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2012 October

Friday, October 19, 2012

(October 20, 2012–The Coconut Telegraph is not published on Saturdays)

[Teacher Evaluation] The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) is a dismal testament to the failure of our school system to provide a world-class education for our children. Taxpayers are being fleeced and our students are being deprived of their opportunity to compete on the world stage.

The FCAT, which evaluates a teacher’s ability to successfully impart knowledge and academic skills to their students, has been co-opted by a bureaucracy that refuses to deliver on its promise toAmerica. It has been politicized and attacked by individuals unwilling to terminate incompetent and negligent educators.

This measurement evaluates the absolute minimal skills and competencies that a student should have become proficient with, upon the completion of a particular grade cycle. A brief period of preparation, under normal circumstances, is all that is required to equip a student with the minimal competencies ascertained by this examination.

This device was designed to assess your child’s teacher, along with the powers that employ and sanction the performance of that teacher, as it relates to the instruction and learning that may or may not have occurred in their classroom. The FCAT was never developed to grade the students. It was instituted to grade teachers.

Why are teacher unions, politicians and school districts pandering to the notion that there is something inherently wrong with evaluating the effectiveness of a teacher? Extraordinary teachers, without blemish, are being denigrated by their inept principals and incapable colleagues.

Recently there was an effort to expect a little bit more from teachers, regarding the improved performance of their students on the FCAT. This requirement was quickly purged and rolled back. The ineffective teachers, who did not properly prepare their students for this modest increase in competency, have been incessantly alibied for. I haven’t heard anyone address the harm that was perpetrated upon those children.

Our students will not academically advancing themselves, to the point where they catch up and surpass their world counterparts, while confined in their government schools. The beauty, potential and self-actualizing possibilities of these children will be forever cast upon the broken dreams of their predecessors.

 

 

I am the inconsiderate person who left truck and trailer on ramp.. Sincere apologies to the guy who left threat of slicing tires note. Seriously? Truck was on ramp for a total of 10 minutes from start to finish. You saw me pulling up as you left. I saw you pull up and leave. I was that close. Sorry again.

 

 

The Big Pine Flea Market will be open every Saturday and Sunday. More vendors are coming every week. We have excellent fresh produce from Homestead and a lot of new vendors this year. Our igloo coolers are back and we have cool new tropical dresses. This year we even have a vendor selling concrete patio furniture and decorative concrete pelicans. Come on by and get your fresh produce and house wares and have a great fresh fish lunch. We have some great deals on hats and t-shirts too.

[“Inconsiderate person leaving his truck and trailer on the boat ramp”] Give me a break!  Now I want to flatten all four of his tires after that stupid post. My theory is that his buddy’s boat needed to be towed in and he (the lazy truck owner) was the only one he could get in touch with.  Not having anyone to follow him back to his house to park his truck after launching the boat, he decided it was an emergency, left his truck and went to tow in his buddy.

[Vote No on All] Here’s the 100% valid reason to vote NO to all 12 amendments – State Statutes !   Every one of these changes – and yes, some might be good ideas – should be done at the State Statute level.  Not one of those amendments is now in or ever belongs in the Florida Constitution ! 

The word Amendment means changing something that already exists.  So how can you change (amend) words in a document when the original words are not in that document to begin with ?

State Statues baby ! That’s where the original words are. Go to the State Statutes to make the changes that the Amendments are trying to make.

Voting NO does not mean the idea is bad, just means the execution is fatally flawed.  If the idea is good,  let the legislators “amend” the State Statutes.

The truck blocking the boat ramp was unlocked; the driver’s side window was rolled down.

 

 

The Red Elvises are playing at the Parrot next Wednesday’s sound check. If you haven’t seen them you should. Link

Brother and sister tried to steal televisions from bar bathrooms. A brother and sister who Springfield, Mass police say tried to steal a television from a women’s bathroom gave police an unusual alibi. Police Sgt. John Delaney told 22 News that Robert Larrivee, 38, of West Springfield, and Amanda Larrivee, 30, of Deerfield Beach,Florida, were arrested Sunday night in the ladies’ room at Samuel’s Sports Bar on Hall of Fame Avenue.

