Alison Austin Running in City of Miami District 5. By Geniusofdespair

I know Alison for years and I like her very much. She is running for Commissioner in the City of Miami's District 5.

She was born in Liberty City and went to Edison middle and senior high school. After completing her BA in Communications at the University of South Florida she turned to news reporting, hosting a public radio talk show, “Community Pulsations,” on WLRN and promoting causes she cared about: quality education, race relations, the environment, government accountability.

Returning to Liberty City to raise her family, she created and led programs at Florida Audubon Society to motivate and empower inner city youth to become environmental stewards. I spent a lot of time with her during her stint with Audubon.

Alison is now the CEO of Belafonte TACOLCY Center. It has provided a safe haven for thousands of children and youth. TACOLCY help struggling families stay together, troubled youth turn their lives around, unite fathers with their kids among other good programs.

If I lived in the City of Miami, I would vote for my friend Alison and I am glad the Miami Herald gave her their recommendation. She knows the community, she has paid her dues and she is ready to lead. I hope the people in the district give her their votes.

Miami-Dade District 8 Election, Eugene Flinn Endorements...By Geniusofdespair

Former candidates for District 8, Annette Taddeo (above at a Flinn fundraiser), Pam Gray, and Jason Culler are endorsing Mayor Eugene Flinn. Also the two environmental groups mentioned Thursday, Clean Water Action and Sierra Club are in support. He has the 3 mayors: Paul Vrooman, Philip Stoddard and Cindy Lerner who have signed on. Three of the good County Commissioners (hold the UDB line) Sally Heyman, Carlos Gimenez and Dennis Moss also support Flinn. He has the Miami Herald, the Community Newspaper and Eye on Miami in his corner. He also has Katy Sorenson's endorsement. Lynda Bell, his opponent, I would suppose has the support of Christian Family Coalition. Not sure of who else is in her corner as it was not on her website.

Notes from the edge ... guest blog

"Despite being outspent 9 to 1 in "independent" expenditures, the Democrats have started to claw their way back in races across the country. The outcome now depends on undecided voters, and whether or not they break decidedly for the GOP. This can happen in wave elections, particularly if Democratic "drop off' voters do not make it to the polls." for full report...

"Anger is an energy." ... John Lydon

Mr. Lydon, a musician, might have added to his original refrain that anger fueled by faulty information can be a lethal political combination. Disinformation is everywhere from Fox News to the ubiquitous "independent" ads from Karl Rove and the Chamber of Commerce. There have been well over 60,000 right wing independent ads since August 11. The number could reach 90,000 by Election Day. With little available to counter the deceptive content, many voters may enter the polling booth with lies in their heads. Of course, this is an historical feature of GOP campaigning, not a bug.

The press has begun to notice that the "Tea Party" is not a separate entity from the Republican Party, but rather its well-financed conservative base. In polling Tea Party members, 58% said African Americans and other minorities "were getting too much attention from the government." Nearly half of the Tea Partiers say they belong to the religious right. The Tea Partiers also are overwhelmingly concerned about government spending. As Matt Taibbi noted in Rolling Stone, however, "the vast majority of its members are former Bush supporters who yawned through two terms of record deficits. The average Tea Partier is sincerely against government spending with the exception of money spent on them." "Keep the Government out of Medicare" as one Tea Party sign read. As their leader, the former two-year Alaska Governor would say, "You betcha."

The right wing wants to have it both ways: when running the government, the GOP is incompetent ("heck of a job, Brownie") and inefficient (pallets full of cash disappearing from Baghdad airport). When out of power, they say government is the enemy. The right also has an answer when right wing governance is a failure. With Bush, conservatism was "corrupted."

Here is one recent illustration of the GOP's "a la carte" approach to government. In Tennessee, firefighters consulted their delinquency list and let a man's house burn to the ground for want of a $75.00 fee. This resulted from the GOP county commissioner's decision against a countrywide fire department. It was more important for them to campaign against a miniscule property tax increase. Since the fire department is at the top of needed "public" services, a putative GOP Congress will make Marie Antoinette proud. As patron saint Newt says, the election is between the "food stamp and paycheck party." Any code word, any wedge issue will be used. Public faith in government is at a record low, and the GOP is doing every thing it can to drive this sentiment.

There remains a significant election "enthusiasm" gap between partisans. One problem with this election is simple communication. The Democrats and their allies were not clear about the success of the legislation passed in the past 22 months. While not everything progressives wanted, this was the most accomplished Congress in 45 years. A recent poll shows that a clear majority of Democrats do not know this. The economy remains the overwhelming driver of this election, and it has drowned out any Democratic accomplishments.

The Administration might have been more politically successful if it followed GOP protocol in the winter of 2009. If a Republican was in the White House, the right wing echo chamber and GOP politicians would have filled the airwaves that a "Democratic recession" had driven the country off a cliff and the capital gains tax had to be immediately eliminated. Instead, the Obama team hardly mentioned Bush. When asked in a poll "which Party was responsible for the economic collapse, 70% said "Bush and the Republicans." So there was clear room here. But the Administration tried to govern with only GOP obstruction for their effort. Democratic policy saved the country from another Depression but it was never sold properly to the public.

Despite being outspent 9 to 1 in "independent" expenditures, the Democrats have started to claw their way back in races across the country. The outcome now depends on undecided voters, and whether or not they break decidedly for the GOP. This can happen in wave elections, particularly if Democratic "drop off' voters do not make it to the polls.

Luckily, the GOP is helping the Democratic cause. Each day brings new and interesting revelations and statements to light: Congressional candidates dressing up like the SS on weekends or saying there needs to be more "white activism" to prevent race mingling. A Congressional candidate in Michigan said the President could solve the "birther" question by gathering Rush Limbaugh, Alan Colmes, and a Supreme Court justice, among others, into the Oval office and producing his certificate. Impeachment was mentioned as a threat if he did not. Sharron Angle in Nevada said in early October that "Muslim law" has been instituted in Frankford, Texas - a town that ceased to exist when it was annexed into Dallas around 1975. On and on, one literally could not make this madness up. It is beyond satire, a dangerous clown show. Jon Stewart can barely keep up.

