Research

I just did some between posts.

Incidentally, never trust a fart. I just made the research room in time.

Interrupting Cow

Knock knock.
Who's there?
Interrupting Cow.
Interrup - - - - -
Moo.

Chores

I have some chores to do, and I might do them eventually.

Shutters are the first thing I need to do.

Then take out a jalousie and replace with a screen.

Then build a seating bench.

That's about it. No villa rentals at www.stjohnvillarental.com for me, just work.

No posts today

Nothing today.

Patriots Draft

The Patriots drafted a cornerback with pick #22 in the draft.

Actually, they traded 22 for 24 and 114.
Then they traded 24 and 119 for 27 and 90.

So they pretty much traded 22 for 27 and 90.

The value chart says they first traded 780 for 806 (740 + 66). Plus 26.
Then they traded 796 (740 + 56) for 820 (680 + 140), Plus 24.

Total trade was 22nd + 119th for 27th + 90th + 114th, or
780 + 56 for 680 + 140 + 66, or
836 for 886, Plus 50.

Red Sox Extend Winning Streak

The Boston Red Sox won again last nights, this time in 12 innings as Youk Youk Youk hit a double to drive in Scutaro with the winning run.

The Red Sox have now won 7 straight, including 5 straight at the start of this streak when they were actually outscored but won anyway.

Celtics Won By Scoring the Most Points

The Boston Celtics, the Greatest Franchise in the History of Sport, won a playoff game last night by scoring more points than their opponent.

By 29 points.

It was a slaughter worthy of attention by all.

The lads will undoubtedly want to rent a villa on St. John.

Red Sox Continue To Win Every Game!

The Boston Red Sox won yet again, sweeping Tampa Bay. Amazing, considering that in each game, Tampa scored more runs. The Red Sox don't mind giving up more runs as long as they win the game, which they did yesterday.

This is not a problem, because all year long the Red Sox will win all the games, even though occasionally they might get outscored. The lads will probably rent a villa on St John through www.stjohnvillarental.com, in recognition for the amazing feat of winning all their games while being outscored.

News from The Source

This was in The Source today, our on-line newspaper. Read this and other articles at www.stjohnsource.com.

Amazing how this person scammed so many others. If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

==================================

Accused Investment Scammer Under House Arrest
By DARRIN MORTENSON — April 18, 2010

Alleged international flim-flam artist and St. Thomas resident Janice Rey found herself in deeper trouble with the law last week as the V.I. Department of Justice expanded its investigation into investment schemes that agents say amount to at least $7.2 million and span the Caribbean.

After hearing new evidence presented by prosecutors last week, V.I. Superior Court Judge Brenda Hollar put Rey under house arrest, ordered that she be tracked by electronic ankle monitor and forced Rey to pay a $250,000 cash bail while she awaits trial.

After her arraignment on March 18, the 49-year-old Rey, a native of Antigua, had walked free on $150,000 collateral bail based on two properties put up by her parents.

Arguing for the increased conditions of her bail, DOJ prosecutor Denise George-Counts said Rey has demonstrated a pattern of taking investment money and leaving a community without looking back.

With a lack of strong ties to the Virgin Islands, and possible access to millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains stashed outside the United States, “This defendant has shown that she is likely to leave,” George-Counts said.

George-Counts said her ongoing investigation has shown that the third-party custodians Rey had been previously released to under the former bail terms had actually profited from Rey’s alleged schemes and therefore were not likely to turn Rey in if she violated her bail.

Adding a cash bond to the bail would “give her something to lose” if she fled the territory.

According to George-Counts and government witness James McCall, the former V.I. police commissioner and now the Justice investigator leading the case, Rey cheated between 50-60 people in Anguilla, Antigua, Colombia, Panama, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and Tortola, Atlanta and Florida. She also owns a shell business in Hong Kong, abandoned an attempt to form a bank in Anguilla, has business dealings in Belgium and holds bank accounts in Nevada.

According to the DOJ, Rey ran an investment scam through her Rey Financial, LLC, and Paramount Group, LLC, in which she offered investors “risk-free” investment plans offering “double returns.”