According to Delaney, around 9:00 P.M. a woman inside one of the bathroom stalls heard a man and woman’s voice, and then the sound of the room’s television being ripped from the wall. The woman got out of the stall and left the ladies’ room, telling the manager what had happened.

The manager and another employee were able to lock the ladies’ room door, trapping the two inside. When police got there, Delaney says the Larrivees (who police later found out were brother and sister) told them that they were just having sex in the bathroom.

On further investigation, Delaney says police also found that the two had tried to rip down the television in the men’s bathroom.

Both are charged with larceny over $250 and were arraigned Monday in Springfield District Court. Robert Larrivee also faces a charge of threat to commit a crime, because when the two arrived at the police station, he allegedly tried to beat up one of the arresting officers.

 

 

Polar bear club? I don’t know what’s funnier, the guy slamming onto the ice or his laughter. Link

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[Howard Livingston] I write to you today from the comfort of my porch overlooking the ocean. It’s just my little Golden Retriever, Gracie and I. She is curled at my feet and together we are watching an approaching line of pretty strong thunderstorms. I love the sound of thunder cracking above me when I am secure on my protected perch, able to close the shutters at a moment’s notice. Somehow sitting here makes me brave and courageous, however, put me on my boat in such conditions and you will see someone hunkering down like a prairie dog with an eagle flying overhead. The good news is the boat is safely sitting on the lift and I have a warm cup of espresso in my hand taking in this incredible gift from Mother Nature. Life is pretty good.

What a week it has been for us in theFlorida Keys. Our CD release weekend was unbelievable and we are just now catching our breath. It was so wonderful seeing all our friends and family here for the release of Six Pack And A Tan. Thanks to everyone for making it such a success. A special thank you to the Sugarloaf KOA Resort for your hospitality to our out of town friends and family. Everyone raved about the new camping trailers and the wonderful grounds. Also a big thanks to Boondocks for doing such a great job! Thanks to Ralph DePalma for “capturing the moment”. Check out his photos from the cd release party at Link

Second Annual Fantasy Fest Blue Party is Sunday October 21st 3:00 – 6:00 PM. Hosted by the Sheraton Suites 2001 South Roosevelt Blvd Key West. OK, this one is a no-brainer. We performed last year and I was blown away with all the stuff they gave everyone. This is the best value I have ever seen not to mention a great fun party. Tickets are only $10 and for that you get:

* A free $5 raffle ticket (Raffle items include a Slater Surf Board, a beach cruiser bike, autographed sports memorabilia, wine baskets, etc, etc, etc.)

* Free tasty hors d’oeuvres.

* A free gift bag. This bag alone has over $50 worth of stuff in it.

Also, bring a swimsuit if you feel like it, the pool is open for anyone who wants to cool off. All of this and all proceeds go to Aids Help. How cool is that? So, come out Sunday and party with us, get some really cool stuff and help a great cause. We’ll be there with the whole band. Get tickets by calling 305-292-4360 or email info@sheraton.com 


[Marijuana News] The Feds are trying to stop the Silver Tour. God knows white hairs need their meds. Link 
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Pan Am World Airlines turns 85 on Saturday and have chosen to celebrate the milestone at its original birthplace, Kelly’s Caribbean Restaurant & Brewery location at 301 Whitehead, K.W.  The public is invited to a free birthday bash Sat. from 7-9 p.m. and the first 85 patrons will receive birthday gifts. Pan Am made its inaugural flight from Key West to Havana, Cuba on Oct. 19th, 1927 with a cargo of mail.

I will seek and find you.
I shall take you to bed
And have my way with you.
I will make you ache, shake & sweat
Until you moan & groan.
I will make you beg for mercy,
Beg for me to stop.
I will exhaust you to the point that
You will be relieved when I’m finished with you.
And when i am finished,
You will be weak for days.

All my love,
~the Flu

Now get your mind out of the gutter and go get your flu shot!

 

 

Boston Police spy on Peace groups. Extreme? Like the Taliban being worried about a 14 year old girl. I loveAmerica. The political groups I understand, but to stand up for Peace? Link

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Over half of all wetlands on Earth were destroyed in last 100 years. Link

 

[Sewer Con] Now we know how millions of dollars were cut from the budget for the Cudjoe Waste water Region.  Homeowners will be installing and providing power to each of the grinder pump stations in front of all our homes.  I guess those millions had to come from some where.