While the pundit class has pronounced the Democrats dead, there are enough close races that a path to hold Congress still exists. Despite the economy, the President's approval rating keeps inching up. The Republicans remain less popular than the Democrats. There are an unprecedented 87 seats currently listed as up for grabs in the House. A wide range of outcomes is clearly possible, from the Democrats maintaining narrow control (i.e. losing 35 seats) to facing a disaster (losing 60+ seats). In the Senate, California, Connecticut and Washington look better for the Democrats, while Missouri, Wisconsin, Ohio, and New Hampshire look more difficult. Illinois, Colorado and Pennsylvania could go either way. The Republican candidate in West Virginia is against the minimum wage while his wife lives in Florida to avoid state taxes and cannot vote for him. Ken Buck, the GOP candidate in Colorado, once told an alleged rape victim she had "buyers remorse" when he was a prosecutor and refused to move her case forward. Buck noted, "being gay is similar to alcoholism." Ron Johnson, the plastics manufacturer turned Senate candidate in Wisconsin, thinks, "sunspots cause global warming." He wants the U.S. to have a business climate more like China. Right now, the Democrats face a loss of four seats, with five seats that could still tip either way.
This report will cover the Northeast.

Once a manufacturing powerhouse, New York was the entry point for immigrants. It is the economic center of the financial industry. The daisy chain of fraud in housing finance is not haunting the banks again, as sloppy paperwork has clouded titles across the nation. New York City is the product of major investments in infrastructure, from bridges and tunnels to highways. Now a badly needed train tunnel from New Jersey to New York cannot be dug because the Governor of New Jersey doesn't want to help pay for it.

New York has become a Democratic state, and the President easily carried the state in 2008. Rockefeller Republicans can no longer win GOP primaries. In the Governor's race, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo is running against Carl Paladino, a Buffalo real estate developer. Paladino, bug-eyed with anger, is always on the attack. He is the "Howard Beale" candidate from the movie Network and that media satire is not far from the current TV landscape. He was caught sending racist and sexist emails, and threatened to "take out" a news reporter. One televised debate was a free-for-all as it featured all the candidates including a New York City madam and Jimmy McMillan of the "rent is too damn high" party. Cuomo will win this race by a large margin. Paladino will go back to his real estate empire that is subsidized by public money.
In the first of the two Senate races, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer is safe in his re-election bid. He entered the race with well over $20 million in the bank. Hopefully, he has started to spread the money around. In the second seat, appointed Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is running against Republican former U.S. Representative Joe DioGuardi. She is averaging a double-digit lead in the polls, and will easily win this race.

In Congress, the Democrats have made great strides in the last two election cycles. These wins are in jeopardy, but the collapse of the top of the GOP ticket will help Democrats. In NY-19, Democratic incumbent John Hall is running against self-financed ophthalmologist Nan Hayworth. The district is closely divided and Hall is working hard to appeal to the center in this toss up race. In New York's 23rd Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Bill Owens is in a difficult race against Republican businessman Matt Doheny. Doug Hoffman, who lost the Republican primary and was the Conservative Party candidate, recently dropped out. Doheny has spent about $1 million of his own money. Democrat Michael Arcuri is in a rematch in NY - 24 against Republican businessman Richard Hanna. Arcuri has taken heat from Democrats for voting against health care.

Four other Democratic seats could possibly swing to the GOP. All are contested races. In Long Island's 1 sl District, Tim Bishop is up against self-financed Republican Randy Altschuler. In NY -13, incumbent Mike McMahon is trying to fend off attacks from FBI Agent Michael Grimm. McMahon benefits from an endorsement by Mayor Bloomberg. Democratic Representative Scott Murphy won his seat in NY-20 via special election in 2009 and faces retired Army Colonel Chris Gibson. There is significant GOP outside spending in this race. In the 251h District, Democrat Dan Maffei faces Ann Marie Buerkle, a right wing extremist who formerly led Operation Rescue. Maffei is still considered a slight favorite. The state will lose one Congressional seat. Upstate will be the loser as districts are consolidated. There is also a battle for control of the State Senate.

Connecticut has the highest per capita income in the nation. The state was once a manufacturing powerhouse and its people sparked many innovations from firearms to the cotton gin to the brass industry. Now, the big drivers are insurance, finance, defense contracting and New York City suburbs.
Democrat Dan Malloy, former Mayor of Stamford, is facing former Ireland Ambassador and Bush fundraiser, Tom Foley for Governor. Like most states, the economy is the big issue in this race. Foley presided over the bankruptcy of a factory in Georgia. A high roller who shut down a factory is not the profile one wants in these times. Malloy has consistently held a single-digit lead in the polls, and the retiring Republican governor, and the anti-incumbent fervor in the state helps him.

While not as staged as a World Wrestling Entertainment match, the Senate race is receiving lots of national attention. WWE CEO Linda McMahon is spending tens of millions of her own money to defeat the Democratic Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. October polling shows Blumenthal with a double-digit lead over McMahon, but other polls have shown a tighter race. Blumenthal has highlighted the raunchy underbelly of entertainment wrestling to draw a correlation between McMahon and her product. McMahon, a plutocrat, favors lowering the minimum wage. Blumenthal is not a great candidate on the stump and he damaged two decades of public service with his ridiculous claims about Vietnam. This mishap gave McMahon an opening, but Blumenthal should still be able to prevail, albeit without a comfortable margin.
In the 4th "Gold Coast" Congressional District, Democrat Jim Himes is polling even with Republican State Senator Dan Debicella. Himes needs to motivate voters in Bridgeport and Stamford. The NRCC is spending in Connecticut's 5th District where Democratic Representative Chris Murphy is in a race against GOP State Senator Sam Caligiuri. Democrats should hold the other districts and the state will not lose a district in 2012.

Rhode Island was once a major manufacturing center. Textile mills drew many immigrants in the early 20th century and the state turned heavily Catholic. Tourism is now the state's second-largest industry. The economy still has a long way to go as unemployment is close to 12%. Rhode Island is politically Democratic and there should be little or no change in district boundaries.

