Key West & Other Fantasies

Waterspout, Far too close for comfort

2008-09-30T04:14:00.002-05:00

This amazing thing touched down VERY close to town, around 4pm yesterday. (click on them to supersize)

Some pix I found of Hurricane Ike in Texas

2008-09-22T15:35:00.002-05:00

I couldn't find the locations, but I believe most are of Galveston and the surrounding areas.

It will.

2008-08-26T11:21:00.001-05:00

FAY

2008-08-18T08:03:00.000-05:00

Fuck, damn thing is barely here and the powers already out. Have batteries, for now... My house is rockin' an a rollin' woo hoo!

Fay, moving in

2008-08-17T08:08:00.000-05:00

Cloned puppies may have exposed 31-year mystery

2008-08-11T11:07:00.000-05:00

Oh this story has it all HAHA!

Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY -

A woman who made news around the world when she had five pups cloned from her beloved pit bull Booger looked very familiar to some who saw her picture: She's the same woman who 31 years earlier was accused of abducting a Mormon missionary in England, handcuffing him to a bed and making him her sex slave.

Dog lover Bernann McKinney acknowledged in a telephone call to The Associated Press on Saturday that she is indeed Joyce McKinney, who in 1977 became a British tabloid sensation when she faced charges of unlawful imprisonment in the missionary case. She jumped bail and was never brought to justice.

Through tears, she explained that she went public with her efforts to replicate Booger, who died two years ago, hoping people would be able to focus on that story rather than the "garbage" of the past.

"I thought people would be honest enough to see me as a person who was trying to do something good and not as a celebrity," McKinney told the AP. "My mother always taught me, 'Say something good or say nothing at all.'"

"I think I gave people too much credit," she said.

British tabloids first recognized the blond woman's smiling face when she appeared in news photographs this past week with the five pit bull pups she paid South Korean scientists $53,000 to clone.

McKinney, who initially denied a connection between the two women, acknowledged that she was one and the same after the AP ran a story noting the striking similarities in arrest records and court documents for the names Bernann McKinney and Joyce McKinney. They had the same birth date and Social Security numbers, the same hometown of Newland, N.C., and Joyce McKinney's middle name is Bernann.

But the now-57-year-old McKinney said that, as far as she's concerned, the Joyce McKinney of 31 years ago doesn't exist. She maintains her innocence and says the woman of all those years ago is a "figment of the tabloid press. ... I don't want that garbage in with the puppy story."

The story of Joyce McKinney is the stuff of pulp fiction: a North Carolina-born beauty queen who moved west, won the title Miss Wyoming USA and went on to college at Brigham Young University, where she became obsessed with a Mormon fellow student.

When that young Mormon took a missionary trip to England, authorities say McKinney hired a private detective so she could locate and follow him.

She and a male accomplice were accused of abducting the 21-year-old missionary as he went door to door, taking him to a rented 17th-century "honeymoon cottage" in Devon and chaining him spread-eagle to a bed with several pairs of mink-lined handcuffs.

There, investigators say, he was repeatedly forced to have sex with McKinney before he was able to escape and notify police.

In a 1977 court hearing mobbed by the British press, Joyce McKinney said she'd fallen head-over-heels in love with the Mormon man and acknowledged tracking him to England. "I loved him so much," she told a judge, "that I would ski naked down Mount Everest in the nude with a carnation up my nose if he asked me to."

But she denied a sexual assault, saying the young man was a willing partner.

In her call to the AP on Saturday, McKinney repeated the same argument her lawyer made all those years ago: There's no way she could have overpowered the young Mormon because he was much bigger and stronger.

"I didn't rape no 300-pound man," she said. "He was built like a Green Bay Packer."

McKinney and her accomplice spent three months in a London jail before being released on bail.

Press reports at the time that said the pair then jumped bail, posing as deaf-mute actors in Ireland to board an Air Canada flight to Toronto and eventually a bus to Cleveland, where investigators lost their trail.

Joyce McKinney surfaced again in Utah in May 1984 and was arrested for allegedly stalking the workplace of the same Mormon man she was accused of imprisoning in England. News reports say that police found a length of rope and handcuffs in the trunk of McKinney's car, along with notebooks detailing the man's daily activities.

Set to stand trial for lying to police and harassment in 1986, McKinney again disappeared just before proceedings and the case was dismissed.

It now appears Joyce McKinney may have escaped justice in the long-ago British case also. London police told the AP they've consigned the case to the history books because of its age and won't seek McKinney's extradition.

"They don't have a case," she told the AP. "It's been 31 years. They don't care."

"It's taken years of therapy to get past this," she said. "We go to church and serve the Lord and try to lead good lives and do good things."

McKinney refused to say where she was when she called. While in South Korea, she told reporters she was a screenwriter and handed out business cards with a Hollywood, Calif., address. The AP found that address did not exist.

At the Avery County courthouse in McKinney's hometown of Newland in the western North Carolina mountains, a clerk said she instantly recognized the woman snuggling puppies as the Joyce Bernann McKinney who has been a frequent defendant in court cases there.

"She is a person of note in our little community," said clerk Julia Henson.

Avery County Sheriff Kevin Frey said there are several charges on file against Joyce McKinney, including an active warrant seeking her arrest on a 2003 charge of communicating a threat against another woman.

Other charges include passing bad checks, an assault on a public officials and an 2004 animal cruelty charge alleging she failed to take proper care of a horse. That charge was dismissed.

