Luis Paredes of UCA of HB on Wednesday's City Hall meeting re Mike Good's future as City Manager of Hallandale Beach: We're mad as hell...

June 2, 2010 photo of Hallandale Beach City Hall by South Beach Hoosier

Earlier today, I and many other concerned Hallandale Beach residents received the following impassioned email from Luis Paredes, the President of the United Condominium Association of Hallandale Beach, UCA.

Luis has been one of the leaders in the community's fight against the incompatible Diplomat LAC proposal that would've made the Quality of Life here and in nearby Hollywood infinitely worse in the short-term and long-term; the fight against the city approving the shoe-horning of a Charter high school into a single-family HB residential neighborhood that would actually have had very few Hallandale Beach students attending it; and, the much larger fight against the longstanding anti-democratic policies and self-evident incompetency, cronyism and corruption at Hallandale Beach City Hall under the current Joy Cooper & Mike Good regime.

I called Luis this afternoon and received his permission to run his email here -with a little tinkering for space considerations- so you all can see another concerned HB resident's perspective.

This is actually something I plan on doing much more of in the future on this blog, and had originally considered initiating in January, since there are SO many more people in this community vehemently opposed to the ruinous/myopic actions at HB City Hall then the apologists of it would have you believe.

For many of the apologists and acolytes in the local area of the business-as-usual approach, with few questions asked and little-to-no public accountability -save Comm. Keith London- like the entire self-serving HB Chamber of Commerce crowd and Alexander Lewy, the latter of whom who aspires to be a Rubber Stamp come November, it's both a coping mechanism and a revenue stream.
A golden goose -with taxpayer dollars- they want to see continue, with NO questions asked.

Not that the Miami Herald has been paying any attention to any of this in a way that even approximates what journalism textbooks once preached, since the folks at One Herald Plaza consider Hallandale Beach -and most of Broward County- as terra incognita.

The overwhelming evidence presented before us every day as news consumers is that Herald management, reporters and columnists continue to focus their time and energies on serving residents and readers located in Kendall, Coral Gables, Miami Beach, Cutler Bay, Wynnwood, and, of course, Calle Ocho and Cuba.
They simply don't care what happens here. And it shows.

Where's the twice-a-week Broward County-oriented columnist?
There isn't one, even as the existing Herald columnists overwhelmingly continue to focus their columns on the concerns of the half-dozen or so favored South Florida communities -and Cuba- in the Local & State section of the newspaper, to the dismay of the majority of its remaining readers.

As has been suggested to me many times -after I already thought of it when first starting this blog three years ago- perhaps if thru some tectonic plate shifting, Hallandale Beach was moved to Cuba, they'd have more of an interest in covering it.
Sadly, all too true.

June 2, 2010 photo of public notice at Hallandale Beach City Hall regarding Wednesday's meeting there regarding the future of Mike Good as City Manager, by South Beach Hoosier


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UCA of Hallandale Beach; I AM MAD AS HELL AND ....
Luis Paredes
Saturday June 5, 2010 10:14 AM

Good day all, we hope you and your families are doing well.
Hey Snow birds, we miss you and we know your here with us in spirit :)
You're never forgotten and you are always one of us. All for one and one for all.

It's time to say and tell them, "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!"

UCA urged and requested that the Special Commission Meeting about City Mgr. Mike Good on June 9th at 1 PM be moved to 7 PM to allow more public participation -UCA was denied.
The reason we were told NO was because Mayor Cooper had an early morning flight the next morning. Is this just another coincidence or a upcoming set up?
Help us understand how only one agenda item for the meeting could not start at 7 PM?
The Vice Mayor (Julian) was willing to head the meeting but was told NO.

People, Mike Good is about to be fired or asked to resign and June 9th is his day for a public hearing for the commission to decide.
From what we understand, Mike Good will have his attorney and the city will have theirs to discuss in a public forum.

City Commission Chambers
400 S. Federal Highway
Hallandale Beach, FL 33009

UCA says, "It's not only Mike Good's day in court, IT'S OUR, THE PEOPLE'S DAY IN COURT!"

Let them all hear from you via email or attendance in this meeting why you are MAD AS HELL AND YOU ARE NOT TAKING IT ANYMORE.

What have and have to pay for today is a by-product of Mike Good and Mayor Cooper's doings no matter how sweet she puts it on in the Sun-Times.

Don't let Mike Good walk away with a BIG PACKAGE as some on the commission may want it.

If you don't know here are some reasons why and what Mike Good and Mayor Cooper has left us with to deal with everyday.

If you have your own, share them with UCA and we will make sure everyone reads them too. (UCA will not use your name unless you provide us permission.)

NOTE: UCA has copied every commissioner on this email so that all you have to do is a COPY & PASTE on your email with your response to them.

UCA URGES YOU TO PLEASE DO SO.

OUR VOICES MUST BE HEARD, FINALLY, JUST AS THEY WERE WHEN WE WERE UNITED AGAINST THE DIPLOMAT AND WON.