In Rhode Island's 1 st Congressional District, Patrick Kennedy is retiring. The district is host to a close race between Providence Mayor David Cicilline and Republican State Representative John Loughlin. Cicilline is openly gay. Unfortunately, Mayors of Providence have had a checkered history (see Cianci, Buddy), so it has been more difficult to win votes in suburbia. Cicilline won the Democratic primary with only 37% so this will be a closer race than it should be.

Republican Governor Donald Carcieri is term-limited and there is a three-way race to succeed him. Democratic Treasurer Frank Caprio has been polling with a slight lead for the past few months over former GOP Senator Lincoln Chafee, who is running as an Independent. Chafee is way ahead of Republican John Robitaille, who was communications director under Carcieri. Democrat Caprio will win the 1 st Congressional District, while Chafee fares better in the 2nd District. A Democrat has not won the Governor's seat in Rhode Island since 1984.

Massachusetts was the spark of the American Revolution. Boston existed as the central hub of New England commerce and its docks and factories offered plenty of opportunity. The state population increased rapidly with immigration from Ireland and Italy.

The state slowly shifted from manufacturing to service and industrial innovation from its universities. There was a housing bubble, but not as severe as in other states. In September, the state's unemployment rate dropped to 8.3%, following seven consecutive months of job growth and lower unemployment.
The Irish came to dominate the Democratic Party and eventually helped oust the Yankee Republicans who had dominated state politics and commerce. Sports and politics are big pastimes in Massachusetts, and it is expected that the play is smart and aggressive in both. The state, once known for its liberalism, stunned the political world when Republican Scott Brown filled the seat of the late Ted Kennedy. With his term expiring in 2012, Brown will be heavily challenged. Democrats currently hold all statewide offices and all U.S. House seats.

Incumbent Governor Deval Patrick is in a tight three-way race against Republican businessman Charles Baker and Independent Tim Cahill. Cahill's campaign has floundered of late in the midst of staff resignations with charges of conspiracy and tampering. There are lawsuits, intrigue and a number of "only in the Bay State" incidents. Patrick has averaged single-digit leads in most polls, but Republicans are more energized. The President was there last weekend to rally support for the Democrats.

Incumbent Democrat Bill Delahunt is retiring in Massachusetts's 10th District, leading to a battle between Norfolk County DA Bill Keating, the Democrat, and Republican State Representative Jeff Perry. Keating moved into the district at the last minute to run in an open seat. Three other Independent candidates are running in this race. In MA-4, Barney Frank is facing a major challenge for the first time in years from Republican Sean Bielat. His opponent's campaign is focused on the Federal Housing Authorities. The state is expected to lose one seat in the census count.

In its early years, Vermont's economy was mostly agricultural, and the state still has a healthy diary industry. Ben and Jerry's was just one of the formerly small businesses started by immigrants to the state that has grown rapidly. State population ranks second to last, only in front of Wyoming. There is a bustling tourism economy, focused on skiing, fall foliage and the state's natural beauty. This state was once filled with Yankee Republicans, but Democrats have been the party of choice over the past two decades. The President carried almost all of the state's cities and towns with almost two-thirds of the vote.
Republican Governor Jim Douglas is retiring and Democratic State Senator Peter Shumlin now leads Republican Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie. While the Vermont economy is not as troubled as other states, it is still better to be the "out" party this year. This race is still a toss up.

Incumbent Democratic Senator Pat Leahy will have little trouble defeating Len Britton for his seventh term. Leahy has been polling with a 30-point lead. Democratic Congressman Peter Welch will likely prevail in his re-election bid against Republican Paul Beaudry. Despite heavy NRCC and independent expenditure spending, Welch is still holding his own. Due to the Presidential primary election, New Hampshire has national attention every four years. The state followed the rest of the Northeast by building textile mills along the rivers. Shoe factories followed and then closed. New Hampshire's proximity to Massachusetts's high tech belt and its lack of state taxes allowed southern New Hampshire to grow rapidly in the last two decades. During the tech boom, New Hampshire generated numerous IT jobs and enticed major companies like Liberty Mutual and Timberland. School districts grew and needed more funding and this led to a statewide property tax.

Once home to rock ribbed Republicans, Democrats have had much success as of late, holding majorities in both the state Senate and House. Obama won 54% of the vote in 2008. The state looked like it was swinging from purple to blue. This year the GOP is making a strong comeback.

Democratic Incumbent Governor John Lynch has a lead, but this race remains competitive due to the current political environment. Lynch won in 2008 with 70% of the vote. He could make history this year if he wins a fourth two-year term. His opponent is former Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen who won the GOP primary with 61 percent in a four-way field. Stephen has been touting fiscal discipline, the usual GOP fare. The Governor is promoting his success with the state's economy. Though Lynch's job approval is close to 60%, this is still close.

In the open Senate race, Democratic Representative Paul Hodes is facing a major challenge against former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte. Ayotte was appointed Attorney General by Democrat Lynch. She said at the time that she had no electoral ambition, so she must have crossed her fingers. Both candidates had about the same amount of cash on hand at the end of August, but Ayotte has consistently led in all polling. Ayotte also was caught using a death penalty case for her own advantage. Hodes' TV ads are arguing he will stop deficit spending and roll back tax cuts for the rich. Ayotte is running the usual tax and spend campaign. Hodes is five points behind in the most recent poll.

In New Hampshire's 1 st Congressional District, Incumbent Democratic Representative Carol Shea-Porter faces Republican Frank Guinta, the former Manchester Mayor. Despite some controversy, Guinta is ahead in the polls. Shea-Porter must connect with Independents in addition to keeping her base engaged in this race. In the 2nd Congressional District is yet another toss up race between progressive Democrat Ann McLane Kuster and former Representative Charlie Bass. Bass held this seat until beaten by Hodes. Polling shows the two candidates neck and neck, but Kunster had a more contested primary so she has less money. This district is a bit more Democratic than the 1 st District, and it is very important that the Democrats hang on.

Maine's small town atmosphere remained quiet until the high-tech boom reached Portland. The serene landscapes and waterfront properties have long drawn the wealthy for their second homes. Tourism is big business. There is an ongoing political battle over how citizens should use Maine's natural environment. Maine shrimp and lobster remain a seafood industry staple. The state has an aging population, which raises healthcare costs and lowers workforce numbers.

