Friday Open Thread ~ "What are you listening to?" edition ~ American Coyote
… what it’s like to be America’s wildest coyote.
Coyotes are “people smugglers” who help immigrants like these cross the border from Mexico to the United States. (These immigrants are crossing the Rio Grande beneath the International Bridge, leaving Matamoros, Mexico, and entering Brownsville, Texas.)
Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic
Journalism Becomes Art
Brigham Young meets Breaking Bad
Between 1987 and 2001, one American crossed over 1000 migrants from Mexico into the United States, using a variety of wild, comical and harrowing schemes to outwit authorities on both sides of the border. This is the story of a legendary man and unlikely hero, Elden Kidd, who supported his family of five as a Coyoté and gave countless others a chance at a better life.
This is the story of Elden Kidd, a legendary coyote and unlikely hero, who helped over 1000 migrants come to the United States from Mexico.
The origin story of Elden Kidd details his sun-soaked Mormon upbringing, early trauma and injustice, and a harrowing mission to Northern Ireland at the height of "The Troubles". During this time, Elden's views on society are forged and he emerges a freethinker determined to follow his own path. One night, while guiding rafting tours in Mexico, Elden discovers two young stowaways in the back of his tour van and his life is forever changed.
Elden tries to balance family life with his new career path— working as a people smuggler. Evading authorities and other smugglers is hard work, and things start off rocky, but he finds his footing, recruits some help from an old friend, and sees an opportunity to make a living in the illicit trade.
Tim finds himself in trouble with Mexican authorities and goes into hiding, forcing Elden to continue operations on his own. His creativity leads to some hilarious and harrowing crossings, and he completes his transformation into a true coyoté: capable, respected and not to be trifled with.
As immigration and border enforcement move into the national spotlight, Elden discovers his old routes won't work anymore, so he has to find new, more dangerous paths to continue his people smuggling operation— eventually finding himself in an unpredictable situation that will begin the darkest chapters of his life.
Elden's story takes a dark turn as he finds himself incarcerated in one of Mexico's most dangerous and corrupt maximum security prisons. There, he struggles with being separated from his family, faces danger at every turn, and realizes that survival is his only option.
As Elden's freedom remains elusive, his situation only grows more dire. The prison's director decides to make the large, lone gringo into entertainment, forcing him to fight bi-weekly in boxing matches for the rest of the prison population. However, a local visitor soon comes to Elden's aide, allowing him a new opportunity at freedom.
Now back home with his family, Elden tries to return to work -- specifically legal work. But he knows where his true skills are and the call of the Coyote lifestyle ultimately proves too strong.
The border Elden returns to as a Coyote is now more dangerous than ever before, yet he is also more skilled and daring. As smuggling operations pick back up, Elden brings an old, familiar face back into the fold as his reliable partner.
Elden and Tim have their operations down to a science -- but the law will ultimately catch up with them. However, as he stares down the barrel of a long prison sentence, Elden will cut a deal with the Feds and begin working undercover for them.
End of the Line | Chapter 9
Now a DHS informant, Elden will continue his operations while also busting corrupt border agents to fulfill his deal with the government. Today, we will join Elden along the border and see his new life, while exploring his impact on the border and the ongoing immigration issues in our country today.
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
The Legend of Elden Kidd, America’s Most Dedicated, Most Creative People Smuggler
These days, Elden is still an impressively large man, thick-necked and bear-pawed. I first met him in a pancake house in Riverside, California. He had his second wife and her two kids with him, his pride and joy. He didn't walk so much as surge and shamble. Even though he's 62, it's not hard to imagine that he'd once shepherded scores of people across the border, becoming a legend in a time and place now long gone. He'd created dozens of routes and perfected an endless array of ploys, cover stories, costumes, and props—all products of a profoundly devious and clever mind.
A lot has changed since Elden prowled the border—though, to listen to Donald Trump, you'd never know it. A cornerstone of his campaign for the presidency is to build a wall to save America, and so, naturally, he doesn't mention that much of it—some 700 once porous miles—is already sealed off. Nor does he mention that more Mexicans leave the U.S. today than enter it. Today, the wild and untamed border—an unruly netherworld where hordes of Mexicans pour into our country—exists mostly in Trump's mind.
A decade in the life of our country’s wiliest coyote.
