If you don't see video, hit here.
The vote was 7 in favor, 4 opposed (including Javier Souto and Pepe Diaz, didn't catch the other two no votes) to this no brainer resolution:
RESOLUTION URGING THE U.S. CONGRESS TO REINSTATE THE FEDERAL ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN; URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO IMPOSE A STATE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN; AND ALTERNATIVELY URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO LIFT THE PREEMPTION ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS’ REGULATING ASSAULT WEAPONS IN FLORIDA AND ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPOSE AN ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN
Barbara J. Jordan, Prime Sponsor Also Sally Heyman
Can anyone identify the other two NO voters for me? The other two NO votes were identified for me: Barreiro and Sosa. Surprisingly, it wasn't Natacha.
Monday, June 07, 2010
Haley Barbour takes one for the party: tells media to stop scaring tourists on Gulf Oil catastrophe ... by gimleteye
Wow. You go, Haley Barbour-- Guv'nah of Mississippi and former national GOP chairman during the Bush years. Yesterday, Haley complained that the media is creating the impression of devastation in the Gulf on account of the Gulf Oil Catastrophe. Now is Barbour taking his talking points from Mike Thomas, Orlando Sentinel columnist, or is it the other way around. Here's Thomas on May 6, 2010: "Naturally, as far as the media are concerned, this is the BIGGEST DARNED DISASTER IN THE HISTORY OF DISASTERS! The oil is going to destroy the Gulf of Mexico, wipe out 40 percent of the nation's fisheries and cripple Florida's tourism industry. Then it will head south and take out the Keys before heading north to Cocoa Beach." Here's Barbour, according to Huffington Post: "In an appearance on Fox News Sunday, the Mississippi Republican veered as close as any elected politician could to insisting that the biggest oil spill in the history of this country had been overblown -- at least when it comes to his state."
Barbour was trying out his talking point on Fox News, so maybe I was right the other day when I suggested that Thomas is auditioning for a spot on Fox. Here's Barbour: "The biggest negative impact for us has been the news coverage," Barbour added. "There has been no distinction between Grand Isle and Venice and all the places in Louisiana that we feel so terrible for that have had oil washing up on them. But to the average viewer [of] this show thinks that the whole coast from Florida to Texas is ankle-deep in oil. And of course, it's very, very bad for our tourist season. That is the real economic damage. ... The Mississippi gulf coast is beautiful. As I tell people, the coast is clear. Come on down!" Here is what Thomas wrote on April 23, 2009: "... The only shameful ploy I see in this drilling debate is opponents using outdated scare stories about oil-coated shorelines destroying our “pristine” beaches. The last offshore blowout of an American well happened 40 years ago off the Santa Barbara coast in California. Ever since, the industry has vastly improved its technology and safety record."
That editorial was written in 2009. One year later, nearly to the day, the BP Deepwater Horizon exploded in a fireball, taking 11 lives and triggering the worst environmental catastrophe in US history. Barbour and Thomas are on the same page: it is the media's fault. To late to turn back now, except for those brutal photos. If we could only close the cameras down.
Barbour was trying out his talking point on Fox News, so maybe I was right the other day when I suggested that Thomas is auditioning for a spot on Fox. Here's Barbour: "The biggest negative impact for us has been the news coverage," Barbour added. "There has been no distinction between Grand Isle and Venice and all the places in Louisiana that we feel so terrible for that have had oil washing up on them. But to the average viewer [of] this show thinks that the whole coast from Florida to Texas is ankle-deep in oil. And of course, it's very, very bad for our tourist season. That is the real economic damage. ... The Mississippi gulf coast is beautiful. As I tell people, the coast is clear. Come on down!" Here is what Thomas wrote on April 23, 2009: "... The only shameful ploy I see in this drilling debate is opponents using outdated scare stories about oil-coated shorelines destroying our “pristine” beaches. The last offshore blowout of an American well happened 40 years ago off the Santa Barbara coast in California. Ever since, the industry has vastly improved its technology and safety record."
That editorial was written in 2009. One year later, nearly to the day, the BP Deepwater Horizon exploded in a fireball, taking 11 lives and triggering the worst environmental catastrophe in US history. Barbour and Thomas are on the same page: it is the media's fault. To late to turn back now, except for those brutal photos. If we could only close the cameras down.
Miami Herald: you are losing eyeballs on Gulf Oil Catastrophe ... by gimleteye
The Miami Herald website finally put up AP photos of the Gulf Oil Catastrophe. The Boston Globe has put the same series of AP photos that the Herald features on its website, except the Globe has them in large scale, high definition format. The Herald's is a puny slide show. The Globe's section is titled, "The Big Picture". As of Saturday PM, the Boston Globe comment section has more than 2800 online reader responses as of early Monday morning. That's huge. So why doesn't the Herald website both feature the AP photos more prominently AND provide a comment section? Hard to know why a Massachusetts paper has figured out what a Florida paper, can't: that readers are transfixed by the Gulf Oil Catastrophe. Maybe people in Boston are just smarter. Or, maybe, it's easier for a newspaper to deal with the catastrophe from 2000 miles away than from around the corner. Maybe all those Pensacola visitors will reschedule their vacations to Miami Beach. Maybe the Herald is guilty of mere inattention. Wouldn't be the first time.
And speaking of inattention, a few weeks ago Herald columnist Fred Grimm wrote: "The Herald's Curtis Morgan and Scott Hiaasen reported that MMS officials, who were co-opted with gifts, paid vacations and liquor from oil executives, failed to collect billions in royalties and fees due from the drilling operations." Reading this, one would be lead to believe that Morgan and Hiaasen broke a story worth crediting to them. They did not.
The Minerals Management Service disgrace is an old story. For a complete account of regulatory capture--the pre-eminent example-- under the Bush administration, read the 2008 by the Project on Government Oversight that should have been credited by the Herald: "Drilling the Taxpayer: Department of Interior's In-Kind-Royalty Program." Knock, knock: anyone home? Maybe the Herald's ombudsman can answer.
And speaking of inattention, a few weeks ago Herald columnist Fred Grimm wrote: "The Herald's Curtis Morgan and Scott Hiaasen reported that MMS officials, who were co-opted with gifts, paid vacations and liquor from oil executives, failed to collect billions in royalties and fees due from the drilling operations." Reading this, one would be lead to believe that Morgan and Hiaasen broke a story worth crediting to them. They did not.
The Minerals Management Service disgrace is an old story. For a complete account of regulatory capture--the pre-eminent example-- under the Bush administration, read the 2008 by the Project on Government Oversight that should have been credited by the Herald: "Drilling the Taxpayer: Department of Interior's In-Kind-Royalty Program." Knock, knock: anyone home? Maybe the Herald's ombudsman can answer.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
Whilly Bermudez Endorsed by the Teachers!
The UTD, United Teachers of Dade, endorsed Whilly Bermudez in the race for Florida House Representative 116th District.
