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Since 2002. Anonymous Letters to the Editor with pictures. Published Monday through Friday by Noon.
 To the person who commented about RadioShack playing Christmas music. We were only checking our Sirius radio selection of holiday music. It may have been on for a few hours while we sampled channels for the best mix. We are back to our normal genre of light and sometimes alternative rock. I hope we did not offend anyone. Already Christmas trees are for sale next door and a month ago I was in Home Depot and they had Christmas decorations on display everywhere and it wasn’t even Halloween yet! Every year retailers start earlier than the past. Before long the Valentines day stuff will be in the stores. We start playing Christmas music on the day after Thanksgiving through December 27th. Peace and Happy Thanksgiving from the staff at RadioShack on Big Pine Key. |
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| [“Conch”] A conch has to be born in Key West. If you are born somewhere else in the Keys you are a Floridian not a conch. The designation comes from the Revolutionary War when people loyal to the King refused to fight for independence and moved to the Bahamas and then latter to Key West and said, “I’d rather eat conch than fight.” Almost no one lived on any of the other keys as they weren’t connected by bridges and the only way to get from key to key was by boat. Half of the island of Key West was mangrove swamp. Those other keys didn’t matter in the scheme of things and were rarely considered. Key West was the only island that mattered and the proud residents called themselves conchs. Until recently, that is, when the Tourist Development Council tried to include everyone born in the Keys as conchs. It’s purely to stimulate tourism that those born in the rest of the Keys try to call themselves conchs. Is nothing sacred? |
 Most Conchs were Yankees and have a New York accent? What! I don’t have time to do intensive research today. Part of your story rings true. They were of European descent. I believe they were given land in the Bahamas by the King of England and inbred with the islanders and later moved to the Keys because they could not make a living off the land in the Bahamas. Many also came from Georgia via England. I never met a Conch with a NY accent. This article puts a little light on the definition of a Conch. Link |
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 [“Us locals”] Truly perplexing. Is your picture in the local yearbook? did you go to Sue M Moore, May Sands, Harris or Truman elementary school? Did you even travel the old bridges or did you ride the train down? You’re silly and for sure not funny making fun of folks who want to live in the Fabulous Florida Keys after busting there butts up north. Be nice. |
| [“Rushing the holidays”] Home Depot and a few others greedy’s are pushing Christmas before Halloween. I won’t spend a dime on xmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. |
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| [“How deep are the water wells drilled on Big Pine Key”] We don’t drill, we have a backhoe bust through the rock to a depth of about four feet below cap rock. The wells are all shallow. The water is just below the surface and is mostly brackish, orange and smells. |
 It was so cold last night the palms froze. This morning it’s 63º with winds out of the north at 24mph. It was so cold and windy last night I had a down quilt and two other quilts on top of that! It’s true that our blood thins after living here a long time. |
| Nudity is not a problem. The people who fervently think it is need to see a psychiatrist. We have dozens of real problems —nudity is not even on the list unless the unclothed caught a cold. Mess with Fantasy Fest too much and it will be diminished or destroyed. Nudity is a diversion so the real issues don’t have to be faced. No one was ever hurt by nudity. We came into the world in our birthday suits. |
 [Super Size Me] The Coca-Cola Corporation held a press conference yesterday to announce that its soft drinks will soon be available exclusively in 30-liter plastic bottles. According to company spokespeople, Coke’s decision to sell its product in what many consider to be overly large containers is not based on a specific study or survey of consumer demands, but rather on the company’s desire to make a resounding display of its corporate might. Link |
| I remember when John Lee Hooker played near the pool at the Pier House in the late 70s. |
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| I remember when John Lee Hooker played a concert at the movie theater on Duval St. in the late 70s. Downbeat blues |
