeatedly gazing irritably at
the watcher in Friend Key Bank very late at night.
The
phantom of a street bum is, every now and then, perceived standing by a wild
road in the vicinity of Big Pine Key. In any case, this is a bad phantom
that you’d rather not upset.
The
ghost of a young lady covered in blood has allegedly been witnessed on a few
instances flinging stones by Bahia Honda State Park. It has been said that
this exact ghost is possibly the struggling ghost of a person who used to
have a house here in Big Pine Key. Whatever people express, it
unquestionably is a scary ghost that you wouldn't wish to bump into in the
early morning hours before sunrise.
The ghost of an elderly hag can every so often be witnessed being carried by
a bicycle on a dark road in the vicinity of Big Pine Key. One thing is for
sure, this is an unsympathetic phantom that you shouldn't go looking for. |
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My
God, you can really recreate history to meet your needs. Bush Sr.
did say "read my lips, no new taxes". He said that while running for the
presidency. After he was elected, he reluctantly agreed, in an attempt to
deal with a democratic congress, to raise taxes. You guys have packed that
comment up his butt ever since. What it really proves to me is never trust a
democrat. |
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[Federal
Reserve] I thought that was a well laid out post. Getting to the basics
of it without going thru pages and pages, made it concise and to the point.
I don't know where the fellow is coming from that was asking the questions,
so I won't attempt to go there. As to conspiracy theories, I think many
people when they are young and naive, morph into these ideas, but as we
get older and mature, most of us tend to cast off these childish views of
the world and begin to recognize it as it really is. |
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Benedict Arnold set the
standard for treason in America by consorting, plotting and scheming with
and lending comfort to England. Rather than face the music, the hangman’s
rope, he snuck out of America on a British naval vessel and moved to London.
It is not disputed by serious
military historians that Franklin D. Roosevelt knew the Japanese fleet was
headed toward Pearl Harbor and purposely delayed having that news sent to
the U.S. Naval Base there because he wanted America to enter World War II
and he correctly figured a sneak attack on Pearl bring that off. In
substance, FDR, plain and simple, consorted, plotted, schemed and lent
comfort to the enemy. In fact, he betrayed his own troops and country.
Treason. He should have been hanged.
George
W. Bush took America to war in Iraq over fabricated evidence furnished not
by American intelligence agencies but by British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Intelligence of weapons of mass destruction America’s own intelligence
agencies could not and would not confirm. Intelligence America’s own
intelligence agencies doubted was accurate. All of which President Bush knew
and went to war in Iraq anyway. Treason. He deserved to be hanged. He still
deserves to be hanged. And his Vice President and Secretary of Defense. Dick
Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld. Hanged.
Amazingly, most Republicans still attempt to defend what they clearly know
was and is treason. Even more amazingly, quite a few Democrats, including
Hillary Clinton, still defend President Bush as well. So the question must
be asked: What does it take for an American president to be tired and
convicted of and hanged for treason? Would he be tried and convicted and
hanged if he admitted on national television that it doesn’t matter that he
went to war in Iraq over fabricated evidence because it was in America’s
best interest? No, he would not be tried and convicted and hanged if he did
that, because he already did it and he’s still alive. |
Here's
to the guy who rows the floating bookcase to Boot Key to work on his
submarine. He's a dreamer with big plans that will never materialize. He'll
never make a dime on his sub, but here's to him anyway. At least he has a
dream and he's working to fulfill it. |
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Thursday
January 31, 2008 |
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Wednesday
January 30, 2008 |
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Darren Bell has had his day in court for killing a young mother on
the Big Pine channel causeway while recklessly driving on a suspended
license. He will be incarcerated for five years. He must have been a
good boy overall; having only been charged with grand theft and dealing
in stolen property in 2000 (according to the MCSO web site's prisoner
database). |
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[It
is not Federal and has no Reserves] Allow me a few
paragraphs to change your opinion, as it seems to be based in some sort
of conspiracy theory and has no basis in fact. If you want an
independent, internationally accepted, true, verifiable and undisputed
factual view of what the Federal Reserve is (and is not) read the
Wikipedia explanation and check out the many links in the appropriate
sections:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_System.
Do
you have gold doubloons stuffed in a chest somewhere? Are you bartering
for your food with neighbors? How does it work when you take a quarter
ounce of gold down to the Winn Dixie for a month’s supply of groceries?
Can you take a stack of freshly caught grouper down to Radio Shack and
get a new widescreen television? Do you think that those nicely printed
notes are worth the denominations printed on them because of their
intrinsic value? Is a $100 bill really that much nicer than a $1 bill?
No, even an economically challenged individual needs a way to purchase
things.
Ever since the first Continental Congress, the United States has been
printing money that was not backed up with gold or assets in a vault
somewhere. Please forgive me, all you economically sophisticated
people, but I am going to over-simplify this so that even the people who
believe that man did not land on the Moon and that JFK and Elvis is
still alive, can understand. The bills that you spend at the grocery
store represent credits in the Federal Reserve, collected by all
the member banks. The mechanisms that the United States uses to
transfer those credits between banks is managed by the Federal Reserve.
The Federal Reserve Banks were indeed created by the United States
Government by the Federal Reserve Act and are managed by a Board of
Governors who are appointed by the President of the United States and
confirmed by the United States Senate--so that would make them Federal.
The
credits on deposit in the 12 Federal Reserve banks belong to the member
banks (regulated commercial banks) and the United States Government, who
deposit funds there. These are reserves. Very simply, the
credits issued to the Federal Reserve by the United States Government is
part of our national debt. In a complicated manner, many of these funds
are guaranteed by the Federal Government. Thus the appropriate moniker:
U.S. Federal Reserve Bank. It is Federal. And is does
provide a reserve function. |

I'm glad this site is anonymous because I wrote something the
other day and the next day someone rebutted it and made me really look
stupid. |
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[2
front runners are both pro war] that’s not true. Hillary said she
will bring the troops home within 60 days. |
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Amendment
1 passed with flying colors. We’ll all receive a savings of about
sixty-six cents a day while enjoying fewer services. It doesn’t look
that good, but as another person wrote “The more money you give them the
more they will spend.” That is a truism. |
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I
love the logic used by the realtor who wrote in about lowering the
house price that also lowers their commission. This implies that the
realtor and the owner share equally in the loss. The real story is that
the owner takes a much larger "hit" than the realtor. For example, say I
listed my house at $300,000 and owed $100,000 on it. If it sold at the
listed $300,000 value my profit would be $200,000 less the 6% commission
($18,000) or $182,000. If I sold it at $250,000 my profit would be
$150,000 less the 6% commission ($15,000) or $135,000. The
realtor
lost $3,000 by reducing the price
and
I lost $47,000.
Can you say "ouch?" |

Next January when all TV signals go digital your rabbit ears
won't work. |
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Giuliani
has dropped out of the Presidential race. My favorite comment was when
someone said “The more you get to know him, the less you like him. |
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The rule was that the artist
could use only one sheet of paper. |
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Does anybody else besides me
get happy when I see an out-of-state plate heading north? |
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The
poster trying to belittle the intellect of the person discussing
euthanasia provided an explanation that was a bit of a head
scratcher. Actually, the word euthanasia comes straight out of the
Greek "eu" meaning goodly or well "thanatos" means death. This equals
“the good death”. For 18th century writers in England that was what
euthanasia meant, a good death.
The
most commonly understood meaning of euthanasia today is more than the
old dictionary definition of dying well - a good and easy death. It
refers to the situation when a doctor induces the death with a lethal
injection of a patient who is suffering un-relievably and has
persistently requested the doctor to do so.
I
don't think any of the captured animals at the shelters in Key Largo or
Key West have requested death. My impression is that they have done
everything in their power to stay alive. There are some reasons to kill
captured animals, such as untreatable injury or illness. I don't think
this applied when the woman on Little Torch captured a raccoon in a live
trap and called the refuge to relocate it, only to have them show up and
shoot the animal in front of her. I don't think that refers to healthy
animals that are slaughtered because it's more cost effective and less
bothersome to do so. I doubt that many, if any, injured key deer are
treated. I also doubt that they're euthanized, but rather are taken
somewhere and shot.
It's well and good to hide behind pretty words in a politically correct
society that wants to feel good about themselves and to justify
unconscionable acts, but the plain reality is that animals that are a
bother are slaughtered because it's convenient. |
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Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree! |
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Mardi Gras time!
Web Cams Central |
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Cheeta to 'write' memoirs |
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I do not know Tina the
bartender, but a colleague without a computer asked me to write that
she is not dead. Apparently Tina was taken off life support but is
hanging on. My colleague was very upset that people seem to think Tina
had passed. |
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Local
non-profit organization in Big Pine is looking for efficiency or 1
bedroom at minimal cost for a client. It would be needed for about 2-4
weeks only. Our client has no pets, and is quiet. The client is a
hurricane victim and we are helping to repair her home. She needs to
move out for a short time so that we can repair the damage. If you can
offer a clean place in Big Pine or surrounding areas beginning March
1st, please call. Thank you for helping us to help others. Call Katie at
305-872-8999. |
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[Treatment
withheld from patients]
Watch the movie "Sicko" and you will see how treatment is withheld even
from people with top of the line
health insurance
by health insurance employees who receive big bonuses for denying
procedures. |
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“Here comes the bus!”
Why I was never
late for school. |
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For the last 7 years nothing
has been done to secure America’s southern border and illegals
are coming in at higher rates then anytime in our country’s history. Yet
a poster pointed out that a Democrat, if elected, wouldn’t handle the
problem. If the last 7 years of a Republican President are any proof of
how they want to curb illegals, I don’t think we want to let them
"succeed" at any more attempts. America cannot handle any more great
republican successes. |
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[More
republican hyperbole] A poster said yesterday that the top 3
democrats said they will raise your taxes; then went on to say how
horrible that would be. I guess the last president that said "Read my
lips, no new taxes" went on to win an election with that statement.
Guess what, campers, he raised your taxes and he was Bush Sr--a
republican. I guess some folks just hate it when someone is honest and
tells you what might happen. Don’t be scared of honesty. We understand
the Bush family doesn’t mind telling a tale or two. |
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Only two more days to
support Florida Keys Wildlife Rescue in their work to help wildlife
of the Keys. We can't win the contest, but your contribution will
nevertheless help us help them. Go to
http://www.networkforgood.org/pca/Badge.aspx?BadgeId=110335 to
donate. Our wildlife thanks you. I apologize for yesterday's incorrect
web address. |
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Is this what happened to all the Big Pine Key pine trees? John
Deere 1270D. If I didn't watch this I'd never believe such a machine
existed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei9LlLLZwAU |
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[Lower the price and lower the commission] And if the difference
in the price needed to pay off the house would be reached by the Realtor
lowering their 6% to 4% Hell will freeze over before they lower it.
Maybe that's why there are so many For Sale by Owner signs in the Keys. |
Tens
of thousands of people worldwide are planning to "panic-buy" carrots
as part of a joke campaign on Facebook. More than 91,000 Facebook
users have signed up to a group called "On May 15, 2008, everybody needs
to go out and panic buy carrots". They plan to go out at 2pm on the
designated day and buy as many carrots as they can, reports Sky News.
Student Freya Valentine, who created the original site, insists it is
all just a bit of fun. |
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[2008 fiscal budget cuts]
Commissioner George Neugent stated at the BOCC budget meeting, that
everyone has to participate in the budget cutting in an equitable
manner. I agree with him 100%. So, why isn't the county staff
participating in the budget cuts? Their salaries and benefits remain
high and unaffected by the budget cuts. We must demand that their
salaries be cut. |
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Why we live in the Keys. |
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In response to your ignorant
comment about your vote: Do me a favor and don’t vote. Look over the
past 100 years. Where would we be without the brave people that
are and have served this great Country? Maybe collecting shopping carts
in Japan at a food market. I love our Military. |
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You know you want to!
http://burntelectrons.org/media/fartbutton.swf |
|
Republicans are like Chambers
of Commerce in that they won’t do a thing to harm profits. I believe
that is why they refuse to stop illegal immigration and deal with
those illegals that are already here. It will harm business. |
|
I
know I am not the brightest bulb in the lamp, however, even in my mind a
simple question stands out. The BOCC has been crying about the county
being broke for months, to the point they have cut budgets, staff
and county services drastically.
Yet
last week a delegation went to Tallahassee (at taxpayer expense)
supposedly to seek Wastewater Funding, which they already knew they
weren't (documented) going to get, because they hadn't complied with the
State’s prior request for County Wide Plans for completion . The Mayor
even admitting he (the county) had no authority to produce such a plan
because of the independent authorities in Marathon, Key West, Islamorada
and Key Largo. Yet they went anyway.
Isn't what's good for the goose (the taxpayers) good for the gander (the
BOCC)? Or just maybe we are not getting the full facts on available
funds? |
|
The Key West animal shelter
contractor is costing the county a whopping $117,000 per year more than
Stand up for Animals (SUFA), and the Key Largo shelter is costing Monroe
county $17,000 per year more than SUFA. Why does the Key West Shelter
receive so much money and SUFA so little? I have some questions for
Debbie Frederick, acting county administrator. Why would you penalize
SUFA for being the most efficiently run shelter? This doesn't make
economic sense, and is not in the best interest of the Monroe county
residents that you serve. As a matter of fact, it sounds like
a conspiracy and a personal vendetta. Wouldn't it make sense to trim
the excessive budgets of the other two shelters and bring their budgets
into line? Their budgets should be less than SUFA's, not more. Is
it your policy to embrace and give contracts to the highest bidders? I
certainly hope not. This reflects very badly on you, and you need to
investigate this. Maybe Deb Barsell, could give you an explanation. ~fortsonphoto@earthlink.net |
|

[There are so many people that I would love to tell off] Another
chicken trouble maker who doesn't have the guts to face whoever they
think is their enemy. That’s a typical citizen of today. |
|
A couple of weeks ago I wrote
in asking for comments, pro or con, on owning a hybrid car.
There have been zero responses. With the worldwide readership of this
site surely someone has an opinion. I seriously have to do something
about the amount of money I’m spending on fuel just to go to work.
I think the hacking story
overshadowed my concerns. Now maybe Ed understands why I did not want
anything published about the Sheriff’s Office. Remember the illegal
search of my home a few years ago? That was the time they locked their
keys in their patrol car and came back asking me for a wire coat
hanger? It’s still unbelievable to me. |
|
I
am enjoying the comments about investing and the stock market.
I’m trying to learn to “play”. I am new to checking out the performance
of my 401K. I believe I am diversified but would not know how to switch
or move selections around if I wanted to. I need a basic 401K how to.
Could someone recommend a good book for newbies? Yes, a book!. |
|
I
was glad to see the electronic voting machines were gone for
yesterday’s balloting. |
|

I nearly went postal at the Winn Dixie on BPK today with all the
construction. One would not call it going postal though. I need a new
word. I couldn’t find the Q-tips. I couldn’t find an English
speaking clerk. Finally I found another brand in the baby aisle. Where
are the Q-Tips? They are not in health or beauty or any other logical
place. |
|
Only an ingrate would not be thankful to our veterans no matter
what war they fought in. Our POW men and woman deserve to be treated
with respect and we should all be giving them gratitude for the rest of
their lives. When a veteran is shot down as a pilot and spends 2 years
in a box, eating eggplant without even salt on it, not to mention the
torture and anguish they went through; and you want to sit on your ass
and tell them that their service had nothing to do with your freedom or
defending America? How dare you use the words that were only given to
you by the freedom that we have here in this country. If you are that
ignorant keep it to yourself, it only makes you look stupid. If that is
how and why you vote it's a pity you have received that right from the
veteran who graciously gave it to you. |
|

TABASCO tv commerical |
|
The
Village council is full speed ahead to pick another failure. One
of the worst Islamorada managers has been Greg Tindle. Just put the
names in a hat and pick one. We have a better chance to pick a winner
that way than letting this dysfunctional council do the emergency
picking. I hope the eighth manager has drawdown experience. ~flkeybob@terranova.net |
|

I am appalled and shocked by the greediness and selfishness of the
acting county administrator and county department heads. They are not
willing to take a pay cut in their $100,000 plus a year salaries, but
are quick to slash away at our community services and eliminate our
jobs. I implore the county commissioners to do what is right for the
citizens of Monroe County, and mandate that they take a 20% cut in
salary and eliminate their benefits. It would also be prudent to
start an investigation into their unsound and unjust decision making. |
|
I
think CEO’s severance pay should be graded on the success of
their tenure. |
|

I voted reluctantly and it was the quickest ever. To my horror I
discovered I am a registered Democrat (insert horse’s ass). The
polls have barely closed and already the news is reporting “glitches” in
Florida voting. Déjŕ vu. |
|
[Question of the day] If
Hillary becomes president and she makes Bill Vice-President.
Would Bill be eligible to be President if she died in office, having
already served two terms as President? |
|

Who invented French fries, them or the English (chips)? The
bigger question is how can you make them crispy without additives or
freezing them? I’ve been told that you cook the potatoes for a few
minutes then remove them from the oil and let them rest for a few more
minutes then you drop them back in the oil until done. I tried it
without much luck. I still have limp fries. I’m not talking about steak
fries which are thicker and usually cooked in an oven. |
|
[More bar wisdom] My biggest
fear about voting is getting trapped in the booth. |
|

I was surprised that Hillary did so well in Florida yesterday. |
|
[Corporations
paying taxes] You assume you can expense everything, have no profit
and nothing is depreciated. Go back to school. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or
our spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo
Gallery |
|
Wednesday
January 30, 2008 |
|
 |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
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Tuesday
January 29, 2008 |
|

Vote today! Polls open 7am - 7pm. |
|
You
have to realize that even if you recently had an aerobic system
installed, it will have to replaced or "upgraded" to meet the latest
standards if sewers are not installed. I know this may shock some of
you, but some of our county departments seem to be influenced by the
companies that install these systems. The buzzwords they will use are
"best practices." |
|
[Yes
on 1] The folks who earn their living off our taxes are the ones
opposing Amendment One because they think it will impact their jobs. You
will hear them talk about services being cut and people dying because of
fewer police and firemen. These are the standard scare tactics used when
tax reduction is mentioned. Here is the question I have: During the long
period when real estate prices were going out of sight, and the tax
revenues increased proportionately,
what the hell did they do with all
that windfall money? And why can't they
live with a reduction? The bottom line is that the government will take
and spend as much as you let them have. |
|
 |
|
[Animal shelter budget cuts] All
three contractors for the animal shelters in the Keys had to cut $17,000
from their 2008 budgets. We need to amend the budget, so that each
shelter takes a certain percentage cut across the board. Since
the Key West Shelter (FKSPCA) gets the most money ($365,000), their
budget should be cut $21,206.50. SUFA (operating two shelters, Big Pine
Key and Marathon) gets the least money, their budget should be cut by
$14,408.80. Key Largo (HACC) getting the second largest amount of
money should take a $15,396.50 budget cut. Let's not reward the
highest bidder; they need to shoulder a proportionate share of the
budget cutting. |
|

[Toot-tone] An invention whose time has come.
Video |
|
You are misinformed about the
additional homestead exemption. Those who are homesteaded will
continue to receive the 3% Save Our Homes cap on their taxes. Those
non-homesteaded people will receive the 10% cap. |
Today
is the Florida primary. The National Democratic Party says it will
not recognize Florida’s votes, because Florida held its own Democratic
primary sooner than the National Democratic Party wanted Florida to hold
it. Meaning, maybe only the Republican primary means anything today.
Non-partisan, I don’t know if I can even vote today. Even if I can, I
don’t know if there’s a candidate on the ballot I can vote for. I’ll
find that out when I reach the voting booth.
If I can vote, I will not vote for John McCain. I cannot vote for
someone who fought in Vietnam, was a prisoner of war, who still defends
that war knowing it was wrong, knowing it had nothing whatsoever to do
with defending America. I cannot vote for a veteran who learned nothing
in Vietnam. Nothing! We toppled that country’s government, installed our
own. It didn’t work. We did the same thing in Afghanistan and Iraq, and
it isn’t working, and will not work. I cannot vote for someone who is
blind, death and dumb, or is another George W. Bush, but with a military
background. |
|

How to tell if a Catholic is driving too fast. |
|
[Relatively very few stocks traded on Wall Street pay dividends]
Thank you Captain Obvious. The original "rant" was about the DJIA not
all the stocks offered for sale. The DJIA stocks do pay dividends. For
more information go here
http://money.cnn.com/data/dow30/ |
|

If you want to gamble, go to a casino or buy a penny stock. If
you want to invest, do some research, buy quality and hold the stock for
the long term. |
|
I live near Paradise Petroleum
and I have heard that low rumbling kind of noise too, for at
least 2 years. I have wondered what it is too. |
|

[Animal shelters and the population they serve] The only real
difference is in salaries. Key West salaries run around $275,000, nearly
double that of anyone else. Their animal expenses are pretty much the
same as the other shelters. So, how does population fit in? |
|
[Federal
Reserve] It is not Federal and has no Reserves. It is
as federal as The Federal Tire Company. The US dollar used to be backed
by the gold and silver in Fort Knox. Now it is backed by a bunch of
greedy bankers who print it and lend it to the Government at rates that
can never be paid back. They profit from every war this world has seen.
The fleecing of America and anyone who thinks otherwise must be living
under a rock. Our Founding Fathers knew the dangers of letting the
federal reserve control America's money. Look what happened to Kennedy
when he tried to stop the Federal Reserve!
To
the person who posted doubting any of this, I’m sure you will be first
in line to get your National Government ID Card so they can track your
every movement, but that is sure to prevent the so called terrorist
threats I’m sure you’re so scared of. This is the problem with America
nowadays, too many sheeeple. Wake up people! Also isn’t it strange that
Americans are 75% against the war in Iraq, but the 2 front runners are
both pro war? There’s lots of money to be made in Iraq and Iran. For
who? You guessed it, the Federal Reserve. |
|

Two words on a Yankee Super Bowl: Who cares! |
Redneck home remedies.
1. If you're choking on an ice cube simply pour a cup of boiling water
down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.
2. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone
else to hold while you chop.
3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. About lifting the toilet seat by using
the sink.
4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for
a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use
a timer.
5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you
from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze
button.
6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you'll
be afraid to cough.
7. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't
move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the
duct tape.
8. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
9. If you wife has a headache, roll over, there's always sis!
10. Remember: Every Redneck seems abnormal until you get to know them
and prove it. |
|

I went to the library to get a book on dyslexia. The librarian
said there wasn't one. I said, “That’s okay, I couldn’t read it anyway.” |
|
It is your policy to print
the email address of anyone who attacks an individual personally on
your pages. I got to thinking that there are so many people that I
would love to tell off, a bar manager; a restaurant owner, a local
musician and a couple “everyday” people. I figure just publish my email
address and let them guess who I am!
Submission Guide |

Now I’m really confused. First the increase in the homestead
exemption was so small that we shouldn’t even bother with it. It was
an insult to us by the politicians. Now, it’s a giant tax cut for
homeowners. Which is it? I appreciate any tax relief I can get. I can’t
tell if I’m blue from the cold or just from being bled to death by
taxes. |
|
Does anyone believe that Commissioner Spehar will own up and take
the blame for her part of the County’s spending spree along with the
other members of the "Gang of Three"? She voted yes on Sinking of the
Vandenberg, she voted yes on purchasing the Hickory House Restaurant
(which the county still has not sold). That amounts to $5.2 Million.
Employees of Monroe County, do you think you would be worried to death
about keeping your job now, had Spehar voted no just on these two items?
In case anyone missed it, in Sunday's Citizen, Dixie Spehar is blaming
all of the County's financial problems on the State's mandated cut in
property taxes. It's never her fault. |
|

Woman reunited with ring lost 67 years ago - Telegraph |
|
I love when republicans like
the Bush supporter yesterday whined about people seeing "evil behind
every tree" yet they won’t mention that it was the republicans that
"saw evil and WMDs in Iraq" when they didn’t exist. I guess to be a
Republican you have to revise history to survive. I guess when they see
evil it’s different. |
|

[Key West Animal Shelter kills healthy animals] Furthermore, if
you look at their tax return (form 990/2006 latest I found), you'll see
that they don't have any cremation fees, only “waste” fees. If they
euthanize by drugs, they cannot dispose of the bodies in trash, so what
are they doing--freezing them? |
|
[Budget cuts]
According to Debbie Frederick, Acting County Administrator, each
division in county government was requested to cut expenses by 19.5%.
So my question is, why doesn't the County Administrator, and the 6
county department heads, take a 19.5% cut in their salaries? They sit
back, fat and happy, and rich, and slash away at everyone else's jobs
but not their own. I say, get rid of the bums! |
|

Doctors are calling for NHS treatment to be withheld from patients
who are too old or who lead unhealthy lives. Smokers, heavy drinkers,
the obese and the elderly should be barred from receiving some
operations, according to doctors, with most saying the health service
cannot afford to provide free care to everyone. |
|
Not
one of theses taxes existed 100 years ago, and our
nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had
absolutely no national dept, had the largest middle class in
the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. |
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties(tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Person Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Road Usage Tax |
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Service Charge Tax
Social Security Tax
Sales Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax |
|
|

Pakistan - land of opportunity and
cheap hard
hats. |
|
[Those of us who buy things,
anything, pay taxes, not the rich] In reality this is not
quite true. The rich who own any business, in fact anyone who owns any
business should never pay any tax if they run that business correctly!
Any capital in a business should be invested in that business and not
left dormant. Buying supplies, maintenance, payroll, enlarging, etc are
deductions. Any business must “zero” out at the end of the year or it is
not run right. Only the employees do not have this advantage. |
|

Do I have a dumb phone if the new cell phones are smart? |
|
[Realtor
tells you to lower the price of the house so it will sell but doesn't
lower the commission] Yes they do lower the commission. It is 6% of
the sale price. If the price is lowered they get 6% of the lowered
price. If the house is over priced the seller or the realtor gets 0%
because it won't sell. |

What do
they call the residents or their mothers of this Austrian town? |
|
[Wine and the economy]
This Big Pine booster has got to question the judgment and taste of
anyone who thinks that Ft. Lauderdale, even with its “expansive wine
market”, is “a city where taste for the finer
things in life are quite obvious.” WOW! I must assume that this poster
identifies fine wines and brie as being bedrock “finer things in life”.
I was born in Ft. Laud and spent the first 65 years of my life there.
Trust me, neither Ft Lauderdale nor its life style is worthy of
emulation. |
|

