Wednesday, November 6, 2013

What an incredibly gorgeous cool Autumn day here it is in the Keys~ I’ve gotten so much effortlessly accomplished today that now it is time to savor and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! We must make time to celebrate each day – that’s how I feel.

Marathon has a new Councilman. Mark Senmartin won by a large margin despite shady Key West lawyer, Jim Hendrix’s dirty trick.   ~bp222bp@gmail.com

Instead of divorce, how about a marriage license you have to renew every year. 

[Turn Lane] Speaking of the Owl store, what is up with the turn lane when going south on US1 for trying to turn into the Pirates Wellness place. The turning lane has been created for people going north. The garbage trucks coming out of Blimp Road use it. I have seen cars stop on US1 when trying to turn left into pirate welness. And because it is on a curve it has made it hard to see them stopped there, a great case for a rear ender. Can the southbound road have a turning lane too?

I thought that Walt Drabinski got people questioning the decision to install grinder pumps instead of gravity systems. If this is true, then one man certainly did make a difference and Mr. Drabinski should get credit for raising that flag and getting us involved.

On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States. It didn’t turn out well for him.

Tiny Tim, the ukulele-playing singer of 1920s ditties who was a true icon of the 1960s, was born Herbert Khaury on April 12, 1932, in New York City. The son of a Lebanese father and Jewish mother, the young Khaury grew up in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. A high school dropout, his interest in the popular music of the 1890s through the 1930s manifested itself early, and his dream was to become a singer. He learned to play guitar and ukulele and began performing professionally as “Larry Love” in the early 1950s, making his debut at a lesbian cabaret in Greenwich Village called Page 3, where he became a regular. Though his parents tried to discourage him, Khaury continued to publicly perform the early mass culture American music that he so loved and collected on 78 records, at small clubs, parties and talent shows under a variety of names.

Speaking of ukuleles … it’s Ukulele Nite at the NUT and it starts at 7 pm. Be there and be square!

Coconut’s Ukulele Orchestra is always looking for some ukers. You can be playing the ukulele in one evening. No kidding. Get off your bottom and have some fun. Video

They now say Yassir Arafat was poisoned. They exhumed his body and found radioactive poison in him and around his grave.

I’m sick and tired of you being sick and tired of being sick and tired. What did we accomplish in Iraq other than getting a lot of death and horrors of war unleashed on our youth and a lot of their innocent civilians? Halliburton did well with no-bid contracts. Too bad Kennedy didn’t get to hear Ike’s take on the Military Industrial Complex’s take over during the Cold War. Ah, yes, the good old days!

The Steve Miller Band did a song about the Military Industrial Complex (although it sucked).

[New Book] Based on newly-discovered, secret documents from German archives, diaries and newspapers of the time, Gun Control in the Third Reich presents the definitive, yet hidden history of how the Nazi regime made use of gun control to disarm and repress its enemies and consolidate power. The countless books on the Third Reich and the Holocaust fail even to mention the laws restricting firearms ownership, which rendered political opponents and Jews defenseless. A skeptic could surmise that a better-armed populace might have made no difference, but the National Socialist regime certainly did not think so—it ruthlessly suppressed firearm ownership by disfavored groups.

Gun Control in the Third Reich spans the two decades from the birth of the Weimar Republic in 1918 through Kristallnacht in 1938. The book then presents a panorama of pertinent events during World War II regarding the effects of the disarming policies. And even though in the occupied countries the Nazis decreed the death penalty for possession of a firearm, there developed instances of heroic armed resistance by Jews, particularly the Warsaw ghetto uprising.

[Sewers] The only change that’s going to happen with the grinder pump fiasco is that everyone will learn an awful lot about sewers. We’ll still have gp’s and a shitty sewer system. It’s too much effort for the Commissioners, they already made up their minds. Hell, Big Pine’s own Commissioner, Neugent, wasn’t even at his district’s most important meeting in years. 