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 To the person looking for good internet service. It does vary sometimes depending what neighborhood you live in. I had AT&T and it was slow and constant outages. We have Comcast now and it never goes out and we get 28 to 32 kbps download speed. Even faster speeds are available for a few dollars more. We can stream movies in different rooms at the same time and still use our computers, tablets and smartphones with out any buffering. Comcast does not require a contract and you can sign up at the Radio Shack next to Winn Dixie as they are an authorized dealer. You can rent the modem or buy one in the store. I think they have a promotion going on where the first year is only $19.99 per month! |
| That same store that is playing xmas music before Thanksgiving, last year didn’t even have one xmas decoration in the whole store. |
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| [Internet Provider] It’s winter time again and of course the stinking AT&T and Comcast lines are giving everybody a hard time connecting to each server because the strings between the phone poles are shrinking and the old threads cannot connect well. Thanks ISPs for taking care of the Keys people by spending our money to fix it right elsewhere. |
 [Rats under your car hood] If your check-engine light comes on you had better check under the hood to make sure rats haven’t chewed through the wiring. Moth balls work great at keeping them out of your engine compartment if you can stand the smell. |
| [Pipeline] The jobs created, the only reason for the Keystone Pipeline, will all be temporary except for about fifty permanent jobs. All the rest will be for it’s construction quoth NPR yesterday. |
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| Walmart has had their Christmas trees displayed since Columbus Day, but I’ll still shop there. |
 [Sister City] In November 1977 Green Turtle Key and Key West exchanged City Keys. The Bahamian Police Marching Band went down Duval Street and a great time was had by all of us. Many family names date back to the Bahamas and Green Turtle Key which looks a lot like old town. Link |
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 [“Internet provider”] I had Comcast cable tv and internet for a couple of years, and my bill kept going up every month. Every time I would call their customer service it would always turn out as a frustrating situation. When I was lucky someone would actually answer the phone. Two months ago I got a bill for $185.00. I called Comcast and after being routed several times to someone who can answer why I got a bill for $185.00 when all I have is 3 TV’s with basic cable and basic speed internet, and she responded, that’s the way it is sir. I told them to stick it where the sun don’t shine. I called DirecTV and they quoted me a price of $115.00 a month. The guy showed up and I asked him if he was Sammy sam and he told me no he’s Eduardo from Miami. He then tells me that he can’t do the job because I have too many trees. I asked him how come they didn’t send Sammy sam and he told me that when you call the 800 number, a contractor from Miami gets the job. I wanted to pull my friggin hair out. I got Sammy sams number and he personally shows up to meet me and survey my property. When he gets here I explain to him all the crap I’ve been going thru with Comcast and the Eduardo tv guy. Sammy tells me he can do the job, and then goes over the offers with me personally. He shows up 2 days later and gets the job done. He hooked me up with 3 TV’s with HD which I didn’t have with Comcast. I get over 150 channels plus all my Miami local channels free, NFL Sunday ticket and 3 months of free HBO Showtime. A lot more than I was getting with Comcast. He also bundled me with AT&T U-Verse 3.0 high speed internet in which the U-Verse tech showed up the next day to hook me up. Sammy sam got me this sweet deal, and all I’m paying is $67.99 + tax a month for both DirecTV and U-Verse internet combined on one auto payment. I asked Sammy why DirecTV quoted me $115.00 a month, and he explained that the 800 number gets commission for talking you into a service at a higher plan rate. But on the other hand, Sam’s priority is to give his customers the best deal that’s financially best for them. Let me tell all of you something, this Sammy sam is the Jack Bauer of DirecTV. He is not only dedicated in getting the job done, but he also saved my world from anymore frustration on the phone. He insisted that if I have any problems, to call him on his cell phone first instead of the 800 number. Now I realize why this guy is so well liked by everyone down here. Kudos to you Sammy you’re the best. Thank you so much |
| The superior man blames himself. The inferior man blames others. ~Don Shula |
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| [Pipeline] There was a discussion this morning and the argument against was of an economic one showing the pipeline as a bad idea because the oil companies numbers don’t work. The pro speaker accepted the argument and said to let the market decide if the numbers work or not. My take is if the “numbers don’t work”, us and the environment will be stuck with a useless pipeline just to please Republicans who are the mouthpiece of the oil industry. |