 

 

[Halloween Drinks] Swamp Juice a la Slime. Bubblin’ Swamp Juice & more. Link

 


Political advertisement paid for and approved by Rick Ramsay Republican for Sheriff

 
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The Editor must be retired which would explain why he can’t keep track of what day it is.  Since I retired it seems like every day must be Saturday.

 

Key West Sports Card Show is free. Link

 

 

Direct flights to D.C. and the Big Apple added to Key West’s lineup. Link

[List of Frivolous Political Parties] And they say we don’t take voting seriously enough! Link

 

In a surprise announcement during Naval Air Station Key West’s Navy Birthday Ball Oct. 13, NAS’ business manager was awarded the Secretary of the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award. NAS Key West Commanding Officer Capt. Patrick Lefere presented Ron Demes with the award, which is given annually to a small number of civilian employees nationally and is the highest honorary award the Secretary of the Navy can confer on a Department of the Navy civilian employee.

[iGate] With all buyers involved getting a letter in their files for their participation in iGate, the sellers should be getting a couple of letters for their files!

 

Harvard scientists suggest Moon made from Earth. Link

[Captain Doom and Gloom] Captains of industry. That nail is in your head and should be wiggled a bit. All government money to industry is a redistribution to those that are the government or the government’s henchmen. Money never goes to waste, it is just controlled from being dumped into the useless pockets of the inept lower classes who would probably eat it or wipe with it. The value of money is adjustable because it is in the interest of the rulers to control war and peasants period. Any government grant or subsidy just recalculates the buying power. The only things that waste natural resources (money is based on it) are junk food, junk toys, junk spaceships, and just about anything that destroys minerals, materials and water completely without producing a viable functioning reusable recyclable product. Look at the average food market or big box hardware store and think what is really needed and what is there for fun and profit. If all the junk were removed from these vendor castles, we would have nothing but Mom and Pop grocery stores selling fish, veggies and toilet paper.

Quest to make sense of the constitutional amendments” Are you a Party Member, Comrade or just a Democrat? All the amendments are spin, don’t you get it. Where are the real hard core laws we need to change? Oh it’s humor, I get it!

How does one write-in his own name on the ballot for President and what happens if he wins? This is called faith in the national voter-ship.

I just read the entire Sample Ballot and am having chest pains from laughing so hard. What a crock of shit this political spin is. No wonder people do not waste their precious gasoline going to vote. No matter whom you install in those plush leather thrones, they will do their best to make their nests golden fleece lined and peasant proof. What scares me is that someday soon the American Revolution will start all over again, but not be fun like the French one! Dog help us!

Newsweek has stopped publishing. This is a good omen. Most of the rags should stop wasting trees and curtail their one-sided propaganda crap. They are nothing but spinners anyway!

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[Comedy Site] Big pine key . com at one time was funny. What the hell happened?

[Al Gore Invented Global Warming] At the present time, solar power has its proper place, but it is not its place to be considered at this time as any kind of a viable alternative to  fossil fuels or nuclear energy. As we speak the drawbacks to Solar are many, mainly simply because the sun only shines at roughly half the day, and then less for the solar panels if the day is cloudy, there is not yet an efficient method to store electricity so it must be used as it is produced. Solar cells do not produce enough electricity to pay for the price of manufacturing them, hence the return on investment is negative. Every commercial solar operation requires an additional expense of installing fossil fuel generators as a backup system which of course greatly adds to the initial cost. In all this ranting please be aware that at the present time we as a country are now producing over a trillion dollars each year of unpaid debt, a small problem that never seems to enter the minds of those utopian-minded individuals who seem to have no idea what money is and supposed to represent. There may someday be an answer to the solar conundrum, but at present there is not. So after the staples (oil and coal)  the big two will be nuclear and natural gas, which combined gives us about a 200 year or so, supply. By that time global warming will be forgotten as the boondogle that it is, produced by the likes of folks like Al Gore and perpetuated by the issuing of grants by our power hungry politicians as a means of buying votes and retaining their exalted positions of power. Some private individual or company will have come up with another way to keep us supplied with electricity, at least as long as humans occupy this rock.