BY KATHY DOBIE
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF RIEDEL
Comments
I like this Ian Tyson Coyote song
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JjTGSipQTA]
Used to play it. Need to relearn it.
We have coyotes...moved in a couple of decades ago.
Have a good one!
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
No regrets Coyote
Thanks for the story philly.
Sounds interesting.
question everything
It's an Open Thread - so I say it -
urgend question to snoopy and Sam. Do you have an image of Mr. Hanky Santa Poo
Sam is my hero for doing it.
https://www.euronews.com/live
No kind words for coyotes today
I find the subject of this essay to be exploitative and offensive, same as politicians. It is trying to paint a rosy picture on the face of a devil, if you ask me. I am fine with others enjoying this guys life work story, on the surface it just kicks my guts. I can't get past the summaries, so not getting to the place this is supposed to put me I guess. Stories of a happy trafficker? Yeah, no.
Really can't venerate via fame and fortune that certain kind of Stasi because it has an emotional story attached. No I can't. A macho hero guy who
survivesis bribed, extorted to narc out the Department of Homeland Security cops at the end? Where's my humanity? What a shit world they make, I won't buy it, can't afford it. I don't understand what is so entertaining about it, it makes me mad. That guy should be going broke and somewhat shunned in my utopia, not making popular profits with apple podcasts. Who employed what he produced, which companies? Please do tell.Down here I was listening to my United States Senators totally not giving a shit about the massacre in El Centro yesterday. Say it out loud how heartbroken are you?
Not and accident, a LIHOP. Let it happen on purpose. Who was the employer? Who was the banker? Who was the landlord? Wages? Benefits? Insurance? Housing? Who were the employers? I think there was more than one, I'd like to punch up real high right now, not send heartbroken prayers and GoFraudMe links. Punch right up to their ugly legal donor faces, now where are my earbuds. FUCK
Pull the trigger. Have a nice day.
edit: damned apostrophe and grammar
Thanks eyo. be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
PU now I stink
thanks for wishing well, a good one I just had. I find wellness in the dirt patch so went down there and applied a neem oil treatment on a sunflower with the powdery mildew. omg sulfur and garlic, I want to puke. Or have a plate of spaghetti, I can't decide. LOL who uses it for skin treatment? The whole damn world that's who. It's a cosmetic and a floor wax! I already changed all my outer clothes I was wearing, and shut the front door. PU! cancel my harsh and keep buzzing, brothers and sisters. "take a whiff on me" mm neem oil. right on
C'mon stink!
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt-o2xlffWo width:420]
Loudon Wainwright III "Dead Skunk"
Peace and Love
all over the road
Buenos dias, Phily. A chacun son gout as they say. I tend
to find myself sympathizing with eyo, and also off on a different track entirely.
Perhaps being a Californian taints one, also growing up down along the border. What is this thing, this border? Why do we even have nations? We don't respect them, not the modern ones we dislike, nor the old ones. Our "border" runs right through a reservation, bifurcating the turf of another nation entirely, embedded within our own, and far, far older. The Tohono O'odham Nation, "The Desert People", live in the Sonoran Desert, on both sides of the border. In Africa, the Maasai people wander freely, without passports or identity cards, between Tanzania and Kenya. Of course, Africa is much more civilized than we are, as well as far older and not saddled with that intense us-v-them, me, me, me, mine, mine culture we have here.
AltaCalifornia full of missions and San this and Santa that really shouldn't have a border with Baja California or Mexico proper, or at least not a hard one.I grew up loving the sound of coyotes, the "song dog of the southwest" and will soon be spending a little time where I can be certain I will be hearing their nightly serenade. Wily indeed, and survivors, and likely to be found anywhere and everywhere. "The Trickster", quite playful at times, and also part of nature's clean up crew. There used to be some in Yosemite that I would swear were the same visit after visit, year after year, following the same routes and routines at the same times of day depending upon the season.
For a while I was lucky enough to volunteer in several capacities at a wildlife rehab center that also kept some non-releaseable animals on display for educational purposes, including coyotes. One of the many jobs was to see that they were entertained, supplied with treats, puzzles and toys so they wouldn't go insane. Always a pleasure to be around.
They too evade borders and go where we, the master race, feel that they should not be and don't belong. Beware, coyotes have been spotted in (xxx) and will eat your pet. Uh, isn't that on you for having a captive something bred especially for your entertainment as much as it is upon brother coyote, Canis latrans? Perhpas keep your pet close at hand and not out and about.