Both Republican Senators, Collins and Snowe, say they are "independent moderates," but vote increasingly like party line Republicans. There is no Senate contest this year, though both Senators will likely face Tea Party primary challengers in their next elections.

Democratic Governor John Baldacci is retiring. A close three-way race to succeed him has evolved. Democratic State Senator Libby Mitchell faces Tea Party¬backed Paul LePage and Independent Eliot Cutler. Polling shows LePage and Mitchell running dead even, with Cutler receiving anywhere from 10-20%. Following in the footsteps of most Tea Party favorites, LePage has been a controversial candidate. Though he was once on welfare, he now proposes major cuts to the program. He has strongly denounced the Obama Administration and was caught out of compliance with Florida laws on his own homestead exemption. Both party committees are now spending in the race. Mitchell must run an energetic campaign and capitalize on LePage's temperament and statements about evolution.

Both Democratic congressional candidates were considered safe. Democrats Chellie Pingree and Mike Michaud have outraised their opponents. The Republicans are attacking Pingree because she is engaged to a person of means. Republicans usually consider economic success as a plus, but it apparently is not allowed for Democrats. Maine will maintain both districts after the Census.

New Show On The Radio: Listen305. By Geniusofdespair

A new radio program has launched in South Florida. Listen305 is a radio show on 880AM The Biz on Monday nights at 7pm. Listen305 covers South Florida news, politics and culture.

They have weekly commentator Dr. Paul George of History Miami tapping into the history of South Florida on every segment, along with an engaging guest list of folks who make Miami the most dynamic city on the Planet. This Monday they have 3 of the 4 candidates for County Commission: Monestime in District 2 and Bell and Flinn in District 8.

The goal of Listen305 is to make Miami a place we're people can talk about important subjects and issues that are affecting the landscape of Miami, both the good and the bad, and how all these changes will impact the community at large.

The conversation is led by Hosts Albert Harum-Alvarez, a businessman, mediator and teacher along with civic activist Sonia Succar. They encourage you to call in at 305 541-2350. Or you can go on their Facebook page at listen305.com to hear podcasts and to post comments & questions.

No on Amendment 8: Small Class Sizes Benefit All According to Rep. Bill Heller. By Geniusofdespair

NO on Amendment 8:This column was referred to me by a reader. Amendment 8 is an important issue that I don't know that much about so I thought I would share a second view on the subject, this one is against Amendment 8 (I printed a guest blog in favor of the Amendment on Tuesday):

By Representative Bill Heller (D-St. Petersburg, he has a doctorate in Education)

It is time to end the days of packing 30 or more students into a classroom with one teacher.

Florida is a step away from permanently fulfilling the constitutional mandate voters approved in 2002 guaranteeing that students learn in smaller classes. Unfortunately, the mandate is under siege by Amendment 8 on the 2010 General Election ballot. Voters should reject this misguided attempt to cut money needed to keep class sizes small in
Florida's already underfunded public schools.

Amendment 8 comes at the worst possible time for our public schools. Per-student funding is at its lowest level since the 2005-2006 school year. The Legislature has forced school districts to finance public education by increasing local property taxes rather than complying with the constitutional mandate to properly fund schools with state resources. (Hit read more...)

The Class Size Amendment has saved public education from massive cuts during these difficult times. While Florida's overall budget declined by about $6 billion in the last five years, public education received almost $19 billion since 2002 thanks to the Class Size Amendment. Of that, $16 billion went to hiring new teachers, buying classroom supplies, upgrading classroom technology and other things needed to
teach students in a more individualized and supportive environment.

Some advocates for weakening the amendment say there is no evidence that smaller classes help students learn. They are wrong. In 2009, University of London psychology and education professor Peter Blatchford found "a clear case" for the benefits of smaller class sizes. He found student performance in math and reading improved in smaller classes, especially in the earliest grades, and that children were more engaged and less disruptive in smaller classes. Minorities did especially well in smaller classes. His findings were published last year in the Psychology of Classroom Learning: An Encyclopedia.

Research released earlier this year suggests the benefits of smaller classes follow students into adulthood and their careers. Raj Chetty, a Harvard economist, and others found that students who participated in Tennessee's Project Star experiment with smaller class sizes in the 1980s had higher incomes, were healthier, and had significant social gains than those who were taught in larger classes.

Researchers and teachers will confirm without equivocation that small class size in the early grades is critical to success in middle school and high school. Still, Amendment 8 dismisses the value of small class sizes in all grades. I believe the greatest investment Florida could make is to sustain small class sizes, especially in the early grades.

Instead of listening to politicians who want to weaken the Class Size Amendment, I urge you to listen to the teachers who recognize the importance of giving each child more individualized attention. Keep the guarantee in the Florida Constitution that public school students will be taught in smaller classes, and demand that the Legislature meet its responsibility to fund smaller classes by voting NO on Amendment 8. It's the right thing to do.

Poll: The Rubio Lead is Narrowing. By Geniusofdespair

Even right wing pollsters Rasmussen had to acknowledge the polling changes in Crist's favor:

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Rubio, picking up 43% of the vote, while Republican Governor Charlie Crist captures 32%. Democrat Kendrick Meek remains in third place with 20% of the vote. Two percent (2%) prefer some other candidate, and three percent (3%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Last week, Rubio held a 50% to 25% edge over Crist. Now it is 11 point spread and if Crist had Meek's voters he would be at 52%. Maybe our luck is changing. Oct. 7 the numbers in the Rasmussen Poll were Rubio 50%, Crist 25% and Meek 17% - Crist picked up the 7 points Rubio lost this week.


Type the rest of the post here

District 8 Candidate Lynda Bell goes head to head with Audubon and NOT in a good way. By Geniusofdespair

As you can clearly hear, Lynda Bell, when Mayor of Homestead, was against having a school named 'Audubon'.