After investors either deposited their principal in a Bank of America account in Nevada – or gave her cash, as she required in some foreign countries – she promised that investment would be returned in full after a given time, plus the profit. Not only were there no returns, but Justice says none of the principal was ever returned and has since disappeared from all of her traceable bank accounts.

On paper, Rey has no money and no assets.

“We do not see that any of the assets remain in the territory or even in the country,” George-Counts said in the bail hearing on April 15.

After a lengthy investigation led by the DOJ Special Investigations Division and White Collar Crime and Public Corruption Division, Rey was arrested in Miami on Feb. 8 and extradited to St. Thomas in March.

She is charged with being involved in a criminally influenced and corrupt organization, obtaining money by false pretense, drawing or delivering worthless checks, being an unregistered broker dealer and securities fraud.

Investigators have seized computers, documents, cell phones and other items from the offices of Rey Financial, LLC, in Times Center in Tutu and a family residence she stayed at in Frydenhoj.

No trial date is in sight as agents from the DOJ and the federal Internal Revenue Service expand their investigation.

“Victims are still calling in,” George-Counts said.

Revolution Win

The New England Revolution won yesterday, even though they were outscored in the game by 2-0.

Amazingly, all the Boston teams won yesterday, including the two who were outscored.

April 17

Today is April 17.

Andy is 63. And 5 days later I am 64.

iphone training today

I will fart around with my new iphone today. Unfortunately, the address book info did not successfully transfer.

Dickhead installer.

But I got a sofa.

Henry likes the sofa. He slept for a while on a cushion on the floor, and undoubtedly slept a bit longer on the sofa last night.

Didn't do it

I almost exercised yesterday, but fell a bit short. Maybe today.

I gave a bottle of Myers's Rum away to Elaine. That was a step, I guess.

Off to St. Thomas to get a sofa and an iphone, and to deliver a letter.

Exercise

I am going to start a wicked exercise program on April 14, exactly 1 month prior to my sailing trip, where I captain a Benetau 50.5 out of Roadtown, Tortola, BVI.

4 people, but only 1 who has the capability of sailing a boat. M is okay to take over now and then.

I'll have to teach Joy and Andy a few things, but it will be fun and a good thing to do.

Photos in Tradewinds

Tradewinds published photos of Chocolate Hole Beach yesterday. Shows the effect of the sea and nature on the alleged "pilot" program of beach enhancement by the Pond Bay Club dicks. As predicted, the pilot didn't work. The first winter storm pushed all the cobble back onto the cleared area, and then the grasses started growing back. At this point, it is virtually impossible to tell which area had been cleared.

No more SJYC Board For Me

I am going to resign from the SJYC Board.

It is not being run properly.

The by-laws are not being followed.

Someone else will have to update the web site, but that's what they get.

Celtics Win Again and Again

The Celtics keep winning every single game. Last night they won 276 - 0.

They are going to be undefeated this year.

What is wrong with this?

Someone I know got really mad at the hearing for the parking when the bathroom plan was discussed. The Port Authority is totally open to having public bathrooms as needed. The plan will evolve. Also, trees will be planted and watered. Also, the parking lot will not be monitored and parking will be free. This is a major plus for everybody. Negativity should not be allowed.

Parking Area at Enighed Pond

This was in the Source this morning. CZM approved the Port Authority's plan to build 151 parking stalls on filled land near Enighed Pond.

And I was the first person to vote for it. Read about it and other local news at www.stjohnsource.com.

================

CZM Committee OKs Enighed Parking, Coral Bay Project
By Lynda Lohr — April 7, 2010

A map of the proposed parking area at Enighed Pond.

