Categories
2014 April

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The-Coconut-Telegraph-w-CoconutsThe Original Unsocial Media
Anonymous Letters to the Editor with Pictures
Published Daily by Noon Since 2002
No Saturday Edition

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Happy Earth Day! It’s the only one we’ve got. Video
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[“Cuban Welfare”] I attended a fascinating lecture sponsored by the Key West Friends of the Library back in March. Author and former CIA agent, Brian Latell, whose specialty is Cuba, spoke to the audience about Raul Castro and the country’s economy. It’s true the people receive $20.00 to $50.00 a month. Raul told the people that if they want more money, they are going to have to work harder than they already are. He is allowing a limited amount of licenses for people to start their own businesses. Some people are selling real estate, seamstresses are sewing and selling clothes out of their homes, some are opening restaurants, and some are selling new cars. (Raul is allowing some new cars into Cuba). Half of the money goes to the government. Because there is little extra money, there are less students going to college (which is also free). There is also less money for hospitals (which are also free). From what Mr. Latell said about the hospitals, Cuba is not a place I would want to become ill. To make money, Cuba has sent (exported) huge numbers of doctors to South America to work. The doctors give most of the money they make to the Cuban government. So even though the Cuban people have free healthcare, it doesn’t sound like the quality of healthcare that you would want or are used to here in the States.
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Former State Attorney Dennis Ward speaks Monday night about his support for the legalization of medical marijuana to the large crowd gath­ered for the Hometown PAC meeting in Key West. [photo: Mike O’Neil/The Citizen]
I have been writing a book ‘Characters I have known‘.  I guess I have about 25 chapters thus far spanning over 30 plus years of living in the Big Pine area. I am going to send manuscript to Pineapple Press.  Here’s a chapter Link
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dead dog[“Dog poisoning at Venture Out”]  The local Veterinarian undeniably verified rat poison containing Warfarin after autopsy on the Merk’s little Buffy. It absolutely was the cause, but no evidence as to where she may have ingested it since it takes 24-48 hours to cause symptoms leading to death due tointernal hemorrhaging of all organs particularly lungs, liver, and intestines. Buffy was fine the night before, but didn’t want treats or dinner. She was discovered early in the morning the following day in severe distress and was rushed to the veterinarian for treatment, but it was too late and she died within a half hour after arrival. The Merk’s requested an autopsy. Their other dog, Molly, was fine, but received treatment with Vitamin K injections prophylactically as a precaution.

Janet Merk normally walked her dogs just outside the fence to the right of the gate along the cart path. That is the only reason it was discussed as a possible area to consider. Also, since Buffy only weighed 20 lbs or so, only a small amount eaten could have caused such a tragic end as compared to some dogs in the park that are much larger. My two dogs were ill as well, but I don’t believe what they had was related.

As dog owners, my husband and I believe a dog park would be an asset to this resort on so many levels, however we are only renters so have no considered opinion in the matter, other than a wish for an opportunity for our pets to be off-leash in a safe environment that is convenient to where we stay as well as having a marketable attraction that helps perpetuate a thriving community that we enjoy. But then again, I wish for park-wide WiFi and to win the lottery. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

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[Wormholes
] I have concluded that the actions of a typical washing machine somehow generate brief wormholes, through which only one sock has time to enter and emerge in another part of the universe. Some space alien lady is probably having a hard time explaining to her husband how my sock came to be under her bed. NASA should pay attention.
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[Crooks] Three Miami men were arrested Saturday after they were report­edly caught stealing fishing gear from boats at Robbie’s Marina. Detectives said they have cleared multiple rod and reel theft cases between Duck Key and Key Largo in the last three months. Hector Torres, Alfredo Melian Casanova and Kristofer Lluis, all 18, were charged with mul­tiple counts of burglary, grand theft, and possession of bur­glary tools.
square grouper[Square Grouper] Two marijuana bales washed ashore Saturday at the beach at Naval Air Station Key West. One package weighed about 34 pounds and the other about 12 pounds worth a total of $46,000. Navy police called Key West officers after finding the packages about 8:30 am.

The last reported incidents of drug bales washing ashore occurred in July when about 20 cocaine bales worth about $600,000 washed ashore at nearby Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. Homeland Security Investigations is the lead agency in all such cases.

The old days are back!