I sent the Lynda Bell video to Audubon of Florida asking for their reaction to it:

It is unfortunate that great public figures are often viewed only by the current norms of behavior. John James Audubon could not use a birding app on his iphone, or search on Wikipedia, or even open a biology textbook to identify the wildlife around him. Audubon was a pioneer. He sacrificed and dedicated his entire life to studying previously unidentified wildlife in never before seen detail, and providing that information to the rest of the world. And while John James Audubon did in fact have to sacrifice individual birds for study, the massive die off of MILLIONS of birds in the Everglades was caused by some of our most recognized local champions. Men such as Broward, Collier and Flagler ditched and drained the Everglades, causing not only death of birds and other wildlife, but near and total extinction of some species. Theodore Roosevelt was an avid hunter, but is now recognized as one of our Nation's greatest conservation heroes. Does this mean that Mayor Bell would be similarly appalled at Counties, Cities, streets, or schools being named after these figures?

Likewise, Audubon as an organization has been fighting for conservation in Florida for well over 100 years. Florida Audubon societies drew attention to the truly upsetting practice of killing hundreds of thousands of birds for fashionable plume hats. When the vast majority of people in south Florida saw the Everglades as a nuisance, a swamp to be overtaken, and nothing more than a hurdle to clear, the Audubon society was there, seeking protections and thinking about the future. Today, we are lucky to live in a world where a leader is dismayed by the killing of an animal for study, and that should be appreciated. However, this should not take away from the brilliant reputation of a great naturalist pioneer whose information has helped recover millions of times over the species he once sacrificed.

Julie Hill-Gabriel
Senior Everglades Policy Associate
Audubon of Florida

Supporters of Amendment 4: Nathaniel Reed ... by gimleteye

"My vote for Amendment 4 represents my discontent if not disgust with the return to an era of uncaring, anything goes development without caring for local input or the impact on our remaining undeveloped land." Nathaniel P. Reed

The dissonance has escaped no one's attention close to the campaign to pass Amendment 4: that the strongest individual voices from Florida's opinion pages like Howard Troxler, Ken Ward, and Carl Hiaasen support Amendment 4 in roughly the same ratio to opposition by newspaper editorial boards. The reason accounts for the scarce coverage of the underlying issues or the founders of Florida Hometown Democracy themselves. Newspapers once derived significant revenue from advertisements tied to the expansion of suburban sprawl; the chief target of the measure.

Amendment 4 opponents harp that environmental groups have not officially come out in favor of Amendment 4. That is not true: Sierra Club and many local groups that have waged the constant low-level battle against reckless zoning changes tied to master plans know better. I have been involved in many of these battles over land use from the civic side. I know from dismal experience that the tsunami of money from builders and developers is simply too overpowering for local elected officials; at least the unreformable majority. The current system is so badly broken that it must change. Now, so does Nathaniel Reed, one of Florida's environmental icons who has spent a lifetime following growth management issues closely. Yesterday, Nathaniel Reed-- the founder of 1000 Friends of Florida-- stated his support for Amendment 4.

Florida voters, voting 'yes' for Amendment 4, will not have another chance in their lifetimes to express their view at the ballot box of the rampant overdevelopment that wrecked so much of our natural heritage and substantially pushed the state economy into the worst crisis since the Depression. Click, read more, for Reed's statement. I have pondered the pros and cons of Amendment #4 for months. I have listened to expert land use planners and attorneys who warn that the amendment is not perfect and might have “unanticipated consequences”. I have listened to the proponents who are dissatisfied with the obvious consequences of the existing system. They have been repeatedly ignored by their elected officials who promised careful consideration of development plans and then allowed projects that are unsound and will cost the existing taxpayers a fortune.

As I have traveled the state I have seen the cost of bad development decisions by local government who have made Florida the foreclosure capital of the nation. I am struck by the continued efforts by the development community to convince county and city officials that they can restore Florida’s economy by doing more of what made it crash.

The suggestion that Amendment 4 will cost the taxpayer’s money is laughable when you look at the untold millions the current system has cost us. Overbuilding has left Florida’s economy in shambles. It is the major reason that property taxes have skyrocketed. It is the single biggest factor in uncounted environmental damage to Florida’s natural systems. Every study ever done shows that bad growth management costs citizens in money and quality of life.

I have been involved in the state’s once meaningful comprehensive planning program for 30 years, beginning with then Governor Bob Graham’s efforts to produce a new vision on how Florida could grow and prosper with due regard to livability and protection of unique areas that make our state uniquely beautiful.

During the intervening years the mad, insatiable desire of the development community has overwhelmed local concerns and produced a Florida that is uglier than it ever should have become. We have lost the promise of thoughtful development that create livable communities and substituted “pay for play” as the standard for development approval.

There are faults with Amendment #4, but with the evisceration of the Department of Community Affairs that once was the hallmark of sound decision making, I am at the stage where I believe that we need to take a chance. We need to send a message to our elected officials that communities have a right to control their destiny.

My vote for Amendment 4 represents my discontent if not disgust with the return to an era of uncaring, anything goes development without caring for local input or the impact on our remaining undeveloped land.

Nathaniel Reed

Eugene Flinn Gets an Important Environmental Endorsement. By Geniuofdespair

Clean Water Action, a non-profit grassroots environmental organization, announced their endorsement of Eugene Flinn in District 8 for the Miami-Dade County Commission.

“It will be hard to fill the void that will be left when Commissioner Sorensen ends her tenure on the County Commission but we feel that Eugene Flinn will do the best job in protecting out water supply, our land, and our environment" said Kathleen Aterno, National Managing Director of Clean Water Action/Clean Water Fund. I was also told Flinn got the Sierra Club endorsement. This poor little publication doesn't get many press-releases, we have to wait for you guys to tell us, so I can't confirm Sierra Club yet.

Pictured: The Greenest Mayors in Miami Dade County... Paul Vrooman - Cutler Bay, Cindy Lerner - Pinecrest, Eugene Finn - Palmetto Bay and Philip Stoddard - South Miami.

The Sun Sentinel and Rodents. By Geniusofdespair

Thought these two posts went well together. Macy's Taste Bar, 9100 SW 136 St. was closed 10/13 for rodent activity. Lillo's Pizza, 12041, SW 117th Avenue was closed for same, rodents, 10/6. Speaking of rodents, the Sun Sentinel endorsed Marco Rubio just a few days after Macy's was cited for rodents. A lot of rat activity lately...

