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2014 December

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

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The-Coconut-Telegraph-w-CoconutsSince 2002. Anonymous Letters to the Editor with pictures. Published Monday through Friday by Noon.

strangelove10[CIA Torture Report] Torture and indiscriminate spying on it’s citizens reaffirms that America has lost its way. I recently read about Cuba’s former dictator Juan Batista’s security measures of torture and spying on his citizens and cannot help but see similarities to what the United States also does in the name of security. Both countries lied to their legislature, one was a dictatorship the other a democracy. Which one is the more evil? I remember when the USA was great and I was proud when we took the moral high ground.
Nira-Tocco-6.14
Never slap a man who’s chewing tobacco.
tv guide10
Is TV Guide still printed? I imagine it’s useless now with all the cable options and differing channel numbers. In it’s heyday just about every home in America bought a copy once a week. Of course there were only about three channels to cover in those days.
[Crooks] Two former Cay Clubs executives pleaded guilty in federal court Monday for their role in a $300 million Ponzi scheme case involving the collapsed resorts and marinas development company. Barry J. Graham, 59, and Ricky Lynn Stokes, 54, both of Fort Myers, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. They can only get 5 years maximum jail time for ruining so many people’s lives. It they serve any time at all they will probably be out in a year and a half.
mouth plant
[Name That Plant] I came across your site because I was also trying to identify a plant. Were you ever able to identify that bulbous plant with the small orchid like flowers?
60º is just too cold for my skinny bones. They said the Keys were tropical!
Ella Fitzgerald – Baby It’s Cold Outside
accurate-home-insp-750w
[“Grand jury”] Yesterday a poster defended the Key West PD and that’s a right we have–so far. I disagree with him, especially after reading the KWPD internal investigation and the suspension for 5 days of one officer. Add to that the State Attorney actually paying a witness to testify in defense of the  police actions before the Grand Jury. Having that arranged by the local FBI office is just too much to believe that there has not  been a systemic failure and a KWPD cover up.

In other crap: The two officers on motorcycles attacking a car on the 18 mile stretch seem to have walked away without any real charges either. It’s too much.

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an_turd3
We went for a lovely walk yesterday here on BPK. Lovely until going down Wilhelmina Way. Dog feces everywhere and loose dogs on the street. This is disgusting, unhealthy, irresponsible, and unlawful. We will be watching. Clean up after your dog’s mess and leash them. Shame on you. ‘Willie’ would be so disappointed.
Big Pine’s Carol Fisher passed away on December 5. Carol worked for the Tourist Development Council and spent 10 years as the Executive Director of the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce before retiring. During her retirement, she enjoyed volunteering at the Coconut Closet for Habitat for Humanity. She was 70.
fanci10-16-14
Sexting terms kids don’t want you to know. Link
jersy10
Yesterday’s post from the Jersey Girl hater edited: I had a horrible dream last night. (It nearly made me fall off my ‘couch’ that’s made of milk crates and pillows I found in the trash.) Maybe it was caused by a dinner that consisted of burritos and cheap wine (For me, that’s gourmet eatin’!) I dreamt that aliens were performing genetic experiments on Jersey girls, (Aside from my normal dreams, where I am employed and respected and ladies will not cringe when I try to touch their boobies), releasing them in the Keys to breed with the locals. (Although I would not turn down an offer to breed with a Jersey Girl… with an Ohio Girl… with a shapely pumpkin that has a hole cut in it. Really, anything.) Aaaaaahhhhhhhh! (Whyyyyy am I so looooonely?! I tried bathing once, and that didn’t even seem to help. I welcome any advice on how a sad, embittered, dullard like me can get some tail.)
[“Monroe County’s Solid Waste and Recycling Administrator abruptly resigned“] A very qualified, trusted County employee that really gets things done resigns after 6 years of hard work with only three weeks notice, and nobody is asking questions? I smell a big stinky fish! This person and her family are invested in our community, kids playing sports, attending local schools and church, involved in furthering positive local efforts. Could it be that she got tired of less educated, less qualified but very well politically connected employees given $25,000 raises while she was denied a raise? Someone in the County has made a big mistake! It is a sad day when our commissioners are more worried about the color of the chairs at the Marathon Government Center than about keeping valuable employees that provide excellent service to taxpayers.
Radio-Shack10.31.14
[Gas Taxes] Here’s an interesting interactive map that shows how much each State adds in taxes. Now if we could only get them to round off the 9/10ths of a cent. Link
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wrestle1
Sometimes I wrestle with my demons. Sometimes we just snuggle.
[Ferguson] I think Officer Wilson is right, religion isn’t going away, be it secular religion or the traditional kind of religion, and it is smart for the species’ continuance, for religion and science to get along, as opposed to not get along. However, how can science get along with reality, if it does not accept the existence of other dimensions and spirit beings, and an originating source of same, which also is the originating source of everything science studies?