JOY COOPER <jcooper@hallandalebeachfl.gov>;
DOROTHY ROSS COMMISSIONER <dross@hallandalebeachfl.gov>;
ANTHONY SANDERS onevision4life@aol.com; BECJULI@aol.com;
Keith London <londonshow@bellsouth.net>

Our taxes have increase because... 30% plus increase in water and sewer rates in 2009.
Our 4.2 square mile city has more city employees as compared to other cities.
Mysteriously unknown contracts such in the case of Kessel and Mike Good.
Mike Good's resignation in 2008 and then re-hired shortly after with a very HEFTY pay out paid by the city. That year he was paid over $400,000,
Mike Good's attendance record of 50% as reported by newspaper,
Annual your tax dollars paid to the Sun-Times by the city for publicity of a few in power.

The city budget has doubled since 2000, increasing over $48,000,000.
City's debt has increased 20 times, now over $38,000,000.
City has one of the highest sanitation fees in all Broward
BUT has the lowest service levels.
Commission favors, commission seats, land and back door deals, what's/who's next?

If you want to read more we urge you to click on this link PLEASE.
www.changehallandale.com

Recent example sent to UCA: A HB Sergeant who just got promoted to Captain with a big city fanfare of congratulations, and pictures, also gets a huge raise in pay, which will reflect on his pension for life, and not to mention that enormous D.R.O.P. check, announced that he will be leaving HB and move to Georgia to work for Law Enforcement there.
Does anybody realize what we just did?
We bumped up his pension and DROP check and sent him on his way.
No one said anything on the Commission.

So do you want business as usual? Or do you want real change?
Are you by now, MAD AS HELL AND WILL NOT TAKE IT ANYMORE?

IF SO...UCA has copied every commissioner on this email so that all you have to do is a reply to all on this email with your response.

UCA URGES YOU TO PLEASE DO SO.

MIS-MANAGEMENT AND NOT A TRUE VOICE FOR THE PEOPLE...
We ask for resignations of Commissioner Ross, Mayor Cooper for the past/current oversight and spins to what a so called great city manager we have.
Any business with said endorsements would have never these people on the board and/or in charge.
If they don't resign, do we go for a recall?

Whether you call them Mayor Cooper's Poopers, Bloopers or Loopers they are all one in the same.
A stage they rehearse and a commission they verse with clouded spins for their gains, not the residents.
This is what many have told us and we have seen.
Just a few we can call truly honorable.
It's time to say and tell them, " I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!" OR, DO YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR TAXES INCREASE? AND BUSINESS AS USUAL?

If you are not convinced of what we have said so far....please watch the re-broadcast commission meeting of June 2, 2010.
You can also get the videos from the city's website but as a coincidence, the June 2, 2010 meeting does not come up...hmmmm.
http://www.hallandalebeach.org/index.aspx?nid=717

We think it would be a good idea if you post it for your residents.
Monday & Thursday starts at 6pm COMCAST Channel 78
Friday, Saturday & Sunday starts at noon on COMCAST Channel 78

PS: Many of you have asked to donate monies to our organization. We have said NO but thank you! Our goal is our fellow neighbors and their/ours quality of life, that's what we stand for.

We thank all our watch dogs and organizations whom have helped us shed the light on the truth. Much more light to come...stay tuned.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Growing God bless us and our city.

Sincerely,
Luis "Louie" Paredes,
President United Condominium Associations (UCA) of Hallandale Beach

OUR MISSION IS SIMPLE: Through a united voice and VOTE from all the boundaries of Hallandale Beach to bring us together on a focused path that helps our community and property to begin the process of reducing all costs.

OUR GOAL: To share our accumulated knowledge, advise and experience for helpful solutions to all. With objectives to lower all costs for our residents and fellow neighbors, from city taxes, fees to monthly maintenance fees.

May we be guided by the ways of our fathers to make them proud as they watch over us as we continue to unite as a community.

A local government BY the people FOR the people. Fighting the Greater Good for All is more important than the selfishness of one. God bless our city, God bless us all, thank you.

---------

In case some of you finding yourself here are too young to be familiar with the iconic film which made the phrase above mentioned by Luis so well-known, let's go back to the beginning with Peter Finch in his Oscar-winning performance as American TV network news anchor Howard Beale in 1976's NETWORK:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90ELleCQvew http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/

Urban design -More opportunities to talk/share/learn about Hollywood's future on Hollywood Beach at Hollywood CRA & University of Miami mash-up from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Had a very interesting time and learned a lot yesterday at the Garfield Community Center on Hollywood Beach for the Hollywood CRA and U-M mash-up I had posted about, though I was a bit disappointed that the number of local residents taking advantage of the opportunity was lower than I thought it'd be.
No doubt much of that can be blamed on the rain we got in the area right before the event.

Above and below, some of the brain-storming, fact-finding and magic realism that went on yesterday on Hollywood Beach. June 3rd, 2010 photos by me, South Beach Hoosier


Among those present from the City of Hollywood to see the interaction between local residents and the eager U-M grad students were new Hollywood CRA Executive Director Charlotte Burnett, whom I finally met, City Attorney Jeffrey Sheffel, as well as City Manager Cameron Benson and Assistant CM Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark, who always increase the all-important Big Ten factor wherever they go, since as I've mentioned previously, they went to the University of Illinois and University of Wisconsin respectively.