So you want to be a US Senator? by gimleteye

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Let's go back to Mitch from Tampa. Mitch was laid off from his job as an air traffic controller at Tampa International Airport and decided to use his pension to run for public office. Although Mitch is a single, 42 year old cross=dresser who frequently smoked marijuana in high school, Excalibur helped define Mitch's winning strategy. Our introductory $49.99 Decision Tree for Public Office determined that Mitch's lifestyle inclinations gave him a 5% chance of winning in Florida as a social liberal and so we both pointed MItch in the winning direction-- a pro life, pro gun fiscal and Christian conservative-- plus provided Mitch with a list of local business organizations that put him on their board. This only took A FEW WEEKS. as Mitch checked off the completion of his online goals, Excalibur offered the kind of encouragement that is needed to succeed in public life.

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At Excalibur Gold, for $4999, we provide templates for 30 second TV spots based on your personally chosen preferences. We also provide, through question and answer-- an interactive feature that allows you to modify templates and an analysis by professional journalists. Your ads for television will be rated by our exclusive Excalibur system and provides you with a rating that places you with similarly rated candidates, at similar races in different states, through a social networking site funded by Excalibur in connection with the American Heritage Foundation. The top five candidates rated, will receive an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to attend a seminar in civic responsibility, hosted by the News Corporation.

Two years ago, Mitch from Tampa took the big leap. Our Platinum level at $49,999 is available to pre-screened candidates who are busy professionals. We provide, at this level of service, full access to our locally oriented focus group marketing department, our television ad production, and to the Excalibur Candidate Training Center in Boulder, Colorado where real-time simulators take you through every step of the election process. You will have three one-to-one sessions with Fox News journalists who will perform and "critique" mock interviews and news segments, resulting in a polished and professional presentation.

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RECALL: The Braman Financed Mayor recall is in full gear. By Geniusofdespair

Sparing no expense, Mr. Braman has hired professional petition gatherers to recall Mayor Alvarez. These gals were in a Publix shopping lot at 6pm on Monday. They didn't appear to be getting any signatures when I snapped this photo.

I am afraid of the unintended consequences of this recall. The Mayor would be removed immediately with about a year to go, and the mostly evil County Commission will appoint a replacement - a puppet, and can ram a bunch of stuff through without a veto. Vile Natacha Seijas is laughing right now...

My approach to government is first and foremost: Do no harm. The Mayor couldn't do much harm his last year, without a commission vote (he doesn't have a vote, only a veto). If I knew we were getting to vote on the replacement I would be more inclined to support a recall. But I bet that won't happen, they will plead poverty to pay for a special election and appoint.

Better news for Crist in new Poll. By Geniusofdespair

Republican Marco Rubio (39 percent) leads Independent candidate Charlie Crist (31 percent) by 8 points and Democrat Kendrick Meek (22 percent) by 17 points in the race for U.S. Senate, according to the latest Suffolk University/WSVN poll. Rubio is dropping, and Crist is widening his lead over Meek.

Please don't vote for Meek people - if you add his numbers to Crist, he could overtake Marco by 9 points. Gelber is losing to Bondi by 8 points for Attorney General...she is awful. Sink is winning over Scott by 7 points. We have endorsed Crist, Sink and Gelber.

Voter Alert! Vote NO on the local Miami Dade Charter Amendment. By Geniusofdespair

Keeping the commissioners from talking directly to staff is a GOOD thing. They tend to browbeat staff (think of getting stuck in Vile Natacha's Seijas' office for an hour of lecturing). The Miami-Dade Home Rule Charter affords staff a little protection by requiring the commissioners to communicate through the Mayor's office. This amendment is a commission POWER GRAB trying to gut the charter provision!! Vote NO on the Miami Dade Home Rule Charter question!! Send this post link to your friends! This is a link to our endorsements for this election.

Is there any difference between Tea Party and conservative, right-wing GOP ... by gimleteye

Here we were led to believe the Tea Party was a third party, independent movement. The emerging facts cast doubt for independent voters who admired the willingness of early Tea Party leaders to blast the GOP and Dems in the same outrage. A report arrives just in time for the important Nov 2 elections. On Oct. 5 the Brookings Institute hosted The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) to discuss its third biennial American Values Survey. Now that the curtain is pulled back, including the substantial funding of Tea Party initiatives and candidates by well-known Republican leaders, how will voters react? You can read the full report of the Tea Party and Partisanship, here.

Mom Sounds off In Favor of Amendment 8. Guest Blog By PTA Mom

Actually, I am voting against Amendment 8 which is trying to gut the smaller class size amendment previously approved by the electorate, so I was interested to read a different point of view from a mom active in the PTA. My opinion is, we voted for it, you damn well better fund it. Running it into the ground and making moms and dads hate it is NOT fair to the voters who approved it. The State Legislature just wants to dismantle public schools (they call them State schools) in favor of charter schools. - Geniusofdespair. Here is another point of view from PTA Mom:

I will be voting yes on Amendment 8. I am disgusted with how schools are creatively and desperately meeting the current class size requirements. Thus far I have seen: (1) Children removed from the classroom and placed in front of a computer for "Virtual School." (2) Put two teachers in the class so now you can double the number of children in the room. (3) Remove the art and music teachers because you need the classroom space.

An 11 year old child is not ready to learn from a computer program. Double the number of children in the room is the opposite of the idea of smaller classes. Place "Art on a Cart" and canceling music removes the incentive for many children to even go to school. We are becoming an FCAT factory--if it isn't tested in the FCAT then it isn't important.

When I voted for class size reduction in 2002 I had the idea that the State was actually going to pay for the increased number of teachers and build more classrooms. Instead, no additional funding has been received and schools are fined if they can't meet the class size reduction. Miami Dade County doesn't even keep all of the School Property Tax we collect--it goes to Tallahassee and gets redistributed. We are a "Donor County" that is being threatened with fines if we cannot meet impossible regulations that are not going to benefit the students. There is no proof that smaller class size is the answers.

Schools are at and beyond enrollment capacity. With the economy in the dumps, parents have been moving their children out of private and into public schools. Amendment 8 will give schools some flexibility to determine class size. Florida is the worst state in the nation in per student funding--if we aren't going to fund schools, we should at least give them the ability to still offer a full range of programs.