 

Mitt Romney’s claim to have ordered up “binders full of women” to staff his Massachusetts cabinet has opened a fresh struggle with President Barack Obama for the backing of female voters, threatening to erode the Republican nominee’s gains with a crucial constituency. 

[Muslims Offended and Soldier’s Career Destroyed] Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Dooley, a 1994 grad of West Point & highly decorated combat veteran was teaching a course on Islamic Radicalism when General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly excoriated Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Dooley, then ordered all material offensive to Islam scrubbed from military professional education. (That’s your cue Christians, Jews & other religions – find out what the government has that offends you & get it scrubbed) 

House Armed Forces Committee Members Question Harsh Discipline of Officer Teaching Course Offensive to Muslims. 
Two members of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressmen Tom Rooney (R-FL) & Duncan Hunter Jr. (R-CA), want answers. This “offensive to Muslims” bulls**t is spreading across America. In America we are all equal, yet Muslims are demanding everybody bow to them & their God. They say & do as they wish–no problem and they cite our Constitution. The Muslim Brotherhood is carrying out their “Conquer The West From Within” & nobody is fighting back. They must not be allowed to use our rights against us to achieve their goal of supremacy. Is anyone paying attention or even give a damn? Your 1st Amendment is under attack. What’s next, close down all western religious churches because they offend Muslims?

The way you dress, talk, drink & treat women offends them too. Gays offend them, other religions offend them, the American way of life offends them. Rejoice, at least one bank is now offering a credit cards based on Shira Law, what’s next?

Two stories about Confronting the threat of Islam Link 

A few questions I’d like to see President Obama answer. Link

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[Alternate Energy] A123, Electric Car Battery Maker, Files For Bankruptcy Protection. This company gave millions to President Obama. One of many green companies to go bankrupt after taking hundreds of millions of our tax dollars. All of these bad investments have one thing in common. They gave millions To President Obama..

 
The Chapter 11 filing is likely to spawn more criticism of the Obama administration’s funding of alternative energy companies. The lithium-ion battery maker received a $249 million grant from the Department of Energy in August 2009 to help it buildU.S. factories. But such grants have been criticized by republicans, who say Obama wasted stimulus money on the companies. Critics point to Solyndra LLC, a politically connected and now-bankrupt solar power company, which left taxpayers on the hook for $528 million.

Using its federal stimulus grant, the company set up manufacturing operations in theDetroitsuburbs ofLivoniaandRomulus,Mich.The company has contracts to make batteries for General Motors Co., BMW AG, Fisker Automotive and others.

Unlike a loan, the company’s $249 million government grant does not have to be repaid. A123 had to match the grant money as it was used. So far the company has drawn about $129 million of the grant, spokesman Dan Borgasano said Tuesday.

Americans are so used to watching carefully scripted and rehearsed TV shows and movies about the US President that they think they should all behave and talk that way in real life.  I can’t watch any Presidential TV debate because the “winner” is the one who does the least amount of stumbling, stammering and mumbling and has little to do with the daily challenges of running the Country, as much as that is even possible.  I am embarrassed for them both. 

A ludicrous debate entirely, what parts I suffered through, the art of saying many words I ain’t sure I remember too many of, except I remember Obama promising the live audience that they always could rely on him to tell to the truth about matters of national security, and I wondered if that meant on other topics we could not always count on him to tell the truth? Maybe rhetorical. 

[Glenn Beck] What’s the connection between The White House & The Muslim Brotherhood? – video

The official number is Romney told 31 lies in 41 minutes. The Washington Post shredded his responses. My favorite was about Libya. Jon Stewart and Colbert had a good time with it too. But polls reveal that the more stretching the lie, the more people believe it. And more Jedi nonsense with using lies and turning it around and saying Obama is lying. You get one vote. Do the right thing. Link

 From the Right

We’ve all heard a variety of really goofy knocks on Romney, everything from his religion to his dog. Those knocks are at best juvenilen usually not worthy of comment. Let’s examine a few of the more lucid raps on Romney. Some folks spout that Romney’s offshore investments are somehow evil. They’re not. A person very near and dear to those folks, Barack H. Obama, has nearly identical investments.  Yep, Obama has investments in the Cayman Islands. Politifact has the full scoop on both sets of investments. Link 

