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The Original Unsocial Media. Anonymous Letters to the Editor with Pictures. Published Daily by Noon Since 2002. No Saturday Edition
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 Wetstock 10 was the best yet! On behalf of all of us sunburned fun lovers I’d like to thank Flip Flop Bob (in white shirt) for all the effort he’s put into putting on this event every summer for the last ten years. The bands were really good and lets thank them for volunteering their talent. The sound quality was the best yet. The vibes were the also best ever yesterday and I was pleased to see so many 20-30-somethings there too. I didn’t think they liked old rock and roll music, but I guess they do. |
| [“Hide the WD area from whom”] From those driving and walking by, in other words, the community. It’s not just us who benefit from concealing landscaping, but tourist appreciate the natural atmosphere of the Keys. Big Pine is famous for the Key Deer and the wildlife refuge being around us. They can go to Sarasota to see shopping plazas with neatly trimmed hedges –and a lot better ones too. I think we should always require concealing landscaping. If Big Pine doesn’t hang on to its rural character it will affect us in the long run and then we’ll be the ones crying, “Wa wa, why can’t it be like it used to be?” |
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| [No Permit Applied For] I love the post regarding “the Monroe County Building Dept” and not getting permits for the Winn Dixie shopping center. Many permits have gone out regarding the roof, a/c change outs and for the existing businesses. If you want a permit to fix the parking lot that would entail submitting for one first! |
 [Seagrape] I had a really big seagrape tree that died last winter/spring. I noticed that across the canal from me there were several other seagrapes which had also died. Now my neighbor tells me that I have another one going out. Has anyone else seen this? Any theories? |
| What’s up with Bistro 31? This weekend is the last chance to make a few bucks for a while. There is no sign or info on the building. |
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 [Factual History] I wish people would stop repeating wives tales as if they were true. Take for example the story about the guy with the speech impediment going to see Cousin Joe (Cudjoe) or the myth that bats were imported to Sugarloaf Key. Sheesh, read a history book, for Christ’s sakes. Try John Viele’s 3 excellent books about the Keys as starters. |
| Apparently FKAA did not include all commercial sewer connection tees on its forcemains. That can be a big deal, especially on HDPE (polyethylene) pipe. HDPE does not lend itself well to taps that will remain leak-free because it “creeps” away from points of pressure, like where a tapping saddle is installed. When making a non-welded (mechanical) joint, a stainless steel stiffener tube is inserted into the HDPE to help mitigate creep. You can’t do that with a tapping saddle, and all tapping saddles loosen anyway as the metal relaxes. Manufacturers of mechanical fittings for HDPE have developed extra thick gaskets or use a stack of spring washers to try to take up the slack from creep and from the expansion and contraction of HDPE with pressure changes. The very fact that different techniques are used by different manufacturers is a clue that nothing works well. The gaskets are vulnerable to disintegration from common chemicals in wastewater, including chlorine and chloramines used for drinking water disinfection (that’s why your new toilet needs a flush flapper replacement in about three years, whether it is used much or not). The spring washers plug up with dirt and/or corrode, so those can fail even faster. If a tee is cut in to other pipes, it results in 5 joints that were not there before–each of which may leak.All of the mains getting new taps should be re-pressure tested, but you know that will not happen and they will all leak sooner or later. |
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| [Keys Work Ethic] Nobody around here is going to take that recently opened job at Sears. You have to show up on time and be there every day. |
 The chickens are about to disappear from the WD parking lot. The Iguana Killers Club as been contacted to take care of the problem. |
