Re: [MBZ] Alexa

[Andrew Strasfogel via Mercedes]

ROFL

On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 8:35 AM, Dan Penoff via Mercedes <
mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote:

> Jeff Bezos:  "Alexa, buy me something from Whole Foods”
>
> Alexa: “Buying Whole Foods”
>
> Jeff Bezos: “Sh*t”
>
>
> -D
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Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[Greg Fiorentino via Mercedes]

WRT Souvenir passports, Texas (for one) issues them as well. They are fun, but 
(obviously) not a valid travel document. There should never be an I&NS or CBP 
admission stamp in one of these, but official souvenir stamps would be ok. I 
have a couple of souvenir stamps from the QE2 in my US passport. I do have a 
Texas passport somewhere.

I've never been to the Conch Republic, though I almost got sent there on a TDY. 
I volunteered for a TDY to Havana to interview Marielitos, but the venue was 
changed to Key West...er... I mean the Conch Republic. They gave me very short 
notice and I was unable to make it.

Greg

-Original Message-
From: Mercedes [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of archer75--- 
via Mercedes
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2017 12:23 PM
To: Mercedes Discussion List
Cc: arche...@embarqmail.com
Subject: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West


> Jeff Bezos:  "Alexa, buy me something from Whole Foods”
> Alexa: “Buying Whole Foods”
> Jeff Bezos: “Sh*t”
> -D
~~~
We have a potentially serious situation building right here in Florida, Dan:

"Since the United States has once again declared its sovereignty over Key West; 
otherwise known as the Conch Repubic; it has declared war on the United States.

Little is still known about the progress of the war but borders have been 
closed and the U.S.Navy is known to be on the way for a suspected invasion.

The Conch Republic has a massive store of ammunition in the form of stale Cuban 
bread, so the outcome is anyones guess.

The last attempt of the U.S. to take over the Conch Republic ended in the 
defeat of the USA which had set up a roadblock on the only road out of the 
Islands: 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Key West Declared War on the United States in 1982 The string of islands 
‘seceded’ from the Union and became the Conch Republic

by DARIEN CAVANAUGH

The people of Key West, Florida don’t take kindly to bullies, especially 
federal bullies. When Washington blocked the only road to the mainland, the 
islanders formed their own nation … then caused a series of international 
incidents.

It all started on April 18, 1982, when residents and tourists leaving the 
Florida Keys ran into an unexpected delay. Without prior notice, the U.S. 
Border Patrol had set up a roadblock and checkpoint on U.S. Route 1 in front of 
Skeeter’s Last Chance Saloon in Florida City. It was the only road out of town.

Although they were not crossing a national border, agents required U.S. 
citizens leaving the Keys to verify their citizenship and submit their vehicles 
to a search. That’s despite the roadblock not being on an international border.

The roadblock served to prevent undocumented immigrants from entering the U.S. 
through the Keys. The area had seen an influx of immigrants and refuges from 
Cuba since the Mariel Boatlift two years earlier. But Border Patrol agents also 
used the stops to search for illegal drugs.

The delays often lasted several hours, causing traffic to back up for up to 19 
miles. It was an inconvenience for residents, but more importantly — it 
discouraged tourists from visiting the Keys. Tourism is a large source of 
income to the islanders … and they were losing money daily.

“No one in Key West doubted that drugs were trafficked widely in the Keys by 
road and by boat” government professor Robert Kerstein wrote in Key West on the 
Edge — Inventing the Conch Republic. “But tourism’s boosters had little 
tolerance for interruptions to their business.”

Dennis Wardlow — then Key West’s mayor — acted quickly to address the crisis. 
He contacted the city’s chief of police, the sheriff of Monroe County, the 
district’s Florida State representative and Gov. Bob Graham to find out who 
ordered the roadblock and to demand its removal.

None of them knew who called for the barrier, but they all knew they didn’t 
have the authority to close it. Wardlow finally contacted the Border Patrol 
directly. It didn’t go well.

The captain of the Border Patrol told Wardlow the roadblock was “none of 
his business.”

“Don’t tell a Conch it’s none of your business,” the mayor replied, invoking 
the nickname of residents of the Keys. The Border Patrol had unwittingly sown 
the seeds of rebellion.

Wardlow consulted with his city council, business leaders and tourism boosters 
to discuss the federal agency’s “attack on Key West’s sovereignty.” They 
decided to seek an injunction from the federal district court in Miami to get 
the roadblock removed.

On April 22, a small group of Conchs — including Wardlow and local attorney and 
pilot David Paul Horan — flew to Miami. When Miami’s U.S. District Judge C. 
Clyde Atkins failed to issue the injunction, he left the citizens of the Keys 
with little recourse.

“Tomorrow at noon the Florida Keys will secede from the Union!” Wardlow 
announced to reporters gathered on the courthouse steps on his way out of the 
building. He and his associates h

Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[Dan Penoff via Mercedes]

Been there several times as a kid.  Nowhere near as flamboyant as it is now, so 
I understand.  Pretty beat up, seedy and rough around the edges when I was 
there as a kid.  I was not impressed.  Dad was a big Ernest Hemingway fan, so 
we would take day trips down there in the Beechcraft from our place on Sanibel 
to visit the Hemingway house and eat at the Turtle Bar.

I remember the beater cars that were all over the island with their keys in the 
ignition.  If you wanted to go somewhere, you just jumped in, drove to your 
destination and parked it for the next person.

Rode the Conch Train and got pictures taken at the southernmost point of the US 
as I recall, too.

We used to go on the Navy base there as Dad had a buddy that was stationed 
there.  Got to see the huge pile of “rafts” (and I use that word loosely) that 
the Cubans would use to try and make it across the Straights of Florida.  The 
Coasties moored there, too, and they would bring these things up on the cutters 
and just pile them up on the docks.  Boards or pallets lashed to inner tubes, 
stuff like that.  Scary stuff thinking about going across 60 miles of open 
water on one of those.  I often wondered how many of them never made it.

-D


> On Jun 17, 2017, at 4:35 PM, Greg Fiorentino via Mercedes 
>  wrote:
> 
> WRT Souvenir passports, Texas (for one) issues them as well. They are fun, 
> but (obviously) not a valid travel document. There should never be an I&NS or 
> CBP admission stamp in one of these, but official souvenir stamps would be 
> ok. I have a couple of souvenir stamps from the QE2 in my US passport. I do 
> have a Texas passport somewhere.
> 
> I've never been to the Conch Republic, though I almost got sent there on a 
> TDY. I volunteered for a TDY to Havana to interview Marielitos, but the venue 
> was changed to Key West...er... I mean the Conch Republic. They gave me very 
> short notice and I was unable to make it.
> 
> Greg
> 


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Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[Curley McLain via Mercedes]

The mouse that roared!  The fast track to lotsa cash.


archer75--- via Mercedes 
June 17, 2017 at 2:23 PM
~~~
We have a potentially serious situation building right here in 
Florida, Dan:


