Gemini Printing has 29-cent color copies. Need I say more?

September 26, 2011 - USA - Judy Starr: Dear Editor. Dear Mr. Shaffer, Thank you for your Florida Keys Journal. Even though I do not live there, it is interesting to read your thoughts about events in Marathon. 

Just wanted to let you know that based on what I think you've been saying, I don't think I agree with you on bullet voting. The main problem is that it is not weighted, so that voters don't have a first, second, third, fourth, etc. choice. (On this basis, over twenty years ago, I saw a well admired and accomplished chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission lose office; it came as a bit of a surprise -- not to mention disappointment -- to many people.) The other is that there may well be one of more candidates who haven't earned the support of a given voter; in other words, "none of the above" may at times apply to one or more candidates on a ballot. The third (in my opinion) is that in a free country the voter should have the choice of whom to vote for, or not vote for, when s/he enters the booth; alternatively, s/he could stay home and not vote at all, an alternative which I think we would both see as far less desirable. Read More >>

Duncan Auto Mall has been around for over 60 years. The company is an original family owned and operated business hiring locals and shopping locally. Their business acumen in selling and maintaining cars is unrivaled. Be one of the first to purchase or lease the new 2012 electric/hybrid Prius. Link below is a photo collage; I like the Mustang.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2147974108498.2126124.1520682211&l=d536e999b0

September 27, 2011 - Florida Keys - James Bell: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. National Key Deer Refuge, Visitor Center, 175 Key Deer Blvd, Big Pine Key Plaza, Big Pine Key, FL 33043, Phone: 305/872-0774. Fax: 305/872-2154, http://nationakeydeer.gov, keydeer@fws.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: James Bell 305-872-0774 or DATE: 9/26/2011 Kristie Killam 305-872-2239 x.204

Special Events Celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week

Have you been looking for something to do in the fall? Kids are back in school, Labor Day’s already a memory, and birds are flying through the Florida Keys! Yes, it’s that time of year when thousands of birds are migrating south to their annual wintering grounds, and you can catch a glimpse of many of them while they pass through.

As part of this semi-annual migration, National Wildlife Refuge Week will be celebrated from October 9 – 15, 2011. Bird watchers, outdoor enthusiasts, and everyone in the Keys are invited to participate in two special events scheduled to take place on Big Pine Key. Read More >>

LGM Original Swivelers Flag Poles sells specialized equipment for boats and holding their flags and pennants in place. Their product is high quality. Their service is super. Catch them around South Florida at various events.

September 28, 2011 - Islamorada - Mary Swaney: Village of Islands Town Hall Meeting Media Release.

Sun Motors - Go Carts Watched go-cart racing between a father and son tourist team today at Sun Motors Marathon Florida Keys. I want to go go-carting myself badly, but I need an excuse to invite some member of my unsuspecting family to come with me. I wonder how slow one can go before the person you invite to race you goes ballistic? Yes, I know this is a Journal advertiser, but I like go-cart racing.

September 29, 2011 - Florida Keys - L. E. Shaffer: Florida Keys Journal Charter Advertiser Program [CAP]. This program's success is a bit overwhelming. Since the only way to become a CAP is by face to face invitation by me, I have had to up the ante on the criteria to become a CAP. Your business has to be family owned and operated, hiring locally, and shopping locally. I can only take 5 CAPs per month for a total of 60 CAPs per year. So far, we have over 30 CAPs. So slots are filling quickly. Your business gets advertising, promo article, and photos all for only $100 per year. Know a business that qualifies or is your business fit in with our criteria? Call me at 305-743-9648.

UPS Store handles about anything concerning shipping, receiving, mail boxes, copying, and, well, you get the idea. I use the shipping side of the business for returns, exchanges, and environmental returns. This business is run by local for locals and hires and spends money locally. They like other family-owned and operated businesses are the backbone of the local economy.

September 30, 2011 - Islamorada - Dave Purdo: Good Health Clinic.

