Monday, December 29, 2014

Police culture

While learning jobs and duties, recruits will also learn the values needed to make it to a high rank in their organization. Some words used to describe these values are as follows: a sense of mission, action, cynicism, pessimism, machismo, suspicion, conservatism, isolation and solidarity. The unique demands that are placed on police officers, such as the threat of danger, as well as scrutiny by the public, generate a tightly woven environment conducive to the development of feelings of loyalty.

These values are claimed to lead to the code; isolation and solidarity leading to police officers sticking to their own kind, producing an us-against-them mentality. The us-against-them mentality that can result leads to officers backing each other up and staying loyal to one another; in some situations it leads to not “ratting” on fellow officers.

A Los Angeles Times report about the “Facebook manifesto” of Christopher Dorner, who was killed during a police manhunt after he went on a several day shooting spree in February 2013 in Southern California, observes: “When he arrived at the LAPD, he wrote, he found it a nest of racists. In the Police Academy, he complained about another recruit’s use of a racial slur and was shunned. On patrol with the LAPD, he complained that his training officer had kicked a mentally ill man, and in response the department conspired to destroy him. He had dared, he said, to violate the Code of Silence

A syndicated editorial in today’s Key West Citizen covers the Sony Studios problem with the hacking and the chain cinema companies dropping “The Interview”. In a second, shorter piece in the Citizen today, North Korea is reported as denying it had anything to do with the hack and offered USA to jointly investigate, which USA declined, even as the hackers put out online that it was because of the movie that they did the deed.

Who can say who is telling the truth? While I doubt Sony hacked itself and took that financial bath for the publicity, I don’t doubt Sony chickened out, perhaps because it is a Japanese company and Japan is right close to North Korea? Whatever, when Sony pulled the film, it missed the entire point of its own movie, which is, in America, freedom of speech is paramount.

It’s time for xenophobes like Mr FTR to stop finding the extreme examples they are so fond of and look towards home before throwing stones. Let he who is without sin … bla bla.

The chicken that we got to eat was marked “not suitable for human consumption”. There are so few regulations on how to treat federal inmates. There are a bunch of BOP[?] policies, but very few regulations

(1)  For a residential subdivision lot, a single-family residence, or an establishment, any of which has an estimated sewage flow of 1,000 gallons per day or less, a gravity sewer line to maintain gravity flow from the property’s drain to the sewer line, or a low pressure or vacuum sewage collection line in those areas approved for low pressure or vacuum sewage collection, exists in a public easement or right-of-way that abuts the property line of the lot, residence, or establishment;

Section 20-105. – Residential or Commercial Users. (e)  Private property; properties under one ownership. For private property or contiguous properties under one ownership with one or more EDUs that in total has a cumulative estimated wastewater flow of less than 1,000 gallons per day; (1)The utility shall provide a means of connection within the public right-of-way, whether by vacuum pit or other, that abuts the property and that can be accessed via a gravity system;…

We get continuous requests for recommendations on how to respond to the demands of FKAA.  This is one I used.  So far their response is “go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200.”  Dig in, folks, do not sign the easement.  They already have an easement.  It is the street in front of your home. We are still fighting this on multiple legal fronts and could sure use some financial help.  Checks should be made payable to Dump the Pumps, Inc. at PO Box 1956 Big Pine Key, FL 33043 or consider our Paypal account available on our website. Link

There are 121 more rich folks that feel ,to whom much is given, much is expected.  Link

Beginners Photography Classes

Classes are designed to provide beginner photographers with an understanding of basic photographic concepts and improve their picture taking skills.  Total cost for the classes will be $25 ($20 if you pre-register) or $5 per class.  Proceeds benefit future Photo Club field trips that you are welcome to attend. Classes will be taught by Joe Gilroy who is a trained photographer and has previously taught photo classes.  Joe is current president of the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges Photo Club.  For more information, please call Kristie at Events

Americans have no idea what it’s like to walk down a dark street without fear. As a matter of fact in America, the only people walking down a dark street are looking to harm you. So tell me again what is so bad about Cuba that we want to make it like us–a country riddled with crime and corrupt politicians? Americans are so brainwashed to what a great country we are that we accept all the crime and corruption. That is not the case in Cuba.  Cubans love their country as much as we do ours. Don’t doubt that for a minute!