The very low-pitched humming sound you hear at night may be
coming from the "poop plant", (sewer treatment unit) over in Breezy
Pines trailer park. I used to live there, and it makes a noise like that
and turns on at intervals as you say. It's directly across the road
from Paradise Petroleum, and the sound carries at night. |
|
All 3 democrat candidates will raise your taxes. Here’s the
attribution.
John
Edwards: 2/4/7 "Yes, we'll have to raise taxes," the former
one-term senator from North Carolina and 2004 vice-presidential
candidate said during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press"
yesterday”.
Hillary Clinton: "I want to
restore the tax rates that we had in the '90s," said the New York
Democrat and former first lady” 12/13/07, Myrtle Beach S.C.
Barak Obama: Democrat Barack
Obama said Sunday, 11/11/07, (on Meet the Press) that if elected he will
push to increase the amount of income that currently is taxed to provide
monthly Social Security benefits.”
There are plenty more to list
but, c’mon folks; everybody is absolutely certain that if a Dem
candidate is elected your taxes will get higher than Ross, the Intern’s,
giggle. Not just the “rich bastards”, but you and me. Our poster pal
fails to see the obvious, he acknowledges that the tax rebate proposal
is sound fiscal policy, yet he endorses higher taxes. That's a head
scratcher. Our poster pal says “Don’t get worked up into a tizzy”, he
suggests that whoever gets elected will not materially change our
world. Horse shit! If a democrat President is elected, take off your
pink glasses, lick the brie from your fingers, put down your crystal
stem ware, and get ready for nitty-gritty change.
First: confiscatory higher
taxes throughout the income spectrum. You probably won't be able to
afford Chateau LaFleur Petrus any longer. Second: Socialized medicine.
Third: Because of continued inaction on Social Security reform, SS will
collapse. Fourth: Lack of tort reform and increased governmental
intervention will lead to even higher taxes to pay for stratospheric
true health care costs. Fifth: Lack of American resolve and action
will further empower Muslim fundamentalism. Pakistan, and probably,
Afghanistan will revert to Taliban rule. European governments will
falter into Muslim caused chaos. Sixth: Lack of resolve and action to
secure our borders will create increasing disharmony in the American
workplace as American citizens lose jobs to illegals, and the attendant
costs further raise taxes. Seventh: Ah, that’s enough for now, but you
get the picture! No, my friends, I don’t believe that the sky is
falling, we will endure. Nonetheless, all of the foregoing are probable
consequences of a Democrat President operating in conjunction with a
Democrat controlled Congress. That sad prospect rates a tizzy. |
|
[County
Attorney Suzanne Hutton requested the BOCC ask Rep. Saunders to put in
the legislation that a “Plan for Dissolution” be furnished. This
request fell on deft ears] Deft (adjective) 1. quick and skillful; 2.
clever. Truer words were never written. Although I'm sure that's not
what the poster intended to say. Ron Saunders's ears really are deft,
consummate politician that he is. |
|
The Kennedy’s have endorsed
Barack Obama. Ted Kennedy said he is convinced that Obama will get
universal healthcare for all. That’s something Ted has been working for
most of his career. |
|

New Arkansas state quarter. |
|
My wife told me she wanted a
divorce because she'd lost the tingle. I don't know what a tingle
is, but it's equivalent to one house. |
|
Only
three more days to support Florida Keys Wildlife Rescue in their
work to help wildlife of the Keys. We can't win the contest, but your
contribution will nevertheless help us help them. Go to
https://www.networkforgood.org/pca/MyPcas.aspx to donate. Our
wildlife thanks you. |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
[French
vintages which cannot be found in the keys] The same wine
distributors that are found in Ft Lauderdale also service the Keys. You
can pretty much get everything found up there from them. The exception
would be if the store up there bought vintages and stored them and they
are currently sold out through the distributor. |
|

Northern lights
over Yellowknife Park and living in teepees at 37 below zero. |
|
Is it true that people that
get really big dogs do so because of some male, physical
inadequacy? Is it possible for a twenty year old to know
everything? I am fifty something and I don't know everything. I must
have missed a phase of my life. I used to care but I have to admit, I
cannot waste my time on morons anymore. Just stay the hell away from me
and wander through the rest of your life and learn the hard way, just
like the rest of us did. |
|
Crane
Point’s monthly Evening with the Stars program will be held
Thursday, January 31th at 7:15 p.m. All attendees will meet at the main
museum entrance and can either take a trolley ride to the observation
point or walk with a guide. Evening with the Stars is facilitated by Dr.
David Heeschen who holds a PhD in Astronomy from Harvard University.
Depending on the time of year
observations may include double stars, galaxies, moon, planets and more.
In case of overcast skies, Crane Point will place a notice on the Web
site, www.cranepoint.net by 6
p.m. on the day of observation. Please call the office number below if
you are concerned about the weather conditions for viewing.
Crane Point is located at MM
50, bayside across from the Kmart plaza. Please call (305) 743-3900 for
more information. Price is $5 for nonmembers and free for members of
Crane Point.
Bulletin Board |
|
 |
|
[The term euthanasia]
If the animal shelter was trying to hide the fact that they kill
animals, why would they use a term that means the act of putting to
death, painlessly, a person or animal suffering from an incurable
disease or condition? If they were really trying to hide this wouldn't
they use a word that doesn't mean death? What we can assume from your
posting is that you do not know the meaning of the word and it confused
you. The rest of the country that managed to pass a third grade level of
English are quite aware what the shelter means. |
|

[Anthrax scare] Who is this Chaney you are referring to? |
|
If taxing the rich didn't work the rich wouldn't spend so much
money paying lobbyists to buy politicians to get their taxes cut. The
divide between the wealthy and everyone else has widen markedly since
the sainted Ronald Reagan took office and now a handful of people own
the vast majority of wealth in this almost-banana Republic. And it’s
going to take more than just Bill Gates lamenting the selfishness of the
rich to get things moving again. |
|
 |
| [Amendment
one. Why doesn’t everyone understand that our tax cap will increase
from the now 3% to 10% in the future] Perhaps this poster should read it
again. I'm doing that now as I type this. Article XII, section 4.
"Limits the assessment increases for specified non-homestead real
property to 10 percent each year". If you’re homesteaded, your cap is
3%, if you're not, your cap will be 10% where there was none before.
That's the way I understand it. There is good and bad in this for
everyone. Vote carefully and please be informed. This information is
printed on your sample ballot. |
|
Boy,
is this cool! The screen saver shark (or any critter on the left
you select) follows your mouse over any seascape (selected from the
right) you like.
http://www.sharkbreak.com/ |
|
The
worst part of the state of the union speech last night was having to
watch that fat-assed Chicken Hawk Cheney sitting on his throne above the
Congress while Bush droned on about nothing. It's no wonder no
republican candidate has sought their endorsement in the upcoming
election. Can you envision this? “Mr. President, I do not seek, nor
will I accept your endorsement for the office of president of the United
States.” These guys would be the kiss of death to any aspiring
presidential candidate. |
|

[Where there's smoke there's fire] You are so right. With the new
(fuse) running for Sheriff and Spehar (the match). Now that's a nuclear
bomb. |
|
After doing the math we've
wondered for several years how any new business could make a go of it
in the Keys. The established businesses that had their property paid
for before the speculation boom started could keep up because their
overhead was low enough. But how could anyone pay over a million
dollars for a small business property and then get any kind of return
out of bar patrons and beachcombers? A few we knew had "something going
on the side", (use your imagination) that allowed them to stay afloat
awhile, but the deck is stacked from the beginning. "Do you know now
how to leave the Keys with a small fortune? Arrive there with a big
one." is really true. Hopefully this recession and housing bust will
end up making things a bit easier for new business people later on. Only
time will tell. |
|

Windows Vista modifications and how-toos! I suggest keeping this
link for reference even if you don't own Vista because--you will!
http://www.howtogeek.com/tag/windows-vista/ |
|
Marine Mammal Conservancy,
a non-profit all volunteer organization that rescues stranded and
injured dolphins and whales in the Florida Keys, is having a
fund-raising yard sale February 9 at 7:00 am at MM102 (behind the
Bellsouth tower). If anyone is interested in donating items, please
contact me at 305-304-5530 or email me at
islandmermaid1@bellsouth.net for pickup or drop off instructions.
Classified Ads
> Yard Sales |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or
our spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Tuesday
January 29, 2008 |
|
 |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Monday January 28, 2008 |
|
When
the anthrax scare hit Washington, Chaney wanted all Americans
vaccinated, but after health officials convinced him how many how many
people would die and how many debilitating infirmities inoculation would
cause he reduced his demand to 500,000 military and healthcare workers. By
the time the vaccine was ready the anthrax threat had passed. Note: Chaney
refused to have him or his family vaccinated. |
|
[Amendment 1] What happens if we all get
homestead exemptions like I think this amendment proposes? What’s the point
of the exemption if it’s not really an exemption and actually a giant tax
reduction for all home owners? Can the State afford to give every Floridian
this reduction of taxes? Who will make up the difference? Will it be the
poorer among us? There are so many questions I have about this amendment,
but I can’t find an unbiased answer. |
|
The
free Health Fair is worth the price and little more. It is run by
young, unlicensed students and your diagnosis is hit or miss. We went two
years ago and it took five hours to get processed. My wife was told that her
heart was a problem so she had to pay for a whole battery of tests with a
real heart specialist in KW which costs her a small fortune. The results
were negative. The doctor said she was misdiagnosed at the Fair. I was told
my blood pressure was too high so I paid another KW doctor to tell me that
it was fine. All, in all, it was not worth the time and trouble unless you
don’t have any means to get regular professional care. You get what you pay
for. You do indirectly pay for socialized medicine and that's fine
with me. |
|
Just a thought on how
things have changed on Big Pine Key. The Sharecropper has done well over
many years; The Glass Tiki burnt down and has never been replaced. It seems
there is not enough business. The Baltimore Oyster House has been closed
from a long time and looks like it has gone to seed. It has not been
replaced, not enough business. Judd’s has had many owners and remains
closed. The owner knows there is not enough business to warrant the
investment in such an Iffy deal.
Then there's the old
Dive-shop/laundry/Gangplank; it has remained closed and had more owners and
or renters than I can remember. I must say that Walgreens and Publix's and
the new Subway and Quiznos along with Winn Dixie's new drugstore should
finish off the Mom & Pop stores for good.
This is not a very good report. Big Business and Government are the ones
that seem to do best. As I recall Fish and Wildlife just had Jack Watson.
That was it! I would like to know if any one has a real number or percentage
of folks that are employed by state, local and Federal Government.
Well, enough of my dribble. Enjoy your day, it’s the only one you have. |
|
The
Seventh Annual No Name Race, 5K Run/Walk from the Old Wooden Bridge
Fishing Camp on Big Pine Key takes place Saturday morning, Feb. 23. This is
the biggest fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit Monroe County Domestic
Abuse Shelter, which serves clients from Key West to Key Largo. It is one of
the most needed services in Monroe County, as domestic and emotional
violence know no bounds -- gender, ethnic, economic or otherwise. Please
support your local shelter of last resort.
To get a race brochure or registration form, go to
www.domesticabuseshelter.org and click on Happenings. |
|
According to Commissioner
Dixie Spehar, Jerry Coleman is no longer going to be working
for the County as a hired outside attorney for the Workforce Housing Task
Force. Do we believe this? Commissioner Dixie Spehar, where was your vote
to can him back in February 07, when Commissioner Murphy tried to get rid of
him and save taxpayers money? Are you trying to now make amends for your
re-election? Voters will remember come election time on which side of the
fence you were sitting.
Commissioner Spehar, talk
to the employees who may lose their jobs, talk to the children who will lose
a day at the library, talk to the people who depend on bus service to get to
Doctor’s appointments, talk to the elderly who depend on Community services,
they are voters too. Trying to blame the state for the cuts is not putting
the blame where the blame belongs for our financial woes. The blame squarely
belongs on former County Administrator, Tom Willi, and hearing him say
countless times at BOCC meetings that he "can only do what 3 Commissioners
allow me to do", spending money like water pouring out of a boot.
Commissioner Spehar, you’re a day late and a dollar short. |
|

How times have changed] Have you noticed that many new car commercials are
focusing on what hi tech electronic devices their vehicles have
instead of how good the vehicle is? Mp3 players, GPS, handless cell phones,
rear view backup cameras, etc. |
|
The level of paranoia
is astounding around here. This whole hacking issue is very comical to
me because if this was an actual hacking, it was the most ineffective and
innocent hacking I've ever seen. And as for you Mrs. Downs, you can
threaten lawsuits all you want. You do not scare me. I am a person who tells
it like it is and does not fall for BS.
I'm sure some people are
ignorant enough to fall for your lame excuses of how your family is so
innocent, but I'm able to do the math. And much of what you say does not
calculate. You see, I too know the law. And I guarantee that I know it
much better than you.
Perhaps you should read up on the First Amendment a little. And as for
slander, it's only slander if there's no truth in it. You and I both know
you are a liar. ~govwatch2007@yahoo.com
|
|

The Freaking Brothers. Look ma, no hands!
Video |
|
[Plan for
dissolution of the Village of Islamorada, by Robert Page] At the Monroe
BOCC meeting on January 25, 2008, the commissioners were spending the day,
discussing the budget crisis, and how to cut back expenses to solve the
shortfall in revenue. Representative Ron Saunders put on the agenda, the
issue of Unincorporation of the Village of Islamorada and City of Marathon.
Rep. Saunders wanted to hear from the elected officials, that they could
absorb the two municipalities, if the taxpayers voted to abolish the local
governments. All five elected officials said that was up to the voters to
resolve that issue and if it happened, they would deal with the issue then.
After the vote to stay mum on the issue, county attorney Suzanne Hutton
requested the BOCC ask Rep. Saunders to put in the legislation that a “Plan
for Dissolution” be furnished. This request fell on deft ears. This was a
most important issue and not something to be left for a last minute plan to
be developed. This plan for Dissolution is something the county should be
responsible for and not the Legislature or the Village which is the target
of Unincorporation.
This “Plan for Dissolution”
is not something that one would ask a company to plan for their demise. As
someone that has been deeply involved in the deactivation of several
governmental units, and knows the importance of advance planning with
experienced and competent personnel and not a last minute, throw something
together, resulting in another financial disaster and embarrassment, that is
currently facing BOCC. I will be working on a long range plan, to drawdown
the Village of Islamorada, during the fiscal year October 1, 2008 ending
with the gradual but coordinated complete turnover of all municipal
functions to Monroe County by September 30, 2009.
The timetable should follow
this schedule.
A - Legislature meets March/April 2008 and enacts special act to require
referendum at next scheduled election, which is August 26, 2008 - statewide
Primary Election.
B - During the normal budget
process for proposed county budget, during July/Aug for FY 2008-2009, the
current village budget should be utilized to project the manpower/workload
and equipment requirements for the county. IF, the vote by the village
voters passes, to abolish the village, then the following process should
take place. This projection process will be done by county staff, during
the normal budget process, in anticipation of the vote, so it will be a
simple task to go back and add up the additional requirements before the
final two hearings of the county budget in September. It is important to
have these functions, well thought out and already discussed and resolved,
well in advance. This will not require much additional time or effort. The
actual timing of each department's takeover of the municipal functions, can
be spread out, to make the transition as smooth as possible, and the fiscal
impact known, well in advance. Many of the small municipal services could
be taken over on October 1st but the larger, more complicated and expensive
functions can be spread out and the actual timing of the takeover carefully
coordinated between the Village Drawdown team with the County Assumption
team. One of the most important functions of the Village Clerk is the
completion of the digital reproduction of ALL village records prior to the
deactivation. The village clerk, village attorney and finance department
along with the village drawdown team, being the last to be deactivated.
C - October 1, 2008 -
Village drawdown begins, and transfer of legal titles to all the equipment
begins to be identified; Transfer of title to the over 35 pieces of
land/property that is scattered over Monroe County begins to be processed.
As the revenues begin to appear, payoff of the over $26 million dollars in
loans begins, as cash flow permits. The village attorney works with county
attorney to dispose of all pending litigation. Each county department will
work with the county assumption team, that is working with the village
drawdown team, to carefully coordinate the transition to the county,
assuming all the services that were formally performed by county staff.
Since there was no reduction in county staff, when the village was
incorporated on January 1, 1998 and the amount of construction and building
permits has declined, the population of the county has shrunk; there should
be no large increase of county staff to accomplish the take over of
services. As the county budget team goes through the village budget you
will realize how fat the village staff was and the county will be able to
perform those same functions with much less staff. The intent of this slow
downsizing plan is to pay off all debts of the village and to continue to
receive the many revenue sources, that only goes to municipalities, and
build up a large cash reserve, which will go to the county and help fund
some of the expensive operations created by the village. The county should
have the County Assumption team, identified prior to the beginning of
proposed budget discussions for next year, so some agreement can be reached
on how the assumption process will work.
|
|

[Escapa Game] I couldn’t make it past 7 seconds.
Escapa! |
|
[Please vote “no” to Amendment 1] Why doesn’t
everyone understand that our tax cap will increase from the now 3% to 10% in
the future? I would suggest that you learn more about Amendment 1 before
you presume that it will be a great thing. The only time that our state and
county pushes so hard for a vote on an amendment is because it will increase
the amount that we already pay to benefit them. Think about that! |
|
I decided to click on the link provided under "Update
on BPK Mitigation. The Taking of Big Pine & No Name Key" post
yesterday. Besides having to read through all the obvious grammatical
errors, I came across a comment made early on that said "we also should
remember that man brought the Key Deer to Big Pine..."
Obviously,
you haven't read the memoirs of Hernando DE'scalante Fontaneda, a Spaniard
who wrecked on the Florida Keys in the mid-1500's and was captured by the
Calusa Indians. He lived with them for 17 years, and when he went back to
Spain, he wrote his memoirs, which detail his time spent in the Keys.
Imagine that...he mentions there being many deer here.
I'm tired of people trying to claim that these deer
were brought here by man. Twenty thousand years ago, these islands were not
islands; they were part of the mainland that we call Florida. When the
glaciers melted some 10,000 years ago, the water levels rose and formed
these islands, and the deer were stranded Virginia White-tail deer like you
see on the mainland. As time has passed, they've evolved into the smaller
sub-species that we see today. That's why sometimes you see one that just
seems to be somewhat larger than his/her relatives...it is just a throwback
to its ancestors. So, no, they were not put here by man; they were put here
by Mother Nature. There have been claims that Flagler brought the deer down
for his developer friends to hunt. Yeah, he might have brought some down
for that reason, but if they weren't killed in the hunt, they probably would
not have survived in this rugged habitat.
Leave the Key deer out of your ridiculous arguments. |
|

Sammy isn't in jail because, getting arrested has nothing to do with guilt]
OK, nice story, but this guy has been arrested 18 times in 2 months
for burglary so I am going to say he's probably guilty of something. |
|
I have been away for a few days. It seems the new
topics are the site getting hacked and Sal from the Key Largo site.
Maybe the hacker is someone who wanted to see the email addresses of the
people posting the comments about them? There are some pretty good "bashng"
comments on here. Sal on the other hand, he is funny as hell. Take no
prisoners there. I keep reading his site more by the day. I wouldn't want
to be Bill Becker, Brian Schmitt or Kat Thacker when Sal gets going. I
missed reading bigpinekey.com for a few days. Gives me my laugh of the day.
KeyLargoKey.com |
|
The
Monroe County Public Library is pleased to announce the debut of the
Historic Marathon Flickr Collection. Tom Hambright, Florida Historian,
and Anne Layton Rice, Librarian, have been digitizing and mounting the
Library's collection of Marathon photos, postcards and aerial views. View
Historic Marathon here:
www.flickr.com/photos/keyslibraries More images will be added, so
bookmark the site to visit again.
Also on our Flickr site are nearly 600 WWI Waterfront
Passes. These passes were used by workers during WWI and include a
photograph, occupation and employer information. They provide a wealth of
information for genealogists, historians, cultural researchers and the plain
curious.
These collections are part
of our ongoing work to provide 24/7 accessibility to the Library's historic
archives. Also visit our award-winning Mile Markers project:
www.mile-markers.org Future projects may include vintage Keys cookbooks,
oral histories and charter fishing photos.
(Photo caption: Fishing guide Harry Snow Sr. at Ye Ole
Feshin Hole. Photo from Erma Stout's scrapbook.) |
|
Relatively very few stocks
traded on Wall Street pay dividends. |
|
On
Friday we had to go to Ft. Laud. Tuesday at 10 am I felt fine, by noon I
had violent nausea, vomiting and diarrhea simultaneously. This is a
very busy way to spend a couple of days. My wife was fine. These
interesting symptoms expanded to chills, genuine gut pain, severe body aches
and extreme fatigue. The symptoms peaked late Tuesday and gradually abated
until Friday afternoon when I felt almost normal. The bad news is that my
wife began getting the same set of symptoms Sunday morning. She is now
fully involved (3:00 pm). Watch out folks, this bug may be coming your
way. It looks like it takes 3-4 days to show itself. I don’t think it’ll
kill you, but it’ll make you wish it would. |
|
[It’s my life] Rosy red kudos to the poster who is
spot on about personal responsibility. It strikes me that there is a
wealth of readers of this site salivating at the chance to blame anyone but
themselves for any discomfort or failure in their lives. These “gimme,
gimme, gimme” types are red hot about taking freebies, but refuse to take
responsibility or consequences for their own acts or choices. These folks
see an evil presence behind every tree that lurks there with the purpose of
victimizing them. Their discomfort at their shortcoming translates into
hate, and that hate is focused on that mis-perceived evil presence.
Nowadays, to these types, that presence wears the face of Bush 2. Like
many, I prospered during the Bubba times; nonetheless I think that our
nation suffered a serious wounding by his administration. Like many I’ve
prospered under Bush2, and I think that our nation is wobbling toward a
victory in a war that began in the 1970’s. Bush was the first President to
acknowledge the fact of this war and was the first President to effectively
protect our American interests by prosecuting it. |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
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I
am a writer who reads a lot of books. I would hate to see books
phased out as another writer predicted. I can't imagine sitting in an
overstuffed chair and curling up with my laptop on a dark and stormy night
reading a good mystery (viewing my porn maybe, but not a good book). |
|
Does anyone else notice that
when a realtor tells you to lower the price of your house so it will
sell, he doesn't offer to lower his commission to help lower the cost? |
|
[tax
the rich] This is the short version of why it will still bite you:
Paris Hilton is rich--tax her. She pays the tax, she gets the money back
from hiking prices in hotel rooms. This same over-simplified explanation
can be applied to any person or corporation with goods or services to sell.
Any “tax the rich” increase is simply handed back to those who purchase
their goods or services. Those of us who buy things,
anything,
pay taxes, not the
rich. |
|
I'm not sure how to
respond to the guy about the Federal Reserve. He seems intent on
insulting me or my intelligence, but yet he can't or won't answer the
question about who actually owns the Fed. His writing is pretty incoherent
but it seems that he is in agreement that the Federal Reserve is owned by
banks which are in turn privately owned. The point that I'm trying to
clarify is whether or not our money supply (and therefore our economy) is
actually controlled by private interests. I know that the Fed has an
advisory board, etc., but if it is privately owned then it's pretty obvious
who will be calling the shots. Am I right, wrong? |
|
Narcicism
is a personality disorder which cannot be cured. Once you have known
this type, you can spot them a mile away and run fast in the other
direction. It is always all about them. They usually lack empathy for
others and are overly self-entitled bores. A person wrapped up in their own
tiny world becomes a very small package. |
|
[Florida’s
3-day cooling-off
period doesn't apply to every contract]
Joyce Gagliardi found this out when she tried to
get out of a contract she signed for windows at the Lehigh Acres home where
she lives with her mom. She signed a contract for $5,456 and paid half the
amount as a deposit. She began to feel uneasy about the contractor, doubted
her decision, and called to cancel, leaving a message on his answering
machine. "There is a cooling-off period where you have three business days
to cancel," Gagliardi said.
There is in some cases, but not in her
situation. Gagliardi found Charles Screening and Aluminum in the phone book
and called. Because she approached the company first, the sale doesn't
qualify for a cooling-off period. Then Gagliardi made another error. She
should have notified Charles in writing about the cancellation. Even an
e-mail would have been good - anything to create a paper trail she lacked.
Mark Charles of Charles Screening and Aluminum didn't even get her message
before showing up at her home again and finding out she had hired another
contractor. Charles had been to Gagliardi's house several times, measured
the windows, and had already started production when she backed out of the
contract. Now he wanted his money. "I thought she was a reliable, legitimate
homeowner the way I'm a reliable, legitimate contractor," he said.
Charles wasn't out much because he was able to
stop the window production and use it on another job. And I do believe an
hourly charge for the time and effort he spent would have been fair. But
this situation could have been avoided had Gagliardi done her homework. She
would have felt secure in hiring Charles if she had checked the company by
calling the attorney general, Better Business Bureau, Consumer Fraud
Awareness and former customers. She also could have gotten other estimates
and interviewed contractors to make sure she was getting a good price before
making a decision. But she did one thing right and ended up with her $2,700
deposit back. She used her credit card to pay. When she didn't get the
merchandise, the credit-card company credited her account. |
|

Sexton Cove Estates, a community of approximately 250 property
owners, will hold its annual fund-raising dinner Saturday, February 9th.
This year’s event is a Pig Roast with all the trimmings.
Volunteers will be serving from 5-7 p.m. at the community's park, MM 106
bayside. You can also dance the night away to music by DJ Dr. Dean of Good
Times Karaoke. Tickets are $10 and will be sold at the gate. |
|
The Key West Animal
Shelter kills healthy animals, and tries to hide this fact behind the
term euthanasia. I am deeply saddened that my tax dollars are helping them
to kill cats and dogs, as are your tax dollars. My heart goes out to
the innocent animals that they destroy. |
|

