Monday, February 24, 2014

Did you hear the cardinals singing this morning? They sounded almost like canaries. I don’t remember this song, a very complicated and beautiful one, not their normal morning chirps. I think they’re in love and getting ready to mate.

[Gitmo Anniversary] February 24, 1903 the lease for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was signed by Theodore Roosevelt to be used as a coaling station for American interests.

The Republic of Cuba hereby leases to the United States, for the time required for the purposes of coaling and naval stations, the following described areas of land and water situated in the Island of Cuba …

The grant of the foregoing Article shall include the right to use and occupy the waters adjacent to said areas of land and water, and to improve and deepen the entrances thereto and the anchorages therein, and generally to do any and all things necessary to fit the premises for use as coaling or naval stations only, and for no other purpose.

Vessels engaged in the Cuban trade shall have free passage through the waters included within this grant.

While on the one hand the United States recognizes the continuance of the ultimate sovereignty of the Republic of Cuba over the above described areas of land and water, on the other hand the Republic of Cuba consents that during the period of the occupation by the United States of said areas under the terms of this agreement the United States shall exercise complete jurisdiction and control over and within said areas with the right to acquire (under conditions to be hereafter agreed upon by the two Governments) for the public purposes of the United States any land or other property therein by purchase or by exercise of eminent domain with full compensation to the owners thereof.

Since the revolution, Cuba has refused all rent checks.

[“Shriners wear silly hats and drive little cars”] Someone who was helped by the Shriners was outraged that someone else was making fun of the Shriners. I think she needs a humor adjustment.

[Net Neutrality is Dead] Comcast to charge Netflix more. Comcast, the country’s largest cable and broadband provider, and Netflix, the giant television and movie streaming service, announced an agreement Sunday in which Netflix will pay Comcast for faster and more reliable access to Comcast’s subscribers.

The deal is a milestone in the history of the Internet, where content providers like Netflix generally have not had to pay for access to the customers of a broadband provider.

But the growing power of broadband companies like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T has given those companies increased leverage over sites whose traffic gobbles up chunks of a network’s capacity. Netflix is one of those sites, accounting for nearly 30 percent of all Internet traffic at peak hours.

I can’t find a basic marine GPS. I want one like my car’s with few buttons. I want the display to look like a NOAA chart with me in the center and I want to be able to push a button to set a marker and easily be able to rename it with a nice keyboard like my smartphone, not a pixilated screen like Super Mario Bros. I don’t want a transducer either, I’m not interested in fishing.

Key West’s unofficial motto.

[Pitcairn Island honey] Extremely beautiful and remote, it’s populated by only 50 people who are all getting on in their years. Honey is it’s only export and form of income for needed health services and supplies. Buy some of the best honey in the world. Be prepared to wait many months for it to arrive though. Link 

On this date in 1980 The U.S. hockey team defeated Finland to win the gold medal at the Lake Placid Olympics.

[“Shriners”] You can not just go out and join the Shriners. It takes a life of commitment. First step is becoming a Mason, there are 32 degrees or steps before a Mason can be invited to become a Shriner. I never had an interest in joining when my father asked me, and he never pushed the issue.

[Sewers] FKAA is picking us apart house by house, street by street, neighborhood by neighborhood. Court action is going to be slow. It may help us in the future, but for now, from Sugarloaf through Big Pine, we need to become more proactive in our community.

A number of you have called me asking what to do. FKAA or the contractor is on your street, in your yard or knocking on your door. From the stories I hear about how some of you were threatened, you are being lied to. If they make a threat, ask them to put it in writing. Here is what a number of us plan to do.
1. Not sign the document requested by FKAA — it is a utility easement.
2. Some that have signed are going to send FKAA a letter requesting the document be returned — stating “the easement is revoked.” If the document in not returned, a second letter will go to FKAA stating it was signed under duress. It really won’t matter if the FKAA returns the easement so long as the FKAA gets the revocations letter.
3. Post a “No Trespass” sign on our property and not allow them on our property. For additional attention, added letters could say this “includes FKAA and its contractors.”

The county will come at us with code enforcement which is a civil action not criminal. They re-named themselves “Code Compliance” to make it smell better, but it is still Code enforcement. In the Upper Keys they have over 2000 code cases they are processing.

Again, court action is going to move slowly. We suggest we start creating our own injunction by becoming disruptive. Some did not want to get involved in this level of activity, but we do not see other options at this point. It may be time for some sort of disruptive demonstrations.

Suggestions are welcome. Legal action against DEP and FKAA will be filed this week. Other legal action we are exploring:
1. An action under the heading of “Equal Protection vs Legal Protection” — what the county gives to my neighbor they should give to me also.
2. Did the county misrepresent to the public the referendum extending the sales tax which was for the purpose of a fully funded central sewer system and have those funds misappropriated?