[Truck for Hire] I will haul your junk away or pick up and deliver most items, give me a call at 305-747-4081
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[propeller cartoon Accident at Whale Harbor Sandbar] Drunk Captain Locke put his 1984 20-foot Hydra Sport in gear, which caused a drunk Shontere to lose his balance and fall over the stern as he was reach­ing into a cooler for another beer. Shontere was cut in multiple places on his left arm by the boat’s pro­peller. Locke drove the boat back to Whale Harbor Channel seeking medi­cal help. A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy saw the boat and stopped it and called for paramedics and FWC officers to respond from Tavernier.

At some point the cut up Shontere ran away into a wooded area before paramedics arrived, but officers found him after a short chase. He was treated and released at Mariners Hospital before being taken to Monroe County Detention Center in Plantation Key via the Baker Act due to his intoxication.

Shontere was very drunk and evidently he never really came around at the hospital either. He wasn’t able to communicate clearly, so that’s why they took him to the jail. “We can’t release people in that condition because they’re a danger to them­selves.” Officer Dube said.

Drunk Captain Locke was subsequently charged on suspicion of misdemeanor BUI (boating under the influence) after officers reported his blood alco­hol level was a whopping .172 (.08 is the legal limit I think).

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[Big TV] Panasonic announces installation of world’s largest 4K video board at Churchill Downs for the upcoming Kentucky Derby. It’s the size of 3 NBA basketball courts, or 5 average size U.S. homes. Link
[Development Alloca­tions] The Keys will get 3,555 Rate of Growth Ordinance (ROGO) units during the next 10 years. Unincorporated county will receive 197 ROGO units a year. Key West will receive 91, Islamorada, 28, Marathon, 30, Layton 3, and Key Colony Beach, 6.

Once those are used, the Keys will have essentially reached build out, and the state may no longer issue new ROGOs. State law dictates that the Keys can only build to a level at which the chain of islands can be evacuated 24 hours prior to a hur­ricane making landfall.

We should pay attention to where they go, who gets them, and how they get them?

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Dining room table
and four chairs with leaf, must sell, only $100 obo, call 305-747-4081 Classified Ads > Furniture
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[Cuba isn’t dirty] The photo shows how clean the streets are. You know why they are so clean? because the Cubans have nothing to throw away. They get there soap in 5 gallon containers they refill. The soap is of an industrial type. Like lye soap. It burns the skin off infants & causes a rash on many adults. If you have not spent time there you know not of what you speak. I have, and you’re out of your mind. Don’t get me going about Cuba.
[Beer Crisis] Florida’s craft beer industry could suffer a set­back under a bill approved by a Senate committee Monday.

The bill would force all but the smallest breweries to buy their own cans and bottles of beer from distributors before selling them to visitors. Those that would be allowed to sell cans and bottles to go wouldn’t be large enough to afford the bottling equipment needed to package it. The bill would force them to either stop or scale back expansion plans or possibly force proposed brew­eries to look out of state. The bill is a play by large corporations to add more reg­ulation, more requirements, more stress to small brewer­ies.

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To all our new neighbors at the northernmost point called Port Pine Heights, Big Pine Key. It’s great that you chose our quiet neighborhood to relocate too. I have met some very nice people and enjoyed some interesting conversations while on my walks thru the neighborhood.

A bit of history I would like to share with those of you who are clueless as to why there is is so much undeveloped land here. In the mid to late 1990’s Monroe County offered an agreement to adjacent home owners abutting qualified undeveloped land. It is called ‘adopt a lot program’. The adjacent homeowners take very good care of these lots, in return, pay no taxes and cannot build on them, or park cars on them and neither can you. Often, it is not unusual to see a herd of key deer grazing and relaxing in this area. If you’re in this area during fawning season, you will be the first to witness new fawns joining the neighborhood herd — a memorable key deer encounter! Most new fawn sightings are reported from this area. We ask that you pick up after your dog, if you see children playing in the area or see the adjacent home owner with their dog on this land, keep your dog away, it is not a dog park, and yes, we have the right to tell you so. It’s nice that you can enjoy the view while walking certain neighborhoods, but respect the adjacent homeowners who work hard at keeping the area looking the way it does.

