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2014 May

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

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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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[Big Cat] I live on Ramrod Key and saw this very large cat in the woods behind my house when I was taking my dogs out. It was almost as big as my dogs (I have two boxers). It was too big to be a domestic cat or a bobcat. It had the markings of a domestic cat though. Has anybody seen this cat or know what it is? Should I be worried? I’m pretty sure there aren’t any florida panthers in the Keys. But who knows…
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[“Cuban Cars”] I’ve heard there are between 60,000 and 79,000 classic American cars in Cuba. The shade-tree mechanics keep them running by doing their own repairs, patching, rigging or making parts, or using Russian-part alternatives. I’ve even read some of them make their own motor oil. Amazing people.
[The Future of Shopping] You are right about the grocery stores in Europe. But we also have some of them over here. This old Snowbird is back in VA where we have a wonderful store called ALDIE. You have the choice to bring your own bags (I save my plastic ones from Food Lion, Giant, Martins [Giant owns this one]), etc. and you do put a quarter in the cart to use it, then it is returned to you when you park the cart at the location in front of the store. The best news is that the food inside is varied and wonderful and only 2 employees are needed in the whole store — one constantly stocking and one ringing up customers’ purchases. Sometimes the wait is longer than the big box stores, but the food is of great quality and at least 20% cheaper than the others. You never know what will be in stock so we always go there first and get what we like that is available. Say you need a few other items they did not have, we can still get them with a quick stop at a big box store. The no frills (they never advertise) really works and the quality is amazing. Just think of the money saved on salaries. If I forget my bags from home I can always buy bags there for 10 cents each. If you are crafty there are boxes all over the store, just about empty, that you can take and use for free if you unload and neatly stack any extras in the same location.This should be the future of grocery shopping and I have only been in two of these stores up here and business is booming.
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[Cudjoe Gardens] It looks like another institution of self preservation is crumbling. The area in the Lower Keys known as Cudjoe Gardens with its CGPOA strict rules, regulations and deed restrictions that kept the dignity and uniformity of its properties above the norm, is letting things change and some say for the worse. Developers and some property owners are ignoring those restrictions and this could drive property values down, say some who live there. Also it is still questionable if grinder pumps will be installed after a gravity system was promised. As with all municipalities, money talks and people suffer!
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I have a Key West Cookbook by Margaret Romero. It states that she is a fifth generation Conch. A native that traces her family back to the mid-1800’s. She is an active career woman and known by family and friends as a terrific cook. The book is dedicated to her parents, John and Olive Gato Romero. By the way, the cookbook is great.
[Grinder Pumps] If FKAA would only place the pumps on the right of way and maintain them and their electrical component, there wouldn’t be any bumper stickers or any further discussion.
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[Gun Nuts] Every year, nearly 1,500 children die from guns and many more are seriously injured. To end this tragedy there are ‘smart guns’ that can only be fired by their owners. A Maryland gun shop owner was going to sell the smart guns until he received death threats from ‘patriots’ imagining they were protecting their 2d Amendment rights. Video
[Sale Items Missing] For example, Winn Dixie peanuts have been on sale for two weeks and the shelf has always empty the four times I’ve been there looking for them. That is just one of the items they advertise and don’t have on the shelf. At first I thought it was just a mistake, but it’s been happening since the new manager took over. I don’t know if it is his fault or ‘Corporate’ policy is to fault.Now for Publix: Everything is in stock. Everything is cheaper. You don’t have to show a discount card. You don’t have to tell the cashier the last 4 digits of your credit card.
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The Sugarloaf light was originally put there at the intersection to help the school buses and other school traffic get out onto the highway in the afternoon and to help the same school traffic that turns onto Crane Blvd. in the morning. Without the light, and with the amount of traffic that travels US 1, even now in May, you could sit there for some time. I also believe there were a couple of accidents there at the intersection before the traffic light was installed, that the students witnessed while on the buses.
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[Book Sale] Save May 17 for a spectacular book sale at the Big Pine Library. Stop in from 9-2 for pre-read treasures. Sponsored by Friends Of the Big Pine Library.  You can stock up for summer reading. The library is located in the Winn Dixie Plaza on Key Deer Blvd. See you there and don’t forget your re-usable bags. Events