~From Banks Prevatt, Little Torch Key. Banks is President of Dump The Pumps, Inc. Send them a couple of hundred bucks if you can. They could use it to our benefit. www.dumpthepumps.com

[Who’s Who] Үou wеre rеcеntlу сhosen aѕ а роtеntial ϲandidаte tо repreѕent your рrоfeѕsionаl community in tһe 2013 Editіоn оf Global Who’s Who. Τhe рremier netwοrkіng οrgаnіzаtiоn for diѕtіnguiѕhed prοfеsѕionаlѕ. Ꮃe аre plеasеd to nоtᎥfу уоu that your саndᎥdаcу ѡas fοrmallу apрrοved February 23th, 2014. Congratulations!

[“The Great Flood a fantasy story from the bible”] There is something to the Great Flood, please visit AllAboutCreation.org Link 

[Missing] Our dog escaped from our yard on Journey’s End this weekend. She’s a 17 year old Jack Russell Terrier who also happens to be deaf. If anyone has seen her, could you please contact me? My number is 305-395-0672. Thank you, Brian Roberts Classified Ads > Lost and Found

Violence in Ukraine threatens US stripper supply.

Students building a solar powered go cart in KW.   Photo: Rob O’Neal/KW Citizen

[Orchid Show This Weekend] The Key West Orchid Society is proud to present it’s big orchid show. The event is held every other year in the beautiful gardens at the Key West Garden Center, West Martello Towers, Atlantic Boulevard near the White Street Pier in Key West. Hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 28, March 1 and 2 from 10am to 4pm.

Orchid growers from all over the Keys will enter their finest blooms to be judged by highly trained judges from the American Orchid Society.

The show attracts orchid enthusiasts, and those who just like to be dazzled by the exotic exhibits. The Keys are an ideal place to grow many types of orchids outdoors, so you will see a wide variety of blooms. This show will introduce many visitors to a plant kingdom that is diverse in plant structure, in shapes and sizes, and having flowers that span an incredible eight inches down to nearly microscopic size. In short, a plant kingdom that will entice, enthrall, and capture you with its startling beauty.

In addition to the exhibits there will be orchids for sale from commercial grower-dealers as well as members of the Key West Orchid Society. But beware! Once you have bought an orchid you will be hooked. Society members will be present to answer all of your questions, and to show you around. Admission is $10, free to those under 12. Events 

Inside the Army’s spectacular, hidden treasure room. Be prepared to be wow’d. There is simply no museum to house it. That is why it is kept in one of the world’s largest vaults. They have already raised $76 million of the $175 million required for the museum. Link 

Happy Mexican Monday from Springers Bar and Grill. Today’s special, another customer favorite, steak tostadas. Come on in for this delicious morsel and get your fiesta on.

Also Tonight at Springers we have the Piper Road Spring Band from 6-9. So join us for Bluegrass at its best!!

There’s always something special at Springers. 

Yesterday we read a posting from a CT left field dweller. He/she wrote, “We keep hearing that if the minimum wage is raised it will destroy businesses and put people out of work. Then how come states like Washington, Oregon and Vermont for example that have higher minimum wages some into the over $9.00 an hour rate are not the highest rated states for unemployment? The highest ranking states by unemployment rates mostly have the lower federal minimum wages. Interesting. Reality bites again.”

That is the line from the left field, now let’s see if it matches any facts. According to Team Obama’s Bureau of Labor Stats, Washington, Oregon, and Vermont are ranked 1, 2, and 3, respectively, as having our nation’s highest minimum wage. Our left fielder wants you to believe that high minimum wage leads to more employment. Now let’s compare minimum wage vs unemployment data.

Washington State has highest minimum wage, $9.29 per hour, but it ranks 29th of the states in low unemployment rates. Oregon has the second highest minimum wage, $9.10 per hour,  but it ranks 34th in low unemployment rates. Vermont has the third highest minimum wage, $8.60, but it ranks 4th in unemployment rates.

Now let’s look just a little further.  Of the 10 states with the lowest unemployment rate, all but 2 have the federally “recommended” minimum wage of $7.25.  Vermont has the 5th lowest unemployment rate (4.4%) unemployment rate but its minimum wage is $8.60.  The kicker is that Wyoming is just one step below Vermont in the unemployment ranking with 4.6%, but Wyoming has one of the lowest minimum wages in the nation, $5.15.

If you’re of a mind, I suggest that you check it out for yourself at Team Obama’s BLS web site Link

Deer Friends I hope that yesterday’s poster was simply in error, and was not intentionally trying to mislead you. Whichever it was, the poster was flat wrong. And yes, reality will bite you in the ass unless you check your facts.

The facts are crystal clear. Raising the minimum wage will negatively affect hiring.  Think about it. The federal and state governments routinely raise the prices on goods or commodities that they deem harmful. Obama has deemed coal to be harmful, so he has put in place measures that will make the generation of energy from coal so expensive that no one will be able to afford it.  The government raised the taxes on cigarettes and tobacco products so that using them is now far too expensive for most people. Obama has declared that he would like to see gas prices substantially increase so as to curtail its use.

Labor is a commodity that is priced to the market. When the price of labor increases to the point that employers believe that they can no longer afford it, they will cut their costs by cutting their labor force.

Part 2) I’m delighted that our Deer Ed has somewhat relaxed his “no politics” embargo. It’s a lot more fun for me.

Please send me your comments at 1776ftr@gmail.com