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[Art Challenge
] The Jeff Beal Challenge at the TSKW. Assemblage artist represented by Harrison Gallery. Best in Show: Scott Allison, Biggest Transformation: Christine Fifer, Honorable Mention: Pam Hobbs, & Craziest Wackiest Wildest: Calvin Wilson
[Planned Parenthood 1947] Margret Slee in her own words: “No more babies”. She was never about reproductive rights. Video
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[Tea Bag Floating Lantern
] Empty a tea bag, open it up to a paper tube, light it, and have fun! Video
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I am looking for a little, dumpy sailboat, something that will move around under the wind, for end of May for few months. The smaller the better. I suppose something with a dog house. Some clean up, fix up is o.k. And cheap. I was thinking for free, but I could probably pay something, maybe a bottle of good rum, and a little cash. It could even have blue tarps for sails. I want to go look around the area so I would need something that can move not stagnating on the hook–if you catch my drift.  Maybe you have something for me? I will be up at the end of March or in Nicaragua teaching school. I am undecided. Email me americanworkmule@gmail.com Classified Ads > Boats
Found Cat. Easter Sunday on Ramrod Key on West Indies Dr. Female about 1 year or younger, exceptionally friendly, has been around dogs, no fear, follows you everywhere. Seems to be a house cat. Black with white marking, Tuxedo Cat. White paws. Please ask around, I am sure someone is truly missing her. Call Barb Classified Ads > Lost and Found
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[“Odd-looking motorcycle–two wheels in front and one in back”] It’s made by Can-Am. Stability and control!  Video
[“Big pine dirty”] I noticed it’s run down and looks like its stuck in the 70s, but that’s not a bad thing. My beef with Piners are the work aged folks that I have hired, are either drunks or pill heads.  At least Key West coke heads show up full of energy. Ha. If Big Pine could do something about its dopers it would be the nicest island in the Keys. Face it, you all got some serious drug problems on that little island. Maybe legal weed in November will help things get better. A joint beats oxycontin for sure!
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3000 Watt generator
, Kawasaki motor with a Powerguard armature,  must sell $75, call Classified Ads > Tools
I love Big Pine and the Lower Keys! It is a wonderful, lovely, caring community and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I feel blessed to have been able to call the Lower Keys home for the past 28 years.
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[Propane Diver]  I liked the photo of the guy with a propane tank on his back going diving.  No doubt a third world country where people have to improvise just to get by.  Here in the U.S. we have better choices for equipment.

Here’s a tip for all the boys and girls who are new to the sport.  (Choosing a  SCUBA buddy)  If you see a guy (or gal) with a new wet suit, big shiny knife, designer color coordinated mask, fins, snorkel, brand new BCD and a cheap spear gun, give them a pass. (Actually, get on a different boat). Look for the diver who has a faded, torn dive skin, a rusty utility sized knife, a ten year old regulator that is self maintained, old well used fins, a bit of a leaky mask, a well oiled teak spear gun without a line and who keeps his snorkel in his BCD pocket until he needs it at the surface then slides it underneath his mask strap.  That diver is the pro.  Forget the sharks.  Typically the most dangerous thing underwater is your buddy.

This tip brought to you by a NAUI, PADI, Los Angeles County Underwater Unit Instructor.   Wishing you Clear Water, Slack Tides, Good Hunting and Good Diving.

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Milk chocolate Uranus?
I think I’ll pass until they change the name.
The person slamming Big Pine probably doesn’t like it because it’s different from where he is from and things are done differently here than they are at ‘home’.
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Netflix is raising its rates, it’s so popular. First they stopped giving us DVDs now they are raising their rates.
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[Set My People Free] The Department of Justice is recommending we free [qualified] non violent drug offender from jail. Legalizing pot will further reduce jail populations and save bazillions of dollars in incarcerating costs. Link
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fart beauty queen
Love is like a fart
. If you have to force it, it’s probably crap.
[Sewer Suit] After going through all the proper channels we have sued the FKAA and DEP on 4/18/2014. You can get more details at Dumpthepumps.com. BigPineKey.com lets the people know what is happening. US1 radio and the Barometer will give you a different version. How sad this is.
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[Big Pine Fine] I lived in Marathon and Grassy Key for 25 years. Anytime I was in Big Pine Key it was fine. I don’t know why all the

trashing about trash there?