And for the record, I actually didn't put on my IU cap until near the end of the 90 minutes.
While I was there, I asked around and found out that there will be more open sessions over the weekend, running from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. I may swing by again.

I should also mention that if you have never been there before, the session is being held on the second floor of the Community Center connected to the parking garage, but though it's called Garfield, if you're driving there, when you're on State Road A1A, you actually need to make your turn on Connecticut, since Garfield is a one-way street south of the garage going west from the Broadwalk.


City of Hollywood http://www.hollywoodfl.org/

Sycophantic "City activist Robert Walsh" is holding Broward County hostage by his need for attention - please don't pay the ransom!

This post of mine today is being written as a result of seeing the following Broward Politics blog post on Thursday, and reading the reader comments.
I long ago gave up posting on the Sun-Sentinel for reasons that I've previously mentioned.
But some people can't seem to go two days without posting something there, no matter how inconsequential.

Will Kristin Jacobs coast to victory, without opponent?

Posted by Brittany Wallman on June 3, 2010 11:00 AM

http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2010/06/will_kristin_jacobs_coast_to_v.html

Am I right or am I right when I say that NOBODY but nobody sticks-up for local Broward County politicians and public officials like "City activist Robert Walsh"?

If he didn't exist, political activists and bloggers like me across the region would have to create a fictitious name for a self-evident sycophantic toady like him who always seems to cast himself as the great truth-teller to the public.

The Woody Allen-like character who ALWAYS has to get his two cents in, even when it's not required.

Instead, he obliges us by furnishing the punch-line himself by over-extending his welcome at myriad reader comment forums throughout the area, as if he is the elder Professor Emeritus of History at State U., who remembers back when he first pulled-up to the faculty parking lot in his late '40's Packard. "Back then, Claude Pepper..."
Yes, we know already.

He is, to use a phrase I don't often use, quite a hoot.
Or at least he was the first 1,000 times I saw his handiwork, especially at the Broward Politics blog, http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/ to which he is drawn to like a moth, as if it was Sam Drucker's General Store in Green Acres or Petticoat Junction.
But he is no Oliver Wendell Douglas.

Petticoat Junction -- Cannonball Christmas Part 1 of 3

Like most cracker barrel philosophers, one-trick ponies, or new comedies on NBC-TV that are put to death by lack of viewers, he's quickly outworn his usefulness, but he's the only one who doesn't see it.

Unless he unexpectedly straps some C-4 to himself someday and walks into the Broward County Govt. bldg. to chide some Broward activist for having the courage to draw some much-needed attention to the egregious activities of one of his pals on the Commission dais, this shall be the one and only time his name is ever uttered on this blog.

Buh-bye, City activist Robert Walsh!


The 1965 Tide. Now THAT was a year for laundry detergent!
At least in Memphis it was.

Thursday's City of Hollywood CRA & U-M School in Real Estate Dev. & Urbanism's Mash-up on Hollywood Beach

Received this press release Wednesday afternoon about an interesting get-together to talk about the future of Downtown Hollywood and Hollywood Beach.
Get ready to brainstorm!

See also: http://www.hollywoodbeachcra.org/,
http://nuonline.arc.miami.edu/

http://arc.miami.edu/programs/mredu
-------------

City of Hollywood

http://www.hollywoodfl.org/

------------------

City of Hollywood, Florida

Office of the City Manager

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 2, 2010

Contact: Raelin Storey

Public Affairs and Marketing Director

Phone: 954.921.3098

Cell: 954.812.0975 Fax: 954.921.3314

E-mail: rstorey@hollywoodfl.org

University of Miami Community Design and Development Studio in Hollywood, June 2-6, 2010

Hollywood, FL-More than 20 graduate students and 5 professors from the University of Miami's School of Architecture are in Hollywood this week to team with the Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (HCRA) to host a Community Design and Development (CDD) Studio. The CDD Studio assists communities with visioning, planning, design and development challenges through the combined resources of faculty and graduate students in real estate, urban design and architecture.

"With the market bouncing back, there's no better time to bring this type of expertise and energy to Hollywood as we prepare for reinvestment and positive redevelopment," says HCRA Executive Director Charlotte Burnett.

The students are part of UM's Masters program in Real Estate Development and Urbanism. Through research and meetings with residents, business interests and property owners, the CDD Studio in Hollywood will review existing code issues including current design guidelines for the HCRA and recommendations for updates, as well as a market analyses of the downtown and beach districts creating recommendations for retail-dining; residential; office; resort-hotel; arts, entertainment and culture; and medical & education.

Hollywood residents can get involved in the work being done in Hollywood by attending the public sessions or by stopping by UM's Hollywood Studio at the Garfield Street Community Center, 300 Connecticut Street (adjacent to the Garfield Street Parking Garage on Hollywood Beach) during the open sessions on Saturday, June 5^th or Sunday, June 6^th.

Check for open session times online at www.hollywoodfl.org under Hot Information.

Public Sessions:

A Woman's View: Meeting with female consumers on

impressions of Downtown Hollywood

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

6:00-7:15 p.m.