The Miami Herald Endorses Rubio? By Geniusofdespair
The Miami Herald might as well endorse Marco Rubio since their biased coverage is leaving no alternative. I previously called the Herald out for printing a terrible photo of Charlie Crist, in comparison to the other candidates, on the front page -- Crist, a guy you are hard-pressed to find a bad photo of -- and yet, here is another Miami Herald front page horrific photo of Charlie Crist. The photo of Greer (the real bad guy), on the other hand, is flattering. I do it all the time, print bad photos of Stop-O-Marco Rubio but I am not reporting news like the Herald, I am editorializing. And, I have to look long and hard to find a BAD photo of Marco Rubio because like Crist he is photogenic. So, why is a 'news' media doing the same thing as an editorial media (Eye on Miami)?Granted, if what Greer's attorney is alleging is true, that Crist knew about Greer's illegal money transfer scam, I will probably have to vote for Greene.
What are the implications of this scandal and the Miami Herald's campaign to oust Crist from the race? I believe that the Miami Herald wants Marco Rubio to be our next Senator. How can the paper possibly make amends? I think the Miami Herald should sic reporter Beth Reinhard, who has been skewering Crist for months, on Rubio. Additionally, they should let me supply the photos of Marco Rubio for the front page.
Need more proof:
On June 4th, Reinhard reported (this time in an editorial -- it is hard to distinguish which she is writing, a news piece or an editorial but the word "ICK" -- hmmm that sounds familiar enter it in our search we have 46 entries -- gives it away with this one):
As oil seeped toward Florida's coast Friday, endangering the livelihoods of God-knows-how-many people in an already shattered economy, as well as God-knows-how-many turtles and dolphins and birds and all manner of wildlife, Gov. Charlie Crist took time out to hustle for cash.
``Help me fight for Florida!'' implored the fundraising appeal circulated by his U.S. Senate campaign that should have added a footnote: ``and my political career.''
Florida politicians are trained sometime around kindergarten to not, under any circumstances, ask for money when other, less geographically fortunate, people are frantically buying bottled water and batteries and canned tuna as a hurricane looms. America's worst oil spill qualifies as a similarly sensitive crisis.
In fairness, the spill is going to be around for a while, and candidates can't be expected to suspend fundraising altogether. (Crist's Republican rival, Marco Rubio, went to a $1,000-per-plate fundraising luncheon in Minnesota on Friday.) But we can expect candidates not to exploit the spill in tacky campaign appeals.
``I have and will continue to do all that I can to protect our beautiful state and navigate us through the challenges ahead,'' Crist says in the appeal, followed by this clumsy segue: ``As you now know our campaign is about putting people ahead of politics. We are all tired of the same old excuses and politics as usual. I need your help to carry this message to Washington.''
Ick."
Note how Rubio did the same thing as Crist, but he is let off SOOO easy with a quick aside. Rubio isn't even in Florida fund-raising according to Reinhard. Why is that not newsworthy? I don't want Minnesota money electing MY FLORIDA SENATOR. Why shouldn't Rubio be called out with the same vigor?
If a hurricane hits the Gulf Oil Spill, what happens next? by gimleteye
Dr. Jeff Masters of Wunder Blog, asks the question and the whole set of hypothetic 'what if's'.
Firedog Lake, the blog, also probes the question. In another post, Firedog Lake discusses a 2000 simulation of a deepwater well blowout, coordinated by the Minerals and Mining Service. Apparently, there were plenty of people worried about what would happen with a blowout deep underwater. The question worth asking: why didn't anyone do anything about it?
Firedog Lake, the blog, also probes the question. In another post, Firedog Lake discusses a 2000 simulation of a deepwater well blowout, coordinated by the Minerals and Mining Service. Apparently, there were plenty of people worried about what would happen with a blowout deep underwater. The question worth asking: why didn't anyone do anything about it?
Saturday, June 05, 2010
Want to get a master's degree? Let me suggest this course of study. By Geniusofdespair
I thought that this "Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism" sounded pretty good. Here is the description from the University of Miami website:
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism is an interdisciplinary one-year graduate program that combines the strengths of the University of Miami’s School of Architecture, Business Administration, and Law to create a world-class program that blends the fundamentals of real estate development with livable community planning and design. Courses towards the Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism begin in Fall 2008 and the full one-year program launches in Fall 2009:
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism draws on the combined interdisciplinary strengths of: the School of Architecture, an international leader in urbanism and livable community design; the School of Business Administration, named the number one business school in Florida by the Wall Street Journal and the number five business school in the nation by Hispanic Business; the School of Law, which offers an LLM degree in Real Property; the College of Engineering, with strong civil, architectural and environmental engineering programs; and the Urban Studies Program, which includes faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism program is administered by the School of Architecture, led by Dean Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk. The University of Miami’s School of Architecture was ranked number one in the nation for the study of New Urbanism in a survey conducted by New Urban News, and was awarded the John Nolen Medal for Contributions to Urbanism in Florida in 2007.
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism program is designed to provide students with the tools and practical experiences needed to compete in the fast-paced and changing world of urban real estate development. Students benefit from being located in the heart of one of the world’s most exciting and dynamic real estate markets and engaging leading experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the real estate industry. Students learn cutting edge practices in real estate finance, market analysis, real estate law, land use policies and codes, project management, public-private partnerships, the development process, sustainable development practices, and entrepreneurship.
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism is an interdisciplinary one-year graduate program that combines the strengths of the University of Miami’s School of Architecture, Business Administration, and Law to create a world-class program that blends the fundamentals of real estate development with livable community planning and design. Courses towards the Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism begin in Fall 2008 and the full one-year program launches in Fall 2009:
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism draws on the combined interdisciplinary strengths of: the School of Architecture, an international leader in urbanism and livable community design; the School of Business Administration, named the number one business school in Florida by the Wall Street Journal and the number five business school in the nation by Hispanic Business; the School of Law, which offers an LLM degree in Real Property; the College of Engineering, with strong civil, architectural and environmental engineering programs; and the Urban Studies Program, which includes faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism program is administered by the School of Architecture, led by Dean Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk. The University of Miami’s School of Architecture was ranked number one in the nation for the study of New Urbanism in a survey conducted by New Urban News, and was awarded the John Nolen Medal for Contributions to Urbanism in Florida in 2007.
The Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism program is designed to provide students with the tools and practical experiences needed to compete in the fast-paced and changing world of urban real estate development. Students benefit from being located in the heart of one of the world’s most exciting and dynamic real estate markets and engaging leading experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the real estate industry. Students learn cutting edge practices in real estate finance, market analysis, real estate law, land use policies and codes, project management, public-private partnerships, the development process, sustainable development practices, and entrepreneurship.
Memo to Right Wing Message Machine: on the Gulf Coast Oil Catastrophe, the failure is all yours ... by gimleteye
Environmentalists chased offshore oil drilling into deeper waters. Media Matters, a watchdog covering the oil spin machine rinse cycle, cites Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, and William Kristol. Here's Limbaugh: "What the environmentalist wackos are making us do is drill down 35,000 feet, 6.6 miles, when there's oil practically begging to be taken out of the ground in areas that are now off-limits because of U.S. regime regulations." Palin, warbling with the Big Bloviator, ..."took to Facebook to attack "radical environmentalists" who she blamed for "making drilling more dangerous." Kristol should know better, but then he is responsible for the Palin disaster: what else could he say? The truth that Big Oil drills in deepwater because that is where big oil is?