Elvis has been dead so long there’s a rumor going around that he's
really dead! |
|
[Saving Monroe taxpayers
money] Deb Barsell, Director of Community Services, makes a whopping
$102, 437 a year. Breaking that down, she gets $4136 bi-weekly, or $51.71
per hour. Why doesn't she take a salary cut? Or even better yet, why don't
we just eliminate her position, as it is a waste of our hard-earned money? |
|
Paul
and Magda Bates of Islamorada are pleased to announce the birth of their
forth child, a new baby Girl, Samantha Vallisa. The couple owns and lives at
Coconut Cove Resort. Paul is a Pilot with American Airlines and Magda is a
business major and both are working as a wedding planning team doing many
Keys destination weddings. Pictured here is (left front) Nicholas age four,
(center front) Tony age five and (right front) Bernadine age three. All
four of the Bates children were born at homestead hospital. The newest,
Samantha, was born at the newly constructed hospital, Mother and daughter
were photographed to be included in the new Homestead Hospital brochures and
video tapping is planned this week for additional publication.
Photo Gallery |
|
Deer Ed, make sure you change your IP, password
settings and web settings on your server ( only if you are hosting your own
domain names on a server at your location) that was hacked. That’ll avoid
the hacker coming back in. If you’re not hosting your own then it’s up to
the hosting service provider. |
|

I live near Paradise Petroleum and every now and again I hear a very low
pitched sound at night that I can neither tell what or where it is
coming from. It has no rhythm or I would think it's somebody's subwoofers.
It is an eerie low sound. Has anyone else heard this or know what it is? It
is starting to be a puzzle to me. It repeats but with not distinct pattern.
I appreciate any input on this subject. |
|
The different animal
shelters receive differing funding what is determined by the population
they serve. One size does not fit all. Their needs are different. |
|

Go Patriots!
19 reasons the Patriots will win the Super Bowl |
|
In case anyone missed it, in Sunday's Citizen,
Dixie Spehar is blaming all of the County's financial problems on the
State's mandated cut in property taxes.
It's never her fault. |
|

The Moscow subway is opulent.
Slide Show |
|
Where's there's smoke,
there's fire. And there seems to be an awful lot of smoke in the family of
our newest Sheriff candidate. I'm reading a lot of excuses and
backtracking that make me very weary of her. |
|
[Wine
and the economy] I do drink fine French vintages which cannot be found
in the keys. Thus my monthly trek to the north where there is an expansive
wine market in a city where taste for the finer things in life are quite
obvious. As far as the economy is concerned, I believe Bush came up with
the idea of the temporary cash infusion idea and the dems went along as they
should have. After all if Rove was still around any dissenters to Bush’s
plans might have been labeled "unpatriotic." The real estate mess is just
part of an overall hands-off policy of this administration that
allows corporations to push the limits, bend the rules, trash pension plans,
and rob the treasury to pay ridiculous salaries to incompetent executives.
Now even the airlines are rushing to consolidate in a climate of “anything
goes” before the next election. I guess they have a feeling about who just
might win in November. And as far as raising taxes is concerned, give me a
specific time, place, and statement by any candidate who said "I will raise
taxes." You say that all three democratic candidates have made that
statement. Finally, chill out and don't get yourself worked up into a
tizzy. Your little world is unlikely to change much no matter who gets
elected. The sky is not falling. |
|
Hack,
hack, hack damn I coughed up a fur ball. |
|

A government official asked Chief Two Eagles where did the white man
go wrong?
The Chief stared at the government official for over a minute and then
calmly replied. 'When white man find land, Indians running it, no taxes, no
debt, plenty buffalo, plenty beaver, clean water.
Women did all the work, Medicine man free. Indian man spend all day hunting
and fishing; all night having sex.'
Then the chief leaned back and smiled. 'Only white man dumb enough to think
he could improve system like that.' |
This morning I ran across an invitation I received last
week from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The
invitation came from Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, inviting me to
a dinner honoring Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Sunday, February 24,
2008, at the home of Amarilis and Claudio Osoro, 15 Star Island Drive, Miami
Beach, Florida. For $28,500, the maximum amount accompanying material says
an individual can contribute to DDCC ($57,000 per couple), I can attend the
VIP Reception and Dinner. For $10,000, I can attend the Dinner. No other
options given. Contact information is: Missy Kureck at (202) 485-3455. Or
Kurek@dccc.org.
At the bottom of the invitation is, “Not authorized by any candidate or
candidate’s committee.”
I felt much better reading that. Much better. At least I know it isn’t a
Republican Party fundraiser, which it otherwise sure seemed to be. The
Republican leading candidate is John McCain, who favors the war in Iraq,
which makes him a candidate for Supreme Commander of NAMI (National Alliance
of the Mentally Ill). I also felt much better because I know the gig in
Miami Beach isn’t a fund raiser for Brack Obama or Hillary Clinton, whom I
really can’t tell apart from George W. Bush. At least John McCain fought in
combat, was a prisoner of war. At least he knows which end of a gun to hold,
so he won’t shoot himself in the face. Maybe not a bad idea, but still, he
does have experience under fire. He might, therefore, listen better to his
generals and admirals than George W. Bush listened, or Hillary or Obama will
be able to listen. |
|
The
Keynoter newspaper is still running its unincorporation poll.
The total votes cast has risen to 480 and 67.1 % vote to unincorporate and
32.9% want things to stay the same.
Please take a couple of minutes and cast your vote
while the poll is still operating. There is no registration, just check a
box.
www.keynoter.com |
|
The deadline for publishing is 6am.
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our spam
filters will
delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Monday January 28, 2008 |
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click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
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Sunday
January 27, 2008 |
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Does anyone know where I can take basic
sewing lessons?
I tried another source but it fell through. |
|
God bless the people that have
the initiative and the fortitude to find out what’s going on in
the local community; and call the powers that be on it! We depend on
you, even if we don’t know it. |
|
Here are some pictures of the
entries for the 1st Annual Block 7 fishing contest at
the Venture Out Tiki Hut. World records were set and people
had more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Winners received
cash prizes and all celebrated while the sunset and the ice
chest was emptied. |
 |
 |
|
|
[Federal
Reserve] I'm not sure how you respond to a poster who's pretty
uniformed about the free markets and thinks that an agency with a board
of presidential appointees 'Therefore, the Fed is owned by rich people
who get to print their own money'. Maybe a good time for an economics
class or even a discussion with a local bank officer to try and help -
but the world is a lot bigger and more complex than this simple theory.
One tidbit is to go look at who are the major stockholders for banks. I
don't know, but in general, a lot of pension funds for Joe Average
American are the ones calling the shots. |
|

Does anyone know if AARP will have the income tax assistance
again at the Senior Center for the low income and elderly? |
|
[2008 budget] The Key
West shelter contract is for $365,000 a year. The Key Largo shelter
contract is for $265,000 a year. The Marathon and Big Pine contract is
for $248,000. Why doesn't the county administrator trim the fat of the
Key West and Key Largo shelters? All three contracts should be for the
same amount, $248,000. This would save Monroe County taxpayers $134,000
per year. |
|
[Huckabee]
It’s a sad state for our nation when a man who doesn’t believe in
science gets so far in a presidential race. Scary isn’t it? |
|
[Elvis is still alive] I wouldn't be so quick to judge on this
hacking issue. It wouldn't make any sense for someone to hack a
website just to remove a comment that can be easily replaced by the
author. And in Downs' case, someone trying to hurt her campaign would
have gone much farther than to just remove a comment. Think about it
people. It doesn't make any sense. It looks an awful lot like a
publicity stunt. |
|

[Watching TV] The third cousin of Death. |
|
All this sewer talk stinks. |
|
Eli's coming and he is going to kick some butt in Arizona. Go
Giants! |
|
The five county commissioners recognize that this unincorporation
issue is something to be settled by a secret vote at the ballot box.
Representative Ron Saunders has a deadline to meet to have an ad placed
in the local newspaper that a public hearing must be held on this issue.
Will he make the deadline or let it die? Over a thousand voters have
asked for this vote. |
|
Dow
up 16% in 8 Yrs? Mr. Baruch you are not, are you trying to say that
the percent increase or decrease on the DOW is the same as the interest
you earn on a dollar invested? If my ten year old son made such an
asinine statement, I would worry that he was probably showing signs of
severe dementia. |
|
Our sewer situation is due to the diatribes of a few loudmouthed
bully ignoramuses who publicly railed against the need for sewers for
the last twenty years and, unfortunately for the rest of us, consecutive
county commissioners bowed to. Their battle cry was "Bad Science". |
|
I
wonder if the strange happening with your "Click here to send a
comment" line awhile ago was somebody practicing? By the way, the
envelope isn’t spinning. Another attack? (Ed: To make any animations
work click the F5 key on you keyboard.) |
|
There has to be some good person who will run against McCoy and
Spehar’s commission seats. If no good person runs the gang of three
will be running our county further into the rock. |
|
It
is funny how the book reader feels free to make blanket comments
about folks who choose not to read books. There are many ways to get
your information these days. If you choose to read online or to watch
informative TV are you any more or less informed than a book reader? I
personally don't read many books, but keep my self informed by other
sources. I personally believe that if not now, then soon, libraries
will become extinct with only a few regional libraries surviving this
electronic age. I feel qualified to consider myself above average in
regard to being informed and educated. I hold several degrees and am a
professional writer, yet I read less than a book a year. Be careful
when you make blanket accusations, the blanket is only pulling the wool
over your eyes. |
|
The
Dow is 30 stocks. Only 30 stocks, no more no less. The DJIA does
not account for dividends paid by the businesses included in the DJIA.
These dividends are one of the many reasons to keep investing.
I
look at my IRA - which is invested in mutual funds - and they have
increased much more than 2% per year. My IRA has averaged just over 8
1/2% (including the crap kicking it took in 2001). My point is, Rather
than complaining about the Republicans, Democrats, Bush, the Clintons,
and 50 million other things, why not say "screw the stupid bastards in
Washington, it's my life, I need to take control of it". |
|
[More fun to make your site look silly.
That's what hacking is about.] If someone did that who could tell
the difference? We all try so hard to accomplish that anyway!
|
|

[Chili cook-off] Hungry for some good home cooking? Ride on out
to mm 30 today and find great chilies to eat at Coconuts; and enjoy live
music, great fellowship and even help others by giving blood while you
are there. It's today and starts at noon!
Bulletin Board |
|
[I do believe I can really turn this
county around] If you think you can do good, and if you truly have
the desire to do it, well, that's why it's called “public service”. The
compensation comes with the accomplishment, not usually the paycheck. |
|

Bus service cuts, no affordable housing. I guess it's true that
the workers are being squeezed out. A local sandwich shop owner said it
best. The Millionaires will just have to do all the work for the
Billionaires. That will be fun to watch! |
|
Alas! Some words of wisdom yesterday. I
thought I was the only one who thought is was a little odd that two
web-sites supposedly got hacked, and people were blaming someone who
wanted to discredit a certain candidate. If I knew how to hack a
web-site, and actually did it, I would totally screw it up, not just
take away one single posting. Nothing about that makes any sense to
me. Ed, I have no reason to think you would be involved in this. But
the other person seems to thrive on conspiracy theories. This is a very
cheap way to try to gain votes. (Ed: Just because your paranoid
doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.) |
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click F5 on your keyboard to
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Deer Ed, If it is not too late, please do not post my comment about
being a 30 yr service marine and maybe I will run for sheriff.
It was intended as a joke, but with the hacking going on and tempers
flying, I think it would be best if I stayed out of it. |
|
It looks like the Key Largo
site has picked up on a past hot topic from our site here:
KeyLargoKey.com I can't believe how
brave they are. They now are how this site once used to be. I love
that Key Largo site. |
|

This little piggy went to the mosque.
Three Little Pigs story "too offensive" |
|
Is
anyone having trouble bringing up the Sheriffs site? I keep
getting "Request denied by watchquard HTTP proxy".
Arrest
Reports Mug Shots |
|
[Dwarf
crime a 'growing problem'] Thieves are robbing long-distance coaches
by sneaking dwarves into the luggage holds in sports bags. Once inside,
they slip out from their hiding places to rifle through the belongings
of unsuspecting travelers. Then they take their loot back to their
hiding place and wait to be collected by another gang member when the
coach reaches its destination. They have stolen thousands of pounds in
cash, gems and other valuables in recent months. Swebus, which ferries
thousands of Brits across Sweden, has been among coach firms targeted. A
spokesman said: "We have had reports about several thefts by dwarves on
the stretch between Vasteras and Stockholm. We're thinking of installing
video cameras." |
|
Update on BPK Mitigation.
The Taking Of Big Pine & No Name Key |
|
Close encounters |
 |
 |
|
|
While America focus on a
better future after the 2008 elections, I can bet President Bush will
try to rewrite history during his last State of the Union Address.
In an attempt to rewrite the history books, President Bush will lie and
deny, wrap himself in the heroism of better, braver men and women who
wear the uniform, and try to tell us the economy is strong and the
occupation is a success. |
|
[Trash
police] Please obtain locking lids for your trash
barrels. Reoccurrence of trash from trash barrels without
properly fitting lids, gets scattered throughout your
neighborhoods and then becomes a violation of county health
ordinances and makes our neighborhoods look trashy.
Additionally, the debris ends up in our waters killing
wildlife and affecting the reef and water quality. Please do
your part to Keep Big Pine Key clean. |
 |
 |
|
|
Sorry about the hack on the site. It’s sad state of the internet
world. It’s probably a good time to change passwords to be extra safe
too. |
|

Alien encounter. |
|
Near Walgreen’s, I saw Monroe County Mayor Sonny McCoy crossing
Duval Street and called out to him. When he turned around, I said, “Good
Morning, Sonny, Sloan Bashinsky.” He smiled, walked back to the
sidewalk, and then commenced a maybe five minute talk about
architecture. Sonny’s an architect. He mentioned books he’d written
about architecture, and said, yes, they are in the county libraries. He
said he’d even met Frank Lloyd Wright once. When he asked what I was
doing in Key West?, I said I live nearby, in a flat in the back of the
Wyland Gallery building on Duval. He said he thought I lived up the
Keys. No, I live in Key West, I said. He said he was born just around
the corner in his family’s home. It was a longer conversation, but that
was the gist before we said out goodbyes and he crossed Duval and I
continued to my flat, wondering what that was all about?
Sonny didn’t know I live in Key West. I have to live in Key West and be
registered to vote here to run against him in the upcoming county
commission race. I made that announcement in several emails and on two
Keys radio stations. I had to live in Key West and be registered to vote
here to run in the recent city mayoral race. Sonny lives in Key West.
He has received copies of my near-daily missives for quite a
while…years. Does he know I’m running against him? Does he know I ran
for mayor? Was it just a senior moment? What was the meaning? Would I
write about it? Those were my thoughts walking back to my flat behind
Wyland Gallery, where I have lived since last March 21, according to the
date on my one-year lease. Actually, I moved in a couple of weeks later.
First, I moved all of my art work in and hung it, covering the walls
with other people’s and my own art, creating a mini art gallery. Then, I
brought down furnishings and kitchen stuff. Then, me and my clothes,
wondering why I was back in Key West? Pretty soon I knew I would run for
mayor, again. I knew because dreams told me. Just as dreams later told
me to run against Sonny.
My dreams throughout last night were a shift in emphasis, away from
county politics toward national politics. I’m not sure where that will
go for me personally, and rather than speculate, I leave it at that for
now. What I can say is that there was plenty of hullaboo yesterday in
the national news about Barack Obama trouncing Hillary Clinton and John
Edwards in that state’s primary. So maybe I should write a little about
Barack, as I’ve had some dealings with his campaign, and have had none
with the other two’s campaigns.
GoodMorningKeyWest.com |
|

I went to the Health Fair on Big Pine Saturday. It turned out to
be what I imagine socialized medicine would be like. Very disorganized
and long waits for everything (1 1/2 hours for skin cancer check, 3 1/2
hours for prostate check, 45 minutes just to turn in your form and leave
when you're finished). I finally left in frustration. My time is worth
more than what I'd save by waiting. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will
delete it and we can't publish it. |
|
Sunday January
27, 2008 |
|
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click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
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Saturday
January 26, 2008
Part Deux 6:30pm |
|
I'm very concerned that Bill
Becker linked Sal Gutierrez’s name to the hacking. I thought it was
clear from my postings that I had separated Sal from govwatch07. I told this
govwatch07, "No I don't have you confused with anyone. I have a keen eye
and I am referring to your letters from 2007." I do not know who might have
hacked both my site and bigpinekey.com. But I will tell you this; there are
people with a lot more to gain than Sal by pulling off the page which
exposes jail problems on the very day that the rape in the jail made
headlines. I am sure no one wants to be held accountable that these
situations were evident since 2005 as I had pointed out. Sorry Sal, I have
been the victim of absolutely ridiculous slander and I know how it feels.
It wasn't me who linked you. Please know I will do all I can to help clear
this up. ~sandy@sandyforsheriff.com |
|

(Ed: Somehow there’s a rumor that Sal from
KeyLargoKey.com hacked this site.
I guarantee he did not! I’ve been trying to teach him to do a very simple
task of linking pages to one another and he is having a difficult time doing
that. Hacking a single page from an HTML-type site requires advanced
technology skill. It was not Sal. Don’t even think it was.) |
|
It seems to me that the only
person with the motivation to hack both websites is Sandra Downs. I
believe she felt it would help people believe her conspiracy theories.
Anyone involved with MCSO wouldn't need to hack anything because the more
she writes; the more apparent it becomes that she is a raving lunatic. Give
her enough rope and she will hang herself. Ooooh, I'm so scared she will
come after me now! ~keyscool@bellsouth.net (Ed: Ms Downs is another one
who can barely check her email, let alone hack a secure website. Hell, until
recently she actually had an AOL account.) |
|

[Cutting costs] When I grew up Mosquito Control was a fog truck
coming down the road. Now we have people in trucks with their little cup
trying to find them. And we still don't get fogged, we get bit. |
|
Sorry laid-off County employees,
but we have to get up enough money to fix the Pigeon Key driveway when the
time comes. |

They're cutting back on bus service for the poor to get to work. The
county bus system is already lacking in enough buses to help people get to
and from work. This is the last thing they should have cut. |
|
Hacked to remove just one piece of information? That's odd. It seems
more likely to me that someone would want to remove something of their own,
that they regretted posting. I'd look a little closer at the owner of one
of the two websites being hacked, and not this one. |
|
Thank you all who
are putting the benefit together for Tom and Rosemary Farrell. They
are long time residents of BPK and Eden Pines. Tom was hospitalized for more
than two months in ICU at Mt Sinai hospital. This benefit will help with the
enormous hospital bills. I hope to see you all this Sun from 1 pm to 5pm
at St. Peter's pavilion. A great time will be had by all.
Bulletin Board |
|
[but
the hacking matter should be of record] Ab-so-friggin'-lutely! Anytime
time in my life I've had troubles like this it had to documented to be
stopped. Even if the minor inconveniences aren't actionable, the sum total
of all such events can be used to bring it to a halt, but it has to be on
the record to count. It may be easier to just 'get over it', but how many
times do you want to have to do that? Also, who's to say the harassment
won't get worse, possibly becoming dangerous. It is the natural order of
such things and shouldn't be ignored. |
|
This letter is to response to the mention by Bill Becker on U.S 1
Radio that Sal Gutierrez hacked Bigpinekey.com and Sandra Downs’ web
pages. First I know not how to hack a web page and second why would I hack
a web page that I pay money to be on? As far as Sandra Downs’ web page, I
was kind of excited about someone entering the race to try to fight the
Monroe County bubba system, but now I’m beginning to believe what the
bubba’s are saying about her. She’s frustrated and has revenge on her
mind. Also, I’m beginning to think nothing got hacked and this is just a
big bunch of BS. Anyway, I’m going to wait for some real hard evidence to
my hacking abilities.
|
|
The Keynoter newspaper is
currently conducting a poll on whether or not the Village of Islamorada
and the City of Marathon should be abolished or remain as a separate
municipality in Monroe County. The results were: 62.3 want to abolish the
municipalities and 37.7 want to remain separate from the county. Total votes
cast: 382. |
|
I
love it when out of touch republicans still hash over Clinton’s term in
office. Do they have anything from this century? And I love it when they
mention 9/11 as a justification for the Iraq war (Iraq had zero, yes
that’s right, zero to do with 9/11). Don’t believe me ask the President who,
himself, said that. And if you don’t think Al Qaeda has killed Americans in
the last few years; who’s killing American troops in Iraq? Afghanistan was
the right enemy and the right target after 9/11.They got what they deserved
and are still getting it. Osama, I’m afraid, played Bush like a fiddle. |
|
[As
seen in the Key West Publix] Yes, that's why it has www.engrish.com
printed on it. |
|
[Port
Pine Heights dead deer and graffiti] Ok friends, it's time to take a
little more interest and try to find the ones responsible for the crimes
happening in our part of paradise. |
|
[Federal Reserve]
You forgot that all the income tax that we pay goes to those banks that
loaned the government the money to run the USA. Our taxes go as interest
payment for that money. That’s the only place it goes. |
|
I
am selling my house “by owner” and agreed to pay a Realtor's fee if
they bring a buyer. I went by the office in Key West to sign a one-time
showing agreement with the Realtor. It happens to be the same office the
female-beating Realtor works for. He painted his entire office bright red.
Maybe he is trying to cover up future blood stains. It still amazes me that
company keeps him and condones his actions. |
|
Apparently Deb Barcells' little plot to dump Stand Up For Animals in
favor of her buddies at KW SPCA isn't working out exactly as planned. She
got her butt handed to her today when the county commission apologized to
the crowd about the inappropriateness and unprofessional way it was
handled. SUFA is apparently going to continue to handle animal control for
the Middle Keys. ~Tryin2FindIt@aol.com |
|

A free people's
government
should be afraid of its people, not the other way around! |
|
[French wine and home prices]
It seems a waste of jaw time to bitch about Bush 2’s fiscal policies and how
they relate to home prices. But someone does. I guess Bush forced the
bankers to start making those ridiculous sub prime ARM loans which heated up
the home market turning growth into a blister, and then a vindictive Bush
intentionally burst the blister. The media doesn’t tell you that the fact
is that those damned subprime adjustable-rate mortgages (ARM) were
responsible for most foreclosure starts, and they continue to be the lion’s
share of bad loans. While only about 6.8 percent of outstanding loans are
subprime ARMs, those loans accounted for 43 percent of third quarter (2007)
foreclosure starts. Foolish greedy borrowers and foolish greedy lenders
both get burned, and you and I will have to bail them out. Bush and anyone
else who pushes for a bail out is simply wrong. I just love it that our
liberal progressive democrat controlled Congress has decided that a tax
rebate is a good shot in the arm for our slowing economy. Shoot, ain’t it
great that they agree with Bush 2? Wouldn’t you love to have heard the
calls between Pelosi and Reid? This has to make you democrat types a little
nervous in that all 3 of your Presidential candidates promise to raise
taxes. I hope the Bush basher enjoys his French Bordeaux wine, because if
he does buy it, he’ll probably buy it in an American store, employing
Americans and the sale will be taxed and the dollars he spends will wind up
in the American economy generating more economic activity. I’ve got to
point out that this schlump will drive all the freaking way to Ft.
Lauderdale to avoid spending a few dollars in our local Keys emporiums.
It’s worth noting that the poster probably won’t buy the French wine, he
probably simply wanted to give the finger to his fellow Americans and to our
economy. |

You probably erased the website yourself Ed. In one of those Paradise
induced memory lapses caused by organic happy plants. |
|
Who the hell would
hack into this website? Why bother? You are not that outrageous. If
they did, they would muck up the greeting page and create a furor in the
community. It's no fun to erase/delete and run. More fun to make your site
look silly. That's what hacking is about. |
|

I’ll bet you’ve never seen this before.
http://www.slide.com/r/hD6DvyAOxD9ClUhvUpVcUMABW9QzpGnQ |
|
[Winn Dixie
on BPK is looking good] I can't wait for the pharmacy to open. On a sour
note, W/D please train your cashiers to do better customer service and to
be more people friendly. As I was checking out my groceries the cashier
never acknowledge me neither by speaking nor looking at me. It made me take
a look at the other
lanes of cashiers that were open and it was the same thing. They do not
acknowledge that a person is there. There’s no smile or friendly hello. They
are projecting an “I hate being here” attitude. |
|
[Howard
Livingston and the Mile Marker 24 Band] We had a great time Wednesday
filming for our upcoming live CD/DVD. We were being filmed from a helicopter
while driving our bus into the Keys. It was a perfect day with clear skies
and emerald waters. No matter how often I ride down US 1, it never loses
its’ romance. There is nothing like it in the world.
Upcoming Shows:
Friday, Feb. 1 Schooner Wharf Bar – 7:00 PM
Saturday, Feb. 2 KOA Sugarloaf Key – 7:00 PM
Sunday, Feb. 3 Terry Cassidy’s Pickin’ Party – to benefit Habitat for
Humanity Habitat for Humanity Bldg. At MM 30.5 in Big Pine Key |
|
[Deer
Ed, Damn, I'm positive that I'm not alone in wishing you well] What
he said, all of it, times a few hundred. |
|
The
lady that is running for sheriff scares me. I am a 30 year retired marine.
I think I may enter this race. Maybe I’ll lose, but at least I may draw
votes away from her. I have more qualifications then most people running
for this office, but I am not sure I want it. But I do not want her to have
it from what I have read from her on this forum. I will not attack her
agenda, however I will say that I was the Sgt Major of the 3rd Marine
Division in the 80s with thousands of men under me. I will not go any
further, however, if you want to contact me,
JOLN8888@yahoo.com. By the way, I have a very successful business here
and if by chance I did win, I would make less money then I am making now,
however, I do believe I can really turn this county around. If your first
response is “well, he is too old.” If this is your opinion come over to my
house and I will whip your ass. |
|
[specific cost saving comes from
the Key West
SPCA]
Worse yet, the SPCA spends more on salaries
than the other two contract shelters' entire budgets - and they cover the
least territory. If anything, their contracted funds should be reduced to
save the $50,000. |
|
Sammy isn't in jail because,
contrary to popular belief, getting arrested has absolutely nothing to do
with guilt.
I
was arrested and my mug posted on that web site for all my friends,
neighbors and clients to see and I’m still walking the streets. I had flown
in from Hong Kong to LA to NYC to Miami then drove back home to Little Torch
Key. I was fried from the 48 hour trip and I looked like ass! (Ed, please
insert Nick Nolte's DUI mug shot) Long story short, a supermarket in
Marathon (the one with the green sign, not W/D) charged me with retail theft
when it was discovered that, out of my $235 dollars worth of groceries,
three limes worth .78 cents did not get rung up as I went through the
self-serve register. The clerk had even helped me several times with other
fruits that did not weigh correctly and ID'd me for the beer and dry ice
purchase, but casually stood by knowing their check out machine failed to
ring up the three limes. He then watched as I walked out, and then had the
manager bring me back in. I stated, obviously a mistake, “How much do I owe
you?” He said, "It's not that simple." I then got dragged out in hand cuffs
and thrown into the county brig. Of course I got one phone call and all my
friends phone numbers are in my PDA (PDA = complicated phone) which is left
in my car in the parking lot. I’ve got $280 cash in my pocket left over from
shopping and what do you think my bail is? 300 bucks. So my one call is to a
bail bondsman listed in Marathon. I call him and he is in Key West and won't
come up to Marathon on a Sunday for the money he makes off one bail out.
Luckily for me my friends noticed I hadn’t return as scheduled and came
looking for me and thankfully bailed me out. I spent three thousand dollars
on an attorney to fight it and a day before the trail all charges are
dropped, case dismissed. |
|

