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Monday June 30, 2008

A 700 page report was released by the Pentagon today. It said there were not enough troops in the first two years of the war. Repeated request for more troops were ignored. After the fall of Hussein, Washington considered the war was won.

[Spin] I have a feeling the tens of thousands of families that have lost members due to the Iraq occupation, the millions that have been forced to leave Iraq since the war began, and the people seeing another country’s troops riding military vehicles thru their streets daily don’t feel all warm and fuzzy because they can vote for whatever Muslim leader they want (as long as he has been approved by the religious consul). Using your logic Cuba is a great successful democracy because they too have elections. And as you said, "Is their democracy exactly like ours? No, but it beats what was there before". You’ve got to love the 27-percenters’ logic. It spins and spins and spins. If you think militias being allowed to control large portions of a country is a true sign of democracy I’m sure you would love West Virginia to be controlled by a bunch of Catholic nuns. No wonder Conservatives have been getting their arses handed to them the last few years. The GOP is old men with old ideas trying to cling on for political life in an ever changing world. No thanks. You’ve had over 8 years at national decision making and have failed horribly. Fear is all you have left to sell.                               

The greatest tragedy of Bush's War in Iraq is the four and a half million displaced Iraqis who have fled the country to avoid the violence. Consider what it would be like if four and a half million Floridians had to leave their homes, their property, and their country to avoid being killed.  Most of these people have gone to Syria, some to Jordan. They will forever blame the United States for costing them their way of life.  Bush's War has also succeeded in wiping out the entire Christian population of approximately one million Iraqi Christians.  You don't hear about this tragedy, but our occupation brought out the Muslim radicals and our Army provided no protection for Christian churches or worshipers.  The one million Christians have been systematically killed except for a few that have been able to get out of Iraq.  So when the Republican Administration keeps telling you what a success Bush's War has been, say a prayer for these millions of Iraq people who have no home and no future.  And say an extra prayer that only a few terrorists will be produced from these poor displaced people.

[My husband has MRSA] What’s wrong with people who think everyone knows what initials mean for their various diseases with multi letters instead of real names someone might recognize. “Hi Jim, how’re you?” “Oh, not too good. I got UVLR which mutated from a simple case of GLMP.”

The Iraqi constitution is only a bunch of words on a piece of paper.  Little written on it is matched with the reality of that country. If a Christian ran for office he would be gunned down. The Iraqi “democracy” is just another word to them. You can print all the words you want, but they won’t change the fact that Iraq is a theocracy not a democracy. There is a big difference in the two ideologies. A theocracy is not worth dying for.

[Flood Insurance] I think if a house was built after, let’s say 1980 or so, and is on stilts, flood insurance should not be required to have a mortgage. Floods only kill our plants and ruin stuff left under the house. Floods have never damaged a stilt house here. We don’t have high levees to worry about, only the storm surge.

Don’t quote me, but might it not be more accurate to characterize Mario as BEING a cancer rather than his HAVING a cancer? Having cancer is a condition which entitles one to at least a modicum of sympathy. Being one makes one something that needs to be excised.
 
I didn’t come right out and say it that way, but I do view the Gang of Three as something that needs to be excised, all other efforts to turn them in a new (Keys and Keys people) direction having failed, as far as I can see.
 
I read really hot comments in a front page article of today’s KW Citizen, from Frances Leach, about the County cutting out its shuttle, on which many of our seniors rely to get around, as well as for Hurricane evacuation. I play bridge with Frances at the Senior Center, adjacent to the Harvey Government Center in KW. She’s a terrific lady, and if she is all hot and bothered about something, our 5 county commissions ought to get into lockstep and do something about it.
 
[I forgot to mention to unquotable that I heard recently from the person who looks after the Senior Center for the County that it may be on the chopping block itself. I’m sure Frances will be thrilled to hear that.]
 
An excellent letter to the editor from Chuck Chartrand of Big Pine Key in this morning’s Citizen, about closing the Big Pine and other libraries, also is on point. I could not agree more with him and what many people are saying: We are going to close libraries while we move forward with the Vandenberg and sit on the Hickory House Restaurant? As I recall, Mario, Dixie and Sonny voted in lockstep on those two items.
 
It might amaze you to read what I’m about to say, but about three months ago, at a meet-the-candidates luncheon hosted by the Florida Keys Contractors Association at Sombrero County Club in Marathon, Dixie told the audience that there was no such thing at the Gang of Three, and they did not vote in lockstep. I nearly fell out of my chair. Then this awful thought came to me: maybe Dixie really believed what she said. I’m used to politicians saying what they hope they can get away with, but to hear one say something that is more than a wee bit beyond the edge of reality, well, the word “excise” suddenly just floated into my thoughts again. Today'sFloridaKeysDrivel

It seems we’re blaming everyone else for high energy prices. How much does a barrel of American oil cost? Is it cheaper than Arab oil?

[Nuclear waste] Yucca Mountain repository was found “faulty”. Like everywhere on this rock, all bad stuff gets into our water.

[Nihilist] I feel kind of sad for the poster who yesterday managed to rag on every side of nearly every issue that we’ve seen under discussion on the site.  He ragged on liberals, conservatives, tree huggers, and just about everything except his dog.  I guess that’s a pretty lonely place to be, but I can see how easy it would be to get there.  Just think, you’d never have to make up your mind about what’s right or wrong, you’d never have to have beliefs in anything, you’d never worry about anything, everything that is accomplished by the hand of man is always wrong.  There’s no reason to excel or to even try because we’re doomed.  There’s a term that describes this poster, he’s a nihilist.  That’s defined as a person who holds “a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless “, his is “a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths”.  I don’t feel too sad though, I think he chooses to feel that way, it’s easy, no sweat ever.  I wouldn’t want to be around if his dog pisses on his leg.

[Nuclear waste] The results from the Department of Energy’s own studies are startling: They showed Yucca could not geologically isolate wastes, because water flows much faster from the surface through the mountain to the water table than had been expected.
~Yucca was formed from volcanic ash and is the only repository under consideration in the world that is above the water table, not below it.
~Yucca’s volcanic material is brittle and contains innumerable fractures and voids, some resembling a Swiss-cheese formation.
~DOE says the number of “water-conducting fractures” at Yucca is “on the order of one billion.”
~Fast water paths through the mountain make “geologic containment” a matter of 50 to 200 years, not the 250,000 years intended by scientists and Congress.
~The so-called “dry” rock is over 80% saturated with water, posing serious waste package corrosion risks.
~Yucca’s rock form and chemistry are uniquely conducive to the production of strong acids that can corrode through metal waste packages.
~Scientists agree that the primary risk at Yucca is water transporting radioactive wastes from corroding waste containers to the accessible environment.

Don’t fret, “We’re from the government and we’re here to help you.” Knowing Yucca could never meet geologic isolation requirements in place since the 1980s, DOE contrived a new set of “rules” in late 2001 to enable the Secretary of Energy to declare the repository is suitable anyway.

Deja vu Big Pine Key. The new park is scheduled to be completed about Aug. 5, and the BOCC last month agreed to use reserve funds to fund operation of the park until the new fiscal year Oct. 1 when park operations will be included in the budget. So what's new? They (BOCC) always find the funding when they want to do something. What happened to "We are broke" and "Need to raise taxes"?

There’s been raucous wailing about the price of crude oil, now it’s about $145 per barrel and climbing.  We sweat bullets about the price of gas, now it’s about $4.50 per gallon and still heading skyward.  It’s going to get worse and stay worse for a long time to come.  World wide demand will continue to outstrip supply.  About 66% of all petroleum that we use goes to keeping America moving.  About 62% of that petroleum is gasoline (cars), 24% is diesel (trucks), and the balance is jet fuel, natural gas and “other”. The remaining 34% of the petroleum we use goes to industry, residential, commercial, and the electric sector.  Don’t ever forget that we’re stuck in relying on foreigners to supply 2/3^rd of all the damned oil we need to survive.  We’ve got to change that. It’s dangerous to our national security and ruinous to our economy.  Because the lion’s share of the petroleum is sucked up by cars, that’s going to be our single biggest hurt. 

The first step in the process of abandoning gasoline will have to be a series of nation and industry wide decisions as to what the new energy source will be.  Will it be electricity, fuel cells, bio fuels, or some sort of melding of the technologies?  Now comes the tough and expensive part.  We’ll have to build a whole new nationwide infrastructure to deliver the energy to the vehicles.  Cars with a 100 mile range just won’t cut it, they won't sell.  While all this is going on, we’ll have to have the new technology vehicles designed, built, marketed, and delivered to us consumers.  All this has to be happening while we continue to use our gas burners until they wear out, and remember that the new rides are not going to be cheap.  Whatever happens we still will have to deal with the fact that 1/3^rd of the petroleum we use is required for something other than transportation, like chemicals, medicines, lubricants, industrial needs, etc.  All of this means that we’re going to need petroleum for a long time to come.  We need desperately to quit talking and get on with it.  I guess that now, an awful lot of Americans are realizing that we have some real problems that are going to require real solutions, not just talking points and wispy feel good emotion.  According to Zogby, 74% of us now support offshore drilling and 60% supports drilling in ANWR.  I wonder if any of this will force change on the liberal leaders of Congress who only have a 13% approval rating.  They make Bush look like a rock star or a genius at 27 % approval rating.

General Clark in defending Obama’s lake of leadership experience said (referring to McCain) just because someone gets shot down and spends years as a prisoner of war doesn’t give him the experience to run a country either. Ouch!

Thanks to your Classified Ads, I found the perfect tenant in just two days! I got more calls in response to this ad than the one I ran in the Citizen and better quality people too. Thank you.

[In defense of our local doctor] Liquor stores don't cause alcoholism. An unlocked door won't make a good person steal. Winn Dixie doesn't make people fat. Within a marriage one person may smoke and the other may not. I could go on and on. The addiction is in the person not the supplier. If you attend an AA meeting, The Budweiser distributor isn't there. He's not the one with the problem. Nor is he at fault. Please help your friend deal with the unfortunate situation they are in. I went through a period of time where I couldn't sleep and Dr. Grider helped me through it. He's an asset to our community and I thank him for it.

Bahia Honda with its exotic palm trees and all, is one of the true jewels of the keys. At least until the weekends when the Miami day trippers arrive en masse and trash the place.  Harvesting conch from the water, raping turtle nests for the eggs and general disrespect for the environs.  Adults and children alike are the perpetrators.  It makes me want to puke.

I’m looking for interested individuals or couples for a grassroots "health club" based on the ideas from the book "Younger Next Year" by Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry S. Lodge. This is for helping each other stay motivated with exercise and tips and ideas on eating healthy. A once a month social will be planned around an activity such as a local bike ride or doing a hiking trail or kayaking, etc. Also a once a year event around an activity such as a bike tour through the wine country, inn-to-inn cross country ski trip, etc.  If you are interested please call Candy at 305-289-2112. Please leave name and phone number on recorder if I am unavailable when you call. I will get back to you!

To the a**hole vilifying Dr. Grider. I'd like to punch your lights out. I wouldn't do it, I just fantasize doing it a lot.

[Motorcycle driving test] I don't know where you got your information but as far back as I care to remember you had to do a test ride to get your license.

ObamaCures.com give you the stuff you need to help that booger win! http://www.obamacures.com/

C Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment was formed during the Second World War by volunteers from Rhodesia. It was disbanded in 1955 and became the nucleus of "C" Squadron (Rhodesian) Special Air Service, operational from 1962. In June 1978 "C" Squadron (Rhodesian) Special Air Service became 1 (Rhodesian) Special Air Service Regiment until Rhodesia became Zimbabwe in 1980.

[Change registration to vote in primary] I am writing to encourage everyone in our community to vote this August in the primary elections. This summer we only have a Republican primary. Florida is a closed state, which means that you must be registered as a Republican to vote in this primary. I would like to share some information to address some misconceptions about voting in this primary.

If you are not registered as a Republican, it is very easy to re-register on a short-term basis and therefore have an opportunity to vote this summer. There is no time limit on how long you must be registered in that party or stay registered afterwards in order to vote. It does not cost anything. It does not brand you as a Republican forever. It simply gives you a voice in this August election.

An important fact is that you must be registered to vote by July 28 to vote in the Aug. 26 primary. You may also vote by absentee ballot. Unlike in the city of Key West, where you can only vote in your district, everyone who lives in Monroe County can vote for all the county commissioners. The ballots in November are all identical and not determined by your party affiliation. You may choose to re-register back to your original party affiliation, or wait until after the November elections.

Forms for re-registering can be obtained in person at the Lester Building next to the courthouse on Whitehead Street, or downloaded at http://election.dos.state.fl.us/RegToVote/regform.shtml Forms for absentee voting are also available at this site. Information about early voting, or the entire ballot may be found at http://www.keys-elections.org.

The Republican representative for two commission seats, that of Dixie Spehar and Sylvia Murphy, are being challenged in this August primary. Many people have strong feelings about the current County Commission representatives, particularly as the commission has been voting consistently in a bloc of 3-2. Many issues of growth management are before us at this time. Ms. Spehar's and Ms. Murphy's seats are very important positions in this balance. If you would like to have a voice in who will represent you for the next two years on the County Commission, I encourage you to get out and say so - vote!

Ever notice low end computers burn out within days of their warranty expiration date?Considering a computer can be programmed to do anything, I just wonder if they do that intentionally.

What happened to Sunday?

The Pool Store’s new awning looks really good. Kudos to the Pool Store at the light (the only light) on Big Pine Key.

Look you greedy self-centered moron, the Keys are my home, I will die here, and if people like you force drilling in my back yard, I'll bury you there first! Get a bike or walk, you lazy bastard.

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Monday June 30, 2008

Sunday June 29, 2008

Thanks for your Congratulations. My book dedication in Budapest on June 8 went real well, and my book is selling. I want to thank everybody who wished me success, and I promise to give up writing when angels start talking to me.

$4.50 for a gallon of gas. How about $9 or more for a gallon of milk? Can cows be arrested for prostitution?

[Bare Arms] I am an informed and patriotic citizen. I’m grateful that I live in the U.S. where we have the right to bare arms. As a woman, if I lived in one of those mid-eastern countries, I’d have to cover up from head to toe (not just my arms)

I bet the County could save a lot of money by shutting off the AC and opening the windows.  This is the Tropics. It probably would reduce a lot of illness too. I think A/C recirculates all the room borne germs.

The local politicians are typical. When their "piggy bank" is threatened, they use tried and true scare tactics to protect their funding. The first thing they always say that has to be cut back is police/fire protection and services for the sick and elderly.  Then they start on library and school cost reduction measures. Have any of these respected individuals ever reduced their salaries or benefits? Or halted work on their pet projects? Not likely.

On July 1 motorcyclist must pass the riders driving test in order to get the endorsement on their license. Before that riders only had to pass a written test.

Now I am simply confused. How can NASA have documentation supporting both the decrease and the increase of ice in Antarctica?   I have to concede that what people want to believe, they will believe. People believed, less then 500 years ago, that the world was flat. It was accepted as fact---until someone disproved it. I believe that we are all pompous and arrogant and pseudo-intellectual. I believe that the earth will reject our race through natural selection the way it has done with many species that came before us. I believe that our species is doing irreparable harm to this planet. I do not know, nor does anyone else for that matter, the extent of that damage. I believe that our home here, the keys will surely be under water someday. If not from the glacial melt, then simply from the ongoing continental drift that we also know to be fact, but conveniently ignore as well. Will I live to see this? Nope. But then again, the keys are rejecting me by economic selection. So--believe what you will. You can come up with anything to support either argument. Since the internet has provided us with Google, we are now a race of geniuses. There is no global warming. Oh wait, yes there is. The ice is both increasing and melting at the same time. The carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is not increasing...oh wait, yes it is. The left is to blame, The right did it... and so on and so on. We will all just go on with our self-important lives and believe what we want to because we are all smarter than the guy next door. Me? The more people I meet---I more I love my dog.

[Better Living Through Chemistry]  I successfully quit smoking using pills, patches and hypnosis.  If it wasn't for the Doctors prescribing them I would probably still be a stinky tobacco addict.  Sleeping pills are good too--once in a while, since the ill-effects of not sleeping far out-weigh the effect of a pill.  Maybe that's why some of you Big Pine gorillas are so grumpy - you need to take some medication.  There are people down here who abuse alcohol and illegal drugs, but won't touch a prescription which many of us need for pain, anxiety, nervousness.  Dr. Grider does a fine job as does his nice wife.    

A Women’s Poem
Before I lay me down to sleep,
I pray for a man, who's not a creep,
One who's handsome, smart and strong
One who loves to listen long,
One who thinks before he speaks,
One who'll call, not wait for weeks.
I pray that he’s well employed,
When I spend his cash, won't be annoyed.
Pulls out my chair and opens my door,
Massages my back and begs for more.
Send me a man who'll love my mind,
Knows how to answer "how big’s my behind?"
I pray this man to no end,
Always be my very best friend.

Is Iraq a Democracy?  You’re damned right it is.  Iraqi Constitution: paraphrased: The Republic of Iraq is an independent, sovereign nation, and the system of rule in it is a democratic, federal, representative (parliamentary) republic. Islam is the official religion of the state and is a basic source of legislation: No law can be passed that contradicts the undisputed rules of Islam. No law can be passed that contradicts the principles of democracy. No law can be passed that contradicts the rights and basic freedoms outlined in this constitution.

Now take a look at Article 14:  Iraqis are equal before the law without discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, origin, color, religion, creed, belief or opinion, or economic and social status.  Your may find some familiar language in Article 47, I’ll paraphrase: A nominee to the Presidency of the Republic must be. An Iraqi by birth, born to Iraqi parents.  Fully qualified and must be over forty years of age.  Of good reputation and political experience, known for his integrity, uprightness, fairness, and loyalty to the homeland.  Free of any conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude. 

You know I kind of like some that language, it would impact on one of our current Presidential candidates. Iraq sure is a democracy.  Do they have thieves and charlatans in government?  Yes and that’s not a good thing. Thank God we don’t have any thieves and charlatans in our government.  Is it just like our democracy?  Get real!  But it’s a mega leap for those poor Iraqi slobs who had suffered under the bloody heel of Saddam The Dead.  Or those same people if they were now under AQI slave rule.  They are where they are now because of our policies and our troops.  That may piss some bozos, but there are legions of people like me who are damned proud of it. What about Korea?  Is Korea a “great and wonderful country”?  No, but it’s a dictatorship that appears to be giving up its nuke weapons capability thanks to the Bush initiatives.  That too is a damned good thing that probably will piss off a bunch of bozos only because it's yet another Bush accomplishment.