Brazil: "Considered to be the most prolific basin in Brazil, the Campos Basin is responsible for more than 85% of Brazil’s total reserves and 77% of its current production. The Campos Basin lies primarily offshore and most of its reserves are located in deepwaters." Libya: "EXXONMOBIL Corporation said recently that it had commenced drilling of the first of three deepwater exploration wells off the coast of Libya, ramping up activities in the oil-rich nation by the world's largest publicly traded oil company... The deepwater exploration marks the beginning of a new era for the North African nation."
An independent driller in 2003: "I have been a fan of deep water for a long time and I think the future in the oil business is deep water. About 1996, we started looking for an area in the world that was deep water where you could use FPSOs (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessels). ... West Africa was not as nearly as far along as Mexico or Brazil and the companies hadn't really started drilling in deep water. There had been a couple of deep-water wells drilled in Angola and maybe one or two in Nigeria, but other than that, deep water in Africa was very virginal. ... We're going to find big oil. We probably have under our acreage, alone, over 10 billion barrels, recoverable. The United States has 22 billion barrels."
Memo to Right Wing Spin Machine: take ownership for the mess you made with regulatory capture and failure. It's all yours, baby.
Brazil: "Considered to be the most prolific basin in Brazil, the Campos Basin is responsible for more than 85% of Brazil’s total reserves and 77% of its current production. The Campos Basin lies primarily offshore and most of its reserves are located in deepwaters." Libya: "EXXONMOBIL Corporation said recently that it had commenced drilling of the first of three deepwater exploration wells off the coast of Libya, ramping up activities in the oil-rich nation by the world's largest publicly traded oil company... The deepwater exploration marks the beginning of a new era for the North African nation."
An independent driller in 2003: "I have been a fan of deep water for a long time and I think the future in the oil business is deep water. About 1996, we started looking for an area in the world that was deep water where you could use FPSOs (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessels). ... West Africa was not as nearly as far along as Mexico or Brazil and the companies hadn't really started drilling in deep water. There had been a couple of deep-water wells drilled in Angola and maybe one or two in Nigeria, but other than that, deep water in Africa was very virginal. ... We're going to find big oil. We probably have under our acreage, alone, over 10 billion barrels, recoverable. The United States has 22 billion barrels."
Memo to Right Wing Spin Machine: take ownership for the mess you made with regulatory capture and failure. It's all yours, baby.
Who is Winning the Money Game in State Senate District 36? By Geniusofdespair
The race for State Senate seat 36 is shaping up to be a David and Goliath money race. It looks like Miguel Diaz de la Portilla has collected more bucks, $444,835, than my pal Julio Robaina (NOT the awful Mayor from Hialeah with the same name) who has collected $191,078. Julio has $100,000 left and Miguel still has over $400,000. It is going to be a difficult road to fight against such a huge financing lead. Let's hope the voters don't believe all the glossy mailers. Whatever happened to Miguel? He once stood for something. I actually voted for him for Mayor.
Go Julio!
Friday, June 04, 2010
Orlando Sentinel Mike Thomas: Gulf Oil Spill, this photo is for you ... by gimleteye
"Some places, like Alaska's Bristol Bay, are too precious, too unique and too valuable to allow drilling except in a national energy crisis. The deep waters off the Gulf of Mexico hardly fall into this category. It's nothing but an undersea desert out there. But you'd hardly know it listening to the worn-out, hysterical screeching about oil-stained shores destroying the environment and the economy." Mike Thomas, April 23, 2009, Orlando Sentinel
Have a great weekend, Mike. Keep your channel tuned to Pensacola if you are watching.
Florida Independent: How Charlie Crist’s environmental policies led to his ouster from the Republican Party ... by gimleteye
Newly organized Florida Independent hits the nail squarely on the head: ""How Charlie Crist’s environmental policies led to his ouster from the Republican Party". The writer, Tristram Korten, is a former feature writer for Miami New Times.
The Independent report follows the theme we developed at Eyeonmiami: that Crist's pro-environmental policies triggered the ire of radical conservatives in the GOP who pushed Marco Rubio forward as an alternative. In particular, we noted how Crist's plan to purchase lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area from US Sugar offended Fanjul family interests, who control the pace and promises of Everglades restoration from both sides of the aisle the same way that Big Oil covers all its bases. Hope that Korten follows up on this point and takes a close look, as we have, at campaign contributions to Marco Rubio's campaign from the entire spectrum of interests opposed to environmental protection in Florida.
The Independent report follows the theme we developed at Eyeonmiami: that Crist's pro-environmental policies triggered the ire of radical conservatives in the GOP who pushed Marco Rubio forward as an alternative. In particular, we noted how Crist's plan to purchase lands in the Everglades Agricultural Area from US Sugar offended Fanjul family interests, who control the pace and promises of Everglades restoration from both sides of the aisle the same way that Big Oil covers all its bases. Hope that Korten follows up on this point and takes a close look, as we have, at campaign contributions to Marco Rubio's campaign from the entire spectrum of interests opposed to environmental protection in Florida.
The Senate Candidates on oil drilling. By Geniusofdespair
Senator Nelson has been steadfast against oil drilling off our coast. I would hope, even if for drilling before, that they would have changed their position in light of the massive amount of oil pouring into the Gulf. Here are the current positions of the Senate Candidates for the other seat, from the Florida Tribune:
Marco Rubio:
"I'm a believer that the technology today is advanced enough to be able to explore for our domestic sources of energy without being damaging to our environment." during an interview with reporters on Jan. 27, 2010.
"Clearly, no one wants to see this ever happen again. And I've not heard anyone say you cannot safely drill for oil because there are thousands of rigs drilling even as we speak, that are not leaking, that are not causing this ecological disaster. Clearly this was caused by something that went wrong and the question is what went wrong…" May 4, 2010. Miami Herald (Me: Bad Answer.)
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek:
"The bar for drilling off Florida’s coast needs to be raised higher than for other states. Ending our reliance on foreign oil, researching alternative green energy sources, and exploring domestic supplies of oil and natural gas is critical, but the cost for error in Florida is greater than it is for our neighbors." March 31, 2010. Miami Herald.
"It's time to put an end to any and every misguided attempt to drill offshore and put Florida's coasts and economy at risk...Any effort to revive offshore drilling needs to be stopped dead in its tracks.'' May 6, 2010. Miami Herald. (Me: Good Answer).
Gov. Charlie Crist
Gov. Charlie Crist wants lawmakers to come back to Tallahassee and put on the fall ballot a constitutional amendment that would ban oil drilling in Florida waters. But so far Crist has been unable to get House Republicans to go along. Crist this past week said he talked about a special session with incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon.
“I wish it would have gone a little better, but I haven’t given up hope yet,’’ said Crist.
Crist, however, is among those who just a short while ago was open to the idea of drilling.
Crist was considered an opponent of oil drilling, but then when John McCain was the GOP nominee for President and gas prices shot up he took a different stance.