I don’t personally know any of the people running for Sheriff but it seems
to me that these people are supposed to be adults. I cannot believe how
people can live with themselves being so angry and spouting off all of these
vicious attacks at each other. You all should be ashamed of
yourselves. I suppose no one can figure out what is wrong with our country
(not just this county)? If everyone took a little more time trying to be
diplomatic and nice, maybe we wouldn’t have all of these attacks. Just the
same as Obama and Clinton, it’s just childish. |
|
[why
would someone connect a hatred of the Key West police department to
the deer] Probably because haters seldom limit themselves to one target.
Usually they have plenty to spread around and do so with wild abandon. |
|

Sounds like no sense was made at the meeting about the sewers Does any one
know what the bottom line is? How much more torture will the property
owners of the Keys have to endure. What are they going to do to us next? |
|
[Fact of life] It's really
only worth what someone will pay you for it. |
|

[Bill Clinton lying?] Only when his lips are moving. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Saturday January
26, 2008 |
|
|
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Saturday
January 26, 2008 |
|
State
Representative Ron Saunders will be convening a county-wide Wastewater
Summit on January 30, 2008 at the Marathon Government Center beginning
at 6:30pm. All governmental entities involved in the completion of the
county’s wastewater system are invited to attend. The meeting is open to the
public. Please contact the office if you have any questions. (305)
853-1947 phone.
Bulletin Board |
It is very, very important that we in the Keys keep ever in mind that the
website hacking
is a sideshow,
maybe an important sideshow, but a sideshow nonetheless. The main event is
the story Sandy Downs has to tell about her and her family’s and other
people’s experiences with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office. It is for that
reason that I wrote to Sheriff Rick Roth yesterday morning. It is his Office
still. It will be his office until his successor takes over after the
general election next November. In the meantime, he needs to be doing
everything possible to get to the bottom of what Sandy has tried before to
get him to get to the bottom of in his own department, and now she is trying
again. All Sheriff Roth has to do is hear her out, then have her polygraph
examined.
He will see the needle does not spike when she tells her incredible story.
He will see the documentation she has; hear the tape recording of the
detective threatening one of the boys who was hauled out of his home by
sheriff deputies without a warrant, threatening death. Then, Sheriff Roth
will have names. Then, he will have reason to offer those names an
opportunity to clear themselves under polygraph. He will get to see how they
respond to his request. Why would any of them refuse, if they are innocent?
Why would any of them refuse, if they have sworn to uphold and enforce the
law? They wouldn’t refuse, unless they have something to hide. And if
Sheriff Roth doesn’t go in this direction, if he does not sit down and talk
with Sandy,
if
he does not have her polygraph tested, what does that say about him? Does it
say he already believes her? Does it say he has something to hide? Maybe he
should go first in being examined under polygraph. Yeah, maybe he should.
It’s his office that’s under fire, the best place to start digging is at the
top. If he’s clean, he should eagerly agree to be the first to be polygraph
tested. Eagerly agree. Otherwise, everyone above the Keys should stay home
until this brutal war is over. Who knows who might get shot or blown up just
by being in the wrong place at the wrong time?
The hacker must really hate the Keys to do something so incredibly mean and
stupid. Must really hate the Keys. For what he did is generating emails to
Sandy from all over the country. He’s made the Keys a national curiosity,
the macabre kind the Tourist Development Council and our financially
struggling county and city governments, which depend so very heavily on
tourism, do not want the Keys be. Thank you very much asshole whoever you
are. Maybe Sheriff Roth will find you and put you away for the rest of your
natural life. What a service that would be to the Keys. To put you and his
own wayward troops away. What a way for him to go out of office. A real law
enforcement officer. The kind of law enforcement officer Sandra Downs will
be. The kind of law enforcement officer tourists want looking out for them
when they come to the Keys. The kind of law enforcement officer Keys people
want looking out for them. That kind of Sheriff. Sheriff Sandy.
GoodMorningKeyWest.com
|
|

Come join the Moondogs for fun and dancing at the Looe Key Tiki Hut
Saturday this evening (1/26/8). We have worked up some new tunes and are
looking forward to having a tail waging good time! |
|
[2008 Fiscal Budget] Let's trim
the fat. Let's save Monroe County taxpayers well over $100,000 per year. Eliminate
the position of Director of Community Services as is it unnecessary and
a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. What a great idea! |
|
Hacker
or more like cracker. Total malice and disregard of others for one’s own
selfish amusement. I hope when (and I am sure he, she or them) the jerks are
caught; we all can throw every resource at them to make them pay for such a
vicious criminal attack.
PS – we
cannot let them ruin our GIF-off |
[Conspiracy theory] Haw, ha! Sure, the Fed is going to tell people the
truth about their illegitimate usurpation of power and American money on
their own website...come on now. It just takes a bit of research to easily
find the truth, and there's no conspiracy, really. It was done mostly out in
the open while Americans had their eyes wide shut during the year
immediately following the Titanic disaster. Several of the richest folks in
the U.S. were dead set against having a Central Bank and continuously worked
against it. Then in April 1912 a few of the most strident in opposition
"happened" to be traveling on the new Titanic. Besides the iceberg,
something caused Titanic to blow a huge steel plate out of her bottom, crack
in half and plunges to her doom in 13,000 ft. of ice water. This happened
while a mysterious ship stood off just a few miles away, apparently
oblivious to what was happening. People who witnessed it said when Titanic
disappeared, the mystery ship slowly moved off into the night. Perhaps
someone was watching to make sure the deed was done.
With
their opposition drowned the financiers had a secret meeting on Jekyll
Island, Georgia where they made plans. In December of the next year, 1913,
while the entire U.S. Congress (except 2 or 3 representatives) was on
Holiday break, the "Federal Reserve Act" was quietly sneaked through. Learn
your history. The Fed has been responsible for stealing the personal gold of
the American people and worsening the Great Depression so their interested
parties could buy America's assets at fire sale prices. They are at it again
as we speak. They are quite glad when people believe the outright lies they
tell. The Federal Reserve is simply a group of greedy thugs and impostors
who answer only to powerful banking interests. No conspiracy necessary; only
truth.
|
|
Let me get this straight the
innocent property owner is going to be penalized $3000 a year because
the inept Monroe county, and state governments goofed around and dragged
their collective feet, knowing full well the sewers had be done by 2010. How
typical. I am tired of paying for the stupidity of government. I guess I
will be spending the day Friday calling our elected state representatives,
because god knows the idiots in Moron County will be no help. |
|

Football fan. Video |
|
From the sewer meeting: "it is
doubtful we will have sewers". Could we be so lucky? There are no
waterfront cities in Florida with central sewage and clean inshore water.
Those two things do not exist in the same place. Including our own Key West
with it's regular beach closures. Where does everyone think the treated
sewage will end up? I promise they won't be trucking it out of here. Look
out Mr. and Mrs. Angelfish, here it comes! |
|
Sugarloaf
volunteer fire rescue fundraiser. The 42nd
Annual Fish Fry
Sunday February 17th noon until 5 pm a raffle of 2 night / 3 day stay at
little palm island valued at $2,500! Help the volunteer fireman raise some
much needed funds: white elephant sale, book sale, baked goods, plant sale,
50/50 raffle, awesome silent auction items (restaurant gift certificates,
pirate wellness gift cert, Nadine’s spa, fine wines and many more). For $12
you can enjoy fried fish or BBQ chicken along with baked beans, salad and
Baby's famous cornbread. Free hot dogs for kids under 10. The Bloodmobile
and community safety organizations will be present. For more information on
this event and donations please contact Sugarloaf Key Fire Rescue at
305-745-4001. More donations for the silent auction and volunteers are
needed to help on that day.
Bulletin Board |
|
Is an aerobic septic system
sewer compliant? |
|
It's
time the County Commissioners have their arses plugged and we get
some people in there that won't suck up to the developers who are trying
to take our land. No, we're not the dummies you bastards think we are. |
|
The
sewers will cost $675 million and the county needs to come up with it’s
share of $336 million. They’re recommending a .7 mil Municipal Service
Taxing Unit to be exempted from the property tax rollback. No money has yet
been collected for Big Pine Key. The county doesn’t even know how to come up
with the $3 million needed for sewer design. They don’t support on-site
wastewater systems due to lack of analytical data to show that the
technology meets the new requirements and the high cost for each home
installation. |
|

After going through a virus attack, losing a hard drive, fighting off
hackers, upgrading all my software, installing fire-walls, being threatened
with being cut-off by my email provider and a host of other problems I have
fixed my computer. And now it works exactly the way I want it to! |
|
[Attorney General McCollum's consumer alert] Seniors should be wary of
reverse mortgages scams.
http://myfloridalegal.com/NewsBrie.nsf/OL/SCOS-7B6Q7N |

Why girls shouldn’t fire guns.
And we want to trust
Hillary with even bigger weapons?
Video |
|
[Young
waitress at the No
Name Pub]
Why don't you ask her? She is called Mo Tea |
|
Last night I watched a movie
on TV brought to me by a movie. |
|

Awesome air photos
Slide Show |
|
Sandy just got my vote
for sheriff today because of the dirty tactics pulled to hack this and her
web sites. I'm tired of dirty tricks and government.
Boy, this is a hell of a way
to make a life controlling voting decision, isn't it? |
|

[Lid Police] I got a laugh the other day from the garbage can lid
lady riding around her neighborhood taking pictures of people’s garbage
cans, without lids, and reporting them to this site. Some retired people are
just plain cuckoo. Boing...cuckoo...cuckoo! |
|
[The
Federal Reserve is owned by rich people who get to print their own
money] From what I've read this seems to be the case. When the government
needs money they borrow from the Federal Reserve and the Federal Reserve
prints out the money which can never really be paid back. This is why our
dollar is so horrible. Every time dumb Americans are in denial they always
say “conspiracy theory”. Wake up! Everything is not as it seems, that would
be too easy. |
|

Wow, this Sandy Downs for Sheriff thing is really getting good! I'm
making popcorn and sitting back to enjoy the carnage. |
|
[More
delusional Bushie mis-truths] The Cole bombing killed 17 U.S.
sailors and the first World Trade Center bombing killed 6 innocent victims
while Bill Clinton was president. If this is Al-Qaeda's best efforts under
the Clinton administration how do you rationalize 2973 dead in the WTC 9/11
plot and 3931 U.S. troops killed in Iraq thus far while your idol Bush has
been in office? You, my friend, need to go back to class and possibly put
new batteries in your calculator. |
|

I am amazed at some of the attacks on the people that read books. I
have found that most people who don't like to read--can't. And they can't
write either, or spell, but they sure can watch the hell out of TV. |
|
[Web
sites hacked] Blame it on Clinton. |
|
If someone is trying to shut up
Sandra Downs and prevent her voice from being heard then that is reason
enough for me to vote for her. The culprit who hacked this web site should
be run out of the county. |
|

We had a pizza delivery last night and gave the delivery driver a $5.
Her comment was “Thanks so much, it makes up for all the $1 tips I get. Who
wants to complain about delivery service at that rate? |
|
[Dow on
1/23/2000 10,103. Dow on 1/23/2008 11,806] That’s a 16% increase in 8
years or 2% a year. I would have been better off if I had invested in a
bank savings account. Only a fanatical Bushie would claim this to be a Bush
success. |
Labrador
Retriever Puppies.
Three males and six females. They are yellow and all of them look like the
pup on the Charmin television commercial. I am asking $600 and they will be
ACA registered and come with their first shots. I am currently taking $200
dollar deposits to hold them and they will be ready for their new homes the
week of Valentine's Day. You can call Ruth at 747-0411 or 872-0161.
Classified Ads |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Why
would you go all the way to FLL to get those wines when you can get
them right here? If you don't know how email me and I will tell you.
Flakeysgurl@aol.com |
I
wanted to thank the Republican who afforded me at least a small chuckle at
the thought of a cabal of evil progressives in Congress leading the country
down the path to socialism. Hands up for anyone in the backwoods of Big Pine
who's heard of Bernie Saunders, the Socialist from Vermont and his
Night Riders taking over Fox News. Never heard of him? I’m not surprised. He
gets no mention in the mainstream press because he is seen as having no
influence.
I’m a progressive democrat and don't laugh when working Americans have their
backs to the wall. I support increased taxes on the rich (for the first time
since 1980). I support Medicare for all, and spending money on education for
kids and their unemployed parents. I vote Democrat and I say Clinton, Obama
or Edwards will make a hands-down better president than any of the
Republicans in the field. |
|

When you go camping in bear country it's best to go with someone
heavier than yourself. That way you don’t have to outrun the bear, just your
buddy! |
|
During lunch I heard a
little bit about the budget cuts coming up and the job losses for
small working class families. We need to remember during this time, and for
the next few years for elections, that some of our county commissioners have
been in and out of office for a long time, and yet for the 20 years I’ve
lived here we still have no sewers, and us citizens are looking to be the
ones penalized by the state. Why us? Because we voted for these idiots!
Did I hear the county
commissioners offer to work for free this year and put their salary back in
the pot? What does each one make? I thought I read somewhere it’s over
$100,000. Mr. Neugent made a humble confession this morning on US1 Morning
Show about not watching the fiscal issues to closely, which has driven us to
this state of budget brokenness. For the last year or so he has be
distancing himself from the gang of 3 and rightly so, but “what have they
done for us lately” on Big Pine and the lower Keys? Building moratoriums,
large building fees, a park that took over 5 years to get approval for
(easily blamed on the Feds) and some lights at the school field. The winds
of change are blowing in America and it’s about time. Now if we could just
get some candidates that are worth our vote. |
|
Starting
in 2001, the Bush administration's National Security Agency engaged in a
massive warrantless wiretapping program in violation of our
Constitution. The administration blatantly ignored laws and procedures
under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) designed to protect
the privacy rights of citizens. The government could not have conducted this
warrantless surveillance without assistance from the nation's
telecommunications companies, which willingly -- and, quite likely,
illegally -- turned over customer records to the government.
Telecommunications companies were granted complete immunity against lawsuits
brought by customers whose privacy rights were violated? |
|

I heard it from a reliable source that the flea market has been purchased
by the Church of Scientology. They intend to build a big church to collect
offerings and absorb the congregation’s wealth so they can build a bigger
church. Look for Tom Cruise to be in town soon as the front man. |
|
As I understand it, a standard
aerobic system will not meet the 2010 requirement. You have to have an
Advanced Wastewater system – sort of a super aerobic system. I’m not sure
you can get a permit anymore for a standard system. And nobody can give you
an assurance that it will meet the next change in the law. Only connection
to a central system covers that and then only because it is the
responsibility of that owner of that system to comply with any changes. |
Police
are warning all men who frequent clubs, parties and local pubs to be alert
and stay cautious when offered a drink from any woman. Many females use a
date rape drug on the market called 'Beer.' The drug is found in liquid form
and is available anywhere. It comes in bottles, cans, or from taps and in
large 'kegs'. Beer is used by female sexual predators at parties and bars to
persuade their male victims to go home and sleep with them. A woman needs
only to get a guy to consume a few units of Beer and then simply ask him
home for no strings attached sex. Men are rendered helpless against this
approach. After several beers, men will often succumb to the desires to
sleep with horrific looking women whom they would never normally be
attracted. After drinking beer, men often awaken with only hazy memories of
exactly what happened to them the night before, often with just a vague
feeling that 'something bad' occurred.
At other times
these unfortunate men are swindled out of their life's savings, in a
familiar scam known as 'a relationship.' In extreme cases, the female may
even be shrewd enough to entrap the unsuspecting male into a longer term
form of servitude and punishment referred to as 'marriage.' Men are much
more susceptible to this scam after beer is administered and sex is offered
by the predatory females. Please! Forward this warning to every male you
know. If you fall victim to this 'Beer' scam and the women administering
it, there are male support groups where you can discuss the details of your
shocking encounter with similarly victimized men. For the support group
nearest you, just look up Golf Courses' in the phone book. For a video to
see how beer works click here:
Beer Demo |

So that’s what those thongs are really for. |
|
[No shirt, No
shoes, No service] How correct it is! It was such a unique and
beautiful place to live. We will always miss the old Keys and hope that by
some miracle it will go back to its old charm and fun-loving people. Lets
leave the chickens, cats, etc. alone and live in harmony. You still have a
lot of fun-loving wonderful people, just way too many greedy bureaucrats.
Run them out of town. I keep hoping the few money people that own KW will
loose their butts on those stupid condos and leave Key West. |
|
I
don’t know about contacting the sheriff’s office about your attack. It was
aimed at someone running for sheriff after all. You might try calling the
state attorney’s office, if for no other reason than to get some kind of
official documentation. The suggestion to contact FDLE was a good one
also. As for the FBI, I believe your site is hosted out of state making it
quite possibly subject to FBI jurisdiction since state lines were
crossed. And yes, prosecute the bum if you find them. |
|
Look at
the poll being conducted by the Keynoter. It addresses whether
or not the Village of Islamorada and City of Marathon should be abolished or
not. The Monroe County commission on Friday voted 5-0 not to get involved in
this issue and that should be decided by the voters of each municipality. |
|

[Paying bills] You should always get a signed receipt. Pay by credit
card (air miles), if they don't take credit cards, then by pay by check,
never pay with cash. |
|
[Laughing stock] Connie
Christian made a fool of herself Friday in front of the BOCC. What an
embarrassment to the community. She should be ashamed of herself. ~fortsonphoto@earthlink.net |

(Ed: There is more to come. Check back abound 4pm today and we'll
post the rest of the comments that we didn't have time for this morning.) |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Saturday January
26, 2008 |
|
 |
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click F5 on your keyboard to
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Friday
January 25, 2008 |
|
Deer Ed, Damn, I'm
positive that I'm not alone in wishing you well. It's sad, sad comment
on our times when your business, and the interests of so many people can
be screwed up by some raging ass hole. I'm positive that I'm not alone in
telling you that visiting and contributing to your site has become an
important part of my day. I'm retired from nearly 40 years as a law
enforcement officer, I've been a beat cop and a executive officer and I urge
you to report this situation to Monroe SO, they may not have the ability to
effectively investigate, but the matter should be of record. Also, I urge
you to the report it to FDLE. I know that they have dedicated computer
crimes specialists. It couldn't hurt to make a quick call to the FBI, in
that it is manifestly possible that your attacker has violated Federal law.
When or if the attacker is identified, please, prosecute the bastard. Don't
be gulled by teary pleas and mea culpas. Hang in there Ed, this episode
whether motivated by hate or grins, will be resolved and you'll soon be back
with more dedicated fans than before |
|

Government reveals Stimulus Package.
KeyLargoKey.com |
|
Any comments from owners/users of
hybrid cars? The research I’ve done indicates they hold their value
well. To me, that means maintenance is less expensive than a conventional
gas vehicle. True? |
|

A huge asteroid will zoom past Earth next week at such a close
distance that amateur astronomers should be able to spot it, specialists
said on Wednesday. It measures between 150 and 600 meters across. Asteroid
2007 TU24 would inflict devastating regional damage were it to hit Earth,
but there is no risk of any collision. |
|
[Sewer Meeting]
Thank you for
posting a synopsis of the meeting for those of us 1200 miles away. At least
the government had the guts to say it out loud. How will we know if the
aerobic systems we have installed meet the 2010 criteria? This is the one
that really bothers me as I have asked all government officials and those
who install the systems; and there is a big difference between an engineered
system and one that is just approved by the county as okay to install. The
majority of us have "just" an aerobic system (that was installed without the
engineer’s stamp of approval on it) usually with a bore hole. How can we
get assurance from the government that the aerobic systems that they have
approved and comply with the criteria of the 2010 mandate? |
|
Sorry
Ed that you had such trouble. Now you know how important you really are to
the Piners, and let me add, and to most of the lower Keys. I agree that you
have a huge voice and I think you use the power wisely and think it a bit
unfair "they" tried to shut down the Coconut Telegraph. They better realize
that those tactics will make many more votes go to the ones they attack.
This is the land of free speech, and the fact that the woman running
is using this election to air out her grievances is a testimony to that
freedom; and the more they protest the more they look guilty. Truthfully, I
wasn't taking her seriously until that happened. |
|
One person saying that the
Federal Reserve is not owned by anyone, and another saying that maybe
it's a government entity or perhaps its a public entity with both public and
private aspects? It seems like there is some confusion out there, isn't
there? There are a lot of conspiracy theories out there too, but I'm
seriously trying to get the answer as to who owns it since the people that
control it control our money supply. As far as I can tell, they are a
quasi-governmental organization that has no real governmental oversight. The
Fed is owned by its member banks which in turn are of course owned by
private people and corporations. Therefore, the Fed is owned by rich people
who get to print their own money. Am I missing something here? |
|
I
don't know about you, but it sure seems strange to me. The Citizen
article about the cost cutting measures being taken by the county refers to
the ditching of Stand Up For Animals. Strangely, the quote on the alleged
specific cost saving comes from the Key West SPCA, not from the
county. If it was a level playing field, I don't reckon the SPCA ought to
even know what that number might be. |
|
[Very
angry woman]
Sandy just got my vote today because of
the dirty tactics pulled to hack this and her web site. I'm tired of dirty
tricks and government. |
One-liners
from fat chicks at the spa.
"Where's the cup holder for my milk shake?"
"How do I turn on the motor on this bike machine?"
"Oh my, this abs machine makes me...never mind!"
"How can I stop sliding off the seat?"
"This damn treadmill TV doesn't get Opra!"
"Oh? You mean this is the men's steam room!"
"Do I really have to wear underwear?"
"Bras are too restricting, don't you think?"
"What do you mean I have to clean the machine?"
"I'm done. Wanna get pizza for lunch?"
...and it goes on and on! |
|
[Graffiti
on Park Ave in Port Pine Heights]
Threatening? Do you think the boogie man did it? Is sounds like some
dumb-ass kids with nothing to do. |
|

After looking at the sheriff arrest website, I notice that a man named
Sammy Santamaria, has been arrested 14 times in the past 2 months for
burglary. Why is the guy not in jail doing some time? |
|
Wildlife photography
Slides |

[Bill Clinton lying?] These words are from a liberal talk show
host.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-X9tEOp19o |
|
Bob Peryam rules! |
|
The
world's first cargo ship partially powered by a giant kite was to set
sail on Tuesday from Germany to Venezuela. The MS Beluga SkySails is pulled
along by a computer-controlled kite attached to the bows of the ship,
assisting the engines and reducing fuel consumption by up to 35 percent
depending on the prevailing wind conditions. The 160-square-metre
(1,722-square-foot) kite was made by the Hamburg-based company, SkySails. |
|
A day without sunshine is a
day without Big Pine Key.com. |
|

It’s hard to defend the library's importance to someone who has never
read a book. |
|
(Ed: At Bill Becker's telephone request, I sent him
this email for his interview this morning with Sandra Downs on US1 radio.)
I found The Coconut Telegraph page on BigPineKey.com
had been hacked Thurs morning on Jan 24.I was not able to open it. It was
corrupted beyond recovery. I was worried because Ms Downs (boy, can she
talk) had warned me about “dirty tricks” when she posted a rebuttal to a
critic and announced her new website,
SandyForSheriff.com,
on the Coconut Telegraph the previous day.
I contacted my web server who said “most likely” it was
hacked. I then contacted Microsoft for technical support and was told that
it was hacked as there was no other way that the file could have been
corrupted. Bigpinekey.com is an HTML (hyper text markup language) site. HTML
is the most difficult type of website to hack. Plus we have a myriad of
other safeguards in place.
I was so busy trying to solve the problem and publish
the days’ column that it wasn’t until 6pm when I checked on Ms Downs’ site
and found that her page corresponding to her Coconut Telegraph post was
missing too. That was the only page missing.
It was too much of a coincidence for that to happen by
itself. |
|

Hello, Big Pine. It's Debbie I sure miss all my friends. It’s very cold up
here in New Jersey. Maybe I’ll see everyone soon. I have cut my hair as you
can notice. e-mail me and let me know what is going on in the keys.
Photo Gallery |
|
I was talking to a local the other
day and he told me he thought the Federal Reserve was a game refuge. |
|

As seen in the Key West Publix. |
|
I don't
know if Sandy Downs is right for the job, but I do know I won't vote
for any current member of the sheriff's department who runs no matter who it
is. It is time for a shake up. I like the idea of a citizen's review board,
no matter who wins. |
|
Barely
a week into the race, and Sandra Downs is already threatening
lawsuits. Coming from an active and announced political candidate, that's
not good. By publicly running for office, she has also publicly opened
herself to any and all commentary and scrutiny on her past actions and any
background information that may come up (the same as any other candidate for
political office), and she is going to have to deal with that as long as she
is running for office. Rattling sabers about lawsuits during the first week
or so of a political campaign is probably not going to help her win anyone's
sympathy vote. Is this how she wants to win an election, by threatening
lawsuits to intimidate people from speaking their minds about her
candidacy? I see a big red flag there. We're watching--very closely. |
|
FDA
warns public of possible botulism risk. New Era recall expanded for
canned green beans and garbanzo beans
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01782.html |
|

Where's my new edition of the Coconut Telegraph? It’s way past noon
and I ain't got no news. I'm going to cancel my subscription. You kids stay
off my lawn! |
|
Big benefit Sunday for Tom
Farrell at St. Peters Church Pavilion on
Sunday Jan. 27 at 1pm. There is going to be all kinds of drinks, music,
food, and a hot rod car show, live auction and raffles. We’ve got a cruise
to the Bahamas, a week in Colorado, just a whole bunch of stuff to buy
raffle tickets to win. So please come and lets support one of our own. Terry
Cassidy, the Countrio, along with my band Reach will be bring you the music.
So lets show Tom and his wife just what we do for our own! Thanks and see
you there.
Bulletin Board |
|

