Dwight, the jump ropes were in a photo posted by Bruce. The jump ropes are just one of the "cries for help" in the photo that gives a schematic of his aeration idea.
Actually, I don't know in which thread he originally posted that picture.
Excerpt from Robert Crais' "The Monkey's Raincoat:" "She took another microscopic bite of her sandwich, then pushed it away. Maybe she absorbed nutrients from her surroundings."