"Since the United States has once again declared its sovereignty over 
Key West; otherwise known as the Conch Repubic; it has declared war on 
the United States.


Little is still known about the progress of the war but borders have 
been closed and the U.S.Navy is known to be on the way for a suspected 
invasion.


The Conch Republic has a massive store of ammunition in the form of 
stale Cuban bread, so the outcome is anyones guess.


The last attempt of the U.S. to take over the Conch Republic ended in 
the defeat of the USA which had set up a roadblock on the only road 
out of the Islands:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Key West Declared War on the United States in 1982
The string of islands ‘seceded’ from the Union and became the Conch 
Republic


by DARIEN CAVANAUGH

The people of Key West, Florida don’t take kindly to bullies, 
especially federal bullies. When Washington blocked the only road to 
the mainland, the islanders formed their own nation … then caused a 
series of international incidents.


It all started on April 18, 1982, when residents and tourists leaving 
the Florida Keys ran into an unexpected delay. Without prior notice, 
the U.S. Border Patrol had set up a roadblock and checkpoint on U.S. 
Route 1 in front of Skeeter’s Last Chance Saloon in Florida City. It 
was the only road out of town.


Although they were not crossing a national border, agents required 
U.S. citizens leaving the Keys to verify their citizenship and submit 
their vehicles to a search. That’s despite the roadblock not being on 
an international border.


The roadblock served to prevent undocumented immigrants from entering 
the U.S. through the Keys. The area had seen an influx of immigrants 
and refuges from Cuba since the Mariel Boatlift two years earlier. But 
Border Patrol agents also used the stops to search for illegal drugs.


The delays often lasted several hours, causing traffic to back up for 
up to 19 miles. It was an inconvenience for residents, but more 
importantly — it discouraged tourists from visiting the Keys. Tourism 
is a large source of income to the islanders … and they were losing 
money daily.


“No one in Key West doubted that drugs were trafficked widely in the 
Keys by road and by boat” government professor Robert Kerstein wrote 
in Key West on the Edge — Inventing the Conch Republic. “But tourism’s 
boosters had little tolerance for interruptions to their business.”


Dennis Wardlow — then Key West’s mayor — acted quickly to address the 
crisis. He contacted the city’s chief of police, the sheriff of Monroe 
County, the district’s Florida State representative and Gov. Bob 
Graham to find out who ordered the roadblock and to demand its removal.