 [“Thanksgiving music”] I’m not sure I know too many Thanksgiving songs. I love Christmas music, even in June. |
| [“Conch vs Local”] A Conch should be 3 generations of Key West. That means your Grandfather was born in Key West, not Marathon, Big Pine or anyplace else. Key West Conch! |
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| [“Conch vs Local”] I beg to differ. If a child is born to 2 American citizens, the child is an American regardless if its born in France, Japan, Russia or on the moon–if the parents are Americans! |
 [Fantasy Fest] People have been hurt by nudity. The sight of a beautiful naked female body can raise sexual desire in any normal heterosexual male. If it does not, that man needs to see a psychiatrist. There are some men who may be led to rape by being so aroused, and the victim may not even be the exhibitionist. This has happened. Such sexual arousal could also lead to an extramarital affair which could destroy a marriage with lasting damage to both spouses. We all know that possessing naked pictures of minors is a serious crime. Why? And feminists, not so-called religious fanatics, will tell you that pornography is harmful. In almost every case where there has been a rape or even a sex-related murder there will be found pornographic pictures. Now of course that does not mean that any male who is addicted to porn will become a sex killer or even a rapist, but some will. And even those who do not commit crimes will have their relationships hurt by pornography addiction. I have been repulsed by some of the older women who have gone around naked. There is of course a reason why Adam and Eve decided they needed to cover themselves after they ate of the poisonous tree. |
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 History & Origins of The Florida Keys & The Conch Republic. Link |
| 1996 Ford Thunderbird LX. White, 2 door, V-6 automatic, power windows (window motors rebuilt), power seats, factory sunroof, new parts in last year: radiater, belt and hoses, battery, power steering pump, water pump, wiper motor, tires, and alternator. All work was done professionally and costing about $1,500. We are downsizing to 1 vehicle. This car is great for the Keys and a steal at $700. Call Classified Ads > Autos |
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| [Key West plaintiffs in marriage equality case meet with Former US Solicitor General] Aaron Huntsman and William ‘Lee’ Jones met with Theodore Olsen, Kristin Perry and Sandra Stier (plaintiffs in Perry v. Schwarzenegger) in Miami on Sunday, 16 November. Ironically, Florida AG Pam Jo Bondi accepted the chair of the Republican Attorneys General Association the same day in Miami Beach.
Former US Solicitor General Theodore Olson(R), his wife (and moderator) Lady Booth Olson, and plaintiffs in the landmark case, Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, were invited to lead an up-close personal account of the most important civil rights issue — fought and won — since Brown v. Board of Education, The session was sponsored by Robert S Wennett and Mario Cader French Foundation, and co-sponsored by SAVE, an LGBT rights organization based in South Florida at The 2014 Miami Book Fair International on Sunday. Huntsman and Jones were honored to have a private meeting with Mr. Olsen, his wife and the plaintiffs in that landmark case. Key West plaintiffs invited ACLU’s Federal lawsuit plaintiffs Chuck Hunziker, 81 and Bob Collier, 79, to the meeting with Mr. Olsen after the presentation. Co-sponsor SAVE’s Christian Ulvert introduced the panel along with his husband Carlos Andrade (also plaintiffs in the ALCU/SAVE Federal lawsuit). On Monday night Nov 17th, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi formally asked an appeals court to overrule two South Florida judges who found the state’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional. |
 [Free Ad] If you want the best fried chicken anywhere you should try Dion’s fried chicken. They have numerous locations in the Keys. Forget that KFC crap. There used to be a KFC location in Key West,but they went out of business. The only KFC location left is in Marathon and Dion’s has two locations in Marathon. So when the moment is right and you want to be ready, try some Dion’s fried chicken. |
| About who is a conch. Most of you from Key West were born on Stock Island at the hospital so all of you who call yourself conchs aren’t! The navy kids were born in Key West at the naval hospital and they are the real conchs! |
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| How naïve can Dig Deep Cudjoe be that they think FKAA could be trusted to hire an unbiased consultant study of hydrologic flow and seawater contamination that would result from shallow well injection at the Cudjoe sewer treatment plant? Maybe they are unaware of how the Wastewater Master Plan came to be abandoned with its multiple treatment plants in favor of just one plant and lots of high pressure raw sewage piping?
