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WILL MORIATY AND BILL MARTINEZ ON FOREST SALES
Readers,
I am pleased to announce that United States Senator Mel Martinez (Rep-FL) is OPPOSED to President Bush's proposed sale of 900 acres of the Ocala National Forest. Let us hope that Senator Martinez and the Florida Delegation will prevail in this ill-advised sale of Florida's natural heritage.
Following below is a personal letter to me from Senator Martinez.
William Moriaty
La Floridiana
Dear Mr. Moriaty:
Thank you for letting me know of your concerns regarding the proposed sale of lands in the Ocala National Forest. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to respond to your concerns.
The ongoing War on Terror, an unprecedented growth in entitlement programs, and the devastation caused by last year’s hurricanes, have created fiscal challenges for our nation. In an effort to reduce the impact of this situation, a number of measures have been proposed, such as the sale of National Forest System lands -- including nearly 1,000 acres in the Ocala National Forest.
While I strongly support measures to reduce our nation’s fiscal deficit, the long term ecological and economic repercussions of this proposal are not worth the funds raised in the short-term. These lands are the largest water recharge area in North Central Florida, helping to maintain a clear water supply that is crucial for Florida’s future. Just as important, the funds projected to be recovered nationwide would not even be enough to cover the short-term needs of Marion County, where the Forest is located.
On March 6, 2006, I joined a number of my colleagues from the Florida Delegation in contacting several Cabinet members, including the Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), and the Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment within USDA, to express my opposition to this plan.
I share your appreciation for our state’s biodiversity and natural heritage, and consider it important that we fight to protect it. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to find responsible ways to maintain our commitment to reducing the federal deficit notwithstanding the challenges posed by recent events.
I appreciate you sharing your concerns with me. Do not hesitate to contact me with any additional questions or comments. For more information on issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.
Sincerely,
Mel Martinez
United States Senator
BRANDON JONES ON CITIZEN X
Nolan,
Regarding the comments/definition in the current CITIZEN X:
"Civil war: a war between political fractions or regions within the same country. Random House Dictionary ©1973".
Webster ©1999: "a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country".
Similar to the war between right and left, Democrats and Republicans, Red Sox and Yankee fans.
I'd suggest part of Webster's definition of terror "4: violence (as bombing) committed by groups in order to intimidate a population or government into granting their demands"
Maybe history will reveal how this "ongoing war" are in fact acts of terrorism by the radical fundamentalists from religious sects that are just minority, they are the microscopic minority in the region.
"What is amazing is that due to his masterful misspeak".... Citizen X continues to look past the connections to terrorism in Iraq and the threats to our country from the former dictator and evil in that region.
The Brainwash boobs that disagree: those that name themselves after a Russian serial killer.
Brandon Jones
CITIZEN X REPLIES --
Nolan B. Canova has been in contact with the hostage negotiators currently
dealing with the allegeded terrorist group who has abducted CITIZEN X, and
has secured this response:
"Similar to the war between right and left, Democrats and Republicans, Red
Sox and Yankee fans."
CITIZEN X: A totally preposterous, stupid and invalid comparison. There is
no war going on here between the Democrats and Repugnats nor the Red Sox and
Yankee fans. To make a comparision is just ludicrious and shows your
ignorance. Sunnis and Shiites are killing each other daily in Iraq. To make
light of this with a lame comparision as you did is disrespectful to the
sanctity of human life.
"'What is amazing is that due to his masterful misspeak...' Citizen X continues
to look past the connections to terrorism in Iraq and the threats to our
country from former dictator and evil in that region."
CITIZEN X: Unless you can prove otherwise, there is no prior connections to
terrorism in Iraq and the WTC. Bush lied and invented the weapons of mass
destruction story. Bush's war has, however, turned Iraq into the number one
terrorist threat to America with his war, and the leading recruitment
station for Al-Queda.
"The Brainwash boobs that disagree: those that name themselves after a
Russian serial killer."