"We have to be sympathetic to the pocketbooks of the people of Florida and what they're paying at the pump for gas, and balance that with: Is there any way that our state might be able to contribute in terms of resources to have greater supply and therefore lower prices?" said Crist,.
"If that's possible, through good technology or whatever it might be, I think an open-minded person understands that we ought to at least study it,’’ said Crist. June 17, 2008. Palm Beach Post.
"I grew up in Tampa Bay. I'm a Gulf Coast guy, and I believe in protecting our beaches. I also believe in us being energy independent, so long as we can do it in a way that is safe and protects Florida's beaches. But if there is a way that we can participate in having more fuel domestically produced so that we are less dependent on foreign oil so we can manage to keep the cost down as opposed to the $4 a gallon we had last year, then I think it's worth looking at." Oct. 8, 2009, Capitol News Service
"I think the impact that it could potentially have on Florida has to give us all a pause … I think only being prudent, wanting to protect our people in this state, is appropriate." April 29, The Florida Current. (Me: What was the question?)
I think Meek wins this one but the only one still steadfast in favor of oil drilling is Marco Rubio. Tell him at the polls that he is wrong!
Marco Rubio:
"I'm a believer that the technology today is advanced enough to be able to explore for our domestic sources of energy without being damaging to our environment." during an interview with reporters on Jan. 27, 2010.
"Clearly, no one wants to see this ever happen again. And I've not heard anyone say you cannot safely drill for oil because there are thousands of rigs drilling even as we speak, that are not leaking, that are not causing this ecological disaster. Clearly this was caused by something that went wrong and the question is what went wrong…" May 4, 2010. Miami Herald (Me: Bad Answer.)
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek:
"The bar for drilling off Florida’s coast needs to be raised higher than for other states. Ending our reliance on foreign oil, researching alternative green energy sources, and exploring domestic supplies of oil and natural gas is critical, but the cost for error in Florida is greater than it is for our neighbors." March 31, 2010. Miami Herald.
"It's time to put an end to any and every misguided attempt to drill offshore and put Florida's coasts and economy at risk...Any effort to revive offshore drilling needs to be stopped dead in its tracks.'' May 6, 2010. Miami Herald. (Me: Good Answer).
Gov. Charlie Crist
Gov. Charlie Crist wants lawmakers to come back to Tallahassee and put on the fall ballot a constitutional amendment that would ban oil drilling in Florida waters. But so far Crist has been unable to get House Republicans to go along. Crist this past week said he talked about a special session with incoming House Speaker Dean Cannon.
“I wish it would have gone a little better, but I haven’t given up hope yet,’’ said Crist.
Crist, however, is among those who just a short while ago was open to the idea of drilling.
Crist was considered an opponent of oil drilling, but then when John McCain was the GOP nominee for President and gas prices shot up he took a different stance.
"We have to be sympathetic to the pocketbooks of the people of Florida and what they're paying at the pump for gas, and balance that with: Is there any way that our state might be able to contribute in terms of resources to have greater supply and therefore lower prices?" said Crist,.
"If that's possible, through good technology or whatever it might be, I think an open-minded person understands that we ought to at least study it,’’ said Crist. June 17, 2008. Palm Beach Post.
"I grew up in Tampa Bay. I'm a Gulf Coast guy, and I believe in protecting our beaches. I also believe in us being energy independent, so long as we can do it in a way that is safe and protects Florida's beaches. But if there is a way that we can participate in having more fuel domestically produced so that we are less dependent on foreign oil so we can manage to keep the cost down as opposed to the $4 a gallon we had last year, then I think it's worth looking at." Oct. 8, 2009, Capitol News Service
"I think the impact that it could potentially have on Florida has to give us all a pause … I think only being prudent, wanting to protect our people in this state, is appropriate." April 29, The Florida Current. (Me: What was the question?)
I think Meek wins this one but the only one still steadfast in favor of oil drilling is Marco Rubio. Tell him at the polls that he is wrong!
Death, Dying wildlife and "managing expectations" on Gulf Oil Spill ... by gimleteye
I've written several posts on "managed expectations" by BP and the government on the Gulf Oil Spill. That's the phrase inadvertently used by a US Coast Guard admiral in an early press conference. Here's a recent example reported out by The NY Daily News story. Question: why isn't this story in The Miami Herald?
"There is a lot of coverup for BP. They specifically informed us that they don't want these pictures of the dead animals. They know the ocean will wipe away most of the evidence. It's important to me that people know the truth about what's going on here," the contractor said." (Click 'read more')
Here's what President Obama didn't see when he visited the Gulf Coast: a dead dolphin rotting in the shore weeds.
"When we found this dolphin it was filled with oil. Oil was just pouring out of it. It was the saddest darn thing to look at," said a BP contract worker who took the Daily News on a surreptitious tour of the wildlife disaster unfolding in Louisiana. His motive: simple outrage. "There is a lot of coverup for BP. They specifically informed us that they don't want these pictures of the dead animals. They know the ocean will wipe away most of the evidence. It's important to me that people know the truth about what's going on here," the contractor said.
"The things I've seen: They just aren't right. All the life out here is just full of oil. I'm going to show you what BP never showed the President."
The day was 85 degrees, the blue sky almost white with sunshine, the air fresh with salt tang.
After checking that he was unobserved, he motored out to Queen Bess barrier island, known to the locals as Bird Island.
The grasses by the shore were littered with tarred marine life, some dead and others struggling under a thick coating of crude.
"When you see some of the things I've seen, it would make you sick," the contractor said. "No living creature should endure that kind of suffering."
Queen Bess Island was the first place where fledglings were born when the beloved, endangered Louisiana brown pelicans were reintroduced in the 1970s. Their population rebounded and was finally declared stabilized in 2002.
Now their future is once again in doubt. In what had been such an important hatchery, hundreds of pelicans - their white heads stained black - stood sentinel. They seemed slow and lethargic.
"Those pelicans are supposed to have white heads. The black is from the oil. Most of them won't survive," the contractor said.
"They keep trying to clean themselves. They try and they try, but they can't do it."
The contractor has been attempting to save birds and turtles.
"I saw a pelican under water with only its wing sticking out," he said. "I grabbed it and lifted it out of the water. It was just covered in oil. It was struggling so hard to survive. We did what we could for it.
"Nature is cruel, but what's happening here is crueler."
The uninhabited barrier islands are surrounded by yellow floating booms, also stained black, that are supposed to keep the oil out. It's not working.
"That grass was green a few weeks ago," the contractor said. "Now look. ... This whole island is destroyed. How do you write a check for something like this?"
He said he recently found five turtles drowning in oil.
"Three turtles were dead. Two were dying and not dead yet. They will be," he said.
As the boat headed back amid the choppy waves, a pod of dolphins showed up to swim with the vessel and guide it to land.
"They know they are in trouble. We are all in trouble," the contractor said.
BP's central role in the disaster cleanup has apparently given the company a lot of latitude in keeping the press away from beaches where the oil is thickest.
On Monday, a Daily News team was escorted away from a public beach on Elmer's Island bycops who said they were taking orders from BP.