Google Antarctica Ice and see what comes up the most.

Yesterday a poster challenged us petro posters to come clean.  I’m the petro poster that angered some fuzzy thinking types.  Good idea.  I’m strongly in favor of accessing our own oil and simultaneously conserving while developing/implementing new energy technology. 

We’ve got a boat with a175hp, a middle aged car, and a 10 year old Ford truck with 170k miles on it.  Our gas bill averages about $250 per month. About 62.5 gallons per month. 

Yesterday a poster sniffed that Bush should have learned from Uncle Joe Stalin.  I don’t understand the post, but I do know that Stalin won, he beat Germany.  I also know that Bush won his first Iraq war, he beat Saddam.  Bush then won his second Iraq war and he beat AQI.  Yesterdays poster should be re-educated in liberal think, he actually made reference to a Presidential candidate’s race by stating that he preferred the “colored” candidate in spite of his “coloredness”.  I thought that was verboten, and it’s a pretty damned dumb statement.  Do you suppose that this posters musings represent a large slice of like thinkers?

Can anybody tell me why our flood insurance went up from $402 a year to $5,730? I have breakaway walls and my house is on stilts. Our house is on higher ground. The back of our house is a canal and bay area. When the two inspectors inspected our house after Hurricane Wilma, they changed our AE Zone to VE Zone. I don't mind them increasing our flood insurance but this much of an increase is too much.

Heavy weight no nonsense news site.  Look all over this site it can’t hurt to read what the world thinks of current events. http://worldreports.org/

The oil companies have 68 million acres of oil leases they can drill on and get oil from. Are you really naive enough to think they paid big money for these leases without knowing there was oil underneath before they purchased them? Come on now. If McCain’s plan to remove the federal tax on fuel for awhile is so great why hasn’t Bush done it yet? Kudos to Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger for refusing to give in to the drill madness. He said he believes California’s coast line is a world treasure and worth fighting its drilling. See, I’m fair and balanced.

Whether it is a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, a parliament, or a communist dictatorship; voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.    ~Hermann Goering, Nazi

[Smart man for President even if he's colored] You got to be kidding! There hasn't been too many of those, or you mean like Chaka Zulu. Dingane, Papa Doc, Idi Amin, Jomo Kenyata, Keneth Kaunda, or Robert Mugabe. Who else did you have in mind? All of history’s colored statesmen have been corrupt bloody dictators. History has proven that.

I think nuclear power plants are safe, especially the new ones with recirculating cooling systems. What I don’t understand is how come no proponent is willing to address the very dangerous waste they produce. If they ever approve the Yucca Mountain repository then I will be all for nuclear energy. But that’s not going to happen at that location.

Testimony of illegal alien care from just one Florida hospital. Something has to be done. This is one of the times when we do need more government. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLJxmJZXgNI

Where is the shade in the new park on Big Pine Key to protect us from the scorching heat? Where are the trees? Don’t they know what a park is? Who is going to play there when its a 135° on the ground?

Tucker, I love you!  Let's get married.  I want to have your baby.  Quick!

No new taxes!

The American government sees the recent elections in Zimbabwe as a sham and wants action taken yet sees nothing wrong with manipulating the so-called elections of puppets Karzi in Afghanistan and Maliki in Iraq.  No wonder we're so disliked around the world.

Why is the president of the United States entertaining Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at Camp David when his own State Department has singled out the Sheik’s homeland, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), for its continuing violations of human rights?

I want the person who said to get a fish to know that I can afford a dog and its shots and anything else the dog would need. I already have a canal full of fish I take care of, so I already have fish for pets. Thanks for the suggestion.

Betty Boop wants to know if she made The Crazy Fish Bar a wi-fi hotspot would anyone use it?

[Water vapor and greenhouse gas] For god’s sake engage the brain box just a bit. In your blind bumbling you have totally missed the point. The whole purpose of the post was to make the point that water vapor is not a man made gas, but a natural phenomena that totals over 90% of so-called greenhouse gases. Think just a little bit before jumping all over someone who was basically making the same point as you were.

[Cancer equates to Evil] As time passed, I came to understand that whenever I dream of someone having cancer, that is a message to me that he or she is infected with Evil. We all have seen “godfather” things Mario has done that caused us to shake our heads. Like when he had Kay Thacker evicted from a county commission meeting by a deputy sheriff after she gave a “thumbs-down” signal to a county commission vote that did not suit her. Like when he violates the Sunshine Law, and then acts as if he is is above it. Like when he votes to approve a waterfront development project the first time comes before the County Commission, before it has been publicly vetted, and after the County Attorney tells him it is out of order and/or will not likely be accepted by the Department of Community Affairs.
 
Like when Mario called me the evening of the last primary election in Key West, which left incumbent Mayor Morgan McPherson running slightly behind former Mayor Jimmy Weekley in a runoff. Mario was all agitated, commanding me to do all I could to get “that boy” (Morgan) reelected. “We need that boy.” Many times Mario said this, assuming I was in full agreement. Not once did he ask how I felt about it, which was that I was stunned to learn only just then that Mario was apparently linked at the hip with Morgan. More than stunned, I was terrified. Terrified for Key West, terrified for the Keys, and terrified for Morgan and his family.
 
I got my first close-up view of the “cancer” in Mario during a private conversation in his county commissioner office at the Marathon Airport, when I was running against incumbent commissioner George Neugent in 2006. A get-together suggested by Mario. During that visit, it did not seem to me that Mario heard or took in anything I said, about anything. He seemed to be all output and no input. The only thing he said that rang true to me was, “People tell me Sloan is crazy, and I tell them he is crazy like a fox!” Today'sFloridaKeysDrivel

Doctor Grider Support Group:

[Support group for drug addicts]  Take responsibility for your own actions.  Blaming a Dr. for prescribing legal meds which you sought or blaming a drug dealer for selling illegal drugs to you indicates to me that you have a serious character flaw and are unwilling to look in the mirror and admit the real source of your troubles.  Get a life and quit being a leech.

Hey bwitched53@yahoo.com, Why doesn't your loved one take responsibility for their drug addiction.  The Doc tries to help people, that's what doctors do. Who knows what they are telling him and what evidence they have "proving" their pain.  Have you even tried talking with Doc Grider?  He is a very reasonable and caring man.  Instead of bashing him on a public web site try putting your anger to a better use by helping your loved one receive treatment.  Doc Grider has helped my family numerous times, from stitches late at night to visiting my terminally ill Dad at home, on a Sunday morning, to make sure he was comfortable.  Just think, the few minutes it took you to bash Doc Grider could have put to better use by letting your fingers do the walking in the yellow pages and looking under "Drug Addiction Treatment".  Quit enabling your loved one by doing nothing, other than blaming Doc Grider.

I just read the hurtful post about a local Doctor and had to respond. This person is the most caring Doctor. He will meet you at the Office on weekends, after hours, and even on holidays. He will even return calls on the off hours. He is like the old fashioned doctor that made house calls. He and his staff are professional. I don't know what the lower keys would do without him.

I would like to defend Dr. Grider and I feel that the poster should give Dr. Grider an apology.  He has helped thousands of people in need.  If he prescribes a drug for someone that is none of your business.   I have been to his office when I was hurting and in need from acute bronchitis as well as a broken finger.  He has helped my husband with a case of MRSA.  Please give credit where credit is due.  If you have a problem with that office there are ways to try to understand. If your loved one has a problem then you should have them go to counseling and if you like go with them.  Since you are asking only for yourself and waited for years to ask I am wondering how much you really care.  Take a trip with your loved one next time and ask questions at that visit and maybe you'll have a better view.  Is your loved one drinking alcohol along with the drug?  This might be part of the problem.  Don't blame Dr. Grider he is a good and caring doctor.

There are support groups for addicts. I believe there is one at St. Peters Catholic church in Big Pine. I believe it's called Al-Anon.  But before you start accusing a doctor, what have you done to stop your family member's problem?  An addict is an addict no matter what his drug of choice is.  They will take whatever they want. If they no longer get pain killers, they'll get street drugs. So, then, are you going to blame drug dealers?  It is his or her responsibility to stop taking pain killers when they are no longer needed. By blaming someone else, you are ignoring where the blame is actually due.  If you don't believe they need pain killers, then why don't you get the guts to go with them to their doctor's appointment and tell the doctor that your loved one doesn't need them?

This is Domino, the Valerie the Cat Lady's Kitty.  He is very nice to the foster cats which visit on occasion. Please spay / neuter your pets since we have so many down here in Paradise. Who's going to trap / neuter / release after the Cat Lady relocates this fall?  Nobody can take her place, but we will need a compassionate person to follow in her footsteps to keep the kitten population down.  There are 70 kitties available right now in the shelters and they cost a whole lot less than dogs and keep themselves spic -n- span.  You’ve got to love those automatic kitty litter self-cleaning boxes.  An only cat is a lonely cat.  Someone is waiting for you at the Shelter.

[Email from France] The illegals have more rights than locals.  I chatted with a neighbor yesterday who complained about an Arab kid doing mischief on his roof.  The young lad like to walk on roofs, breaking tiles, removing some and using others to fix his own roof.  After countless roof leaks, the neighbor took pix of the evidence and had local Gendarmes come and witness the damage.  They too took pix and documented the vandalism.  Well, guess what happened next?  The file got returned to the neighbor "for insufficient evidence."  I keep hearing such stories over and over again.  The cops are to the point where they are afraid of the illegals that outgun them.   Pop up ads increasingly are in Arabic on French sites, making you wonder what kind of gov’t largesse is being dished out now.  It stinks!

Redneck Water Skiing.

We need oil and we need it now. Its time to demand our politicians ignore the eco freaks and ask for the Keys to be the part of the state that asks for oil rigs in our waters. Its time to take the bull by the horns. I ask every Conservative to call their county government officials and start calling Charlie Crist and let him know the Keys are fine with oil drilling off our coast. Join our group Conservative Conchs for Keys Drilling. Soon I will post our website. Drill the Keys and screw the Arabs. Join the CCKD.

Attached is the screen print I promised 10 weeks ago from the Nantucket Steamship Authority ship’s wireless.  It looks like you have been upgraded from blocked for porn to blocked for adult language!

Click on the apple, it will keep you out of trouble for awhile! http://www.ferryhalim.com:80/orisinal/g2/applegame.htm

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Sunday June 29, 2008

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Saturday June 28, 2008

[Libraries to Stay Opened] Mario DiGennaro yesterday announced that, by popular demand, the libraries will remain open, but he will further cut back on the hours. Write the date down because it is the first time I can think of that he listened to his constituents. I think the mounting pressure for the commissioners to give up something themselves (their offices and staffs) got their attention.

Sal Gutierrez is going to be on channel 79 television on Sunday at 7:00pm. Tune in.

So you think that global warming is a fact, we hear it yelled at every roof top. But not all agree nor does all the data. Believe what you want I for one do not know what is going to happen or what causes it, but you are foolish if you think you do. I like this quote from FOX News. Do you sense any spin in this article? Seems like some speculation is added by "scientists" that do not want to admit to the possibility the sun is a possible culprit. "Global warming on Neptune's moon Triton as well as Jupiter and Pluto, and now Mars has some [scientists] scratching their heads over what could possibly be in common with the warming of all these planets. Could there be something in common with all the planets in our solar system that might cause them all to warm at the same time?" http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258342,00.html

Thanks for trying to help make the citizens aware of what Monroe County is about to do to our library services. For many years, I was the Branch Manager of the Islamorada (Helen Wadley Branch) library.  I am now retired, and each month, when the bills are paid, I'm nearly broke, but I would gladly pay more taxes to keep our libraries open if there were no other way to meet our County budget requirements. If we start losing things like our access to libraries, we lose our claim to humanity.

I would like to know if there is a support group for family members and loved ones that have become drug addicts due to the local Dr Grider, aka Dr Feel Good, who keeps filling narcotic prescriptions whether or not the person needs it, and also filling them for many years. If there is then maybe we could put our minds together to see if this pain can be stopped. ~bwitched53@yahoo.com

It’s too bad Bush isn’t interested in learning because he would have been aware of Stalin’s almost catastrophic mistake of dismantling the Red Army, purging its high command and destroying its officer corps months before Hitler invaded Russia. That mistake wouldn’t have been repeated in Iraq when he dismantled their Army. Let’s get a smart man for the next president, even if he is colored.

Very soon China will be the largest English speaking country in the world. I wonder if they’re angry when they hear “Press 1 for Chinese”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqfunyCeU5g

I am an informed citizen. I am pleased that the US Supreme Court has finally interpreted the Second Amendment as meaning that the individual citizen has the right to bare arms. Wearing long sleeve shirts all summer is too hot!

Larsen A and Larsen B were ice shelves in Antarctica. The first one, that melted was there forever. It was larger than the state of Rhode Island. My nemesis wrote that the ice is increasing there.  Things that make you go 'hmmmm'.

[Antarctica ice increase] Google “Antarctica ice increase phenomena”. You can bring up many posts with that info. One of the best, in my opinion, is NASAs. The latest satellites  images show Antarctica’s ice increasing at a rather rapid clip.

[The Hungarian sells second book] Congratulations Imre.

[Hey, Petro Puss]  That began a posting yesterday. Well folks that clever little greeting spoke volumes of the intellect of the greeter.  I will agree with that poster that speculators are one of the causative factors of the current crisis, and that they do damage the oil industry.  But, the real reason for the price is always basic supply and demand.  Demand is sky high and growing, supply is low, therefore prices are high.  My deep concern is not totally about the price, I’m deeply worried that we depend on foreigners for more than 2/3rds of our oil.  We’re vulnerable to being cut off.  No oil, no economy!  That’s why we need to supply our own oil.  The “68 mil acres and unused drilling leases” argument is nothing but a lame liberal talking point, it’s without merit.  Big oil is big oil because it’s smart and doesn’t drill where it can’t make money.  If it’s probable that there’s no oil on a current lease, they won’t drill.  If they don’t use the lease, they lose it.  It will cost outrageous amounts of money to drill on the new offshore sites.  If they weren’t convinced that there was oil there, and money to be made, they wouldn’t screw with it.

[Water vapor is the most damaging component of all the green house gasses] Where did this come from, a new Al Gore movie? Millions of tons of water vapor are created each day by evaporation from the world's oceans. It is essential to life on Earth and, by the way, is not a gas by definition, but the vapor form of liquid water. This linked site might be a bit complicated for that reader, but it explains how water vapor is important to our ecosystem: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html Read and get educated. Ignorance is annoying.

Cretins and Archimedes principle quoting bipeds, check out this web site  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/16/glaciers.climatechange

If you can’t afford the minimal adoption fee to adopt a dog from a shelter you certainly can’t afford veterinary care, routine vaccinations, heartworm preventative and flea and tick preventative for a dog.  Get a goldfish.

To the person who felt that Fred Colvard was wrong on teachers’ current salaries. You missed the mark. Below is a direct quote from that e-mail.

In 2004, Monroe County voters first approved the flexible funding formula which allowed the School Board to transfer $8.3M from the capital account to the operating account and those funds were to be used as raises. At that time, the teacher payroll was approximately $25 Million and based on the average teacher salary ($41,618.), teachers should have been entitled to as much as a 33% raise in 2004/2005. Instead the increase was only 15%....Unfortunately, in reviewing previous school board budgets, it appears that monies are being allocated to areas of administration rather than instructional.

I think you better review the e-mail again. He was discussing what happened in 2004. He was explaining where the money went. It sounds pretty suspicious to me. I’m voting for Fred Colvard. He has the education and experience. His opposition is worried about their high priced salaried mystery jobs. Spend, spend, spend! No end in sight, Acevedo!

Just look what a lot of oil money can do. And they say oil will be up to $160 a barrel in the next 2 months! Slide Show

[Why am I not surprised] We just paid North Korea $2,500,000of tax dollars to blowup a 28 year old,  probably worn out, pile of tubing to make us look important.

Not only can you lift a new baby by the umbilical cord, if you have a tank of helium you can inflate them and have a hell of a conversation piece at your next party! Way better than Mylar and the cord makes for a handy tether.

Folks in Marathon got treated to an unusual sight as the new Coast Guard manned surveillance blimp hovered over the Mosquito Control hanger at the Airport yesterday. Evidently, one of the Mosquito people are good friends with the company that owns the blimp and they stopped on the way to NASKW where they’ll be delivering the blimp.

To all posters who comment on oil. Let's come clean with some personal info. Who are the worst offenders? I use 80 to 90 gallons of gasoline per month. I'm self-employed. That includes my work truck, personal vehicle, and my boating. I'd like to think that's lower than the average. What are your numbers?

Don't get me wrong, I like dogs, cats, and all animals, but enough is enough. When I cannot walk down my street without fear of attack from an oversized meat eater or step in something icky, and having to worry about my kid being mauled by a mutated mini T-Rex, I think these culling laws are viable. To bad they don't include some sectors of humanity!

It just doesn’t make economic sense to keep sending trillions of our American dollars to fat cat oil poobahs who hate our guts.  These goons hold the power to shut us down in their grubby fat little hands.  The rest of the world has joined us in being petro dependent.  The oil poobahs no longer really need us as customers and that contributes to our current plight.  Your argument that exploiting our own resources is deadly to the ecology is not just flawed, its flat wrong.  Hurricanes Katrina and Rita proved the safety of off shore drilling.  Norway, Brittan, and a host of other countries have vast offshore petroleum production facilities that do not sully their shores.  Coal and shale oil can be exploited with minimal impact on the environment.  Nuclear power is safe and economical.  I can’t fathom why or how so many of you want to shut the whole thing down so that we’d return to the 17^th century and probable conquest.  I find it very sad that you claim to value the environment above all else.  If you truly believe that, it means that you are prepared to sacrifice the health, the security, the well being, and the lives of your fellow Americans to massage a gauzy political shibboleth.  I doubt that you really mean that, because if you did you would be living the life of Ted Kaczynski, the Uni bomber, another liberal lover of the environment.  You and yours would be living in a wilderness shack without electricity.  We all live on this planet; the vast majority of us live modest lives, certainly not the Al Gore, Clinton, or Obama lifestyle. 