Heffernan Law Office is a tradition in Marathon. They are my personal lawyers and the Florida Keys Journal LLC lawyers. They handle a number of cases from criminal to second amendment rights. They are understanding, professional, and extraordinarily competent. And someone in that office wears a bowtie! So retrograde.

October 1, 2011 - Florida Keys - L. E. Shaffer: Florida Keys Journal Week in Review. You ready for fun and overt sarcasm. Note: sometimes the dog shows up correctly and sometimes it doesn't.

Have you really taken a good look around Marathon lately? My favorite drive is down Coco Plum Drive all the way to the turn around. Vaca Cut is amazing with the currents and sights both the gulf and the ocean. The best is a ride down Sombrero Beach Drive to Sombrero Beach and use the roundabout. There are more spots that are amazing in Marathon, but those are my favorite three.  

September digest is being put together as I write this. The link is http://MarathonJournal.US/journal/2011/090111.htm. The digest might be under construction/destruction the first days of October, but never fear the digest will be published. Read More >>

Collector's Corner is one of our newest advertisers, but has been doing business for a very long time. As the company's name shows, anything collectible is offered. They have silk shirts, embroidered hats, and election signs in season. Collector's Corner has a large showroom that invites shopping and browsing.

October 7, 2011 -Middle Keys - Jessica Mintz: Happy Fall Season! The year is almost over and I hope you all have received or seen our latest quarterly newsletter which looks awesome and most likely one of the best ones we had.
 
As you can see, we have lots going on this month and throughout the holidays (like we are not busy enough) but it is all for a good cause and for the felines in need. Read More >>

October 8, 2011 - Marathon - Jeri Sears: Notes from the NSWC Meeting held on Oct. 6, 2011. The following information is from my personal notes. I make no claim to the correctness of the notes.

1. The main discussion for the meeting was Marathon and the FWCC Pilot Program. Several ideas were vetted including but not limited to:

     A. Do nothing
     B. Assign Boot Key Harbor a managed area from the Slow Speed Sign on the west ( approximately Markers 8 and 9) to           the east by dockside.
     C. Assign Boot Key Harbor a no anchoring buffer zone from the Slow Speed Sign on the west (approximately Markers 8           and 9) to dockside on the east. Anchoring would still be permitted in the designated anchoring field that currently exists,
     D. Follow the county requirements
     E. Make the whole harbor - no wet storage
     F. 7 day anchoring at Coco Plum.

After much discussion the following was approved for recommendation to the city council:

     C. Assign Boot Key Harbor a no anchoring buffer zone from the Slow Speed Sign on the west (approximately Markers 8           and 9) to dockside on the ease. Anchoring would still be permitted in the designated anchoring field that currently exists

Rich Jones recused himself from the vote, Bennett Orr was absent, Charles Badoian voted no and Jane Packard and Jeri Sears voted yes.

Coco Plum will be addresses in the future.

2. Jeri Sears reported that the council report went well. The council is going to assign the sailing classes to the Parks and Rec. Committee.

3. The next NSWC meeting will be held on Nov. 3, 2011 at 6:00 PM at the Marathon Fire Station.

If you have any questions let me know.

Jeri

Advantage Rehab & Fitness is an outstanding wellness center that thrives on community. They treat you like family. Their business hires locals and supports the local economy. Everything is clean, bright, and they manage your rehabilitation and fitness to fit your needs and desires.

October 9, 2011 - Florida Keys - L. E. Shaffer: Florida Keys Journal Week in Review. You ready for fun and overt sarcasm. Note: sometimes the dog shows up correctly and sometimes it doesn't.

Joe Nascone of Keys Radio Group vs. the city, and the city loses. The settlement was touted by our city manager as a couple million dollars well spent.

Okay, let us sharpen our pencils and see what would have been cheaper: fix the bridge or litigate with Keys Radio Group. Repair bridge a year or so back would have cost property taxpayers 1.6 million dollars. City lost the court battle and must pay Keys Radio Group 3 million dollars minus 1 million dollars insurance is 2 million dollars plus city must pay legal fees cause they lost is 1.5 million dollars for a grand total of 3.5 million dollars property taxpayers paid.

Note: Whenever someone says sharpen our pencils, head for the exits.