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[Screens] I might be re screening my porch. Any recommendation whether to use the extra fine screen that blocks the no-seeums or the regular screen? I’ve heard the extra fine type obstructs the view a bit, as you’re seeing more of the screen. Is it worth it or is it just a marketing ploy?
The way of today’s world: typos and ignorance.
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Netflix is opposing the Time Warner/Comcast merger saying it will create a monopoly.
rabbit ears antenna
There is a law that says if a TV signal is broadcast over the air it must be free. That’s what rabbit ears were for, to capture the Free To Air signal to your TV set. Aereo is a company that captures that Free To Air signal, and for a small monthly fee, live streams the content to any one of your electronic devices through the Internet — rendering much of cable TV’s content useless and redundant. So today the US Supreme Court will hear arguments from both sides of the issue. If Aero and Free To Air wins, the cable industry as we know it will be destroyed. Go Aereo! Screw Comcast!
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[“Propane Diver”] I hope you noticed that in yesterday’s photo the hose wasn’t connected to the tank and the photo was meant as humor.
The United Nations has an insightful report on humanity’s inhumanity. It begins with the African tribes’ barbarism between each other, their slave taking, and religious killing in the middle east between Arabs and Christians. I suggest you check it out before blaming the USA [for what?].
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Big Pine Key’s nickname for years was “Big Crime Key”. Remember the pizza delivery folks that got busted for delivering drugs with their pizzas? That wasn’t oregano they were delivering.
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[Political Signs] My name is Adam Fullana, I am currently working with Ed Macdougall who is running for Florida Congress District 26.

We wanted to know if there was a deposit that needs to be placed in order to place political signs within Big Pine Key. Also if there are any size regulations you have for the signs and when we are allowed to begin placing them.

[Spies like US] Intentional backdoor discovered in many major router brands (Netgear, Cisco, Linksys, Belkin) allows administrative access to the router to anyone using your local network. Exploit code is available and it’s only a matter of time before someone makes a simple to use, one click program or includes it as part of a virus. Once the router has been compromised, it’s domain name server look-ups can be altered to send users to fake sites looking like the real ones. Check your router maker for firmware updates regularly and/or if you suspect there is malware on your computer, have it looked at by a professional. Link

Back Door Man — Doors

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“I think South of the Border would be perfect for the Sugarloaf Lodge area. Not only would we get a couple of good restaurants, we would also get something to do with the kids besides playing mini golf.”

Please god, make this poster go away or at least back to Venture Out.

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[Captain Doom and Gloom] There is only one idea that will fix America–the survival of the fittest. The blood suckers have already ruined this land, and more are allowed to crash in for the goodies every day. This has to stop, it has to be reversed, or else we who still work for our keep will be nothing but slaves to the useless eaters and do nothings. Wake up people, or share your bed and house with the One Human Family types, the religious bleeding hearts, and the charity fund gangsters. Wake up!
To the person who placed yesterday’s online banking post. Did you get your information from an article written in the last century?
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National politics is back. Click on this link to send your national political post anonymously. No one will know your name or email address, [Well, maybe the NSA will] not even me. FTR is going to be the new national politics editor. Do not fear, FTR promised to post everything, even if he hates it, he’s that kind of guy.
Your name and email address are not required. Please be civil. I Have Something To Say About National Politics–Click Here
from the right
As we well know, California is a bastion of liberality. Its populace was largely strongly in favor of Obamacare/Democare. Now, not so much. To paraphrase Mr. Obama’s mentor, the Reverend Wright, “the healthcare chickens have come home to roost.”

Open enrollment for coverage under the Affordable Care Act is closed, but many of the newly insured are finding they can’t find doctors, landing them into a state described as “medical homelessness.” That’s according to San Francisco’s TV 5 station: Link

They report that Rotacare, a free clinic for the uninsured in Mountain View, Ca., is dealing with the problem firsthand. The clinic helped many clients sign up for Democare so that they would no longer need the free clinic. But now the clinics previous fee free patients are returning saying that they can’t find Docs to care for them. The Docs don’t take Democare.

Patients are terrified that even though they were delighted to get subsidized health care insurance, health care providers simply won’t accept it.  The newly insured patients checked the physicians’ lists they were provided but when they checked they were told that the health care providers weren’t accepting new patients or that they did not participate in the plan.

Fortunately for the victims of Democare, while the free clinic isn’t technically supposed to be treating former patents that they helped sign up for insurance, they can’t in good faith turn them away. So they again treat them for free. The problem actually has a name: “medical homelessness.”  It’s appropriate because patients are caught adrift in a system woefully short of primary care doctors. The sick and insured can’t get appointments.