Garfield Street Community Center

300 Connecticut Street on Hollywood Beach

Light refreshments will be provided

General Session

Thursday, June 3, 2010

5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Garfield Street Community Center

300 Connecticut Street on Hollywood Beach

Light refreshments will be provided

For additional information, contact Raelin Storey, Public Affairs and Marketing Director, at 954.921.3098.

Old Tradition vs. New Tradition as Maryland faces Northwestern for NCAA D-1 Women's Lacrosse Championship in Towson

NCAA D-1 Women's Lacrosse Championship, 5:30 p.m. on CBS College Sports, DirecTV 613 Replay is tonight at 9 pm, on Monday at 6:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Well, despite my hopes that #3 North Carolina might knock-off #2 Northwestern on Friday night so that they would have a chance at possibly winning their third NCAA title this year in a Women's sport that I follow -having previously won the Field Hockey and Soccer titles- the Wildcats, and in particular, their plucky and ridiculously-talented Senior play-maker Katrina Dowd, last year's tourney MVP, would hear none of that, as Northwestern won going-away 15-10 against the talented Tar Heels, who'd given the Wildcats AND Maryland their only losses of the season, after scoring four straight goals.
http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/w-lacros/mtt/dowd_katrina00.html

So now, Dowd and her Wildcats find the only thing standing in their way of winning their 6th straight NCAA title are the #1 Maryland Terrapins, the very school that dominated the sport for most of the past 20 years, with 9 titles of their own, including seven straight from 1995-2001 under former head coach Cindy Timchal.

The Terps dispatched a valiant un-ranked Syracuse squad that could never get any offensive momentum going against the stifling Terp defense, winning 14-5, with a late goal by former Glenelg Gladiator Kristy Black, who was a field hockey teammate of my oldest niece.
http://www.umterps.com/sports/w-lacros/mtt/black_kristy00.html

Friday's attendance of 8,762 fans at Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University for the two national Semifinals set a record for the largest United States women's lacrosse crowd.

Photo galleries of Friday night's UNC-Northwestern match:
http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/view.gal?id=70134 http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/view.gal?id=70143

UNC Women's Lacrosse homepage:
http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/w-lacros/unc-w-lacros-body.html

Northwestern Women's Lacrosse homepage:
http://nusports.cstv.com/sports/w-lacros/nw-w-lacros-body.html

Northwestern tourney stats:
http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/w_lacrosse_champs_records/2010/D1/html/nu.htm

Photo gallery of Friday night's Maryland-Syracuse match: http://www.umterps.com/view.gal?id=70111
http://www.umterps.com/view.gal?id=70166

Maryland Women's Lacrosse homepage:
http://www.umterps.com/sports/w-lacros/md-w-lacros-body.html

Maryland tourney stats:
http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/w_lacrosse_champs_records/2010/D1/html/md.htm

----------------
Worth reading: Baltimore Sun's Lacrosse homepage, the best in the country:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/lacrosse/

Northwestern Women's Lacrosse: Inside An Unlikely Dynasty
by Hilary Lee
May 30, 2010 12:15 PM CDT http://www.rivalryesq.com/2010/5/30/1493884/northwestern-womens-lacrosse

Maryland-Northwestern Championship Game One Year In The Making
Sunday's title game between the Terps and Wildcats is a long time coming
http://www.ncaa.com/sports/w-lacros/spec-rel/052910aaa.html

Women's Lacrosse blog by Amy Farnum:
http://www.ncaa.com/blog/2010d1womenslacrosse/

Reminder: Tomorrow is the deadline for applying for 2011 NCAA Final Four basketball tickets for the games on April 2 and 4 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, hosted by the University of Houston and Rice University.
http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/ncaahome?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/ncaa/ncaa/media+and+events/press+room/news+release+archive/2010/championships/20100520+ff+tix+rls

The FL-17 race that Scott Galvin ought to be hitting his stride in, is actually showing his immaturity. Has Galvin ALREADY blown it?

My comments follow the article, which continues South Florida's recent rash of quorum problems: Hallandale Beach City Commission, Fort Lauderdale Planning & Zoning Board and North Miami City Council.

-----
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/27/1652344/north-miami-councilmen-scott-galvin.html

North Miami Councilmen Scott Galvin and Michael Blynn leave meeting

By NADEGE CHARLES
The Miami Herald

Outraged over a comment made by North Miami Mayor Andre Pierre, Councilman Scott Galvin and Councilman Michael Blynn stormed out of a contentious meeting with Solar Mountain, the firm expected to take over the now-defunct Biscayne Landing site.

The walkout occurred after Pierre told the two councilmen -- who had already threatened to leave -- that they should not make threats they didn't intend to keep.

Wednesday's meeting drew a crowd of residents to City Hall to voice their opinions on the prospect of a solar-powered theme park on what was originally intended to be a massive residential condo development.

Solar Mountain is asking for a controversial change to the lease agreement that would absolve them from having to spend $28 million in improving other areas of the city.

In place of the off-site improvements, the company proposes to pay a flat $7.5 million.