BP spokesman Toby Odone denied the company is trying to hide the environmental damage; he noted BP has organized press visits to the spill zone and said BP cannot tell cops what to do.
The contractor for BP said the public needs to see the truth.
"BP is going to say the deaths of these animals wasn't oil-related," he said. "We know the truth. I hope these pictures get to the right people - to someone who can do something."
"There is a lot of coverup for BP. They specifically informed us that they don't want these pictures of the dead animals. They know the ocean will wipe away most of the evidence. It's important to me that people know the truth about what's going on here," the contractor said." (Click 'read more')
Here's what President Obama didn't see when he visited the Gulf Coast: a dead dolphin rotting in the shore weeds.
"When we found this dolphin it was filled with oil. Oil was just pouring out of it. It was the saddest darn thing to look at," said a BP contract worker who took the Daily News on a surreptitious tour of the wildlife disaster unfolding in Louisiana. His motive: simple outrage. "There is a lot of coverup for BP. They specifically informed us that they don't want these pictures of the dead animals. They know the ocean will wipe away most of the evidence. It's important to me that people know the truth about what's going on here," the contractor said.
"The things I've seen: They just aren't right. All the life out here is just full of oil. I'm going to show you what BP never showed the President."
The day was 85 degrees, the blue sky almost white with sunshine, the air fresh with salt tang.
After checking that he was unobserved, he motored out to Queen Bess barrier island, known to the locals as Bird Island.
The grasses by the shore were littered with tarred marine life, some dead and others struggling under a thick coating of crude.
"When you see some of the things I've seen, it would make you sick," the contractor said. "No living creature should endure that kind of suffering."
Queen Bess Island was the first place where fledglings were born when the beloved, endangered Louisiana brown pelicans were reintroduced in the 1970s. Their population rebounded and was finally declared stabilized in 2002.
Now their future is once again in doubt. In what had been such an important hatchery, hundreds of pelicans - their white heads stained black - stood sentinel. They seemed slow and lethargic.
"Those pelicans are supposed to have white heads. The black is from the oil. Most of them won't survive," the contractor said.
"They keep trying to clean themselves. They try and they try, but they can't do it."
The contractor has been attempting to save birds and turtles.
"I saw a pelican under water with only its wing sticking out," he said. "I grabbed it and lifted it out of the water. It was just covered in oil. It was struggling so hard to survive. We did what we could for it.
"Nature is cruel, but what's happening here is crueler."
The uninhabited barrier islands are surrounded by yellow floating booms, also stained black, that are supposed to keep the oil out. It's not working.
"That grass was green a few weeks ago," the contractor said. "Now look. ... This whole island is destroyed. How do you write a check for something like this?"
He said he recently found five turtles drowning in oil.
"Three turtles were dead. Two were dying and not dead yet. They will be," he said.
As the boat headed back amid the choppy waves, a pod of dolphins showed up to swim with the vessel and guide it to land.
"They know they are in trouble. We are all in trouble," the contractor said.
BP's central role in the disaster cleanup has apparently given the company a lot of latitude in keeping the press away from beaches where the oil is thickest.
On Monday, a Daily News team was escorted away from a public beach on Elmer's Island bycops who said they were taking orders from BP.
BP spokesman Toby Odone denied the company is trying to hide the environmental damage; he noted BP has organized press visits to the spill zone and said BP cannot tell cops what to do.
The contractor for BP said the public needs to see the truth.
"BP is going to say the deaths of these animals wasn't oil-related," he said. "We know the truth. I hope these pictures get to the right people - to someone who can do something."
The Many Colors of the Gulf of Mexico and Congressman Don Young... by gimleteye
Congressman Don Young is another of Alaska's gifts from the GOP. When readers wonder why I'm not tougher on the Obama administration and its appointees on the response to the Gulf Oil catastrophe, all I have to do is recall that during the Bush terms and GOP majority in Congress, Don Young was the powerful chair of the House Natural Resources Committee who stood in the way of environmental regulations like the ten foot stuffed Kodiak bear that reared at visitors to his office. The Huffington Post reports, "Don't worry about the oil spilling into the Gulf, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) says, because the worst spill in U.S. history is "not an environmental disaster," just nature taking its course." What does Young think about the fact that 20 years after the Exxon Valdez in Alaska waters, the environment and income of thousands has still not recovered "We will lose some birds, we will lose some fixed sealife, but overall it will recover," Young said, dismissing the Gulf disaster.
(Model provided by National Center for Atmospheric Research)
Young has close ties to the Florida GOP Congressional delegation. In 2006, The Department of Justice (DOJ) investigated Young for earmarking $10 million dollars for a construction project that threatened Everglades wetlands in exchange for campaign donations. In 2005, while in Florida to discuss upcoming transportation projects, Rep. Young attended a fundraiser held by Daniel Aronoff, a land developer who stood to gain financially from the passage of an Interstate 75 expansion. The fundraiser brought in $40,000 for Rep. Young and Mr. Aranoff personally donated a total of $3,000 to Rep. Young’s campaign committee and PAC. Shortly after his Florida trip, Rep. Young earmarked $10 million in the fiscal year 2006 transportation bill for I-75 improvements. After the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization voted to block the interchange, Rep. Young threatened to revoke the money entirely. In 2008, both the House and Senate voted to direct the DOJ to launch an investigation into the 2005 earmark for the interchange at Coconut Road. After the calls for the inquiry, Rep. Young admitted that he sponsored the earmark and that his staff “corrected” an already enrolled bill by inserting the earmark shortly before the bill went to the White House to be signed by the president.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Daddy Big-Bucks Jeff Greene for Senator. By Geniusofdespair
I just got a 22" by 17" Full Color mailer from Senate hopeful Jeff Greene. My God, that is an expensive mailer! Then a saw a few commercials with him mom singing his praises. She lives in Century Village and he is a billionaire -- that doesn't compute. He is sparing no expense with this campaign, maybe he'll throw a few dollars mom's way too.
You Win I-95 -- you are the worst! By Geniusofdespair
Number one on the list of America's deadliest highways is our own I-95. Between 2004-2008 there were 662 fatal accidents on the 382.15 miles of highway. That comes out to 1.73 fatal accidents per mile. Total fatalities: 765. In comparison let's look at Number 29, I-75 in Georgia. During the same period for a highway almost as long, they had 311 fatal accidents (less than half) or .88 fatal accidents per mile (again less than half). Total fatalities were 357.
Jim Greer goes down: why can't the party of business keep track of its own business? by gimleteye
Quite a story, how the party of business can't keep track of its own finances. Reminds of the $2 million theft by insiders of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce in 2004. The public is inclined to believe that organizations representing business interests like the GOP know how to manage money. I mean, they didn't make their money gaming the system, did they? How does the Rolex crowd, including luminaries like Al Hoffman-- former WCI Communities chief and chief Bush fund raiser-- feel about shaking down political contributions only to find them landing in the chairman's account? It is hard to imagine those "tax and spend" Democrats doing worse than those "steal and spend" Republicans.See: (Jim Greer arrested, accused of diverting $125,000 in party money.)