Okay, the bridge repair was 1.6 million dollars. The litigation cost 3.5 million dollars. Whoa, baby, heads will roll. The first head should be the city manager, fire him. Fire the legal contractor Stearns and Weaver. Bring legal in house with a couple lawyers and a clerk plus a much smaller legal contract for things in house legal could not do. Then stop defaulting to litigation; we use it too much. About 3.5 million I say.

While we are at it, bring finance and billing in house with a staff of 3 to 5 clerks. Jobs, dollars in economy, and get control of finances and billing instead of Rosasco and FKAA. Change over law enforcement to the Key Colony Beach. You laugh, but with the current budgeted amount including cop cars, KCB would expand, generate jobs, and stimulate the economy.

Overseas Hotel property poised for 12 jobs, Walgreens 20 jobs, Zipline 21 jobs, adult entertainment about 15 jobs; industrial recycling in an industrial zone with about 5 jobs equals 73 jobs. Local government is not adding up the numbers. Each business above goes on tax rolls. Employees spend dollars in local economy. Pro-business? Sadly no.

I’ve been criticized that the above jobs are low-wage jobs averaging about $10 per hour with no benefits. This one is easy, job - family housed and food on the table versus no job - homeless and hungry. And there are benefits in that list of jobs above. Plus those South Floridians that are coming here for the cheap jobs is just plain false. Jobs are better in South Florida. Why would you come down here?

We have the same councilmembers for going on three years now. The voters knew what they were doing. We have an opportunity here to for an historical choice for mayor and vice mayor. Mayor Snead deserves a third term. She is currently the face of Marathon in all social and professional events concerning the city she loves. The Mayor runs a good, tight meeting and often the swing vote. Being mayor is not ceremonial nor being the vice mayor. The Mayor needs only two votes including her own to run affairs as she fits. If the voters voted for more of the same, then Snead should be mayor once again. And Vice Mayor Ramsay should remain vice mayor and 3^rd term. Mayor and vice mayor will be voted in by the council at the November 9 meeting. While this is the council’s choice, they do as you bid, Marathon voters. So call or email the council to let them know that you want Ginger Snead as a 3-peat for Mayor and Dick Ramsay as a repeat. Go to http://www.marathonflorida.org/index.aspx?NID=41.

R. Hendrick Construction is really good with cement cracks. They do everything else well too. Family and community is their byword.

October 13, 2011 - Islamorada - Barbara Edgar: The Matecumbe Historical Trust will host with month’s lecture on Monday, October 24^th at 6:30 pm at Island Community Church.

Michael Shields will present, Key West: Bohemia in the Tropics, produced by Timothy Long. This is an account of a largely unknown story of how a radical community-building experiment during the Great Depression led to the laid-back, anything-goes lifestyle of today’s Key West.

The film opens during the darkest days of the Great Depression and goes on to explore how Key West, once the richest city in the nation, was forced to turn itself over to federal bureaucrats and accept a future forever tied to tourism. Few outsiders know that Key West the tourist town was actually created in the 1930s by the federal government as a way to save the island city, which had been bankrupted by the Great Depression. And those images people carry around in their heads of America’s most famous tropical bohemian outpost were first put there by government-paid artists and writers as part of a plan to provide Key West with a viable tourist economy that would sustain it for years to come.

The film introduces characters such as New Deal administrator Julius Stone, who leads the controversial effort to turn Key West into “The Bermuda of Florida.” We meet some of the country’s preeminent poets and writers, including Wallace Stevens and Ernest Hemingway, who “discover” Key West in the 1920s and are outraged by the government’s transformation of “their” sleepy little island into a tourist town.

The film features rare Hemingway home movies from the 1930s and includes interviews with literary stars such as Gore Vidal and Russell Banks, who were drawn to the island in the decades after World War II by its bohemian culture and reputation. Newly uncovered archival photos and footage include rare Hemingway home movies from the JFK Presidential Library.

In a fast-paced half-hour, the film explores the real and manufactured elements of the Key West story, and shows how tourist boosters and bohemians, strange bedfellows on a tiny island, together created the Key West of today.