James Stamey, the husband of the woman McKinney was charged with threatening, said that McKinney left Newland about two years ago and that no one had really seen or heard from her.

Until she showed up in the news about the cloned puppies.

"That's our Joy," Stamey said from his home in Newland.

Years ago, Stamey said, McKinney was a beautiful girl worthy of the Miss Wyoming USA crown.

"She's ugly as sin now," he said. "But, sure enough, that's her."

«The Effect of Country Music on Suicide»

2007-12-05T15:54:00.000-05:00

"The greater the airtime devoted to country music, the greater the white suicide rate"

According to the authors, Steven Stack and Jim Gundlach, the paper "assesses the link between country music and metropolitan suicide rates. Country music is hypothesized to nurture a suicidal mood through its concerns with problems common in the suicidal population, such as marital discord, alcohol abuse, and alienation from work. The results of a multiple regression analysis of 49 metropolitan areas show that the greater the airtime devoted to country music, the greater the white suicide rate. The effect is independent of divorce, southernness, poverty, and gun availability. The existence of a country music subculture is thought to reinforce the link between country music and suicide. Our model explains 51% of the variance in urban white suicide rates."

Alone, at last?

2007-11-25T14:59:00.000-05:00

So, tomorrow morning my daughter is leaving. Not just leaving on a trip but leaving to move to Seattle, for good. This is bad. We have been together, basically just her nd I, since before I brought her to the USA from London 18 years ago. We have gone through hell together and had the best fun. We have never been apart.

She is my daughter, my friend, my co party animal and I am going to miss her more than I can put into words. I am also somewhat concerned as to how I am going to live, as she has also been there to put the brakes on my behavior. Those brakes are now gone. She was the only thing keeping me in check, and reminding me that some things are not such a great idea to do.

I am a moron and have no self control, common sense or people skills. Hopefully I won't just succumb to my depression, which I have also found easy to control for years without meds or any help at all.

I feel like I might crash and burn, or I might find this is the best time of my life.

I am slightly lost at the moment. A feeling I have rarely had in my life, and have not had at all for 20 something years. I don't like it.

Ugh.

Great Gifts for Little Girls!!

2007-11-24T17:23:00.000-05:00

More gifts for kids...

2007-11-24T13:45:00.000-05:00

If you are a cheap fuck you can knit your gifts...

Wool Dolls of the Dead

Key West Fantasy Fest - It is Upon Us

2007-10-20T20:03:00.000-05:00

Some cute and just plain odd Ideas for the Pet Masquerade, Fantasy Fest - Key West ;)

How to be a good Democrat/Republican

2007-10-17T15:56:00.000-05:00

How to be a good...

..>..>

...Democrat:	...Republican:
You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding.	You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread because people are evil and should be punished.
You have to believe that the same teacher who can't teach 4th-graders how to read is somehow qualified to teach those same kids about sex.	You have to believe that evolution is a myth (despite the evidence of biochemistry and the fossil record) but that Intelligent Design theory should be taught in schools.
You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding Americans are more of a threat than U.S. nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese & North Korean communists.	You have to believe that there is no causal link between legal, easily-obtainable handguns and high murder rates.
You have to believe that there was no art before Federal funding.	You have to believe that unfunded arts and school programs are still subject to government control.
You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical, documented changes in the earth's climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUVs.	You have to believe that global temperatures are completely unaffected by fossil fuel emissions, that the best way to save the national forests is to allow logging companies to cut down old-growth timber, and the best way to save endangered species is to allow trophy hunters and wildlife traders to import more of them.
You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being homosexual is natural.	You have to believe that homosexuality is evil (despite the fact that it occurs in nature) and that women should stay at home to cook and bear children.
You have to be against capital punishment but support abortion on demand.	You have to be against abortion but support capital punishment.
You have to believe that businesses create oppression, and governments create prosperity.	You have to believe that corporations never purposely hurt anyone to make money.
You have to believe that hunters don't care about nature, but loony activists who have never been outside of San Francisco do.	You have to believe that hunting requires an automatic rifle.
You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it.	You have to believe that middle class income should be taxed, but capital gains and inherited wealth should not be.
You have to believe that the military, not corrupt politicians, start wars.	You have to believe that war is an acceptable solution to any economic or social problem.
You have to believe that the military is another political porkbarrel for wealthy campaign contributors of certain politicians.	You have to believe that everyone should support the troops - except when it comes to pay or benefits.
You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.	You have to believe the NRA is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution, while the ACLU is bad because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.
You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.	You have to believe that taxes are for poor and middle class people, not the rich.
You have to believe that Margaret Sanger and Gloria Steinem are more important to American history than Thomas Jefferson, Gen. Robert E.Lee, and Thomas Edison.	You have to believe that Oliver North and Monica Lewinsky are more important to American history than Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy.
You have to believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not.	You have to believe that affirmative action is wrong, because everyone knows there's no more racism in America.
You have to believe that Hillary Clinton is normal and really a very nice person.	You have to believe that Ann Coulter is normal and really a very nice person.
You have to believe that the only reason socialism hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried is because the right people haven't been in charge.	You have to believe that the only reason supply-side economics hasn't worked anywhere it's been tried is because the right people haven't been in charge.
You have to believe conservatives telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and sex offender belonged in the White House.	You have to believe liberals telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and draft-dodger belongs in the White House.
You have to believe that homosexual parades displaying drag, transvestites, and bestiality should be constitutionally protected, and manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal.	You have to believe that all Americans should be white heterosexual Christians.
You have to believe that illegal Democratic Party funding by the Chinese government is somehow in the best interest of the United States.	You have to believe that illegal Republican Party funding by corporations is somehow in the best interest of the United States.
You have to believe that this letter is part of a vast, right-wing conspiracy.	You have to believe that the media are biased toward liberals, despite the fact that all the major media outlets are owned by ultra-rich conservatives.