Reading the Sandy and
GoodMorningKeyWest.com
stuff scares the hell out of me to think the nuts on both sides of this
confrontation are connected with running my life and government! But the
Keys were never known for sane balanced people though! ~billpatberit@comcast.net |
|
It’s not the snowbirds who are
killing the Key deer, it’s the third generation inbred Big Pineonian’s
children doing it for fun. |
|
I
wonder if the deer killers are part of the same IKC (Iguana Killers
Club) group that lives in Port Pine Heights. Coincidence? I think not. |
|
Median
home prices fell for the first time in 40 years according to reports out of
Wall Street. The fiscal policies of this administration are beginning to
haunt the U.S. economy and will probably be the spoiler factor in the
upcoming election. Anyone remember the Bush I second term campaign focus,
"it's the economy stupid." Now Bush wants to pass a smoke and mirrors
quick, but temporary fix to the economy by giving every taxpayer a few
shekels to piss away as they see fit. I think I just might go up to Total
Wine in Ft. Lauderdale and splurge on several bottles of my favorite
French Bordeaux wines. |
|
[Sandy Speaks] I don't know
you, or what qualifications you have to be Sheriff, but your post didn't
help. I don't know what Yahoo can do to help you track down the person who
said bad stuff about you. This account I just created is registered to J J,
born on Jan. 1, 1985 and a Zip of 14301, which is not me in any way. I did
register as a male which I am. I would think that someone going for the
sheriff position would have a little knowledge of things prior to
threatening to sue someone. Good luck in the race, but you won't get my
vote. |
|

Where is the 2008 archives? I was away from the computer for a week and I
can’t catch up. Also, if it’s not paradise, leave!
(Ed: I forgot to link the Archive for January 2008, but
I’ve corrected that foible.
Archives) |
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click F5 on your keyboard to
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This comparison chart shows
the country that Bush inherited and the country that he is leaving behind.
http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/rchart4.gif |
|

I had a bird dog once, but it didn’t look like this. |
|
[Graffiti on Park Ave in
Port Pine Heights] If it
is connected to the dead deer then why would
someone connect a hatred of the Key West police department to the deer? If
they are taking it out on them we all better watch out as this bunch, or
person, is totally wacko. A good place to start looking is the arrest record
and find the ones who just got in trouble with KWPD from Big Pine. |
|
I
just checked my calendar and today is Thursday and no new posting on
your site. This has been brought to the attention of the powers to be and
you should be prepared to suffer the consequences. Perhaps you will be
sentenced to attend the next 5 commissioners meeting in Key West. We show no
mercy! (Ed: don’t despair, we’ve already been
punished.) |
|
[More bar wisdom]
Instruction manuals are nothing more than another man's opinion. |
|
Where
is the Lost Cargo Trading Post? (Ed: MM 30.25 Gulfside next to the
House of Music on Ave A on Big Pine Key 872-9900). |
|
[Sunshine
law violation] McCoy and DiGennaro in Tallahassee. Regarding this
information published in the local media today 1/24/08 I filed this
complaint with the Florida Attorney Generals office on 1/21/08 and never
received a reply. |
|
Please
remind everyone to
reset their link to the website, it has changed again and the old
Favorites link does not work anymore. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will delete it
and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Friday January 25,
2008 |
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click F5 on your keyboard to
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Thursday
January 24, 2008 |
|
Thursday's Coconut Telegraph
is being published at 8pm. We started at 7am
Paradise Lost
(Ed: It is with a heavy heart that I
tell you that Wednesday's Coconut Telegraph got hacked. Only one file got
hacked-- the Coconut Telegraph. All other BigPineKey.com computer files were
left untouched. A Microsoft representative has confirmed that fact.
The attacks seem to be directed at the Sandy
Downs for Sheriff Campaign. Wednesday was the day she posted a rebuttal to a
critic and announced the address of her website on the Coconut Telegraph.
That is the day she went online with her new campaign website
sandyforsheriff.com
Within hours of the announcement the Coconut
Telegraph was hacked and Ms Downs' posting was removed. During that same
time her new website was hacked and the page telling of her experiences with
the Monroe County Sheriff's Office was destroyed. It was only that page her
others were left intact.
There are forces in Monroe County a lot bigger
than bigpinekey.com and with a lot more resources. We're just the small
website with the big voice.
If we don't publish by noon Friday you know that
the enemies of democracy and free speech have attacked once more. Are these
the same anti-Americans that tear down campaign posters? |
Florida
waters are constantly being degraded by rock mining. We don't
need the mines, we need our clean water though. From Pensacola to Key
West, mining degrades our waters.
Mining lobbyists are trying to push a bill through
the Senate that already passed the house HR985, and it would take local
permitting authority away from the counties, and give it to the state,
which has already declared the mining industry in "crisis".
I'm sorry, but there is no rock crisis in this
state or this country, but we are having a serious water crisis. Let
them get rocks from states that have plenty, and embrace mining, ie
Wyoming, West Virginia, etc.
|
|

Why they will never merge. |
|
The problem with a Sheriff’s
Office is that it is an elected position and any paranoid schizophrenic (yes
you know who I mean) can run for office. A Chief of Police, on the other
hand, is selected by a board from a list of qualified applicants; and those
without experience, formal education, or qualifications are not even invited
to the interview. If we were stockholders who owned a large construction
company involved in building multimillion dollar hotels I would certainly
not want a cop elected to the position of managing that company. Give me
instead someone with a formal degree in engineering who has built a few
structures instead--someone with a proven success record. As taxpayers we
are stockholders in the multimillion dollar business of law enforcement. Do
you ever notice that those without experience or formal degrees of education
to become professionals in their field always state how unnecessary they
are? That is why there is a certification process and professional licensing
of professions like physician, pilot, law enforcement, fire fighting, and
even hair dressing. Would you really want someone to serve you in any of
those capacities who was not professionally licensed and educated to do so?
And yet we rely on the often uninformed voting public to chose just such a
name off a ballot list to head a complex and sensitive operation like the
Sheriff’s Office. Give me a Chief of Police any day over this mess.
I was prompted to write this after
viewing one of the candidate’s own websites and reading about power surge
murder conspiracies against them and how the FBI, FDLE, State Attorney’s
Office, County Judges, and everyone at the Sheriff’s Office was involved in
a huge complex conspiracy against this one family. One of the benefits of a
formal education is that you are exposed to complex ideas like Occam’s
razor, a 14th century principle of logic, that states
(paraphrased here) that “all other things being equal, the simplest solution
is the best.” In other words, the theory with the fewest assumptions or
“leaps of faith” that postulates the fewest entities is the correct one. Is
one person “out there” or is, Literally, everyone out to get this one
person?
Professional help appears to be called for here and instead of taking
potshots at Dr. Rice (yes he was included too along with every other named
person of note in Monroe County) maybe his services could be put to better
use in this case. If on the other hand it is the voters who suffer from a
momentary lapse in judgment, Dr. Rice will probably have more business than
he can handle from the fallout.
And for the candidate that likes to name drop and claim equal greatness with
Socrates I ask you to consider one of his more famous wisdoms, “Know
thyself.” For when everyone else around you, particularly those who are
professionals in a field, says that you are wrong and you are the only one
saying you are right and you are not the professional, there might be an
issue there that you should consider.
|
|
[Cancer
Foundation book event and free wine tasting] This Saturday, the 26th,
Baby's Coffee, mile marker 15 Oceanside. Book "sale" is actually donations
for the Cancer Foundation of the Florida Keys from 1-4pm. If you have any
books you want to donate just drop them off anytime between 7am - 6pm.
There will also be a free wine tasting during the event. Lots of yummy wine
to peruse. Hope to see you there!
Bulletin Board |
|
Poor boy, poor boy, why so
mad? Living here you should be glad. Don't you worry bout the rich boys
mind, fix your own and you’ll be fine. |
|

Dancing with a man. Country Music Video |
|
A lot of people around here go off
spouting things of which they have no clue. I guess that's one factor that
helps the Coconut Telegraph live up to its name. I would be
embarrassed to post some of the alleged "facts" that I've read about the
Federal Reserve here over the past few days. Of course, if your name
isn't posted, why be embarrassed?
The Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System is an
independent federal government agency. Individual Federal Reserve banks
(there are 12 of them) have a special status, governed by this board, but
owned by member banks. |
|

[Dinner time in Eagle River, Wisconsin] These people living in
Northern Wisconsin put some corn out in the dead of winter to sustain the
area deer. When they said the deer up here were as thick as cats and
dogs, they're not far off. |
|
For those of you who could not
attend the Sewer Meeting on Monday night, Elizabeth Wood, Senior
Administrator for the sewer projects presented. Basically, they have no
money to do a plan for BPK. Without a plan, it is doubtful we will have
sewers by the deadline of July 2010. All property owners who are not
compliant (basically all of us) will be subject to a fine from the State.
Elizabeth said the average fine could be $250 per month! By the way, that's
a fine of $3000 per year. I’m not sure we get anything for the cost of the
fine either.
It's time the County Commissioners
put a priority on infrastructure instead of things that are nice to have.
We are in deep "shit". |
|
Shooter
Martel, a photogenic Dalmatian who was adopted at Stand Up For Animals (SUFA)
in Marathon and now lives in the Middle Keys, has a chance to help return a
favor to the very shelter that housed him.
Shooter
is hosting an event at Boondocks Grille & Draft House & Miniature Golf to
garner support and votes to make him the top Fire Dog in the U.S. Mary Beth
Martel, Shooter's owner and local photographer, entered his photo in a
national contest. Out of 7,000 entries, Shooter made the top 20. If Shooter
wins (by getting the most votes), SUFA gets a $50,000 prize. Even if Shooter
doesn't get the most votes, SUFA still gets $1 for every vote. Shooter and
Linda Gottwald, SUFA director, will be at Boondocks, mile marker 27.5,
Ramrod Key, on Saturday, Jan. 26th, from 4 to 7 p.m. Laptops will be set up
so that anyone and everyone can cast their vote online. Boondocks has a
pet-friendly patio, complete with a pet menu, and all people and critters
are invited to attend. Shooter will be signing autographs. In this time of
funding cuts, SUFA could really utilize the $50,000 grand prize to continue
caring for Keys animals at this no-kill shelter.
Those
who won't be able to attend are urged to visit
www.firedog.com/kodak and cast their votes for Shooter. Look for his
photo -- he's the only Dalmatian standing in crystal clear water off the
Content Keys. For more information, call Linda at 743-3779 or Boondocks at
872-4094. |
|
Anyone who runs against McCoy
must be good, but it won’t be a easy run. For a man so dumb and totally
out of touch with reality, he does appear to be a hellova politician - these
two do not make good government!
Someone running must gain at the minimum of name recognition throughout MC
and it is not easy as I found out supporting Kim Wigington in the in the
last election.
You are not just running against Sonny, but all his henchmen as Kim was
against Dixie, who I supported when she originally ran and then totally
turned 180 degrees. I will never support McCoy and Sorenson!
I am supporting Bob for Sheriff. Sandy or Bob should not have any problems
with Mandino, but I see he is running as a Republican this time.
GoodMorningKeyWest.com |
|

Government health warning: Do not swallow bubble gum! |
|
I just checked with Monroe Co.
Supervisor of Elections and found out that 2,375 petitions have been
certified in Monroe County. |
|
|
|
[Better off today?] A sad
character flaw exists in many persons who identify themselves as being
“progressive democrats”. As I type this our economy is troubled, the stock
markets are declining, and the President and Congress are preparing to
implement an immediate tax refund to stimulate the economy. By the way,
you’ve got to notice that a “progressive liberal” dominated Congress is
convinced that tax cuts are the answer to our current economic problem.
Nonetheless a poster takes glee in this situation; he takes glee in the fact
that many folks face the potential of losing hard earned assets. Our vapid
poster grins and giggles, and is foolish enough to make a challenge. Are we
better off now, or were we better of under Clinton. Today, DOW = 11,806 Jan
23, 2000 DOW= 10,103. Today, inflation rate is 2.85% in 2000 it was 3.38%.
Today, Al Qaeda is on the defense, they have not been able to make a single
attack on our soil and have managed to kill only about a dozen or fewer
Americans since 9/11. Under Bubba Al Qaeda grew like a metastasizing
cancer, they killed Americans with impunity. Let’s see, World Trade Center
1, The U.S. Cole, I could list a pack of Al Qaeda attacks during Bubbas
watch, but why bother, every reader knows them. Should we talk about our
country tied in knots because of Clinton’s peccadilloes, what about “File
gate”, and on and on? And so my “progressive democrat” friend, I’m
convinced that we are better off now. I can’t see any humor in hard working
folks losing money, it’s sad that you do.
So, by the time we get Key Deer
Blvd repaved, and new bike trail etc, how much do you want to bet they tear
it up to put in sewers? I hope not. |
|

[Idiot sighting] I live in a semi-rural area in Kingman, Kansas. We recently
had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request
the removal of the deer crossing sign on our road. The reason: “Too many
deer are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for
them to be crossing anymore.” |
|
The Keys mother that starved
her baby to death said she didn’t have time to take the sick baby to the
doctor even though she had a car, free medical care and no job to occupy her
time. |
|

It looks like our local Sheriff wannabe is a very angry woman.
That's not the attitude I'd want as our county's top cop. And in a position
such as Sheriff, experience goes a long way. Here's a bit of advice. If
you can't take the heat, get out of the frying pan. Threatening lawsuits
only shows an inability to handle conflict. As far as I'm concerned, Peryam
is the only legitimate candidate right now. |
|
Do
check your 401K it’s exhilarating. Maybe it was just a dead cat bounce but,
wasn't today pretty? If you did any bottom fishing on the market
Tuesday between 9:30 and 10:30 and sold Wednesday after three thirty you
made a bundle! Easy street for another few years. God, I love the market!
I'm out at present because I think the democrats that hold Congress hostage
are going to make it go down even lower, but I sure had fun these two days.
Every now and again even a blind squirrel finds a nut. Day traders rule! |
|

FlightGear Flight Simulator |
|
Did anyone see the graffiti on
Park Ave in Port Pine Heights? There were threatening notations, a body
drawn on the street, "F**k the KWPD" (Key West Police Dept) and other
notations. It’s quite large and quite threatening. It is not far from the
decapitated deer. |
|

[The flea market] This is the USA we have the bill of rights and
other laws to allow people to make a living as long as we pay our taxes and
buy our goods as I do and have for more years than most of the business's on
Big Pine. If you don't like the flea market don't waste the parking space
for someone who does like it. Go after the contractors that really ream you.
Get real and get a job. Most of us have owned stores in other states before
we moved to the keys. If a vendor is not honest the people find out quickly.
That’s no different than going to a super market; if you don't like one go
to another. |
|
Ms
Downs claims to know the law, but apparently knows nothing about
copyright laws. Using the Sheriff's Office website and manipulating the
pictures for her own advertisement is not only illegal, but unethical. She
could be sued by both the Sheriff's Office and the Deputy shown on her
page. That's not exactly the right way to start a campaign for a law
enforcement position.© ~Aquahound@aol.com |
|
Boy,
I got the bookworms’ panties in a wad. But why should the public (me)
buy your books, computer, phone line, Internet Service Provider (especially
for out-of-towners). Buy your own books. Go to an internet cafe. Close
libraries down. They are dinosaurs. The only losers are the ones who hang
out at the library (ie cat lady, bicycle bums, tourist who pay no county or
state taxes, etc). Go by and see for yourself who we are entertaining. |
|
Well,
what I predicted a couple of months ago is coming to pass. I said when the
announcement was made that it was a piece of a plan on the part of Deb
Barcells (Monroe County Director of Community Services or something
title like that) to run-off Stand Up For Animals so she could give the
contract to her friend at the Key West SPCA and that's exactly what's
happening. Key West will be taking over the shelters all the way up to the
7 Mile Bridge. She's painting it as a big "cost saving measure", but don't
kid yourself. It's bubba politics at its best! Big Pine's best interest is
again being sacrificed for a sweetheart deal. ~Tryin2FindIt@aol.com |
|

I just finished watching the Michael Moore movie called Sicko now I'm
really depressed. |
|
Now,
the run for Sheriff is being made a mockery of like the Commission
seat was. I wish this County would grow up. |
|
I
hope who ever killed those three deer didn't do it because they
needed the food. If this is the case, what the heck will it be like if
America has a stock market crash? Will more people get this sick in the
head? |
|
There is a public record that
lists who was suspect of the Little Knockemdown Key fire. In that
record, it lists a key piece of evidence that put the suspect at the scene.
The key piece of evidence was left by the son of a certain Sheriff
candidate. The only reason the case went nowhere is the fact the kid is now
deceased. Let's not play games here. Extreme activists have no place in
politics. They are too narrow-minded. And let’s not forget who is
supporting this person; another nut job who ran for another office. |
|

World Golf Tour™ - PGA.com Charity Challenge |
|
[This
is just my opinion] Comments that are too long, most people don't
read. |
|
I get a
bad feeling inside when people are quick to be defensive. |
|
[Fishermen's
Hospital] I can see where people would be confused by the whole billing
process of hospitals. I, on the other hand, had never received a bill
from Fisherman's and a year later I was turned into a collection agency for
not paying my bill. I found out they were sending my bill to another part
of the state where I have never even been. I contacted the hospital and made
payment arrangements and two weeks later got a phone call saying I no longer
owed the money and they were sending back my money. Not looking a gift horse
in the mouth, I said thank you for your call and hung up. I received a check
a week later from Fishermen's. Three month's later I received another call
saying I owed the hospital the money and they were very sorry for the
mistake. Since I was furious with these people I asked them to send another
bill and I would send them the money. Again, I never received a bill and
when I called to ask what was going on they looked up my chart and they said
and I quote “Oh, I see we owe you money.” I never did receive that check.
What I did receive was a big old delinquent mark on my credit report. After
two years and the help of an attorney I finally got it resolved. The only
thing that really upsets me is that it won't be removed from my credit
report, it read underneath “in error of”. So please take advantage of
checking your credit reports especially if you have any dealings with
Fishermen's Hospital. |
|
[Boot
Key Bridge] Why should anyone give the radio station a free lot for
their tower? |
|

Former Sheriff Freeman was a drunk and a joke. I remember one night
when I picked him up off the sidewalk and gave him a ride home.
~Holding4Aces@aol.com |
|
You all
just keep racking up those credit card bills just like the government is
doing and keep sending this country down the tubes. Sorry to be negative. We
should just keep thinking flowery, happy, positive thoughts. You're more
likely to get lucky at a tiki bar. |
|

[You heard it here first] An increase in ocean water temperature leads to a
reduction in hurricanes and intensity. As water temperature increase
wind shear rises. As wind shear rises it limits the number and intensity of
hurricanes. |
|
[Federal
Reserve] I may be real slow on this, but I followed the instructions to
Google "Rothschild" and "Federal Reserve" and the #1 hit was an article at
http://www.adl.org/special_reports/control_of_fed/fed_rothschild.asp
that is titled The Myth of Jewish Control of the Federal Reserve: The
"Rothschild" Connection.
I
really hate to burst the bubble of the conspiracy theorists who frequently
post to this board (and I did find a lot of conspiracy theorist websites),
but just because it's on a web doesn't mean it's a fact.
On
the Federal Reserve's own website you can see: Who owns the Federal
Reserve? The Federal Reserve System is not "owned" by anyone and is not a
private, profit-making institution. Instead, it is an independent entity
within the government, having both public purposes and private aspects…
There's never even been a Rothschild on the Board.
I
won't be available to respond on this, I just hit the jackpot! I got an
email from a Nigerian Prince and I am going to receive $17m. It must be
fact, it was on the web! |
|

Reading is the second cousin of death. Sleeping is the first. |
|
About
the message of JUNO, the movie about teen pregnancy. Keep things simple like
they used to say, "Keep your zipper up or your knees together." If you can't
feed ‘em, don't breed ‘em. |
|

Top 10 Car Commercials.
top-10-car-commercials |
|
Does anyone know who the young
waitress is at the No Name Pub? |
|
What
is it worth to you to have someone come to take care of a hurt bird or
deer or another of our wildlife species? To actually drive to your
door, collect the poor critter, and take care of it until it’s well enough
to be released? Maya Totman and her volunteers at Florida Keys Wildlife
Rescue (FKWR) respond to calls from hundreds of people wanting to help
disabled animals. However, it costs money to do that – gas for the rescue
vehicle, food and medicines for the “patients,” along with the costs of
running the rescue center – electric, water, telephone, etc. FKWR has
entered a contest, the grant prize of which is $50,000. If you care for
wildlife but don’t know how to help, this is a way. For a $10 donation, you
can help FKWR towards their goal of winning. At the least, that $10 might
buy a quarter of a tank of gas! If everyone in the Lower Keys participated,
the $50,000 (in addition to the donations) would be won easily. Our entry
was late, but our goal is to win, so please go to
http://www.networkforgood.org/pca/Badge.aspx?BadgeId=110335 and
help FKWR help our wildlife. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Thursday
January 24, 2008 |
|
 |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Wednesday January
23, 2007
A Day of Infamy |
It
is with a heavy heart that I tell you that Wednesday's Coconut Telegraph
got hacked by someone we've been posting about. Only the Coconut
Telegraph file was hacked. All other computer files were left untouched.
Microsoft has confirmed that fact.
There are forces in Monroe County a lot bigger
than us and with a lot more resources than bigpinekey.com. We're just
the small website with the big voice. A real American believes in
FREEDOM OF SPEECH! |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your
email or our spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo
Gallery |
|
Wednesday January 23, 2007 |
|
 |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Tuesday
January 22, 2008 |
Some
shirt pocket notes.
1. Thanks snowbirds my family budget gets a huge boost when you're here.
2. Great job Eden Pines. A community clean up. Nice.
3. I do miss old Boondocks I must admit. It seems too TGI Fridays now.
But still nice.
4. Fishcutters closed? That sucks.
5. Fisherman's Hospital Billing dept. also sucks horribly.
6. Why do I miss sweating? I hate it when I am.
7. Winn Dixie is remodeling. I hear it looks nice.(Haven't been in
there, but the wife likes it) I love not having to go grocery shopping.
8. I need a new dive mask. See you soon Underseas Dive Shop.
9. Flea market doesn't seem as crowded this year on Sundays.
10. I don't have to leave when the summer comes.(insert big smile). |
|

Did the flood kill all the pine seeds? I haven’s seen one small
sapling since Wilma. |
|
You’re in bad hands with
Allstate Insurance just got booted out of Florida because of shaky
practices after the hurricanes. They can’t write any new storm policies. |
|
Katie
Greenman, a senior at Marathon High School, has been selected from
thousands of entrants as a finalist in the 2nd National 'Words That
Shook the World' High School Public Speaking Competition. She is set to
compete on national radio in the finals Martin Luther King Holiday. The
competition’s organizers say they are “dedicated to finding the next
Martin Luther King Jr. live on national radio.” Greenman made it into
the finals with “Being an Agent of Change” speech which came from her
many years as a volunteer and youth leader with Monroe Youth Challenge
Program which hosts Challenge Days in all three public high schools.
|
|
[Insurance rights] FIRM
is gearing up for the next state legislative session where we will fight
for: An extension of the lower rate for Monroe OR actuarially sound
rates that are not excessive or discriminatory and can be verified by an
independent (non CPIC) entity. Making "file and use" permanent. Florida
is a "use and file" state and insurance companies can raise rates and
bill us before their increase is approved. We have asked that
declaration pages on policies be made easier to read. There has been an
improvement, but we need a greater improvement. Vetting of insurance
rates through the use of the transparent public model. The use of the
hurricane induced sales tax windfall to increase the catastrophe fund
and to offset any rate increases. Abolishing PUP companies. PUP
companies are state-wide insurance companies that are the smaller PUP's
of larger national companies. The insurance companies use the PUP
companies to show a loss for the company after a disaster. This way they
don't have to show the bigger profit of the national company. |
|

I agree. Hats off to Jean Bell! She deserves much recognition
for her dedicated efforts to keep our roadsides clean. I often wonder
what this place would look like without her. |
|
Anyone who thinks Europeans are hoarding gold bars in their homes
is naive, to put it politely. People the whole world over are the same
and average Europeans have the same lack of disposable cash as average
Americans, be they residents of the US or Peru. The people who are in
charge the whole world over pay just enough to allow the population to
live, but not to feel financially secure. Otherwise they wouldn't stay
in charge too long. In the US it just takes more cash to buy your daily
bread so we get paid more to not revolt against the people in charge.
People in Europe get free education and health care and get paid a lot
less than we do to stay in line. In Peru you're just out of luck. |
|

Keys' guitar man Mark Travis, aka the "Big Bam Boom" died
while swimming on Friday. Mark was a very talented musician who
often played with local bands (he played with the new Stone Crab
Band on the previous Monday night at the Dockside) and on
weekends at the New Life Assembly of God church in Marathon.
Mark, we'll miss you, man! |
|
| What was said at the sewer
meeting on BPK last night? Are we still going to have to turd in a
cup and pay through the nose? |
|
 |
|
[Rich
boy] I guess you can't read past the first line, or maybe you should
lower your nose. I admit, I have not held a job after I got out of the
USAF; rather I had a career that I'm not ashamed of. You sound like one
of those ambulance chasing vultures we had to put up with in the old
days before they outlawed it. But back to the point:
News flash. AP Jan. 21,2008 World markets fell sharply today on fears of
a U.S. recession based on the unstable real estate markets & credit
crunch.
Britain down 5.5%, France down
6.8%, Germany down 7.2%, India down 7.4%, Hong Kong down 5.5%, Canada
down 4%, Brazil down 6.9%, Japan down 3.9%, Shanghi down 5.1%. Not
points but percent Can you say, poof? Hope you still have those
Confederate dollars. |
|

