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COCONUT CAPITALISM – Isidro Carrazana is an 80 year old man who works 7 days a week cutting down coconuts from people’s properties with a 30 foot pole around the Miami area.
For the record, yes he does ask for permission first from the homeowner.
He is from Cuba and moved to South Florida 27 years ago.
He lives near North Shore Hospital and sells his coconuts to various vendors around town.
He told us that he makes $50 to $75 a day.
The work certainly hasn’t made him rich, but it has allowed him to pursue the American dream.
——Here’s Something Completely Different: ——
The TV Weatherman Who Is Trying To Save Miami From Drowning
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The First Rule of Parliament Fight Club
The first rule of Parliament Fight Club is that you don’t talk about Parliament Fight Club.
There are parliaments all over the world and whilst they might be different in structure, language or composition it seems as though they are all bat-shit crazy.
Remember, parliament is where the ruling party or governing coalition meets with the opposition in order to discuss and draft laws as well as oversee the executive (government).
The presence of a functioning parliament is also a vital sign of a healthy and participating electorate, even North Korea held its first Congress in 36 years three weeks ago.
So if parliament is where citizens are represented by elected officials in order to make laws and ensure that government is not overstepping its boundaries, then why are the people there acting like toddlers?
In Turkey, Members of Parliament who belong to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) clashed over a proposed bill that would strip MPs of their immunity from prosecution. It was a literal clash:
The bill has now been passed by 376 deputies in the 550-seat assembly in Ankara.
It came after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accused the HDP of being an instrument of outlawed Kurdish militants.
The bill thus clears the way for the prosecution of HDP pro-Kurdish MPs on terrorism related charges. It seems then that tensions boiled over and the fight itself was just two sides tired of doing what politicians do; talking.
Meanwhile in Kosovo, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa had to have his bodyguards swoop in with an umbrella, like a really strong Mary Poppins to protect him from a torrent of eggs.
He had just begun his speech when the torrent of eggs came pouring down from the opposition, who were protesting an EU deal that would give more legislative and financial rights to the Serb minority in the majority Albanian country.
The United Kingdom’s House of Commons resembles a high school classroom where the loudest one gets the most attention.
An MP in an arm-brace even, was not enough to quiet the House and show some courtesy to their fellow law-makers.
Another MP decided to treat the House like children and take their shiny toys away.
Even the Prime Minister gets into the banter from time to time.
Considering how important the job parliament is doing, precious time is being wasted when parliament is not working efficiently.
In the United States, The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was opposed by pro-segregation Democrat senator Strom Thurmond who conducted the longest filibuster ever.
The Senator spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes to try and stall the bill, although it was unsuccessful.
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It was reported that Thurmond recited the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and his grandmother’s biscuit recipe.
Thus politicians wasting time in parliament is not a new thing.
However as more parliaments and congresses across the world become televised for the public, we are starting to see it for ourselves.
I am not sure anybody likes what they see.
Most of the fights in Parliaments across the world end up just being fisticuffs and throwing water bottles.
However there have been serious incidents which resulted in injuries to really old men who should only close a fist when they’re sneaking butterscotch hard candies.
There was even a Jordanian MP who fired an AK-47 in the hallway of Parliament.
These are the things that happen when politicians are left to their own devices and those devices are the same ones we trust to create and debate serious laws.
Should we really trust politicians or should we feed them a bottle and send them to bed.
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Cover Photo Credit: Özgür Gün TV /Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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Miami’s Croquette Eating Contest Is One Of The City’s Strangest New Traditions
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Could Nick Saban Really Leave Alabama For The Indianapolis Colts?
This story was published on Nov. 13, 2015.
There are few constants in sports. The dominance of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The annual collapse of Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys. The solid play of Tim Duncan. The low payroll of the Miami Marlins. The weird fetish that Nick Saban is destined to ditch Alabama for another NFL job.
Yep the rumors have returned after Pro Football Talk relayed a conversation had on Mad Dog Talk Radio that claimed that Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay may try to lure Saban away from the Crimson Tide.
Saban is without a doubt, the greatest coach in the college ranks right now (although Urban Meyer is not far behind) and is seemingly the desire of most NFL owners.
Bob Kravitz, a highly respected Indianapolis journalist said that he has heard that Irsay wants to make a big change at the head coaching position.
“Jim Irsay does not believe that Chuck Pagano is the guy who can take him to where he wants to go,” Kravitz said in the interview with Mad Dog Radio. “He’s talking about not just one Super Bowl, but multiple Super Bowls in the Andrew Luck era.”
Kravitz also said that Irsay would be willing to fire the Colts General Manager Ryan Grigson in order to offer Saban a high level of ultimate power over the team’s on the field product.
“Jim Irsay is going to make the next coaching hire,” Kravitz said in the radio interview. “If he brings in a guy who demands full power like say, a Nick Saban, who I think he’s going to go after, if he brings in a Nick Saban, he’s going to have full power and that means that Ryan Grigson will either be kicked to the curb or he’ll have a different role in the organization.”
Saban was an NFL head coach for two season with the Miami Dolphins where he posted a disappointing 15-17 record. His tenure was marked by a decision to take Daunte Culpepper over Drew Brees, a decision that has had great impact on the NFL landscape.
Saban has been with Alabama since 2007 where he has won three national titles in six seasons and posted a 99-18 record.
Saban was also rumored to be considering going to coach the Texas Longhorns two seasons ago. He didn’t go even after seriously considering it– in part because the Alabama boosters helped make Saban the highest paid coach in all of college football. He now makes nearly $2 million more than the average NFL coach.
Alabama is currently ranked #2 in the college football playoff rankings and has control over their destiny to play in the SEC championship game. The Colts are 4-5 at the halfway point of the season.
For Saban at age 64, the real question is whether he wants to start over again especially at the pro level.
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Cover Photo Credit: Matthew Tosh/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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