[“You dreamers that come down here and believe you can plop down your crab traps anywhere you feel like it. You have a lot to learn”] You’re a classic douche bag. I hope all your traps get jacked you shit-for-brains-moron. There’s plenty of water for all, commercial and recreational crabbers. I have been here since 1972 and still love it on BPK!

I guess we’ll all have to air our dirty laundry on CT now that all the laundromats are closed.

Check out your new property tax bill. There is a little line item in there: MO CO WW: Cudjoe outer islands $310.29.

[Sewers and Rowell’s Marina] The comments yesterday and last week really hit home about the mindless, insensitive absurdity of commissioners spending millions of tax dollars on a marina when the cost of sewers will cause severe financial hardship for so many of us. Outrageous. I live in a ground level home (pre-1975) where insurance hikes alone may force me to move from Big Pine after 28 years. Now the added expense of a grinder pump. Stop the madness — time for residents to roar at the sewer meeting this Thursday on BIg Pine. (Ed: What sewer meeting this Thursday on BIg Pine?)

[Rebels Against NOAA’s Gulf Boundaries] U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland,R-Panama City, introduced the Gulf Fisheries Fairness Act last week.

The bill would extend the state water boundaries of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, allowing the states to manage reef fish species like snapper, grouper, amberjack and triggerfish.

With federal management agencies planning for the shortest red snapper season ever this year, Southerland said the legislation would “cast a life preserver to fishermen and coastal economies struggling to stay afloat amid crippling federal regulations.”

In Florida, the legislation would reset state water boundaries for reef fish management from nine miles to a depth of 20 fathoms (120 feet), which could reach 60 miles offshore in some areas.

[Citizen of the Day] I love to bury my feet into the sand,  soak in all the smells of the ocean and watch the beautiful  sun rise over the crystal clear waters of the sea, flooding the  earth with light.

[“Sewer meeting“] Based on some of the postings here, there were clearly a lot of confused people at the LKPOA sponsored sewer meeting. I believe that was the intent of FKAA. My friend got nearly two hours of it on video that I am uploading to my computer tonight. I am told it includes FKAA’s Director of Engineering forcibly shoving peaceful citizens aside as he stormed out in a temper tantrum. (Yeah, he seems like nice guy, and so professional or maybe not!) The cost numbers reportedly stated by him were absolutely dishonorable bullshit. Once verified by the video, we will offer the real numbers. One thing everyone is clear on is that grinder pumps are not an acceptable alternative to a septic system or gravity sewer. Tell your friends to google “grinder petition” and sign on for support if they have not yet done so. Or come here to this Link.

[Paving] Thankfully the powers that be have seen fit to get back to repaving the crumbling Highway in the lower Keys.  However  It looks like they, in their infinite wisdom, have decided to save the worst sections for the last.  Wouldn’t you just know it would happen this way.

I have lived here since 1998 and as many people use Church Lane (behind Winn Dixie) as a shortcut to the drug stores. It is clearly marked as a private road, but its condition is deplorable, 6-8″ potholes and overgrown brush on either side. I’ve also met the manager of Winn Dixie and he’s young and eager to help in the store. I can’t remember ever seeing maintenance to this road. Why doesn’t our editor nudge him a little to fix that ugly eyesore? (My email address is robtgornall@yahoo.com)   (Ed: fix that ugly eyesore)

[The Bad Apple] Apple released a public statement of their commitment to users privacy, but recently changed the policy to force computer and device syncing to occur only via online (no more private cable option) where users contacts, calendars, events and other info can be data-mined by governments and unscrupulous persons like criminals, political and business rivals.

A huge outcry erupted on the Apple support forums on the sudden policy change, the thread has since been deleted and participants banned from Apple’s forum.

Apple has been known to be rather lax in security and user’s privacy matters. They were recently scolded for sending users’ names in clear text online, that would likely assist in government spying efforts. They also got busted with others phone manufactures for mass installing CarrierIQ on phones which records and transmits every keystroke to carriers and through NSA sniffers.