See the headlines for the year of your birth.
Year by Year: 1900-2008 |
I
noticed a van waiting in traffic with a determined-looking young soldier
in a beret and uniform painted on the side saluting me with an
artificial right arm and hand. “Iraq vet?” I asked the middle-age
couple in the van. “He’s saluting President Reagan,” the man on the
passenger’s side said. I said something about President Bush not
deserving any salutes and the man said he wasn’t going there. I said he
didn’t need to go there; I was going there for us. The woman driver
laughed, said, “We want to support our troops.” As they drove away, a
fellow stranding beside me said they minister to war vets. I asked how
do they support President Bush and war vets at the same time. If they
want to support our troops, how come they aren’t screaming at President
Bush to bring them home? Then another thought came, and I said maybe
they want war vets coming home; maybe it gives them something to do,
keep them in business.
The Key West City Commission passed a resolution in the fall of 2002
opposing U.S. intervention in Iraq without first receiving UN sanction
for it. Explaining why he was voting in favor of the resolution, Mayor
Jimmy Weekley said he could not support another war about oil. There was
loud applause. The meeting was emotional. The vote was not unanimous on
the City Commission. Many people spoke strongly in favor of patriotism,
supporting our president, defending America. I wonder how they would
speak today if they had to do it over again. I wonder if Dennis Reeves
Cooper would pound Jimmy Weekley in Key West the Newspaper for what he
said, the way he pounded him after that turbulent City Commission
meeting.
The first war with Iraq also was about oil. President Bush’s father said
so on national television, when he said he could not let the American
way of life be threatened, to explain why he was taking us into Kuwait.
On Larry King’s show, Ross Perot begged that President Bush not to go
into Kuwait. He said it was an Arab squabble, let them work it out. They
would keep selling their oil to us no matter who was on top. Not one
American life was worth going over there, Ross said. I agreed, and still
agree. I didn’t vote for Ross in the next election, because I didn’t
agree with a lot of things he was saying, but on Kuwait I felt he had
spoken for God. I didn’t vote for anyone in that election, because there
was no candidate I wanted to see in the White House. |
|

The carnival is coming to Sugarloaf? It's going to be a spectacular
event with up to 15 rides, live music Every night including MM24, Prime
Movers, Terry Cassidy and many more, food and maybe even the Monroe
County Sheriffs petting zoo. The dates will be February 14th & 15th from
4 until 11 pm and the 16th & 17th from 2 until 11 pm. There will be a
$5 entrance fee for anyone over 12 years old. 12 and under will be
free. We hope to see everyone there.
Bulletin Board |
|
Demands by
senior Muslims that Sharia Law be given legal authority
'We want to offer sharia law to Britain' - Telegraph |
|
World
financial markets yesterday lost an estimated two trillion
dollars because of concern for America’s sliding economy. Ouch! |
|
[Getting
back together] I know some for whom it worked well, because, before
they tried it again, they did some extensive couples' counseling to
figure out what went wrong and how to work that out. |
|

The 2009 vehicle preview is on the web and it is no better then
all the other years of junk the rejected dildo designers have offered
for a long time. Ford, in its anti-green mentality, designed a Ford
Flex, which is larger than their Explorer monster. Comes with a ladder
to fuel it too! If it was only the size of a Subaru wagon. |
|
I have a lot of insight on the
Sheriff candidates, and let me say this. Downs has no place
running for Sheriff. She has her place in life, but revenge is not a
legitimate reason to run for office. ~aquahound@aol.com |
|

I Have a Fluval 404 aquarium filter that I can't seem to get
working right. Is there anyone who can help? |
|
[deadbeats]
There's a resort on Sugarloaf? |
|

A very clear description of events.
Gates of Fire |
|
I watched most of the
Democrat debate from South Carolina yesterday on Martin Luther King
Jr Day (which only the banks and the candidates seem to have remembered)
and I really liked that there were only 3 of them on stage. It certainly
was the liveliest debate yet. |
|

To those 'sharks that live on the land' who complain about the minnows
available at the local watering holes take a make-up artist with
you when you go 'schoolin around'. Slide
Show |
|
Good news for first
time middle to low income homebuyers. There are canal homes for 300k and
stilt homes for 200k and mobiles for 100k. And prices are still
adjusting. |
|
[Fishing
just got easier for Bubba] I was going to build the Gazebo on the
edge of my dock down by the lake, but I thought I might just as well
build the deck with floats on it and then I can take it out fishing too.
Has 15,000 pound capacity. The deck is 18ft x 18ft with 12 plastic
foam-filled dock floats that are 4ft x 4ft by 18 inch high and the
Gazebo is 10 ft. Hexagon with a table and chairs inside. Under the table
is my trolling motor so I can take it out to my favorite fishing hole.
The trolling motor is wireless remote controlled so I can be fishing
outside and operate the motor. On the top of the table I have a Lowrance
Fish-Finder with depth sounding sonar and temperature gauge. I have 2
electric winches with 40 pound anchors. And I've also built in a water
pump so I can clean the fish right on the spot. Now I can relax and fish
while my wife can sit and relax. |
|
How a thong is
different than a wedgies: If you start with it in there, it's okay. |

~govwatch05@tampabay.rr.com |
| I
just love these Rube Goldberg devices!
http://www.wxpnews.com/OYI193/070612-Unbelievable |

Check out Mile Marker Chart by Jerry Wilkinson who also wrote
most of the History Pages on this site. This is cool.
http://www.keyshistory.org/MileMarkerChart.html |
|
I have changed my name to
Ronald Reagan so I can enter the republican race for the Presidency.
I promise to lower taxes and overspend by billions. Anyone of the other
candidates cannot be me, Ronald Reagan, because I am the only Ronald
Reagan running. Thank You for your support. |
|

The Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce Installation and Awards Banquet
will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2008 at the Sombrero Country
Club, Marathon. Judge Peary Fowler will install new Officers and
Directors
Bulletin Board |
|
[Scenic
highway] They’ve been around for several years and haven’t done
much. They exist on grants and it seems they’re main purpose is keeping
the grant money coming to them. |
|

America should close all antiquated libraries. All they are, are
places for people to go to who have nowhere to go or don’t own a
computer. These people don’t want to buy a $1 book at the Salvation Army
(they have thousands in each store) or a yard sale and don’t want to buy
a computer or pay for a phone line and ISP. In this information age why
should municipalities pay for these services? |
|
[Federal Reserve] Wow,
I'm amazed by some of the comments, but this takes the cake. The
federal Reserve is a government entity (hint - the '.gov' is a
clue). The board members are presidential appointees; it was founded by
Congress. A simple Google will show the mission - oh, wait, maybe Google
is really run by developers seeking to kill alligators at a real estate
meeting.
Today, the Federal Reserve’s duties fall into four general areas:
Conducting the nation’s monetary policy by influencing the monetary and
credit conditions in the economy in pursuit of maximum employment,
stable prices, and moderate long-term interest rates
Supervising and regulating banking institutions to ensure the safety and
soundness of the nation’s banking and financial system and to protect
the credit rights of consumers
Maintaining the stability of the financial system and containing
systemic risk that may arise in financial markets
Providing financial services to depository institutions, the U.S.
government, and foreign official institutions, including playing a major
role in operating the nation’s payments system. |
|

Elle in the limelight. It doesn’t get any better than this!
Photo Gallery |
If house renters were to charge a
reasonable rent for a slab of concrete and the "furnished piece of sofa
that sat outside drying after numerous floodings" would charge a decent
amount instead of boo-hooing the price of insurance and whatever else to
jack up the price of a crap-hole I would not let my feral cat live in,
then this just might be paradise.
If someone badmouthing our local or federal government would put
themselves to the test and run for the office instead of putting down
all who apply as not qualified, then this just might be paradise.
If the got-miners would look out for and help the have-nots instead of
shoving it in everyone's faces every chance they get, then this just
might be paradise.
If you live right next door to someone, and cannot complain about the
fish carcasses and the stink, but have to go on-line to complain and get
ideas how to solve the problem, then this just might be paradise.
If the people going to the local watering hole would remember the whole
picture instead of the pounds, then this just might be paradise.
If people would remember our soldiers did not sign up for the war, but
stand behind our freedom one hundred percent despite how anyone feels
about it, then this just might be paradise. |
|
|
|
I heard that Edward got
stiffed by the people who owned R2R auto Repair and lost a lot of
money and tools. Ed was a nice guy and a good tech. He fixed my problems
as soon as I walked in the door. That was the only place you could go
for an oil change and he would get you out quick and never ask you to
make an appointment. They soon closed down after he left. So much for a
good garage in Big Pine! Good luck Sonia behind W/D. |
|
Green
Living & Energy Education, otherwise known as "GLEE". We're planning
for our third GLEE Expo, which will be held on May 9-11th and we're
expecting 5,000 people. We're adding a Green Living Awards, Green
Eco-tours, a "Love your Mother Brunch" and Green Lodging
recommendations, as well as expanding our Expo exhibitors, Green Homes
Tours, Film Festival etc. As an all volunteer organization, we
obviously need some help from the community in pulling this off.
If you or someone you know might want to be a part of this effort,
please pass the word about our planning meeting this Thursday from 5-7pm
at the FKAA Training room in Marathon. (Directions: MM48.8: Turn Bayside
by the giant pencils at Switlik School Look for the FKAA gate on your
left before the yacht club. Come inside, turn right & park at bldg near
water.) Please let me know if you are interested, whether you can make
this first meeting or not - then I can send you more info and let you.
~Alison Higgins [ahiggins@TNC.ORG] |
|
Does this make sense? Taxes
and government waste (mediation taxes also) are killing the middle
class in the keys. So what is the answer? To raise taxes or lower them?
If the people should do with less, then why can’t the government? Vote
for any decrease in taxes including the real estate taxes. I am tired of
being robbed in the name of compassion. Did you hear the story of the
ants and the grasshopper? |
|

Terrorists at large.
Video |
|
A
friend told me on Friday that the family of Tina the bartender
had her disconnected from life support. If only she had been wearing a
seat belt. What a tragedy. |
|

Exactly where behind Winn Dixie does Sonia live? I looked behind
all the stores. Sooonia! |
|
I remember Edward. He
fixed my computer a while back. Where did Edward find a good looking
filly like Sonia behind W/D? I have to talk to Ed to see where he hangs
out and meet a good looking woman like Sonia behind W/D. The last time I
heard he was going back to DC? |
|

The County has signed a contract to buy the flea market and intends to
clear it out and replace the indigenes plants and make a mangrove
maze and charge $5 a try to get out. |
|
The poor will always hate
the rich. It's called human nature (envy). |
|

For all you fisherman, respect the fish and stop throwing the
carcasses away. Make soup. Real fisherman, since ancient times, wasted
nothing. Boil the carcass, pull the meat, cut some onions, throw in some
pasta, season then eat your soup. Most everyone fillets the fish
throwing 20% of the meat back into the water. |
|
To the person who just bought
a house on Washington Street, you had me until you got to the
part about Bahama Village and the Avenues. Now I think you deserve those
beach peeps and all that goes along with them. There are plenty of fine
folks living in both Bahama Village and on the Avenues and they don't
deserve to be stereotyped like that. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or
our spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Tuesday
January 22, 2008 |
|
 |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Monday
January 21, 2008 |
|
Tonight is the scoop on poop
on Big Pine at the Episcopal Church on Key Deer Blvd just south of Watson
Blvd. The County sewer person will speak at 7:30. It’s free and to your
benefit to attend. |
|
[Gossip
of the week] Publix's has not given up on Big Pine Key, but I understand
there is not a rock-hard deal for the flea market property as yet.
Tom Thumb Corp has not shown up on any deed transactions and Underseas has
not been for sale.
KD's
is a mess with paperwork. There are 1st and 2nd lenders with liens on that
business and land. It will take about one million dollars to clear that up.
Then they have to demo the building, then...whatever.
Betty has been working to open Key Deer as a beer and wine bar. Dan’s son
would like to sell it. Allowing someone to open and run the club could open
a can of worms for Jr from lawsuits to liens. I don’t know if Jr is up for
that.
As for TIB, they would
like to build a "real" bank on there very own land. What nerve? To date
there are no permits issued |
|
[On
getting back together] I do know of 3 couples who have done it
successfully, but I know many more who have tried and failed. The successful
ones had about 7-10 years apart. Ask yourself this: When you trade a vehicle
because you’re tired of it or it causes you a lot of trouble, do you ever go
to the dealer and try to buy it back? If you did, you would probably find
it’s the same as it was when you traded it. |
|
I'm going to start hanging out
behind Winn Dixie because that’s where Sonia lives! |
|
[35
mph on BPK at night] Approximately 3 weeks ago my husband and I were
headed to Marathon on evening at around mm 30 when some "delightful" driver
decided that 35 mph wasn't fast enough for him and began flashing his lights
and tailgating us. He then proceeded to quickly whip his car around us to
pass. Imagine our delight, when we observed a police car parked facing
south pull a quick U-turn and with flashing lights pull Mr Impatience
over! Ahhhh, the sweet smell of justice! |
| That
picture of the soldiers in Saddam’s living room was great. Even the
democrat congress must like it because they keep funding this war. |
|
|
|
We
Didn't Start the Viral Part II
http://www.break.com/index/we-didnt-start-the-viral.html |
|
[couple
getting back together after having been divorced] I think when they do
it is because the sex was good, but after that’s done they have the same
personality problems that caused the divorce in the first place. |
|

[Speaking about deadbeats] I love the growing "yacht" community on
Sugarloaf, by the resort. It is so pleasant to view those peasants depleting
the bays of sponges and to see the maintenance free "yachts" they live on,
and to smell the sometimes fragrant nostril enlightenments when the wind has
changed. Oh joy! |
|
To the
person who bought the house on Washington Street in Key West. Maybe
you should have looked at your neighborhood before you bought your home and
not try and pawn your problems off on people in Bahama Village and in the
Avenues on Big Pine. Are you trying to say that all the people in Bahama
Village and the Avenues are comparable to trash and vagrants? You should
probably apologize for that statement. |
|

Great music and videos at
http://zigmeister.com/Music_From_Big_Pine.html |
|
[The
first time this group had all the meetings and public displays, they made a
fortune on us] Please explain how they made a fortune, who
made the fortune, and how much was the fortune? I'm new here and don't know
the history. I'd like to know all the "old" details. On the surface, the
scenic highway appears a good thing, but, I've been here long enough to
know things aren't always what they seem, and to trust the reactions of
those who remember. |
|

It is not the Fed that controls your money, it is the
Federal Reserve,
which is a privately owned business, and is partially controlled by the
Rothschild banking family, among other very large and super rich share
holders. Have you ever asked yourself where all the gold is? |
|
Any information on Tina the
bartender? |
|
Usmagazine.com
is reporting that the Associated Press has begun preparing Britney
Spears’ obituary. “We are not wishing it, but if Britney passed away,
it’s easily one of the biggest stories in a long time,” AP entertainment
editor Jesse Washington tells the magazine. “I think one would agree that
Britney seems at risk right now,” Washington says. “Of course, we would
never wish any type of misfortune on anybody and hope that we would never
have to use it until 50 years from now, but if something were to happen, we
would have to be prepared.” |
|
[More bar wisdom] "Why
would I lie to you, we're not married?" |
|

To the person that mentioned Wanka Tanka in their post. Do you speak
Lakota fluently? I’m learning the language and was curious. |
|
Edward
must have deep pockets to have a fox like
Sonia
who lives behind W/D. |
|

[Electile Dysfunction]
The
inability to become aroused over any of the choices for president put forth
by either party in the 2008 election year. |
|
[Has
anyone ever heard of a couple getting back together after a few years
of having been divorced?] Yes. One couple I know married very young and
divorced mainly because they hadn't grown up enough. They later remarried
and have had two kids since and seem very happy. Another couple I know have
married and divorced twice so far and look to be headed for round 3. They
don't seem to be able to figure it out one way or the other. |
|

Alaska railway. Slide
Show |
|
I thought that Commissioner Murphy
would not overlook inappropriate conduct by a county employee like the gang
of three does. Commissioner's, can you please explain to the citizens of
Monroe County why Lisa Druckemiller is allowed to manage large Monroe
County government contracts and accounts when she can't even manage paying
$130 for flowers that she obtained on credit from Flowers By Gilda in Key
West, or to pay for eye glasses from Oppenheimer's in Key West, or fails to
pay her taxes over many years?
Did you know that she has tax
lien's from the IRS, and owes over $15000 to the IRS in back taxes?. Check
it out for yourself, it's on the Monroe County Clerk Of Courts website.
Also, Commissioners how come a Monroe County employee that is a not a
Department Director is allowed to make statements to the press?. Isn't that
the job of the county's PIO, or County Administrator?.
Ms. Murphy as well as all the
county Commissioner's need to do their job, and step up to the plate and do
the right thing. It's an election year. Show us what you are made of for
once. ~ gladimnotaconch@yahoo.com |
|

How foolish some Piners are. In this week' s issue of a local newspaper, the
editor tells of buying a cat and trying to get it to go outdoors!
That's exactly the wrong thing to do. If people must have a cat, it should
be kept indoors for its own health and for the health of our wildlife. I
urge everyone to go to
http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/ if you care for the cat and our precious
wildlife. |
|
If you
are still in-love with your ex you need to get counseling. And then
mull over why you broke up in the first place. If they left you for someone
else and that's why you still love them then talk it over with a
professional who will help you move on. You are wasting you time with
someone who is no longer in your life and only in your mind. |
|

[Asking for marital advice on bigpinekey.com] Are you crazy!
Consider the source. Go ask a preacher or therapist. |
|
[More gossip] The real
scoop is the flea market has been bought by Publix. The flea market has
already subleased a building from Winn Dixie which will close this summer
and will reopen in the air conditioned bldg next October.(?) |
|

I used to have six-pack abs .I still have beer related keg-abs. |
|
Sandra
Downs has a long-standing ax to grind in the Sheriff's Department and
nothing to lose. She wants revenge, not a career in public service. |
|

I remember reading that because Europe has been trashed by war so many
times, most families keep a "bailout" stash of gold in the cellar to
use for bribing their way out to safety, buying food, etc. |
Poor boy, poor boy, what to do, I feel so sorry for you,
Now don't you holler, and don't you whine, go to work and things will be
fine. |
|

Thank you Eden Pines Property Association, for honoring Jean Bell.
She really deserves positive recognition for her daily clean-up of Key Deer
Blvd. Our community is lucky to have her. |
|
My name is Ronald Reagan I
did not approve of yesterday’s cartoon. I also think the republicans running
for office are not really me. They are indeed posers. |
|
Be
the 2008 winner of the Southernmost Chapter of ABATE's Chili Cook-Off.
We need cooks to enter their special recipes. Bring us your best chili, and
lots of it. It will be held Sunday, January 27 at Coconuts, mm 30 on Big
Pine Key. It will happen from noon until around 4pm and the Bloodmobile will
be there too. The cost is $5 to eat all you want and to judge. Anyone who
enters will not be charged, and can eat and judge others' chili creations.
Please call Dixie for more information and to enter in advance
305-797-0474. Live music, lots of chrome, libations and great Keys people
will make Jan 27th a wonderful day; and we guarantee you will go home full!
Bulletin Board |
|
Throwing fish carcasses in the
canal in the name of chumming? That just sounds like a lazy-ass's excuse
for not taking them out to sea or putting them in the garbage. In West
Virginia it's legal to marry and impregnate a 14 year old girl, but that
doesn't make it right. |
|

You don't have to speak French to understand this!
Slide Show |
|
[Edurado at R2R] I don't
know anything about his personal life, but during my many trips to the
garage for repairs he always gave me good service at a reasonable price.
More then once he stopped what he was doing to handle one of my mini
emergencies. |
|
Shark
fining is happening in Key West and they sell it to Japan. This is an
absolute fact as a commercial fisherman told me they do it all the time and
make a lot of money from it. He did not even flinch when describing the
process, which is horrific. They could at least shoot the poor thing
instead of allowing it to drown (the cut off the fin and throw the mortality
wounded shark back in the water). I hope and pray the proper authorities
stop this practice. It is a big ocean and this Cuban guy is making a
killing through an illegal and insanely inhumane act. |
|
[cozy
shenanigans going between certain local elected officials, businessmen
and developers ] Serious question and not from the candidate; is that
something a sheriff can affect or is it strictly political? |
|

The Nation is good reading and has been around forever.
http://www.thenation.com/ |
|
First of all Sandra, I am
not the same govwatch that routinely gripes on this website. A keen eye
would have seen a difference in the screen names. And don't be so quick to
assume I am ignorant to happenings in the Keys. My gripe with you running
for Sheriff is quite simple. Your family is responsible for burning houses
on Little Knockemdown Key. That's not an accusation, it's a proven fact. I
won't even mention all the other crap you and your kids were involved in
because arson and destruction of property is bad enough. The fact
you failed to discipline your kids for what they did makes you just as
guilty, and shows you have no sense of responsibility. You expect me to
trust you with a multi-million dollar budgeted organization with several
hundred high-risk employees?
Second, you have no business
running for a position you know nothing about. Tell me, what is your law
enforcement background? What training do you have? Do you have a degree in
Criminal Justice? Do you even have a degree? I have news for you. Being
on the wrong end of the law doesn't make you qualified to lead an
organization.
I can sit here and voice my
opinion all I want. But for you to type such a post, running for an elected
position only shows you do not have the proper demeanor for such a
position. ~govwatch2007@yahoo.com |
|

On behalf of all of us that were smart enough to put the fish carcass
on the offender's vehicle hood in the middle of the night, thanks for the
effort anyway. |
|
[Gossip of the week response] 1. No 2. No 3. No
4. No and furthermore NO! |
|
The deadline for publishing is 6am.
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our spam
filters will
delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Monday January 21,
2008 |
|
 |
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Sunday
January 20, 2008 |
|

[Gossip of the week] Does anyone know if it’s true that: 1)
Publix is making another run at the flea market property? 2) Tom Thumb
Corp. has purchased the adjoining Underseas and Conch & Stein property
with the intention of building a “Super Tom” facility? 3) The corner
lot at US1 and Key Deer next to TIB Bank his being cleared for the
construction of a new Big Pine Inn? The old Key Deer Bar will reopen
soon? |
|
Monroe County
Wastewater Administrator, Liz Wood
will be speaking on sewering the keys and is sponsored by the Big
Pine Key Civic Association. It is this Monday, January 21 at 7:30 at the
Episcopal Church on Key Deer Boulevard, 1 1/2 Miles from US 1 on
the West Side of the Boulevard, just south of Watson. |
|
[Scenic
Highway grant workshops] Here we go again, more stupid ways to
grope our tax money. The first time this group had all the meetings and
public displays, they made a fortune on us, now they are back? How many
times must they be told to leave us the f**k alone! Go to Texas and
groom that dump for the Mexicans. We like the Keys the way they are. Go
away! |
|
[School property housing rip-off] What happens when the teacher
or "indispensible" worker retires? Do we taxpayers buy their replacement
"indispensible" worker a house too? |
|

I’m Sonia
From Big Pine Key behind the Winn Dixie.
Photo Gallery |
|
[Amendment 1]Yesterday’s
writer brought up a good point. If everyone is given the Homestead
Exemption what’s the point of having one? The only real beneficiaries
are the realtors. Vote no. |
|

[Kids hate clowns] Just as I’ve always suspected, kids are afraid
of clowns. There was a study that confirmed that kids are afraid of them
because they don’t recognize the clown and are afraid of the makeup. How
many horror movies have we seen where the clown is a monster or crazy? I
associate clowns with slasher movies. |
|
No one has ever even suggested
that throwing a fish carcass into the canal is illegal. Everyone
knows it is legal, but bad for the canal and your neighbors and respect
for the environment. And thinking of ways to get the carcass to sink is
totally besides the point. |
|

That picture of our soldiers in Saddam's living room was
"priceless" alright. It actually cost more than 3,000 of our young
people's lives; just about as priceless as you can get! |
|
[Civilization doomed to
drown in pee] Eco researchers have determined that the
civilizations of earth are likely doomed to drown in urine generated by
the unbridled world wide consumption of beer. More beer is now being
consumed than was consumed in the 17th Century and sea level
rises are manifest. Prestigious eco scientists have reached a consensus
opinion that glacier melt and sea level rise are caused by veritable
rivers of urine generated by egregious beer drinking. They say that
world climate has nearly reached a tipping point which would assure sea
level rise of catastrophic proportion and certain climate change. These
eco scientists have determined that a “multiplier effect” of 1- 3.5 is
at the root of problem. Simply put, beer drinking results in the
excretion of more urine, by volume, than is ingested. In other words
for every can of beer drunk, 3.5 cans of urine are excreted.
Climatologically, the impact is ruinous to our planet.
Urine
has caused rising sea levels, increased oceanic salinity, catastrophic
rises in salinity of fresh water aquifers, rising air temperatures,
noxious yellow greenhouse hazes that trap the sun’s heat, geometric
increases in birth rates, and an epidemic of hearing impairment caused
by cacophonous beer drinking environs, are all proof of the hypothesis.
There are some who rejoice in this beer drinking epidemic. The World
Wide League of Ugly Women threatens legal action if there is to be any
governmental intervention.
The eco scientists and many
revered politicians tell us that we must curb beer drinking to save the
world. One politician has earned world wide respect for his plan
wherein a beer consumer could simply purchase beer credits. The funds
generated by the sale of these credits would be used to hermetically
seal urine in capsules. These capsules would then be deposited in a
geologically inert salt mine for reprocessing into more beer. These
scientists first earned global respect and notoriety by discovering that
burning petroleum based fuels generates more CO2 (a greenhouse gas) by
weight than the weight of the fuel that is burned. Readers are urged to
submit any suggestions as to how we may avoid the immanent flooding of
our planet in pee pee. |
|