Oil snot: a lovely description from the Gulf of Mexico ... by gimleteye
Samantha Joye, a scientist with the University of Georgia Department of Marine Sciences, is in the Gulf tracking the movement of undersea oil. She writes a lovely description on May 31: "In places, there was a thin oily sheen on the water... In other places there were odd-looking ‘pancakes’ of oil floating on the surface. In these same places, there were bizarre orange and black stringers, some 10’s of cm long, as deep in the water column as you could see. These stringers looked like mucous strings but they were the color of oil... There are mats of oil and then there are thick ropey sea rows of oil. There were a lot of surface burns today, more than we’ve seen since we got out here. When it got dark, you could actually see the flames reaching high into the air."
The Florida Tribune has a good summary of the oily positions of the state's GOP leaders. Apparently, these natural born "steal and spend'ers" have retreated from support of offshore drilling only when faced with bigger and more successful thieves. I continue to be interested why there is no photo essay on the Gulf Oil Spill from The Miami Herald or McClatchy; both have resources and photojournalists up to the task. Great photos from newspapers far from the scene of the crimes. Check out the LA Times.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Guest blog: open letter from Clean Water Network, Linda Young
"The Pensacola News Journal reported yesterday that the local government has been waiting for 6 weeks for a response from BP about getting the money to prepare for better beach protection. Santa Rosa County’s protection plan was first rejected by Florida DEP as being too expensive. The current scaled-back plan was prepared by WRSCompass, a consulting firm whose CEO was formerly chief-of-staff to Jeb Bush and Dick Cheney (among other oil-connected politicians)..."
The following is the complete letter, from Linda Young:
Dear Friends of Florida Waters:
I’m sure all of your eyes are on the reality that oil is now in Florida waters and will likely be on our beaches today. Most of you know that I live in the Florida panhandle, where I grew up and have lived for most of my life. The fact that the dolphins, turtles, baby pompano and other sea life that I love and know so well are right now being inundated with the oil, is more painful than I’m capable of expressing in writing. I know that you understand and share my sorrow.
The fact that our state and federal governments are doing nothing to stop that oil from entering state waters is beyond my understanding. We are being told that it’s easier to clean it up on the beaches than to prevent it from hitting them. That defies my senses which tell me that they should have every ship in the world (or at least a bunch of them) out on the 9-mile line where Florida waters begin, skimming and sucking that oil up off of the water, to the greatest extent possible. None of that is happening. They have a few booms out around the passes where they will attempt to intercept the oil before it enters the inland waters.
The Pensacola News Journal reported yesterday that the local government has been waiting for 6 weeks for a response from BP about getting the money to prepare for better beach protection. Santa Rosa County’s protection plan was first rejected by Florida DEP as being too expensive. The current scaled-back plan was prepared by WRSCompass, a consulting firm whose CEO was formerly chief-of-staff to Jeb Bush and Dick Cheney (among other oil-connected politicians). I hope that you had a chance to read over the materials that I sent you last week called “Fortress Florida” and which included a citizen’s tool kit for taking action to protect our waters and coasts. As the oil nears your backyards, you may consider the option offered in the tool kit in a serious way. I have already given FL DEP my 30-day notice letter.
I was pleased to see that the federal government announced yesterday that legal action will be initiated against BP. Finally. The State of Florida is obligated under Florida law, to do the same now that the oil is in state waters. They could have already filed enforcement action weeks ago as the air pollution from the oil has been here for several weeks. Why our federal and state governments are treading so timidly, I’m not sure, but it is troubling to say the least.
I would like to ask you again to share the tool-kit with everyone you know. Let people at least have the opportunity to read it and make their own decision. I’m attaching for your information, a public records request that I sent by fax and mail yesterday. As I get more information, I will share it with you. Watch our website at the address below, and if you are on Facebook, you can find us under Clean Water Network of Florida and Florida Clean Water Network. I update those pages daily with news articles and documents that I am generating or sharing.
No one knows exactly where this will all take us, but it is already an unprecedented disaster. The oil could be on the reefs in the Keys at any time; it will be on the Panhandle beaches any hour; it is already invading the habitat of the marine life in the Gulf. It would be nice to think that the Florida DEP is committed to protecting our waters to the greatest extent possible, but I can’t think of one thing that DEP has done in the past 10 or more years to protect our waters. We must work together to hold their feet to the fire and make sure that Florida’s waters get the protection they deserve. Please take a few minutes to inform the Governor’s office, Secretary Mike Sole at DEP, and your local and state representatives of your expectations. I will post some easy contact links on our website today, so watch for them as a quick and easy way to communicate with the Governor and Mike Sole.
As always, thank you for your commitment to Florida’s waters and all that you do to protect them,
Linda Young
Director
The following is the complete letter, from Linda Young:
Dear Friends of Florida Waters:
I’m sure all of your eyes are on the reality that oil is now in Florida waters and will likely be on our beaches today. Most of you know that I live in the Florida panhandle, where I grew up and have lived for most of my life. The fact that the dolphins, turtles, baby pompano and other sea life that I love and know so well are right now being inundated with the oil, is more painful than I’m capable of expressing in writing. I know that you understand and share my sorrow.
The fact that our state and federal governments are doing nothing to stop that oil from entering state waters is beyond my understanding. We are being told that it’s easier to clean it up on the beaches than to prevent it from hitting them. That defies my senses which tell me that they should have every ship in the world (or at least a bunch of them) out on the 9-mile line where Florida waters begin, skimming and sucking that oil up off of the water, to the greatest extent possible. None of that is happening. They have a few booms out around the passes where they will attempt to intercept the oil before it enters the inland waters.
The Pensacola News Journal reported yesterday that the local government has been waiting for 6 weeks for a response from BP about getting the money to prepare for better beach protection. Santa Rosa County’s protection plan was first rejected by Florida DEP as being too expensive. The current scaled-back plan was prepared by WRSCompass, a consulting firm whose CEO was formerly chief-of-staff to Jeb Bush and Dick Cheney (among other oil-connected politicians). I hope that you had a chance to read over the materials that I sent you last week called “Fortress Florida” and which included a citizen’s tool kit for taking action to protect our waters and coasts. As the oil nears your backyards, you may consider the option offered in the tool kit in a serious way. I have already given FL DEP my 30-day notice letter.
I was pleased to see that the federal government announced yesterday that legal action will be initiated against BP. Finally. The State of Florida is obligated under Florida law, to do the same now that the oil is in state waters. They could have already filed enforcement action weeks ago as the air pollution from the oil has been here for several weeks. Why our federal and state governments are treading so timidly, I’m not sure, but it is troubling to say the least.
I would like to ask you again to share the tool-kit with everyone you know. Let people at least have the opportunity to read it and make their own decision. I’m attaching for your information, a public records request that I sent by fax and mail yesterday. As I get more information, I will share it with you. Watch our website at the address below, and if you are on Facebook, you can find us under Clean Water Network of Florida and Florida Clean Water Network. I update those pages daily with news articles and documents that I am generating or sharing.