What happened to newsbarometer.com? The site has not been updated since August 9, 2013.

[The People’s Choice] It is obvious that there are a lot of homeowners who do not want the grinder pumps on their property.  Is the BOCC just going to ignore them?   These are not stupid people.   The BOCC works for them.   I know there are many around here oblivious to the world around them and probably don’t even know sewers are on the way.  They are busily enjoying hanging out with friends at the beach and going out on the water.   I hope the BOCC doesn’t count them as being in favor of having a grinder pump in their yard.

Today’s Special At Springer’s is Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Shells for $9.95.

Next Saturday the Doerfels will be playing. Make sure you stop in have for a drink and some delicious food and enjoy the music. Don’t forget Happy Hour from 3-7 pm. 

[First Cry for Succession] Will Summerland Key have grinder pumps? The Ocean Drive area? We need to stick together and refuse to have this shoved down our throats. Maybe it’s time to secede again.

[Brazilian Wandering Spider] In 2010 Guinness World Records listed the Brazilian wandering spider as the most venomous in the world.

Sometimes known as the “banana spider”, Brazilian wandering spiders often hide in banana plants and are found throughout South and Central America.

The venom of these aggressive spiders contains a neurotoxin which triggers loss of muscle control, breathing problems, paralysis and eventual asphyxiation.

The spider’s wandering nature is another reason it is considered so dangerous. In densely populated areas, Phoneutria species usually search for cover and dark places to hide during daytime, leading it to hide within houses, clothes, cars, boots, boxes and log piles, thus generating accidents when people disturb it. Its other common name, “banana spider”, comes from its tendency to hide in banana bunches or plantations, and it is occasionally found as a stowaway within shipments of bananas. These spiders can also appear in banana crates sent to grocery stores and bulk food centers around the world. One such instance happened in 2005 with a shipment of bananas arriving at Bridgwater, England, when a man was bitten by a P. fera. Due to quick medical care he survived, taking nearly a week to recover from the bite following treatment. 

Are they repaving the road before they put the sewers in?

Glocks 21/Gen3 .45 caliber. Matched pair. Sequential serial numbers. New in box. Never fired. No tax, no registration, no waiting. $1300. Classified Ads > Guns 

[Google > grinder pump petition] Where is the petition against grinder pumps? Link

What’s this new fee on our property tax bill? MO CO WW: Cudjoe Outer Islands for  $310.29!

[“By removing both claws you are killing stone crab season”] Call me awful, un-compassionate or what ever you want, but I’m eating lots of crab claws and you are wining like a little lost school girl on bigpinekey.com Take your five traps and stack them in your yard for decoration and go buy crab claws at Fanci Seafood so the rest of us don’t have to listen to your bellyaching.

[Hit and run animal] Laws for such? Proper post accident etiquette? What if it’s a night time carjacking attempt? Go around the block to see with headlights or not? What about a crazed eco terrorist coming up from behind and extracting retribution? Is it ok to put an animal out of it’s misery? What about the meat if it was a head kill? Can I take it home or not? Donate the meat to shelter? Procedures to follow? So far 0 for 5, because I drive slow and watch, but I’m bound to hit a deer one day. Speak up lawmen, what do you want the public to do?

[Alajuela!] Beer Church believes that we beer lovers are part of one very large and diverse social group by virtue of our shared appreciation of beer. Beer Church also believes that beer lovers (and most people in general) want to make the world a better place. Our goal is to unite like-minded individuals with one simple mission­—make the world a better place one beer at a time. Beer Church. Coming to a town near you? Link

[Captain Doom and Gloom] Questions.
We (some people) paid $4500 for the sewer so far.
With all the properties, private and commercially owned in Monroe County, from the Everglades to Key West, who has to pay the $4500 fee and if not why not?
We have to pay for the Hook-Up to the street line.
We have to pay a monthly sewer/water bill.
We have to pay to remove existing sewage systems.
What else do we have to pay for?
Do businesses pay more or get a discount?
Do Hotels pay per room?
Will those who own vacant lots have to pay now or later if connected?
What happens to all the money collected if it is more than required?
What Pet Projects do the junta have next to use up our tax money?