Michael Shields, is the founder of the Key West Film Society and former President, Executive Director of the Tropic Cinema in Key West. A member of the Florida Keys Council of the Arts Advisory Board, chair of the Key West Art In Public Places Board, and member of the Monroe County Library Advisory Board, and is producer and host of a daily radio program "ArtWaves" on KONK Broadcasting Network.

Kayaks & Bikes is a versatile, multiple business provider of services and products. I especially like the owner and his perspective of life and politics. Don't get him started. You cannot go wrong stopping by and see for yourself.

October 14, 2011 - Florida Keys - James Bell: A REFUGE 73 YEARS YOUNG. Seventy three years ago this month, the then President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the second National Wildlife Refuge in the Florida Keys - Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge on October 27, 1938.

The refuge encompasses over 117,000 acres of lands and waters off shore of the main keys in the Gulf, from Key West to the middle of the Seven Mile Bridge, an area locally known as the Backcountry. The refuge was established to protect the great white heron and other migratory birds from the plume and meat trade that decimated bird populations in the early 1900's. The refuge protects approximately 50 islands and island groups, most of them comprised of just mangrove trees. Over 250 bird species use the refuge islands. Many of the islands are inaccessible and are truly wilderness. For this reason, 1,900 acres of islands have been established as wilderness areas.

The refuge, along with three other National Wildlife Refuges in the Florida Keys, protects critical habitat for 21 federally listed as endangered species. The refuge also protects nesting habitat for endangered loggerhead, hawksbill, and green turtles. These turtles emerge from sea at night to return to the beach that they hatched from years ago. They are returning to lay eggs for the next generation of marine turtles. The marine waters are also used by other federally protected mammals such as dolphins and whales.

The north end of Mud Key and Snipe Point are the only land areas open to the general public. Other refuge islands that contain Key deer are open to public access. Those islands are Little Pine, Johnson, Water (off Little Pine), Mayo, Annette, Howell, Water (west of Howe), and Knockemdown Keys. Refuge hours for accessing the islands are ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset. Snorkeling is another way of exploring the marine environment. Also, The Backcountry is a prime sport fishing area for tarpon, bonefish, and permit and other game fish.

The refuge islands are open for four wildlife-dependent public uses – fishing, photography, wildlife and wildlands observations, and environmental education. To protect the wildlife and habitat, the following are not permitted on the refuge managed islands: open fires on the ground as they can start wildfires or destroy turtle nests, pets on the islands as they can dig up turtle nests and leave unhealthy waste, firearms and other weapons as hunting is not permitted, disturbing or removing plants and shells as these are natural items used by wildlife, storing equipment, searching for items of antiquity as these items belong to the American people and not just one individual, introducing exotic plants or animals as they compete with native plants and animals for resources, camping as there are no services available to accommodate campers, and commercial activity without a permit. Refuge management partners with other agencies such as the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to protect your wildlife resources.

For more information about Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge or the other three National Wildlife Refuges in the Florida Keys, contact the National Key Deer Refuge visitor center at 179 Key Deer Blvd. Big Pine Key Plaza, Big Pine Key, FL 33043, or call us at 305-872-0774. Our email address is Keydeer@fws.gov

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 fish and wildlife management offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.

NOTE: You can view US Fish and Wildlife Service releases or subscribe to receive them - - via e-mail - - at the Service’s Southeast Regional home page at http://southeast.fws.gov Our national home page is located at: http://www.fws.gov

National Wildlife Refuge Week had a Great Turn Out

Two special events were held locally to showcase Keys wildlife and habitats in early October. “Thanks to many enthusiastic supporters in the local community, the 2011 celebration of National Wildlife Refuge Week was a great success”, said Refuge Manager, Anne Morkill.

Despite the heavy rains on Saturday, the weather turned out to be absolutely gorgeous when the 17th Annual ‘The Big Sit!’ was held on Big Pine Key, Sunday, October 9th. One hundred and fifty people came out to the Blue Hole to enjoy the outdoors that day, and were treated to a fantastic air show courtesy of numerous winged acrobats passing thru during the fall bird migration.