| [Beware of Jury Duty Scams] An old scam, commonly known as the Jury Duty Scam, has been recirculating around Florida recently and has already defrauded consumers of thousands of dollars. Any caller asking for personal information should automatically be a red flag as potential fraud. Follow these tips to avoid becoming a victim.How the scam works. Consumers receive a phone call from an individual identifying themselves as an officer of the court. The “officer” says that an arrest warrant has been issued for failure to appear for jury duty. They state that in order to resolve the issue, information for “verification purposes” is needed. This information may include your date of birth, Social Security number and even a credit card number to pay the fine. Other instances include the scammer asking for payment of a fee, typically through a prepaid debit card or a Green Dot Money Pack card, to settle the outstanding warrant. Some consumers fall victim to this fraud and before they realized what happened, the scammer opens new accounts and credit cards and is able to access personal banking and financial information. Avoid becoming victim: -Court workers never request payments from jurors over the telephone, nor do they ask for personal information, such as Social Security or credit card numbers. If a consumer is unable to fulfill jury duty, they are typically asked to provide an explanation or directed to appear in court. -Never give out personal information when answering an unsolicited phone call. -If a consumer is contacted by someone requesting payments for failing to report for jury duty, hang up the phone, it’s a scam. -Anyone receiving this type of call should immediately contact the local law enforcement agency and the clerk’s office at the nearest district court to notify them of this scam.The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer information, protection and complaints. For additional information, contact the department’s Consumer Assistance Center at www.800helpfla.com or call 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) en Español. |
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 The Bat Tower is a neat place to watch the mosquitoes at night. It is in back of some seedy motel we stayed at once last year, and next to an Auto Salvage Yard on Route 1 around MM 18. There is a old abandon air strip there next to some shacks. Some movie was made there years ago. |
| [“Hide the WD area from whom”] The Reach in KW was ordered to plant bushes to hide their trash collection area facing my friend’s (he used to own the bike shop off Truman) two hundred year old cottage he and his wife worked on for twenty years. The Reach let the plants die and it looks like a garbage collection area to anyone driving by. And my poor friend had to sell and move. He couldn’t wake up to that every morning. |
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| [Diet] I’m going to need a score card here or some kind of info graphic or something. You can’t eat fat, you can’t eat carbs. You can’t eat sugar. You can’t eat gluten. You can’t eat meat. You can’t eat eggs. You can’t eat dairy. What ever happened to moderation? |
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| [“Absentee ballot”] I remember having to bring in proof that I was going to be out of town on election day before they would give me an absentee ballot. How do you get one now, just lie like I do getting out of jury duty? |
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 [“Absentee ballots, the cheapest and easiest way to vote”] It is? How can I get one? I really don’t know how, but if it’s too much trouble I’ll go in person to vote. It’s easy here. It’s just down the street. Never a line and plenty of parking–everyone else must be using absentee ballots! |
| [“Cudjoe Dump“] Couldn’t the dump be turned into a golf course like some have been along RT95? You’d probably need stainless steel balls to play there though! |
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| [“We want a world safe from the ravages of climate change”] I suggest you attempt to find another planet then. Planet Earth has had climate change since it developed climate. Perhaps you have heard of the Ice Age. |
 This sign only pertains to the visiting Jersey babes when down in the Keys! |
| [Jury Duty] According to reports, you no longer have to serve on jury duty if you don’t want to. It seems they lost their funding and they don’t have the money to come and get you like they did in the past. So just tear up your jury summons and all will be forgotten. |
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 Shipping containers used as houses, coffee shops & dorms. |
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| [“I heard Sloan has the creator on speed dial”] Actually, there is only one God. A few of the Creator’s angels have me on speed dial, and it’s heaps of fun being told things I don’t want to hear about myself and about other people, and being told to say, write and do things I don’t want to do. Perhaps you would like to get to know those angels? Be treated by them the way they treat me? Pronto, they’d move you past not-believing, doubting, believing – you pick – God exists, to knowing God exists. You might turn out wishing you’d never even heard of God, nor of angels. Perhaps they (somebody) took your comment on the Coconut Telegraph as an invitation for them to do just that. If so, you might consider leaning over and kissing your ass goodbye, because when they get through with you, you won’t be the same person who asked to be introduced to God – and you will have my sincere condolences. ~Sloan |