In my experience, most people who vote have their minds made up as soon as, or even before, a candidate announces he/she is running for office, and the determining factors for most voters are the candidate’s political party/views/religion/social standing/skin color/ethnic origin.

Voters are pre-programmed, in the main, so how can democracy exist, therefore? Democracy is a myth, too. But perhaps a better myth than some of the alternatives. Although, I’m still inclined toward benevolent and wise monarchs, it’s a crap shoot how their next in line for the crown will turn out, as history proved over and over again.

I think the US military term, SNAFU, pretty well sums up humanity and all of its religions, in which I include political parties, military-industrial complexes, etc. Gosh, I bet there are human scientists who would swear on a bible that the speed of light cannot be exceeded.

Isaksen11.5.14
[Defending Torture] Sen. Diane Fienstien (D-Ca.) feels that water boarding and other tactics were too cruel and harsh. Perhaps we should just cut their heads off like they so gently do?
butcher
When the IKC kills all those Iguanas do they eat the meat?
[“America’s workforce”] Where are the people to replace the baby boomers who are retiring? Companies are crushed under new regulations, technology improvements have reduced requirements for specific jobs, public schools have failed to train an adequate work force, increased entitlements do not provide incentive to find work, and the work force has become part time. This is a result of failed government polices both Democrat and Republican. It is way past time for a viable new political party.
manson10
FTR
‘s latest insane drivel: The President is “actively seeking to pit blacks against whites”. Just like Charles Manson, right FTR? The scary thing about FTR is that he sincerely believes all extremist posts. He even makes them up. He’s the one “actively seeking” to pit mainstream Americans against his radical ideology. It’s a good thing FTR lives in America or he’d be fuel for the ovens.
[Ferguson] Witness Dorian Johnson lied to the police and the FBI. Other black eyewitnesses tell a much different story.
BP-Flea-Market10.10.14
[Bums] At the end of November there were 92,447,000 people who did not participate in the labor force. These Americans did not have a job and were not actively trying to find one. There a quite a few young Hispanics across the street from me that fit that description. Oh wait, they do sell drugs and snitch every once and a while to the cops so they can stay in business. Yet I have to go to work every morning and punch a time clock to support myself, my son, and the scum across the street on Medicare, WIC[?], food stamps and what ever else the can get for free, and, oh yes, they have cable TV and I only have Netflix. Isn’t democracy great? Shut the borders.
notches-in-gun
[“Pellet gun”
] I have a Gamo 1200 fps air rifle (I don’t know the model because it’s rusted off). I’ve never seen any air rifle that is 1500 fps. Mine is just one crack of the barrel and shoot! I’ve had others but they weren’t as powerful or accurate as this one. I’ve cut so many notches in the stock from so many iguana kills that the stock looks knurled.
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shiver boy
Brrr!
Time to break out the fuzzy slippers and sweatshirt.
[Iguanas] Is there any consensus on what is being done with the dead nasty iguanas? If they are really being shot along the bike path as some sort of misguided public service (for the record, I support it!), are the carcasses being removed? How about homeowners who, quite rightly, shoot the little bastards, do they bury them or fling them in the canals? No question, these invasive species are a vexing problem.
manley-deboer-7.11.14
