A Dedicated South Florida Blogger Says Goodbye. By Geniusofdespair

A Photo I Found on Rick's Blog.

Rick, of The South Florida Daily Blog, has been sharing all of his favorite songs the past few days as he says goodbye. We both share a love of music and I think his tune selection is a poignant way to transition his leaving.  I have never heard half of his favoirtes, like Elbow singing One Day Like This.

Later today I expect to see his final blog post to all of us, his readers and his fellow bloggers.  I will check back for it as the day passes, Rick mentioned 4 on Twitter and it is there now (4 on the dot).

I, for one, will miss him and I am not looking forward to his last post or to blogging without him. He was always there with help, encouragement and advice. When I started he had been blogging for 3 years and I am now going on 7 years.  

We have met a few times over the years and I admire him greatly. Such a nice guy, smart and handsome. He has helped all of the bloggers in South Florida because his blog was a daily review and discussion of South Florida Blogs that sent new readers our way.

People move on. As "Miami Exile" said (also one of our most faithful readers) on Rick's Blog Post:

The old folks have been warning me for years and it's true, change can really suck.

Don't Miss Art Basel Events. By Geniusofdespair

Art Miami 2011

Tony Goldman at Wynwood Walls (Miami Herald)

There are hundreds of events going on, between December 6-9th, all over the metro area of Miami Dade County. They all revolve around Art Basel which is in the Miami Beach convention center. If you don't like art you can still have fun around town. Check out the Wynwood area. The Wynwood Walls (thank you Tony Goldman, may he rest in peace) are one of the highlights of the City of Miami. If you have never been there, it is time. Start out at 2506 NW 2nd Avenue. The walls have expanded from Goldman's plaza to the surrounding streets. It is magical street art and the area is alive with energy during Art Basel, with pop-up galleries and people wandering around the area. Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the action. The Miami Herald has an Art Basel pullout today.

Some events remain in your memory that make you sorry you missed them. For me, I stayed home New Year's Eve 2000. Stupid. Every year I go to events around Art Basel because NO WHERE else in the entire country is there such an opportunity for joy in celebrating the arts.  No more missed events for me...except I did miss the Eddie Vedder concert last night. Drat!

Daily Show Lampoons Florida's Voter Registration Laws. By Geniusofdespair

Hysterical, John Oliver delivers.....found the Daily Show video on the South Florida Daily Blog. John Fund's (pundit for the Right) face at 2:53 on the counter is priceless.

Eye on Miami: Bestowed with Post of the Month By Our Peers. By Geniusofdespair

The South Florida Daily Blog editors chose Eye on Miami for post of the month. The post was: Rebeca Sosa Thanks Eye On Miami and We Thank The Commissioner.

Take that Sasha Tirador. We are watching you absentee ballot brokers.

The search for the perfect PIZZA, is it over? By Geniusofdespair

Stop the presses! I found an excellent pizza that was just about perfect, best I have had in Florida.  I had it at Franco & Vinny's. It has been in business since 1971.  I ate the pizza so fast I forgot to take a picture of it but I found this one on another site review.  It was the correct color, red with some white showing through, but not too much sauce - it was just right. The crust was tasty (we asked for thin crust) and crispy: two requirements.

I will go back there and Rick from the South Florida Daily Blog should be happy, it is right across the street from his favorite, Birch State Park. I am not giving the address out because I would prefer that very few of you go there. If you are too lazy to look it up, all the better for me: No lines!

Miami Herald and Blogs ... by gimleteye

Over time, a synergy has developed between the city's only daily newspaper-- The Miami Herald-- and bloggers who fill the void for niche audiences. We can't cover great performances at the Performing Arsh Center, for instance, but we can cover what the paper won't: insider deals that crams as many people as possible into Florida while shifting the considerable costs of inadequate infrastructure onto the backs of unsuspecting taxpayers.

We don't cover celebrities who frequent South Beach and our other international destinations, but we do point out the many ways that our hit-and-run culture damages what is valuable to the quality of life of residents.

Miami Herald reporters love reading the blogs, sifting for perspectives and even stories. On the other hand, Herald executives have struggled with how to cope with blogs that cut and paste stories from the paper's pages. Recently, the Herald demanded that the South Florida Daily Blog cease the practice.

The Herald, on the other hand, increasingly cites blogs in the printed and web editions of the paper,  but it doesn't also provide links to the cited blogs. That is arrogant and wrong.

It happened again today, in the report that taxpayers are going to be on the hook for property taxes -- millions of dollars a year-- for the new Marlin's stadium: just one cost among many overlooked by city and county commissioners who paved the way for the sweetest deal in professional sports. The Herald cites a web/blogger called "Field of Schemes" that tracks public finance fiascos that occur everywhere on behalf of insiders and lobbyists who commandeer taxpayers through elected officials. From time to time, the Herald quotes Eyeonmiami, too.

When the Miami Herald cites blogs, the paper should provide the url (in the print edition) and a live link in the online edition so Herald readers can click through to blogs it cites. It only seems fair: if the Herald is going to take a hard stand against cutting and pasting articles it has paid for, that the Herald provide live links to the blogs and bloggers who it quotes. If you are going to quote the blogs, show respect.