The proposal came across heavy opposition from Galvin and Blynn, who openly expressed skepticism over whether Solar Mountain's principals would be able to secure financing to complete the proposed winter-themed park.

Galvin asked Marc Douthit, president of Solar Mountain, for proof that the company had money.

Douthit said the firm's funding was solely through private equity. He indicated he was willing to share the firm's money source with the city confidentially, but because any documents presented to the city becomes public record, he could not.

If Solar Mountain cannot open its books to the city, Galvin said, "Let us cease and desist.'' Dissatisfied with Douthit's response, he threatened to walk out of the meeting.

Blynn also said he would walk out.

Shortly after a 10-minute recess an hour into the meeting, the mayor asked if Blynn and Galvin planned to stay.

When both councilmen indicated that they would, Pierre sniped: "Don't make any threats you have no intention on carrying out.''

That comment prompted Galvin to walk out, followed by Blynn, leaving only Pierre and Councilwoman Marie Steril, who had arrived late.

Councilman Jean Marcellus, whose wife passed away over the weekend, did not attend Wednesday night's meeting.

With no quorum, the workshop ended early -- frustrating many residents who had unanswered questions

"This is nonsense,'' said Gerier Origene. "There is no respect for the people. I want to know what Solar Mountain can do for the city, but the politicians are too busy playing politics.''

The plan was on the agenda for the city to hold a public workshop for Solar Mountain representatives to present their project followed by an emergency council meeting to vote whether the city would enter into negotiations to amend the lease.

Critics of Solar Mountain argue that the group's principals are inexperienced developers with ties to the mayor, and say they are trying to cheat the city out of millions of dollars owed in off-site obligations.

Pierre and Douthit are former law partners. Another principal, Willis Howard, is Pierre's former campaign manager. "If they will not live up to the agreement that they bought, we need to let it fall,'' said Michael Killiany, a North Miami resident who suggested the city go out to bid for new developers.

From early on there was obvious friction on the dais when Galvin announced the vote was two to one, indicating he and Blynn were against and the mayor was in favor of the project.

But reached after the meeting, Pierre said he had not made a made a decision on the project.

Supporters say the group's proposal -- which says it will create 5,530 construction jobs plus support another 3,983 permanent jobs -- will aid unemployed and struggling residents.

When the subject of jobs arises, North Miami resident Tanisha Rizer, said she is willing to listen.

"You have a lot of poor families in North Miami, a lot of impoverished children. I'm unemployed, I need a job,'' she said.

It's unclear if another workshop will be rescheduled with the city, but Douthit said he would prefer to meet with community members outside of city hall.

"I'm not interested in another workshop with the city,'' he said.

The walkout spurred allegations of racism from one Solar Mountain representative.

After the meeting, Howard said he believed Galvin and Blynn left because the last person to speak, Rizer, is an African-American resident who spoke about unemployment.

Galvin did not leave immediately after Rizer spoke, however. He left shortly after the meeting reconvened after the break.

Reached after the meeting Galvin said, "It's ridiculous to suggest I'm racist, I just want to focus on the project on hand and not get into name calling.''

Residents like Carol Keys supported the council members' hasty exit.

"The mayor has a tendency to be rude to fellow council people and Scott wasn't going to take it,'' Keys said.

Pierre who grew up in a Long Island suburb defended his comment, saying he was not being rude.

"I grew up in the ghetto of Westbury, New York,'' he said after the meeting, referring to the Long Island village. "You don't make threats you're not going to keep.''

-----
The purpose of this post is not to discuss the relative merits of the development project described above in North Miami, in an area I know very well, since I spent lots of time growing-up down here doing things in North Miami -Fourth of July fireworks at the city park on NE 135th Street when it first opened, Marcella's, Carvel's, and the fabulous Spinelli Brothers barber shop, to name but a few.

The latter was the fabulous hangout for South Florida sports media and Dolphin players -esp. Garo- in the early and mid-1970's, and the brothers were my official NMB Optimist sponsor for football, which meant that my photo hung up in their shop that was full of photos of show biz celebs, their particular place on the wall memorized by me as I sat in the barber chair as if they were stars up in the night sky.

I even recall when the specific area in the article was going to be part of our path to the furure, Interama.

No, the purpose of this particular post is to ask publicly whether or not North Miami City Councilman Scott Galvin, one of 11 candidates to replace Kendrick Meek in Congress for the 17th District -and the only White candidate- has already blown his opportunity to lay the groundwork for a big upset in late August?

In reading this story, I can't help but wonder if Scott Galvin has actually been to Capitol Hill before, and and seen what long House Committee meetings are really like?

Or is he our very own latter-day Edward Markey, the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy and Environment Subcommittee -whom I first came to know in the early '90's when he was the Chair of the super-important Telecommunications & Finance subcommittee, which had many well-known controversial hearings I attended- but who in his first campaign running for Congress from Massachusetts, had to admit that he'd never visited Washington before? http://markey.house.gov/
http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php

For the newest Members, it's hours and hours of listening to people with much more seniority -but perhaps much less actual smarts or common sense- ask all the good questions in front of whatever media chooses to attend, while you just have to sit there like furniture, filling up the picture.
It just gnaws at you, but hey, that's the system.
The important thing is to not fall asleep!