[“Phone Book Obsolete”]  Nah, my parrot loves to read it when I change it every day.
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The band sets up for last night’s performance by Dr John. This is as close as I got seeing as tickets were $250 each! I’d only pay $250 to see Christ shiny down from His cross, but that’s about it.
[Florida Style Golf Dispute] A little argument on the golf course at Nine Eagles Golf Course, Oldsmar, FL — just northwest of Tampa. You may never have the opportunity to see this  again unless you play in Florida! Video
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[“Tiki falling down”]  No one ever said the tiki was falling down. It is a matter of fact that when the palm fronds were replaced about ten years ago [Ed: after a fire, I think] it was highly recommended by the contractor that the support beams also needed to be replaced. I was there when code enforcement shut it down for no permits and the roof had to be treated with fire retardant. Just for the record book, the County building department requires permits as well as engineered drawings with any structural alterations, especially a commercial structure. The quality of work that was done installing the banks of TVs was never in question. The question is, is it safe?
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[Sign Pollution
] This is what would happen along US1 if there were no sign ordinances in the county. I don’t know how this shop avoids the notice of the enforcers. This business is so sign happy that some of them are blank!
A Paradigm Shift is a popular, or perhaps, not so popular shift or transformation of the way we Humans perceive events, people, environment, and life altogether. It can be a national or international shift, and could have dramatic effects — whether positive or negative — on the way we live our lives today and in the future. The counterculture of the 1970s is an example.
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[“Fans”] Cheap fans look like this when you reverse the blades because the humidity caused them to sag. You end up with a Chinese-looking fan.
Deer Mr. Ed. Just how many people read this blog every day? It seems as though the amount of posting has dropped since the national political section was removed. The FTR person is a bit out there at times, but interesting, none-the-less. Captain Gloom and Doom seems to have some hard ideas, but a bit above the norm for this blog. People in the Keys are not into reality enough to understand either of those two. They should post to a national web site. However, I do enjoy reading the local items and humor.  Keep up the good work.(Ed: Thanks for your comment. Since I dropped the National Politics readership has remained the same at about two thousand visitors a day. Even though we get new readers daily, the people who write-in has dropped. It appears the people interested in national politics are the most vocal of all visitors. I’d bring back the National Politics if I didn’t have to read the posts. I thought the special contact form to FTR would replace my efforts, but it’s not working out as I had hoped. People want to see their posts separately not included in FTR’s daily offerings. I wonder if there is a reliable volunteer who I could direct the contact form to, who would email them all at once back to me ready for posting. I then could just copy and paste the results all at once without having to read any of them. There has to be some editing because most are angry and filled with hate and I don’t want to be a part of spreading hate. I need the hate and insults edited out. All too often there isn’t any substance left to the email after removing the hate and insults.)
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[Gun Nuts] So a little sanity has prevailed and the proposed law allowing anyone to carry concealed guns during an emergency has been shot down, so to speak.
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[Havana Photographer] This man will take your picture using a camera that must have dated from the 1800’s.  He somehow develops the photos on the spot in about 15 minutes.  They are all sepia-toned and cost about $2.00 US.
The Florida Keys are, no doubt, a fabulous place to live.  However a lot of people act like living there has made them fabulous too.
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I don’t always take out the recycling. But when I do I look like a raging alcoholic.
If there are good people who work for the KWPD and Chief Lee who know anything about the coverup of the death of Mr. Elmers on last Thanksgiving day please tell what you know on here; and if you have any memos or proof of this murder please keep it in a safe place so that it can be used to jail those responsible when trial time comes. You can do this and still remain anonymous and actually get a large reward. Please do not let this crime die out like Mr Elmers. You will feel so much better by being truthful. Thank you, respectfully, friends of the FDLE.
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[“Elmers Death”] FDLE: No conflict in agent leading probe of man’s death even though investigation involves her ex-husband. Link
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What ever happened to Bicycle Joanie Nelson?  Local elections were much more enjoyable when she was a part of them.