I saw the video of the black kid pointing the fake gun at everyone and then waiting around.  You would have to be a real dumbass to do that today. It’s just asking to get killed.
funny bone laugh
Why can’t every day be joke Friday? (sigh …)
This government does not torture people.  ~George W. Bush, 10/5/07
karma-police
[Killer Cop Slapped on Wrist] The actions of Officer Gary Lovette would never be tolerated under any other employment situation in this country, whether in the public or private sector, except for our own KWPD. He behaved outrageously, disobeyed orders and arguably caused the death of Charles Eimers. Yet he remains employed by Chief Donnie Lee and vocally supported by our city commissioners. What a disgrace! I’ll never think of or talk about Key West the same again. The Eimers murder and subsequent cover-up will always be a black eye on this godforsaken city. Merry Christmas Officer Lovette.
[Sewers] A bunch of polite, upstanding, solid citizens, up against hard core, seasoned politicians, who run Monroe County, with a track record decades long. No big secret.  Anyone who is anyone in Florida wants a piece of the action. Trying to get those lousy grinder pumps out of peoples’ yards is the main goal. That  system does not even belong in the Florida Keys.  A lot is at stake here.  Too much dirt has been uncovered through intensive research. Others stand by and  look the other way.  The temptations of power, greed and money are too big to turn down.  Messing with the environment is not acceptable.  As usual the little guy will have to pay.  Where are our heroes and  martyrs now?
Coconuts-sign-ad-750w
[Rendition] A knock on the door in the night. Is it the Gestapo? No, it’s the CIA’s thugs coming to kidnap you (they call it rendition, but a spade is still a spade) away to a secret torture site to do just that. To think that so many have died thinking this was a great country!
disney cruise
[“Cruise ships”] Things seem to be going down hill with the entire cruise industry–quality wise. They are pushing towards super kiddy ships and family type play grounds. That will kill off all the old timers with money. Private charters to private locations are coming soon, maybe even members only cruise clubs to keep out the riff raff who go to a formal dinner in a football t-shirt and flip-flops.
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talking mouth
There are two kinds of people who don’t say much: those who are quiet and those who talk a lot.
Dear Gamo Whisper IKC hunter,  You mentioned a 1500 fps model that works well for you. I checked the Gamo website and see only 1250 fps or less models. Which model do you have? Thanks for any info you can share as this would be a great gift for my hubby.
Springers-Xmas
[“Eimer’s death”]  Lovette gets a five day suspension? Does the chief really think he was making up stories to impress his friends to make him look like a big man? Lovette was bragging to his friends about his actions. For not using lights and sirens? Disobeying orders not to pursue Eimers?  The other cop del Valle just gets a written reprimand for not obeying orders not to pursue and not using lights and sirens? What about the other officers who filed false reports about what happened? They all lied as the videos proved.  Did anyone see Eimers beating the shit out of six officers as claimed by Lovette?   What about all the missing police car videos?  What about all the audio from supposedly malfunctioning body microphones?

Something continues to smell in Key West and it’s not the chicken shit which is every where.  The foul odor is coming from the States Attorney, FDLE, City Commission and the KWPD. At the least Commissioners Rossi and Yaniz were finally honest about how they feel. The rest of the commission is still mute.