Good news for our local Tea Party membership.   The Feds are cutting back on the Keys food stamp program spending.   Maybe if the users get hungry enough they will go to work, that is if they’re not too weak from starvation.   

At least that’s what the TP says.

[Satire] The U.S. government has just passed a new law called: The Affordable Boat Act declaring that every citizen must purchase a new boat by April 2014. These affordable boats will cost an average of $54,000-$155,000 each. This does not include taxes, trailers, towing fees, licensing and registration fees, fuel, docking and storage fees, maintenance or repair costs.

This law has been passed, because until now, typically only wealthy and financially responsible people have been able to purchase boats. This new law ensures that every American can now have an affordable boat of their own, because everyone is entitled to a new boat. If you purchase your boat before the end of the year, you will receive 4 free life jackets; not including monthly usage fees.

In order to make sure everyone purchases an affordable boat, the costs of owning a boat will increase on average of 250-400% per year. This way, wealthy people will pay more for something that other people don’t want or can’t afford to maintain. But to be fair, people who cant afford to maintain their boat will be regularly fined and children (under the age of 26) can use their parents boats to party on until they turn 27; then must purchase their own boat.

If you already have a boat, you can keep yours (just kidding; no you can’t). If you don’t want or don’t need a boat, you are required to buy one anyhow. If you refuse to buy one or cant afford one, you will be regularly fined $800 until you purchase one or face imprisonment.

Failure to use the boat will also result in fines. People living in the desert; ghettos; inner cities or areas with no access to lakes or oceans are not exempt. Age, motion sickness, experience, knowledge nor lack of desire are acceptable excuses for not using your boat.

A government review board (that doesn’t know the difference between the port, starboard or stern of a boat) will decide everything, including; when, where, how often and for what purposes you can use your boat along with how many people can ride your boat and determine if one is too old or healthy enough to be able to use their boat. They will also decide if your boat has out lived its usefulness or if you must purchase specific accessories,(like a $500 compass) or a newer and more expensive boat.

Those that can afford yachts will be required to do so–its only fair. The government will decide the name for each boat. Failure to comply with these rules will result in fines and possible imprisonment.

Government officials are exempt from this new law. If they want a boat, they and their families can obtain boats free, at the expense of tax payers. Unions, bankers and mega companies with large political affiliations ($$$) are also exempt. 

[Demo-Crats] Definition: Those from the upper-classes who destroy things. 1; Sub-prime mortgages “Privitizing the profits and socializing the risk” 2; Healthcare “It will be affordable, if you like your current health plan and doctor, you can keep them (special terms and conditions apply)- Obama 3: Making Law “You have to pass the (healthcare) law before you can see what’s in it”- Nancy Pelosi 4: The economy: 25 million under employed, 47 million on food stamps, countless millions in underwater mortgages, extended post real estate bubble recession, pay more for healthcare or only work 29 hours a week. Link

Great reader logic. I must be a Commie because I disagree with FTR daily.

FTR disagrees day in and day out with everything America does while throwing daily blessings on Putin the former KGB chief but you consider him the wonderful American? 

Our Florida Democrat/Liberal/Progressive fellow travelers will recognize the names, Alex Sink, Kendrick Meek, Bob Buckhorn, Karen Thurman, and certainly the heaviest hitter of all, Al Gore. (pun intended)

All of those people have very strong opinions about newly minted Democrat and candidate for the Governor’s office, Charlie Crist.