Those of us who live here on Big Pine love and respect our environment at least as much as you do.  Please give some thought to the fact that your arguments would have more credence and I would have more respect for you if you would assure us that you do not drive, have electricity, use medicines, or consume food.  The final fact is that we simply must regain energy independence so that we can endure while we are fashioning new methods of electrical production and new technologies that will permit us to live absent fossil fuels.  Even we evil and greedy conservatives are aware that petro supplies are finite.  Now, sadly this entire fur ball has become a partisan issue, and far too many of our liberal friends are stuck arguing against common sense solutions to this dangerous issue.

The Gasoline crisis, petro chaos, off-shore drilling, domestic policy---blah blah blah. None of this would have happened if not for the pressure and greed of the big-three auto makers and the influence their lobby had over the lawmakers.  We should have been implementing alternative fuel sources years ago. Geeze, couldn't anyone see the increasing demand versus the limited resources of oil? The Middle East has us by the short hairs and until we start getting away from petroleum (which will take decades) we will be owned by them. This country is in a lot of trouble. We have not yet begun to see the domino effect of these price gouging fuel prices. I was at the Winn Dixie the other day and saw a gallon of milk for $7 dollars! Oh, my God. Like many of us in this small community, we know each other by face and not necessarily name, and one of those people told me to buy the Winn Dixie brand which I did and I was grateful. I am not an alarmist, but some of the things predicted in the bible are starting to show up in daily life pertaining to the cost of food and it being a precursor to the End of Days.

Is Imus a mullethead?

[Four years from now no ice in Antarctica in summer] Look at the bright side - we'll all be able to visit Antarctica in the summer without bringing our thermal undies!

“Reefpublicans” and “Democrabs” are to congregate in the Lower Florida Keys Saturday, July 12, when the 24th annual Underwater Music Festival puts an undersea spin on the upcoming 2008 presidential elections.  The quirky underwater concert takes place at Looe Key Reef, an area of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary located approximately six miles south of Big Pine Key. Each year, the subsea songfest draws as many as 600 divers and snorkelers to explore the colorful diversity of marine life that characterizes North America’s only living coral barrier reef.  The 2008 festival is to salute November’s “eel-ections” with underwater appearances by divers costumed as “Barackuda Obama,” “Hillary Clintuna” and “John McClam” among other political notables.  Set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bulletin Board

Whatever benefits the Iraq war has produced I cannot justify the cost in lives and money that has been expended. The Iraq war has sidetracked almost all our resources from the war on terrorism and our real mission which is to destroy Al Queda.

It is the angry, helpless people who do not bring their guns with them.

[Climate Change a Myth] "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and Environmentalism." (C.C. Horner - Regnery Publishing 2007)  It is 350 pages of hard facts and figures, charts and graphs by scientists and other experts in the field of climatology exposing the Global Warming hype and hysteria as the ideal scare campaign for those who want to establish global governance with a goal of strict control over corporate and individual behavior and making billions of dollars along the way for well connected politicians like Al Gore, environmental groups and individuals with much to gain by selling solutions to a non-existent crisis.  

You may not remember that in 1970 the environmentalists began their Earth Day amid deep anxiety over global cooling and the Washington Post warned that "the worst is yet to come," in a piece titled: "Colder Winters Herald Dawn of New Ice Age."  In a November 23, 1992 edition of Newsweek an article titled: "Return of the Glaciers," said, "The advent of a new ice age, scientists say, appears to be guaranteed.  The devastation will be astonishing.  Many of the world's great cities will be crushed to rubble; most of the world's agricultural breadbasket will become wind-swept tundra; countless species will fall extinct as their habitats are frozen out of existence."   Pretty scary stuff, eh? 

Climate runs in cycles and the media blindly follows along. Over the years the media has printed the horrors of:  1932 "Catastrophic global cooling."  1929-1950 "Catastrophic global warming."  1954-1976 "Catastrophic global cooling."  1981 - present "Catastrophic man-made global warming."

When the politicians and the environmental zealots start wringing their trembling hands and whimpering about the latest "global crisis" you can bet they're in it for the money.  Relax everybody.  The polar caps are doing just fine and the sun will come up tomorrow just like it has for quite some time now.

[Lost keys in Keys] Big Pine Key area. If anyone has recently found a set of keys please call 305 393-7782.  They have been missing for a week. 
Classified Ads > Lost & Found

Anyone looking for a good physical therapist? Try Bay Shore Physical Therapy in Marathon. Arjen Holdinga and staff are outstanding.289-8270 Business Directory > Medical

Here is my little container garden. Cucumber, tomato, squash and green and banana peppers. As they mature, I plan a replacement so we have fresh home grown goodies all year round. Try it, it's fun and it will save you money. Also, rather than cursing the fact that the chickens are all over the place; encourage the creatures to live on your properties and gather the eggs. Cluck, cluck! You can't get more "free range" than these eggs and they taste great.

[George Carlin and Don Imus] That is not a good comparison. Imus is broadcast over the public airways and works for a radio station. Yes, George found a way to make fun of everything and in so doing offended many. I do not necessarily agree with all of his opinions, but they sure were funny as hell. Imus is a racist and I have never heard him say anything of any value. He needs to go and disappear and while they are at it, take the fat Rush Limbaugh with him. I wish that the dems never got the majority in Congress. Ever since that happened, the conservatives blame them instead of the dork that is responsible. Governor Bush, that is. What George Carlin called him as that was the last political office to which he was elected legitimately(?).

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Saturday June 28, 2008

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Friday June 27, 2008

[Two big bucks items that the County is missing for potential savings]
1. Copy machines. There are huge Xerox copy machines in almost every office in the County. The last Director of Technical Services pissed off a commissioner's aide (guess which) by suggesting that they share a machine with the Marathon Airport. Nope. Didn't happen. "Too much confidential information" said the aide, in an office governed by Florida Sunshine laws. (Little do they know that investigators can snoop at any time, copying their "confidential information" for anything run through the machine to a disk drive--The marvels of modern technology!)  Now, both this commissioner's office as well as the Marathon Airport pay thousands per year each for a lease for 40,000 copies per month for a shiny new Xerox machine and a total of almost 1,000,000 pages per year from one building! Do you think they're actually copying that many? Nope. Not 10% of that, I'd guess. There are 4 or 5 of these Xerox machines at every facility.

2. Telephone maintenance. There is a full time technician from AT&T that is on site at Monroe County for which the County pays over $120,000 per year. He's made a career there and has worked there for more than 20 years. Yes, onsite at Monroe County as an employee of Bell South, now AT&T. He's a great guy, but the County has likely paid more for his services than any other single employee.  Considering the fact that he brings his own tools and truck, $120k isn't a terrible deal, but I know of no organization of fewer than 1,000 employees anywhere that has a full time tech who does nothing but telephone and wiring work.  Get rid of this contract by invoking the non-funding provision of the contract and bid out for a pay-as-you go contract for service. The huge Nortel switches the County owns have capacity for four times the current size. The County bought tens of thousands of dollars worth of options that have never been implemented by AT&T and it is hopelessly outdated. There are piles and piles of purchased and unused telephone equipment lying in rooms all over the County.  There are a number of local wiring and computer companies who would love to have this contract or get wiring contracts and save the County thousands. 

The County should follow the School Board's lead, who implemented a telephone system that is much less expensive to operate and gets rid of expensive customer AT&T services.  If you don't believe any of these things, file a Sunshine request with the Clerk of Court for information about BellSouth AT&T payments and payments to Xerox and Budde's. The smoking guns are there.

A technical services director was fired about a year ago for, among other things, raising these issues of waste to the previous Administrator's attention. Gee, no one wants to look bad, do they?  Let's see if the new Administrator has the guts to clean this up.

I just heard from Diana Reed from Channel 7. She spoke with Jimmy Buffett's lawyer who said that they are sending me a letter stating that Jimmy did not coin the phrase.

He also said that Jimmy is aware of this, but they have to do this when they become aware that someone is using the name or they will lose their trademark. I hope you all can join us at Margaritaville on July 19th for our "Buffett Bash".  It probably won't do any good, but we'll have a hell of a lot of fun. ~The Conch Republic Coconut Telegraph ‘till the fat lady sings.

We are against energy independence at all costs because sacrificing the environment is not worth it. I’m sorry that I can’t give you the web links and statistics you crave, but our argument is very basic: the environment before anything else. That argument is the reason your “liberals and Republicans” will never see eye to eye. I did like the simplification the other day when someone wrote of the two parties: The party of Us and the party of Me. That really is how it is.

I hope this will enlighten you a bit on your “environmentally friendly” shale oil extraction.  Given a choice I would much rather see an oil rig in my back yard. 

Has McCain changed his positions on issues?  You bet!  Any person who shares McCain’s core values would be hard wired to change or evolve positions as the facts and circumstances surrounding the issue change or evolve.  If you doubt any of that, tell us why McCain, on so many occasions, has turned his back on Bush and the Republican Party.  McCain was not my first choice, but I agree with McCain on many important issues.  I disagree with him on others.  I agree with Obama’s stated views on some issues, but disagree with him on far too many important issues.  Obama himself has proved to us that his core values permit him, perhaps encourage him, to embrace those who hate this nation.  Simply put, I don’t trust him.   I especially distrust his core values.  I’m convinced that he would not always act in the best interest of our nation, but rather he would put his personal agenda first.  I suspect that his stated views are not his true beliefs.  I believe that if he were tell us what is in his heart, he could not survive as a politician.  I believe that much of his platform is nothing but politically expedient posturing solely designed to garner votes.  Obama may be pretty, he may be articulate, he may be charming, but I believe that his core values are antithetical to the best interests of our nation.

[Any Key West Doctors who sterilize] Yes, some of the doctors periodically sterilize their offices and instruments.

All drugs containing phenylpropanolamine are being recalled. Stop taking anything containing this ingredient. It has been linked to increased hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in brain) among women ages 18-49 in the three days after starting use of medication. The FDA recommended that everyone (even children) seek alternative medicine. The chemical is in everything from Alka-Seltzer to Triaminic.  http://www.snopes.com/medical/drugs/ppa.asp

Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.  ~Martin Luther King

That evil fool, Bush, has done it again!  In the last 7 ½ years the simple son of a bitch has managed to foul up much of the world.  He’s managed to ruin a perfectly good dictatorship and kill that pinnacle of dictators, Saddam Hussein.  And what has Bush left in the wake of that debacle?  A damned new Democracy!  Look at Al Qaeda.  For years Al Qaeda was a thriving enterprise.  Shoot, before Bush, AQI could even knock the crap out of the foolish Americans on their own turf and all over the freaking world.  But, oh, no, that bastard Bush had to stick his oily nose in, first he blasts the pals of AQI, the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  He even set us a damned Democracy in Afghanistan! Then AQI really gets the snot knocked out it in Iraq.  AQI is still working, but just barely.  Now, don't give it up, AQI still has hope, it’s on life support from Iran, and its fading fast, but thankfully it still has hope.  Then it was Quadafi of Libya.  Bush twists his arm a little, and Q, gives up his nukes, what a wus? Then he renounces terrorism, has he no shame.  I’ll give Q some credit though; he does support Obama in the American elections.  Yep there is some hope.  After all, Hamas supports Obama, and all the followers of Farrakhan are big on Obama too.  That icon of American terrorism, Bill Ayers is a long time pal of Obama.  The latest thing is that N. Korea is claiming that it’s giving up its nuke program, it looks like Pyongyang means it this time.  What’s up with Kim Jong Il, has the little goon lost his nuts, why won’t he stand up to Bush?  Don't give up hope; there is always the hope that Bush will be humiliated soon.  Remember that the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November is coming.  Bush is not running, but wouldn't a vote for Obama and his pals humiliate him anyway?

Thank God, I don’t want to have to look at Don Imus ever again.

[Library closing] Consolidation is always the best way to conserve capital; look at big business. If you want to save money, close the commissioner’s district offices and let them have a desk and computer at the library branch. If it makes them feel better they can name the library branch after themselves (instead of having to build a new facility we can’t afford to hang their names on).

Never have to take your cat out for a walk again. Video

[Black Friday for dog owners] California proposed a bill allowing any person to act as a vigilante and report any dog owner for an unsubstantiated violation of any animal law. If any animal control officer agrees, the accused person will have a choice between paying a fine or sterilizing the animal. People who are accused of anything have no right to defend themselves or to appeal. An accusation is automatic guilt.

In Pennsylvania, the House Rules Committee voted Tuesday to approve a law which is a de facto ban on tail docking, dewclaw removal and ear cropping. In the absence of proof that the procedure was performed by a veterinarian, the mere possession of a dog that has had one of those three procedures subjects an owner to a criminal citation for animal cruelty. This bill would destroy many rescue operations, dog shows, competitive events and field trials in PA and result in the deaths of thousands of dogs. This bill now goes to the full House for a vote, and then to the Senate.

 Dallas voted to pass an animal control ordinance requiring mandatory pet sterilization, expensive permits to own intact dogs and cats, mandatory micro chipping and pet ownership limits. The ordinance also bans tethering of dogs and imposes strict requirements for keeping dogs outdoors. Home inspections also are authorized.

[Code enforcement snitches] Proof that not all a**holes are snow birds. Why don't you just mind your own business and leave us working people alone. Go live on Shark Key or Ocean Reef where us peasants are not allowed.

[Cannot put out a fire] Saltwater, while not being the preferred method, will not hurt the equipment as long as the truck is thoroughly flushed with fresh water afterward.

Did Mrs Berlin raise enough money for the ice machine for the Army unit in Iraq? I hope she did.

[Core Values] In the first 6 months of this year John McCain has accepted over $485,526 from oil companies for his campaign. Wonder why all of a sudden he’s for drilling off Florida’s shores? That is a complete reversal of his past beliefs. I guess it’s like when he disagreed and fought against the Bush tax cuts strongly to all of a sudden loving them. How convenient.

Hey Petro-puss, It's great you managed to extract the Hummer joke out of my Blah-Blah post. It’s a shame you didn't notice the facts therein. Let me post them without the blahs...
68 million acres of leased federal lands and waters are currently open to drilling, but not being tapped.
80 percent of offshore oil and gas reserves are readily available.
Oil speculators are doing profound damage to the oil industry and fuel prices right now.
You are a tool.

I can't respond to any emails today. Something has crashed on my computer and the mouse is missing.

I just found out that the Galley Grill has reopened. I went there Thursday for lunch. I must say I had the best Shrimp salad there. Everyone was really nice and the prices are pretty good the only thing was they are not serving beer yet. I will go back and when they start serving beer I will be back more often. Welcome back Galley Grill.

By the end of June, Mars will partner up with similarly bright Regulus under the watch of slightly brighter Saturn off to one side. The blue 10° scale is about the size of your fist held at arm's length.

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Friday June 27, 2008

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Wednesday June 25, 2008

I have heard that the BOCC is considering additional tax increases in order to overcome their dollar shortage. I often wonder if they exist on the same planet as the rest of us. In case they haven't got out of their high backed chairs lately the cost of living or should I better say, the cost of existing, is skyrocketing. Just as $ 4 a gallon has incensed the American public, I would not like to be in their shoes if they try to dump one more penny of tax on the residents.

On the positive side I think they need to start thinking outside the box. Find new sources of revenue. Just a few that come to mind and I am sure there are many more.

~Sell off and lease back all county owned office buildings and airports, after all the County would be a triple A long term tenant. This move would put millions of dollars into the coffers and dozens of properties back on the tax roles.
~Follow the example of the sports industry, sell the naming rights of government centers instead of honoring politicians who have gotten us into this mess to begin with.
~Encourage the School board to start charging to ride school buses with the revenue going to support our public works department road maintenance program.
~Close all the individual commissioners’ offices saving operating and staffing and maintenance costs. Instead contract an answering service and let each commissioner handle there own calls.
~Expand on an idea that I think was originally proposed by some of the commissioners, make better use of video conferencing. So that only the Commissioners themselves travel for County meetings and staff remain at their home locations available by video conferencing.
~Eliminate all travel to meetings and conferences outside of Monroe County by elected officials and staff until such time as the County solves its budgetary problems.

I am sure there are many other suggestions that could be obtained from residents. So Mr. Mayor why not empower a watchdog  citizens committee to review where our current tax dollars are being wasted before any tax increase would ever be considered.

The item saying Nancy Pelosi recommended a tax on retirement income is not true -- see Snopes.com Click here: snopes.com: Nancy Pelosi Tax on Windfall Profits

How can a man like John McCain have core values if in the last few months alone he went from very much against offshore oil drilling to for it; went from voting strongly against making Martin Luther King Day a holiday to now, all of a sudden, saying he is for it now; he went from supporting Bush’s war policy to saying "I really wasn’t for it". He sought out the support of a preacher that told us all that the "Catholic Church is a church of whores and that hurricane Katrina was God’s way of punishing New Orleans for having the decadent party in Mardi Gras". Then he said he didn’t know that his pastor said that, the same way Obama said he was not there when his pastor said similar things. That’s not having core values, that’s having more flip-flops then Jimmy Buffett. Tomorrow John McCain may be switching parties it’s hard to tell with him. Core values are when you stick by your beliefs no matter what. That’s not McCain. John McCain, more of the same!

Some of these people won $20,000 for making ads. Doritos - you make it, we play it

[Sweet Deal] Florida governor Charlie Crist could be turning his constituents into sugar barons. And he's about to set the stage for the Everglades to come back from the dead. At a news conference Tuesday morning near the imperiled "River of Grass," Governor Crist announced a $1.75 billion deal to buy the U.S. Sugar Corp., including 187,000 acres of farmland that once sat in the northern Everglades. If the deal goes through, it will extinguish a powerful 77-year-old company with 1,700 employees and deep roots in South Florida's coal-black organic soil. It will also resurrect and reconfigure a moribund eight-year-old Everglades re-plumbing effort that is supposed to be the most ambitious ecosystem restoration project in the history of the planet.

The Island of Key Largo Federation of Homeowner Association's is pleased to announce that they will hold two candidate forums. The first will be the primary election candidate forum at the Key Largo Library meeting room, (Tradewinds Shopping Plaza mm101.4 Oceanside) Wednesday, July 9. Meet and greet begins at 6:30 pm, the forum will be at 7:00 pm. The second forum will be at the same place, same time and will be Wednesday, October 8 for candidates in the general election. Free homemade cookies, coffee, and other refreshments will be available at both forums.

Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

Operation Love From Home just wrapped up its 4th of July card drive.  The local, non-profit organization has successfully collected 5,916 cards.  The cards have been shipped to troops stationed overseas in all branches of our military.  Cards have been collected from all over the country for the past several months.  The cards collected for the deployed troops show support and gratitude.  This most recent card drive introduced supporters to the newest form of thanks via an e-card.  Supporters could visit the organization's website, www.operationlovefromhome.org, and extend their thanks through e-cards.  Most individuals opted to inscribe store-bought and homemade cards with heartfelt appreciation.  The support for Operation Love From Home has also assisted in the shipping costs.  Monies raised from the first annual fundraiser have covered the $312 supply and postage charge.

Operation Love From Home will be seen throughout the community at various festivals and events through the summer.  Thank you cards can still be submitted and will help the organization meet the goals set for the Thanksgiving and Christmas card drives.  The group plans to have a booth at Loganville, Georgia’s 4th of July festival and Maxie Price's car show June 28, 2008.  Along with a card signing station people can purchase items to show their support via bracelets, magnets, and fun items for kids.

The board members wish to thank everyone who gives their time and efforts with each card drive.  Volunteers conduct their own card drives resulting in a handful of greetings to thousands of cards.  Every card counts and most of all each card bring love and comfort to a member of the Armed Forces.  There is also a strong support from local businesses.  Their generosity has assisted Operation Love From Home with their efforts to support the troops.

A Beechcraft King Airplane made an emergency landing at Naval Air Station Key West's Boca Chica Field at approximately 7:45 this morning. The four people on board, two pilots and two passengers, were uninjured. The plane, en route to Key West from Nashville, notified air traffic controllers that they had indications of landing gear problems. The plane was directed to the Navy's Boca Chica Field via Key West International Airport due to the longer length of the air station's runway.  Upon landing, part of the plane's landing gear collapsed.

NAS Key West's Fire Department, Security Department, and Monroe County Sheriff's Department were on the scene awaiting the plane's arrival and assisted the passengers after landing. There was no fire and the air station's military mission continued uninterrupted. The aircraft has been defueled and moved off the runway. The passengers said that they intend to continue their Keys vacation.

For more information, call NAS Key West Public Affairs at 305-293-2425.

[The stuffed porker loin roulade dude] It's funny how people see one person’s observations as to knowing everything about them. Yes I do have two cars, but both are very small fuel efficient cars, I do own a boat, but it's a kayak. You can have a lot of fun and get a little exercise in a kayak, but you have to put a little effort into it. It's not like a 40 footer with 4- 300hp outboards on it. I’m sorry I offended you with the phrase suckling pigs, but that's all that comes to mind when I see the total over use of petro fuels in our country. No wonder the oil companies are gouging us and the gov't does nothing. I don't work for the gov't and I don't exist on handouts, but if I had the money to spend like people waste fuel, I would cover my whole property with solar panels, buy an electric car, grow my own food on the roof and maybe get a few goats--and don't forget the Chianti!

Environmentalists want to save the world. How about the ones that destroy Key Deer Refuge property in their own backyard?  Do as I say, not as I do. 

The Middle Keys Toastmasters was formed in 2004 by a small group of members which included Roll, Wanda Brock, Kelly Carter and former Marathon resident, Ben Delmonico.  As the group was trying to get established

Roll, Brock and Carter, according to President of Key West Toastmasters and Club Coach of the Middle Keys Club Phyllis May, “worked very hard during the 2006-2007 Toastmaster year but were not able to receive the Distinguished Club Award which Toastmasters International awards to clubs which have met minimum goals.” This year, before the June 30 deadline for meeting goals, the club has met the Select Distinguished Club requirements with a possibility of being awarded the highest…the President’s Distinguished Club by June 30.  “Whatever the club achieves, they have come from a new, nearly destroyed club to an award-winning club in two short years,” said May. The club selected Cheryl Roll as the person who was most instrumental in this accomplishment.

With their growth in membership, they now alternate meetings between Marathon and Islamorada.  The 2^nd Tuesday of each month finds the group meeting at 8 AM at Coldwell Banker Schmitt in Marathon.  The 4^th Tuesday finds the group at the Marine Bank executive offices and board room in Islamorada.  Anyone interested in becoming more confident speaking should visit a meeting.  For more information, call Judy Greenman at 743-7293 or Nancy Lucas at 393-6413.

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Wednesday June 25, 2008

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Tuesday June 24, 2008

It amazes me that people on this site, as well as most underprivileged people of our nation and the world, believe that OPEC or drilling rights have anything to do with the price of oil. The actual price of crude oil right now should be about 70 dollars per barrel. The reason it is at 135 dollars is not because of the war, OPEC, or greedy oil companies. The double cost is due to college endowment funds, hedge funds, your 401K, and pension funds.  Yes, blame the price of oil on your own personal greed.  What other investment can you guarantee will go up by 2 dollars by tomorrow? The people investing your money and the greedy scum-suckers (corporate America, politicians, and the owners of the “free press”) all know this. They “buy in”, supply and demand takes over, and they cripple every aspect of our economy.  Until small websites and honest politicians (ha) spread the word that we Americans, are cannibalizing our country to improve our stock portfolio, gas prices will continue to rise.  If we spread a rumor, like the Federal Trade Commission is going to put real restrictions on open trading (ie investors must take possession of the commodities they buy) we could hurt investor confidence and possibly move the parasitic locust onto a new exploitation.  Simply put, dump your crude oil stock so you can afford to drive to work.

The people talking about Jimmy Buffett seem to have lost there own minds. Jimmy owns a catalogue that is sent out quarterly called the Coconut Telegraph (yes, I receive one right to my house as do many of my neighbors). It is sent out right here in the Keys. Just as the Citizen said, Jimmy's people simply asked his woman to quit using the same name and she did not respond, right? Isn't that what the paper said? Therefore, as anyone would do, protecting their rights, they would take legal action. If someone opened a Winn Dixie right down the street from Winn Dixie you don’t think they would be hearing something from the lawyers? Jimmy's not running around trying to sue everyone. This is ridiculous. As for Jimmy Buffett himself, he does a lot for our community; donating money to students, animals, environment, etc. If you’re so interested why don’t some of ya'll check into what Jimmy does do for the Florida Keys before you go and bad mouth a man that does millions for our community? Get your facts straight before you all go around talking non-sense or you will look the idiots in the end.

[The Taking of Big Pine] For several weeks now I've held off commenting with the hopes that the Planning staff has a good idea to resolve the "H" issue. As the months roll by it now seems clear that staff may actually present a new plan at the July BOCC meeting in Key West. It seems that the local US Fish and Wildlife Service have a plan also by reading last weeks article in the News Barometer titled "Service Believes Deer Numbers Falling" To me this is simply a timely release of information to apply pressure on the politicians, forcing them to continue the strangle hold on Big Pine Key. Once again the comments of the refuge director are given without thought to the law. She stated to the News Barometer that

"If the county or state needs a more definitive number, they are welcome to do an independent census for that information." That’s wrong! The Service is responsible for keeping a census every 5 years, by law. The deer have only been counted one time back in 98-99 using our local tax money.

http://www.skeetersmarine.com/Cayaplace/Mitigation/Final%20rule_Federal_Reg_endangerd_species.pdf  § 424.21 Periodic review.
At least once every 5 years, the Secretary shall conduct a review of each listed species to determine whether it should be delisted or
reclassified. Each such determination shall be made in accordance with §§424.11, 424.16, and 424.17 of this part, as appropriate. A notice
announcing those species under active review will be published in the Federal Register. Notwithstanding this section's provisions, the
Secretary may review the status of any species at any time based upon a petition (see §424.14) or upon other data available to the Service.

[McCain for President] Will Bush be replaced by a man who has been opposed to Bush initiatives as often as he has been for them? Will his replacement be a man who has been the target of Republican arrows for too often siding with the Democrats?  Will the replacement be a war hero who has lovingly and proudly devoted his life to the service of this country, a man whose core values are rock solid?  Or will Bush be replaced with a man whose who is a skilled orator, a charismatic pretty face.  A man whose public services accomplishments to date are limited to having been a Chicago politician and a first term U.S. Senator.  This candidate’s background is such that his judgment, his character, his choice of friends, his patriotism, even his honesty are all the topic of heated debate.  It's troubling because there is substantial and credible evidence that causes fair minded people to have grave doubt about the candidate’s fitness to be President. One has to wonder if hate and revenge will trump good sense.

Microsoft Word wouldn’t open! What to do? First I went to Help > Detect and Repair. Nyet. I then ran Windows malicious software removal tool (2 hrs). Nyet. I uninstalled and then reinstalled Word. Nyet. I restored my computer to a date earlier than when the problem started. Nyet. I called Microsoft and they had me rename a bunch of files in the registry. Bingo! I hate computers, but I’m addicted to their wonders.

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[Discount cards] I’ve never used them or a coupon. I’m too proud to admit I can’t afford to go out.

[Florida Keys being inundated with rising sea] I thought it was caused by me flushing my toilet; and putting in sewers would save us because we we're going to send our waste up to Miami. 

[Oil Drilling] What a clever little insult, cute.  That’s emblematic of a person that has a genetic need to insult persons who have views that are in contrast to their views.  To get a better idea of how their mind requires insult and invective, take a look at any of the liberal web sites. Undoubtedly our pig hater has a car, probably two.  Our pig hater lives in a house (I hope), has a/c, TV, phones, cable, internet for his computer, a freezer, a dishwasher, electric lights,  he eats groceries, maybe has a boat, travels occasionally in an airplane.  Our pig hater may work, or may exist on government handouts, he and his probably wear clothing, and he just generally enjoys a fine quality of life.  Our deep thinking pig hater fails to realize that every damned thing that he, you, and I do or use is totally petro dependant.  I repeat everything. We're forced to rely on foreign imports for 2/3rds of our petro. If the mid east situation degrades to a fur ball and if the OPEC cartel decides to cut us off, our nation would come to a screeching halt. 

We do have something called the Strategic Oil Reserve, but it is limited and when it goes dry, our nation stops!  Ask anyone who lived through the Carter era oil embargo, that crisis was short lived and we had much more domestic oil available then.  Think about living here with no road transportation, electricity would be limited to that generated by nuke plants (it would be about an 80% reduction in power here), no tourist revenue, no marine industry revenue, limited availability of food and water.  These, my friends are but part of the reasons that we must be able to exploit our own resources; it’s a national security issue.  It is the very lifeblood of our civilization.  The issue of high oil/gas prices is a distraction; it's nothing more than the stink that emanates from the huge pile of dung that is the real problem. That pile of dung is the restrictions that deny us access to what we so desperately need, our own oil.  Even our huge untapped resources are finite.  Hence it is imperative that we develop new technologies that will lead to the end of our reliance on petro.  We are American, we can get this done, but it can’t be done overnight.  Remember that our petro supplies could dry up “overnight”.  When the technologies are developed, it will take years to phase out our existing petro dependant infrastructure. Take a moment and think about the ramifications of having to ditch every thing that you own that is petro dependant.  During those years we will still have to have petro. 

That is why you and I actually have an obligation to one other to vote for the presidential candidate that will guarantee to free up our locked down reserves. This candidate must also commit to the immediate development and deployment of alternate energy sources.  I realize it that for some it will be difficult to set aside the prejudices and hate that have been hammered into to you, but you simply must try, our way of life depends on it.  It’s lunch time, and having said all that I think I’ll prepare a succulent tender stuffed pork loin roulade, some fava beans, and perhaps a nice little Chianti.

[If the cable companies would only sell me the channels I watch] A bill was being passed around the US House and US Senate during this year's US Congressional session that remedied that exact situation. The bill proposed a regulated price structure that allowed customers to buy cable on a per channel basis. The "cable industry" heavily lobbied against the bill.  The FCC was supposed to hold public hearings. Then the bill fell off the national tracking list. 

I saw a TV program a couple of days ago ESPN. They had an oil company executive as a guest. When asked by the moderator why they needed to drill in the Gulf when they had 68 million acres to explore? He replied that the US oil companies had no such leases and why would they pay money to hold land each year and not use it. He had no idea where that propaganda started.

Now I’m confused. Would someone who writes about the oil company’s holding leases and not using them, post a link to exactly what oil companies hold these leases and on what land?

[Poppy-growing region] Haven't we still got any agent orange lying around? We could spray the region with it. I know we still have to have the formula.

[Immigration] Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely. Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests.

Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave.
But I say, 'I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house). According to the protesters: You are required to let me stay in your house, you are required to add me to your family's insurance plan, you are required to educate my kids, you are required to provide other benefits to me and to my family (my husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, except for that breaking-in part). If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your house carrying signs that proclaim my right to be there.  It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house. And what a deal it is for me!

[Kentucky hillbilly] You are wrong on many fronts, one of which is that the USA does not have any oil refineries. We have many as is evidenced by the following list of states with at least one refinery.
,8.2 United States 8.2.1 Alabama 8.2.2 Alaska 8.2.3 Arkansas 8.2.4 California 8.2.5 Colorado 8.2.6 Delaware 8.2.7 Georgia 8.2.8 Hawaii 8.2.9 Illinois 8.2.10 Indiana 8.2.11 Kansas 8.2.12 Kentucky 8.2.13 Louisiana 8.2.14 Michigan 8.2.15 Minnesota 8.2.16 Mississippi 8.2.17 Montana 8.2.18 Nevada 8.2.19 New Jersey 8.2.20 New Mexico 8.2.21 North Dakota 8.2.22 Ohio 8.2.23 Oklahoma 8.2.24 Pennsylvania 8.2.25 Tennessee 8.2.26 Texas 8.2.27 Utah 8.2.28 Virginia 8.2.29 Washington 8.2.30 West Virginia 8.2.31 Wisconsin 8.2.32 Wyoming 8.2

[The cretin speaks] Tell me, oh, you with your superior knowledge and marvelous sentence structure, what were your thoughts during the most recent ice age scare? Tell me why more than 21000 scientists have signed a petition questioning the U.N's science on global warming and oppose the recent cap at trade legislation in Congress.  More than 95% of greenhouse effect is the result of water vapor, without greenhouse effect the earths average temperature would be zero degrees Fahrenheit. Most climatic change is a result of earth's orbit and variations in the sun's output. Dr. Christopher Landsea past chairman of the Amer. Meteorological  Society’s committee on Tropical Meteorology and Tropical Cyclones says "There are no known scientific studies that show any conclusive physical link between global warming and observed hurricane frequency and intensity. Dr. Antonino Zichichi calls global warming models “incoherent and invalid.” I could go on and on, but what is the point when one has a mind set like a crowbar?  So just go on your merry way, commiserating with the Obamas, Streisands and Gores of the world while we sink farther and farther into the depths of mediocrity. As long as you feel good about it that’s all that counts.

[Very Special Safety at Work Awards] Video

[US supply of oil only three years] Your numbers are off by about sixty years and that’s just what has already been tapped, not including what has not been found or drilled yet.

[Hurricane party] Just what we need during a hurricane; a bunch of drunks. Great plan.

Repeal the Patriot Act.

[Doubting Thomas] It was not necessary for me to look up the word inundated. I'm thinking that you might have. Since I speak English and German I'm 2 languages ahead of you to start with. There is no known reputable scientific studies to back up any "the sky is falling" theory that the oceans levels will rise as a result of the nonexistent global warming. Besides 200 years is a long time in the future. I'm betting that you really loved that fake photo of the lone polar bear floating on that small piece of ice. Surprise! It was a staged photo.

Friends of mine just came back from a world cruise. The first thing they said was, "We've lived in the Keys for more than twenty years, and after seeing this world and coming back home, we never realized how dreadful and dirty the Keys have become! We are selling and moving as soon as possible."  My friends will be missed very much.

[Ice caps not melting] Florida Keys being inundated with rising water? A lot can happen in 200 years. Do you believe everything you hear and read? Why is it that people seem to just regurgitate what they see on TV and read online like it is all fact? All people do is re-state what some talking head said on one of the news channels. Everyone has an agenda; just not all can see it.

The Republicans killed a bill to give tax breaks for solar and wind research, but proposed tax breaks for big oil.

[Alzheimer's patients go to a nursing home, not an assisted living facility like Bayshore Manor] Well then, maybe you should tell the patients there, that have Alzheimer's, they will need to go to a nursing home.

[Fishing Bait] My buddy just told me about the lousy fishing this weekend. He said the only way they caught anything was with Iguanas. Hook them in the nose they troll perfect.

Lower Tattoo Remover http://gprime.net/video.php/tattooremover

The residents of Monroe County will be in for a shock when the Homeowners Insurance companies find out that the local fire departments can not put out a fire that is less the 5 miles from their station. (i.e. Conch Key fire)   If you think your windstorm rates were crazy just wait.  Homeowners are charged a much higher premium based on response time if they are more then 5 miles from the station.  When Rocketman’s house burnt down because they were 1000 feet short of hose, that scared me.  The large electric poles on US 1 are 200 feet apart.  The next time you’re driving in your car note the distance of 5 poles.  Let’s face it, Monroe County residents we’re screwed, if not by the sewers, then by the lack of ability to put out a fire.  Remember to vote smart this election time.  Return no incumbent to their position.

What I know from Lynne Vantriglia about Art Behind Bars, which is not precisely stated in the Press Release Bulletin Board , is that Art Behind Bars inmates at the detention center on Stock Island have a lower recidivism rate than the rest of the Florida inmate population. In fact, Art Behind Bars has a lower inmate recidivism rate than any other Florida inmate-help program. Furthermore, there is a considerable waiting list to get into the Arts Behind Bars program. Beyond all of that, Art Behind Bars produces a great deal of one-of-a-kind greeting/post cards, which it donates to different organizations.
 
And, as you see from the Press Release, there is an Art After Bars program for its graduates. I own two wonderful pieces by graduate Candy Mense, mentioned in the Press Release. The second piece of hers that I purchased is called “When Pigs Fly,” and a reproduction of it hangs in the office of Key West City Commissioner Teri Johnston. I own several other pieces from these amazing programs, all of which, frankly, I believe are masterpieces. I do not own the masterpiece that heads this post because I did not know Lynne Vantriglia or about Art Behind Bars when that piece was done. And I didn’t have any money; I was homeless. A different kind of bars to be behind, I suppose. But then, who isn’t behind some kind of bars? Who isn’t?
 
