[Tile Popping] Tile pops generally occur when lime in either poorly mixed or poorly blended thinset gets wet. The un-hydrated lime used in the cementuous mixture expands when it gets wet popping the tile loose. This can also happen with clay tiles such as Saltillo for similar reasons. Unfortunately there is no fix or protection. You must replace the tile with a properly blended/mixed thinset

In 1986, a reactor ruptured  at the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the Soviet Union, spreading  radioactive material over much of Europe

[Sewers] The sewer system isn’t going to happen whether the state funds it or not. The Florida DOT already backed off suspending the pipe from the Niles Channel Bridge and if you think the Feds/EPA will allow us local-yocals to dredge the Federally protected Marine Sanctuary to bury a major sewer line under the bridge you haven’t been following the Keystone pipeline debacle. Dream on. Your children’s children will be using septic systems and Cudjoe will have 100 million dollar monument to the follies of the absurd

This is the story about the Hundertwasserhaus I visited in Vienna. Link

Roundup, an herbicide, could be linked to Parkinson’s, Cancer, and “Glyphosate” , its chief ingredient, has been found in food. A research scientist from M.I.T. said ” Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughtout the body”. Monsanto is the developer of both Roundup herbicide and a suite of crops that are genetically altered to withstand being sprayed with the Roundup weed killer. These biotech crops, including corn, soybean, canola, and sugar beets, are planted on millions of acres in America annually. Farmers like them because they can spray Roundup weed killer directly on the crops in the field without harming the crops. The EPA is conducting a standard registration review of Glyphosate and has set a deadline of 2015 for determining if Glyphosate use should be limited. I sadly remember seeing the frequent use of this on all the pristine white pearock in the Keys yards. Embrace a weed. There is no perfect world.

[Lessons Not learned] The county commission considers buying yet another waterfront property–a  marina. Apparently they haven’t learned from the Hickory House debacle that cost the taxpayers millions and still sits abandoned.  A useless eyesore and a bad investment of tax money to be sure but, what the heck, it isn’t their millions of dollars.  It’s just tax money.

Then we have the Vandenburg that cost the county taxpayers another few millions.  It has been widely touted that the Vandenberg brings in millions of dollars of tourist money to the economy.  Really?  Well, how about those Vandenberg  folks, who are collecting those millions of dollars, begin to pay back the county taxpayers who helped foot the bill with their tax money.

In the face of our county infrastructure in need of serious repair, (roads and bridges), and a staggering debt for the mandated wastewater system (the outrageous hook-up costs that may put many homeowners out of their homes) the Commission thinks it’s a good idea to take more millions of taxpayer dollars for another boondoggle experiment by buying a marina  (If the marina  was such a great investment, there would be investors lined up to take advantage). How contemptuous of the County Commission to consider squandering more millions on yet another irresponsible use of our tax dollars. Pure, irresponsible contempt!

We have many problems in our County.  Too many to list.  But the most worrisome is a County Commission who has lost sight of fiscal reality and responsibility, common sense and the plight of the tax payers who pay dearly for their costly, irresponsible  decisions.

Cat: An animal to teach us that not everything in nature has a purpose.

[Help Wanted] llustrative Artist: To produce realistic drawings of components, systems, vehicles and devices. Engineering drawing ability is a plus, for machined parts and sheet metal work.

Electronics Engineer: Circuit design in the area of ethernet computer networks and telecommunications. Good understanding of embedded programming.

Software Programmers: One or more covering PC applications (Windows and Linux), embedded programming and web interface design for server applications.

Physics Professor or Particle physics involving EMP, help design EMP generator, conduct tests of systems, handle the mathematics of it all.

Mechanical Engineer: One or two positions. In the area of manufacturing sheet metal enclosures, design and production of machined parts, etc. Familiarity with concrete casting, welding, fiberglass and other trade areas would be helpful.

Hydralic Systems Engineer: Fluid and air actuator systems. Solar panel engineering would be useful. http://bpelc.com/

Yesterday’s comment on the Roku was in error. You do not use your PC at all. The hockey puck device connects wirelessly to your wireless router. You get all the channels from the internet.

Consider the amount of time that an Olympic athlete spends in boring daily workouts compared to the time spent standing on a pedestal with a medal on her chest. You must become your own daily cheering section and give yourself a medal every time you show up for your appointments with yourself.

If dog and cat food is so great for your pets, why can’t we eat it with milk?