to 9:30 P.M. Students, ages 14-18 years old may apply. Graduating students will receive the Florida Boating Safety Education I.D. Card, Coast Guard Auxiliary Diploma and I.D. Card.  Florida law requires that persons born on or after January 1, 1988, complete an approved boater education course prior to operating a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or more. For more information go to our website for our online Scholarship application and select Boating Safety Scholarship Link

The excellent rhythm section will consist of Chris Burchard, guitar; Bubba Barton, bass; and Skipper Kripitz, drums. “Four trombones are a lot of weight to have to drive,” Schroeder says; “it can be like pushing a large rock up a steep hill– but they do it well, and are excellent soloists into the bargain.”

The program will consist of arrangements written by Schroeder for this group. The tunes are mostly familiar jazz standards from all periods of the music; the charts are written with the individual sounds of the players in mind. “There’s a great advantage to writing for people you know, whose playing you’re familiar with,” Schroeder says. “That way you can write to their strengths.”

This concert is now in its tenth consecutive year. It has become an island tradition, as its name indicates—earlier suggestions for the group’s title were “The Funny Bones,” “The Hip Bones,” and, most recently, “The Southernmost Sackbuts,” but civic responsibility prevailed. Audiences in the past have been enthusiastic at the large warm sound and driving energy which the group generates, and many members come to this concert faithfully every year. Randy Becker’s church, intimate and with good acoustics, is its ideal venue. Admission, at the door, will be $20, with students in free. Events

Hunter had decided to videotape the Christmas tree burning, and we later heard on the replay the terrified voices of Deborah Fuller, his longtime secretary-baby sitter, and me off-camera pleading with him, “No, Hunter, no! please, Hunter, don’t do it!” The original manuscript of Hell’s Angels was on the table, and there were the bullets. Nothing doing. Thompson was a man possessed by now, full of the Chivas Regal he had been slurping straight from the bottle and the gin he had been mixing with pink lemonade for hours. But then the whole evening had been like this. It began in late daylight, when Hunter shot his beloved tracer pistol into the air and then started training it at passing cars. One tracer hit a tree and boomeranged back at us. Everyone thought that was really neat. Video

[Captain Doom and Gloom

“Drones” A good high power sling shot with marbles can take care of a drone.

“Laptops” Do a search with the quotes “never move a laptop” and read the truth about why some hospitals and businesses are getting bad data input to their master computers that could effect your life and money! Tablet computers are fine because they have solid state memory, not mechanical hard drive storage, but they are a royal pain to type data entries into. What was your Blood Type Sir? Oops!

Remember the words you typed out said “He does not respect them”.

I think you’re full of it and heres some words the President really has said.

“I unconditionally condemn today’s murder of two police officers in New York City,” Obama said in a statement. “Two brave men won’t be going home to their loved ones tonight, and for that, there is no justification. The officers who serve and protect our communities risk their own safety for ours every single day – and they deserve our respect and gratitude every single day.”

Obama continued: “Tonight, I ask people to reject violence and words that harm, and turn to words that heal – prayer, patient dialogue, and sympathy for the friends and family of the fallen.”

That is a far, far cry from what you claimed.

FTR you are straying away from reality with your hatred. It blinds you

The piece is horribly misleading. The Cuban people live in harsh repression and grinding poverty that would make life in an American ghetto seem nearly idyllic.

Our daughter, son in law and their two adult children visited us for a few days. Their visit was the highlight of this Christmas season. Our son in law’s Mom fled Cuba in ’63 with him when he was two years old. They were only able to leave was because they had won an emigration lottery. His father did not win the lottery. He was forced to remain in Cuba. He finally was able to leave Cuba many years later. They fled Cuba so as to be able to raise their children in freedom. Our son in law worked hard, studied hard, and became a naturalized American citizen at 18. He is now proud to be in the Navy, he is a Master Chief in the Sea Bees.

His father was jailed by the Castro regime for speaking out against Castro, and he was denied permission to leave until ’76 after he was released from prison. They have worked hard, were frugal, and have realized the American dream. She worked cleaning houses, and he operated a dump truck transporting fill. They still work, and currently own a number of high end residential rental properties. Their stories are not unique amongst those who have fled the Castro tyranny.

