Here is an idea for the 7 Mile Bridge. Caretakers can take their personal watercraft to Pigeon Key. Build a nice fishing pier where people can walk, fish and watch the sunset next to the old 7 Mile Bridge. Put a bait and tackle shop and solar lights on the pier. Put a gondola (ski-lift) type lift going to the island. It is only 2 miles long. Put a bungee jump on the island itself. Charge enough and they will come and pay for this project. Tourists and locals can enjoy this. Build it and they will come. A whole lot less expensive than the County Commissioners’ ideas and it keeps the old bridge historic.

[“Keys Energy Bad”]  I had exactly the same incident take place in August of 2012. The transformer belonging to Keys Energy was affecting the energy level in my home causing the lights to dim and brighten all the while the ac, washer and dryer were in use. We checked all the usual suspect areas in the house and outside, even trimming palm fronds brushing the line from the electric pole to my house. Still an issue, we called Keys Energy on a Sunday and they did send a crew within a very reasonable period of time to check it out. The crew was very cordial and replaced the loose neutral wire on the transformer. They left and I surmised problem solved — nope! Next day I attempted to start a load of laundry in my less than five yr old front load washer — dead! Service call required to determine cause of death — burned circuit board due to electrical surge. Repairs and labor over $500. I chose to get a new washer for less than the repair cost.

I sent a letter and repair ticket info and receipt for the new washer to Keys Energy. Their response: So sad. too bad. I should have known the transformer was bad and called them. I did that and it was my fault that the washer was DOA. No reimbursement from Keys Energy. I still can’t believe it.

[Miles Per Gallon] The space shuttles uses 1,000 gallons per second during liftoff. They could drain an olympic swimming pool in 10 seconds!

2006 Harley Davidson Road King Classic, 25000 miles, great shape, book value $12500, asking $10000. Classified Ads > Auto

[“Keys Energy’s transformers went bad and fried a lot of my stuff”] If you have homeowners insurance, check your policy — the Claims clause. Or ask your agent if you have coverage.  If you do, depending on your deductible, any dif[?] they make you prove that it’s Keys Energy’s fault, you may be able to recover some money from your HO policy and depending the total your insurance company pays you, they may go back to – subrogate against – Keys Energy.

If you don’t have HO insurance, ignore what I just said. You’re just screwed.

[Express Yourself] I understand, the Editor feels the need to simplify things for his broader market.  However, this site provides an outlet for the expression of random thoughts on the human condition that will have zero effect on the ultimate outcome of said condition, but will provide some amusement for us all,  along the road to inevitable perdition. We are what we have become.

Unfortunately we, as a species, have run out of time.  Best of luck in the future. I am 72, I feel sorry for little babies. 

I saw a feral cat the other day. I used to see them all the time. I guess the program to spay them is working. I do still feel bad when I see them.

My Project Geronimo, Life on the Reservation, written by Janelle Meraz Hooper, is a one-man show based on Geronimo’s final stop after his last surrender. That stop was the Fort Sill Indian Reservation in Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he spent the final 20 years of his life as a POW. Video

Chicken Nuggets tested: 50% not healthy meat, much like “McRib”, composed of other animal parts. Yum. Link

Do you think that if there were no more TV cameras so ready to record our political celebrities, maybe they would have time (in their 20 hour work week) to get something done? So many cameras, so little time. How’s my hair look?

Senior needs help budgeting. Does anyone know of a public service that will help a senior with budgeting?

[Found Sail Board] We are glad tropical storm Karen did not hit us. The winds from it brought us a 12 foot wind surf board. We retrieved it from the mangroves on the north side of Big Pine Key. We have it here in the Flea Market. Please come get it, if its yours. The Key Deer have been playing on it for a day. They are not wind surfers, so here on dry land they look pretty silly. Classified Ads > Lost and Found

[Talking to Yourself] Hey everybody, I’m OK after all! Link

The reason I talk to myself, is because I am the only one whose answers I accept.  ~George Carlin

Years ago wasn’t there a Subway located where the Key Deer Bookstore is today?

Why not health care for all?

[Expensive Outhouse]The Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently paid $98,670 for the purchase and installation of an outhouse at the Swede Park Trail Head in Alaska. Link 

Where can one obtain a football card around here?

Have you heard the good news?  We don’t need sewers in the Keys, and there are  no such things as global warming and evolution.

[Zaza’s] Finally a conspiracy story that piques the interest! I like the retirement home theory. It would be a fun place (the Tiki is always hopping). Maybe they’ll add midnight boat rides too.

