7:30 p.m.
Just got back from the Marlins Stadium non-vote at County HQ in downtown Miami, at the multi-use, multi-ethnic and multi-agenda driven Stephen P. Clark Government Building, via the 93 Biscayne Max.
Stephen P. Clark Building. 111 NW First Street, Miami, FL 33128
This morning was the first time I've taken that semi-express bus in about a year from nearby Aventura, and after the trip back to Aventura early this evening, all I can say is that it's much
quicker -and imminently more relaxing- in the morning while reading the papers, though I did get some great shots of The Freedom Building at sundown; while waiting at the same red light that I haven't caught green on since the first term of the Reagan Administration.
While coming back home I also saw the multiple police helicopters flying over North Miami -at least three- looking for a multiple-murder suspect as the bus trudged north and approached NE 125th St. & Biscayne. Two of them remained stationary as if frozen, and the other making sweeping banking turns while it looked for the suspect, as if it were trying to flush a bird out of some trees.
Just a thought here, but perhaps in the future, Metro-Dade Police and local LEOs might want to consider contacting Transit HQ so that they can get BOLOs out via radio to bus drivers going thru areas where a dragnet is taking place, so they don't let the suspect board and have everything become a hostage drama. One of precisely the sort that would be turned into a very mediocre film that I would never seek out at the movie theater and only see once it's in heavy rotation on TNT or USA Cable.
As it was, I already felt like I was a hostage for the better part of the day downtown, as the county's powers-that-be did a positively dreadful job of keeping the hundreds of folks joining me for the first few hours properly informed, while we parsed phone messages and rumors that came in as one hour turned into another.
Mere "Extras" in someone else's film.
Meanwhile, just a few feet away down the hallway, conveniently, members of the local media could watch the City of Miami hearing live on a TV, while hoi-polloi like me and the others were left to grasp at straws and try to figure out what was going on at Dinner Key.
More mañana on the Marlins Stadium debacle and the half-assed communication and citizen customer service efforts.
After being there for almost six hours, and seeing lots of familiar faces, including some other bloggers and public policy website folks, I also met some new folks of a similar mind-set, many of whom I'll be talking about over the weekend as I discuss everything that happened -and didn't.
Avec photos.
But that will wait 'till then, since I first need to relax and get ready to watch some action and
adventure with the continuing chronicles of Sarah Conner and the new ones of the amazing Eliza Dushku on the Dollhouse series premiere on Fox-TV.
Lucky Friday the 13th has finally come for those of us who love both.
But before I get too comfortable, I wanted to share this great video that I saw earlier today,
before leaving for downtown Miami, from my daily Mediabistro Fishbowl DC email on yet
another sign of the "Obama difference."
Not for the first time I'm here to say, be careful what you wish for.
Take it away Dana Milbank at the National Press Club.