CITIZEN X: Once again you can only stoop to make personal attacks on me
without any relevant facts or even intelligent opinions. To set the record
straight, neither myself nor publisher Nolan B. Canova was aware of a Citizen
X serial killer. My research has now turned up that was a monicker given to
him by the police and media. My intent was to show that we are just another
number in the system, another cog in the wheel. An anonymous citizen that
the government cares nothing about, but one that is kept tabs on. It has
nothing to do with a serial killer, so please retract your slanderous
allegation.
--Vinnie
DAVE REMEMBERS A WAXED ANIMAL VENDING MACHINE
Nolan,
I need a little help. I remember a vending machine that made waxed animals. You put your coin in, a mold fills with hot wax, cools down for a minute, and Voila. You have a waxed lion, alligator, dinosaur, etc. etc. Do these machines still exist? I've called several places and spoken to a dozen people. Only to be met by blank stares or empty air on the phone. I've googled it to no avail. I know I am not crazy. I remember them. All I want to know is if they are still around. I haven't seen one in twenty years. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated.
Dave (Backbiter69 on the message board)
Dave,
I remember them, too, but only very vaguely, like a fad that came and went in a year or so. Chances are it didn't last long due to expensive and frequent maintenance.
I'll run your question in PCR and see if anyone else remembers these machines and if there are any still around. ---Nolan
UPDATE: According to PCR correspondent Terence Nuzum, apparently those machines have only dried up on the South end of town where we live. They are more plentiful around the USF area and the MOSI exhibits. I stand corrected. ---Nolan
DAN TUCHMAN ON THE FLORIDA COLLECTIBLES SHOW
Nolan,
After reading the announcement for the Florida Collectibles
and Vintage Memorabilia Show in Pop
Culture Review #316, your description of the event made it sound
like exactly the kind of show I would want to sell
collectibles at. I sent an E-mail to the show’s promoters
asking if there were tables available and how much they cost.
Their reply to me did not answer my questions but questioned
me instead, simply asking what I sell. I thought this was a
little unusual but replied anyway stating that I sell a wide
variety of things including memorabilia relating to Florida
collectibles, especially those associated with theme parks,
movie memorabilia, and vintage toys. The second response I
received from the promoter still did not answer my original
questions but instead stated the following:
"Sounds like you have more general 60's/70's collectibles,
rather than specifically what is referred to as vintage
Floridiana - roadside attraction kitsch, tropical furnishings,
old Florida art work etc, which is what this show is all
about. Thank you for your interest though. "
Now I am not quite sure how they could have gathered so much
information about what I sell from the brief outline I gave
them but they are obviously so overwhelmed with business that
they do not want mine. I thought the readers of the Pop
Culture Review should be made aware that while this show will
apparently feature more vendors than it has space for, it will
not be featuring anything of a “pop culture” nature. I cannot
speak for the audience of this show since I have never
attended it before (and now will continue not to do so) but
the types of merchandise I sell is aimed specifically at the
types of readers an online publication such as yours would be
likely to attract. Apparently to the promoters of this show,
anything made past 1959 or outside of their narrow scope is
neither vintage nor collectible enough for their show. I felt
this information would be valuable to your readers when
making the decision of whether to attend this event or not.
Since most of my customers are mainly interested in the types
of merchandise I carry, I will certainly make them aware that
this show is not interested in them.
Sincerely,
Dan Tuchmann
Dan, thanks so much for writing! I am sorry to hear that the folks at the Florida Collectibles Show gave you such a hard time! All I knew of the show up to now is that Will Moriaty and Charlie Carlson are selling and signing their books there. I myself have never dealt with the FCS folks directly, so have no idea what their mode of operation is. Hopefully, someone in their organization will read this and forward a more satisfying explanation of why you were rejected....or, better yet, overturn their "ruling" and offer you a table (with an apology). ---Nolan
To send an email to Letters to the Editor write to: Crazedfanboy1@aol.com. Any emails sent to this address will be assumed intended for publication unless you specifically instruct me not to. I can and do respond privately, if that is your preference. Frequently, it's both ways.---Nolan
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