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| [“WD parking lot”] You wouldn’t need a permit to remove the view blocking shrubs at the parking lot corners and road access points. All you need is half a brain, two eyes, and a little ambition so as to get up off your butt for a little while. I have no problem with the appearance or condition of the rest of the parking lot, it can stay just as it is now for all I care, I am not there to party. But I am concerned for my own safety |
 [Dumpster dining] Environmentalist raises awareness about food waste. Video |
| [“Septic Tanks”] That was an excellent post in the Sunday edition comparing the existing septic systems to the central sewer system from hell that is now being hastily installed (illegally at that) in the lower Keys. The “many failing septic tanks and cesspits” is an agenda driven mantra without good basis. Another thing is that civilization cannot keep removing fresh water from the ground and disposing of it where it will not be purified and returned and expect that the supply will be limitless. |
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| [“FKAA Hires Felon”] Why is the FKAA rewarding a felon for stealing our money when there are qualified applicants trying to get the job? |
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| I know a guy who was arrested while trying to live in that bat tower. |
 Saturn, Mars, Delta Scorpii, and Antares are now about equally spaced. Look southwest at dusk. (The 10-degree scale is about the width of your fist at arm’s length.) |
| [“FKAA Hires Felon”] There was an amusing Keynoter article and two opinion pieces about the disgraced former School Superintendent Randy Acevedo. He has applied 9 times to the FKAA with the last time being accepted. How can a convicted felon ever get a job with an organization vested with public trust?There are those who say he paid his debt, but not when you violated that sacred public trust. Stealing nearly a half million dollars is what Randy and his wife did. How could the FKAA do this? Because two school board members Hernandez and Highsmith recommended Acevedo. Those two knuckleheads should resign, right? if they think it is okay to hire a convicted felon in theft of tax payer money. Stealing public money from us is just a joke to the Key West power core. How can residents stand by and let this happen? There are many ways to contact newspapers, public officials, and state officials. If you let this go, then you are telling felon Randy it is okay to steal right out of your pocket right out in the open. Better yet, make your check out to Felon Acevedo and save yourself the trouble. |
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 Highlights from the Budapest Airshow 2014 featuring planes flying through the beautiful city and taking off from and flying under the bridges of the Danube river. Video |
| Defibrillator not used on husband because of hairy chest. Link |
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| [Naughty Muslims] The Brit is back and he’s good. If you haven’t seen this Brit before, you’ve missed an extraordinarily erudite speaker. He is serious when he is funny and he is funny when he is serious. And, boy, is he on point! This is his latest. Video |
 [“FKAA Hires Felon”] Sunday’s post about the highly qualified IT guy who applied for the IT job at FKAA was an eye opener. He only received a few minutes phone interview and the questions weren’t even about IT. Acevedo got the job because he’s a bubba and applied 9 times. Even though his qualifications don’t qualify him, the convicted felon (he and his wife stole a quarter of a million dollars of taxpayer money) got the job. Maybe the 3 questions asked of the qualified IT applicant were not supposed to be technical so Acevado would be able to answer them if he were asked |
| [“Also known as Perky’s Bat Tower”] BS! Have any of you ever heard it called Perky’s Bat Tower? “Hey gang, lets go over to Perky’s Bat Tower!.” |
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 [Citizen of the Day Says] My favorite thing about Key West is all the different, interesting, eclectic, artistic, multi-cultural, beautiful people from all around the world that I get to arrest. Greatest place in the world to be a cop. |
| [“Low density residential areas like ours”] Huh? This place may be low density compared to where you moved here from, but I can tell you the Keys have not been low density since 1985. There were a lot more fish in all the canals back then. Tropicals like angelfish and tangs, not just grey snappers. If you just got here and are feeling raped, think of how those of us who had rural route addresses (Route 5 Box 3) back in the day feel with today’s “low density” residential areas. I’ll bet you can’t wait to hear how they’re going to save the Keys from sinking into the rising seas! |
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| [Help wanted] I need someone a few hours a week who can climb tall ladders to remove coconuts & palm fronds. $10 an hour for the right person. Big Pine Key. Classified Ads > Help Wanted |
 Happy Labor Day from Springer’s Bar and Grill. Today’s Mexican special is a Steak Quesadilla. Sure to be a fiesta for the palate.Tuesday special: $10.00 2 topping pizza Wednesday special: hamburger steak with mushroom onion gravy Thursday special: French dip Friday special: fish and chips. Happy Hour 2-7 daily with great drink specials and happy hour menu. There’s always something special at Springer’s. |