[Sewer Threat] There are some heavy rumors going around that the sewer company is going to do what they damn well feel like doing and where they want to do it, like sticking grinder pumps in homes where people were told they would get the gravity system. Talking to anyone in the construction company is useless and mostly met with a shit-eating grin from inept desk jockeys.So what do we do? We stand our ground and demand a system that will work and not be a profiteering scam for the infamous Big Guys. Perhaps having your septic tank cleaned once a year would be a better alternative to grinder pumps or gravity.  All I know is if the grinder gangsters start messing around with certain people in the Lower Keys, all hell will break loose and maybe some kneecaps too!
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[“Cuban Cars”] If you go to NAPA or Advance Auto and buy parts, most of those parts come from Mexico. America is the only country honoring sanctions on Cuba, but you can still buy many American products there. So those 60 yr old cars can get plenty of new parts in Cuba form Mexico–just not from the U.S.A. But, hey, we don’t produce much besides crappy politicians and welfare babies any more. How is our embargo hurting Cuba? Oh, I get it, they can’t have Big Macs!
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Tacky boat name or witty?
I just wanted to thank Howard Livingston and the Key West Rotary for a wonderful night Saturday. I was honored to be supportive of such a worth cause. Can wait until next Keys Stock.
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[KW Poetry Guild] Sheri Lohr and a Spanish fellow named Edwardo, continued a duet they had started at Guild readings. Lori read a stanza, Eduardo responded. Sometimes Lori read in Spanish and Edwardo responded in English; sometimes she read in English and he responded in Spanish. Before it was over, the main character in their duet was Magdalena.
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The market for point-and shoot-cameras has all but dried up since smartphone cameras have become so ubiquitous. A whole segment of the camera industry just disappeared.
[Asia Cruise] Holland America plans another 90 day epic cruise to Asia. See map at Link
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Sailors
from across the country and around the world already have Quantum Key West 2015 on the winter calendars. Boats ranging is size from 23 to 72 feet will compete in the waters off America’s southernmost city during the 28th edition of Key West Race Week, scheduled for January 18-23. Sailors recognize how important this international event is to sailing in North America. For nearly 3 decades Key West has kicked off racing here in the U.S. with a superb event that sets the standard for the entire year. Link
A Planned Parenthood‘s “Healthy, Happy, and Hot” brochure aimed at young people with HIV says that “Young people living with HIV have the right to decide if, when, and how to disclose their HIV status,” and “You know best if and when it is safe for you to disclose your status.”The brochure also called various laws that require an HIV positive person to disclose their status to a partner a “violation of rights.” Link
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[“Exxon profits”] To the poster who seemed offended that someone corrected the Exxon’s profits post: Facts are facts and the truth matters. And no, I am not the poster who made the correction.
BC-ct6[Captain Doom and Gloom] What is the difference between a pirate and a politician? The pirate walks right up to you and takes your money. The politician walks around back of you and … never mind!”
You would think a man in his esteemed position as Prince of Nigeria would, based on his email, have a spell checker!
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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
Obama admin is releasing an updated report on climate change today. I haven’t read the report, but I guarantee it will piss off Republicans no matter what it says, that’s how out of touch they are.
I couldn’t believe my ears, Fox News babe, Greta van Susteren, asked GOP Senator Eric Cantor if this latest in a long line of Senate Benghazi hearings had a time limit, or “is it going to be part of our lives forever?”  Go Greta!
[To Joe, I lost your address] Thanks for the kind words. I really feel like we’re fighting the good fight, and I actually have optimism for the midterms.  Now if the national Republicans can only avoid putting forward candidates that are turkeys with good ideas but not a chance of winning, it will all work.  Thanks also for all the good that you guys do for the community. ~FTR
American’s are now paying more taxes than in any time in our history. Government employees doing the same job as the private sector are paid more than folks in the private sector. They also have much better benefits.
[Keystone Pipeline] It is particularly painful to see some members of Congress once again trying to circumvent a legitimate process to push approval of Keystone XL — a pipeline that would take some of the world’s dirtiest oil from Canada, through the heart of America, to the Gulf Coast and then off to overseas markets. It doesn’t matter that this pipeline will create almost no permanent jobs and only several thousand construction jobs, or that last year theWall Street Journal reported that we, the U.S., is about to become the largest producer of oil and gas on the planet, overtaking Russia. It doesn’t matter to these U.S. senators that our dependency on foreign oil has declined sharply.
from the right
Part1) The other day there were a couple of postings concerning the Benghazi murders. One panned the investigation, one praised the investigation.