Andrew Dice Clay 1987 at Rodney Dangerfields. Video

The next meeting of our computer club is coming up this Saturday, April 27, 10 am at the senior center.  Hope to see you there. Bulletin Board

[DirectTV] Deer Sammy, what happens at the end of one year? What would the new rate become?

How classy people get shitfaced cocktail napkins.

I saw an interesting sign the other day.  It said, “I support a woman’s right to choose. Sig Sauer or Glock.”

All I remember about the young lady that got fired from the animal shelter in Marathon is that she was very friendly, very helpful, very smart, seemed very concerned for her charges, and was very hot.

I watched a local ace lay them and he used the same 5 gallon bucket of thinset for the whole job, he just added water to it and re-stirred it.

After attending the memorial for slain MIT Police Officer Sean Collier yesterday, Dr. Jill Biden made the short trip across the Charles River to the Marathon Memorial Site in Copley Square. There, she left flowers and a pair of running shoes in honor of the victims of last week’s bombings at the Boston Marathon. Video

[More bar wisdom] Alcohol: Giving you the ambition to do anything while simultaneously taking away your ability to do so.

[Oil] Don’t let America get ‘fracked’. Link

[Twentieth Century Deaths] It appears that payback is a bitch. Perhaps assault religions (which are all religion) should be banned! 

I suggest using the Microsoft Fixit system, it works great. Link

Support the whistleblower & freedom of speech.

[Traffic Delay] On Monday April 29  there will be delays for motorists driving in Lower Matecumbe Key and Long Key. A automobile television commercial will be shooting on Channel 2 & 5 bridges between 1 pm and 8 pm.

There will be off-duty deputies for traffic control, expect delays up to 10 minute intervals. 

Lets be a bit more honest with which party wanted embassy security cuts. democrats enacted $1.803 billion for embassy security, construction and and maintenance for fiscal year 2010. They had the majority in the Senate and the house. After republicans took control of the house and picked up 6 seats in the Senate Congress reduced the enacted budget to $1.616 Billion in fiscal 2011 and $1.537 billion for 2012.House republicans countered with a proposal to cut spending to $1.425 billion.

How Republicans can claim they didnt scream for across the board cuts and proposed a plan to do just that is amazing.  

Republicans are in such an overselling mode they cannot even remember what they demanded.Give them what they want and its still not good enough. Theres folks that would be upset if you gave them a milliom dollars and it was all in $5.00 bills.

Jane Fonda would be proud. 

“I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.” –Winston Churchill

Perhaps the Obama machine and Congress should pay a bit of attention to words of wisdom from men who understood!

I was watching Rubio being interviewed by Fox Newsboy Cavuto.  Rubio begins to sound hysterical and desperate whenever he tries to explain himself.  Cavuto seemed put off by him.  Rubio as President?  No way.

Meanwhile back in South Carolina, Mark Sanford continues to hike the Appalachian trail.

Here is the Republican economic policy in a nutshell:  Help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Republicans may have been trying to get people to work for no pay but that’s because Democrats are always trying to get paid for no work.

FROM THE RIGHT

There is a fascinating article in Politico dated 4/24/13.  The article claims that Congressional leaders from both parties are quietly, very quietly, having confidential talks about exempting lawmakers and their aides from the provisions of Obamacare. As it stands now, they will be required to participate in the Obamacare insurance exchanges. The lawmakers realize that the cost of their health insurance will skyrocket.  Aside from the increase in cost to the individual lawmakers, they fear that the huge increase in the cost of coverage under Obamacare will drive staffers to quit government service. How does that grab you?

Everydayhealthcare.com reported yesterday that Maryland health care insurers have hammered out their new premium schedule under Obamacare. Maryland’s dominant insurer says proposed premiums for new policies for individuals will rise by 25 percent on average next year. Isn’t that just mah va lous. Maryland was one of the states that most strongly supported Obamacare.  Grab your ankles folks, it’s coming.

Part 2) I hope that you were able to watch the dedication of the GWB library and museum. 3 previous Presidents and Obama were present and spoke glowingly of GWB. Interesting!  In fact Mr. Obama spoke of GWB and characterized him as being “a good man.” Even more interesting is the results of new polling. The latest polling reveals that between 47% to 49% now approve of the job that GWB did. As of yesterday Rasmussen reported that Obama’s approval rating was 48%.  Go figure.