[“SUV self-defense”] The driver wasn’t surrounded by bikers. He chose to drive through them — then he was surrounded by bikers, pissed and hurt bikers! 

[Speed is Everything] If you don’t have the fastest Internet connection available, you are missing out.

To John Donnely. You have the beret on backwards! As far as I’m concerned you are a poser. No real Special Forces soldier would ever wear the beret over the wrong[?].

[Flood] I know someone with a ground level house who had 7 1/2″ of water inside during Wilma and they basically had to, just about, gut the place.  Ever hear of black mold?

[Crazy Mama Shot] Was deadly force really necessary in Capitol shooting? Link

[Climate Change] Norway’s wheat production affected by climate change. Link

Dude, I found your brownies!

[Keys Energy] Several years ago we were having electric power problems on BPK. It started with some stray current coming from the house ground/neutral. It was an intermittent problem with voltages ranging from 1 to 25 volts. It was enough to get your attention when touching the sink faucet. We asked Keys Energy for assistance. They determined that the outside ground was OK, but we needed a second ground to comply with current code. During the Keys Energy investigation the field engineer discovered that we had low incoming voltage at the transformer. Our home was at the end of a dead end street. Keys Energy promptly scheduled installation of an additional transformer and solved the low voltage problem.

Eventually we traced the stray current problem to a failing dishwasher.

Thank you Keys Energy. You guys volt.

I’ve raked up and hauled around enough Fall “peak color” to last a couple of lifetimes.

[“Ground level homes”] Why do folks blame the realtors, brokers, doctors, etc. when things go wrong? What a cowardly approach. Stand up and take some responsibility for yourself! When you blame others you just advertise what a loser you are.

What the insurance industry thinks about climate change. Link

[Supersize Me] Authorities have confirmed that the annual migration of the Jersey woman has started.  Sightings have been reported from Boca, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami  and a McDonalds in Homestead where terrified counter workers fled the fast food eatery when the Jersey woman began raving about her six Supersized Chicken McNugget orders being two nuggets short.  Interviewed employees stated that they became frightened when the woman began “frothing at the mouth, demanded a senior citizen discount and threatened them with a return visit.”  The photo shows the woman at an outside table adjacent to the abandoned restaurant where other frightened patrons also fled the scene.  A shaken witness said the woman had used the restroom to change into her two piece.  The management assured future customers that the restroom would be steamed cleaned and disinfected as a precaution

As in previous years the Jersey woman is accompanied by an elderly,  stooped, balding and subservient  man wearing black dress shoes with argyle knee socks, bright yellow and blue plaid shorts, a lime green shirt with pink flamingos and a baseball style cap that says “I Love Hackensack.”  A report from an All-You-Can-Eat buffet in Ft. Lauderdale, where the woman was said to have decimated the restaurants buffet table and then demanded a To-Go box,  described her as wearing gold lame’ slippers, a tent-like muumuu, carrying an overlarge tote bag with a Shih Tzu dog and reeking of perspiration and Lilly Of The Valley perfume.  The two were last seen heading south in a 12 year old Lincoln Town Car.

Authorities warn that to approach the Jersey woman can be dangerous, especially when feeding.  Close encounters have been known to result in hearing loss due to the screeching, night terrors, loss of appetite and chronic nausea. Sightings should be reported to local authorities and Homeland Security.

The government has shut down and I hope they have enough brains to keep responsible people running all the nuke stuff and not walking off the job!

[Keys Energy Bad] I had the same thing happen about 15 years ago. They basically told me too bad,so sad.

Don’t put lights on a palm tree.

What is in the food you eat?  Are you sure you want to know? Link

Wow! FTR guy, you sound so relaxed and you didn’t mention Obama or politics once. I usually skip over your posts (our politics don’t mix well) but saw earlier that you were going to Old Forge. Glad you are enjoying the show nature is putting on for us here in the northeast. You should drop the politics once and a while when in the Keys and write about the Key’s landscape in the way you did about Old Forge, it was the best post I have seen from you. Enjoy your vacation.

[“Subway Chain Store on BPK Tom Thumb”] Tom Thumb is spending money in the Keys. I wonder if the owner will shut down Underseas Dive shop, I hope not. The Tom Thumb owners also recently bought a house on Little Torch Key for just over a million.

My subs will still come from Murray’s. I prefer to spend my money with locals not the Miami crowd.