More than 3 million Californians have signed up for insurance. Only the Lord knows how many of them have actually paid for their insurance. No pay, no insurance. At the same time, a third of California’s primary care doctors are set to retire. This is not unique to California, it’s nationwide.

In a March ’14 report, CNN related: “many Americans who’ve enrolled on the Obamacare exchanges are realizing they have access to a limited set of doctors and hospitals. In many areas, the largest hospitals are not participating and many doctors are not accepting the coverage.”

In New Hampshire, 10 of the 26 hospitals are shut out of Democare.

Forbes Magazine reported: “A new survey of physicians has found that 30 percent of doctors in Florida intend to place new or additional limits on accepting Medicare patients, with 27 percent altogether refusing to accept new Medicare patients because of Obamacare’s impact on the fees that Medicare pays to providers of health-care services. In addition, Obamacare will deeply cut Medicare Advantage for 1.2 million Florida seniors who are enrolled in the program, and drive up the cost of private health coverage, especially for those who buy insurance on their own.” If you have an interest in Democare’s impact on your health care, I urge you to read the following: Link

It’s hard to believe, but Charlie Crist claims to believe  that Democare is the best thing since … (you fill in the blanks). May I suggest warm spit.

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A POSTER WROTE: In time, scientific controversies get resolved, often by the emergence of new kinds of evidence that no one originally imagined. Views that are maintained, to some degree, by a wall of artificial “consensus” die hard. That, of course, was one of the lessons of Thomas Kuhn’s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962), which inaugurated the long vogue for the word “paradigm” to describe a broadly accepted theory. Kuhn’s work has often served as a warrant for those who see science as a social project amenable to political manipulation rather than an intellectual endeavor with strict standards of evidence and built-in mechanisms for correcting mistakes.

Thus when the “anthropogenic global warming” (AGW) folks insist that they command a “consensus” of climate scientists, they fully understand that they are engaged in a political act. They intend to summon the social and political dynamics that will create a “consensus,” by defining the skeptics as a disreputable minority that need not even be counted. It is a big gamble since a substantial number of the skeptics are themselves well-established and highly respected scientists, such as MIT’s Richard Lindzen, Princeton’s Will Happer, and Institute of Advanced Studies’ Freeman Dyson. But conjuring a new “paradigm” out of highly ambiguous data run through simulation computer models is tricky business and isn’t likely to produce a “consensus” all on its own.  What’s needed is the stamp of authority. And if that doesn’t work, just keep stamping. Or stomping.

If the foregoing sparks your interest, and it should, check out: Link

It’s a little heavy, but well worth your time.

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A POSTER WROTE: The UN has released its latest report into global warming or, as we’re now meant to call it, climate change.

And, like all UN reports, it should be treated with the same kind of skepticism and contempt that greets every utterance that is farted out of the bowels of that corrupt, counterproductive, bloated and profoundly dangerous organization.

if you want to stop climate change, you must automatically be happy to see black babies die. Or you are happy to let brown and yellow babies live in misery, squalor and fear. And are you happy with that?

I’m going to be a bit presumptuous here and suggest that, maybe, you’re not all that happy with starving children. If anything, they end up on the news and make you feel guilty when you’re eating your dinner.

But where do you think the massive increase in CO2 emissions is coming from? America-No. Europe-Are you mad?

No, the biggest polluters and biggest emissions are coming from emerging countries and superpowers such as India, Russia and China who have spent the last decade engaged in a process of massive industrialization, hence the spike in emissions.

Someone like Obama and his idiot followers can change as many crap light bulbs, or buy as many bad cars, as they want. And Al Gore can continue to fly around the world and further engorge his carbon footprint wagging his fingers at gullible, guilt ridden Westerners all he wants. But one uncomfortable fact remains – the countries who matter in all this couldn’t give a toss what Obama or Al Gore or The NYT have to say.

Because the only way to drag your people out of poverty and starvation is industrialization – of food, of the economy, of the way they live their lives.

Increased living standards and life expectancy comes through industrialization and with that comes carbon dioxide…period.

FTR’S RESPONSE:  If this caught your interest, you may want to read: Link

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A POSTER WROTE: Hey envirotards pipelines are infra-structure. Why, why FTR does democracy require us to treat them equally?

FTR’S RESPONSE:  Huh?

National Politics. Your name and email address are not required. Please be civil.  I Have Something To Say About National Politics–Click Here