Given what I had heard about Galvin, that he was a savvy guy full of good ideas, despite having worked for Carrie Meek, I really would've thought that at this point in the CD-17 campaign, he'd actually be publicly asking some questions and raising issues that re-inforce his strengths, even while the other candidates -and the Herald- seem inclined to just ignore those issues for another couple of months, given their largely inarticulate and ineffective campaigns, especially their lack of serious outreach to the Broward part of the district -where I live.

My slice of the political universe -map of Florida’s 17th Congressional District.


From http://www.govtrack.us/
"We help you keep tabs on the U.S. Congress. This is the independent, nonpartisan website that started the "civic hacking" movement around the United States Congress."

But after reading an article like this one, that seems to indicate a great deal of immaturity, I'm beginning to wonder whether there's any point in him making appearances in Hallandale Beach in the future, where none of the other candidates have visited, which if he'd played his cards right, he could have have made into a relative stronghold by now.

The sort of immaturity described in the article is rewarded in Congress by your colleagues simply ignoring you.

As most of you know by now, I spent 15 years up there and saw it for myself on Capitol Hill, since nobody wants to be regularly seen in the presence of someone who can't keep their ego and mouth in check. That's part of why they call it a collegial body.

Oftentimes, the very people you dislike the most are in your own party, and then what do you do? If you're a Freshman Member, you just have to sit there and take it, not pop-up and pop-off.

See also: Tim Smith's Fort Lauderdale
P&Z ... What's Up With No Meeting Again?
Posted by Tim Smith at 5/28/2010 9:27 AM http://blog.timsmith.com/2010/05/28/pz-pawn.aspx

Something to smile about: NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four Weekend in Bawlmer, Hon

NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four, Johnny Unitas Stadium,
Towson, Md. -Home of the Tigers

Friday on CBS College Sports, DirecTV Channel 613
5:30 p.m. #1 Maryland (20-1) vs. Syracuse (15-6)
8:00 p.m. #2 Northwestern (19-1) vs. #3 North Carolina (17-2)
Sunday on CBS College Sports, 5:30 p.m. Division I Championship

I'm pretty sure that Maryland will win the first game since I've seen Georgetown play Syracuse twice in the past few weeks, including for the Big East title two weeks ago where they beat the Orange, so I'm mostly waiting for the second game and here's why.

The Terps lost to the Tar Heels in last year's Semifinals which was brutal for Terp fans to take since many really thought they'd do the Field Hockey & Lacrosse double-championship thing -again.

But it didn't happen, though they could at least take solace in the Wildcats beating UNC in the final, for their fifth straight NCAA title.

The Tar Heels beat the Terps in the NCAA Field Hockey championship in November, scoring the winning goal with just 11 seconds left.
More brutality for Turtle fans!

Back on April 18th, I watched the Tar Heels' huge victory at beautiful Lakeside Park in Evanston on The BigTenNetwork, their first live Women's Lacrosse telecast since the network started, and what a match to start with. http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/w-lacros/recaps/041810aaa.html

As I've previously mentioned here, that was only THE single best women's lacrosse match I've ever seen, and was keyed in no small part by the elusive Megan Bosica, #2 for the Tar Heels. http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/w-lacros/unc-w-lacros-body.html

Megan's from perennial lacrosse power Mt. Hebron in Howard County, MD, where my sister's family lives, one of the real traditional lacrosse and field hockey hot houses on the East Coast that exports talent to teams all over the country.
My two oldest nieces played field hockey for Glenelg, playing in the state championship game for their division three times in five years.

Bosica's ability to find a hole in the defense or pass like a laser-beam reminded me of Isiah Thomas going thru the lane for the Hoosiers, once-upon-a-time, always getting that second defender to follow him, leaving someone wide-open for the pass.
She's uncanny and never stops hustling!

I'll have some comments about the Men's NCAA Semifinals at M&T Stadium on Saturday morning.


You're not really surprised, are you, that the geniuses over at the Miami Herald's Sports section didn't even bother to list these NCAA Women's Semifinal matches in the paper today?
It's par for the course at one of the WORST-designed and edited sports sections in the entire country.

They're the same geniuses who had nothing in the paper about the UEFA Champions League title game the day before it was played.
Yeah, that's normal at newspapers that think they've got something to brag about.

See for yourself:On TV / Radio Today
http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/28/1652417/on-tv-radio-today.html

Focus of Mobile DTV Consumer Showcase in D.C.: Making TV Portable Again; Answer to News Junkies Dilemma!

Overview from today's National Association of Broadcasters' SmartBrief:
Nine Washington, D.C., area TV outlets are taking part in the DC Mobile Digital Television Consumer Showcase, a four-month initiative during which hundreds of users will give their opinions on a range of cutting-edge devices.

