This logo is as phony as the Group, "Floridians for Smarter Growth." They make me want to puke. They have the gall to put the majestic Florida panther in the letter S. The panther's habitat is threatened everywhere by over-development. In the letter M they show a beach. In the R are women water skiing - you have to hope the water isn't polluted by runoff. The T contains a flamingo and the E an orange grove. Farms are the most endangered lands by development. Finally in the R is a sailfish. I hope it is not one of the male fish feminized by endocrine disruptors in the water from pollution to our lakes, estuaries and rivers. What their logo doesn't depict is who really supports them; industry, developers and the chamber folks. The logo doesn't show one building or sub-division. Instead they choose to celebrate nature, the very thing that they fight against in places like along the urban development boundary.
It is perversely comical that they turn to nature for their logo, showing only things that are hurt by developers gone wild. And make no mistake, "Floridians for Smarter Growth" is a development funded group that just isn't satisfied with the latitude afforded them in the growth management plans. They greedily want it all, more than their fair share of growth which is already allowed in the plans. That is what the fight against Amendment 4 is all about: GREED. And who are they most afraid will hurt their profit margin? YOU! That's right. all Amendment 4 does, is give you a vote on some of the development in your neighborhood. Pretty scary, huh? Why are they spending all that money on pretty out-of-character logos, why all the organizing, why are $500 an hour lobbyist/lawyers going out to speak for free? All this, is just so that you don't get to vote. And, how stupid are you, if you don't see what is really going on.
Who is fighting Amendment 4 along with "Floridians for Smarter Growth":
Plenty of Government Bodies
Collier Building Industry Association
Clay County Chamber of Commerce
Latin Builders Association
American Specialty Contractors of Florida
American Subcontractors of Florida
Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce
Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida
Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated Builders and Contractors, Gulf Coast Chapter
Associated Builders and Contractors, North Florida Chapter
Associated General Contractors of America, Florida East Coast Chapter
Associated General Contractors of Greater Florida
Association of Florida Community Developers
Bay County Chamber of Commerce
Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce
Broward League of Cities
Manatee Association of Realtors
Manatee Chamber of Commerce
Manufacturers Association of Florida Naples Area Board of Realtors
Nassau Builders Council
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties
Realtor Association of Franklin and Gulf Counties
Realtor Association of Greater Ft. Lauderdale
Realtor Association of Greater Ft. Myers and the Beach
Realtor Association of the Palm Beaches
Realtor Association of Miami-Dade County
Realtors Association of Indian River County
Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties
Realtors Association of St. Lucie
Realtors Commercial Alliance
Sarasota Association of Realtors
Sarasota Building Industry Association
Tri-County League of Cities
Underground Utility Contractors of Florida
United Pool & Spa Association
Utility Contractors Association of North Florida
Venice Area Board of Realtors
Volusia County Home Builders Association
Volusia County League of Cities
West Orange Chamber of Commerce
West Orange Political Alliance
West Pasco Chamber of Commerce
Winter Park Chamber of Commerce
....to name a few.
25 comments:
My design. Glad you hate it - proof my work is effective.
But, judging from your blog, you aren't exactly a graphic designer.
You really are a single octave soloist.
Michael Caputo
Thank you very much for this article and your opinions on their logo images being contrary to what they really represent. I hope that enough attention is given to this issue before the election so that voters know who is behind the opposition.
Where does it say I don't like the design? It doesn't say that in my post. Read again Caputo. My problem is with the theme of the interior space of the letters. That is not design.
They make it sound like the economy will ground to a halt in fla if amendment four passes. What they want you to forget is that every government has approved their respective plans and within them is built at least a ten year supply of growth in all areas (residential, commercial, office).
Go to the website and watch their little slide show on "Florida's unique quality of life." It's all golf courses and cityscapes. Nary an orange tree nor a glimpse of any native wildlife to be seen.
Up is still Up.
The graphic is typical for the Age of Re-creation, nostalgic but lacking originality. Worse yet it is loaded with Orellian double-pic.
"Floridians" most are transplants.
"Smarter" is like dumb but dumber.
"Growth" just sounds malignant.
Keep up the push-back.
We know each other well enough now that I think you can call me Michael. May I call you Genius?
Anyway, the Amendment 4 battle will rage on. I always relish fighting formidable opponents - including the folks behind this blog.
Frankly, I visit your blog often. Good writing, interesting topics, and - except for Amendment 4 - your posts are pretty spot-on.
Well Michael, maybe if we could afford to have you do a logo for Florida Hometown Democracy, you wouldn't mind the posts on Amendment 4 so much.
Too bad our pockets aren't as deep as the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Home Builders Association.
Pockets aren't deep? Didn't Blackner sponsor most of the Amdt 4 effort on her own?
Reminds me of Homestead. For years they have used pastoral pictures of farmland in their ads/web site. All this while they killed viable agriculture in their city. Redland has agriculture, not Homestead!
Oh, come on.