No one knows exactly where this will all take us, but it is already an unprecedented disaster. The oil could be on the reefs in the Keys at any time; it will be on the Panhandle beaches any hour; it is already invading the habitat of the marine life in the Gulf. It would be nice to think that the Florida DEP is committed to protecting our waters to the greatest extent possible, but I can’t think of one thing that DEP has done in the past 10 or more years to protect our waters. We must work together to hold their feet to the fire and make sure that Florida’s waters get the protection they deserve. Please take a few minutes to inform the Governor’s office, Secretary Mike Sole at DEP, and your local and state representatives of your expectations. I will post some easy contact links on our website today, so watch for them as a quick and easy way to communicate with the Governor and Mike Sole.
As always, thank you for your commitment to Florida’s waters and all that you do to protect them,
Linda Young
Director
Florida Hometown Democracy makes national news, controversy flares in Broward fund raising event ... by gimleteye
NPR national correspondent Greg Allen reported on Florida Hometown Democracy/Amendment 4 listen here or read the transcript including: "Lesley Blackner, who calls herself the "mother" of Florida's Hometown Democracy movement (said), "Well, many of the commissioners are very dismissive. They look at their BlackBerrys. They read the newspaper. They look at the agenda. They're not really focused on the citizens," Blackner says. "The citizens get three minutes, and then they're told to shut up. And it seemed, not always, but many times, that these decisions were a done deal before the public hearing."
What NPR doesn't say, is that the opponents of Florida Hometown Democracy (now known as Florida Amendment 4) promoted a toxic change to the Florida constitution requiring that 60 percent of voters approve a ballot referendum, not a simple majority. This hurdle, that only exists in Florida and nowhere else in the nation, specifically targeted against passage of Florida Hometown Democracy that will, when approved by more than 60 percent of voters, be the first hint of accountability for the housing market disaster unleashed by financiers and developers who substantially assisted in running the economy off the rails.
Broward New Times writer Bob Norman-- a long time observer of the mess developers made-- writes on his daily blog, "The Best Reason to Support Amendment 4". I couldn't agree more. Click 'read more':
Here's the language of Amendment 4, which you'll see on the November ballot:
"Establishes that before a local government may adopt a new comprehensive land use plan, or amend a comprehensive land use plan, the proposed plan or amendment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government by referendum ...."
What that basically means is that before a group of politicians can change your town's land use plan, voters will have to agree with it. The amendment was put on the ballot thanks to Florida Hometown Democracy and more than 1 million petition signatures.
Funny thing, the lobbyists, power brokers, land barons, and politicians hate this idea more than you can believe. They hate it so much that I think the proper knee-jerk reaction is to steadfastly support passing it.
They're organizing their forces in Broward right now and will have a "Vote No on 4" fundraiser at YOLO restaurant on Las Olas on June 9.
Hit the jump to see the who's who list of locals who will be there with the intention of stomping Amendment 4 -- and the will of the voters -- into the ground.
Book
The June 9 fundraiser is sponsored by the Broward Workshop -- a well-heeled business group that focuses on political issues. The workshop is putting $100,000 into the fight against Amendment 4. Here are some choice members of the committee, which is being chaired by Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis:
Wayne Huizenga
Lobbyist Ron Book
Mike Jackson, AutoNation
Colin Brown, JM Family Enterprises
Rick Case
Terry Stiles
Mario Cartaya, Architect (New Broward Courthouse)
Lobbyist Debbie Orshefsky, Greenberg Traurig
Lobbyist George Platt, Shutts and Bowen
Lobbyist Don Hall, Gunster Yoakley
Lobbyist John Milledge
Ed Pozzuoli, Tripp Scott
Dan Reynolds, Broward County AFL-CIO
Phil Procaccci, Procacci Development Corp.
Rick Derrer, James A. Cummings Inc.
Steve Holmos, Holmos Holdings
James Berger, Berger Singerman
Jarett Levan, BankAtlantic
Skeet Jurnigan, C&EDC
Tom Miller, Miller Construction
George Morgan Jr., Morgan Property Group
Phil Smith, Phil Smith Automotive Group
Peter Boulukos, YOLO Restaurant & O Lounge
Jim Goggins, Sunbeam Properties; Bill Cotron, Southeast Mechanical Contractors Inc.; Alan Hooper, Hooper Construction; Steve Hudson, Hudson Capital Group; Bobby Julien, Kolter Homes; Kathy Koch, Ambit Advertising; Keith Koenig, City Furniture; Don Lindblade, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce; Ralph Marrinson; Tim Petrillo, the Restaurant People; Andy Petry, Liberty Property Trust; George Pincus, Stearns Weaver; Harry Posin, Lobel & Co. Development; Oscar Rivera, ICSC; Don Shaw, Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida; Bob Swindell.
What NPR doesn't say, is that the opponents of Florida Hometown Democracy (now known as Florida Amendment 4) promoted a toxic change to the Florida constitution requiring that 60 percent of voters approve a ballot referendum, not a simple majority. This hurdle, that only exists in Florida and nowhere else in the nation, specifically targeted against passage of Florida Hometown Democracy that will, when approved by more than 60 percent of voters, be the first hint of accountability for the housing market disaster unleashed by financiers and developers who substantially assisted in running the economy off the rails.
Broward New Times writer Bob Norman-- a long time observer of the mess developers made-- writes on his daily blog, "The Best Reason to Support Amendment 4". I couldn't agree more. Click 'read more':
Here's the language of Amendment 4, which you'll see on the November ballot:"Establishes that before a local government may adopt a new comprehensive land use plan, or amend a comprehensive land use plan, the proposed plan or amendment shall be subject to vote of the electors of the local government by referendum ...."
What that basically means is that before a group of politicians can change your town's land use plan, voters will have to agree with it. The amendment was put on the ballot thanks to Florida Hometown Democracy and more than 1 million petition signatures.
Funny thing, the lobbyists, power brokers, land barons, and politicians hate this idea more than you can believe. They hate it so much that I think the proper knee-jerk reaction is to steadfastly support passing it.
They're organizing their forces in Broward right now and will have a "Vote No on 4" fundraiser at YOLO restaurant on Las Olas on June 9.
Hit the jump to see the who's who list of locals who will be there with the intention of stomping Amendment 4 -- and the will of the voters -- into the ground.
Book
The June 9 fundraiser is sponsored by the Broward Workshop -- a well-heeled business group that focuses on political issues. The workshop is putting $100,000 into the fight against Amendment 4. Here are some choice members of the committee, which is being chaired by Pembroke Pines Mayor Frank Ortis:
Wayne Huizenga
Lobbyist Ron Book
Mike Jackson, AutoNation
Colin Brown, JM Family Enterprises
Rick Case
Terry Stiles
Mario Cartaya, Architect (New Broward Courthouse)
Lobbyist Debbie Orshefsky, Greenberg Traurig
Lobbyist George Platt, Shutts and Bowen
Lobbyist Don Hall, Gunster Yoakley
Lobbyist John Milledge
Ed Pozzuoli, Tripp Scott
Dan Reynolds, Broward County AFL-CIO
Phil Procaccci, Procacci Development Corp.
Rick Derrer, James A. Cummings Inc.