Free speech - unless you ask the wrong questions

2007-09-24T08:26:00.000-05:00

I have had a hard time posting anything on Blogger lately. Seems to take longer and longer for each page to load. Today it was a good 20 minutes between pages. This will get old real fast. But here's some Monday morning entertainment, courtesy of Brasscheck TV.

Brasscheck

A student in the US was dragged out of a
public meeting, tasered and arrested for asking
questions of John Kerry who ran against
Bush in 2004.

Notice how the new media's approach
to the story immediately distracted
viewers from the actual questions the young
man asked.

The AP (Associated Press) went so far
as to report on the comedy routines
this young man had on his personal
web site - but never even mentioned
what it was he asked about at the Kerry
speech...

In case you missed it:

He was asking about election fraud in
Ohio in the 2004 election.

The evidence is clear: Bush lost Ohio
and was given it using fraud, thus he did not
really win the 2004 presidential election.

So why did Kerry let himself be robbed?

Good question - and one you apparently
get tasered, and then ignored, for asking.

Bush's Private Army

2007-09-18T08:28:00.000-05:00

http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/93.html

Coming to a city near you?
Produced by the US magazine The Nation.

No one knows for sure, but it's believed that as much as 40% of the military budget goes to private contractors including private armies.

There are thousands of private mercenaries operating on behalf of the US in Iraq and elsewhere around the world. Nearly 1,000 have been killed in Iraq alone, but their casualties are not counted. Nor has Congress been able to discover exactly how many mercenaries the US employs there.

One of these firms, Blackwater USA, a big supporter of George Bush, is now deploying in the US. They were present in New Orleans after the levee collapses.

Pavarotti. 1935 - 2007 Rest in Peace.

2007-09-06T08:14:00.000-05:00

I honestly cannot think of anything to say about this wonderful voice, that has not and will not be said over the next few days. I just know that I will be ever thankful that we have all the recordings he made over a long, and fabulous career. I will miss him terribly.

Mrco Island "We're beginning to look like Key West around here."

2007-08-31T08:41:00.000-05:00

Derelict vessels seem to be everywhere and recently Marco area residents have noted three abandoned sailboats in this area.

Capt. Jack Moran of SeaTow approached the one near Keywadin shortly after its grounding. He offered to pull the boat free and explained his fee.
The owner refused and tried to free it himself, but failed. Now, the boat will go into the legal process for removal.
"We can get them out of there, but it takes time and costs money," Moran said.
One person quipped, "We're beginning to look like Key West around here."
Mitts Mravic, a local resident and a lieutenant with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), said he would "like to say that we've got a good handle on" the abandoned and derelict vessel problem in our area.
We don't have a problem like Key West, but in addition to three sailboats aground in the waters near Marco, and two more boats aground near Goodland, there are currently 28 derelict vessels (DVs) in Collier County waters.
"Right now we have two in the criminal process," Mravic commented.
Most of the 28 DVs are small boats that have been derelict quite a while - partly because it has been impossible to identify the owners and partly because the system to remove them has not functioned efficiently.

Changes
But that is all changing as a result of new personnel as well as increased cooperation and coordination among the state, county and local governmental and law enforcement agencies.
Pamela Keyes began at the county Coastal Zone Management Department less than a year ago.
"She's made it possible for us to go back and take care of stuff (DVs) that's been there for years," Mravic explained.
Also, about six months ago, representatives from the FWC, the Collier County Sheriff's Office, Naples Police Department and Marco Police Department met to develop a process through which they would be able to work together on DVs.
Today, they all use the same procedure, communicating and coordinating on all cases.
When an officer on patrol discovers a possible DV, or when a call comes in to any one of the agencies reporting a possible DV, that agency takes the lead and the others support. An officer places an 8 ½-by-11-inch orange sticker on the boat, notifying the owner that the boat must be moved. That officer also notes VIN and other vessel identifiers.
If the owner is identifiable, a letter is sent to the owner, allowing 30 days to remove the boat. If the owner does not show diligent action toward removing the boat, the owner may be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor. Following final disposition of that legal action, the boat will be removed by the county at the owner's cost.
Here the law shows its teeth. If the owner does not pay for the removal, the Department of Motor Vehicles will be notified and the vessel owner will be prohibited from registering any vehicle in Florida - either sea going or land going, boat or car - until the costs for DV removal are paid.

Marine salvage
The Collier County Coastal Zone Management Department (CZMD) contracts with a marine salvage service to remove the boat. It will be taken to a marina, the engine removed, made environmentally sound, and disposed of - or possibly dismantled.
Mravic explained that the process takes time and can be drawn out by the defendant in court, or made difficult and slow if the owner is not easily identified.
"Sometimes, the boat has no identifiers on it. We can't track anything down."
He added that "some people remove the registration and cut the ID number off. Then, we work real hard because we know that guy intentionally did it."
Keyes expressed the two-fold objective of the CZMD as well as many residents' concerns regarding derelict boats.
"Not only are they an eyesore, but they are also a huge environmental problem."