rise and fall
[The Rise and Fall of America] CIA torture was the best recruiting tool al Qaeda ever had.
[CIA Torture Report]  America used to be the country the world looked up to because of our freedoms and moral courage. Now the y look towards us only for our money. We always appeared to take the higher ground, but we no longer even attempt to appear the good guys. It seems Americans don’t care enough about morality since 9/11 to practice what we preach. It’s all lip service as far as morality goes.
chicken-dumplings10
Hi there, and Happy comfort food Wednesday
from Springer’s Bar and Grill. Today’s special is a favorite, Chicken and Dumplings. Its a big bowl of love for your belly, and definitely a favorite so come on in and get it before its gone.
Thursday special: shrimp salad on a Kaiser roll
Friday special: Beer batter fish and chips
Happy Hour 2-6 daily with great drink specials and happy hour menu.
There’s always something special at Springer’s.
I have just about had it with these dregs of society sucking me dry. I love Big Pine, but almost everybody is on heroin pills or food stamps or heroin and food stamps. I saw a guy go to Dion’s and buy his kids’ designer ice cream for breakfast using food stamps then he bought $300 worth of scratch off lottery tickets. I’m also tired of financing all these politicians’ bullshit too. I’m just about to come unglued. I have to get screwed on my paycheck to pay for all these drug addled drunken pieces of turd that contribute nothing–only take.
johnsons-7.9.14
[CIA Torture Report]  I can’t wait for FTR to pick apart the terrible report released yesterday on the CIA’s use of torture and the false results and deaths and their secret CIA torture rooms. Russia is no worse than we are. Will FTR finally open his eyes to our terrible deeds and admit that we are no better then any other country that tortures and lies to it’s governing bodies? I think not?
rhino
[Water Buffalo vs Rhinoceros] This reminds me of the old saying “Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight”. Video
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chained10
[CIA Torture Report]  Rendition, irrigating anal passages, freezing, drowning. They think by giving torture a pretty name we’ll accept it. This is America, land of torture and lies in the name of security. I want a refund!
Freezer wanted. I am a snowbird from NJ. I spend the Winters in my home on Cudjoe Key. My upright freezer died and I need to replace it. I bring my frozen foods down and need a working freezer when I get there. I seek a used one as long as it is working. Happy Holidays!  Classified Ads > Wanted
hareens 12.2.14
[CIA Torture Report] The Evil Empire is alive and well in the USA. Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times (!!!) in August 2002 alone and provided the CIA with any fiction they wanted to hear.
kayak yellowLost kayak from Port Pine Heights on Pine Channel. Hobie Pro Angler, 12 foot, single person, bright yellow, pedal kayak. Black seat and paddle on board. Serial # HCCE9828B414. Either broke free or was taken Sunday Dec 7. Please contact  me if you know it’s whereabouts.  Classified Ads > Lost and Found
Craft sale and miscellaneous stuff Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13th and 14th. 31033 Hibiscus Dr. Between Sands and 1st St. 8 a.m. to 3ish on Big Pine.
torture cat
[Torture Report] With all these people coming out in favor of torture, you have to wonder just how low the average American will go.
The physical evidence in the Michael Brown case supported the officer with updated with DNA evidence. Link
bluewater-750w
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bill-12.10
[“History of FKAA”] DTP[?] asked me to do that research a few days ago as someone had suspected fowl play in 1979. That link is all I could find. Yesterday, I believe, the same person again asked the same question on the CT.  Geez, my computer is acting up. It is nothing but interesting, but who knows? Link
[“Pepper spray petition”] Well for some reason Coconut Telegraph wont post the web address for the petition. So email me and I’ll send it to you. For all that might be interested in signing a petition about the pepper spray monster on Hudgins Dr in Summerland Key. A couple weeks back I posted a story about my neighbor spraying my sweet tongue/wagging/licking dog. I have started a petition. I am letting this woman know that she has just messed with the wrong person. She has done it before and I intend on stopping her from doing it again! If you would please, sign it and forward it to your Facebook , Twitter and any other media that will get it mass audience. I don’t care who signs it, I am seeking 2000 signatures for her review. The web site asks for your address, but it dose not get displayed on the web site, only your state does. You have the option to hide your name. Please make a comment about pepper spraying our pets. I will make sure she gets them all. Thank you so much to any and all who sign. Susan funkymonais@yahoo.com (Ed: If you had ever sent in the address of the petition instead of your email address I would have gladly published it.)
politics-zone-750w
FTR here is your place to shine. You said and I am quoting “Obama and Democrat wails that the deaths in Ferguson and NYC are the result of racist police misconduct,”

Please show me the exact quote you are using to prove your point that our President said the Ferguson incident was due to the Ferguson Police’s racial  police misconduct.