[Keys Energy Bad] I had them install a $150 surge protector on my house and when lightening struck and destroyed all my electronic devices they said, sorry Charlie.  They serve no one but themselves.

Learn to grow stuff. Link

The Good Health Clinic board of directors and staff has presented a plaque of appreciation to Brett Ekblom, founder and president of Native Construction. Pictured here with clinic founder and medical director Sandy Yankow, M.D., Brett actively served on the nonprofit’s board of directors from 2007 through 2013.

Brett is running for “Big Kahuna” to help provide quality health care to Upper Keys residents. Every dollar he raises for the Good Health Clinic is a vote for his campaign. Place your vote by giving him a check for any amount, or give online at http://give2ghc.com/brett. Other candidates competing for the title of “Big Kahuna” in 2013 are Jenny Bell-Thomson of Mariners Hospital, Travis Bennett, D.M.D., real estate agent Jo Gunthner, Howard Kolbenheyer of Snapper’s Waterfront and Dove Creek Lodge, Jennifer Miller of Reynolds Water Islamorada, and Vicki Walker of Centennial Bank.

[“Keys Energy bad”] First give them another call and tell them if they do not comply with you, you will call Florida’s Public Service Commission and file a complaint. Watch how fast they react.

Fed shutdown shuts down Keys fishing guides.   Link

Jellyfish to take over the world?  Link 

Facial steamer. Excellent condition, rarely used with every attachment there is and needed to achieve beautiful skin either for spa setting or your private facial at home, save yourself a lot of money and do it yourself, it’s fun, it includes steamer, mirror, galvanic, vacuum, mister, brushes, positive-negative current, high frequency. Classified Ads > Miscellaneous

[“Dredging the harbor”] Clearly do not know the facts. It was only dealing with 150 feet. The revenue lost will affect so many people of our community. So get ready for more taxes because government needs to recoup this loss of revenue. Everyone usually has two jobs; now start looking for a third. I hope you will be one of the ones leaving the Keys to find work.

Despite shutdown, National Marine sanctuary open.  Close down the Conch Republic! Pirate that thought, and fugget-about-it! Link

Smart cars don’t do too well when big trucks can’t see them.

Keys get a rum distillery. (Looks like you waited too long FTR. There’s competition for your BPK Rum.) Link

[Chain Stores] Thinking like a business person, it would be self-destructive to invest in a food chain franchise in the lower Keys because of the lack of constant people for a customer base. Only during full season of a few months are there enough people that might support such an investment. If it was sound, the chains would have built places long ago. Look at Key West, most of the franchised places are barely paying their taxes and rents. To build something that costs a few million dollars and can only be used for a single marketing idea on Big Pine Key, deserves a lot of thinking before you waste time and money.

[Big New Plans for Stock Island] Once the proposed site of a $100 million, 500-plus room mega resort/marina, the waterfront of south Stock Island is now coming together as a more conservative project called Stock Island Marina Village, with an emphasis on the area’s historic working waterfront. Link

[Captain Doom and Gloom] “Perhaps a retirement home for aging Italy mobsters” That would be great and finally bring some class and dignity to the Lower Keys for the first time since? Then let the bubbas F with the rest of us! Hey Bruno, busta his legsa!

The Feds should lay off the locals illegally selling sealife.   The Ocean around here is theirs to exploit anyway they see fit, by their own proclamation.

[Obamacare] My two oldest kids are in high school. Tuesday night while we are eating dinner my daughter asks, “Dad, my teacher says Obamacare is great, why do you say it’s bad?” I give her a young persons answer. “Imagine your Math teacher told everyone in the class they had to buy an iTunes account or they’d fail class. And the iTunes account wasn’t run by Apple, but rather the Dept of Education. And despite what you may hear otherwise, the service will cost you more than it did in the past. And although you like to listen to music by Red Hot Chili Peppers and Adele, you will be forced to listen to the music they offer. Choices are Neal Sedaka or Bing Crosby. And your classmates who’s parents don’t have jobs, they too get access to the music account but you have to buy their songs with your lunch money. And if you do grow to like Bing and Neal, it could take up to 9 weeks to download the songs.”

Next day my daughter debates her teacher. My son has the same teacher but during another period. Teacher tells my son,”Your sister and I had some debate over Obamacare. She knows a lot.”

[FOX Bashing] It’s not FOX. It’s how unhappy folks are with everything. We have become ugly, hateful, mean & we are afraid of what’s in front of us.We are afraid of everything.