Fantasy Fest Events 2007

2007-08-28T13:31:00.000-05:00

Friday, October 19
ROYAL CORONATION BALL
Meet Key West's Royal Family and vote for the King and Queen of Fantasy Fest 2007; a benefit for AIDS Help, Inc.; La Te Da; 1125 Duval St; 6-10 pm; 305- 296-6706; Suggested donation

GOOMBAY
Tastes, sights and sounds of the Caribbean in Bahama Village, located at Duval and Petronia streets. The lively street party continues Saturday! Noon - midnight; FREE
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Saturday, October 20
GOOMBAY
The party continues in Bahama Village! Noon - midnight; FREE
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Monday, October 22
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
A leather fetish party that’s definitely not for the timid or shy!; 801 Bourbon Bar;(305)304-2400;9 pm;$
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Tuesday, October 23
PARTY IN PLAID
Swing into Fantasy Fest(R)at legendary landmark Capt. Tony's Saloon! www.capttonyssaloon.com; Explore your fantasies in naughty or nice plaid attire. Meet good friends, enjoy live music and rum specials all night long; Capt. Tony's Saloon; 9 pm; FREE

REDDY ICE FANTASY FAÇADE ,, COMPETITION
Festively decorated homes and businesses compete for cold cash! To enter, call 305-296-5334

FREE OFFICIAL FANTASY FEST POSTER SIGNING PARTY
Meet the award-winning artist of this year's poster. Crowne Plaza La Concha Hotel; 5 pm; posters for sale.

25th ANNUAL HEADDRESS BALL
A gala where headdresses are the stars of the show; Prizes for Best Headdress: (costumes not judged) $1,000 first; $300 second; $200 third; Southernmost Hotel at Duval St. and South St.; 8pm; General Admission $30;Tables VIP for 4-$300 or for 4- $250; WWW.KEYSTIX.COM or 305-296-1520
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Wednesday, October 24
CELEBRITY LOOK-A-LIKE CONTEST
Imitators of the famous and fabled vie for cash and prizes; Crowne Plaza La Concha Hotel. Contestant sign up 8 pm; FREE to watch; FREE to enter.

RED NIGHT
Fogarty's Sixth Annual Red Party. Don't miss this often imitated but never duplicated Party; Costume Contest, Door Prizes, Live DJ; A benefit for Monroe County School; 227 Duval St.; 9PM; 305-294-7525; $

BEACH PARTY
Hog's Breath Saloon proudly presents the 20th Annual Fantasy Fest Beach Party, featuring the world famous Hog's Breath Homemade Bikini Contest. Details of contest at www.hogsbreath.com or 305-296-4222; 10 pm; $

WKEY PET MASQUERADE & PARADE
A magical carousel of frisky pets and playful owners delightfully disguised and ready to frolic for fame and fortune; Location TBA; registration for competition at 4:30 pm; show starts at 5:30 pm; FREE to watch; $ enter benefits Lower Keys Friends of Animals
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Thursday, October 25
GIT-R-WET T-SHIRT CONTEST
Hotmovies.com and Cowboy Bill's Honky Tonk Saloon present their first annual interactive wet t-shirt contest. Catch the hottest ladies competing for a 1,000.00 first prize in this over- the-top competition. Contestants and their personal assistant model the finest in creative cotton wet t-shirt apparel! See the action live at cowboybillskw.com; 610 Duval Street Contest begins at 10 pm; 305-295-8219; FREE

MONSTER'S BALL
Sea serpents, mermaids and other bizarre creatures of the deep! What lurks below and who's dancing on the reef? Dive into this annual costume party and explore some surreal fantasies and some-too-real fantasies that should perhaps remain submerged! Green Parrot Bar; 10 pm; FREE

PRETENDERS IN PARADISE-"SOMEWHERE UNDER THE RAINBOW"
The legendary costume competition with $10,000 in cash and prizes! Combining extraordinary creative genius and performing energy, this year's event promises to by eye popping entertainment; Pier House Resort & Caribbean Spa, beachside; www.pierhouse.com; 8pm; $

SLOPPY JOE'S BAR 24th ANNUAL TOGA PARTY
Put on your most authentic bed sheets and laurel wreaths for the most outrageous toga party in town! Contestants compete to win $1000 in prize money in 3 divisions: Men's, Women's and Groups (2-8 people). All contestants must be in toga costumes. Even if you don't dare to compete, this is the place to be seen! For more information visit www.sloppyjoes.com or email info@sloppyjoes.com. Registration begins at 8:00 p.m.; Contest starts at 9:30 p.m.; Door $10; Enter Contest for Free

PLAYBOY PAJAMA AND LINGERIE PARTY
The hottest Playboy model in the world, Amy McCarthy, encourages you to dress sexy for this skimpy affair. Enter the $700 Hugh Hefner and Marilyn Monroe look-a-like contest, plus enjoy guest D.J.'s Live. This event is guaranteed to sell out. Purchase advance VIP tickets online at WWW.KEYSTIX.COM. Mangoes; 700 Duval Street; 305-304-1188; 10 p.m.; $
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Friday, October 26
PIMP AND HO PARTY
America's #1 movie star, Ron Jeremy, invites you to come fulfill your fantasy at this exotic dance party. Enter the $700 Mr. Pimp and Ms. Ho costume contest, plus enjoy guest D.J.'s live. This event is guaranteed to sell out. Purchase advance VIP tickets online at WWW.KEYSTIX.COM Redfish Bluefish; 407 Front Street; 305-304-1188; 10 p.m.; $