Your accusation needs to be proven. I look forward to your detailed proof of Ferguson specifically since that’s your stated comment

For anyone that is not aware, California is the liberal & Texas is the Conservative.
California versus Texas: One is pro-business and pro-growth and the other…well…not!
California coyote problem
The governor of California is jogging with his dog along a nature trail. A coyote jumps out and attacks the governor’s dog, then bites the governor. The governor starts to intervene, but reflects upon the movie Bambi and then realizes he should stop because the coyote is only doing what is natural.
He calls animal control. Animal control captures the coyote and bills the state $200 for testing it for diseases and $500 for relocating it. He calls a veterinarian.
The vet collects the dead dog and bills the state $200 for testing it for diseases.
The governor goes to the hospital and spends $3,500 getting checked for diseases from the coyote and getting his bite wound bandaged.
The running trail gets shut down for six months while the California Fish and Game Department conducts a $100,000 survey to make sure the area is now free of dangerous animals.
The governor spends $50,000 in state funds implementing a ‘coyote awareness program’ for residents of the area.
The Legislature spends $2 million to study how to better treat rabies and how to permanently eradicate the disease throughout the world.
The governor’s security agent is fired for not stopping the attack. The state spends $150,000 to hire and train a new agent with additional special training, re: the nature of coyotes.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protests the coyote’s relocation and files a $5 million suit against the state.
Texas coyote solution
The governor of Texas is jogging with his dog along a nature trail. A coyote jumps out and tries to attack him and his dog. The governor shoots the coyote with his state-issued pistol and keeps jogging.
The governor spent 50 cents on a .380-caliber, hollow-point cartridge. Buzzards ate the dead coyote.
And that, my friends, is why California is broke and Texas is not.
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I can see it now, the right will embrace torture and the left won’t.
Liberals see conservatives as preachy, sanctimonious and humorless. Conservatives see nothing funny about shrill, angry, liberal losers. Who is funny? It depends on your point of view, but humor writers and cartoonists will always be liberal-leaning; it is a bias that is built into the system. It boils down to core values.

Conservatives believe that people should be trusted; they believe that we should all take responsibility for ourselves, that we should enjoy the rewards of our personal successes and suffer the consequences of our personal failures. Liberals believe that people are basically stupid, that we should be protected from hurting ourselves by making the poor decisions that we would certainly make, if we were free to exercise our stupidity. Have a very Merry & Blessed Christmas.

from the right
Yesterday a critic claimed that the 36 year record low Labor Participation Rate published by the governments Bureau of Labor Statistics is essentially irrelevant to the state of our labor market because it is affected by the increase in the population of retirees caused by the aging of our nation. And, Deer Friends, don’t forget that even though the record is 36 years old, the Labor Participation Rate actually has been lower when there were far fewer retirees as a percentage of our population. In 1948 it was about 58%. Link

The governments Bureau of Labor Statistics does not share the view of the critic. It publishes the stat every month. BOLS has published that stat for decades, and makes no adjustment for the number of retirees.

Second, the poster provided a graph that he/she believes validates his/her point of view. We must note that the graph is provided by the White House, a venue whose reputation for veracity and accuracy is subterranean.

labor10The critic claimed that: “the labor force is shrinking.” That simply is not true. Since Obama took office, our “Non institutional civilian population” has grown substantially. It is from that group that those who want to be in Labor Force are counted.

Those who do not want to work. Those who are not working, are not looking for work, or several other categories of unemployed comprise the fraction that determines the Labor Participation Rate.

Of the 55,250,000 persons now receiving SS, 8,063,000 are still employed (Link), that’s about 15%. Those seasoned citizens are IN the Labor Force. That’s huge. Just for the record that stat and other SS stats are easily found at Link

That number and percentage grows exponentially each and every year because of Baby Boomers and the fact that Americans are healthier and live longer. Because of the economy, and with good heath, more and more choose to work in retirement..

That 8+ million are still in the labor force.  Those 8+ million employed retirees do not drive down the BOLS Labor Participation Rate.

And don’t forget that nearly 2 million elderly persons die each year.  Those persons disappear from the BOLS stats.

The labor force participation rate is now at 36 year record lows not because of an aging population, it is at those lows because the government has made it easier and more comfortable for far too many to accept government handouts than it is to work.

Since January of 2007, the year that the Democrats got control of Congress, the Not In Labor Force ranks have swollen by nearly 20%.

The Labor Force Participation rate was lower in November than it was in November of 2013, even though the Labor Force itself grew by about 120k in the same time period.  And the Civilian Non-institutional population grew by about 2.3 million.

Today after more than 7 years of Democrat governance, our labor participation rate is nearly 4 points lower than it was when the Democrats took control of Congress. That sucks