WTTG-TV, Washington, D.C. a.k.a. Fox 5
Mobile DTV Making TV Portable Again -DTV on laptops, DVD players, mobile phones
Updated: Tuesday, 25 May 2010, 12:51 PM EDT
Published : Monday, 24 May 2010, 6:48 PM EDT
VIDEO STORY BY MELANIE ALNWICK/myfoxdc



http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/entertainment/mobile-dtv-making-tv-portable-again-052410

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Mobile TV Comes To Washington

By Topper Shutt & Elizabeth Jia
http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=101699&catid=158

FOX 5 News: Live on the Web:
http://www.myfoxdc.com/subindex/live_video/live_newscasts

Have Peter Deutsch & Ben Gamla Hebrew Charter School formally pulled their application in Hallandale Beach? Looks like it!

Late this afternoon in Hallandale Beach, word began spreading -yes, like wildfire- that well-informed sources were confirming that the Ben Gamla Hebrew Charter School's application had been formally pulled, and that Wednesday afternoon's scheduled P&Z meeting was canceled.

On Friday, the city had posted the docs below to their website, which included the Hallandale Beach Planning Dept. staff's recommendation that the HB Planning & Zoning Board recommend DENIAL of Ben Gamla Hebrew Charter's application, as it was not in compliance in six areas.

I will post more about what's going on here when there are more specifics to report.

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Applications # 28-09-CU and #29-09-V by Hallandale School LLC/Ben Gamla Charter School for a Conditional Use and a Variance in order to operate a public charter school with 600 students at the existing Hallandale Jewish Center located at 416 NE 8th Avenue.
The applications are as follows:

a. Application # 28-09-CU requesting a Conditional Use Permit to operate a charter school in a residential single family zoning district pursuant to Section 32-152(c)(2) of the City’s Code of Ordinances.

b. Application # 29-09-V requesting a Variance from Section 32-152(c)(2) of the City’s Code of Ordinance in order to provide outdoor play equipment closer than 50 feet from any adjacent residential use.

Ben Gamla Application, 131 KB,
Last Uploaded: 5/21/2010 3:52:15 PM ]
http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1487

Ben Gamla Plans, 4393 KB,
Last Uploaded: 5/21/2010 3:52:15 PM
http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1488

Ben Gamla Staff Report, 102 KB,
Last Uploaded: 5/21/2010 3:27:05 PM
http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1484

Backup to Staff Report, 3202 KB,
Last Uploaded: 5/21/2010 3:27:05 PM
http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1485

Charles Krauthammer's analysis of Obama's ineffective & wrong-headed foreign policy; Blue Valentine's Michelle Williams as Jean Seberg? A big YES!

My comments follow the excellent column by Charles Krauthammer.

----------
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/20/AR2010052003885.html

The fruits of weakness

By Charles Krauthammer
May 21, 2010

It is perfectly obvious that Iran's latest uranium maneuver, brokered by Brazil and Turkey, is a ruse. Iran retains more than enough enriched uranium to make a bomb. And it continues enriching at an accelerated pace and to a greater purity (20 percent). Which is why the French foreign ministry immediately declared that the trumpeted temporary shipping of some Iranian uranium to Turkey will do nothing to halt Iran's nuclear program.

It will, however, make meaningful sanctions more difficult. America's proposed Security Council resolution is already laughably weak -- no blacklisting of Iran's central bank, no sanctions against Iran's oil and gas industry, no nonconsensual inspections on the high seas. Yet Turkey and Brazil -- both current members of the Security Council -- are so opposed to sanctions that they will not even discuss the resolution. And China will now have a new excuse to weaken it further.

But the deeper meaning of the uranium-export stunt is the brazenness with which Brazil and Turkey gave cover to the mullahs' nuclear ambitions and deliberately undermined U.S. efforts to curb Iran's program.

The real news is that already notorious photo: the president of Brazil, our largest ally in Latin America, and the prime minister of Turkey, for more than half a century the Muslim anchor of NATO, raising hands together with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the most virulently anti-American leader in the world.

That picture -- a defiant, triumphant take-that-Uncle-Sam -- is a crushing verdict on the Obama foreign policy. It demonstrates how rising powers, traditional American allies, having watched this administration in action, have decided that there's no cost in lining up with America's enemies and no profit in lining up with a U.S. president given to apologies and appeasement.

They've watched President Obama's humiliating attempts to appease Iran, as every rejected overture is met with abjectly renewed U.S. negotiating offers. American acquiescence reached such a point that the president was late, hesitant and flaccid in expressing even rhetorical support for democracy demonstrators who were being brutally suppressed and whose call for regime change offered the potential for the most significant U.S. strategic advance in the region in 30 years.

They've watched America acquiesce to Russia's re-exerting sway over Eastern Europe, over Ukraine (pressured by Russia last month into extending for 25 years its lease of the Black Sea naval base at Sevastopol) and over Georgia (Russia's de facto annexation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is no longer an issue under the Obama "reset" policy).

They've watched our appeasement of Syria, Iran's agent in the Arab Levant -- sending our ambassador back to Syria even as it tightens its grip on Lebanon, supplies Hezbollah with Scuds and intensifies its role as the pivot of the Iran-Hezbollah-Hamas alliance. The price for this ostentatious flouting of the United States and its interests? Ever more eager U.S. "engagement."