I’m sure I have left out other important aspects of what these two amazing art programs do, but just on the face of what I wrote above, one would assume that Art Behind Bars is having money thrown at it, to help it keep up the good work and increase its outreach to more inmates. Such is not the case. Lynne Vantriglia several times has told me that Art Behind Bars is at the bottom of the philanthropic food chain in the Keys, that it’s a constant struggle to find enough money to keep the programs going, and that she spends far too much time scrounging for money and not nearly enough time working with inmates. Not nearly enough time.
 
I hope every person who reads this post will join me with their checkbooks at the Oldest House Museum this coming Sunday afternoon. This is one human family we ALL need to support. Today'sFloridaKeysDrivel

George Carlin was a realist. He was also an atheist. Many comedians are. That's because the best comedians can see past the B.S. of religion. Some famous atheists include: Dane Cook, Lewis Black, Adam Carolla, Kathy Griffin, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Eddie Izzard, Jim Gaffigan, Louis CK, Paul Provenza, Penn Jillette, Bill Maher, Andy Richter, Sarah Silverman, and ol' Rodney Dangerfield.

George had this to say: "In the Bulls**t Department, a businessman can't hold a candle to a clergyman. ‘Cause I gotta tell you the truth, folks.  When it comes to bulls**t, big-time, major league bulls**t, you have to stand in awe of the all-time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims -- religion. No contest! No contest. Religion. Religion easily has the greatest bulls**t story ever told.  Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do."

Another brilliant comic who left the earth too soon was Bill Hicks who said: "You ever noticed how people who believe in creationism look really un-evolved? You ever noticed that? Eyes real close together, eyebrow ridges, big furry hands and feet. "I believe God created me in one day" Yeah, looks liked He rushed it."

[Code enforcement] Do they ever go to a site and look at the neighborhood or just rubber stamp the building permits?  Conformity: to look like the surroundings: to blend in: to not look like a sore thumb. Not in the keys, right?  A builder can do as he pleases despite the complaints of adjoining property owners whose property values go underground with the approved non-conforming architecture permitted in some areas. Million dollar neighborhoods can lose 50% of their property values with one builder’s nightmare.  There should be a law that all surrounding property owners must be contacted in writing and must sign a statement either permitting or rejecting the proposed new site plan and designs. Properties immediately adjoined to the building site should have a double vote as to whether the intended designs are acceptable.  The majority has no say in this county, only the majority of greedy builders do!

Where in the merry hell do some of the posters get the bilge data that they post as fact?  Yesterday a poster cried that the U.S. consumes 63% of the world’s production of petroleum.  This is not true.  In fact the U.S.A. consumes 25.9%, followed by the European Union with 19.1%.  Do you think it’s worth noting that the U.S.A is the largest producer of durable goods in the entire world--by a huge margin.  We are always the first responders world wide when tragedy strikes, why in the hell are so many Americans so anxious to damn their country?  The same poster claimed that all of our untapped resources would provide only 3 years of U.S.A. supply.  This is also untrue.  According to the Rand Corp, “US oil shale resources are three times larger than the current oil reserves in Saudi Arabia”.  That speaks only of oil shale, it does not contemplate continental shelf and near shore resources.  It does not contemplate Gulf of Mexico resources or ANWR.  It does not contemplate oil sands, new recovery techniques from existing wells, and on and on.  We’ve got lots of oil, we’ve just been cut off from it by politics.  The fact is that some have estimated that we have 100 or more years of supply left.  Do you wonder why these Hate America First types insist on spouting untrue statements, are they just uniformed or are they intentionally lying?

[Clever advertising] Who thinks of these things?

Nancy Pelosi wants a Windfall Tax on Retirement Income.  In other words tax what you have made by investing toward your retirement. This woman is a nut case!

[Our last hurricane party] The picture was taken from the third story balcony of Saint Stanislaus College located next door to Our Lady of the Gulf church in Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi on the morning of August 29th, 2005. This is believed to be the initial tidal wave of Hurricane Katrina. The wave was approximately 35 to 40 feet high. When it slammed into the beachfront communities of Bay Saint Louis and Waveland, it completely destroyed 99% of every structure along the beach for 9 miles and more than a mile inland. But the destruction only started there. The flooding which continued inland destroyed all but 35 homes in these two communities of approximately 14,000 people. It almost looks like a mountain. The force behind it would have the same impact of one.

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Tuesday June 24, 2008

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Tuesday June 23, 2008

[George Carlin Dies at 71] Another realist gone! http://www.comcast.net/articles/entertainment/20080623/ENTERTAINMENT-CARLIN-DC/

[Coconut Telegraph] I have seen the phrase used in 2 different war movies that were made in the forties; both set in the Philippines. Don't forget to sue them too, Jimmy! 

With the floods in Iowa wiping out the corn crop and most of the other corn crops going into ethanol I think we’re in for another price increase on all corn and corn products. Question: What’s a Buccaneer? Answer: A terrific price for corn!

I have had occasion to drive on the new 18 Mile Bridge connecting the Keys to the mainland. What a wonder-full thing it is to see the water on both sides while driving into the Keys. Maybe the DOT or County can trim the Land Bridge Mangroves through-out the Keys so that the Natural Beauty of Natures Waterways can be enjoyed. Nice job on the new entry to the Keys to all those who made it happen.

[The Movies] I was watching a 1950 Gene Autry movie where the Calvary were in their barracks waiting for the Indians, lead by the much feared Apache Kid, to attack. While they were awaiting, Gene sang a little boogie-woogie number backed up by a whole band. I didn’t know boogie-woogie was around in the 1800s.

Are American voters as stupid as Democrats bank on? http://newsbyus.com/index.php/article/754

When your pet is sick instead of watching it die a slow and painful death, an over-priced vet will gently put it to sleep and have the remains cremated or buried.  That is the hardest part of pet ownership but this the nicest way to assist your animal across the rainbow bridge without unnecessary suffering because you do not want to experience unpleasantness.

Recent events brought several rough political challenges. The first was the Statement Of Ethical Campaign Practices oath I was required to sign when I qualified to run as a non-affiliated candidate for the District 3 seat of the County Commission now held by Republican Commissioner Sonny McCoy. Especially troubling in the oath was: “I will not permit the use of untruths or innuendoes about an opponent’s personal life.” What troubled me about this is I have very little personal life, because I am required by my Boss to tell almost everything about myself, so the voters will know me even if they don’t really want to know me.
 
The next rough challenge was being asked yesterday by Kay Thacker of Key Largo to pose my own questions to the County Commission candidates. The rough part of the challenge was posing questions I myself could answer in plain English. As there are 5 county commission seats, I decided to ask a 5-ish question:
 
To All County Commission Candidates:
Please list, without any input from anyone else, what you personally feel are the five most important issues facing the Keys. Note, the Keys, not the mainland. In stating what you feel are the 5 most important issues, please also state, without any input from anyone else, what you personally feel are the odds of those issues being resolved in your lifetime. In rating the odds, please use a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest. 0 is permitted, if 1 isn’t low enough.
 
Here is my own personal list, accompanied by my view of the odds:
 
1. Saving the reef - 1 in 5
2. Stopping human pollution of Keys waters - 2 in 5
3. Providing affordable housing for the poor and lower middle-class people of the Keys - 0
4. Stopping further commercial development in the Keys - 0
5. Having only elected officials who put their duty to the Keys and Keys people ahead of their duty to themselves, their families, their friends, and their political and business associations - 0  Today'sFloridaKeysDrivel

To the cretin that said I should save my pity for what really matters, the Florida Keys being inundated (look it up) in 200 years with the rising sea. I think that is something that really matters. I cannot take pity on you because you are too stupid to see your hand in front of your face. Why don't you do a little research on the subject? You must have opposing thumbs, at least, though time and time again it’s been proven that to use a computer keyboard can be done without them or a normal brain.

[Closing libraries] Now there's a brilliant idea. I think Hitler did the same thing, or was it that he burnt the books?

What is your definition of a biker?  Mine is that he actually rides one.

Our Democrat friends have told us repeatedly that Big Oil (BO) is a rapacious beast that stands ready to suck the blood from babies if it were to give them profit.  The have told us that BO has 68 million acres of the good ole U S of A under lease.  These lands can be drilled, sucked dry, in search of Texas Tea, Black Gold, easy profit.  They tell us that BO just won’t exploit those leases. They tell us that BO simply chooses not to drill there.  Dems say that they should lose those leases.  Because the Dems believe in Socializing BO, they intend to force BO to drill. 

This is pure crap, leftist propaganda.  Think about it, BO makes money by drilling where oil is, not by drilling where oil isn’t.  Don’t you think that BO would be drilling on existing dry land leases when crude is selling for $140+ per bbl if there was likely to be oil there?  Don’t you think that BO could make a hell of a lot more money on land than by investing billions to explore/exploit off shore where is it incredibly expensive to operate?  BO didn’t get to be BO by being stupid. It got there by being smart, greedy, and drilling where there was oil.  If anyone in the mess is stupid, it’s us, you, and me!  We permitted the eco warriors and their handmaidens, the Democrats, to place us in this pot.  Reagan, Bush 1, and Bush 2 fought hard to get us energy independence, but were stymied by Democrat opposition.  Clinton vetoed legislation that would have permitted us to exploit what was and is ours.  Our liberal politicos are directly responsible for this incredible economic cluster buck.  What’s even worse is that they are determined to force it to continue.  It is the liberal plan to make petro products so expensive that the use of petro products as an energy source will be eliminated.  They choose to disregard the human and practical consequences of their acts  Don’t make the mistake of calling this right wing nut prattling, look at Obama’s and others recent quotes.  The liberals are convinced that their cause is righteous; they are convinced that petro use as an energy source is a crime against the earth, a prime cause of global warming.  Their belief in this is fervent; it’s more consuming than is many persons belief in God.  This is their Dicta, their Religion.  Beware of what you ask for, you just might get it.

Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by Understanding.  ~Albert Einstein

Back in the days before success and greed took over, many Keys businesses offered local discounts. Not surprisingly, locals flocked to the bars, restaurants, gas stations and shops where they were treated better and could save a buck. It seems this practice has recently fallen out of favor, but maybe it's time to bring it back. I for one will definitely patronize Keys businesses that help me save money during the slow off-season. Other places do it, so why not here?

[Leave the libraries open. That is the only thing of the County’s I use] Actually, that's not true.   24/7 you use police, fire and EMS, emergency management, code enforcement, veteran affairs, animal control, and the list goes on. No, really, it does. At the very end of the list is where BOCC commissioners get to activate their own personal agenda projects. Next time you're in the library, look at the county website. You use everything there, and you're paying for all of it too. Hopefully then, you will care about everything the county does.

[insensitivity shown by the editor for the cartoon of a dog]  And here I thought it was just a cute dog doing a trick.  I didn't have any idea an outrage was being committed!  Also, when a pet of mine dies, nearly anything can make me cry, and it isn't anybody's fault. 

[County may be closing Bayshore Manor] That is an assisted living facility.  It is for those who can almost take care of themselves.  Alzheimer’s patients go to a nursing home, not an assisted living facility. 

[Insensitivity shown by the editor] I don't think that was an example of being insensitive. It is the computer world animations, and that is what is available. Besides, welcome to reality. I went back and watched the animated dog do its thing about 3 or 4 times, and that is exactly what happened to the real dog. It is nobody’s fault. Whiners!

[Hurricane preparedness] Why would you seek shelter for Category 1 or 2 hurricanes? Those are the ones that you grab a case of beer and bottle of Jack Daniels, and sit on the side of the house that the wind ain't blowin'. Hurricane Party! Where's the adventure? During Wilma, I was outside with a cup of coffee watching all the trees bend and listening to everything creek. If it weren't for that, and my tactical positioning, I would not have been able to save my generator and other things when the surge came and smacked me in the back of the legs. Oh, that's it, we're talking about the Key Largo puppies that don't have the strength or pride as us Big Piners and the ones south of us too. Never mind, what was I thinking?

[Obama’s Socialist Society] We’ve all read the give and take here about the Obama vs McCain fight.  What we’ve seen here is mostly insults and pitching party “talking points” back and forth.  I’m pretty right wing, but I’d sure like to hear from the liberal readers what good stuff they expect of Obama and the Democrat line of candidates.  Please, if you’re able, spare us all the bile and resentment that you have tucked away regarding President Bush, he’s not running.  McCain is and has been a constant burr under Bush’s saddle and a constant pain in our Conservative butt, plus, remember that revenge voting is really foolish.  I think that I could be persuaded not to vote for McCain.  I think that a lot of readers would be very interested in learning why you think that a socialist society would be in the best interest of our nation.

My mom, dad, and I are so sorry about the loss of your great friend and beloved dog, Prissie.  As your customers and friends we are saddened.  Rest assured that all dogs go to Heaven. Ziggy (woof, woof)  

What ever happened to the Conch Republic group(?)? They had a good thing going, but I think some big shot "talked" to them and scared the crap out of them. Anybody know the details why they ran?

After going through the channel line up for Comcast, I realized how much money I am wasting each month. If the cable companies would only sell me the channels I watch, I'd be able to get my monies worth without all the garbage.

The US alone uses 63% of the worlds' entire supply of oil. That was OK for awhile, until China and other developing countries needed more. If we supplied our needs in the US with US oil only, including using all tapped and untapped sources and reserves, we have enough oil for only 3 years (If our consumption rate does not increase) and then we are bone dry. All gone, in America. This includes offshore waters, Alaska, and everywhere in America and surrounding waters where the government has measured the oil quantity and surmised the amounts in existence.

I heard my neighbor say that Kay Thacker has certain knowledge that Sal Gutierrez has also been caught taking that label off his mattresses and pillows that say "Do not remove under penalty of law". This guy must be stopped!

All children are invited to be a part of the excitement of our Vacation Bible School 2008, Beach Party--Surfin' Through The Scriptures.  At this Beach Party, your children will become surfers riding the wave of God's love.  Come enjoy the surf and sand at Big Pine United Methodist Church, July 7-11, 9 AM till Noon.  There is no charge to attend and all children ages 4-14 are welcomed.  To pre-register, call Carolyn Cadwell at  872-4320 or the Church office at 872-24 Bulletin Board

[American Oil] Several months ago, my husband asked why they weren't drilling oil on my father's land in southern Kentucky.  Kentucky was the first place oil was discovered in this country. Oil erupted in a stream 100 odd years ago, just like they showed on TV in the Beverly Hillbillies.  It just started bubbling up.  It was packaged and sold as a cure-all to every ailment by the peddling medicine men.

My father's land has oil and rigs on it, but the rigs were abandoned 25 years ago as the cost to refine the oil was profit prohibitive. All the rigs in the area were abandoned, though oil is there in abundance.

That depressed area of the country welcomes the rigs. Other countries sent executives there to buy up the oil rights, though they don't drill.  So now, foreign countries are holding hostage our oil, which they will drill and sell back to our country at a profit if that profit ever provokes them to drill. You have to refine oil, and the US does not refine oil, so oil is shipped out for refinement.

[Eco-Friendly]A little tidbit for all you Goreons out there.  We all know how Big Al was embarrassed by the fact that "Mr. Evil Republican" George W. Bush's home was so much more Eco-Friendly than his own, that he set into motion a huge "greening" project to reduce his carbon footprint.  Lets take a look at how he did, shall we?

According to the Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR), "In the year since Al Gore took steps to make his home more energy-efficient, the former Vice President's home energy use surged more than 10%."   "Despite adding solar panels, installing a geothermal system, replacing existing light bulbs with more efficient models, and overhauling the home's windows and ductwork, Gore now consumes more electricity than before the 'green' overhaul".  Gore's mansion used roughly enough to power 19 average homes for the same amount of time.  He now uses more per month than before his renovations.  His increase is enough to power 1.8 average homes. 

TCPR also notes that his wealth has grown by some $100 million from speaking engagements and Global Warming Investments. Of course he uses his private jet to get to those speaking engagements. 

It's the same old liberal elitism.  Results don't mater; it's the thought that counts.  And of course, do as I say, not as I do.

To take I-95 is like a dance with death. If there is any single road in the continental U.S. that I avoid, that is it. People have no idea how to drive on this road. There is always a few rice rockets going over 100mph. There are old people backing up for no apparent reason. People pass trucks on the right side where they cannot be seen by the trucker. The average speed is 85mph which is only averaged to be that low due to the few elderly drivers going in reverse. To purposely tell someone to take it, especially through Miami, is like saying "see you in the after-life." My God, there are signs that say: when you have an accident here, please get you vehicle off the road...oh, and get the corpses the hell out of there too.

The perfect pastime for the Keys. Grab the swatter with your mouse and click to swat. http://majman.net/fly_loader.html

"If it's not raining why bother to fix the roof?"  That's the state of this country's infrastructure, stuff like bridges, levees, roads, water distribution systems, etc.  These things don't last forever without hugely expensive maintenance and or rebuilding, especially in the environment around here.  Check out the work being done under the Bahia Honda Bridge which is a bit older then the Seven Mile Bridge.  Wait until the bill comes in for the inevitable Seven Mile repairs.  We need to be saving our tax money for our own basic necessities, not pouring it down some rat hole of a foreign war that nobody, to speak of, in the rest of the world even cares about.

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Tuesday June 23, 2008

Sunday June 22, 2008

I think we should try to make a new County or move the county line further down the keys. We need a county where the middle and lower keys can be separated from Key Largo. Key Largo is too close to Miami. The people there think like Miamians and big city folk. That would be ok if we down-the-keys folk weren’t affected by their hunger to develop everything they see.

The Conch Republic Coconut Telegraph will be taking a bus trip to Key West on Thursday, July 19th to have a friendly protest in front of Margaritaville. We leave Key Largo at 11 am. It would be great if your readers could come and help us defend our name. We are even planning to have a Jimmy Buffett look-alike spoof him. We will be wearing our yellow "Attack of the Land Sharks" tee shirts. The more the merrier.
Bulletin Board

Right now the oil companies have the drilling rights for over 68 million acres of oil reserves. Don’t be fooled by Republicans. It’s the oil companies not using the rights they have. Not the Democrats. Like it or not Obama is right. Why drill in pristine National Parks when there’s already drilling fields available? The oil companies have us fighting while they laugh all the way to the bank.

I don’t care what the County does as long as it leaves the libraries open. That is the only thing of the County’s that I use.