WYLAND GALLERIES’ “FANTASY OF ART" EXTRAVAGANZA
Meet internationally renowned artists Wyland, James Coleman, John Pitre, Jim Warren and Walfrido as they unveil undersea visions, fantasy seascapes and dream-world art. Join them at Wyland’s 623 Duval St. and 102 Duval St. galleries — and watch them celebrate Fantasy Fest by painting fantastic new images on canvas. 6-10 p.m.; Call (305) 292-4998 or (305) 294- 5240; www.wylandkeywest.com; FREE

801 BOURBON BAR TATTOO CONTEST AND STREET DANCE PARTY
The Official Tattoo Contest Of Fantasy Fest! Show off your Ink to win $1000.00's of dollars in cash and prizes. Live DJ, celebrities and more! Sponsored By Key West Ink and Captain Morgan Tattoo Rum; (305) 304-2400; 801 Duval Street; 1 pm; FREE

ANNUAL STREET FAIR
Duval Street's mile-long extravaganza features arts and crafts, food vendors, lively libations and costumed frivolity; Duval St. from Noon to 10 pm; FREE

FAIRVILLA MEGASTORE MASQUERADE MARCH
Join the crowd as they parade through Old Town with music and noisemakers; thirst quenchers provided at selected guesthouses. Begins at the Key West Cemetery Frances Street entrance; revelers can join the mad march anywhere along the two routes; 5pm; All welcome; sponsored by Key West's costume headquarters - Fairvilla Megastore; www.fairvilla.com; FREE

7th ANNUAL OCEAN KEY RESORT & SPA “LIVING ART” AIR BRUSH EXPO
Contestants will use the human form as a living canvas for artistic expression in competition for more than $1,500; drink specials and live entertainment; Sunset Pier at Ocean Key Resort; painting and partying start at sunset; judging begins at 9 pm; for more information call (305) 295-7045; FREE

12th ANNUAL SOUTHERNMOST HOTEL & RESORTS PRE-MASQUERADE MARCH COSTUME CONTEST & POOL PARTY
Enhance your Masquerade experience and participate and enjoy the Southernmost Masked Mania Costume Contest, Poolside at the Southernmost Hotel, the pre- event to the Halfway Party of the Masquerade March. The most theme oriented costumes are encouraged to participate with chances to win great prizes including airline tickets, hotel stays and more; 4 pm to 6pm; (305) 296-6577; www.southernmostresorts.com; FREE

RUM BARREL PIRATES BASH
Dress and DRINK LIKE A PIRATE at the Rum Barrel! Key West’s resident pirate and rum experts --- Pirate Soul Museum and Rum Barrel Restaurant & Bar --- team up to throw the most outrageous Pirates Bash in the world! $1000 in cash prizes for the best pirate and wench costumes, great music on the rooftop stage, and awesome rum specials; RumBarrel.com or (305) 292- 7862; Piratical inspiration at PirateSoul.com; 9pm; FREE
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Saturday, October 27
EPIDERMAL ARTS AND TORSO TAPESTRIES CONTEST
Art lovers gather for this bona fide cultural event to determine the best- illustrated bodies. The battle of the emblazoned bods elevates this art form to something aesthetic, creative and maybe even poetic; Green Parrot Bar; 3 pm; FREE

DUVAL STREET PROMENADE
Sassy entertainers, enticing food and spirited libations tempt costumed merrymakers as they party from the Gulf to the Atlantic; Noon - 10:30 pm; FREE

CAPTAIN MORGAN FANTASY FEST PARADE
Join 70,000 exuberant partygoers as this year's parade rolls down Duval Street. Featuring glittering floats, marching bands and dancing groups, it doesn't get any wilder than this! Parade route includes Whitehead, Front and Duval Streets; www.captainmorgan.com; FREE

BOURBON STREET PUB TEA DANCE
A taste of New Orleans decadence in Key West's Old Town; D.J. Brad, beads, boys and booze. The biggest street dance party of Fantasy Fest; Contact Joe Schroeder (305) 747-0343; Noon; FREE
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Sunday, October 28
CHILDREN'S DAY
A family event featuring food, games, arts and crafts and a costume contest for children; Bayview Park at Truman Avenue and Eisenhower Drive; 292-8912; smonsalvatge@storktours.com

"THE FAT LADY SINGS" TEA DANCE
As the saying goes, “It ain’t over "til the fat lady sings”. Everyone will be at La Te Da from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm for the last official event of Fantasy Fest® 2007. DJ Junior provides the music for the last hoorah while local celebrity Sushi passes out free jello shots and beads. La Te Da Hotel, Restaurant, Cabaret and Bars; 1125 Duval Street; 305-296- 6706; www.LaTeDa.com ; FREE.

“THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE GNOME” FANTASY FEST SUNDAY BRUNCH
Join us for our eclectic and unique Sunday Brunch in the Land of Gnome! The spectacular view and scrumptious menu will provide the magical end to the week’s festivities. Indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the Gulf and Complimentary Champagne Hyatt Key West Resort; 601 Front Street; Reservations Recommended (305) 809-4000; $34.95 ; Twelve years and under $17.95 (sorry no discounts)

Annual survey finds Chicago is the most popular destination for Labor Day 2007

2007-08-28T10:39:00.000-05:00

Asphalt Over Sand: Priceline.com Finds Labor Day Travelers Are More Attracted To Big Cities Than Beaches

NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blame it on the recent rains, the storms, or maybe the sudden temperature dip in some parts of the U.S. Whatever the reason, big cities are out-polling the beaches in priceline.com’s (Nasdaq: PCLN) 5th annual survey of the 50 most-popular destinations for the upcoming Labor Day holiday.