[Sandra Downs for Sherriff] If she will answer one question for
me, I will know if I can vote for her. That question is in addition to
the corruption inside the Dept you want to clean up. What are your
intentions as far as the cozy shenanigans going between certain local
elected officials, businessmen and developers or will it have to be the
State or Feds again that save us? |
|
Just try to evict a deadbeat in this state in less than 30 days.
It can’t happen. |
|
floridakeyschat.com is up and running. Everyone is welcome to
come and take a look. |
|
It
just kills me to read about these folks down here who think it is
their right to live in the Keys and pay less than market rate either
for rent or home purchase. Just like Aspen, Santa Barbara, or any of
the beautifully desirable places in the U.S. the prices are high. To
listen to you folks sit back and complain about housing costs in a
desirable area as the Keys are simply ignorant. I bet most of the folks
complaining about this issue could have purchased a home for a fraction
of the going rate today and simply didn't do so when they had a chance
claiming the prices were too high then as well; and would rather go buy
some beer. No one has a right to live anywhere. If you have made good
life decisions and can afford the more desirable areas to live then more
power to you. If you did not make those decisions and can't afford to
live down here then either move or quit whining. There are plenty of
affordable homes outside Sebring, or Clewiston or Chiefland or Lake City
or, or, or. If the market continues to drop like it has I will be
interested to see just how many of you complainers pony up the money and
make the sacrifices to buy a house down here. My guess is not many. The
fact is you probably can't afford to live down here no matter what the
housing prices are! If you need directions to Jasper, Fl or someplace
similar just post and I will be glad to give you directions. How about
this, go north until you can afford it! |
|
Back by popular
demand, Billy Joel, We didn’t start the fire.
50 years of history in 3 minutes!
http://yeli.us/Flash/Fire.html |
|
[scum-bag
shot a Key Deer]
When the
authorities catch the piece of garbage (if they ever do) it will
probably be a poor, misunderstood youth that has never done anything
wrong before and after all it was only a deer. I wonder if the alligator
killers have an alibi. |
|
[Poor boy, poor boy..] That shows the utter contempt the privileged
in this country have for the working class. It's been the rich
bastards that have bankrupted this nation and put our grandchildren 53
trillion dollars in debt with their "getting the job done". Any pet
monkey could get a hold of a fortune if they were allowed to print
money out of thin air and loan it out to fools like the Fed has been
doing. |
|
I
again was wrestling with my on deep reluctance to serve on the Monroe
County Commission, which I view as an assignment from hell, a prison
sentence, which outlook I’ve made blatantly clear in other writings.
This county is so messed up politically, the County Commission is so
screwed up administratively and managerially, and is so destructive and
lacking in vision and direction, that it will take the equivalent of the
1935 loop hurricane, which wiped what then was the middle Keys off the
face of the map and ended the Overseas Railroad operations, to break up
the malevolent and indifferent malaise that has the Keys firmly in its
grip and open the way for a truly needed indigenous regeneration. For
that to come about will require enormous work on this world and in the
spirit realms, equivalent to or even greater than what Henry Flagler did
to build the rail road, and keep rebuilding it after storms wrecked it,
until it was finally completed and he rode it all the way to Key West
just before he left this world. He kept saying it was to open a gateway
to the Caribbean and the Panama Canal, to make Key West into America’s
southernmost deep water port, which never materialized, and perhaps for
the better. What he did do was complete the task and in doing so open
the door to the Keys being easily reached by anyone who wanted to come
here: first by the rail road, then by the highway that came in its wake,
often using the same amazing bridges Henry Flagler had built, some of
which still stand. |
|

[Things to do before you kick
the bucket]
I can't afford a bucket list, mine's more like a paper cup list. |
|
Rich boy, rich boy, wat’cha gonna do, how would you feel if we screwed
you] I sleep well at night knowing I spent over 20 years helping
people as a paramedic (both military and civilian) rather than
wasting my life trying to find a way to screw the next guy so I could
live like a snob. I may not have a million dollar house, but then I
don't have to worry about loosing it. Do us all a favor and hang on to
that postage stamp piece of real estate your forefathers stole from
mine. I love watching the Great Spirit come full circle. Don't worry
about that global warming thing , I'm sure it's just a bunch of thumb
suckers wishing they had what you have. Yeah, right! |
|

[Sandra Downs vs Govwatch] Good luck, you've waved the red flag.
As days go by, don't get too tangled up with him. It's a distraction,
and that's the plan. |
|
[35mph at night on Big Pine
Key] Does it really matter? Every night that I go from point A to
point B on BPK, there is always someone flying right past me. On other
occasions I pull out of somewhere on the highway and forget that no one
pays any attention to the night time limit and they are on top of me and
blowing their horn to add insult to injury. The big question is why is
their no enforcement of these restricted limits? I honestly have only
seen one or two cars pulled over at night during the last couple of
years. The answer is that the roads are apparently understaffed between
MCSO and FHP. I doubt that they are eating doughnuts though their
physiques might betray that thought.
Sometimes I have to work or do business toward Key West and it never
fails to amuse me the people that have to pass me regardless of the
speed at which I am travelling. Inevitably they will catch up to the
next person in front of us and tailgate them for a while. Every now and
then, someone will just ignore the double-yellow lines and pass
everyone. Those are the people I would enjoy seeing pulled over. Does
it make any sense to pass people on the Overseas Highway? Is there
something in your life that arriving approximately five minutes sooner,
is so important to you that you have to endanger your life, not to
mention mine and others?
As far as the fenced in area on the Marathon side of the island (I have
long since given up on saying North and South cause in actuality, it is
East and West) I understand your point, but believe it or not I have
seen deer within the fence on the highway. They are clever little
critters and I wonder why someone would ask how many do we need in the
population so we can eliminate the 35mph night time limit to begin
with. There are many people living here that know what I am talking
about, and yes; this goes on year round, but the biggest offenders are
not the locals. |
|

Senator Larry Craig I'm not gay, really! |
|
After the new wastewater
treatment plant is built, who will operate them and at what pay
rate? I'm getting $12 per hour and all I can eat at my present job.
There will probably be affordable housing near the new plant too. Did I
tell you I can't smell anything but trouble? |
|

[Gold $1000 an ounce] Everybody go sell all you trinkets for
paper money and watch what happens, flat money will be as useless as wet
toilet paper. Horde gold, silver, diamonds and anything that will not
self-destruct. It will be the only stuff you will be using in the near
future. Bet on it! |
|
[Scenic Highway Grant]
Those freeloaders would be better if they took their lazy-butts
somewhere else and changed that other place to look like Palm Beach.
Leave the keys alone. We like it like this. |
|

Thank you good people of Big Pine. I recently went abroad for major
surgery. Although I have lived here only a short time I did feel a flow
of prayer and good wishes from this community. Here is an interesting
video. Hopefully this information can help others in need of medical
attention. On Thursday another resident of Big Pine left for India for
the same reasons I did.
Medical Tourism Documentary |
|
Remember the six simple
rules to be happy.
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
6. Have sex every chance you can. |
|

Why would anybody want to compare themselves to Reagan? |
|
How can someone with zero law enforcement experience presume to
be able to jump right in and be the boss of all cops? But then, I
always wanted to be a brain surgeon so I guess I'll just hang out a sign
and get started. Like, you know, on the job training. I’ll just pick it
up as I go along and learn from my mistakes. |
|

Help the Library of Congress identify old photos
User Photo Expertise |
|
In
California, if 3.5 million illegal aliens moved back to Mexico,
it would leave an extra $10.2 billion to spend on overloaded
school systems, bankrupt hospitals and overrun prisons. It would leave
highways cleaner, safer and less congested. Everyone could understand
one another as English became the dominant language again.
In Colorado, 500,000 illegal migrants, plus their 300,000 kids and
grand-kids would move back 'home', mostly to Mexico. That would save
Coloradans an estimated $2 billion (other experts say $7 billion)
annually in taxes that pay for schooling, medical, social-services
and incarceration costs. It means 12,000 gang members would vanish out
of Denver alone. Colorado would save more than $20 million in prison
costs.
In
Florida, 1.5 million illegals would return the Sunshine State back to
America, the rule of law, and English.
In Chicago, Illinois, 2.1 million illegals would free up hospitals,
schools, prisons and highways for a safer, cleaner and more crime-free
experience. |
Kimberly
the dog groomer came to my house. Since we have monster dogs, she works
out of my big bath tub inside, at my insistence. Last week, before our
scheduled grooming session, I attempted to get some mats out of my dog’s
fur and ended up cutting her skin with my scissors. Not a sound
from my pooch, but there was a big hole near her neck. Yikes! My
teenager came home from school and hollered at me for a change.
Kim arrived and calmly phoned the Critter Doc who came over ASAP. He
put the dog under a brief sedation, stitched the wound, and then brought
her back to normal like nothing ever happened. It made the tense
drama less traumatizing by having these two angels available during this
emergency. My dog is great and on antibiotics and I have tossed my
grooming scissors away. Thank you Dr. Donald Denoff for the at-home
stitches and expert care and to Kimberly for the many years of gentle
dog grooming which makes my pet so happy and fresh. |
|

[Two Presidents talk] Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad calls
President George Bush and tells him, "George, I had a wonderful dream
last night. |
|
[Feed a bum] On
Thursday morning while taking my son to the bus stop I saw this man
walking with a bad leg and his arm in a cast. I felt so bad for him
that on the way back I stopped and gave him a ride to the Big Pine Winn
Dixie. I went to Bagel Island and bought a cup of coffee and a bagel for
the guy and then went to work. I had told him about the free box at the
health food store and the shower at one of the churches. Friday morning
on the way to work I saw him by St Pete's church. My girlfriend and I
stopped and gave him a ride to Marathon. He said he was going home to
Indiana and had gotten beat up in Key West. We gave him some money and
took him to the bus stop so he could get out of the keys. He told us,
"You couldn't pay me a $1000 to come back here. No one has helped me but
you ladies." My girlfriend called this morning to tell me that when she
told her husband about what we did, he said he saw the same guy in
front of Bahia Honda about noon. When I talked to the sheriff this
morning he said he saw the guy yesterday by the Tiki Bar. I just want
people to know if you want to help the homeless don't give them any
money, just by them something to eat. If you see this guy on the
highway, weather you help him or not is your own choice. |
|
Many
thanks to our 40 neighbors and The Eden Pines Colony Property Owners
Association who helped with Eden Pines neighborhood clean-up.
Heavy duty trash bags, grabbers and bottles of water were provided as we
ascended upon our Subdivision and collected a gigantic trailer of trash
on Saturday morning. The garbage was much less than last year--good
work residents! Yet we found an abandoned scooter, two toilet tanks, an
outboard motor, lots of wood, six tires, cushions, couches and
insulation. Additionally, we cleared abandoned trailers, hundreds of
beer bottles and cans, plastic bags and bottles, LP records, a TV set, a
plastic lawn chair and broken nautical decor.
Many thanks to Robert Keeley
from National Marine Sanctuary for loaning us the trailer and the trash
grabbers. After hotdogs and hamburgers (both veggie and beef) chips and
soda we planted a Jamaican Caper tree at the corner by the sign in honor
of Mrs. Jean Bell. She is the lady who is often seen picking up trash on
Key Deer Boulevard and Watson for the last fourteen years. She is a
grandmother from Long Island married to Mr. Jim Bell from the Key Deer
Refuge.
It was a successful and
productive clean-up / meet-up with our neighbors who all want to keep
our neighborhood cleaner and friendlier. A ladies wristwatch and a set
of keys were left at our Command Post by the subdivision sign, please
call 872-0012 and describe the items.
Thanks again and stay tuned
for the Kayak Clean-Up on Saturday, February 23rd. Thanks again for
keeping Eden Pine ship shape! Photos will be on our website soon. http://www.edenpinesowners.com |
|
Has
anyone ever heard of a couple getting back together after a few
years of having been divorced? I am still very much in love with my
ex. You can call me delusional or naive, maybe even downright stupid.
I mean, it is possible is it not? Be kind to me in your responses,
thank you. |
|
Are you kidding me! Our local construction companies? They are
horrific. Thank God for some out-of-town relief. Let them get to their
12-pack Bush habit going as early as possible instead of acting like
they might actually do something. And heaven forbid they actually make
their typical half-assed attempt at anything. It costs even more to
“import” a competent person to fix what they screw up. Our local
workers should be jobless – at least for public safety concerns. I do
feel some tinge of empathy for them, but on the bright side, Coconuts
opens at 7:00am and Looe Key Tiki opens at 10:30am |

Our Marines - The Commercial and The Rest of The Story |
| Thanks
for putting that (Good morning key west.com) in blue at the bottom. It
makes it easier to skip. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will
delete it and we can't publish it. |
|
Sunday January
20, 2008 |
|
|
|
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
Saturday
January 19, 2008 |
|
Amendment 1 strikes another blow at Florida's
already pathetic tax base. When everyone gets a homestead exemption the
exemption loses its meaning and our public services, which you "rugged
individualists" oppose, will get less effective. And then you'll complain
all the more loudly. |

Let’s form a committee to find out why the speed limit at night is still
35mph on the east end of Big Pine where it is totally fenced in and deer
proof. I was told that it was because if one deer is killed on that stretch
they will have to tear down the whole thing, so they’re just covering their
collective arses. |
|
[govwatch2007@yahoo.com] I am Sandra Downs, mother of 6 (2 doctors, 1
fisherman, 1 artist and welder, 1 entertainer, and one passed away in 2005).
I started and ran 4 successful businesses in my life, thus far coached
10,000 children in 20 yrs, and was nominated for greatest coach in the
nation, raised my 6 children mostly on my own while working.
Now,
govwatch, show your face. When I decided to run for sheriff over one year
ago, I expected my life would be dragged into the open. Little did I imagine
that a coward like you would try to discredit me.
You
have not walked a mile in my shoes, and I doubt if you could even take two
steps in them. You are not like me. You stand behind the scenes criticizing,
yet doing nothing. I have put myself on the line to try and help the
desperate situation that I know exists and am privy to information which you
are not.
I
have read your "products" of despair. The criticism comes with no offering
of a solution. You of little mind and insecurities, what are you afraid of
weak one? Why not toss your hat into the ring, and show us your glorious
remedies? You would have no one run for office except those that fit into
your mold. Is that what you do to your loved ones and neighbors? Leonard
Cohen wrote a song once that said, "You get rid of the things that you can't
control. It starts with your family and eventually comes around to your
soul."
Now
my dear, I have discredited you. You do not show your face, put your hat
into the ring, and offer yourself up as the candidate of your deceitful
recognition.
I do
not stand in the shadows and whisper, and I'll pay no more mind to those
afraid to face me. (PS It's 2008, catch up.) |

When I travel I used to look at the scenery, but now I look a gas prices. |
|
I just watched a hearing on
infrastructure funding. Tell me if we need to fire everyone in
Washington. They said it takes 14 years for one dollar of federal money to
get to the job so a one billion dollar job ends up costing to 4-5 billion.
Man, these people need to be fired because what is happening is criminal.
The study took so long they ran out of money 4 months ago. It looks like
sewers in about 2026—maybe. |

Eden Pines Colony neighborhood clean-up and barbecue today 9 to
noon. Other surprises in store as well!
www.edenpinesowners.com See you across from our Subdivision sign. Bulletin Board |
|
[Housing
Crunch] “Poor boy, poor boy while you suck your thumb, Rich boy, Rich
boy, gets the job done.” |
|

First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"
Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."
|
|
[Ms. Jimmy Carter] I guess you saw
the Giuliani ad. What the ad does not go on to say is that Reagan
traded missiles for money that went to a secret war in Latin America
orchestrated by Ollie North. |
|

I love this map. Just click on an icon and it gives you the details.
globalincidentmap |
|
[8'
image of myself]
Looks like this poster struck a nerve with a man-hater as I don't remember
any mention of the original being male or female. |
|

My sweetheart Edward
of Big Pine Key, Florida (Too hot to handle)
Photo Gallery |
|
[flea
market FWS has bought the property]
That would be fantasy; FWS does nothing to help the deer. If you find an
injured one in your yard call them, they will be glad to put it down instead
of helping it. Job security. |
OK
Guy's tell me what is going on with the construction industry here in
the lower keys. I have noticed there are a lot of out-of-town construction
crews renting houses here. Are they taking jobs away from the local
construction companies and leaving our local workers without jobs? What are
the local construction owner's doing about it? |
|
Big Pine is Miami South. |
|

[Sandra Downs for Sheriff] What has Sandra Downs done that is so
bad? Why should she not have a chance? |
|
Awwwww,
let's have a pity party for the poster who is crying about his $3,000
mortgage payment not being covered by a tenant's $1800 rent. This shows
just how far afield some people's thinking has gone during the "boom
times". I can't say I feel too sorry for the landlords. For years and years
they set their prices and told working folks to "take it or leave it". They
got laws changed so they could evict people on a few days notice, instead of
30 or 60 days. Greed has absolutely reined supreme in real estate, and it's
high time the "adjustment" is coming. I don't say "has come", because house
prices are supposed to drop 30% this year, and continue dropping for several
years. This is tough for brokers and speculators as well as those who
agreed to a ridiculously high mortgage for a property that just wasn't worth
the money. But it will turn out to be good for regular people who someday
may be able to afford a house again. This has happened before. Back in
1920's boom times in the Midwest a 40 acre farm sold for $16,000. By 1946
you could get the same farm for $600. People have been living in hog heaven,
making outrageous profits for doing absolutely nothing. For the last 30
years we've been saying these people who were paying high prices for houses
were like idiots who would buy from some guy who was selling dimes for $1.
We're in a recession now, and a depression sometime in the next year or so.
Get off your dream cloud, folks, and back to reality. |
|

It is not illegal to throw a fish carcass into the canal. Here is
why. It is legal to fish in the ocean, reef or canals. It is legal to use
chum when you fish. The fishing regulations do not specify the size of the
chum. Until the laws are changed, all a person has to say is that they plan
to fish in the canal and the carcass is fish chum. It may not be right or
true, but right now it is legal to use chum while fishing in the canals. If
you think this is wrong, get the fishing laws changed. |
|
Is there a meeting on BPK
sometime next week on sewer impact fees? If so does anyone know the
time, place and date? |

[Crackdown on pirates] A Hampshire, England woman has been ordered to
remove a pirate flag from her garden. Carol Clark, 47, was told the skull
and crossbones breaches advertising rules. "It's daft. I thought someone was
playing a joke at first," she told the Daily Mirror. Keen sailor carol
hoisted the black and white Jolly Roger after a friend gave it to her as a
joke. But her local council says only national or regional flags may be
flown without planning permission - because everything else is deemed to be
advertising. |
|
Some
scum-bag shot a Key Deer in the neck with a spear gun Wednesday and the
Fish & Wildlife had to put it down. It was found by a deputy around 10:30
a.m. It takes a special piece of crap to do something like this. |

Holy Huckabee! I don’t believe in evolution. |
|
[Where
would you live if we sold our rentals] Further evidence of how
arrogant these regal landlords have become. The far overpriced houses would
be sold, either at foreclosure or much reduced prices. The banks, almost
ruined by greedy speculation, refuse to make mortgages except at
rock-bottom, true appraisals. Then, with prices greatly reduced, the houses
can be rented or, imagine this, bought by regular working folks. No wonder
they're renting, they are smart enough not to buy something for $400K
that's only worth $150K. |
I
just moved to my new house on Washington Street in Key West Tuesday.
I closed on it last week. I took the dog and went for a walk down to Higgs
Beach today. It was disgusting. The crowds of homeless there drinking,
swearing, yelling, passed out on the side walk and urinating in the sand.
Every tourist who walked by was harassed to no end. Is this the picture we
want to paint of our island for a tourist? I am glad I went today. My
sister is coming with her children in February. I was going to take them to
Higgs because we can walk from the house, but we will be driving to Fort
Zach instead. I feel much better about having a Doberman pincher knowing
these vagrants flock near my house. I might have to find out where the
Mayor or police chief live and go down to the beach and offer a bottle of
wine to any of them who will sleep in front of the Mayor and chief's house.
See how fast they will be run out of the city then. It's kind of sad when
hard working immigrants are being deported and trash like this is allowed to
stay just because they were born here. Can we at least deport them to
Bahama Village? Any extra room in The Avenues for these people? |
|

I took some of the advice about the fish carcasses. I left one of the
floaters on the guys pickup truck hood and then told him and his guests
about the oxygen depletion while I filmed them with my camcorder. Well they
beat my ass and broke my camera. Thanks for all the good advice guys. |
|
To the person that was
using my name in vain yesterday. Don’t let me catch you. All my love,
Ronald Reagan. |
Dear
Sen. Nelson C/O
Laura_Fatovic@billnelson.senate.gov: I’m the fellow who asked the first
question at the town hall meeting in Key West: “What about bringing the
troops home?” I added, “Yesterday,” which you may or may not have heard. I
meant Iraq and Afghanistan. When you finished your perhaps ten minute reply,
which was about Iraq and did not include Afghanistan, I raised my hand again
because I wanted to ask how you voted about the U.S. going into Iraq, which
you did not mention in your narrative of about ten minutes. After the
meeting ended, I asked your aide how you’d voted in the beginning? He said
you voted in favor, based on what you knew. I asked if he knew your position
now: like, if you had it to do over again? He said you wish you had it to do
over again. I have to be honest, Senator, I just didn’t know how anyone with
walking around sense could have fallen for what National Guard dodger George
W. Bush and Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney were putting out. Nor can I
understand how anyone who voted in favor of going into Iraq, but now thinks
it was all a big mistake and isn’t howling to bring the troops home
yesterday, is still in office.
GoodMorningKeyWest.com |

President Bush was involved in a very serious conversation with Dick
Cheney. Dick told the President that during the occupation of Iraq 4
Brazilians were killed. The President let out a big sign and looked at
Cheney and asked, "Number-wise, how many is in a brizillion?" |
|
[Sewer line] I was told
recently that the new sewer line won't be going to my location because it's
too far from the highway. Surrounded as I am by above-ground, noisy,
odiferous, aerobic septic systems, I hope that's not the case. The County
found my system just fine in order to charge me for water! |

[Key West writer gains recognition] Bucket of Strangers, Frank
J. Basham’s first novel, has been named “Book of the Week” by Publish
America. |
|
A New
York man has been locked up for taking his snake for a walk. Curtis
Dewberry, 35, was spotted walking down a major road with the 14ft Burmese
python wrapped around his body. He was seen on Montauk Highway, Long Island,
by an officer for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals who
called the police. Dewberry has been charged with animal cruelty and failure
to protect the public against dangerous wildlife. He is being held in
custody.
The
70lb snake will be sent to an out-of-state reptile habitat. Burmese pythons
are native to Southeast Asia and need temperatures of at least 45 degrees to
survive. SPCA Capt Robert Aversano said: "The fact that he was out in the
cold weather was not good for the animal," he said, adding that the snake
was "resting comfortably." A witness to the arrest said: "He was just
walking by with a snake. He wasn't doing anything wrong. "I asked him, 'Is
that real?' And he said, 'Yeah.' Next thing I know, he was being arrested." |
|

Interview concerning the impeachment of Dick Cheney.
throw
da bums out |
|
What I
actually said was sell one of the 3 properties instead of complaining
about not being able to pay the taxes. Someone owning 3 properties has more
financial choices and options than someone with one property. Everything
else is redundant.
There's
no relationship between mental capacity and domicile status. Absence of
correct grammar and reasonable discussion defines "stupid". It seems like
lately those with more are tending toward outright aggression towards those
with less. |
|

Just the other day someone was asking about Edward who used to manage R2R
Auto Repair Center in Big Pine. My name is Sonia and I live on Big Pine
and I've been dating Edward for the past 9 months and we’re living together,
He's really a swell guy. We plan on getting married in June. We are opening
an Auto Repair Center in Marathon soon near On Time Taxi. He was a fair
manager and friend to a lot of people in Big Pine. I sent his picture to the
Gallery to see if we are talking about the same Edward. I love you very
much, Edward and I’m backing you up 100% Amor. |
|
Beginning January 31,
2008, border crossers will be asked to present documents denoting
citizenship and identity when entering the United States through land and
sea ports of entry. This change primarily affects United States and Canadian
citizens, who have previously been permitted entry by oral declaration
alone, and marks the transition toward standard and consistent documents for
all travelers entering the country. It is also the start of a more robust
and concerted public education campaign, intended to inform travelers of
document requirements which will be implemented next year. |
|
 |
|
The sewer system would
probably be paid for if the county had used the revenues from the increase
in home valuation over the last 8 years or so, instead of pissing it away
on parks no one will use and other feel-good projects. If the roof is
leaking, you shouldn't be spending money on a new television. |
[Transparent
toaster invented]
Burnt toast could soon be a thing of the past thanks to the world's first
transparent toaster.
The new concept glass toaster, which lets you see your
bread as it browns, is from product developer Inventables. The idea is based
on transparent heating glass technology and the idea is that the glass heats
up enough to toast the bread. It means people can keep their eye on their
breakfast and eject the slice at the moment it turns the perfect color. This
would eradicate the need to put the bread back down and run the risk of
having to scrape burnt toast. However, a traditional timer dial is still
incorporated into the design, for people who are too busy to keep an eye on
their bread. A downside to the current design is that it only fits one piece
of bread at a time. |
|
[CO2 emissions]
In my submission yesterday I goofed big time. My post was captioned
CO2 Emissions,
in it I made several statements about CO2 creation in burning jet fuel. In
one I said that it had been reported that the burning produces "3.16 pounds
of CO2 for each
gallon of jet fuel burned", on another line I said it produces
"3.62 pounds of CO2 per
gallon".
In each instance where I used "gallon" I should have used the word "pound".
I said I was a dumb, old dude, I guess this is proof positive. (Ed:
That’s okay, no one understood it anyway.) |

Gold is approaching $1000 an ounce. Whew! |
|
[FWS has bought flea
market] I know the post was in
jest, but it
would be nice if they actually did something for the deer. I called about a
young fawn with a leg bone protruding through its skin and they never even
came to look. |

[A sure way to get rid of iguanas] Fleming Outdoors recommends a #2
beaver leg trap , it sells for $9.95 each. If it doesn’t kill them it will
take a big enough chunk out of ‘em so they can’t move very quickly so you
can get ‘em with a shovel. |
|
Princess Diana and
Mother Teresa died in the same week. Coincidence? |

Jeff Beck, in his prime, was like a wild crazy man with an electric wire
stuck up his butt. |
|
Marathon had nice
Christmas lights this year. |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will delete it and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Saturday January
19, 2008 |
|
|
|
Friday
January 18, 2008
click F5 on your keyboard to
refresh animations |
|
To the
renter criticizing home owners for renting their properties for too much. I
ask where would you live if we sold our rentals? If the new owner were to
rent the same house the rent would be higher because he would have more
debt. The “unfortunates” are so down on everyone who worked hard, took great
risks and responsibility and got ahead that they can’t think rationally.
Sell the rental house because the rent is too high? How stupid, no wonder
you’re renting! |
|

I’ve read everything about
Amendment 1
and I still don’t know how to vote. When that is the case I usually vote no.
|
|
Is it
global warming or climate change? There is more to consider.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO9laiUXS1o |
|