Look for the 150 new parking spaces at Enighed Pond Marine Terminal to be done by the next winter tourism season, St. Thomas architect Robert deJongh said following a meeting Wednesday of the St. John Coastal Zone Management Committee.
The committee approved the V.I. Port Authority's request to modify its 1994 CZM permit to allow for the parking, as well as a request from G.E. Marsh Legacy Development and Holding Group Inc. for a commercial development in Coral Bay.
The lack of parking is often cited as the number one problem in Cruz Bay. The parking, which will be free, should help alleviate that problem, but those who use the facility will face about a 10-minute walk to reach the heart of Cruz Bay. VIPA Director Kenn Hobson said following the meeting that the agency has no plans to provide a shuttle.
"We can't afford that," he said.
Hobson suggested that a St. John entrepreneur could charge for the shuttle service.
St. John Administrator Leona Smith said that her office is working on a solution to the problem.
Several CZM Committee members asked that the Port Authority expand the one male and one female public bathrooms planned for the outside of the proposed dock master's office to be built at Enighed Pond.
"One potty is not enough," CZM Committee member Andrew Penn said.
In a presentation to committee members, deJongh outlined the construction process for the Enighed Pond parking. The dredged spoils now sitting adjacent to the pond will be replaced with multiple layers of material. First the area will be excavated to three feet below grade level. Alternating layers of geotextile fabric and crushed stone will be put in place with gravel on the top.
"It will create a structural crust," deJongh said.
DeJongh initially thought the dredged area would be too soft, but he said an investigation showed it would support cars but not buildings.
The interior space of the parking area will be developed by the Port Authority when it stabilizes in about 20 years, VIPA engineer Dale Gregory said.
Lighting will also be installed. Eight to 10 feet at both ends of the boomerang-shaped parking area will be reserved for landscaping, de Jongh said.
The CZM members urged the Port Authority to make the area attractive.
"It has to be first class," CZM member Gerald Hills said.
Hobson said the Enighed Pond parking project will go out for bid in 15 days.
Representatives from G.E. Marsh had presented their project to the CZM Committee in October. The committee took only a few minutes to grant the company a permit for a commercial, business, residential, and recreational complex that includes an open-air theater.
The site sits on five acres in an area of Coral Bay often referred to as the flats. Currently, Love City Minimart, Domino gas station and a house are on the property.
For both projects, the CZM Committee imposed some conditions. They included the requirement that both construction vehicles and those belonging to construction crews be parked on the site, not on the adjacent roads.
In the case of G.E. Marsh, the committee mandated that all dirt from digging and grading be surrounded by a dike-and-swale system to ensure that erosion and sedimentation is minimized. Stockpiled dirt must be seeded to prevent wind erosion.
In addition to Hills and Penn, CZM Committee member Edmond Roberts and committee Chairman Madaline Sewer attended the meeting. Votes on both projects were unanimous.

Finally, no posting here

I told you I was not going to post here, and I am not.

I might go somewhere

I might go somewhere when M goes to Europe.

Can't just hang out by myself again for 10 days.

So, I am checking out a few things.

Rocks

I have to do several things today.

Call Jim Urbinati and tell him to do nothing more with the rocks.
Download the tax software.
Look for a place to stay on St. Croix and find out greens fees.

2010 Census

We filled out the 2010 Census form a few days ago.

Here is an article from The Source, our on-line newspaper. www.stjohnsource.com.

======================================

Census Day Kicks Off Official 2010 Count
By Ananta Pancham — April 1, 2010

After months of preparation, hundreds of census takers hit V.I. streets Thursday to begin picking up the Census 2010 questionnaires and conduct interviews with local residents.
Thursday was proclaimed "Census Day" by Gov. John deJongh Jr., who urged residents to fill out their forms so that census officials can get an accurate count of just how many people are living in the territory.
The information gathered will determine how much federal funding the territory will receive over the next decade, and help the government see how it can better serve the community.
"This information is used by a multitude of different public agencies," Ayishih Bellew, Census Office manager for St. Thomas-St. John, said Thursday. "It's used to help us plan, to determine which of the services we offer need to be increased or decreased."
And in terms of funding, information—such as the number of children living in the territory or the number of cars per household—helps the federal government factor out things like education dollars or money for roads, Bellew added.
The territory's census questionnaires, which have already been mailed out, are unlike those being sent out across the mainland, and contain more questions than they did before.
For the first time, residents will be asked to fill out questions on their health insurance status, what mode of transportation they use to get to work, or whether they are veterans collecting disability benefits, Bellew explained.
"It's definitely comprehensive," she said.
The official count started around 9 p.m. Wednesday, when census takers began with the territory's homeless population. After wrapping up around midnight, they picked up again around 6 a.m. Thursday, and hit the streets to pick up questionnaires a few hours later.
In the Census Office on St. Thomas, balloons and posters decorated the walls, while the census employees were decked out in red to celebrate the day.
"We've been preparing for this for months," Bellew said. "It's very exciting."
Residents should know that their census information is confidential and will not be given out to any other department, agency or organization, Bellew added.
"We're just trying to make sure that we count everyone," she said. "It doesn't matter your ethnicity, and we're not concerned about undocumented individuals. We just want to count you."
Residents are also being asked not to mail in their questionnaires, but to hold on to them until an official census taker -- who will be dressed in uniform and carrying identification -- comes to their house to pick up the forms. For those who share mailboxes and only get one questionnaire, the census takers will have extra forms, Bellew said.