When I say I feel Fox News is by far the best outlet for the real news, both sides of the news it’s just my opinion. I am not asking you to feel the same. Some folks feel compelled and will post a very ugly, personal hate-filled opinion on why I am a racist, woman hater, who want babies and old folks to starve and go without medical care. I am not. Folks are turning to FOX for clear and balanced reporting. If you don’t like it don’t watch it, no disrespect meant. From time to time I watch CNN & MSNBC just to see how the same story can be crafted. I think CNN is by far the fairer of the two. I just have trouble seeing why folks get their panties in bunch over my choice of FOX. Unless the other side of the story makes you feel uncomfortable. That I understand.

[Free Lunch] Switzerland to vote on $2,800 monthly ‘basic income’ for adults. Here is your pure socialism government for you. The ‘citizens’ demand all adults receive $2800 per month. Does this mean half will have to work their balls off to make it so the other half gets their $2800? No this is not the USA, yet! Ever read why Rome fell? The real reason, freeloading peasants! Link

Wonder why your Conservative friends are so mad today? American forces carried out  another attack against Islamic extremists that carried out terrorist attacks against us 15 years ago. Their leader was taken into American custody before morning prayers in Libyas capitol. They were trying to get to the terrorist of the mall bombers but it show they have inroads into the terrorist networks. Theres  going to be some mad Conservatives around today. They hate great American news. Did you know our President spoke to kids in schools and told them to work hard and stay and school before the beginning of the school year?

How dare him.

[Government & Religion] Is The National Park Service, aka American Government, using American taxpayer dollars to make & promote a video praising “Islam’s Contributions To Women’s Rights” a clear separation of church & state? Where the Hell is your outrage about “This” all you 2 faced anti-Christians?  Video

[Obamacare] The Democratic Congress during Bush Jr’s lame duck term managed to con the public that it was Bush who was responsible for getting Fannie and Freddie into extremely risky subprime loans when it was actually their fault.. They seem to think the only way to keep the economy going is by letting people think they can take the government for something.

The cycle is about to repeat itself again, with many being forced to buy Obamacare, they will do so for a short time to get completley checked out, then declare no income, bankruptcy or just leave the country taking their wealth with them. Those who remain on Obamacare or earn any income will be left holding the bag, including providing food and housing for the newly broke..

The problem will be just like for those who remained in the US after the subprime mess blewout, the Federal Reserve devalualed the currency three times and is continuing to do so monthly. This has the effect of taxing everyone through higher commodity prices. $5.45 for gas soon?

The Democrat Party is starting to really scare me. At least those Democrats who post on the CT. Seems they are turning into self-righteous do-goodie’s with little if any common sense or logical reasoning, but just hate for anyone or any party that will defend America and our citizens rights to compete in a free market society. What other country depresses their citizens this way, ask yourself that!

America held hostage. The drama continues.

“Americans voted for Obama and Obamacare and the losers have been trying to go against the democratic vote since. A few extremists have hijacked the Republican Party and shut down the government hurting everyone but themselves, just to stop Americans from getting health insurance.” Thus sayeth a Friday poster. Actually, the posting was a concise parroting of Democrat talking points. But, while concise, it is patently wrong.

While it is true that Americans did elect Obama, Obamacare was not voted for by a majority of Americans. Obamacare has never had the approval of a majority of Americans. The Affordable Health Care Act, (HCA, aka Obamacare) was full crafted by Democrats in back room sessions that were denied to Republicans. At the time of the passage of the ACA, both houses of Congress were Democrat controlled, as was the White House. The ACA became law without a single Republican vote, a fact that has hobbled it ever since. Generally, major changes in social policy, such as Social Security and Medicare, have thrived because they had big bipartisan margins on the final vote.

A recent USA Today poll shows that only 42 percent of Americans approve of the law.

The notion that the Republicans are responsible for the current government shut down is absurd. The Republicans have offered many compromises that would have made the implementation of the ACA less painful and very much more efficient. The Democrats and Obama have not only refused, but have done all in their power to make the shut down as painful as possible for Americans. We’ve got to face it, Obama is acting more like petulant despot than the President of the United States. He refuses to talk with his opposition, he refuses to negotiate, and he simply wields power. But, he will eagerly negotiate with Russia, Iran, Syria, and host of other enemies of our nation.

Some of Obama’s orders are terribly mean spirited.