You can't really believe that Lesley's, or any one individual (other than Bill Gates) has deeper pockets than the collective of developers in this state as well as:
Alarm Association of Florida
Amelia Island-Fernandina Beach-Yulee Chamber of Commerce
Amelia Island-Nassau County Association of Realtors
American Institute of Architects - Florida
American Institute of Architects - Orlando
American Specialty Contractors of Florida
American Subcontractors of Florida
Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce
Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida
Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated Builders and Contractors, Gulf Coast Chapter
Associated Builders and Contractors, North Florida Chapter
Associated General Contractors of America, Florida East Coast Chapter
Associated General Contractors of Greater Florida
Association of Florida Community Developers
Bay County Chamber of Commerce
Belle Glade Chamber of Commerce
Broward League of Cities
Broward Workshop
Building Owners and Managers Association of Florida
Business Development Board of Palm Beach County, Inc.
Business Forum of Palm Beach County
Central Florida Commercial Association of Realtors
Central Florida Partnership
Chamber Alliance of Lake County
Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral
Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches
Charlotte-DeSoto Building Industry Association
City of Altamonte Springs
City of Bonita Springs
City of Casselberry
City of Coral Springs
City of Fort Myers
City of Hallandale Beach
City of Indian River Shores
City of Jacksonville
City of Kissimmee
City of Lauderhill
City of Lauderdale Lakes
City of Longwood
City of North Lauderdale
City of Palm Coast
City of Palm Shores
City of Palmetto
City of Pembroke Pines
City of Pensacola
City of South Daytona
City of South Pasadena
City of Tamarac
City of Weston
City of Wilton Manors
City of Winter Garden
City of Winter Springs
Clay County Chamber of Commerce
Collier Building Industry Association
Community and Economic Development Council of South Florida
Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce
Cornerstone Regional Business Council
Daytona-Halifax Area Chamber of Commerce
Destin Chamber of Commerce
continued...
East Pasco Association of Realtors
East Polk Committee of 100
East Polk County Realtors Association
Eastern Collier Chamber of Commerce
Economic Council of Martin County
Economic Council of Palm Beach
Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County
Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
Flagler County Association of Realtors
Florida Air Conditioning Contractors Association
Florida Apartment Association
Florida Association of District School Superintendents
Florida Association of Electrical Contractors
Florida Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors
Florida Association of Realtors
Florida Association of School Boards
Florida Automobile Dealers Association
Florida Bankers Association
Florida Building & Construction Trades Council
Florida Building Materials Association
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association
Florida Coalition for Property Rights
Florida Economic Development Council
Florida Engineering Society
Florida Farm Bureau Federation
Florida Fire Sprinkler Association
Florida Forestry Association
Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
Florida's Great Northwest
Florida Gulfcoast Commercial Association of Realtors
Florida Health Care Association
Florida Home Builders Association
Florida Institute of Consulting Engineers
Florida Land Council
Florida Land Title Association
Florida League of Cities
Florida Limerock & Aggregate Institute
Florida Manufactured Housing Association
Florida Mineral and Chemistry Council
Florida Nursery Growers & Landscape Association
Florida Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Contractors Association (RACCA)
Florida Retail Federation
Florida Roof Deck Association
Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors Association
Florida Solar Enegery Industry Association
Florida State Council of Machinists & Aerospace Workers
Florida Surety Association
Florida Surveying and Mapping Society
Florida Swimming Pool Association
Florida Transportation Builders Association
Florida Turfgrass Association
Florida United Business Association
Florida Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association
Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
Gold Coast Builders Association
Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce
Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce
Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce
Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce
Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Greater Nassau Chamber of Commerce
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce
Haines City Chamber of Commerce
Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County
Independent Electrical Contractors Association
Indiantown-Western Martin County Chamber of Commerce
International Council of Shopping Centers
International Hurricane Protection Association
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce
Key West Association of Realtors
Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce
Lakeland Association of Realtors
Largo/Mid-Pinellas Chamber of Commerce
Latin Builders Association
Manatee Association of Realtors
Manatee Chamber of Commerce
Manufacturers Association of Florida
Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County
Marion County Building Industry Association
Melbourne-Palm Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
Mortgage Bankers Association of Tallahassee
Naples Area Board of Realtors
Nassau Builders Council
Nassau County Board of County Commissioners
Nassau County Economic Development Board
National Association of Credit Management (NACM)- ICPC
National Association of Credit Management (NACM) of Tampa
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties(NAIOP) of Florida
National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB)
New Smyrna Beach Board of Realotrs
North Florida Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors
Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce
Northeast Florida Association of Realtors
Northeast Florida Builders Association
Northeast Florida Business Association
North Florida Transportation Planning Organization
Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce
Oviedo-Winter Springs Regional Chamber of Commerce
Palm Beach Board of Realtors
Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce
Panama City Beach Chamber of Commerce
Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
Polk County Builders Association
Polk County Farm Bureau
Punta Gorda Chamber of Commerce
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce
Realtor Association of Franklin and Gulf Counties
Realtor Association of Greater Ft. Lauderdale
Realtor Association of Greater Ft. Myers and the Beach
Realtor Association of the Palm Beaches
Realtor Association of Miami-Dade County
Realtors Association of Indian River County
Realtors Association of Lake and Sumter Counties
Realtors Association of St. Lucie
Realtors Commercial Alliance
Sarasota Association of Realtors
Sarasota Building Industry Association
Seminole County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Seminole County Board of County Commissioners
Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce
South Florida Chapter Associated General Contractors of America
South Florida Regional Business Alliance
Southeast Glass Association
Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce
St. Lucie Chamber of Commerce
St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce
Sumter County Chamber of Commerce
Tallahassee Board of Realtors
Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce
Tallahassee Downtown Merchants and Business Association
Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce
Tampa Bay Partnership
Town of Callahan
Town of Lake Park
Town of Southwest Ranches
Tri-County League of Cities
Underground Utility Contractors of Florida
United Pool & Spa Association
Utility Contractors Association of North Florida
Venice Area Board of Realtors
Volusia County Home Builders Association
Volusia County League of Cities
West Orange Chamber of Commerce
West Orange Political Alliance
West Pasco Chamber of Commerce
Winter Park Chamber of Commerce
Mr. Caputo--Why don't you get a job that Floridans would be proud of? FHD has been funded by the grassroots not big huge special interest $$$$ by companies wanting to destroy Florida even further.