We interrupt this rendition of "This land is my land, this land is your land..." to ask are you really at home here? As much as he is?
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
As much as she is
She, bro, she. ::)
Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation
Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook
Thanks magi, to tell the truth I really don't know her
gender; one has to get much closer than I did with that one.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
Default for
Me for first 50 yrs was he. Next 50 is she - she said to herself on her 50th birthday. Just sayin. ymmv
Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation
Hot Air Website, Twitter, Facebook
OT: WARNING www.cdc.gov
You cannot access the Coronavirus self-test using a VPN.
I find it HIGHLY suspicious that you cannot take this test anonymously.
Because there is no login, non-technical people may think they are anonymous, but your modem's address and your computer/phone/tablet's unique machine address is visible and capable of being stored. Why is public information not available anonymously?
Again, for the non-technical, a VPN service substitutes their computer's IP address and MAC address for yours. There are services in the USA but I advise using a European service. They are less likely to be CIA tools.
I like using one for ordinary purposes just to avoid google tracking and sale of your address to spammers. Some banks won't let you log in anonymously. Surprisingly my brokerage does. Or maybe not so surprisingly.
But if you browse www.cdc.com openly, Uncle Fauci is watching YOU and he wants to know who is asking about CV symptoms.
Why was I there? Runny nose and sneezing, aching joints. The bad joints have been there for a year. It's old age, just getting worse. The sneezing and clear discharge? Probably seasonal mold allergies. With the huge snowfall , outside is very soggy now.
Watch out for Big Brother because he is watching YOU!
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Not to disagree about Big Brother watching, but
for grins I went to the site you linked to and it is a bunch of links,grouped into 5 or six headings, mostly ads, many of which are fee based and at least one of which alleged that it will result in accredatiion. That may be a partial explanation of why VPN access boounces. I saw no sign of any Coronavirus self-test, fwiw, nor anything that looked likely to be public information.
EDIT: I don't think that this is actually the CDC The link goes to WWW1.CDC.com I can't swear to anything but I think the CDC should be on WWW and should be a .gov
be well and have a good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
So I went to the real CDC site and looked for a self test,
found:
Coronavirus Self-Checker (text)
user md chat light icon (icon)
Coronavirus Self-Checker is a tool to help you make decisions on when to seek testing and appropriate medical care. (text)
Then it has a "get the tool" box, click it to go to: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/coronavirus-s...
has a button for self checker (says other sites can ember it) then a disclaimer:
Disclaimer has an "I agree" box and an "I don't agree box". I suspect that their inclusion, especially in anything running M$anything, would bounce any vpn or onion router, fwiw.
first question is "are you in the US or US territory right now?", might also kick out vpns
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I didn't post a link
I typed www.cdc.com and c99 made it a link.
"> Server not found
>
> Pale Moon can't find the server at www.cdc.gov.
"
EDIT:
Yes, what you described is what I found.
Update on nose: Took one shot each nostril of Zetonna (prescription drug prescribed by my allergist) Was doing okay until half an hour ago. It says once per day but I'm giving it another shot before going to bed. Not much sleep last night with my CPAP mask filling up with snot.
I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.
Good luck
Hopefully a restful night will knock it out for you. It’s always worrisome when you don’t feel well during an epidemic. I’d been sick off and on for 2 months and finally figured out why. Not Covid..
The most organized coyotes I read about were CA growers
To break farmworker unions they sent busses into Mexico to bring back undocumented workers to break the unions.
Ahh write
What big AG does to migrant workers is foul.
They play with congress to get cheap labor.
Punishment is the prevention of living wages.
30 days with a hoe. Just to pay the coyote.
what is in it for these smugglers?
question everything
I got the covid jab a couple of days ago and don't care for
what it entails.
First of all getting the shot, and the next one, I have no problem with that or being on a data base because some day I may lose my card and need evidence that I've had my shots in order to go into Canada.
I totally expect to that to be mandatory just like the requirement to have either an 'enhanced Driver's License' or passport.
If only it stopped there but registering required my Iphone number and I couldn't understand why, were they going to call me? What for? I just want the shots, not some relationship with the CDC and I can't see any reason I would need updates, nor do I want them to be inquiring about how I'm feeling daily.