The Florida Keys are the final land formation in the United States where migrating birds from the eastern part of North America funnel through, before making the jump over the Gulf of Mexico for their winter grounds in the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The birds rest, eat, and get ready for the next big portion of their semi-annual journey through the western hemisphere.

In all, twenty seven different species of birds were seen during The Big Sit! A few special highlights of the day were 137 Broad winged hawks circling over the Blue Hole at the same time, four Anhinga stayed at the observation deck for most of the day, an Ovenbird and a Magnificent Frigate bird were spotted, too.

National Wildlife Refuge Week wrapped up with a guided walk at the Long Beach trail on Friday, October 14. Participants learned about local wildlife, plants, and a virtual Earthcache located on Long Beach trail. This cache is part of a new, technology based form of environmental education that the refuge is using to help ‘techies’ learn about the great outdoors. Additional caches (both virtual sites and real containers) are located at different places on the refuge. All cachers, from novice to seasoned expert, are welcomed to come out and find them.

Additional fall guided walk dates are scheduled and the locations of these walks will vary so that they can take advantage of the seasonal changes in the lower Florida Keys. The next walks include exploring Ohio Key on November 18 and trekking the northern tip of Big Pine Key on December 30.

Anyone wanting to join these outdoor adventures should bring a hat, sunscreen, bug spray, comfortable walking shoes, water, binoculars or spotting scope, field guides, and dress appropriately for the weather. A limited supply of loaner gear will be available if participants don't have their own. So come on and join us, let’s go outside!

Participants are asked to meet at the Refuge Visitor Center on Big Pine Key and caravan to the walk site as a group. Turn right at the light on Big Pine Key and go to the Big Pine Shopping Plaza. The Visitor Center is located in the plaza’s southeast corner. Call the Refuge Visitor Center at 305-872-0774 for more information.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 544 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas.

Prop Tech: Very unique and down-to-earth business on 20th Street. Shop and office are in the same space. Lots of welding going on along with props everywhere.

October 17, 2011 - Florida Keys - L. E. Shaffer: Journal Week in Review. You ready for fun and overt sarcasm. Note: sometimes the dog shows up correctly and sometimes it doesn't.

Skate park employees let go. This certainly saves some money, but at what cost. The skate park program was one of Marathon’s best success stories. Now the situation is the city’s worse failure. The ECMC will and should protest that.

Strike three. How many failures can Marathon’s residents endure before there is an accounting? The first step is letting the city manager go.

County tries to gouge Marathon on meeting hall rent; Councilman Pete W. hit the nail square on the head with moving all Marathon meetings to the Fire Station meeting room. Get our own cable channel; there is enough content plus repeats to run a channel all by Marathon’s self. Parking at the firehouse is more than adequate, re: planning commission meetings.

Way to go, Don Vasil, on his point of view article in the free press. Vote all the incumbents out of office. What could happen, something worse than our current situation? You can commiserate with Don at reelectnoone@aol.com.

USS Spruance commissioning in Key West went off without a hitch. The Florida Keys Journal provided four tickets to those best able to appreciate the significance of the event.

Audit panel must remain independent to provide public oversight of our school system. Transparency demands nothing less. Board Chairman John Dick is right in attacking the validity of a watered down panel. What the other four school board members are doing is beyond stupid. Checkout the image of our dog up above if your email reader allows.

Marathon’s 1% policy to nonprofits each year originally came about from a discussion from former City Manager Scott Janke and me. Obviously, that policy was the right thing to do. Providing a method to pick these nonprofits is always hard to do. There are so many worthy causes. I commend the council and city on continuing this policy.

“Mearns manslaughter case delayed” it says in the Keynoter. Michael Mearns of the Mearns is from the family who gave us a mayor and a vice mayor. Michael is being tried and convicted before any proceedings have a chance to start. How can the young man be responsible for the driver’s crash? In the awful seconds of drowning or saving someone, always pick self-preservation. It is what makes us human, and should not be a political situation.

Besides, survivors guilty will plague Michael Mearns the rest of his life.

Rick Casey of Heron-Peacock fame talks about mental and physical health care. He said that treatment works and saves property taxpayer money. You notice that mental health and physical health are treated the same, as it should be. There is no shame in being ill emotionally or being sick with the flu, or even both.

Is it really the middle of October already? Wasn’t New Year’s Day just yesterday? Halloween is coming up and making your black cat plan early is prudent. The black cat you save may be your own. Yes, there are still some sicko people out there.

With that, there is always next week.

R. Hendrick Construction is really good with cement cracks. They do everything else well too. Family and community is their byword.

October 20, 2011 - Marathon - Mary: Dailey Property Management LLC Who’s watching your property while you are away? Are you always wondering, "is the a/c running, water on/off, is the landscaping overgrown, pool clean, the mail properly handled, is my house secure from intruders"? If protecting your home/investment is what you are looking for then you can rest assured that you will be in good hands with Dailey Property Management LLC - an extension of your eyes and ears to ease your mind and constantly monitoring the maintenance and management of your property. My name is Mary and I have been a resident of Marathon in the Florida Keys for 23 years and I provide Personalized Property Management.
Read More >>

Dailey Property Management LLC is our newest advertiser in the Charter Advertiser Program. If you need someone to take care of things while gone for short or long periods of time Dailey Property Management LLC is the way to go!

October 22, 2011 - Islamorada - Dave Purdo: Haunted Robbies. Make Reservations Now For Free Boat Ride. It's that time of the year again and we would like to personally invite you to the 4th Annual Haunted Robbie's.
This years Terrifying Boat Rides and
Scary Butcher Maze promise to be better than ever.

This is a free event so bring your friends.

Friday, October 28th, 2011
5-7 Children's Boat Rides
7-9 Terrifying Canal Boat Rides

Prepare to be scared!

Please click here to R.S.V.P.

MM 77.5 Overseas Highway - 305-664-8070

Paradise Recycling is an icon in recycling having been in Marathon since I don't know when. Aluminum cans turn them on. If you crush all the cans, they are very happy.

October 24, 2011 - Florida Keys - L. E. Shaffer: Journal Week in Review. You ready for fun and overt sarcasm. Note: sometimes the dog shows up correctly and sometimes it doesn't.

Ginger Snead for mayor, Dick Ramsay for vice mayor. The council makes that selection at the November 8 meeting. The last Journal Review had the date wrong.

What is best for all of Marathon’s residents is clearly to steer a steady course. Return Mayor Snead to a third term, and return Vice Mayor Ramsay to a second term. Although this is a council decision, they do listen to you. Go to http://www.marathonflorida.org/index.aspx?NID=41.

Vice Mayor Dick Ramsay’s photo at the above link is more than outdated. Come on, Dick, update your photo. Read More >>

Dailey Property Management LLC is our newest advertiser in the Charter Advertiser Program. If you need someone to take care of things while gone for short or long periods of time Dailey Property Management LLC is the way to go!

Keys Grafix & Sign seemingly can do about anything with signs, A-frames, and magnetic signs. You can always tell a business is rock solid and successful, when Stan is doing ten things at once. And he is good at too. They are always busy.

All Keys Computers is your go to place for all things computers, laptops, and peripheral devices. You get high quality work at very reasonable prices.

October 31, 2011 - Florida Keys - L. E. Shaffer: Florida Keys Journal Week in Review. You ready for some overt sarcasm. I know that I am.

Yes, again, Mayor Ginger Snead for mayor, Vice Mayor Dick Ramsay for vice mayor. The council makes that selection at the November 8 meeting. The last Journal Review had the date wrong.

What is best for all of Marathon’s residents is clearly to steer a steady course. Return Mayor Snead to a third term, and return Vice Mayor Ramsay to a second term. Although this is a council decision, they do listen to you. Go to http://www.marathonflorida.org/index.aspx?NID=41 and make your desires known. Read More >>

Total Repair Services Co. will build you a custom computer system tailored exactly to your needs and desires. Computers built from scratch give you more for your dollar. Warranties are no less good as well.