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 [Silly Embargo] Between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion worth of goods were flown to Cuba in traveler’s baggage last year, with the average flyer bringing in goods worth $3,551, according to a 2013 survey. |
| I can not believe so much time and energy is put into complaining about WD parking lot, are you really that bored? |
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| [“Friday’s FTR ranting was even more insane than normal”] Hey Dude/Dudet if you do not like FTR don’t read his stuff. Try posting something positive about something you know about. |
 If that poop dump on Cudjoe Key starts to stink out where we live, I personally will break the freaking legs of the suits who conned us with this mess! |
| [Unedited] Ok Everybody whining about randy acevado at fkaa. How bout henry arroyo ts unreal he cop awaiting trail for child molestation charges working in the housing authority? Its Unreal what people do in the keys! |
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A POSTER WROTE: “I remember when the GOP right wingers similar to our very own FTR guy claimed that Government automobile safety standards, pollution standards and mileage standards would kill the American auto industry. It never happened and now we have better, safer and cleaner running cars. Ironically those guys tried to kill that same auto industry themselves by opposing the Government bailout when those corporations faced tough times brought on by lax banking regulations favored by Republicans. What an overall drag they are on progress.” FTR’S RESPONSE: I too remember the bad old days when American cars had deteriorated in quality to the functional equivalent of rolling dung heaps. I remember rusting out cars. Remember “Rusty Jones?” I remember roadside ads for piston rings and spark plugs. I remember the union’s refusal to do quality labor for a fair wage. I remember shoddy union workmanship, rattles, tools intentionally left in door panels during manufacturing. And I remember leaking windshields, all examples of proud union labor. American cars were junk. A wise car owner would trade every 30k miles. But that all changed with the advent of good old fashioned competition. Competition largely from Japanese car makers.They too started out by selling us junk, but they quickly got the message and began producing cars that had much better gas mileage than American cars, were cheaper, and were of higher quality.
Some American labor unions and manufacturers simply did not get it, and the result was the failure of GM, and Chrysler. A primary cause of those failures was the intransigence of the unions, and the incredible cost built into each vehicle by union wages, benefits, and privileges. Just before the collapse, union autoworkers were making $70 an hour in wages and benefits. The bottom line is that the fact that American cars are now among the best in the world is a direct result of good old fashioned competition. Neither Republicans nor Democrats had a damn thing to do with it. The posters claim that Republicans resisted “automobile safety standards, pollution standards and mileage standards” is without merit. I doubt that the poster is aware that the CAFÉ standards act was signed into effect by Republican President Gerald Ford. I also doubt that the poster will recall that the 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, passed the Senate with unanimous Republican assent. That act created the nation’s first mandatory federal safety standards for motor vehicles. As to the so called “lax banking standards”: The auto industry nearly went tits up not because of banks, but because of unions and managements failure to efficiently manufacture a quality product at a price point that would sell. The lax banking standards were the evil spawn of the Democrats. It had nothing to do with the auto industry. It was Democrat policy and dogma that saturated the housing market with mortgage loans to persons who lacked the ability to pay the mortgage. It was the Democrat theory that everybody had the “right” to own their own home regardless of their ability to pay for that home. Apparently the poster has forgotten that it was GWB, the hated Republican monster, to Democrats the Devil incarnate, who signed the first auto bailout in the amount of $17.4 billion on 12/18/08. A move that I believe was a mistake, one of his few. Unions are now on the wane in every sector except the public sector. In the private sector only about 6.7% of workers are union members. But public-sector workers have a union membership rate of about 35.3%, that’s more than five times higher than that of private-sector workers. Frankly, the huge percentage of public service union members is fundamentally wrong. They have far too much power in choosing elected officials, their bosses.
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