Some folks do their level best to portray Romney as being an uncaring and cruel man. He’s not. It will be nearly impossible to identify any public or private person who has devoted as much of his wealth and efforts to philanthropy. In fact, Romney’s charitable contributions dwarf the contributions of Mr. Obama and Mr. Biden both in actual dollars and in percentage of earnings. You can learn all about it by simply checking out the Politico article: Link

Some folks carp that Romney is interested only in profit. The Democrat hate machine toots that he cares not for mankind. Not true. The odds are that the Romney carpers have never heard of an amazing episode wherein Romney shut down Bain Capital to search for the missing daughter of one of his associates. It is an incredible testament to Romney’s basic good and humanity. The episode is also compelling evidence of his organizational and managerial talents. Romney’s efforts made possible the rescue and recovery of the girl. You can read the whole story at Link

While you are thinking about Romney’s concern for his fellow man, please reflect on Mr. Obama’s brother, George, who lives in a tin shack in a Kenyan slum. And you may want to think about Obama’s aunt, an illegal alien, who is living on welfare in a slum in Boston. Or, you may want to think about O’s uncle who also is an illegal alien. You can learn a lot more about O’s auntie and uncle at: Link

The stark truth is that Obama is a very caring man. He cares only for himself.

Part 2) It seems every day that we hear more news that details the new Obama norm. It’s ugly out there. We just learned that welfare has soared in the last 4 years; it has increased 32% under Obama. The Obama government spent approximately $1.03 trillion on 83 means-tested federal welfare programs in fiscal year 2011 alone — a price tag that makes welfare the government’s largest expenditure.

Deer Friends, it is all about the money, money that we don’t have. Under Obama, for every $7 we’ve had, we’ve spent nearly $11. That’s like a family that makes $70,000 a year and is already knee-deep in debt blowing nearly $110,000 a year. So, where did the money come from? We borrowed it!  Chinais makes huge profit on the interest we pay for the money we borrow from them.

It was only about a week ago that Obama fans were all tingly with the news that new claims for unemployment insurance had declined from the previous week. This week we learn that in the week just past, new u/e claims have increased sharply. It was the largest increase in at least 3 months.  Not a good sign, and it is a clear indicator that job creation has sharply declined.

We’ve just learned that our GDP rate of growth has again decreased in the last quarter. GDP growth declined to only 1.3%. That quarter was lower than the previous quarter. We are going backward.  The GDP rate of growth has been steadily declining since mid 2010. The recession was over in June/July 2009. We then had a halting recovery where in the GDP rate of growth barely reach 3.9%. It has not approached that level since. Most experts agree that a growth rate of 5% signals a recovering economy.

In keeping with our deteriorating economy, for the first time in 20 years, our crime rate is ascending. Violent crimes increased by 18% last year. For the first time in 10 years property crimes have increased.

Please think about the fact that we are facing the biggest single economic threat in our history on January 1st. On January 1 huge mandatory tax increases will hit every single American tax payer. On that same day huge mandatory spending cuts will come into effect. Every economist tells us that unless corrective legislation is passed prior to that we are certain to fall into a recession much deeper than the previous recession.

And still, ever the ideologue, Mr. Obama refuses to meet with Republican congressional leaders in order to forge compromise. But he has time to appear on goofy TV shows and to fund raise for his campaign. Obama threatens to veto any new tax law that does not contain a huge tax increase on our achievers. Please remember that the added revenue from that tax is about two tenths of one percent of our annual spending. Obama’s demanded new taxes will further hobble economic expansion and will further retard job creation. Obama is ready to plunge us off a cliff unless he gets his “revenge” on our achievers.

If you are one of the Americans who think that Obama tried, but didn’t do the job that he promised he would do, you are in a growing majority.  On Thursday at about noon,Gallupreleased a nationwide poll that reveals that Romney is ahead of Obama by 7 points (52/45). Yesterday was a rotten day for Team Obama and its fans. On the heels of theGalluppoll, RealCleaPolitics released a poll that shows Romney leading Obama in electoral college votes: 206/201. Not a good day for Obama. Many Obama fans will be dejected to learn that no President who is at less than 50% in mid to late October, has gone on to win a second term.

Let’s all have a great weekend, better days are ahead.