Alex Sink is a Florida politician, a Democrat, who ran against Rick Scott for governor and lost. In speaking of Crist, Ms. Sink said: “He failed to lay out a business plan to get Florida out of its worst recession.”

Kendrick Meek is a loyal progressive Democrat politician from Miami who has served in the Florida House of Representatives and sundry other elected positions. Meek ran against Marco Rubio for the US Senate and lost. He said of Crist:  “He can’t be trusted.”

Bob Buckhorn, an influential Democrat, and Mayor of Tampa, spoke of Crist and stated: “He’s an opportunist.”

Karen Thurman former Florida State Senator and US Congressperson from the west coast, and past Chair of the Florida Democrat Party said of Crist. “He has done nothing to create jobs, his only core belief is personal ambition.”

The real Heavy Hitter, Al Gore even weighed in on Charlie Crist. I must note that in just the past few years, Crist has been a Republican (when he was Governor), then when the wind changed, an Independent, and now he has shed both of those skins and morphed into a Democrat. Gore says of Crist: “It’s a little unusual to have someone flip-flop and then flop-flip.”

Finally there is something that Al Gore and this Olde Fart can agree on. Yep, Charlie C. sure is a standup guy.  Much more about Crist coming soon.

Part 2) It’s no surprise that Obama’s Gallup approval rating has dropped to 39%. Voters of all stripes deeply resent being lied to and being thought of as gullible dummies.  Many Democrat politicians who were supporters of Obamacare are now preparing legislation to change it.

Obama’s persistent promising that “If you like your policy, you can keep it. Period.” has been absolutely proven to be a damned purposeful lie specifically designed to deceive. Freedom of info documents prove that Obama’s policy wonk’s warned him that it was not true, but Obama’s political advisors convinced him to lie. A purposeful lie.

Now, even worse, he is lying again, he is a serial liar.  Now he is claiming that he did not say “If you like your policy, you can keep it. Period!”. Now contrary to videos and transcripts of about 30 of those statements, he is claiming that he said “If you like your policy, you can keep it, if it meets standards that we have set.”  Had he told the truth, Obamacare would not now be the law of the land.

Deer Friends, don’t think for even a nano second that the ACA is the handiwork of public servants dedicated to improving the health of all Americans. The fact is that the many in the Democrat hierarchy, including George Soros see it as a means to increase voter registration by those who who rely on government for their sustenance. That is evidenced by a memo by Lisa Danatez at of Demos. She has written that “The ACA provides a unique opportunity to increase voter registration among low-income individuals…Health Benefit Exchanges will play a central role in the process by distributing voter registration forms.”  That quote is found in a document called Building a Healthy Democracy published by Demos, funded by Soros. The title is “Building a Healthy Democracy  Registering 68 million people through health benefit exchanges.”

Part 3) As this is written it is apparent the Terry McAuliffe has won the governor’s race in Virginia. McAuliffe is an ultra-liberal inside the beltway crony of Obama, the Clintons, and the Democrat power establishment. He is a champion of Obamacare and especially of the Clintons. The Republican opponent, Ken Cuccinelli, is essentially a national unknown, but he is a favorite of both Conservatives and Tea Party thinkers.

McAuliffe collected vast amounts of money from liberal donors and causes nationwide. He had the backing of much of the liberal media and other ultra deep pocketed liberals. It’s reported that he outspent Cuccenilli by a factor of about 10.

Nonetheless, as this is written, it is reported that McAuliffe won by only about three tenths of one percent. Even though McAuliffe will be the new Governor of Virginia, the Clintons, Team Obama, and liberalism in general have suffered a crushing defeat.

Think about it! Virginia with its huge population of government workers, and McAuliffe’s nearly bottomless spending ability, was won by the Dems  by a razor thin margin of about three tenths of one percent. Phenomenal. It looks to me like the voters are getting sick of Democrat governance.

McAuliffe was forecast to win by a huge margin, about 10%. The moral of the story is don’t count the Conservatives and the Tea Party out.