(Note: this should be written "get only one questionnaire" instead of "only get one" -- GHH)

Census takers (or enumerators as they are officially called) also speak a range of languages, from Creole to Arabic, and will leave a note if they find no one home when they come by.
The collection process will take between eight to 12 weeks, Bellew said. After that, questionnaires will be sent away for processing, with the results being distributed sometime next year.
Noting that the 2000 census counted roughly 108,000 residents, Bellew anticipated that number would "definitely" be higher this time around.

(Note: I doubt someone will actually get to my house. -- GHH)

I am going sailing

I will be going sailing a lot soon.

First is Around St. John. The race is a week from today, or a week from tomorrow. I guess I'll figure it out.

And then on May 14, I get to go to Conch Charters and take out a 50 foot Benetau with twin steering wheels. Go around the British Virgin Islands for 9 days.

Solar Air Conditioner

Here's an article from The Source, our on-line newspaper. www.stjohnsource.com. You can actually use the sun to power an air conditioner which cools you.

======================

Solar-Assisted Air-Conditioners Given High Marks By Local Vendor
By Lynda Lohr — April 1, 2010

Dr. Cool's Gary David touting the benefits of solar-assisted air conditioners.

Go green, save electricity and cut your electric bill with solar-assisted air-conditioning. That was the message delivered Thursday by Gary R. David, manager of Dr. Cool air conditioning, who spoke at the Island Green Building Association's monthly meeting at Mongoose Junction shopping center.
"It drops electricity use by an average of 30 percent," David said.
While each installation is different, David said that a typical solar-assisted 12,000 BTU air-conditioner costs about $4,000, including installation, while a conventional unit runs about $3,000 installed.
In a technical discussion about this new technology, David said that the sun superheats the refrigerant prior to its going into the condenser. This reduces the load on the compressor.
While electricity is needed to power the fan and the compressor, the new technology uses corn oil as the heat-transfer agent.
David added that the corn oil is environmentally safe—unlike chemicals used in conventional air-conditioners. "So if it gets broken by a hurricane and [the corn oil] goes into the ground," David said, there's no worries about ground contamination.
The solar-assisted air-conditioners also save electricity by running the compressor at a variable speed. The compressor in conventional units runs at 100 percent all the time, which uses more electricity, David said.
The solar-assisted air-conditioners are also quieter than their conventional counterparts, David said.
Except for the collection tubes, which are made in Malaysia, the solar-assisted units are made in the United States.
While this technology is still new to the territory, David said that in a few months units will be available that heat water as well as cool rooms.
David also had a tip for people who air-condition their homes. He said it makes no sense to run a ceiling fan while operating the air-conditioning because the fan draws the hot air down.
"Leave the hot air up there," he said.
Island Green Building Association is a St. John-based organization of builders, architects and others interested in doing the least amount of damage to the environment while building.
Visit www.igba-stjohn.org for more information on Island Green Building Association. Call David at 693-9071 for more information on solar-assisted air-conditioning systems.

Guess what

I know somebody who is not going to get into an organization because he is a dickhead. My friend Larry agreed with me last night. All it takes is two, and the motion is denied. I expect that more than two will agree with me.

Har har hardy har har.

Too bad, but you caused this yourself.