To compile its list of the Top 50 Labor Day travel destinations, priceline.com looked at a sampling of more than 30,000 hotel room booking requests made by priceline.com customers for the September 1-3, 2007 period. Because the survey is based on actual booking requests, and not on consumer preference polls or votes, priceline.com believes its annual survey is one of the more accurate predictors of Labor Day travel trends.

Priceline.com also said it still has plenty of last-minute airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises available for Labor Day getaways. Visit www.priceline.com for full details.

Chicago was the big winner in the Labor Day 2007 survey, with the Millennium Park and North Michigan Avenue areas coming in #1 and #2 in popularity. New York City followed up with the next 4 spots on the list for its Upper Midtown, Midtown East, Soho and Midtown West neighborhoods. Las Vegas and San Francisco neighborhoods rounded out the top 10 spots on the list.

Beach areas weren’t totally shut out on the list. San Diego took six spots on the list, the highest total of any individual city, while other areas making the list included Waikiki, Key West, Virginia Beach, Hilton Head and San Juan. For most Americans, Labor Day is a long weekend, so almost no overseas international destinations made the list, with the exception of London.

Destinations recording the biggest gains in popularity over 2006 include Jersey City (+20 spots to #23), St. Louis (+19 spots to #12), New York’s Midtown South area (+19 spots to #30) and San Diego’s East County (+14 spots to #18).

Priceline's Top 50 Destinations for Labor Day 2007

Rank 2007      Neighborhood                    Rank 2006  Yr/Yr Change

1              Chicago, Millennium Park,              2          +1
              Loop & Grant Park Area
2              Chicago, North Michigan Ave/           4          +2
              River North Area
3              NYC, Upper Midtown/Central Park South  1          -2
4              NYC, Midtown East                      7          +3
5              NYC, Downtown/Soho/Financial District  5           0
6              NYC, Midtown West                      6           0
7              Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity South        NA          NA
8              Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity              3          -5
9              San Francisco, Union Square West       12         +3
10             San Francisco, Union Square East,      11         +1
              Embarcadero
11             San Diego, Coastal Area                8          -3
12             St. Louis, Downtown                    31         +19
13             Boston, Copley Area                    15         +2
14             Seattle, Downtown                      9          -5
15             San Diego, Downtown & Harbor Island    13         -2
16             Vancouver                              14         -2
17             Boston, Downtown/Charlestown           16         -1
18             San Diego, East County                 32         +14
19             San Diego, Point Loma/Shelter Island/  21         +2
              Old Town
20             St. Catharines, Niagara Falls          19         -1
21             Montreal                               22         +1
22             San Antonio, Downtown/Riverwalk        17         -5
23             Jersey City                            43         +20
24             Las Vegas, Strip Vicinity North        NA          NA
25             Chicago, O'Hare Airport Vicinity       23         -2
26             Oahu, Waikiki Beach Area               NA          NA
27             Beverly Hills/West Hollywood           NA          NA
28             Philadelphia, Downtown                 34         +6
29             Las Vegas, Convention Center/UNLV      18         -11
30             NYC, Midtown South                     49         +19
31             Hollywood                              NA          NA
32             Orange County, Disneyland Area         26         -6
33             Austin, Downtown                       27         -6
34             Atlanta, Downtown                      NA          NA
35             San Francisco, Fisherman's Wharf       NA          NA
36             Boston, Brighton/Brookline             35         -1
37             London, Mayfair/Soho                   NA          NA
38             Monterey/Pacific Grove                 36         -2
39             Oahu, Waikiki Marina Area              NA          NA
40             Virginia Beach                         30         -10
41             Markham (Ontario)                      37         -4
42             Washington, DC, White House/Downtown   33         -9
43             Toronto, Downtown                      24         -9
44             San Diego, Mission Valley              NA          NA
45             New Orleans, French Quarter            40         -5
46             San Diego, Coronado                    NA          NA
47             Orlando, Universal Studios/Sea World   38         -9
48             Key West                               NA          NA
49             Hilton Head                            47         -2
50             San Juan                               20         -30

NA - Did not appear on last year's list.

Obama's right on Cuba

2007-08-27T17:47:00.000-05:00

The candidate's call to end the U.S. ban on travel and remittances to Cuba should go even further.

Los Angeles Time editorial
Saturday, August 25, 2007

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, determined to cast himself as the Democratic presidential candidate most open to new ideas on foreign policy, raised plenty of eyebrows recently when he proclaimed that he would be willing to meet personally with such rogue figures as Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. But that was nothing compared with the opinion article he published Tuesday in the Miami Herald saying Cuban Americans should have unrestricted rights to travel and send remittances to the island.

The other Democratic front-runner, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who portrays herself as the experienced foreign policy realist next to Obama's cowboy diplomat, wasted no time in rejecting Obama's proposal. Her campaign released a statement saying the U.S. stance toward Cuba shouldn't be altered until a post-Castro regime cleans up its act. Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Rudolph W. Giuliani, meanwhile, said Obama's plan would only strengthen Castro's oppressive government.

The astonishing thing here is that after the U.S. has tried for nearly 50 years to force a regime change in Cuba by way of economic embargo with no success whatsoever, Obama is one of the few presidential contenders who dares to suggest that it's time to try something different. Some might consider Obama's move courageous given the political power of Florida's Cuban American community, which helped put George W. Bush in the White House in 2000 and has cheered his efforts to tighten sanctions on Cuba. But the minority of Cuban immigrants who vote Democratic is deeply divided on the travel ban and would like to be able to send more money to relatives at home, so Obama may not be staking out such a bold position after all.