Seen in Miami.....By Geniusofdespair

A reader sent me this photo of a sign seen on a truck that pumps and stores sewage. Can't read the sign? It says: "Caution! This vehicle is full of Political Promises." Hats off to AES's President, Rene Guerra, for having a sense of humor.

Former Miami TV exec Dick Lobo sworn in as Director of the International Broadcasting Bureau ... by gimleteye

Dick Lobo, former Miami NBC affiliate general manager and recently CEO of Tampa PBS affiliate WEDU, was sworn in today as Director of the IBB, which oversees the Voice of America, Radio Marti/TV Marti, as well as other broadcast outlets bringing the United States to the world. Lobo was confirmed by the US Senate last month, among many senior Obama confirmations held up by the Senate. He was confirmed, at long last, unanimously. Lobo brings to public service a distinguished career in journalism, broadcasting, and management; his is a model of experience and professionalism showing how senior administration positions should be filled.

A tribute to Mandelbrot. By Geniusofespair

See Post below this one too...I am bummed Benoit Mandelbrot died and I am thinking of him today.

Fractals, Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect: Benoit Mandelbrot is dead. By Geniusofdespair

In 1982 Mandelbrot published "The Fractal Geometry of Nature" a classic on chaos theory. I read it many years ago. The term fractal was coined by Benoît Mandelbrot in 1975. Read about Chaos theory and Mandelbrot's set, here is an excerpt from this brief history:

Many scientists were exploring equations that created fractal equations. The most famous fractal image is also one of the most simple. It is known as the Mandelbrot set (pictures of the mandelbrot set). The equation is simple: z=z2+c. To see if a point is part of the Mandelbrot set, just take a complex number z. Square it, then add the original number. Square the result, then add the original number. Repeat that ad infinitum, and if the number keeps on going up to infinity, it is not part of the Mandelbrot set. If it stays down below a certain level, it is part of the Mandelbrot set. The Mandelbrot set is the innermost section of the picture, and each different shade of gray represents how far out that particular point is. One interesting feature of the Mandelbrot set is that the circular humps match up to the bifurcation graph. The Mandelbrot fractal has the same self-similarity seen in the other equations. In fact, zooming in deep enough on a Mandelbrot fractal will eventually reveal an exact replica of the Mandelbrot set, perfect in every detail (Figure left).

Benoit B. Mandelbrot has died at 85. This was a guy who fascinated me in the 80's with his brilliance. Here is more from the New York Time Obit link:

Dr. Mandelbrot traced his work on fractals to a question he first encountered as a young researcher: how long is the coast of Britain? The answer, he was surprised to discover, depends on how closely one looks. On a map an island may appear smooth, but zooming in will reveal jagged edges that add up to a longer coast. Zooming in further will reveal even more coastline.

“Here is a question, a staple of grade-school geometry that, if you think about it, is impossible,” Dr. Mandelbrot told The New York Times earlier this year in an interview. “The length of the coastline, in a sense, is infinite.”

In the 1950s, Dr. Mandelbrot proposed a simple but radical way to quantify the crookedness of such an object by assigning it a “fractal dimension,” an insight that has proved useful well beyond the field of cartography.

Over nearly seven decades, working with dozens of scientists, Dr. Mandelbrot contributed to the fields of geology, medicine, cosmology and engineering. He used the geometry of fractals to explain how galaxies cluster, how wheat prices change over time and how mammalian brains fold as they grow, among other phenomena.

His influence has also been felt within the field of geometry, where he was one of the first to use computer graphics to study mathematical objects like the Mandelbrot set, which was named in his honor.

Steve Shiver and Ghost Town at Maggie Valley: update ... by gimleteye

EOM blog readers know, the ongoing saga of the former Miami-Dade county manager, Steve Shiver, gets darker and darker (see our archive feature). Here is the latest from Maggie Valley, North Carolina, where a speculative land deal to turn a railroad attraction collapsed in more ways than one and took down hundreds of creditors. Shiver was CEO when a massive landslide wrecked the long shot efforts by Miami owners to rescue the amusement park from bankruptcy. Shiver is named personally in a recent lawsuit "alleging he was aware that failure of the retaining wall was imminent, but didn’t warn anyone." Maybe Alex Penelas, making his revival as a lobbyist, has a job for Shiver? Read on.

Wednesday, 13 October 2010 14:51
Homeowners in limbo as sides volley blame in Maggie landslide lawsuit
Written by Becky Johnson

The latest filing in a lawsuit over the massive landslide in Maggie Valley last winter claims the collapse of the mountainside was triggered by a broken waterline at Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park. Until now, accusations centered on a failed retaining wall intended to shore up the slipping mountainside.

A broken waterline pumped hundreds of thousands of gallons of water into the soil over the course of several days, “destabilizing the mountain and saturating the soil,” according to the recent filing in the suit.

Homeowners suing for damages originally claimed the culprit was a faulty retaining wall built two years earlier to hold back part of the mountain. The homeowners sued Ghost Town in the Sky for damages citing negligence, as well as the contractor who built the wall, and the engineer who designed it. The suit also names Ghost Town CEO Steve Shiver personally, alleging he was aware that failure of the retaining wall was imminent, but didn’t warn anyone.

The landslide sideswiped the home of Kurt Biedler and his wife, Tammy Jones, rendering it unlivable until repairs can be made. The house was their primary residence. They still owe a mortgage on it, but lack the money to make the repairs out of their own pocket.

Despite their lawsuit seeking damages, recourse could be hard to come by.

They have sued Ghost in the Sky, but the theme park has been in bankruptcy since early 2009 and is facing foreclosure later this month. Ghost Town’s liability insurance lapsed just before the slide because of nonpayment, according to the insurance company. And the homeowners’ own insurance policy doesn’t cover landslides.

The contractors who built the retaining wall claim it wasn’t their fault, but instead point to the leaking waterline.

The suit names cousins Burton and Colin Edwards of Maggie Valley as the contractors who performed the work, and Colin’s father, Verlin, as the engineer who designed the wall. The Edwards are represented by Waynesville Attorney Rusty McLean.