His Mom has made many trips to Cuba to visit family in Pinar Del Rio. She reports that the repression and hardships endured by today’s Cubans is virtually unchanged since the ‘60’s, if anything conditions have gotten worse.

Our son in law told us of the “Chivatos.” The word means “tattle tales or informers.” They are the members of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution. They are persons in neighborhoods who inform the government of any expressions of discontent or other perceived misdeeds committed by their friends and neighbors. Chivatos are rewarded with extra ration coupons for being government informers. They live better than their neighbors.

The Citizen article did not tell you of the fact that food and other commodities are harshly rationed in Cuba. The system is called “Libreta de Abastecimiento”   The ration books are issued monthly, but contain permission to purchase enough nourishment for only about a week. When the ration coupons are gone, then the average Cuban must “hustle up” food, etc. from the black market for the balance of the month.

Raul Castro apparently believes that the average Cuban is coddled. He is implementing an “updating of Socialism.” He intends to put an end to what he sees as the “excesses of the welfare state.” In 2009 potatoes were removed from ration books, peas have been removed, now tobacco is being removed.

The rationing system has been in place since ’62. It gives Cubans the right to buy gains, sugar, chicken, fish, eggs, rice and coffee, bread, cooking oil, and nearly all other necessities at state decreed prices. If you can think of a necessity, it is rationed in Cuba. It rations everything from light bulbs to women’s sanitary products. The prices are set according to a convoluted system of regulations that factor in conditions such as the ration card holders age and place of residence. When their ration cards are exhausted, they must turn to the black market to exist. That is fraught with danger, those who transport or sell the meat from an illegally slaughtered cow can get three to eight years. Providing beef at an unauthorized restaurant or workplace can fetch two to five years. And buying contraband beef is punishable by three months to one year in jail.

Cubans dread the possibility that the government might decide to remove things that are truly indispensable from the quota system, like bread, eggs and grains. They dread the possibility that Raoul will consider bread and milk as being “excesses.” Link

Many who are enchanted with notion of being a tourist in Cuba argue that the money spent by tourists will ease the plight of Cubans. It will not.

Nearly universally the resorts and hotels are owned by the government. It is true that there are a few B&B’s that are privately owned and operated, but the operators of those few establishments are actually likely linked to the government because in order to operate the government must turn a blind eye. Few Americans realize the employees of the resorts and hotels are paid in Cuban pesos.

Cubans working for firms with foreign capital on the island are being singled out to receive punishing taxes. A few days ago a new resolution was published in the official Gazette that fixes their salaries at only 8% of what the joint venture or foreign companies must pay the government in hard currency for their services.   That is Castro’s government announcement that Cubans who work for foreign companies will be permitted to keep only 8% of their salaries. Link

If there is an influx of American capital, it will only strengthen Castro’s stranglehold on the Cuban people. If free trade comes to pass it will be a life saver for the Castro regime. That because the Soviets and Venezuela are now faced with fiscal calamity and are now incapable of keeping the Castro regime afloat.

The ineptitude and abject failure of the Communist form of government is on full display in Cuba. Cuba is a nation that is rich in natural resources, it has vast fertile farm lands, yet it must import more than 80% of its food. Cuba is one of the world’s largest producers of nickel and cobalt. It has large deposits of iron ore and copper. It has exploitable amounts of petroleum.

When my son in law’s mother learned of Obama’s plan to normalize relations with Cuba, she wept. His father fumed. My son in law yearns to visit his homeland, but refuses to as long as it is under Communist control.

On the American left, much is being made of Obama’s putative opening of relations with Cuba.  A few prisoners were exchanged, but the thousands of political prisoners in Castro’s prisons continue to languish. Cuba still harbors murderous terrorists who have killed Americans. Cuba still harbors wanted American fugitives.

Obama said his unilateral changes in the American Cuban relationship should encourage reform in Cuba’s one-party system and centrally planned economy.

But Obama’s feckless changes can’t work because Raul Castro holds the US and Obama in disdain.

Mr. Castro rejected the idea that a change in relations will change his governance. In his address to the twice-annual meeting of the National Assembly, he said “we must not expect that in order for relations with the United States to improve, Cuba will abandon the ideas that it has struggled for.” Link

Obama brays while the Cubans weep