1961 Clip of TV Series About the Everglades. By Geniusofdespair

The South Florida Daily Blog has a great video of a 1961 TV series about the Everglades. Worth checking out...very dated, I found the theme song lyrics very funny. Rick of South Florida Daily Blog reported:

The Everglades is an American crime-adventure television series that aired in first-run syndication for one season from 1961–62.

Bloggers Choose Eye on Miami for Post of the Month. By Geniusofdespair

The South Florida Daily Blog  assembled a panel of bloggers to sift through the best posts each month to pick the 'Editor's Choice'. I was honored to be chosen for the Absentee Ballot Fraud 3 part post. Thank you and congratulation also goes to Part 2's author Absentee Ballot Skeptic. If you have not watched the video from the series yet, please do so now and read the post from earlier today: First Reading of Ordinance To Help Combat Absentee Ballot Fraud.

I am not proud of my fellow Americans. By Geniusofdespair

The South Florida Daily Blog has a shocking TEA PARTY video.

Why Eye On Miami wasn't working for a couple of days. By Geniusofdespair

It was not just us that had problems. It was a blogspot problem (our host) effecting blogspot customers. Read what happened on The South Florida Daily Blog.

Check out 2 other blogs today. By Geniusofdespair

Mustang Bobby over at Bark Bark - Woof Woof has a good analysis of the Governor's budgetary skills.

The South Florida Daily Blog has a video clip from Norway, very funny!

Egypt: The South Florida Daily Blog takes on Right-wing Blog Babalu. By Geniusofdespair

A recent chapter in the ongoing dispute by SFDB of Babalu's content:

Rick over at South Florida Daily Blog is not letting Babalu blog get away with their right wing speak on Egypt. He says:

'The right-wing's latest talking point is that the unrest that is currently consuming Egypt is President Obama's fault because the Middle East doesn't respect President Obama like they did President Bush...or something like that. But because it's a talking point, you just know that Babalu Blog's Drillanwr is available to parrot it."

Check Out The 'NO PANTS' Subway Ride Video on South Florida Daily Blog. By Geniusofdespair

Link to The South Florida Daily Blog.

Love to Get Recognized by my Peers. By Geniusofdespair

It is always an honor to be recognized. I was a runner up for Post of the Week for my post last week about Peter and Karen. I did get Post of the Week by South Florida Daily Blog the week of June 22nd. SFDB said:

Winner: Whenever a blog can score an interview with a popular local politician like Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson, it's a good thing, but when they ask great questions like Eye on Miami did then it makes it even that much better. Eye on Miami continues to be about the only place in the South Florida blogosphere to find intelligent and knowledgeable local political commentary so it's a natural that they were able to gain access to Commissioner Sorenson and get her thoughts on running a campaign and getting elected. It was a great effort by the EoM duo and I'm pleased to recognize it as this week's Post of the Week.

Now the Katy Sorenson interview is up for Post of the Month. People have to vote for one of the 4 nominees.

I guess some people do recognize when you put that extra effort into your post. Thanks Rick.

Governor Hopeful Rick Scott Doing the Salsa. By Geniusofdespair

The South Florida Daily Blog has a few videos of Republicans dancing, but it is Obama who has the moves in this video collection. Rick Scott, he can't Salsa to save his life.

Trickin and Trackin, South Florida Daily Blog gets Miami New Times nod... congrats... by gimleteye

Good on you, Rick and South Florida Daily Blog for New Times Best of Miami's local blog in 2010. It's hard work keeping up with all the trickery in the Magic City, and we appreciate the Daily Blog keeping track!

Marco Rubio The Tea Party Candidate. By Geniusofdespair

The South Florida Daily Blog has a very good article and video clips on the Tea Party Candidate, Marco Rubio. SFDB also takes on Babalu's (a conservative blog with writer Henry Gomez) support of Rubio over Crist because of the stimulus funds. The Miami Herald today calls Rubio "a Tea Party star." Beth Reinhard says:

Here's the problem: Rubio, the Republican former leader of the Florida House, could be sidelined as a fringe candidate if he is too closely associated with the loosely organized, quirky tea party crowd.

I was recognized for post of the month. By Geniusofdespair

All I can say is I am thrilled to have my Blog on the Saga of the Phone Scam recognized by other bloggers and readers. Check it out in The South Florida Daily Blog.

Music: Dueling with "The South Florida Daily Blog": Entry 4. By Geniusofdespair

Take a listen to The South Florida Daily Blog Musical Flashback of Red Hot Chili Peppers vs. Mine (below). Just for the record, I liked Tyrannosaurus Rex better...his second coming as T-Rex and Marc Bolan not so much. Unfortunately, in 1969 they didn't make videos of Bolan's best songs which were on Unicorn. This is a slide show with Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles. YouTube down at the moment, if you don't see the video.

Dueling Blogs Entry 3: My Favorite Love Song. By Geniusofdespair

I am in New York for a Van Morrison concert but I thought I would post this today, my favorite love song by Leon Russell. Let's see if it measures up to what Rick posted on the South Florida Daily Blog.

Unfortunately, I cannot get a decent video of Van Morrison (locked out of the code) so here are two links to the best Van Morrison song I could find (I watched them all): Moondance and Domino. If you like these, don't miss Gloria (he wrote it too!).