McLean wrote in a countersuit that Shiver should have known about the waterline leak based on the extensive water use from the Maggie Valley Sanitary District, which pumped water up the mountain to serve Ghost Town.

The slope had been a source of consternation for the mountaintop amusement park for years. An old retaining wall of wooden timbers was visibly buckling at the time Ghost Town hired the Edwards to build a new wall in 2008.

Still troubled by the slope, Ghost Town hired an engineer to assess it in 2009. The engineer, Pat Burgin, wrote a report informing Shiver the retaining wall was inadequate, and “structural failure of the wall was possible if not replaced,” according to the suit and the report itself.



A horrific winter night

Whether the wall collapsed on its own or was triggered by a leaking waterline doesn’t change the fact that Biedler and Jones no longer have a home to live in. The lawsuit describes the mudslide as one of “immense proportion” that made a “rapid descent down the contours of the mountain, accumulating additional standing timber, earth and debris in its path.”

The wave of mud was 90 feet wide and 30 feet high, and “destroyed virtually everything in its path.”

Jones was home alone in her living room when she heard the mudslide coming.

“The home began to shake and vibrate, and seconds later the accumulated mud, timber and debris slammed into the home,” the lawsuit states. “The mudslide struck the home with violent force, knocking the house from its foundation.”

It ripped off the front door and blew Jones back, trapping her in her house, which had been thrust into darkness.

“Ms. Jones had to remove mud, limbs, and wood to escape from the home. Ms. Jones feared for her life, that her home would collapse, and additional mudslides would occur,” the lawsuit states.

It took out the porch, deck stairs, hot tub, heating and air conditioning unit, patio, gazebo, outdoor cooking area and the septic system.

Despite the damages, the home was not condemned by the Haywood County building department.

“There was some foundation damage but it was not in danger of collapse,” said Bruce Crawford, the Haywood County building inspector.

But in their suit, the homeowners claim the home is unsafe because it shifted on its foundation, not to mention that it lacks a septic field. They are now living in Henderson County.



Barking up the wrong tree?

The bankruptcy court ruled that the homeowners can’t go after Ghost Town’s assets — those are already spoken for given the more than $14 million in debt the theme park is carrying — but it will allow the homeowners to go after Ghost Town’s insurance company.

Whether Ghost Town’s insurance was valid at the time of the slide is a different story, however.

Ghost Town was five months late on its liability insurance payment at the time of the slide. Ghost Town twice received warnings that its policy would be canceled if a $14,000 payment wasn’t made.

On Jan. 28, a notice of cancellation was sent out, effective immediately. The insurance company claims Ghost Town had no coverage by the time the slide occurred on Feb. 5, and therefore isn’t liable for damages.

A few days after the slide, Ghost Town finally wired its late insurance payment, but it was too late. The company refused to reinstate the insurance, according to bankruptcy court filings.

But the homeowners dispute that the insurance was canceled at the time of the slide. Although a copy of the cancelation notice dated Jan. 28 is part of the official court record, the cancelation notice and actual cancelation are two different things, the homeowners seem to be arguing.

“The insurance company claims they had terminated coverage prior to the slide, and we are not necessarily in agreement with that,” Daniel Hitchcock, an Asheville attorney, said in an interview. “We wouldn’t go this route if we didn’t think there was insurance in place.”

A Hatted Woman Will Again Be In Congress. By Geniusofdespair

New York's Feminist Congresswoman Bella Abzug (in office 1971-1977) was famous for wearing zany hats. More than 30 years later, Florida will return that tradition to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. We have a Congresswoman who loves her hats too: Frederica Wilson. She is a shoe-in for the seat that Kendrick Meek stupidly vacated. Let's hope, like Bella, Frederica is more than a hat. Abzug's political stands earned her a place on the master list of Nixon political opponents.

Norman Braman, Speaker at Downtown Bay Forum Luncheon. By Geniusofdespair

On Wednesday, October 20th hear Norman Braman at the Downtown Bay Forum Luncheon. The subject of the Discussion: The Case For a Recall, What Effect Will This Have on Miami Dade? Helen Ferre will moderate.

Lunch check in is at 11:30 at the Marriott Hotel, 1633 N. Bayshore Drive. You must RSVP to Annette Eisenberg (305) 757-3633.

"Miami Beach News" is Chamber of Commerce Drivel. By Geniusofdespair

(To enlarge image hit on it.)

When you pick up the "Miami Beach News", a product of "Community Newspapers" you had better realize what entity is writing it. As I was reading it, I said to myself, these sound like ads. Well, I was right. The Chamber of Commerce (or as I like to call them - The Chamber of Charlatans) is writing "Miami Beach News". The Charlatans have been busy spreading misinformation and spending lots of bucks against Amendment 4.

I asked Pat Wade, who published the "Redland Country News" in cooperation with the "Community Newspapers" for 8 years, what she thought of the Chamber's involvement in this newspaper. She said: "If the Chamber of Commerce is doing it, it must be filled with a bunch of one-sided crap." I looked it over, nothing controversial, but it was pretty crappy. Pat was spot on with her adjective.

I was curious about how "Community Newspapers" run their Miami publishing empire (I use the term loosely) so I asked Dr. Wade. She said the Miller brothers pay for the printing, get the ads, and control the layout although she had input on the layout. She had a group of people doing the writing, taking photographs and the delivery - all worked for free. They published the Redland paper 6 times a year and each edition was about 8,000 copies. She and her group distributed the paper to individual homes -- it took 3 or 4 people a few days to deliver them all. She said she bought her own plastic bags and folded each paper into them. And I thought blogging was hard. Pat Wade you are a saint to do all that work for the community -- not making a penny off it. I guess the Miller Brothers made a bit of money over the years, not enough. They shut it down.

The Chamber of Charlatans' "Miami Beach News" might run similarly to Pat's paper, except NEWS was conspicuously absent from the Chamber's rag. It contained a lot of what you would expect in a Chamber publication: Crap....and drivel.

New Soundtrack on My Rick Scott Doesn't Blink Video. By Geniusofdespair

I think with this new soundtrack you can really focus on Rick Scott's Crazy reptilian eyes. Scary. I only counted 2 blinks. 15 to 26 blinks in 60 seconds is the average.