For example, Team Obama ordered the WW2 memorial shut down even though it is not affected in any way by the shutdown.  Obama’s minions even spent much money and time erecting steel barricades at the memorial to keep elderly WW2 vets away. Obama has kept Camp David open, but has cut off NFL football and baseball TV coverage to our overseas troops. Obama’s National Park service ordered the operators of a private resort on the Blue Ridge Parkway to shut down. The owner refused. The National Park Service also attempted to shut down Mr. Vernon, George Washington’s home, and a favorite tourist attraction. Mt. Vernon is also privately owned.

An angry Park Service ranger in Washington says of the harassment. “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”

Obama is not the only mean spirited Democrat. The Republicans had moved to reinstitute funding the National Institutes of Health and some other government services. They, and the American public, received the single digit salute from Democrat leadership. Senate Leader Harry Reid was asked by a reporter if Democrats would agree to at least fund the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which, among other things, funds cancer research for children. Reid was asked by a reporter: “If you can help one child who has cancer, why wouldn’t you do it?”

“Why would we want to do that?” Reid responded.  Deer Friends that tells us volumes of the Democrat mind set. Screw the kids with cancer in order to gain political power.

We should keep in mind that somewhere around 800k fed workers have been furloughed. At the same time we should keep in mind that there are about 3.5 million nonmilitary federal employees. The 800k who have been furloughed, have been labeled by the Obama administration as being “non-essential.” If these folks are non-essential, then why are they on the government payroll in these catastrophic fiscal times?

Friday’s poster claimed that the Reps are trying to keep “everyone” from having health insurance. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today we are inundated with ads from health insurance companies. If you want health insurance, the market is wide open. If you can’t afford it, seek out Medicaid. Unfortunately, the new ACA health care insurance exchanges just don’t work.

The totality of Obamacare is a slow motion train wreck, the majority of Americans recognize this. Team Obama has had nearly 4 years to get the damned thing set up. They have failed. They have failed so miserably that they have actually outsourced much of its IT work to Canada. Canada!!. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded GCI, (a Canadian tech firm), $55.7 million to launch Healthcare.gov, the central Obamacare health exchange website. And it doesn’t work.  Over the full five years of the contract, GCI could receive as much as $93.7 million.

No one can deny that the roll out of the ACA has been a disaster, perhaps it is because Team Obama chose to hire the  Canadian tech firm that has provided service to that country’s single-payer health care system. It’s worth worrying about the fact that GCI has been a darling of the Obama administration, which since 2009 has bestowed it with $1.4 billion in federal contracts, according to USAspending.gov. Please recall that Canada has notoriously long waits for medical services. The reality is that health care in Canada isn’t as good as it’s been touted to be.  I suggest you read the article in the Ottowa Citizen to be found at Link

The “few Republican extremists” the poster wrote of are in fact, doing all in their power to make sure that all Americans have access to quality and affordable health care. Obamacare will provide neither.  

The ACA should be scrapped and we should start over with a clean sheet of paper. Whatever comes of the effort must be a bi partisan effort, or it too will be doomed.

The combination of the ACA bollix and Obama’s atrocious handling of the Syrian imbroglio undoubtedly have led to his now abysmal approval rating. Gallup just reported that his approval rating had tanked to 41%.

It is a very good thing for our nation that over the past two weeks, a growing number of House Democrats have broken with their party leadership to vote with House Republicans to approve funding for parts of the federal government that do not involve implementing Obamacare.  For example, on Sunday morning the House voted on spending for the State Department and embassy security. This new authorization included giving President Obama the authority to increase security at U.S. diplomatic facilities abroad, including increasing the U.S. Marine presence at those facilities. Because this bill was being moved outside the normal House rules, it needed a two-thirds majority. It got it. The House approved it 384-37, with 194 Republican votes and 190 Democratic vote.

But, in Harry Reid’s and Obama’s Senate it was a different story: When this bill arrived in the Senate, it was assigned to committee and did not get a vote. And so, our embassy personnel go even further into harm’s way thanks to Democrat intransigence and their mad lust for power.

CLIMATE CHANGE

IPCC Calls Off Planetary Emergency. “IPCC now believes that in the 21st Century, Atlantic Ocean circulation collapse is ‘very unlikely,’ ice sheet collapse is ‘exceptionally unlikely,’ and catastrophic release of methane hydrates from melting permafrost is ‘very unlikely.’”  Bottom line: Al Gore’s catastrophism not backed by science, or even the IPCC version thereof.