Personally I feel that the Select Committee now in the process of being formed, to really investigate the murders is absolutely essential. I hope that the committee is run by a prosecutor, and that all the political posturing and posing by the Congresspersons will not be permitted.  It must be a search for the truth, nothing more, nothing less.

We know with sublime certainty that the tragedy was a screw up of cosmic proportions. Now we must find out why it happened, we must know exactly who screwed up and how. We have to know all of that so that we can prevent it from happening again.  We must find out if the Secretary of State put in place appropriate security measures, sufficient personnel, and appropriately managed those security measures in this growing time of hate and disresp ect for the United States in the world.

Now there is no question but that the public was misled by the Team Obama “talking points”.  Now we must learn if that misinformation was simply a screw up or if it was it an intentional plot to mislead the public. Now, the evidence suggests that it was the latter given that the presidential election was just around the corner, and that the murders strongly and urgently suggested that Team Obama’s braggadocios claims that AQI etc., were on the wane were nothing but male bovine excrement. We must know if the misstatements of fact were lies that were authorized by Obama and/or by Clinton. There is a huge difference between intentional lies and simple errors.

As it stands now, Hillary Clinton, then Secretary of State, must shoulder most of the responsibility for the tragedy. The consulate was her turf, its security was her responsibility. Even if you choose to discount the very strong likelihood that she purposefully lied about the tragedy, it is nearly impossible to deny that the tragedy was caused by incompetence and/or a politically motivated decision not to appropriately secure the facility so as to present a “friendly face” to the Libyans. And to suggest to the American public that Team Obama’s policies were working. It’s likely that if the truth had been revealed at the time of the murders, Obama would not have been reelected.

Clinton’s role in the entire affair will determine if she is worthy or even capable of leading our nation.

A White House official with fingerprints all over the affair recently said on national TV dismissing the importance of the tragedy: “Dude, it was two years ago.” Clinton infamously said: “What difference does it make…” It’s hard to imagine more callous statements about the deaths of 4 American public servants who were murdered in the service of their country.

Team Obama promised to bring the murderers to “justice.” Since then one of the murderers was interviewed on TV by an American journalists in a friendly country. The subject, purportedly the leader, told the CNN interviewer: “Even the investigative team  (FBI) did not try to contact me.” The murderers are still free. Even though Team Obama is desperate to have the investigation “just go away”, it must not.

 

Part 2) What follows is a direct cut and paste from an article in the NATIONAL JOURNAL written by an ardent supporter of Democare. It chronicles a recent poll by the WASHINGTON POST and ABC. The author of the article is Ron Fournier.

By a two-to-one margin, more people think the quality of care they receive is getting worse rather than better under Obamacare (29 percent to 14 percent). A majority says the quality has stayed the same.

By a two-to-one margin, more people think the nation’s health care system is getting worse, not better (44 percent to 24 percent). Less than a third say the quality of U.S. health care is about the same.

Nearly half of Americans say their personal health care costs are increasing under Obamacare (47 percent). Just 8 percent report decreases.

A strong majority say the over all costs of the U.S. health care system are increasing (58 percent). Just 11 percent see decreases.

Deer Friends, please consider carefully that Fournier, the author, is a strong supporter of Democare. Make no mistake about it, the mid terms are going to be a referendum on Democare and Obama.

 

Part 3) It looks like petroleum company bashing is coming into vogue again. I respectfully suggest that the bashers, before they can have any credibility, must get rid of their vehicles, all vehicles including bikes, because not a single one of them would be in the hot little hands of the bashers if it were not for oil. I suggest that they must move out of their houses as well, because every damned thing in and on that house got to that house because of petroleum, and/or without petroleum would not exist.. Lean-to’s and chickee huts are largely petroleum free. Mosquito repellent is verboten. I respectfully suggest that the bashers go naked, because every stich of modern clothing has chemicals in it that are petroleum products, and not a stich of their clothing could have gotten to their hot little bods without petroleum. They must forsake their computers and smart phones, TV’s, and every other electrical goody that they own or lust for. Face it bashers, our society, the world, our civilization is petroleum dependent. On the other hand we could surrender to the Muslim jihadists, return to the 13th century and live pretty much petroleum free. Come to think of it, some of the ladies I’ve seen lately would look better in a burka. Look about you, there is not a single thing that you own that could have come into your possession without petroleum. Please pass the goat.

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A POSTER WROTE: “Gov. Scott, like so many Republican Governors, has done a fine job running our state. The fact is , States run by Republican management have done well. Why, because like it or not, it’s a business. If you have 7 apples and you spend 9 of them..well you just can’t, can you?

FTR’S RESPONSE:    Amen Brother!

 

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