Look what you guys have done to our State animal, the Florida panther. Look what you have done to the Gopher tortoise. Does your Mother even love you?
Dr. Steve Rosen is a huge supporter of FHD. Don't get wrapped up in the lies and distortions that your group is so well known for.
Oh, Caputo, that was not a wise thing to be so arrogant about. Even the powers to be in Washington don't piss into the wind. Bigger men with larger egos have fallen harder than you.
I don't know there, Michael. I'd hardly say that criticism of the content of your work equates to proof that it works. That's quite a long leap to make.
As for your graphic design skills, I'm afraid they leave more than a little something to be desired.
The kitsch-y look to the "Smarter" lettering isn't so bad, but the drop shadows, particularly that last "R" are just awful. Sure, they don't really need to be nice clean projections, but they should at least be parallel to the letter. Unlike that last "R", which, in addition, also looks thoroughly unhappy to have any part of this deceptive piece of work. The way it's leaning off the page as if it just wants to GET AWAY. Ugh.
And the "Growth". What is that supposed to be? Bamboo or neon, or what? I just can't tell.
I would give you some pointers for how to avoid these problems in the future, but, since I absolutely detest your willingness to produce blatantly dishonest work such as this, I think I'll pass.
So many organizations want toe destroy Florida for their own selfishness without realizing they are cutting off their noses to spite their face. With a paved over Florida there will be no reason to come here.+
Sheesh, who said pythons weren't native to Florida? You guys need to lighten up and stop getting personal. Do you have such trouble communicating that you can't help but get flat out nasty? There is no call for it.
No wait - it's the mean-spirited nature of zero-growthers that turns off the electorate like a lamp. So, do keep it up.
Still, the Cuban-American artist behind the FSG logo was painting an homage to Carl Teich. Between 1933 and 1958, Teich's firm became world famous for linen-finish postcards spelling out the name of famous placse in large, three dimensional letters. Each letter was, in turn the frame for smaller artwork illustrating some facet of the subject. They always contained the phrase "Greetings From..."
Some of you might remember Bruce Springsteen issued an LP "Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J." done in the Teich style.
All of Teich's work is collectible. The most popular of the postcards were about Florida cities.
I'm sure the award winning, profoundly successful artist who donated the logo to us is far above the sophomoric criticism leveled here. But I get it: it was intended to hurt my feelings. You failed.
Is the logo too far "out there" for you? You can blame me; I'll wear it as a badge of honor. But keep my sainted mother out of it - capice?
@Anon: If you knew me at all, you'd smile at the irony of your own comment. I fell far and hard long ago. Natch - why else would I even be here, commenting?
Caputo - at least you make me laugh...
And Jill are you planning on posting the telephone book too?
white pages, yellow pages or both?
Am I taking up too much bandwith?
The more "big money" and the more "Latin Builders" lie about Amendment 4 the more I know Amendment 4 MUST pass.
Enough with the "Latin Builders" and the Chamber of Commerce desires to pave the Everglades and demolish every structure over 20 years old. They need to study and practice adaptive re-use. They need to finish infill development before building one more tract home on a marsh.
Florida needs to pass Amendment 4.
Micheal -
First of all, and in defense of this blog, I don't believe it was ever designed to be artistically inspiring. It exists as a forum where we learn about various topics of interest, share our opinions, and sometimes release some frustration.
I'm voting YES for Amendment 4. Regardless of how you feel about this issue, Amendment 4 has already accomplished something very important; it is allowing us to be heard all over Florida. It is letting our elected officials, the developers and their lawyer friends know that we are upset at what they have done in our cities and throughout the state of Florida.
I wish Amendment 4 were more aggressive - that it would allow the citizens to vote on land use and zoning changes in their neighborhoods, which is really something that has done a lot of harm in Hialeah for many years. There is little hope in correcting this mess because our local government does not change...yet. Perhaps, the real estate downfall has spared us from a lot of harmful development.
We are the tax payers, the people who live in these communities, and we need to be heard - and we must be respected. For me, this is really what Amendment 4 is about - someone like you respecting people like me.
Post a Comment