Have you seen DiGennaro’s answer to his spending spree of Monroe County’s taxpayer’s money? He said we should allow more development in the Keys and that would bring in more taxes. He didn’t say anything about how much more demand development would place on our infrastructure and services. Yeah, right, Mario, development is the answer to everything in your small world.

Hurricane preparedness in the Keys is a life and death issue for the residents. The "Head in the Sand" information quoted from Emergency Management is only partially correct and leaves the readers with a false sense of complacency. In the past several years there have been no shelters designated in Key Largo for Category 1 or 2 storms. Prior to that St. Justyn’s Church and the Key Largo Elementary School had been used, but they were dropped as such by EM. The nearest designated Shelter is Coral Shores HS some 30 miles South. In the last Hurricane Warning which I believe was 2005 even this was ordered closed by the Governor at 11:30 AM the day of the storm, which fortunately never arrived. The editor's note, also indicated that the FIU campus in Dade County is used as a Shelter for Cat 4 and 5 storms. Please explain to me that since, in recent history, only 5 % of the residents actually evacuate. What happens to the 95 % who choose to remain? Oh! I know, they didn't follow the archaic instructions of Emergency Management so...

I worked at the original Woodstock, and have real photos, real scars, and a brain full of memories of the noise, wet, smell, feelings.  How do you put all that into pixels? What's Woodstock 4? If it's been on CT, I missed it. Photo Gallery

[Melting icecaps will raise the oceans level] An iceberg starts on land and falls into the water. It's not in the water to begin with. Ice shelves extend off the continent of Antarctica over the water--not in it. All the ice on Greenland is on land and would melt into the ocean.

I think it is really gross when a local business owner and a fired employee's laundry is put on this site.  Get your crap together and handle this mess privately.  It's not good for either of you.   I am embarrassed for you both.

Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

The County spends another 4 million dollars on a morgue. Then they are talking about closing Bay Shore Manor in the KW area. You know the one that helps the Alzheimer's afflicted elderly people. I guess they figure that if they have Alzheimer’s they can kick them out and they wont remember so that makes it ok. This county is so ruthless, and non-caring, I can’t believe these people are still in office. I can’t believe the citizens put up with such incompetence on the part of the commissioners.

Republicans, the party of me, myself and I have never had an original thought. Two present day examples are Bush's solution to the world’s fossil fuel problem—drill more. And Mario DiGennaro’s solution to his poor management of the County’s funds—more development (KW Citizen 6/21).

I received a reply to yesterday’s “Endangered Species” post from someone I only barely know, disclosing that he is an Ocean Reef Club member. He sketched the lay of the land there, and said it might be that honorary memberships are granted to county officials, the sheriff, etc., whoever can do Ocean Reef Club favors. He also mentioned once seeing a deputy playing golf there. When I wrote back asking how I might find out who had honorary memberships, he replied that I might try the Sunshine Law and Freedom of Information Act. I don’t think either apply, but since Sheriff Roth, State Attorney Mark Kohl, and all five County Commissioners are on my email list, I’m asking each of them straight up: Do you have an Honorary membership at the Ocean Reef Club? Or any kind of membership there? Today'sFloridaKeysDrivel

I remember the panic when we ran out of gas in the 70s. The panic set in within hours and at lightening speed. It was similar to people here in the keys trying to fuel up just before a hurricane when tempers are short and people are close to a breakdown of society.

We just wanted to say hello to all our friends in the lower keys.  Hi, y’all gotta go feed the farm in Ocala.

Attacking a veteran anywhere is stupid and the only person who has earned the right to attack a veteran is another veteran.

[Another thought on the Scotty's deal] All are great ideas. Now everyone kick in a few thousand dollars so you can buy the building and property from Walgreen's.

[Deer Editor] I think the picture that you used for Kim's dog passing is truly, distasteful, hurtful, and uncalled for. Rolling over playing dead? What we're you thinking? You made her cry. An apology is called for, please.

[Wetstock 4] Wet rock ‘n roll!

Apparently, many of these comments have come from posters that truly have wasted away in Margaritaville.

Why do people always start with “off-shore drilling will ruin the environment” ? There is absolutely no proof of this, in fact just the opposite is true. Then they use that falsehood as the foundation of their argument. Is the only way they can win an argument to lie? Is this called building a straw man?  Obama says that we have to cut down on the use of dirty oil and coal, yet he pours more dirty jet fuel into his thirsty private jet than the working people here would use to drive to work. Hypocrite! The British used to say, piles for peers, hemorrhoids for nobility.

[Wetstock 4] We’re going for sure, but remember, people, no pooping in the water.

Pressure treated yellow pine sure is a strange thing. This 5 foot 5/4 X 6 board was salvaged from a deck where it was in the sun for five years. It never buckled while it was nailed in place. But after five years (properly stacked) in my yard in partial shade it buckled beyond any usefullness.

Does anyone know what this bug is called? We suffer yearly infestations ever June. There are thousands on all our screens for about a week. After Raid we have to sweep them away, there are so many bodies littering our porches.

[Sweetheart Deal] Did any happen to hear the broadcast on US 1 Radio, when Ms Spehar was on the program?  She let the cat out of the bag by saying the developer who wants to buy the Hickory House Restaurant was offering $100,000 less than what the tax payers paid for it which was $3.2 million! What a deal, Spehar. If you vote for that deal, it is a shame and you have taken our money and squandered it.  Spehar is not even a property owner or property tax payer, she resides on a houseboat, so what does our $100,000 mean to her? Spehar voted along with the other members of the "Gang of Three" to allow 8 months for the developer to make up their minds if they wanted to purchase the property without any earnest money down.  That put the property out of the reach so it could not even be listed to sell to anyone else.  The developer has offered public access to the water, (50 years lease--temporary) Hello folks, we own the water access, but the developer will only charge $25 to put your boat in and $25 to take your boat out. Watch and see if the water access comes up before the BOCC to abandon it to the developer. The County owns that water access. Remember this one folks when you go to the polls on August 26 to vote.  Make sure you vote Spehar and McCoy out! ~keyscares@yahoo.com

[The South Florida Code--excluding the Keys] When giving directions in South Florida, you should always start with the words, Take I-95. If you're a snowbird or a non-working retiree, you absolutely cannot drive between the hours of 6am and 10am and 4pm and 7pm. This is considered to be rush hour and you're not in any rush. No exceptions.   Some roads just stop for no reason and then start again: Congress Avenue, Lyons Road, Jog Road.   Freeways can only go north and south. Not east and west..   A1A and ALT A1A are the same streets.   Traffic Lights aren't timed and never will be.   We measure the distance you travel in time not miles.   If you travel more than 5-10 miles on any road in South Florida without seeing an orange Bob's Barricade, you're lost!  If you miss your exit on I-95, its perfectly acceptable to back up.   Once the light turns green, only 3 cars can go through the intersection. Eight more go through on yellow and 4 on red.   Know the difference between Sun Pass, Sun Fest, Sun-Sentinel, and Sun Trust.  Flip flops, tank tops and baggy shorts are also known as business casual.   It is perfectly acceptable to brag about the size of your generator.   It is totally acceptable to be living in South Florida but not root for the Dolphins, the Marlins, the Heat or the Panthers.   We have alligators here in South Florida and they will bite you. Don't be stupid and try to feed or pet one.   Clematis is a street not a disease.  When a hurricane is headed our way, even though you have advanced warning and you are told to be prepared, you're not a true Floridian unless you wait until the absolute last minute to go to Home Depot to pick up plywood or to Publix to stock up water, ice, beer, and potato chips.   You know how to spell Okeechobee.   Do not buy a boat. Make friends with someone who already owns a boat that way you don't have to deal with the headaches.   There is an Okeechobee blvd, street, avenue, town, lake and county.   You weren't born here. If you were, you're angry that everyone else moved here.   There's always a Walgreens across the street from a CVS on almost every corner - with more being built every day.   When picking up a woman on South Beach, always look for an Adams apple.   It's normal to sweat when you are putting up your holiday decorations.   Jupiter is a city, not a planet.   Seniors have to do their errands during the weekdays. Not weeknights or weekends - that's for the working folks.   There are three types of dolphins: Mahi-mahi, flipper, and also one called a football team.   You can't say; "this is how we did it up north", if you think that way, then go back.   No matter what they decide in Tallahassee you will never be able to figure out your property taxes.   Learn how to dress in layers. It will be 95 degrees outside but inside any restaurant or business it's 65 degrees.   There are three things you will need to survive a south Florida winter: A long sleeved T-shirt, sunscreen and restaurant reservations that you make at least three weeks in advance.   The same neighbor who smiles at you every day will be the first one to rat you out if you are violating water restrictions.

My condolences to Kim Laundrie on the loss of her sweet dog, Prissie.  Pets are just like one of the family; and that seems especially so here in the keys. http://www.indigo.org/rainbowbridge_ver2.html

The gentleperson’s explanation is right on the mark, however, the runoff of glacier melt that is on land – not in the water – has the effect of pouring more water into a full glass – it’s going to runover; hence increase in sea level rise. The real problem is the warming of existing cool deep ocean water and the expansion thereof. Neither of these phenomena fits Archimedes’ Principal. Eureaka.

A big thank you from the Florida Keys Coconut Telegraph Internet Café on 53^rd Street in Marathon.  We would be happy to participate in your “friendly protest”.  We invite all Coconut Telegraph readers to stop by and visit our shop and enjoy a complimentary cup of coffee.  Oh yeah, even you, Jimmy!  By the way, didn’t Gilligan and the Professor invent the coconut telegraph?

Melting ice caps. Keys gone in 200 years. I wonder if you were singing the ice age song about 35 years ago when that was the all rage?  Save your pity for things that are real and matter.

We have made every Wetstock; we look forward to it every year.  However, my husband has to work on Saturday in Key West.  We are devastated that we can't make it this year.  We vote for Sunday…please!

[Dago] What, not enough about the picture lady anymore, so now it is time to go after a fancy bus owner?  He is the friendliest biker that you will ever encounter, always willing to help or lend a hand. So back off the biker.

[Hurricane Evacuation] If people stay they should be on their own.  The law tells everyone to get out.  If they choose to stay then they reap what they get.  I don't believe the government should say "we'll be here for you" because that just encourages people to stay.  The utilities sometimes ask their people to stay and allow them to stay in their own buildings.  In that case it's different.  But to advertise that the stations will be on line and people will be here for those who stay is wrong.  It gives people false hope.

Monroe County Emergency Service, or whatever they call it, has been so out of touch with reality relative to hurricane evacuation for the last 25 years because of their leadership. I think they have a new director. Maybe he’ll bite the bullet and admit that most Keys people don’t evacuate and never will. I think that head in the sand analogy was pretty good.

[Wetstock 4] Me and mine will be there!

I can not believe the insensitivity shown by the editor for the cartoon of a dog along with the message about Kim's dear dog passing away.  Shame on you!

[Developer buys West Isle Club in Key West] Actually, there is another alternative. Ask the City commission to extend the deed restriction for the next 50 years.  Except - who's the opposition? To whom is the deed holder listening?  Who is lobbying the deed holder? This may be a situation that has a pro affordable housing outcome if publicly discussed and properly advocated. 

Electric cars are great, but who and where are we going to get the power to charge them? Nuclear, coal, natural gas or oil? You see, it has to come from somewhere. Grill in the Keys and drill now. Ear mark all American oil to be sold in our country only. It’s later than we think so we better get busy. It will take 20 years or so to make the switch and it sure could be a lot less painful If we start now. We should release about half of our national oil reserve right now. That’s right, just drop it on the market along with the news that we are going to look for and find oil to fill our own needs. This will catch all those fat cats that are speculating on oil and driving our cost thru the roof. Let’s think outside the box and fight oil with oil. We sure have a bunch of oil to do it with. Or we can keep sending money with the folks that want to kill us.

Currently the county does not have a qualified budget director, and current budget decisions, and future budget plans are being made by someone with only a high school diploma. The absence of budget director qualifications can not be ignored. And now, we have a BOCC commissioner making statements in public that the county needs to increase its revenues. And this is same BOCC commissioner who continues to shove sinking that boat (the Vandenberg artificial reef project in Key West) down the taxpayers’ throats.  Here's a thought - increase county revenues by not spending a single taxpayer penny on that boat. And, if the county had a qualified budget director, the BOCC commissioners would have access to information and guidance.

Ever wonder what is on your magnetic key card? The customer's name, Customer's partial home address, Hotel room number, Check-in date and out dates, Customer's credit card number and expiration date and other data.

When you turn them in to the front desk your personal information is there for any employee to access by simply scanning the card in the hotel scanner. An employee can take a hand full of cards home and using a scanning device, access the information onto a laptop computer and go shopping at your expense. Simply put, hotels do not erase the information on these cards until an employee reissues the card to the next hotel guest. At that time, the new guest's information is electronically overwritten on the card and the previous guest's information is erased in the overwriting process. Until the card is rewritten for the next guest, it usually is kept in a drawer at the front desk with all your information on it.

The bottom line is keep the cards, take them home with you, or destroy them. Never leave them behind in the room or room wastebasket, and never turn them into the front desk when you check out of a room. They will not charge you for the card (it's illegal) and you'll be sure you are not leaving a lot of valuable personal information on it that could be easily lifted off with any simple scanning device card reader. For the same reason, if you arrive at the airport and discover you still have the card key in your pocket, do not toss it in an airport trash basket. Take it home and destroy it by cutting it up, especially the electronic information strip. If you have a small magnet, pass it across the magnetic strip several times. Then try it in the door, it will not work. It erases everything on the card.

My vote for Sheriff goes to the candidate who will take providing a medical helicopter off the backs of the taxpayers. The candidate who wants to get rid of TraumaStar and all it's accompanying expenses. That's $2.4 million the BOCC won't have to budget for. And this is easy because there's already a private helicopter service stationed in the lower keys. It’s under-used due to political shilling.

Wetstock is always on a Saturday!  I think it should be kept that way so the band has a day to rest after moving all that equipment around.  I'm so excited, I can't wait!  Rock on!

There are oil rigs in the North Sea that go through horrendous weather all the time and don't destroy the environment.  Rigs in the Gulf are shut down and evacuated during hurricanes and suffer little damage. 

I am so glad you saw this and know the type of person, this Sal Gutierrez is. Folks beware; get informed about your candidates before you vote.  Watch for groups who will be holding forums so you can see, hear and question the candidates.  When you go to the polls to vote it will be an informed and knowledgeable vote. The primary will be the one to vote in this year, especially this year, since two of the members of the "Gang of Three" are up for re-election.  Spehar and McCoy need to be voted out for the sake of Monroe County and her taxpayers.

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Sunday June 22, 2008

F5 on your keyboard to refresh the animations.

Saturday June 21, 2008

As we battle back and forth about drilling vs. alternative fuel, don't forget there are literally millions of vehicles in this country which require regular gasoline to operate. These vehicles have an average life span of 15 years or more, depending on make and model. We're still selling these vehicles today. What year is your car? I'm not taking sides on this issue, but having more oil is a necessity, even if it takes seven years to get it. Alternative fuels are a great idea but it will be a long time before they completely fill our needs. That’s a reality we must all face.

To those curious about whether the melting icecaps will raise the oceans level. They are not going to melt so forget about global warming. Sleep well tonight and if you are lucky enough Al Gore won't appear in your nightmares anymore. 

I suggest you review Archimedes Principle. Simply put, The iceberg simply displaces the volume of water whose weight is equivalent to the iceberg’s weight.  If an object's volume is greater than its equivalent water volume weight, it floats (that's why ice floats).  If an object's weight exceeds its equivalent water volume weight, it sinks (that's why a bowling ball sinks).  If equal it stays neutral (in Scuba diver terms--hovers).  As ice melts, it turns to water (imagine that).  Therefore, it would displace the same amount of water that the iceberg does.  There would be little effect, if any, if the icebergs melt. 

America’s long term energy policy: Get more.

Kim Laundrie the Mobile Pet Groomer, lost her beloved dog Prissie, of 15+ years, to cancer on Friday. Anyone who knows Kim will remember Prissie riding shotgun in her truck. She was a one in a million dog that got along with all cats and dogs. Thank God all dogs go to Heaven.

The West Isle Club in Key West is one of the only affordable housing developments left. When the City commission approved them 19 years ago they attached a deed restriction so they would remain affordable. The only problem is that the deed restriction was only for 20 years. Next year when the twenty years is up, they’ll be turned into condos and the residents will have to move. My point of this letter is that deed restrictions suck if there is a time limit involved.

So you think this is a great country filled with principled people? Americans have principles until their wallets are affected, then we’ll throw our principles out the door. Just wait and see when we say to hell with the environment and drill offshore and in Anwar. It’s going to happen. The environment be damned. Americans vote with their wallets.

The newest nationwide crime spree is gas theft. Authorities expect it to increase as gas prices continue to rise. People think its ok to steal from big oil.

www.citizensnotserfs.com might be our only hope of keeping the Keys out of the hands of developers. The gang of three wants to have the keys removed from the Area of Critical State Concern designation that was imposed on us since the 70s when development and corruption were rampant (coincidently Sonny McCoy was the Mayor of Key West at the time and he was, coincidently, architect of most of those major developments). Once the designation is lifted they’ll be nothing to stop Mayor DiGennaro and his gang from giving away the rest of the Keys to their developer partners. Isn’t it amazing that over eighty percent of Keys voters want the designation to continue and Mayor DiGennero continues full steam ahead with hips plan to get it removed? What does that tell us about his care of the Keys citizens?  ~usa33043@yahoo.com

President Bush, our constitution bashing president, wants telecommunications companies who have partnered with him in illegal wiretaps to get immunity for assisting him in his crimes.

If all the money that will be spent on offshore drilling and building new refineries were spent on developing an alternative fuel source I’m confident American greatness would solve the problem. When “the sleeping giant” wakes up we can change the world. We woke up in World War II and it’s time we woke up again.

Monroe must be a rich County. We just spent another 4 million dollars on a morgue. Is the new and improved facility for those of you who don’t evacuate for hurricanes?

(Ed: Would someone like to design a poster for Woodstock 4? You can make it about 150 pixels wide by 200 pixels long. The Moondogs-loving public will thank you.)

The big shake up in Congress in the mid-term elections assured us that the war would end. Just yesterday the Democrat lead Congress passed another $162 billion dollars to support the war. So far they’ve passed every war-related spending bill Bush has put in front of them. No wonder everyone hates the Democrats, even the Democrats.

The chief of Sweden's defense intelligence agency said Thursday that about 20 of its staff members have had personal information about themselves posted on the Internet. The head the National Defense Radio Establishment, said he believes the mud-throwing campaign was conducted by people protesting a new law that allows his agency to secretly eavesdrop on e-mail and telephone traffic crossing the country's borders.

[Melting Ice caps]  Yes, it is true that when ice is water born and it melts, it will not displace the current level. This is true of ice bergs and other floating ice. The problem is that glaciers and land born ice is not part of the current sea level. In 100-200 years, the Keys will cease to exist--so it is time to lower your home's asking price, but you can probably wait 50 years or so. The people who continue not to believe that our fragile world is in trouble, I can do nothing but pity them.

[China is drilling right off our shores] Where did you get that fact? Sorry, but they are exploring drilling and are a long way from having that ability if they decide to at all. Are all republican 27%ers that far out of touch? Maybe they are drilling off of Fantasy Island.

[A leader for a change]  Sound familiar?  That was Jimmy Carter's campaign slogan. Jimmy won and we sure got change.  The United States was at the peak of its economic development.  It was the highest creditor nation, it had the highest per-capita gross domestic product, and real income for the average worker was at its maximum.  Then, we got the oil embargo, many folks won’t remember what happened, but OPEC got pissed at us and simply turned off the pumps, they stopped selling us oil.  The first thing that happened was that gas prices went through the roof, next we ran out of gas.  We actually ran out of gas, there were long lines at the few stations that did have gas.  When you could find gas, you were often limited in the amount you could buy, a 5 gallon limit was common.  Long lines, fights, thefts, and general mayhem ruled at the gas stations.  It continued until the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict.  Pre embargo gasoline could be bought for 35 cents per gallon, and a station attendant checked the oil and cleaned the windshield.  Not long after the embargo $1.40 per gallon was common.  The economy tanked, we got near record unemployment, the infamous stagflation and the “misery index”.   Carter’s “change” included double digit inflation and mortgage interest rates.  Carter ultimately promised that United States would never again import as much oil as it did in 1977.  Carter and every other President since then has failed to get us energy independence.  We’re even more vulnerable now than we were then. Even with all of that, the liberals adamantly continue to block all efforts to permit us freedom from energy dependence.  Why, damnit, why?  The moral is, be careful when you wish for change, you just might get it.

Attacking a Veteran on this site is foolish. If you're a regular reader you should know that's a great way to get put in your place. I'll back the Veterans every time. Their courage to defend this country is the very reason we can voice our opinions. Remember, you can bullshit the fans, but not the players. If you haven't fought in a war, don't try to compete with those who have. A big thank you to all our Veterans!

Why are you doing Wetstock on Saturday? Most people have to work. It needs to be on a Sunday--take a poll.

Now is the time of year when we take a break to visit folks out of the Islands. If your plants need watering, your outside cat needs to be fed or you just want someone to make sure you did turn off the water and lock the door before you left call Keys Home Watchers at 305-849-1031 and we will watch your home for you while you are away. See you when you get back!

The argument resisting domestic oil drilling on the grounds that it will take too long to get the crude to market is just plain stupid.  It’s like saying “Don’t go to college, it’ll take too long to get a degree.”  Or “Don’t mess with chemotherapy; it takes to long to get results.”

Another thought on the Scotty's deal. How about a small bowling alley in the center, surrounded by a skating rink, with an upstairs dance club and a nice to place to rent for events, weddings, parties, etc. The ceiling inside is high enough to pull it off.  The more things that building has to offer, the better its chances of surviving as a Big Pine business. Maybe even a small food franchise in the corner. Sound crazy? It's not as crazy as adding another drug store.

Let Peace begin with me.

[Oil and water still don’t mix] Stop offshore oil drilling in fragile marine areas. Protect our coral reefs with a sustainable energy policy.

[Cory] I need to clear up the comment made about 'poor little ol' Cory' being fired. We all know and love the owner of the shop Cory was fired from. When the owner, Kathy, was sick, Cory managed to show up to work on her own sweet time. This makes her a hero? And she began immediately gouging customers on haircut and color prices.  She had to be confronted by friends of Kathy's before this would stop.  Kathy has loaned Cory money on numerous occasions, has fed her and given her transportation. She has put up with Cory constantly leaving work, or calling in with some huge personal trauma drama --which is a never ending situation. Cory has been obstinate, sullen, nasty and dishonest.  Kathy would never fire anyone unless she was pushed to her limit, and she - to the absolute combined relief of her friends - finally has.  Cory took full advantage of Kathy going through the death of her husband, and an her almost fatal illness. Cory began calling the shop "her shop" and telling people that she didn't know when or if Kathy would return (a little weird don’t you think). I call it sabotage. I would advise anyone to steer clear of Cory. I seriously doubt anyone actually wrote in on her behalf, she probably did it herself. Sad. ~ Lobosan@aol.com

Jimmy Buffett has a paper that he sends out monthly to those who sign up for it.  Guess what, it's called "The Coconut Telegraph".  He started it as a small flyer in Key West around 1985 and it was taken home by tourists, and the locals got news of where he was playing and when merchandise was on sale.  I remember when the whole town of Key West was singing his praises and singing along to his music on the radio with great pride and laughter. I lived on Big Pine in the 70's and remember the "Piners" singing right along too. Then if the next song was a David Allen Coe, we didn't skip a beat and sang along with that too.  This is a case of not doing your homework.  Like Jimmy or not, he surely doesn't claim he invented or coined the phrase, he simply started a newsletter with that name in the 80's. Now someone else is using the same name on their newsletter up the keys. He used it first on his newsletter a long time ago.

[Windows Mail] I agree. I don’t like any of the online email services because of having a third party keeping copies of my information, but I would keep Internet Explorer 7. IE 7 is so much more secure than IE 6. It’s for your own good.

Drill offshore to “lower prices” and “The Democrats demand that oil be suppressed, they want high energy prices”. There is a writer on here and I think it's the same person who writes fantastic statements based on his own fantasy and selfishness. I think it might be Rush Limbaugh himself.

Obama didn’t get what he wanted--Bush did. A war in the Mideast and having American suckers to pay for it. Suckers! Iraq was harmless to America’s safety. Only communist countries are allowed to change history to suit their ideals.

[Picking McCain’s nits] He opposed the drilling when gas was $1.50 per gallon.  Now, at $4.00+ per gallon, he's changed his mind. Sounds like a solid idea to me.

This is quite different than changing your mind about your pastor and how you feel about his stupid, racist views of the USA, 15 times in a month.

[Melting icecaps] All the water that ever was or ever will be is here now in one form or another.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it. ~W.C. Field

You must tell why he is a Deadbeat Dago. He has always been very nice and helpful at our place.

I really hope this Cory & Kathy drama doesn't go on too much longer it's old already. I don't know who Cory is but I have known Kathy a long time, ever since way back when she didn't mind flashing her boobs at the Tiki. ~InTheKeyz@aol.com

Wheeeeee! Ride in an F-18 http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/ajc/swf/blueangels/blueangels.swf

Thanks Keyscares for the heads up on Sal Gutierrez.  I also heard he practices Voodoo, picks his boogers and pulls the wings off flies; and that issue with two email addresses is just horrible!  Maybe we can get Kay Thacker to propose at a BOCC meeting a new law that will force people to only have one email address.   Can you imagine someone with this type of character running for public office?

Dago the bus builder did what?

[Cory] Bottom line: the shop is not yours. Never has been, never will be. Understanding the grief and trouble someone is going thru does not give you any rights or based on your lifestyle at the time.  You are a selfish, conceited woman who will (hopefully) in later life understand that it's not always about you!  ~keyzgrl@bellsouth.net

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Saturday June 21, 2008

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[Iraq Arabic for Vietnam] We will never win. Osama got just what he wanted, most of the Islamic world against us with more joining all the time.

[The Irish are clear thinkers, and all who survived the 30's, 40's, etc.]  These two posts were both plagiarized off some right wing site on the internet.  I received each of them verbatim in my email about two weeks ago from friends who have too much time on their hands and frequent these sites almost daily.  If you can't come up with your own thoughts at least give credit to your sources.  (Ed: Much of the stuff read here is plagiarized. We always remove attribution for clarity and impact.)

Sal Gutierrez has several email addresses and uses them as if it is someone else.  Yes, Sal and anyone who supports him is very scary. Look at the amount of votes he got last election, just due to his last name--very scary. Sal is using the gal named Kay Thacker on a blog saying she is from Port Richey. From what I read on his blog, this Kay Thacker was not the Kay Thacker from Key Largo. ~keyscares@yahoo.com

The post about surviving childhood in the 30s-70s made me smile. So true.

Windows Live Mail is nothing but Hotmail redone to get you to sign up. It sucks. The bad thing about this Live Mail and Windows Mail in Vista is they have a copy of everything you write, send, delete and save. In other words they have, and know, all you do. They also keep a copy of your contacts lists in their computers. I am not saying this is Big Brother, but it sure looks like it. Why else would they need to do this? The information cannot be used to rebuild your email and address books if your system crashes. In fact you have to go through hell just to back up the folders to another hard disk or other media.  I'm going back to the simple IE 6 and Outlook Express and uninstalling Internet Explorer 7 and its Windows Mail crap!

Australia is officially the heavyweight champion of the world, according to new figures showing the nation has a greater proportion of obese citizens than the United States. Australia wins world heavyweight title | theage.com.au

This country, with looming possibilities of natural disasters on our home turf, cannot afford the bucks for the bangs in Iraq.  Why isn't the rest of the world as interested in this situation as we are?  Even powerful neighboring countries don’t seem interested?  Ever wonder about that one?

I just called the White House on the number the anti drilling poster listed. It was actually answered by an English speaking person. I told them that I fully supported offshore oil drilling and that overall I thought the Pres. was doing a good job. Thanks for the number. too bad the ban wasn't lifted years ago, we wouldn't be in the predicament we are now in.

Rather than removing our critical state concern status, our good governor might want to consider extending it to all of South Florida, especially after reviewing the 2003 Department of Environment Protection’s Annual Status Report which stated, “Four of the five water management districts contain areas of existing water sources insufficient to meet 20-year needs. Flows and water levels of the Apalachicola River and Lake Okeechobee have never been lower. Drought conditions and low water levels in the aquifer contribute to sinkhole formation, water quality degradation, and the drying up of wells”.

In addition, the 2007 Monroe County Public Facilities Capacity Assessment Report states, “With projected demand of 18.77 MGD (million gallons per day) in 2007 and with the assumption that demand will only continue to increase in 2008, once water restrictions are lifted, based upon water demand steadily increasing every year since 1991, with the exception of 2001, it can be anticipated that water demand will outweigh supply in 2009/2010.”

Drill, drill, drill will solve all of our problems. The only problems it will solve is the oil companies’ problems with free oil donated by the taxpayers of this country for drilling rights. We were heading in the right direction when we had practical plug-in electric cars, until 2003 when California pulled the plug on electric cars when they rescinded the 0 emission standard. The GM EV1, Toyota EV Rav 4, EV Chevy S10 pickup, EV Ford Ranger pickup and so on were all production plug-in electric vehicles that had 150 mile ranges and good highway speeds.

When the 0 emission mandate was removed in California they stopped production and recalled all the leases then systematically shredded most of the vehicles. Then Texaco bought the patent on the battery technology that made them a viable option for an electric over the road vehicle. So what are we stuck with now? Electric golf carts that look like little Hummers and ‘57 Chevy's that don't go over 25mph. That's just great!  Don't complain and whine to me about high fuel prices. Email Bush or Cheney, maybe they can help you.

[An actual letter to the passport office ] Dear Sir:  I'm in the process of renewing my passport, and still cannot believe this.  How  is it that Radio Shack has my address and telephone number and knows that  I bought a TV cable from them back in 1997, and yet, the Federal  Government is still asking me where I was born and on what date.    For Christ sakes, do you guys do this by hand?  My birth date you have on my social security card, and it is on all the income tax forms I've filed for the past 30 years. It is on my health insurance card, my driver's license, on the last eight goddamn passports I've had, on all those stupid customs declaration forms I've had to fi! ll out before being allowed off the planes over the last 30 years, and all those insufferable census forms that are done at election times.   Would somebody please take note, once and for all, that my mother's name is Maryanne, my father's name is Robert, and I'd be absolutely astounded if that ever changed between now and when I die!

[Why did you edit my email] I have to agree with this poster. Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean others won't. Now if it's full of trash words or cursing I can understand the reason.

I can't figure out how the ice caps melting will raise the ocean level. How come if you fill a glass with ice and then top it off with water it doesn't over flow when the ice melts?

Let me get this straight. We shouldn’t drill in our off-shore waters because: 1. It will take seven years to get any oil. 2. The price of oil wouldn’t come down much. 3. There may be an oil spill. 4. Drilling in the ocean disturbs it and may increase global warming. If we don’t start a job it will never be finished. If Clinton hadn’t vetoed the energy bill we would have had that oil now. He was afraid of irritating the environmentalists and then not getting re-elected--so screw the people. I believe that if congress repealed the anti-drilling law that alone would cause a precipitous drop in oil prices. The oil produced and new natural gas wells off South Carolina would produce more energy than we get from Venezuela. There never has been an oil spill. (even with two hurricanes) How can drilling cause man-made global warming? There isn’t such a thing. I think one volcanic eruption would equal more gas into the atmosphere that man has ever produced. If the Cubans and the Chinese (both more expert than US companies) are drilling into our oil, why can’t we?

Yesterday Barack Obama announced that he would not accept public funds to help finance his presidential campaign.  McCain, on the other hand, flip-flopped on the issue and will accept your taxpayer dollars and feed from the public trough to finance his campaign.  Shame on you hypocritical republicans.  You have become very casual about talking out of both sides of your mouth at the same time.

Cranky old McCain is right (no pun intended), we should protect our nation and our economy by taking immediate steps to begin securing our energy independence and lower prices by drilling on our own shores.  The Democrats demand that oil be suppressed, they want high energy prices.  The Democrat party has decided that it is in their best interests to take money from your pocket.  One reason is to cater to demands of the eco warriors.  Their theory is that high energy prices will force an immediate reduction in the American use of fossil fuels; it is dogma to the eco warriors, and by extension to the Democrat party, that the American use of fossil fuels is the root cause of the boogey man du jour, global warming.  In a CNBC interview Obama told the interviewer that the new high prices could lead to a “more efficient energy policy than we do right now.”  He said that he would have 'preferred a gradual adjustment'", but that “if we put more money in people’s pockets”, “we could come out of this stronger”.   This tells us that he does not want to lower your cost of fuel; he wants high prices to endure.  He does not say that that lower prices would benefit us all, instead he suggests some sort of energy purchaser subsidy.  Sound familiar?  The Democrats are anxious to nationalize the petroleum industry.  Does that sound far fetched?  In a recent hearing on petro prices Rep. Maxine Waters (Dem CA) said, “And, guess what this liberal will be all about? This liberal will be about socializing...uh, will be about, basically taking over and the government running all of your companies.”  Rep, Maurice Hinchley (Dem NY) said the other day "We (the government) should own the refineries. Then we can control how much gets out into the market." It looks like Obama and the Democrats are using Hugo Chavez as a role model. That's not surprising; they use Castro for a model when they talk about socializing medicine.  It's revealing that the Democrats no longer even try to hide their socialist agenda.

[Gas prices] Whose laughing now?

There is nothing worse then a crazy religious fanatic.  It's not about God or doing good. It's all about them.  I agree they are predators.

Have you ever noticed that when a liberal progressive wants to increase entitlement programs they avoid telling us how the new hand outs will be paid for.  On the other hand when it comes time for anybody to want to put more money in our pockets by cutting handouts or taxes, the Democrats always tear up and cry “You can’t do that!  How will you pay for it?”  With the election looming, get ready for new offers of handouts.  I’ll bet you the next Democrat hand out will be the promise of cash payments for the “deserving” to help defray the high cost of gas.

Someone posted yesterday that in Iraq it was the "fundamentalist aggressors that were repelled". I think we attacked Iraq, but if you can show me the reports saying that Iraq attacked us at anytime in the history of the world that pulled us into Iraq I will be very happy to change my opinion. If not, we all know it’s the war for lies and nothing more. Let Bush know he said Iraq had zero to do with 9/11. I think that was done by Saudis and the Taliban from Afghanistan which is a different country all together and where the real war on terror should have stayed. You’ve got to love the 27%ers logic.

A bowling alley on Big Pine would be perfect. Now the big-haired ladies, bikers and NASCAR fans in the area will have a place to hang out and even get a little exercise. They could have a C&W band in there on Friday and Saturday nights. We could call it the House of Rednecks.

First of all Kathy has been a friend to me for a few years and done some personal things for me--which I thank her for. I have to address the comment you have made. They are not facts!

I have for a fact done the best to my ability to keep the salon up and running over this trying year.  Since April of last year I have been dealing with tragedy in the work place. I ask you “How would you deal?” As far as my attitude, I have tried to take and make it as easy as I could on her. Understandably, it took Kathy more than 2 weeks to come out of a fog.  This Oct she was sick--another tragedy and thank god her friends saved her life. I ran her business along with two other women working part time. I worked 6 days a week all through the season with little to no communication from Kathy. I did the best I could answering questions daily. Helping keep her customers, my customers and walk-ins happy and resolving all rumors we were closed. I made phone calls and personal visits to make sure everyone knew we were open.

My attitude was concern for Kathy and the shop and my future. The uncertainty was stressful and scary. In Nov to Dec there were some opportunities that came to me and this I struggled with. I wanted to stay loyal to Kathy and I took everything as slowly as I could because of the uncertainty. I was planning to talk to Kathy about it if it did work out when she was able to do so. This did not happen because someone called Kathy without knowing the facts and told her “whatever”. I still, to this day, have not been able to talk to Kathy about what happened. Because Kathy and I have not talked she came back in Feb and still has to recover.

Since Feb I have not communicated with Kathy a whole lot.   Why? I don’t know. She didn’t want to talk business. Giving her space, I did not go to her. Now why? If I got fired because of what you said, why didn’t Kathy bring this to my attention in the last few months? And as far as pricing, I have always gone with the pricing she had. This too was never brought to my attention. And to say I was not there! I was there. There are times I have closed early due to doctor’s appointments. I have been there mainly by myself for sometime. One thing you did say was true. I am working at A Cut Above in Marathon where I rent the back room two days a week. An opportunity I chose to take due to the slow season. I told Kathy and asked if I could do three days in Big Pine and two days up there. She said do what you have to do. That was the extent of the conversation. She was not interested in details. At the time we had plenty of people there to handle me being gone without Kathy having to be there. Was I wrong for this? Personally it was working for me and I thought it would give the new girl a chance to build her clientele on the days I was not there and it gave me a little breather from all the discussion of the last year’s tragedy which started taking its toll on me.

This brings me to this Monday. Kathy still has no idea what happened. She was not there. A new girl was brought in by Kathy to help with Kathy’s clients. Mon, Thu and Wed I was working alone. This girl decided to, or Kathy decided to, put this girl on Monday at the beginning of June. The first Monday she worked I called Kathy after work to ask her if this was a permanent thing. She said in a very short conversation that she wanted her to take walk-ins on Monday. I told her that there was not that much walk-in business on Mondays due to it being summer and most of Monday business was my clientele. I accepted this arrangement because it is her business, although I felt this was going to cause problems. And sure enough after four weeks of her coming on Monday for just a few hours she basically had no clients. This is not my fault. I’ve been there for 2 ½ years with a year by myself on Mondays. I had no problem with this person personally; in fact I thought she was cool. Her working on Mondays did not bother me. I was too busy to worry about her. I was not going to discuss this with her. This was between Kathy and me. I felt it was Kathy’s duty to be as loyal to me as I was to her. Out of three days my Mondays were the only time I was making money since the slow season began. With this being said I still don’t know what happened that day. It was unusually very busy last Monday. The girl came in at 11:00. We were getting along fine, so I thought. Next, Kathy came in. I finished my services and the customers had left. I was cleaning up and Kathy turned to me and asked me what problem I had with the new girl. I said there was no problem. Kathy stated that the girl told her I pushed her out of the way for the phone and I have a nasty attitude towards her. This took me back, not knowing what she was talking about. I told her I did not do that and that I have no problem with her. Kathy did not believe me and from there it escalated. I was hurt and angry and shocked that his had come about and, yes at that time, I did have an attitude. Kathy insisted I was starting something with that women and was very upset. I told her if she felt that way I would go ahead and give her my 2 weeks notice. She told me to get my things and leave (in not so nice words).

Kathy, I don’t know what people have been talking to you about. You sure have not come to me to discuss anything about the salon. When I’ve tried to talk to you about the salon you have said you don’t want to hear it, “can’t handle it right now.” It never seemed a good time to discuss things with you and you have been very sensitive. This is why I was fired--no communication. I wish you all the best and hope someday you will understand. This is a big misunderstanding. As for the person who wrote about me: Were you working with me this year at the salon? No. You have no idea.  Next time don’t rely on what you have heard. There is always two sides to every story and mine is fact.  ~keyslady79@yahoo.com

I just watched the local news where they talked about a mayor cancelling a Muslim female basketball team’s reservation of a public pool.  The Muslims insisted the pool be reserved to women only based on religious grounds.  That was reason enough to deny it as the pool is a public place and not a religious place.  They not only asked, they demand the local government provide them what their religion asks of them.  It's like oil and water bubba!  A day of reckoning is coming, but our youth isn't even aware of it as the educational system brainwashes them into believing all the socialist crap like in the "one world family" nonsense. 

[Governor Crist changing views on offshore oil drilling] Finally it seems a politician is listening to his voters. I would vote for him again any day.

Was anyone out there privileged enough to attend Cory's storybook wedding on the beach and the reception thanks to the generosity of Kathy and her friends?

To the poster requesting a good general contractor. I highly recommend Albert "Skip" Wirth on Big Pine Key. 305-872-3465. Skip has done several jobs for me, both large and small including new siding, carpentry to replace old wood, new stairs and a new concrete dock. His work ethic is excellent, he shows up when he tells you he will, he knows what he is doing and he has been doing it for many years. He knows how to get permits issued and does not cut corners. The biggest plus, he is a local and has been for a long time and his parents and brother all live here too. Give him a call.

[Alligator Killers Redux] I just read the most disgusting letter to the editor in the Citizen. The author described a detailed account of how he and his buddies killed newly hatched sea turtles with golf clubs. Even if this story was fabricated (and I believe it was) why would the Citizen publish it?

Who would Jesus bomb?

It's Friday! Lighten up!

Vote John McBush for more war.  Today's soldiers as heroes?  A volunteer for the cash soldier is no hero to me.  Damn your endless wars, blood and gore lovers.  A soldier-for-hire is called a mercenary. Hero for the money. Yeah. Blood and gore, more and more.  I did my Vietnam thing for the same pack of criminals that possess the throne to this day.  Enough already.  My grandchildren are not up for grabs for Israel's safety or the precious oil interests America has plundered from the Middle East for decades.  Rah, rah, rah, Praise Jesus and pass the killing tools! 

A profession in the medical field may become reality for several Marathon students thanks to the Fisherman’s Board of Trustees Charitable Committee. They awarded $9,000 in new scholarships to 2008 Marathon High School graduates and $32,000 in renewable scholarships to former Monroe County students enrolled in postsecondary programs.  In addition to supporting the health occupations program for high school students, the Fisherman’s Trustees charitable giving also provides renewable postsecondary scholarships worth $6,500 to nine students each year. Their bequest schedule provides $1,000 the first year, $1,500 in year two and $2,000 in years three and four.

The nine high school graduates who received the four-year renewable grant were made to Yanianys Alpiar, Melanie Boyd, Alexis Culver, Gabriela Hernandez, Lisbet Lopez, Reggie Paros, Israelis Trujillo, Denny Valladares, and Tara Wingate. For information visit www.keysschools.com.

[To all the kids who survived the 30's - 70's] Great post. I would add, though, that we were all promised monorails, flying cars, personal jet packs, automatic food dispensers in our kitchens, almost free electricity from safe atomic power, robotic maids, the ability for a lower middle class family to send their kids to college. I'd settle for the monorails!

We began being dependant on foreigners for energy about 27 years ago, about the same time that we banned domestic exploitation of our own resources.  If you can, forget about the high prices, it’s just insane to permit ourselves to be reliant on foreign powers for our energy.  It’s like giving Viagra and testosterone shots to a rapist.  What do Brazil, Venezuela, Britain, China, Russia, Mexico, and whole host of other countries have in common?  They all drill for oil and gas off shore.  It’s routinely done safely and without incident.  Hurricanes Rita and Katrina proved that off shore drilling rigs are not a threat to the environment.  Forget about government helping you, you need to help yourself, go to http://www.americansolutions.com  and sign the on line petition.

Domestic Violence—because sometimes you have to tell her more than once.

Beware of Deadbeat Dago the bus builder. He is not your friend.

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Friday June 20, 2008

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Wednesday June 18, 2008

My new favorite TV station is LINK TV. I get it on DirecTV (channel 375). It’s the largest viewer supported station in America (I never even herd of it) and its viewer supported—no commercials and they don’t take any government’s money.  Finally there’s another view of the world for me to try to understand. One news program, Mosaic, comes from the Mideast and is a bit from each country including the big time Al Jazeera’s top story. Earlier today on LINK I watched a documentary from Cuba. I only wish the Miami Cubans would watch it. It showed a proud people whose only interest in the United States is for money not sanctuary. Cubans are like us in that if you interview ten people you’ll get eleven different opinions of government. I watch the BBC World News too. It sure is refreshing to see the other side of world issues and our different economies. For instance Germany imports all its oil and because of it they’re screwed. It’s online too http://www.linktv.org/#

The floods in Iowa are being compared in their scope and damage to those of Katrina.  Missing are the riots, looting, blame, Geraldo, etc. Iowa cities are not lacking in black people, but the state does not have quite the extensive socialist welfare system so long present in New Orleans that fosters low life.

To the extraordinary staff of the Lower Keys Medical Center: Too often only negative feedback is received and that is why I want to take a few moments to provide some much-deserved positive feedback. On May 27, 2008 I had minor surgery at the Lower Keys Medical Center. I would like our community to know what wonderful care I received. Every person I came into contact with (pre-registration, pre-op admissions, pre-op testing, insurance verification, outpatient ward staff and operating room staff) were all extremely kind, considerate and respectful of my concerns. Each person, in their own way, helped me through the ordeal with thoughtfulness and compassion.

It is good to know that even out here in the middle of the ocean, we have such caring and competent people to take care of us. Thank you to all the staff.

[Jimmy Buffet Corporation] If we all email the JBC, and clog their Inbox with a simple slogan, Back Off The Coconut Telegraph or Else, do you think this will help?

We want Big Pine Key to do more business. People are driving right through.  When it is slow a little advertising goes a long way.  If they're not talking about you, they're not thinking about you.  Let's support Big Pine Key with a Coconut Telegraph ad for twenty dollars a week.  CoconutConnection@BigPineKey.com

Anyone in search of Cory the Hairdresser?  I have her cell phone number, she gave it to me when I moved from Ramrod Key to the Tampa Bay area several months ago. I have been traveling to Big Pine Key every 4 weeks to get my hair colored and cut by Cory. Her cell phone: 305-879-6929.  Hey Cory, open your own Salon!

Public photography falls into many categories. A reasonable expectation of privacy is the key element. If you are sunbathing nude in your back yard and are surrounded by a six-foot privacy fence, you have a reasonable expectation to privacy. If you are cavorting down Main Street in the buff and someone snaps a picture of you and sells it to a tabloid, you must suffer the consequences, for you had no reasonable expectation to privacy. If you are attending a public event, you have no reasonable expectation to privacy and any news organization can use your likeness as it sees fit, as long as there is no libel attached.

Anyone can shoot a picture of the front of your home as it can be seen from the street with or without your knowledge or consent. They cannot enhance the image by climbing fences or ladders to see over or around obstructions, because those obstructions constitute a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Interestingly enough, you have a reasonable expectation to privacy inside your own home even if the shades are wide open and you are completely nude, so if they shoot the front of your house and you're standing in the window in your birthday suit, they can only use the image of the house.

Telephoto lenses do not change the rules on reasonable expectation of privacy. Just because you can zero in on the naval of that hot, buff, naked lady in her front window, that does not mean you can use the picture without her consent. Sorry guys!

I asked a good lawyer friend if it is possible to sue someone for harassment and defense costs after they try to sue you for a false claim that was proven in error. Yes, he said, and it is done all the time, but the public rarely hears of it. False arrest, false incrimination, false witness, and anything that subjects you to public humiliation and unnecessary costs to defend yourself.

Citizens Not Serfs meeting this Sunday. Due to the overwhelming support we have received over the past couple weeks and the interest expressed by many of you as to how to get involved, we are excited and privileged to host a Volunteer Kick-Off Event this Sunday. This will provide everyone an opportunity to meet others who express similar concerns and go over our next steps to achieving our common goals. I hope to see you this Sunday. Together We Can Save The Keys! Bulletin Board

I must give a huge compliment to Jeff and his staff at Summerland Key Ace Hardware. I have always appreciated their helpful attitude and genuine interest in solving my problems, especially late one day last week at closing time when I needed help with a plumbing emergency.  This is just one more reminder that in these tough economic times we must support our local merchants. The folks at the big box store (Agent Orange) don't appreciate you like our local merchants do. They need us, and we need them. Shop locally, it really does matter.  Thanks Jeff, you have a great crew especially Bill!

We will drill in America and off shore this year or next or the year after. All oil from these sites will be sold in America only. Walgreens will do just fine and CVS will move there store to the east side of the light. There will be some fast food on Pine key just like drilling, this year or next. Publix will build on Pine key at the Flea market site or Johns True value hardware site along with some rental space. Local stores that work hard will stay in business. Homes will once again go up in cost, much higher than most places. There will be some low cost housing and rental living space for workers. So Piners, work to make these changes the best they can be. They will happen and If you do not work with the powers that be, they will happen without you.

OPEC sells oil for $136 a barrel. OPEC nations buy U.S. grain at $7 a bushel.   We should sell grain for $136 a bushel. If they can't buy it, tough!   Eat your oil!  It ought to go well with a nice thick grilled fillet of camel ass!

[Jesus traveling to and studying in India before and after his ministry in Palestine] I’ve heard this sort of stuff about Jesus in India many times, and I suppose I will hear more of it. And while I could speak to it directly, based on information I have received in spirit ways, I am not going to do that today. What I am going to do instead is wonder out loud why so many people seem fixated on proving Jesus was in India both before and after the crucifixion, and why none of them, as far as I can tell, seem interested in simply living the way he lived and told other people to live, as described in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?
 
Much the same question I could ask mainstream Christians: Why speak of being saved by Jesus? Why not speak instead of living in the way he lived and told others to live? Do Christians think they are saved simply by saying they believe Jesus was the only begotten son of God and he died for their sins, and because of that belief they will have eternal life? They will have eternal life in all events. What Christians should be concerned with is the life they are living now, because, as is well known in the East, how we live this life determines the life we live after leaving this world. Today'sFloridaKeysDrivel

Thank you very much to those comments and support to the post I submitted. I served for 24 years and to have Iraq as a last tour made the end of my career very hard. To say I am wrong on both fronts, that is the part of the First Amendment that I support, but to make a comment like that was totally out of line and you are wrong. I have a full handle on world events, and know things that you will never know. World events, what do you watch CNN?

This is my response; until you walk the desert, fighting, seeing the land-fill of body's that Saddam and his followers (including his sons) murdered, to smell the stench of rotting bodies of the victims, and to see the Al Queda training camps in both Iraq and Afghanistan, to have 87% of your unit not born yet when I entered the service, and you have to take them into battle, and hold onto to one of them as he dies and continues his journey to heaven, you obviously have no idea what a big picture is. Your comment was reckless. Not knowing what position and rank I held. Iraq was and still is a threat to the U.S., along with other countries. I spoke to people (Iraqis) who were in their 30's and 40's who did not know what freedom of speech was, did not have electric or true plumbing in some villages, etc. They cooked us food in safe houses so we didn't have to eat MREs. So I will stick to fighting and would return, even now, if ordered to do so. But politics? No, I hold my own ground and would definitely not leave that up to you. That is why we all vote. Could you imagine if that was just left up to you? So please, yes, say what you like. That is what America is all about, and what I love about our country. But, be ready for the response of reality, if you can handle it. I have to die and take to my grave a lot of things that I saw, experienced and did during those 24 years (some of you know what I mean), and I do apologized to those who have to read yesterday’s post, but, again, that is reality, and after reading what you wrote, it would be better for you t o comment on people taking pictures of peoples houses!

Why is it that when disaster strikes, man made or not, people want to point the finger and put blame on everyone else? We live in a time of uncertainty and without guaranty of safety.  If everyone is so smart and witty about how to avoid disaster then why do disasters continue to happen? The fact of the matter is that we think we have all the answers, and we want to believe that we are in control. As history writes itself we can clearly see a pattern that we are usually wrong, and always one step behind.  We cannot predict the future or guaranty safety for all, all the time. For the brilliant ones out there who think that a certain group of people can prevent bad things from happening--you need to get your heads out of the sand.  Go dig a hole and live in it, but be sure to have bug spray because you will probably need it. But then again, let life bite you where it hurts. It will give you an excuse to blame someone else.  Thanks to all the people who try hard to make this unpredictable world we live in better for all of us. Even those who mock your efforts because you continue to try to make our short time on this earth a pleasant one for all.

The full Moon of June 18th is a "solstice moon", coming only two days before the beginning of northern summer. Sky watchers have known for thousands of years that low-hanging moons look unnaturally big. At first, astronomers thought the atmosphere must be magnifying the Moon near the horizon, but cameras showed that is not the case. Moons on film are the same size regardless of elevation: example. Apparently, only human beings see giant moons. Solstice Moon Illusion

[Fathers Day only one post]  I'm sorry you don't want to be reminded. Is your name Mark? If so, your right, you are a crappy father.

Jimmy Buffett might as well sue us all. Ever since I have lived here, and my kids are 7th generation, we have said, “Where did you hear that?” “Oh, I heard it though the coconut telegraph.” So wait a minute, maybe we should be suing Buffett!

[Cory Scissors hands] Please contact me. I know of someone locally who is looking for a cosmetologist. WytDove2@aol.com Or, could someone contact me who can let me know where Cory is.

[Pictures of houses]  If you haven’t checked Google Maps lately, you are in for a surprise.  I was looking up an address I had to drive to in Big Pine and discovered that Google Maps now not only shows you were the location is, it shows you a picture of the house!  In fact, the entire street in 3-D!  You can walk up and down the street, turn left or right and look at the house across the street, even look up at the sky!  I entered my address and there came up my house with the camera angle taken right from in front of the house at street level.  My car was parked out front and Google even added the detail of blurring out my tag number.  It’s amazing.  How do they do it?  I never saw anyone filming with a 3-D camera, no less.  I spent that entire evening looking up the house where I was born in Chicago 57 years ago, as well as all the places I’ve lived over the years and was able to see what they (and the rest of the neighborhood) all look like today.  This is technology.  However, as amazing and entertaining as this was, I can’t help thinking that given what big technology can find out about us and how easily it can look in on our lives, I think the last thing we have to worry about is an appraiser taking pictures for compensation.

Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam.

[Money buys happiness]  And pisses off the poor people who can't stand to see wealthy, happy folks.  When we did not have money, we did not have to worry about the unscrupulous people who try to roll us over for it.  Like the Vets who over-charge for pet medicines which are inferior and of generic brands when you could buy on the internet for hundreds of dollars less.  Did you know they charge "wealthy" people more?  Try poor-mouthing it and leave the jewelry at home when you visit in tattered clothes.  Now they are the richy rich.  Affluent people shop bargains and sometimes do not tip as heavy as people at the lower end of the pay scale.  I have found that the people who are cheap with their money are also cheap with their love, friendship and kindness.  Ostentatious displays of wealth are gross and we find it suitable to have it and not flaunt it.  The super rich are unfazed about this economy; sales of yachts and expensive sports cars are up which makes them even happier.

While scanning through the NetFlix movie lists and realizing the people who view movies and rate them for this online site, are a cross section of America, and seeing what they like most in the way of entertainment, America is in dire need of rebuilding her DNA banks!

Replacement Moniker's for the BPK Forum when Buffett sues you.
1. Island Ire
2. The Coconut Tel