None of them knew who called for the barrier, but they all knew they 
didn’t have the authority to close it. Wardlow finally contacted the 
Border Patrol directly. It didn’t go well.


The captain of the Border Patrol told Wardlow the roadblock was “none 
of his business.”


“Don’t tell a Conch it’s none of your business,” the mayor replied, 
invoking the nickname of residents of the Keys. The Border Patrol had 
unwittingly sown the seeds of rebellion.


Wardlow consulted with his city council, business leaders and tourism 
boosters to discuss the federal agency’s “attack on Key West’s 
sovereignty.” They decided to seek an injunction from the federal 
district court in Miami to get the roadblock removed.


On April 22, a small group of Conchs — including Wardlow and local 
attorney and pilot David Paul Horan — flew to Miami. When Miami’s U.S. 
District Judge C. Clyde Atkins failed to issue the injunction, he left 
the citizens of the Keys with little recourse.


“Tomorrow at noon the Florida Keys will secede from the Union!” 
Wardlow announced to reporters gathered on the courthouse steps on his 
way out of the building. He and his associates headed home to prepare.


“The first act of rebellion occurred before they had even returned to 
Key West,” Kerstein wrote. “Horan, a seasoned pilot, buzzed the 
roadblock on their flight back to the island city.”


Back in Key West, Wardlow and his co-conspirators rapidly organized a 
new government — albeit a bit tongue-in-cheek. They assigned around 30 
officials and civic leaders to new posts such as the secretary of 
underwater affairs and the minister of nutrition.


“By establishing that border they have declared us a foreign nation,” 
he told reporters. “We’re tired of the U.S. government picking on 
little Key West.”


He vowed to negotiate only with Pres. Ronald Reagan or Vice Pres. 
George H. W. Bush (Bully-in-Chief). “I guess they think we’re kidding, 
and we’re not,” he exclaimed.


Federal agents arrived to mo

Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[Curley McLain via Mercedes]

It was not.  South point on the big Island is further south, and some US 
possessions are way south from that.


Dan Penoff via Mercedes wrote:

Rode the Conch Train and got pictures taken at the southernmost point of the US 
as I recall, too.



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Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[Dan Penoff via Mercedes]

I had my picture taken at the concrete buoy, like all the other touristas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_West,_Florida#Southernmost_city


> On Jun 17, 2017, at 6:01 PM, Curley McLain via Mercedes 
>  wrote:
> 
> It was not.  South point on the big Island is further south, and some US 
> possessions are way south from that.
> 
> Dan Penoff via Mercedes wrote:
>> Rode the Conch Train and got pictures taken at the southernmost point of the 
>> US as I recall, too.
> 
> 
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> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
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> 
> 


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Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[tyee165 via Mercedes]

I ate doughnuts at a place that claims to be the southernmost bakery in the 
USA. Punaluu on Hawaii.


Sent from my Galaxy Tab® A
 Original message From: Curley McLain via Mercedes 
 Date: 2017-06-17  5:01 PM  (GMT-06:00) To: Mercedes 
Discussion List  Cc: Curley McLain <126die...@gmail.com> 
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West 
It was not.  South point on the big Island is further south, and some US 
possessions are way south from that.

Dan Penoff via Mercedes wrote:
> Rode the Conch Train and got pictures taken at the southernmost point of the 
> US as I recall, too.


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Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[Curley McLain via Mercedes]

It is.  Did you meet Connie, the manager?I ran that place from 1991 
to 1993.   Naalehu to Waiohunu is a nice place.


Donuts or Malassadas?   Last I knew, they did not make merkun donuts.

tyee165 via Mercedes 
June 18, 2017 at 6:52 AM
I ate doughnuts at a place that claims to be the southernmost bakery 
in the USA. Punaluu on Hawaii.


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Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West

[tyee165 via Mercedes]

Not sure what they  might have called them but they were fresh and good. We did 
an all day bus tour around the island and that was one of the stops.


Sent from my Galaxy Tab® A
 Original message From: Curley McLain via Mercedes 
 Date: 2017-06-18  8:53 AM  (GMT-06:00) To: Mercedes 
Discussion List  Cc: Curley McLain <126die...@gmail.com> 
Subject: Re: [MBZ] Alexa and Key West 
It is.  Did you meet Connie, the manager?    I ran that place from 1991 
to 1993.   Naalehu to Waiohunu is a nice place.

Donuts or Malassadas?   Last I knew, they did not make merkun donuts.
> tyee165 via Mercedes <mailto:mercedes@okiebenz.com>
> June 18, 2017 at 6:52 AM
> I ate doughnuts at a place that claims to be the southernmost bakery 
> in the USA. Punaluu on Hawaii.

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