Regardless of the political implications, Obama is clearly right -- the only problem is, his proposal doesn't go far enough. The travel ban should be lifted for everybody, not just Cuban immigrants. It is the height of irony that Americans can freely travel to countries such as Venezuela and Iran, which represent genuine threats to our security and economic interests, but not to Cuba, whose government is a threat only to its own people.The ban has done nothing to weaken Castro, but it does keep U.S. tourist dollars out of the hands of Cubans, who might be less inclined to heed their regime's anti-U.S. propaganda if Americans were helping to raise their standard of living.

The U.S. shouldn't lift all economic sanctions on Cuba until the island's regime makes progress on democracy and human rights, but policies such as the travel ban and limits on remittances are simply counterproductive. Score one for Obama.

Gloria Estefan performs live in Key West

2007-08-23T11:31:00.000-05:00

Artwork for the cover of Gloria Estefan's new CD "90 Millas."

The Westin Key West is scheduled to be the broadcast site for a taped "Despierta America" television show that is to feature several songs sung by Gloria Estefan.

"Despierta America" hosts Fernando Arau, left, and Raul Gonzalez, are to be in Key West Aug. 25 to videotape most of a three-hour show that is to air Monday, Sept. 17.

KEY WEST, Florida Keys – Latin diva Gloria Estefan is scheduled to perform several songs from her upcoming CD release, “90 Millas” (“90 Miles”), live in Key West Saturday, Aug. 25, during videotaping of Univision network’s “Despierta America” morning television show.

According to "Despierta America" producers, the singer’s performance is to be a facet of the production from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sunset Pier at the Westin Key West Resort & Marina, 245 Front St. The public is invited to watch Estefan and the rest of the show for free.

Key West is situated just 90 miles from the Cuban coast and on the CD Estefan revisits the Cuban music of her roots. Recorded entirely in Spanish and set for release Sept. 18, the 14-track set is led by the single "No Llores," (“Don’t Cry”) featuring guitarists Carlos Santana and Jose Feliciano, and percussionist Sheila E.

Hosting the show from Key West are to be Fernando Arau and Raul Gonzalez, two of the hosts from the morning show. “Despierta America” airs weekdays in South Florida on Channel 23 and is the Spanish-language broadcast version of such network morning shows as ABC’s “Good Morning America.” It also airs on 61 other Univision Television Group-owned television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets as well as Puerto Rico and on cable television in Mexico and some parts of South America.

Producers have been coordinating with the Monroe County Tourist Development Council to facilitate the taping. The show is to air Monday, Sept. 17, from 7 to 10 a.m.

Schooner Liberty, docked in Key West Harbor, and the Westin’s Sunset Key Guest Cottages are to be the backdrops for the show.

Segments to be featured include performances by acts from Key West’s nightly Sunset Celebration, the Westin’s bartender creating a signature "Gloria" cocktail and a singing contest where aspiring artists take their turn at the microphone to belt out a famous Estefan tune. Additional segments focusing on Keys activities also are to be featured, including a visit to the Pirate Soul Museum, a kayak excursion with Lazy Dog Charters and a snuba session that combines scuba diving and snorkeling.

The resort is to have food and beverages available for purchase by the audience during the taping.

“Despierta America” is the second production of a network morning show in the Florida Keys this summer. On July 5, portions of the “The Early Show” were broadcast live on CBS to kick off that network morning show’s Great American Vacation series.

Who Givs a Crap News

2007-08-20T13:51:00.000-05:00

The hospitality staff of the USA breath a collective sigh of relief....

Hotelier Leona Helmsley dies at 87

BY JOSEPH MALLIA

10:45 AM EDT, August 20, 2007

Billionaire hotel owner Leona Helmsley, who was nicknamed the "Queen of Mean" for her treatment of employees and who was jailed for tax evasion, died Monday at age 87 at her summer home in Greenwich, Conn.

The cause of death was heart failure, said her publicist, Howard Rubenstein.

She was notorious for a statement attributed to her during courtroom testimony, when a former housekeeper said she heard the hotelier say: "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes."

Helmsley denied having said it, but the damage was done.

Years before her death her name and face had disappeared from advertisements and Web sites for Helmsley Enterprises, a Park Avenue company she ran with her late husband Harry. Its holdings included the Empire State Building and numerous hotels.

Leona Helmsley's latter-year obscurity came after years of derisive front-page stories that depicted her as a tyrant in the workplace.

She was tried in 1989 on tax evasion charges, and disgruntled employees testified that she terrorized both menial and executive help at her homes and hotels.

She was also the target of a gay discrimination suit brought in 2003 by an ex-hotel manager; a jury award of $10 million to the fired manager was later reduced to $554,000.

A Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans in September put her at #117, with a personal fortune of $2.5 billion.

Newsweek - link

All I can think of saying about this epitome of evil hotelier is, thank bloody god she never made it down here.

Kudos to 915 the fab restaurant on Duval St.

2007-08-19T19:09:00.000-05:00

From Florida Keys online (link)

KEY WEST’S NINE ONE FIVE EARNS RAVE REVIEWS AT NEW YORK CITY CULINARY EVENT

Executive chef Chris Otten, right, has a conference with staff prior to dinner. Photos by Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau

Chris Otten positions finishing touches on Roasted Mango Tartlet desserts.

Crispy Skin-on Yellowtail Snapper with Baby Beets and a Tarragon Aioli was one of several entrees.