Steve Holmos, Holmos Holdings
James Berger, Berger Singerman
Jarett Levan, BankAtlantic
Skeet Jurnigan, C&EDC
Tom Miller, Miller Construction
George Morgan Jr., Morgan Property Group
Phil Smith, Phil Smith Automotive Group
Peter Boulukos, YOLO Restaurant & O Lounge
Jim Goggins, Sunbeam Properties; Bill Cotron, Southeast Mechanical Contractors Inc.; Alan Hooper, Hooper Construction; Steve Hudson, Hudson Capital Group; Bobby Julien, Kolter Homes; Kathy Koch, Ambit Advertising; Keith Koenig, City Furniture; Don Lindblade, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce; Ralph Marrinson; Tim Petrillo, the Restaurant People; Andy Petry, Liberty Property Trust; George Pincus, Stearns Weaver; Harry Posin, Lobel & Co. Development; Oscar Rivera, ICSC; Don Shaw, Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida; Bob Swindell.
County's 2010 Estimate of Taxable Value in Third Year of Decline. By Geniusofdespair
And the biggest loser of them all: Drum roll....it is Homestead!The Miami Dade Property Appraiser reports that the 2010 estimate of County taxable value is $192.484 billion -- a decline of 13.4% when compared to the 2009 figure of $222.14 billion. In 2008 we were at $245.6 billion. The new construction taxable value in the County is estimated at $2,626,000,000--a significant decline when compared to $8,379,000,000 the previous year.
Can the County's belt get any tighter, they lost $53 billion in taxable value in 2 years.
The Most Beautiful Thing I Saw in Naples Florida This Weekend. By Geniusofdespair
For me it was a toss up, between this royal poinciana tree and: This 427 Cobra...
Which do you prefer? BTW The Cobra holds the world record for most expensive American car ever sold. The 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snake made history in 2007, selling for $5.5 million at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction. This Cobra I saw didn't appear to be a kit but I am no expert. And, not to shortchange the poinciana tree, here is a closeup of the flowers:
(hit on images to enlarge them)
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Foreclosures on the Decline in Miami-Dade County. By Geniusofdespair
The first four months of this year, Miami Dade County had a total of 15,700 foreclosures which is less than the 16,248 we had in 2008. In 2009's first 4 months, foreclosures reached 25,618.
Gulf Oil Spill and Mike Thomas, Orlando Sentinel: wrong by twenty million gallons of oil ... by gimleteye
Mike Thomas, Orlando Sentinel columnist, has been dead wrong on the Gulf Oil Spill and offshore drilling as an environmental and economic disaster. Here's a gem from the worst timed editorial of the century: "The image of oil villains despoiling our beaches is simplistic rhetoric aimed at simple minds. It is fodder for political grandstanding and greenie fundraising." That's right: all those environmental groups really got traction against offshore drilling in Florida, with the Florida legislature until disaster struck. And now those "greenies" are just wallowing in cash, right Mike, and competing toe-to-toe with the billions earned every quarter by Big Oil. If you just went to New Orleans Airport, Mike, you could see those corporate jets owned by Sierra Club, NRDC, and Clean Water Action parked wingtip to wingtip. That's a joke for the humor-challenged, but read on:
"Drilling foes don’t have any recent pictures of oily birds to make their case, so they throw out worst-case scenarios that are about as likely as an oil bit goosing Godzilla out of the depths." (Drill, baby, drill, April 23, 2009) On the one year anniversary of that Orlando Sentinel column the BP Deepwater Horizon sank, unleashing the worst environmental disaster in US history. Here's the picture Mike was missing (credit to Alan Taylor, Boston Globe)
It's all fun to write that stuff and, yes, it appeals to the Sentinel's conservative readers and its editors' preferences. (Funny, how all those Gulf Coast conservatives are shouting themselves into a deep shade of blue with oil staining their beaches.) Thomas did write a little mea cupla about "eating crow", but in truth he's swerving a little this way and a little that.
There's a smudgy feeling to "Let's cool overkill reactions to Gulf spill", a recent Thomas editorial (May 6, 2010), he writes: "Naturally, as far as the media are concerned, this is the BIGGEST DARNED DISASTER IN THE HISTORY OF DISASTERS! The oil is going to destroy the Gulf of Mexico, wipe out 40 percent of the nation's fisheries and cripple Florida's tourism industry. Then it will head south and take out the Keys before heading north to Cocoa Beach."
Yeah, it's a joke. Hah hah. We're all yo-yo's. I wonder if Orlando Sentinel editors who let Thomas bloviate believed the BP estimate of 1,000 barrels per day leaking into the Gulf? Or the revised 5,000 number? Or did they even pay attention that independent scientists had calculated the spill was at least four times that volume, two weeks before the government concurred?
Thomas takes a little paw swipe at "giddy environmentalists" and tops it off with a disclaimer that the 1979 spill off the coast of Mexico was worse. Where were you doing your research on the Mexico spill in 1979, Mike? Cancun at spring break?
I don't know anyone giddy about what is going on in the Gulf, and I suspect that anyone who would write that is detached from reality. The Gulf catastrophe has already spilled the equivalent of four Exxon Valdez into the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe Mike Thomas is auditioning for Fox News. He'd fit right in.
"Drilling foes don’t have any recent pictures of oily birds to make their case, so they throw out worst-case scenarios that are about as likely as an oil bit goosing Godzilla out of the depths." (Drill, baby, drill, April 23, 2009) On the one year anniversary of that Orlando Sentinel column the BP Deepwater Horizon sank, unleashing the worst environmental disaster in US history. Here's the picture Mike was missing (credit to Alan Taylor, Boston Globe)
It's all fun to write that stuff and, yes, it appeals to the Sentinel's conservative readers and its editors' preferences. (Funny, how all those Gulf Coast conservatives are shouting themselves into a deep shade of blue with oil staining their beaches.) Thomas did write a little mea cupla about "eating crow", but in truth he's swerving a little this way and a little that.
There's a smudgy feeling to "Let's cool overkill reactions to Gulf spill", a recent Thomas editorial (May 6, 2010), he writes: "Naturally, as far as the media are concerned, this is the BIGGEST DARNED DISASTER IN THE HISTORY OF DISASTERS! The oil is going to destroy the Gulf of Mexico, wipe out 40 percent of the nation's fisheries and cripple Florida's tourism industry. Then it will head south and take out the Keys before heading north to Cocoa Beach."
Yeah, it's a joke. Hah hah. We're all yo-yo's. I wonder if Orlando Sentinel editors who let Thomas bloviate believed the BP estimate of 1,000 barrels per day leaking into the Gulf? Or the revised 5,000 number? Or did they even pay attention that independent scientists had calculated the spill was at least four times that volume, two weeks before the government concurred?
Thomas takes a little paw swipe at "giddy environmentalists" and tops it off with a disclaimer that the 1979 spill off the coast of Mexico was worse. Where were you doing your research on the Mexico spill in 1979, Mike? Cancun at spring break?
I don't know anyone giddy about what is going on in the Gulf, and I suspect that anyone who would write that is detached from reality. The Gulf catastrophe has already spilled the equivalent of four Exxon Valdez into the Gulf of Mexico. Maybe Mike Thomas is auditioning for Fox News. He'd fit right in.
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