How come driving west after the airport there is a sign saying Marathon?
Isn’t the airport in the City of Marathon? I thought Marathon was from the
Vaca cut to Knight Key. |
|
What is going on at Ramrod
Chevron? |
|
If a homeowner is renting his or
her rental house for less than $1300 or $1400/month, you can bet he
or she is losing plenty of money. To say that it's greedy to rent a
property for what it costs a person to own it is ignorant. Why should I
spend an entire week's wages to keep a tenant in my house? Shouldn't he
cover what it costs me? It's a renter's market, and I'm losing $1200 a
month
renting
my property for what the market will bear. $1800 a month rental income when
your mortgage is $3100 a month is charity, not greed. Rental properties
have much higher property tax than homesteads, which, to me, makes no sense
when affordable housing is so scarce. Why don't our local politicians who
ignore us so famously seek affordable housing out of all these empty
properties we own by cutting property taxes? Congresswoman Ileana
Ros-Lehtinen told me when I told her about my in-the-red rental business
that I'm one of the good guys, renting my property at a loss. I don't want
to be the good guy. My children need me to find a way to stop losing my
ass.
The obvious solution is to sell,
because, as home values are going down, I'm coughing up $1200 a month
raising the already high amount I have into my property. I want out! I
have enough trouble keeping a roof over my kids' and my heads, even without
my terrible rental investment. We so-called "greedy" landlords, in my
opinion, are the victims in this situation because you can't even sell your
house if you want to. You're stuck handing over your paycheck if you don't
want to go into foreclosure. |
|

[Burying fish in garden for fertilizer] There's a tad bit of
difference in burying fish remains and three 6' sharks and it sounds like he
didn't even bother to gut them, it's no wonder they exploded thru the dirt.
That would be kind of like burying three bodies in shallow graves and
expecting it not to stink. Moderation is the key. |
|
What
is going on with the clearing out at the TIB bank property at the light
on Big Pine? Are they finally going to build a bank after more than twenty
years of false starts? |
|

Todd Snider is a very laid back dude who would likely be honored to
sing the Conch Republic anthem. I’ve seen him perform three times in Ohio.
Party on Todd! Beer Run – sung by Todd
http://www.toddsnider.net/ |
|
My wife
and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met. ~Rodney Dangerfield |
|
Ron
Paul seems to be beating Rudy Giuliani in just about every state. Wasn't
Rudy supposed to be electable based on the media? Why do people let
the media dictate who is electable? The people who say don't vote your
conscience, don't vote for whom they believe will do the best, but instead
vote for whom is electable based on the media. To those fools, I say the
media is not the beholder of the all mighty truth. Vote your heart, don't
listen to fools. It shall be a sad day when someone does not get elected for
the simple fact the media says that person is not electable. When that
happens the media has decided who will be running for office. That is
assuming it has not already happened. I wonder if these fools believe one
vote really matters. Numbers matter and the media know this. |
|
Fred Thompson isn't running, it's more like he's
walking. |
|

So begins the great Gif-off of 2008. |
|
To
the person complaining about $1300 or $1400 a month rent. You must
remember that it costs three to four thousand a month to own an average
house in the Lower Keys. Not including the down payment. It cost about
$2000 a month for principle and interest then you have to about double it to
account for windstorm, flood, and homeowners insurance. Because it is hard
to get more than two thousand a month for long term rent, the home owner is
subsidizing half of the cost of someone living in their home. |
|

[So there I was, just relaxing in front of the TV when the kids yelled, "Hey
Dad, come see the kittens."] This is why I look forward to the
Coconut Telegraph every day. Daily comic relief. |
|
[It's
no wonder people don't take things seriously when these nutcases keep
making front page news when running for office. ~govwatch2007@yahoo.com]
As I recall, you also ran for office. And lost! |
|
|
|
[Vote for Hillary Clinton because
men haven't done anything but screw things up?] Hillary can't even
control her old man, how in the hell is she going to control a country?
Nancy Pelosi was elected on a similar platform, talk about screw ups and
getting nothing done. Women could run America very well. We American men
love you, but (here comes the hate post response) the countries threatening
and holding America hostage do not believe in equality, women's rights or
bargaining with women, you are below them. They stone, beat and kill women
without a second thought if she steps out of line. They do not respect women
like we do. |
|

Remember that there was more than one war drum beating and they were
beating very loudly. Hopefully this is a cure for selective amnesia.
http://www.bercasio.com/movies/dems-wmd-before-iraq.wmv |
|
[8'
image of myself] It sounds like you have a bad case of short man's
syndrome along with a lot of megalomania thrown in. |
|
Our
1st female president Ms. Jimmy Carter allowed Iran to keep 52
American hostages for over a year. She could not negotiate with fanatics
because they didn't respect or fear her. The day Mr. Ronald Reagan was sworn
in, the hostages were freed. It's as simple as Wimpy vs. Powerful (it’s the
Alpha dog syndrome). Not everyone respects women like us American guys do,
we think you're wonderful! (insert heavy sigh here) |
|
[CO2 Emissions] I’m a dumb
old dude, but I tend to worry a lot about things that are probably beyond
worrying about. For example I’ve just read in one magazine that a jet
aircraft engine actually generates more carbon by weight into the atmosphere
than the fuel it burns. They claim it produces 3 pounds of CO2 for each
pound of fuel it burns. An outfit called Friends of the Earth claims 3.16
lbs of CO2 for each gallon of jet fuel. Yet another outfit called Earth Lab
claims 3.62 lbs of CO2 per gallon. This makes me worry, each of these
entities claims to be the straight talkers, they say that jet travel is
killing the earth; they say that their science is immutable. Each of these
sources touts us onto buying carbon credits.
The
idea is that if you’ve got big bucks and pay them a lot of your big bucks
they will plant trees to “soak up” the carbon. If you’ve got big bucks and
spend it on their carbon credits, it becomes righteous to fly your jet plane
or drive your Hummer. Here’s my worry: If their science is immutable, why
aren’t their CO2 generation figures identical? In fact they disagree by
21%. I’m no scientist, but how in the heck can burning one unit of anything
result in a having greater weight of material than you started with? It
sounds like alchemy to me. These are the same folks who will require you to
replace all your common old light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs that are
filled with mercury, that can kill you. The same folks who want to take
control of your home’s thermostat so that the government can dictate at what
temp you can keep your home. (No kidding, this is true, Check out the
initiative in California.) All of this while the claims that man is causing
global warming are becoming more and more suspect. The same folks who work
diligently to stop us from using our own petroleum resources, the same folks
who believe in global government. Ladies, save your furs (man-made, of
course), the chill will be back. |
|
[A
simple equation on the affordable housing crisis] Demand vs. supply
sets the price for stuff + a free enterprise economy = I shoulda stayed in
school |
|

Act natural. Go green |
|
[Immigration]
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here
in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be
treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to
discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or
origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an
American and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance
here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an
American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag. We have
room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we
have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American
people."
The
year is 1907, one hundred years ago. Theodore Roosevelt’s speech on
immigrants and being an American. |
|

Find an astronomy club or organization near you.
SkyandTelescope.com - Clubs & Organizations |
|
[KW
Citizen trashes Tom Willis's reputation] The Citizen has
done nothing to trash Mr. Willi’s reputation. He had done a more than
adequate job of that himself! |
|

[Fish carcasses not in the canal] These carcasses were fed to the
predators on the reef rather than rot in the canal. This was a result of
simple communication among neighbors. No cops were involved. Yes, those are
fly maggots. They need to eat too. |
|
[8' image of myself on the
side of my van] It’s not too much if you're running for office, you're
Mister Softee, or you're an airbrushed, topless, Amazon woman fending off a
dragon with a sword. Then it's cool. |
|
[Scenic
Highway Grant Workshops] The free workshops, sponsored by the Florida
Keys Scenic Corridor Alliance, will help individuals and organizations learn
how to apply for grants for highway beautification monies.
The
presenter is Janet Seitlin, who was the Florida Department of Transportation
Scenic Highway liaison with Monroe County. Seitlin is now a consultant,
working with Salmon and Dulberg Resolution Services focusing on facilitating
public policy workshops. She was involved with the scenic highway program
in the Keys from its early days.
Seitlin
will kick off her workshops with an overview of the Florida Scenic Highways
program and how the local Scenic Corridor fits into that. Then she will
take participants through the America’s Byways website and the grants
application process. Participants must bring their laptop - wireless
connections will be available for each session. Workshops are open to
everyone.
Bulletin Board |
|

Mars is big and bright. |
|
Big
Pine Key H lots for sale.
VIEW
KeyLargoKey.com |
|
The
poster who wrote who’s to blame for the current economic and energy melt
down was right on the money. If we could only get a little compromise and
common sense. Here’s an idea: use nukes’ heat for processing out
bio-fuels and our electricity and you could make some hydrogen as well.
|
|
I'm a democrat and sorry these
candidates suck. We went through Jimmy Carterville once and raising
taxes will stifle the little growth we have. It doesn’t matter how much you
make, it is yours period. The hate-the-rich thing is BS just to get your
vote. Giving more to this government is insane; these Washingturds all need
to be flushed and the tree huggers need to learn to compromise a little. |
|

[Tarot cards] Do you really mean you have no idea what the
difference between astronomy and astrology it? In the immortal words of Mr.
T "I pity the fool." |
|
[putting an 8' image of myself on the side of my van] That probably
would depend on your chosen attire for said image, and what you have to put
in it. (the attire, not the van) |
|
[Two
Presidents talk] Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad calls President
George Bush and tells him, "George, I had a wonderful dream last night. I
could see America, the whole beautiful country, and on each house I saw a
banner." "What did it say on the banners," George asks. Mahmud replies,
"United States of Iran." George says, "You know, Mahmud, I am really happy
you called because believe it or not last night I had a similar dream. I
could see all of Iran, and it was more beautiful than ever, and on each
house flew an enormous banner." "What did it say on the banners," asks
Mahmud. George answers, "I don't know. I can't read Hebrew."
Learn to write Hebrew |
|
[Let's
give a woman a shot at it] Not a bad idea, but make it the
right
woman, not a proven
socialist. |
|

[Men haven't done anything, but screw things up]
This has to take first place for Blonde Jokes! Ha,
ha, ha! Women are the problem in this country. You have castrated all
the men to the point we dare not talk back, deny you anything and try to be
invisible like a squid when you are ragging. When we men gave into your
whims we lost all our manhood. Some things the Arabs do right! |
|
Next time, ask Sen. Bill Nelson
if the US should also redeploy troops from the former Yugoslavia. Remember
that US troops were sent there by "The Father of 9/11" to fight the "Monica
War". |
|
Some people spend an entire
lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the
Marines don't have that problem. ~Ronald Reagan |
|
[Summary
of the republican debates] I’m Ronald Reagan, no I’m Ronald Reagan, I
was mayor of New York, well, I, Ronald Reagan, remember that, but I’m
America’s mayor not just New York’s. What was so great about Ronald Reagan?
He did indeed cut taxes but he also had a budget that far outspent what was
brought in. I don’t remember doing that and I’m Ronald Reagan. God help us
if any one of these dolts get into office. Talk about a bunch of whackos.
Give them hell, Hillary. I never thought I would say this, but Hillary is
indeed leaps and bounds ahead of these goofs intelligence-wise. |
|
[8' image of myself on van] You
must be the Oscar Meyer Weiner man? I think 8 ft. is overkill. |
|

[The almost real scope on the flea market] FWS has bought the
property. They will have a deer roundup (to be announced) and will build a
large corral with a 16' fence and will have a deer hospital and a petting
zoo too. |
|
Downs
is running for Sheriff? Wasn't she banned from the Sheriff's
property because of her behavior? If this is some sort of a joke, I'm not
laughing. |
|

Iguanas, wife beater realtor, Mexicans, flea market sold, alligator killers,
Sloan Bashinsky, fish carcasses. (just thought I’d stir it up again) |
|
[housing crunch] "Rich
boys, rich boys, watcha gonna do” when your bucks go poofh! |
|
The deadline for publishing is
6am
Include Coconut Telegraph in the subject line of your email or our
spam filters will delete it
and we can't publish it.
Photo Gallery |
|
Friday January 18,
2008 |
|
|
|
Thursday
January 17, 2008 |
|

Ed Brian Koressell was arrested yesterday in Key West for falsely claiming a
homestead exemption on his Big Coppitt home. He lives in Kentucky
where he is in trouble for some other illegal stuff he does. One down,
twelve thousand to go. |
|
Property tax revenue is always
on the increase. As everyone argues about amendment 1, nobody mentions
the largest increases of all. Pick a time slot where real estate and
construction were doing well. Let's say from 1999 to 2004. Staggering
numbers of houses were built in Florida creating large amounts of revenue
where little or none was before. Thousands of existing homes were sold for
double or even triple the amount the previous owner was being taxed on. All
of those homes are now being taxed at the new sale price. That's one hell of
a raise the government gets without lifting a finger. Where did all that
money go? Based on that, they should be able to give us a tax break without
having to make it up elsewhere. As we give them more money they just find
new things to waste it on. |
|
[Burying
fish in garden for fertilizer] I remember years ago in KW when my friend
came home with three six foot sharks he got from the docks. He dug a big
hole in his yard and buried the bodies hoping they would decompose and
fertilize the banana plants he planted on top. It didn’t quite work out that
way. Evidently he didn’t bury the carcasses deep enough and they sort of
exploded through the layer of dirt he had above them with the bananas. There
were maggots and guts and slime everywhere. The worst thing was the smell.
It went all through my house which was next door to his. He had to remove
the plants and remove the gore and maggot mush and mud and dig the hole much
deeper into the marl. Then he had to put the mush back in, cover it with
dirt and replant the bananas. I noticed in the next few years he always
bought fertilizer from Linsley’s. |
|
[vacant
lots on Big
Pine Key] Yeah sure, I'm going to sign over an environmental easement so I
can never do with those lots what I want to do and for what, a $10 tax
reduction that they will get back with the next increase. Geeze ya'll, none
of us that worked and earned enough to get these houses and lots could turn
out that stupid. I would love to build a garage and put a fence around the
lots and a seawall (soil retention unit), oops, dreaming again. Heck, at
least I can keep them clean and neat and it makes the place look good to me
and I hope neat and clean for my neighbors. |
|

60˘ on a $3.50 box of cookies is not very much profit for our little Girl
Scouts to get. They should bake their own and keep all the profit. |
|
The
proposed prescribed burn on the north end of Big Pine Key is not in pine
rockland habitat. It is in an area that was West Indian hardwood, buttonwood
forest, scrub buttonwood wetlands, and fringing red mangrove. The buttonwood
forest was heavily cut for charcoal production for the fuel market in Key
West from the 1880's until 1905. It has one of the most pristine large salt
ponds in North America. This system was set afire several times in the
1970's and 80's to help feed the Key Deer. It didn't burn very well because
it is not in any way a fire related ecosystem.
It had
recovered from all this abuse very nicely, but has been losing almost all of
the hammock due to sea level rise and the burns. It has recovered amazingly
well from an 8 ft. storm surge that went over it in Hurricane Wilma. Now the
USFWS is cutting down the buttonwood so they can burn it. This is absolutely
crazy!
Are
they are doing this to help the Lower Keys marsh rabbit? There are at least
4 or 5 rabbits out there. They are reproducing. There is enough grass
already to feed a couple of dozens more. Guess what? The rabbit eats
buttonwood too and the buttonwood also provides shelter from its main
predator, hawks. |
|
A
new variety of staph bacteria, highly resistant to antibiotics and
possibly transmitted by sexual contact, is spreading among gay men in San
Francisco, Boston, New York and Los Angeles. The study released online by
the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found the highest concentrations of
infection by the drug-resistant bug in and around San Francisco's Castro
district and among patients who visit health clinics that treat HIV
infections in gay men in San Francisco and Boston. |
|
A heart warming gesture for party
unity was made Tuesday. Clinton and Obama decided to stop all gender
and racial attacks by burying their hatchets. Too bad they didn't bury them
in each other! Is that comment a racial or gender slur, or just wishful
thinking? They're both promising illegals a "path to citizenship" and the
media hasn't covered it. |
|

Some reader At the end of the year thanked BPK for 2000 or so Gif
animations he had saved. I too am a collector (not all stolen from
BPK.com). I think we should have a Gif-off. |
|
[Who do
you think provides real affordable housing] Certainly not most of the
owners of rental properties, based on most Monroe County rents. How is
having to pay rent of $1000 or more a month "real affordable housing"?
According to the Shimberg report (used by county to justify affordable
housing activities) 87% of renters are paying more than 50% of their monthly
income on housing. The owners of rental properties actually contribute to
keeping Keys costs so inflated. It's still all about greed. Why charge
$1300 or $1400 per month rent? Because renters will pay that, because they
have to.
Retaining ownership using the rational of providing "affordable housing" is
a guise. Someone owning 3 properties has the resources to afford paying the
taxes. Possibly, the more accurate complaint is that the selling price is
now lower than in previous years. I guess rental property owners either are
part of the problem, or part of the solution, depending on which you are.
|
|

To the person that is looking for an Astronomy Club. I think there's one in
Marathon. They also do Tarot card readings! |
|
[Michigan has highest
unemployment] What's with the people of Michigan voting for Romney, a
guy who spent twenty years buying up companies, breaking them up, selling
off assets and laying off workers? Go figure. |

A private company claims they have cloned a human. I thought that's
what Al Gore was! |
|
Let's just eliminate all taxes
and watch the economy really take off. |
|
Key West airport noise
complaints phone number 294-9595 |
|
Before
the ants take over the aliens will save Earth. I envision a green
planet with no need of roads, boats, utility poles, petrol. I hope there
will still be beer. With their stealthy and zippy UFOs and USOs,
transportation doesn’t concern the people that live peacefully amongst the
saviors. There is no war unless it is against other planets. All of that
nonsense will be away from the homeland. Then that dreaded burnout of the
Sun will occur and who knows? Or was that the idiosyncratic theory of
global warming? Could it actually be a “message” and should it be Global
Warning? |
|
Vote
for Hillary Clinton. Men haven't done anything, but screw things up.
Let's give a woman a shot at it. Girls rule! |
|

So there I was, just relaxing in front of the TV when the kids yelled, "Hey
Dad, come see the kittens." |
|
(It
was Willi’s fault that he ignored emails telling him how to actually
receive the money) I didn't realize that
this Blog was controlled by a biased editor. My mistake.
I didn't post the part in parentheses. Tom wasn't
the liaison for the money, and if you read the papers Ileana was just in the
Keys the other day to dole out the money. Willi's been out of office for
well over a month now. (Ed: That’s what I read in the papers.) |
|

First Bicycle Joanie, then Sloan, now Sandra Downs? Enough is enough.
If we ever want good politicians in this county, we have to stop making a
mockery of the elections. These people insult all of us by seriously
thinking they can actually do the job they are running for. It's no wonder
people don't take things seriously when these nutcases keep making front
page news when running for office. ~govwatch2007@yahoo.com |
|
Nope, that isn't what I wrote. I
wrote in my submission The very idea to vote against tax reduction to
hold your taxes down, ain't very well thought out. Now that is the
color, meaning and focus of the point. It was lost in your profound gift
of editing. |
|

[teenager's destructive party]
You left out
the part where the "little worthless welp" said if his parents weren't back
from vacation by the next weekend he was going to have another party. |
|
You can find out about the Girl
Scout cookie profits from the Cookie Captain for the local Service
Unit. They have a breakdown on how much goes to the troop, the council and
the bakers. There is usually some for sales tax too. This may not be the
case in FL since it is a food item. When I worked with the cookies back in
KS, it amazed me how much the council paid to the state for sales tax. Girl
Scouts is a non-profit organization, but was still required to pay in
Kansas. Contact the council if you don’t get the information you want. I
believe the closest one is in Miami. |
FWS
is going to slash and burn the buttonwoods as settlers did 100 yrs
ago. You would think we'd have learned our lesson about the hazards of that
practice long ago. We wipe out the very thing that protects the island and
the Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit. At least the earlier settlers had an
excuse--fuel. Charcoal to be exact. What is FWS excuse? To save a
species? Hogwash! Some yahoo from out of state says do it and our FWS
just cuts, slashes and burns, burns, burns. Will the rabbit benefit? FWS
will say it does because they are judge, jury and the criminal all wrapped
in one. After all, there is no such thing as a bad burn. Just look around
Sugarloaf, Cudjoe Key and BPK. Good burns that left nothing but dead
trees. You’ve made our beautiful place ugly USWS. Slap yourselves on the
back as you wipe out the rabbits. |
|
Reverse osmosis
is
legal in Monroe County. It must be permitted and the last time I knew,
you can actually gain ROGO points by doing it. |
|

[Another real scoop on the flea market] Elders from the Seminole Indian
tribe were seen at the flea market in their ceremonial garb and plan to
purchase the property and will build a casino, water park, strip mall and
restaurant row because they are the only ones who can get highest use from
property. |
|
Will the hometown democracy
thing allow the usual big loudmouths around here another chance to try and
run things? |
|

Does anyone know how Tina Ramlow is doing? |
|
[Amendment 1] I am a
property owner here in the Keys for the past 20 years. I recently brought a
property on the mainland. The taxes in my termite riddle trailer are $400 a
year. $350 goes to garbage. My taxes on the mainland are $1500, no
homestead status. When I left NY 26 years ago I paid $1500 a year in taxes
for a 60x40 piece of property on a canal. My friends who still live there
pay upward of $8000 a year. Sometimes we never know when we have it so good.
|
|

Other posters here have given you some advice on the reasons the fish
carcasses should not be thrown into the canal. Once you have explained
to your neighbor, if he still continues, do what I do. Go out with a
camcorder or camera and record him doing it, and tell him if he does it
anymore, you will be turning the film over to the authorities. That usually
works. |
|
"CAFE"
standards stand for: Corporate Average Fuel Economy. |
When
did the rules change for the coconut telegraph? I thought that when
someone wrote in attacking someone else the writer's email would be
displayed. Is the new policy aimed at protecting the cowards? I can think
of several fire and rabbit posts that make personal attacks. |
|
I love the way our officials
simply ignore us. They do the old three step. Let the peasants gripe and
moan for three days and they will forget all about what ever they were
bitching about. If you hire a whore you get a whore. If you hire a
politician you get a whore with a lawyer behind him! |
|

My neighbor is quite a great fisherman. He used to throw fish carcasses
in our Big Pine canal. I explained the oxygen depletion that this
practice caused. Further I explained that we do not have crabs in our canals
because the oxygen levels are so low. Crabs require higher O2 levels than
fish. He nicely complied. Just communicate rather than getting the
government involved. |
|
Less government equals
lower taxes. |

You knew this was coming. I'm surprised it took this long to show up.
(Note the price.) |
|
I am thinking of putting an 8'
image of myself on the side of my van, does anyone think that might be
too much? |
|

I have a snowshoe female cat who will be 1 year old in March. I am
looking to have her mate with a male snowshoe cat before I have her fixed. I
am in Cudjoe Key. Does anyone out there have a male Snowshoe! cat? |
|
Patricia is having surgery
tomorrow up on the mainland and all of her friends wish her a speedy
recovery so she can get back onboard and go on adventures with us. |
|

[Stupid Tourist Question] Sitting in the Lobby Bar in the Radisson
Hotel, a tourist came in and asked "Is this the Tiki Bar."
Stupid Tourist
Questions |
| Like the
man in the Godfather said "If $350 billion is only a minimal amount to be
in debt to China I applaud you Godfather." Owing only 350 B
to a communist country is now good politics? Yeah, okay. Guess what?
Tomorrow it will be more. Then the next day and the next day and... |
|
[Wastewater]
Dear Mayor McCoy, In reference to the letter to you from Chairman Stan
Mayfield (copy attached), I respectfully request that the County Commission
take immediate action to address the issues raised in his letter. Chairman
Mayfield will be instrumental in us obtaining state funding so a speedy
response to his requests are very important. I thank you for your attention
to this matter.
Keys interim project plan.
Sincerely, Ron Saunders, State
Representative, District 120 |
|
[Recession] Those who say
we are not in a recession are right, but it may not be long before we are.
It looks like the economy across the board is in not great, but it’s in okay
shape, except for two huge segments; oil prices and housing which is credit
dependant. The credit/housing situation is only a passing problem; market
forces will affect a cure. It is vital that we recognize that petroleum
availability is our single biggest national problem. Our utter abject
dependence on foreign supplies of petroleum is the single biggest threat to
our nation. Every single aspect of your life is petroleum dependant. Every
single individual who has been a part of permitting this to happen should
hang their head in shame. We now find our President begging the Arab oil
producers to lower prices for the oil that is currently absolutely necessary
for our security and way of life. If I were supplying our petro needs I
would look on the USA with scorn. Can you doubt that they see us as a weak
and quivering entity?
Let’s
first think about who is to blame for our situation, let’s get that out of
the way. I suggest you grab a mirror and take a good look at one of the
causes of the problem. Unless you have yelled at our politicos to start
harvesting our own ample oil supplies, you are part of the problem. Unless
you have loudly supported exploiting our offshore resources, you’re part of
the problem. Our failure to exploit our resources such as nuclear, biomass,
geothermal, photovoltaic, wind energy, tidal energy, coal, coal
gasification, etc. may well result in our demise as a world leader. Many see
fuel efficient cars, and gadget light bulbs as a panacea, they ignore the
fact that petro products are absolutely necessary for everything we consume,
use, touch, or wear. I’m convinced that the environmentalists must
shoulder the major share of the blame. It is the mission of the “green”
minions to deny us nuclear, coal, wind energy, and exploitation of our
existing petro assets. We see incredible hyping of hydrogen fuel for autos,
yet there is no foreseeable way to produce hydrogen in an environmentally
friendly fashion that even resembles economy. They love hydrogen, but they
hate having to produce it. In a like fashion they tout ethanol. Again, the
current processes for conversion of bio mass to ethanol is less eco-friendly
than fossil fuel use. Did I mention that using the bio mass takes food out
of the marketplace? These eco folks will likely dither us into oblivion.
For sure, we will hear a lot of crap in the political wars now waging about
who is to blame for this and sundry other subjects, but the single biggest
problem that we face as a nation is our petro supply. If we can exploit our
own energy resources, we can use our food producing prowess for what ever
good purpose it might serve. Figure about which candidate has a plan to
accomplish this and use your vote intelligently. |
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The new Conch Republic anthem.
Beer Run |
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The Republicans are the party
of bad ideas. The Democrats are the party of no ideas. ~Lewis Black |
As I pondered an email reply from
James R. Brooks, Public Affairs Officer, USN, George Cooper came into
Sippin’ Internet Café on Eaton Street in Key West and asked if I was writing
a new piece? I said I was wrestling with one, or something like that. George
was instrumental in getting Tropic Cinema up and running, and seems to be
well-liked in Key West. He said I should keep writing and leave off running
for
office;
the writing is more important. I said I had written about that just that
morning: had he read the post yet? No, but he would later.
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