Chris Otten, left, nine one five restaurant owner Stuart Kemp address Beard Foundation patrons.

NEW YORK CITY -- Executive chef Chris Otten and owner Stuart Kemp, of Key West’s nine one five restaurant and wine bar, earned widespread accolades after showcasing their sophisticated, innovative cuisine for 80 members of the prestigious James Beard Foundation Thursday night.

The nine one five team prepared a Key West seafood-themed dinner at the Beard House, an internationally recognized culinary center that was home to the late James Beard, chef, author and teacher widely acknowledged as the father of American cooking. The event was funded in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

An invitation to cook at Beard House has been called by food experts “the culinary equivalent of earning an Academy Award nomination.”

For the hors d’oeuvres and five-course dinner required by Beard guidelines, Kemp and Otten chose their menu specifically to showcase the subtle, succulent flavors of local seafood. Dishes included crispy skin-on yellowtail snapper with a tarragon aioli, seared Key West grouper over parsnip puree, and butter-poached Florida Keys lobster with thinly sliced beef tenderloin.

"It was incredible,” said Beard House maitre d’ Lauren Baladan following the dinner. “Everyone was raving about it.”

Attendees included Peggy Katalinich, a member of the Beard Foundation and food director of Family Circle magazine.

“The chef let the flavors come through,” said Katalinich, who recalled interviewing James Beard himself at the house years earlier. “He didn’t have to masquerade and hide the basic flavor.”

During the dinner Kemp, a 19-year Key West resident who opened nine one five in 2003, oversaw service of the six wines that accompanied the dinner.

Otten cited the excellent work of his team as a crucial factor in the dinner’s success. Surprisingly, he said, preparing the Beard dinner was less stressful than a typical night at the restaurant in Key West.

“Within the restaurant, there’s so many more menu items and people come in at different times -- but this was all one menu that goes out at all one time,” he said. “The plating was very easy, we were all very organized and it went very smoothly.”

One of Key West’s most highly acclaimed restaurants, nine one five is located in a restored Victorian mansion at 915 Duval Street. Standout offerings include flavorful tapas-style dishes, indigenous seafood prepared with a unique twist and an extensive wine list with an international flair. For more information on the restaurant click here.

Dean Update

2007-08-15T08:10:00.000-05:00

Statement as of 5:00 am AST on August 15, 2007

...Dean moving quickly westward with little change in strength...

Interests in the Lesser Antilles should monitor the progress of
Dean.

For storm information specific to your area...including possible
inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued
by your local weather office.

At 500 am AST...0900z...the center of Tropical Storm Dean was
located near latitude 12.2 north...longitude 44.2 west or about 1170
miles...1880 km...east of the Lesser Antilles.

Dean is moving toward the west near 18 mph...30 km/hr...and this
motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph...85 km/hr...with higher
gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 50 miles...85 km
from the center.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb...29.53 inches.

Repeating the 500 am AST position...12.2 N...44.2 W. Movement
toward...west near 18 mph. Maximum sustained winds...50 mph.
Minimum central pressure...1000 mb.

The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at
1100 am AST.

$$
Forecaster Beven

Higgs Beach, Key West.

2007-08-14T10:06:00.000-05:00

Someone needs to explain this to me. Higgs Beach, last time I checked, was/is a public beach. The current uproar over it is based on the fact that the local KWPD find it seemingly impossible to rid it of the bums and other assorted stinky folk from hanging there day and day out.

The mayor of Key West has figured that if the City takes over the beach/park it can be turned into an area for children and locals to use. This is his logic.

OK, point 1. It is a beach. It is already available for use by children and anyone else. The only reason they don't use it is due to the presence of the bums.

Point 2. The kids, already have a park, Astro Park, 25 feet from the beach which last time I was there is in perfect condition, all shiny and new looking. There are Boccie courts across from Astro for more adult type fun, and of course, the beach itself.

Point 3. Once the city has control of the beach, the same useless cops who cannot maintain a bum free zone now, will be attempting this apparently overwhelming task again.

And finally, this non event is going to cost the city (that means YOU!), approximately $500,000 PER YEAR!!! to maintain.

I am obviously missing something here. Why are we going to spend a half million bucks a year, on something that is already there and requires nothing more than a clean up, and bum removal?

I am sure that if a call was put out, any number of locals would be happy to show up with a paint can and scrubbing brushes to clean up the area, paint some new murals and generally give it a spruce.

The only thing preventing locals from utilizing this particular beach are the bums and the perverts which the Key West Police Department refuses to deal with. What do they spend their time doing?

They don't seem to ever arrest anyone for actual crimes, like mugging, robbery and other violent acts. They do spend an awful lot of time arresting inebriated locals attempting to get home, or strippers doing, well the things you expect from strippers.

How about they put on some of those nice purple gloves and do their bloody jobs at Higgs.

Who the F*ck is This Guy??

2007-08-13T10:32:00.000-05:00

From the Perez Hilton Celbutard Site.....

Some People Don’t Do Drunk To Well

PerezHilton reader Hannah ran into Channing Tatum in Key West, Florida, this past weekend.And, ewwww. Ewww!!!

His drunk frat boy days are long gone. Boy is rusty. His sweat looks like piss and if he’s face was any more red, we’d swear we were looking at his asshole.

Speaking of Channing. What the heck happened?

Wasn’t he supposed to be the next big thing???

Too much drinky. Not enough box office!

Posted: August 13, 2007 at 11:24 am