The County had asked for an economic evaluation of savings that might be had with a single plant. Consulting engineers were retained by FKAA to evaluate the savings, difficulties, and risks. They reported that the savings were minimal and the several complications challenging, especially since two deep injection wells would be essential. They concluded that a decision to go with a single plant should be based on other than economics. FKAA’s Tom Walker then wrote the County to say that FKAA’s evaluation had determined that lots of money could be saved by pumping all the wastewater to one plant! The 2000 Master Plan was abandoned. FKAA then fudged the numbers to 2/3 of the previously determined wastewater flow to make it look like deep wells would not be necessary. When Commissioner Neugent says about the Cudjoe sewer system, “I trust our engineers!” maybe it’s because he does not know the whole story of how FKAA management has intentionally misled and deceived the County, the public, their own Board of Directors, DEP, Dump the Pumps, and now Dig Deep Cudjoe. It’s about time you reconsidered just whom you should trust, George |
 [Ocean Closed] In an effort to control the spread of a significant health threat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quarantined the Pacific Ocean Monday after the body of water reportedly came into contact with Carnival’s Crown Princess cruise ship. “This morning at 10:05 a.m., we confirmed direct exposure between the Pacific Ocean and a Carnival cruise liner, and we took immediate action to confine all 63.8 million square miles of its water,” said CDC director Thomas Frieden, adding that crews were erecting a biohazard tent over the area spanning from Tokyo Bay to the Los Angeles coastline. “The movement of all sea life will be highly restricted while the Pacific Ocean is closed off for a full 30-day monitoring period, during which time health officials will inspect the marine expanse for symptoms of any Carnival Cruise-based contagion.” Frieden expressed relief that officials had fortunately prepared for this possibility and caught the outbreak before any infected waves reached the shore. |
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 The art of KW’s Kevin Peterson. Link |
| Is Rose’s Best Little Hair House out of business? I saw a closed sign in the window yesterday afternoon. |
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| [David Sanborn] Music from the movie Tequila Sunset’s hot tub scene. Jo Ann’s Song. Beautiful music–no words, feel it! |
 The new CVS on Stock Island. The battle rages between them and Walgreen’s. Only one will win. |
| [Marley National Cannabis Brand] Privateer Holdings to launch Marley Natural, world’s 1st global Cannabis brand. Yea, mon! Link |
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| [Pilates] One of the best lessons from Oprah is here in this Dr Oz Video |
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 How more appropriate could this song from 1942 be? Welcome to your first Thanksgiving song: Gene Autry — Don’t Bite the Hand That’s Feeding You from Bells of Capistrano 1942. |
| Bob Marley — One Love (let’s get together & feel alright). |
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| [Anti Fantasy Fest Campaign] Harry Bethel has plenty of gnarly skeletons in his own closet. He has plenty of friction and unrest in his personal life. His crusade against Fantasy Fest is diversion. It is not dealing with what is really bothering him. ~keysmyhome@hotmail.com |
 It’s about time someone thought of it. |
| [“Internet Provider”] Whatever you do, don’t use Comcast. |
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| The keystone pipeline is being rammed down our throats by big oil’s lobbyist buying Republican support in the guise of job creation, but big oil doesn’t tell them the jobs are only temporary at the sacrifice of the environment. |
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| Every day FTR’s posts prove Gruber correct. To quote FTR, Gruber thinks the American a “dumb shit”. |
| I heard that only a few jobs will be permanent after the Keystone Pipeline is built. I heard it on NPR yesterday so it must be a lie. If I heard it on FOX it would be true. |
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| The Washington post reports that a newly released study has revealed that Americans’ assessments of their personal freedom have significantly declined under President Obama. And the United States now ranks below 20 other countries on this measure.
The study is a follow on of an identical study done in ’09. In that study the U.S. was ranked ninth in perception of personal freedom, but that ranking has since fallen to 21st, with many countries, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, even Costa Rica passing the U.S. Of the eight categories in the index, personal freedom was America’s second lowest performance relative to other countries. The U.S. had its lowest ranking when it came to safety and security (a broad measure of how threatened citizens feel in instances such as walking late at night, or expressing their opinions) — ranking 31st out of 142 countries. Our nation’s overall personal freedom score has declined by 17 percent since 2009, with a 22 percent drop in combined civil liberty liberty and free choice contributing to that decline. Given the Team Obama’s record of disrespect for the rule of law and of its disrespect for our freedoms, it is no surprise that Americans now feel less free and secure in their liberty than they did only 5 years ago. I suggest that you read the article in full at Link |
The freedom scores are based on polling data from 2013 indicating citizens’ satisfaction with their nation’s handling of civil liberties, freedom of choice, tolerance of ethnic minorities, and tolerance of immigrants. Polling data were provided by Gallup World Poll Service. The index is notable for the way it measures how free people feel, unlike other freedom indices that measure freedom by comparing government policies.