They've observed the administration's gratuitous slap at Britain over the Falklands, its contemptuous treatment of Israel, its undercutting of the Czech Republic and Poland, and its indifference to Lebanon and Georgia. And in Latin America, they see not just U.S. passivity as Venezuela's Hugo Chávez organizes his anti-American "Bolivarian" coalition while deepening military and commercial ties with Iran and Russia. They saw active U.S. support in Honduras for a pro-Chávez would-be dictator seeking unconstitutional powers in defiance of the democratic institutions of that country.

This is not just an America in decline. This is an America in retreat -- accepting, ratifying and declaring its decline, and inviting rising powers to fill the vacuum.

Nor is this retreat by inadvertence. This is retreat by design and, indeed, on principle. It's the perfect fulfillment of Obama's adopted Third World narrative of American misdeeds, disrespect and domination from which he has come to redeem us and the world. Hence his foundational declaration at the U.N. General Assembly last September that "No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation" (guess who's been the dominant nation for the last two decades?) and his dismissal of any "world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another." (NATO? The West?)

Given Obama's policies and principles, Turkey and Brazil are acting rationally. Why not give cover to Ahmadinejad and his nuclear ambitions? As the United States retreats in the face of Iran, China, Russia and Venezuela, why not hedge your bets? There's nothing to fear from Obama, and everything to gain by ingratiating yourself with America's rising adversaries. After all, they actually believe in helping one's friends and punishing one's enemies.

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So, did you happen to notice as I did whose name is NOT mentioned at all above: Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, who has helped make this foreign policy embarrassment possible.
Sh-h-h!!!
Keep it to yourself, so the MSM can maintain their prohibition on public criticism of her a little longer.

Here's an actual Saturday headline from Reuters:

Clinton avoids China disputes, hands out teddy bears

And if you think that headline is bad, wait 'til you read the first paragraph: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64L0X020100522

(Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton passed out teddy bears to Chinese children as she toured the Shanghai World Expo on Saturday and carefully skirted the United States' many policy disputes with China...

Reading some truly bracing criticism like Charles Krauthammer's reminds me of two things: why I voted against Obama in the first place, as well as that I'm not the only American who's been noticing all these negative things happening with American foreign policy under Obama.

As Krauthammer correctly notes, seeing Obama perform this way -intentionally- only increases pressure on other countries we consider allies to make their own side deals.

For years under Bush 43, the MSM constantly spoke about how unpopular the image of the U.S. was becoming overseas, as if that was really something we needed to either lose sleep about or could change.

Living in the Washington area at the time, one could hardly ever get on the Metro train in the morning without at some point hearing some rider who was no fan of Bush complaining out loud to someone that Bush was personally responsible for how unpopular the U.S. was over in, well, for example, the Duchy of Grand Fenwick.

The Mouse that Roared

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7L7WLFBYR4

In this one-sided PR game where the point was never to ask any hard questions about the methodology of such polls, you never heard of corresponding polls of Americans on what they thought about the various government policies of France or Germany or whomever, but every other month brought forth some anecdotal news about what Greece thought about the U.S.

Question: Sixteen months later, can you name a single country where the U.S. is now MORE respected than it was before his inauguration?
Yeah, that's what I thought, too.

Funny that the same folks who said that Obama could be the foreign policy cure for Bush 43 haven't publicly acknowledged that the reality is that that he has only made our allies MORE nervous, NOT our legitimate adversaries.

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By the way, you'll notice in that trailer I included above of the The Mouse that Roared, a few shots of the beautiful Jean Seberg, whom I had, of course, read much about, but first became genuinely aware of thru showings of Bonjour Tristesse and Breathless at the National Gallery of Art's film series on French New Wave directors, one of the most interesting summers of my film-going life, with weekends spent alternating between Camden Yards and
the NGA, depending on whether or not I had Oriole tickets for a game.
http://www.nga.gov/programs/film/


From the first time I ever saw actress Michelle Williams, in Dawson's Creek and then Dick with Kirstin Dunst, I was absolutely convinced that if I could ever have anything to do with it, I'd do everything in my power to convince her to be in a well-written bio-pic on Seberg's interesting yet very tragic life.

Williams, currently starring in Blue Valentine, could do wonders with that role and win an Oscar.
Michelle Williams is scary talented, it's just that her attractiveness often disarms you into
forgetting how terrific an actress she truly is -one of the best around.

Jean Seberg http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0781029/
Michelle Williams http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931329/

From last week in Cannes, with Ryan Gosling promoting Blue Valentine: http://www.popsugar.com/Photos-Michelle-Williams-Ryan-Gosling-Promoting-Blue-Valentine-Cannes-8496257

Sundance: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams show you what acting is all about in the wrenching 'Blue Valentine'
by Owen Gleiberman
http://movie-critics.ew.com/2010/01/26/the-wrenching-blue-valentine/

Cannes 2010: The Euros love 'Blue Valentine' like Nutella; Sony Classics makes this not just another year
May 18, 2010
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/05/cannes-blue-valentine-another-year-mike-leigh.html

See also: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7FD6EARmLg



http://media.michelle-williams.net/videos/load/recent