Makes me feel they are in my pocket and daily life, which I don't like because that world is already overcrowded, so I typed in "stop" and I get an urgent sounding message warning I would be blocking any further contact from them, so I need to type "unstop". Not gonna happen.
Why this bothers me so much is because they are not the only ones with all the questions to be answered and the 'Health and Human Services' of this State is about the worst of them all.
It's not just a questionnaire with a few boxes to check that they file away, no they not only ask too many questions but you'll get a response letter itemizing their suggestions on basically what you need to do. What to eat, the daily exercise needed, a paragraph on the dangers of alcohol consumption, the list is long and this happens frequently.
So I started throwing their mail in the trash, and then I get an automated call asking for answers, so I'd hang up. The calls and mail didn't stop, so I decided to answer the questions the next time they called hoping that would be the end of it and because it was just recording my answers to each question.
So I answered the questions about my weight and occupation by telling them I weighed 275 pounds (I weigh 195) and I was a 'jockey' at the racetrack and the rest of my answers got no closer to the truth.
Sorry for the length of this rant, but those are just two of the many information gathering operations (Comcast is another) that seem to be coming from every direction and driving me nuts.
My friends now know that I don't say anything when I first answer my landline phone because if it's a person they'll say something but if it's not the phone stays silent unless I say anything and that starts the recorded call.
Information gathering overload.
Mix and match your vaccines.
Here's my view.
Always take the latest vaccines made outside the US. Look for vaccines without injections. Most vaccines made by private companies exist to asset-strip the world. They are all short acting. Look for oral vaccines or inhaled versions. Stockpile.
Get serious about preventing infections.
Wear real medical masks, not the fake ones sold in the US.
Stay away from other people.
Thanks but my daughter, her mom and my grandsons
all live in British Columbia and I live twenty miles from the Canadian border and have no doubt that very soon a record will have to be available to show I've had the covid vaccinations in order to cross the border.
Thanks for the very good suggestions, and if I could I would do any one of those suggestions. All good ideas and maybe someone else can make use of that information.
You can get your travel papers
...and still do all of those things. You have a decided advantage if you are crossing borders.
Buy this and use it every day:
http://sg.betadine.com/en/sg/cold-and-flu/betadine-cold-defence-nasal-spray
It is how scientists avoid Covid-19.
https://www.manufacturingchemist.com/news/article_page/Marinomed_shows_c...
https://industrytoday.com/marinomed-virus-blocker-in-the-fight-against-c...
Now you know in time to take advantage.
Because you’re being tracked after getting it
Lots of anti Covid articles here, but based in fact not just conspiracy, but I enjoy reading them.
https://www.thelastamericanvagabond.com/google-oracle-monitor-americans-...
Looking back at the start of the epidemic it was supposed to be years before a vaccine was ready, but they got it done by the end of the year. I read on HuffPost yesterday that vaccines covering mutations do not have to be tested before they can be given. And they are saying that one jab will do you.
Thanks for the link.
another Coyote
[video:https://youtu.be/J0U2KqVC1-0]
Was it heroic to smuggle Chinese into the U.S. during the years
of the Chinese Exclusion Acts? How about millions of them in total? Why or why not?
Heh.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I’m thankful for every person who helps immigrants
safely reach the shores because we are most probably responsible for people leaving theirs. Biden’s busy deporting people to Haiti even though we are trying keep their hideous leaders in power. Besides how is it different from congress voting to allow 300,000 people to come here and take American jobs? Harris sponsored the bill for it which both parties voted to pass. F them.
Great story, philly.
I want people to help immigrants
but have a problem with making a living from it. The money has to come from some of the most desperate people in this hemisphere. If this guy was true hero, he would be volunteering.
As for coyote's proper, they run in packs all around my property. On any given night, I might hear 3 different packs yip and wail at each other. Hell unleashes when they get excited about a baby burro on the ranch across the road from me. The hell is a jack. The jack always wins.
My own help is the ones who get arrested. Usually some driving charge. I make plea bargains that keep them out of the courtroom, for a concern they could be taken right then. My county has not entered into an agreement with ICE yet, but it is very tough to establish when they might have done so.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
It's pretty obvious, I know,
but I feel compelled to say how important the, er, moral character of the "Coyote" is. A good one is a benefactor, for a price. A bad one....well.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver