'George Q. Public' - A Citizen's Voice

Things are getting right with the world...

2010-10-10T07:58:00.002-04:00

Woke up this morning and realized there are a growing number of reasons to think optimistically that things are getting right with the world...here are just three of them that come immediately to mind:

1) Michigan State Spartans are on the rise! 6-0 after a dominating win over Michigan!
Spartans have now beaten arch-rival UM 3 times in a row for the first time since 1967. The defense held UM's awesome QB, Dennard Robinson, in check and rattled him enough into throwing 3 interceptions. MSU has to have the best 1-2-3 punch of running backs in the country...the #3 guy was #1 last year!! And they're playing without the kind of juvenile mistakes that have plagued them over the years. The Spartans have matured into a team that KNOWS it can win instead of just one that's hoping to win...and have left behind that old habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory...and that's the difference between the top-echelon teams and the wannabes. While beating Michigan again is a great feeling, you still have to look objectively at Michigan's horrible defense and can't call MSU a sure thing winner against anyone left on their schedule. Everyone's talking Iowa as the next big test, but Illinois dominated Penn State at Penn State yesterday, and they're a program that's on the rise, so can't take them for granted. 6-0 so far is awfully nice, though! GO GREEN!

2) We've escaped another hurricane season here in South Florida without any big scares...
I can't stress enough how disruptive hurricane scares are to our economy here. Every time we have to shut down for two or three days of hurricane prep, it's millions of dollars in lost revenues to businesses and their workers...and it hits small businesses hit exceptionally hard. And with the economy finally leveling out these past few months at new normal levels we can still only call 'bare bones survival mode', we can't afford any more significant disruptions here. Fingers crossed that we're through this season unscathed...

3) Businesses here and around the rest of the country seem to finally be resolved to recognizing that our new, lower levels of economic activity are a new 'baseline reality' for economic expectations. Indications are becoming more evident that businesses are getting back to business and ramping up operations and planning for some growth, albeit slow, in the coming year instead of buttoning up, battening down the hatches and clamping down on hiring and spending as they've done for the past couple of years. On a local level, I see it in our growing advertising revenues at every level...and I'm sure others do, too. And consumers are back out and about...spending more cautiously and wisely, of course, but they're out there again...and that's encouraging. Don't believe me? Go to the mall today...they're out there. Go to your favorite restaurant one night this week...they're out there. Empirical observations that a whole lot of experience tells me we'll see showing up in the economic indicators very soon.

And there you have it...just a few of the reasons I remain optimistic about the way things are going with the world. And I'm going to enjoy them thoroughly...for today, anyway! :)

Best! George Q.

A Lesson in Demographics..."Orange County Is No Longer Nixon Country"

2010-08-30T18:47:00.000-04:00

"Orange County Is No Longer Nixon Country"...Say What??? Gotta admit, the title in the e-news caught my eye...so I clicked on the link.

As I read about the transformation of what was once perhaps most legendary of all Republican stronghold areas anywhere in the country into a place where registered Republicans now number a 70-year low of a mere 43% of registered voters, I stumbled upon one of the best quotes I've ever read on the REAL benefits of demographic diversity. And I just want to share it with you...if only to put into a little perspective some of the immediate and tangible benefits of the inevitable march of demographic change we're seeing today in the U.S.

To read the whole article, which I do recommend and which you'll likely find politically informative and more even-handed than you might imagine...especially to those of you who see the NY Times as a bastion of the liberal press...see http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/30/us/politics/30orange.html?_r=1&nl=us&emc=politicsemailema1

But the real gem and grin-inspiring quote from the article (to me, anyway!) was this, to wit, paragraph 7 about the transformation of Orange County:

Manuel Gomez, the vice chancellor of student affairs at the University of California, Irvine, said the county where he was born 63 years ago is almost unrecognizable to him today. “With diversity comes more cultural voices and political voices,” he said. “And certainly better food.”

Could anyone say it better??? Maybe we could do without all the culture wars, racial hatred and religious angst during these demographic upheavals if we just focused on the end result and benefit...better food!! Think about it! :)

All the best! GM/GQPublic

Thinking aloud this evening and wondering why...

2010-08-04T22:30:00.000-04:00

Why do we even have elections for Judges? The way it is now, unless you happen to know a Judge or a candidate personally, how can you really know or learn enough about them to actually make an informed decision about whether or not you should vote for them? For all intents and purposes, while the legal community may know or know of these candidates as colleagues, it scary to think that among most of the rest of the voting public, voters could (and probably are) simply picking 'names' rather than actual jurists!

Solution: Let the legal community elect Judges! They can learn about and know their peers better than anyone else out there. Think about it relative to the medical community: They don't leave it up to the public to elect surgeons and other specialists to high ranking positions, they keep that evaluation and award that position based upon peer review and the candidate's education and merit!

Of course, there's always the 'let's get rid of all the lawyers' crowd railing against giving so much power to the lawyers! For my money, though, I'd rather give that 'election power' to those who have proven they have the reading, writing and reasoning ability that Law School requires them to have to get through it...and who probably can be expected to give some circumspect thought to whom they vote for to be a Judge...than to give it to the largely uninformed public.

Just my two cents' worth on this subject.

A shamelessly commercial plug...!

2010-07-23T05:32:00.001-04:00

Monday Musings...July 5, 2010

2010-07-05T08:07:00.000-04:00

The rains cleared just in time for the annual 4th of July fireworks celebrations here in Fort Lauderdale and it was a great show, as always. It's an interesting perspective viewing the fireworks activities from the 18th floor of our building...not even in my wildest imagination when standing in my yard, or even when watching on the beach, could I envision and fathom just how many fireworks were actually being set off on the 4th of July! Not only the big 'city' fireworks shows, either. For as far as we could see, there were fireworks going off in just about every neighborhood...and I mean REAL fireworks way beyond the old 'Roman Candles' variety. All in all...the best show is still put on by New York & Macy's...absolutely amazing!

Speaking of fireworks, there should be plenty more this Wednesday at the Fort Lauderdale City Commission meetings! Big agenda and a number of controversial items that need to be addressed before the Commission adjourns for a summer break. I figure the meeting should run well into Thursday...think I'll watch on TV while I get some of my own real work done here.

As the commission winds up it's business before taking it's summer break, I'm also going to be winding down on the blogging and will take the rest of the summer off to work on a couple of new projects I've just taken on. Have a great summer! See you in the fall! GM/GQP

Father's Day...and some personal reflections.

2010-06-20T16:35:00.000-04:00

It's Father's Day today and as far back as I can recall, my memories are filled with the love and laughter and smiles of my Dad (and my Mom). And it's on days like today...Father's Day...that I'm reminded of how fortunate I am to have had such giving and loving parents...and how lucky I am that they're both still here...because I get to say 'Thank you so much for everything!...I love you!' to both of them whenever I get the chance.

I don't know why we're here...or if the universe has some grand plan or design for us...and I'm pretty darn sure no one else does, either. But what I do know about the universe is that having a Father like mine (and a Mom, too!) who gave and taught me so much about how to deal with the challenges of life is something pretty special.

From my earliest days, my Dad set standards of behavior and expectations that were a challenge to try to live up to...but they were no higher standards or expectations than he set for himself. He was an overachiever...a 1st-generation American from an Eastern European (Romanian) immigrant family who went on to be his high school Valedictorian, Class President, President of the National Honor Society and an All-American High School athlete (a diver & swimmer) in 1936; he was Valedictorian of his University of Detroit college class and graduated after only three years; then became Salutorian of his U of D Law School class which he finished after only two years; served in the Army as a Communications specialist during WWII and then came back to his home town to hang out his shingle as a lawyer and was elected City Municipal Judge in his first year back after the war. He served as Municipal Judge for almost 40 years and then was elected to a Michigan State District Court Judgeship. In all, he served for more than 50 years on the 'bench'.

And as if those accomplishments weren't enough, he was also a 'giver' and volunteer with many civic organizations, too. He was always the 'emcee' at public events for our City, for the local Kiwanis Club and youth sports leagues and for the charitable organizations he supported. And he was one great Dad, going to all my (and my brother and sister's) football and baseball games around the state, and even traveling around across the country to watch in my college years.

What I think about most often lately, however, is a phrase he repeated to me over and over throughout the years:

'To those whom are given much, much is expected' ...were his words to me so many times over the years...such as when I asked why some of my teachers were so much tougher on me than others in elementary school...or when I asked why some coaches 'picked on me' and made me work so much harder than the other kids in our football, baseball, wrestling and swimming practices in high school...or when he'd get so disgusted with me when I went off on some stupid and irresponsible tangent in my college and early post-grad years. And, as I look back on things today, of all the things he taught me, those words shine through and their meaning becomes more clear to me with each passing year.

Even as he approaches 92 this year and the years have taken their toll on him, he continues to teach and inspire me unknowingly with his ever-upbeat demeanor, his love of laughter and in his smiles at the simple pleasure he takes in watching squirrels at play and in watching the little things going on in the neighborhood as he looks out the window...his neighborhood and his city...a place that he and his brother and his friends and neighbors helped build.

And in seeing that, I think I'm finally getting the message.

Thanks, Dad!!! You're the BEST and I love you! Happy Father's Day!!!

Seiler & City hit yet another one 'out of the park!'

2010-05-30T12:57:00.002-04:00

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler and the City knocked yet another special event 'out of the park' yesterday with the 50th Anniversary celebration of 'Where the Boys Are!', and we just have to say this: "Congrats Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, City staff and employees on yet ANOTHER GREAT EVENT yesterday...both for the celebration...and for another needed economic boost for our city!"

If you weren't there (although I think I saw just about everyone I've known in Fort Lauderdale!) just try to envision this: the beach was packed full of sunbathing bodies just like in the old days, businesses were jamming up and down A1A as the crowds milled along the beachwalk, and everywhere you turned to look, there were thousands of people of every age smiling, laughing and just enjoying the day and the festivities. Sand castles that defied your wildest imagination...dozens of classic cars from yesteryear on display and rekindling their glory days of parking along the beach...bands, music, food and drinks for every taste...all those things that have made Fort Lauderdale Beach famous over the years...and of course, thousands of people taking it all in and bringing the beach alive once again!

To top things off as the day turned to dusk, the timeless Connie Francis was honored with the first plaque of honor on the new Fort Lauderdale 'Walk of Fame' on beachside corner of Las Olas Blvd. and A1A...fittingly located directly across the streert from that most venerable Fort Lauderdale instiution, The Elbo Room. With the huge crowd watching, Connie followed up with a classic performance of 'Where the Boys Are' and finished up with a moving singalong of 'God Bless America', which set the stage perfectly for the icing on the cake, the showing of the classic 'Where the Boys Are!' on the beach! It was quite a sight to see and to be a part of the crowd spread out on their beach chairs and blankets to watch the film that made Fort Lauderdale famous being shown on a huge screen under the stars right on the very beach where the movie took place 50 years ago!

Yes, Saturday's 50th Anniversary celebration of 'Where the Boys Are' was much more than just a party celebrating the movie...it was an event born of vision and a statement of what Fort Lauderdale is all about...a special place that we're all proud to call 'home!'

Mayor and Commissioners continue to show responsible leadership in tough times

2010-05-12T09:03:00.003-04:00

“When everybody is going through what we are going through and the economy is this tough, the last thing you want to do is increase the burden on the taxpayer,” Mayor Jack Seiler said. “We are at a stage where we must cut back and make do with less.”

As most everyone in Fort Lauderdale knows full well...and despite what some self-serving 'wannabes' claiming to want a better Fort Lauderdale (for themselves) keep trying to misinform us about...this statement again clearly shows that our Mayor and Commissioners are acutely aware of our economic situation as they try to deal with extremely challenging upcoming budget issues. And just as they've done with every issue throughout the term thus far, I have every confidence they'll examine all alternatives and deal responsibly with these challenges and in the best interests of the residents and city overall.

Today's 'Broward Politics' blog cites several examples of city budget items that aren't paying their way and are now being scrutinized by the Mayor and Commission in the cold, hard glare of economic justification. And as our Budget Advisory Board has shown, there are many areas that can be looked at to achieve the cost savings needed to put together a workable and equitable budget for the coming year. One item that I'm still 'trying to get my arms around' (a favorite phrase of one of our Commissioners) is the loss of approx. $1 million per year for almost 10 years running now by our 'Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center'. For those who may not recognize this facility name, it used to be named 'The Hall of Fame Pool'...as the inaugurating plaque placed at the entrance still shows to this day and as it's commonly known here and everywhere else around the world...an iconic and almost legendary brand name: The International Swimming Hall of Fame. A name that our previous City administration discarded a number of years ago in favor of 'Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center' during a hissy fit with ISHOF). I'll have more on that issue soon...

For now, though, let's give some credit where credit is due...to our Mayor and Commissioners for their responsible approach to our budget and economic issues...and for their proven and repeatedly-demonstrated determination to find workable solutions to the issues and problems facing us with the best interests of our residents and city overall.

GM back on top in auto sales...who was saying we should let them go under?

2010-05-04T09:16:00.000-04:00

So let's see…GM is back to the top of the list of U.S. auto sales…they're putting people back to work, i.e. dealerships reopening and GM itself is employing more hourly workers…they've paid back their billions of dollars in bailout loans FIVE YEARS EARLY and the U.S. Treasury has made a huge profit on the stock it took in GM in return for that bailout investment.

Gee...I wonder if all those tea-baggers and anti-Obama righties who have been ranting over the past year or so that we should have let GM go under and killed off all those jobs are still saying...it's all OBAMA'S FAULT! ...??? Let me sum it up for you...these are pathetically clueless idiots.

In fact, as all economic reports and stats now clearly show, we're back on the road to economic strength via a slow, steady, SUSTAINABLE recovery that will gradually rebuild our jobs base…and actually CREATE wealth...which will accelerate the paydown of the huge deficits we've been forced to run up to save this economy.

Guess it's time for the anti-Obamas to return to the ranting about 'Socialism', 'Abortion' and 'School Prayer' a little more vehemently now that they've lost the economic argument, eh?

Michael Phelps at International Swimming Hall of Fame this weekend!

2010-05-04T09:04:00.001-04:00

International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Executive Director Bruce Wigo has just announced that Michael Phelps, Rowdy Gaines, Greg Louganis, Milorad Cavic (the guy Phelps touched out for Gold by .001 second in the Olympics) and many more of the greatest names in swimming and diving worldwide will be at the 46th annual International Swimming Hall Of Fame induction ceremony Saturday, May 8, the pinnacle four days of water sports activities here.

I don't know about you, but a chance to see and maybe meet the all-time greatest swimmer in human history...and perhaps the greatest Olympic athlete in my lifetime...is still kind of special to me! I'm not THAT jaded by South Florida celebrities yet. So can you imagine how thrilling it can be and will be for kids from all over South Florida...swimmers and non-swimmers alike...to be able to see and maybe meet ONE OF THE GREATEST OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS EVER right here this weekend in Fort Lauderdale??

C'mon, folks! Please help spread the word...and get out there with your kids and their friends! Click here for all the event details...

I hope to see you there this weekend. It could be a once-in-a-lifetime event...and probably will be if we don't so something soon with that property! Phelps, Louganis, Guy Harvey et al sure aren't coming here to visit the 'Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex'...they're coming for the International Swimming Hall of Fame...but more on that subject another time!.

My Mom does the Darndest things!! :)

2010-04-19T11:34:00.000-04:00

Just have to pass this along…am home visiting my parents and continue to be amazed by my Mom! :)

As I was eating breakfast on that first day back home, she casually asked if I'd drive her out to Lowe's later that afternoon to 'run in' and buy some 'cabinet handles' for the new cabinets just installed in her kitchen. It was a beautiful afternoon and Lowe's is only about 15 minutes away, so we took a ride out there. I should have known...

After 27 special order cabinet handles and about an hour to decide on them…and at least another hour of looking at air conditioners, doors, door handles, lamps, faucets (kitchen & bath), toilets (height was a big concern!), bathtubs, patio furniture, fans and ant repellents...we finally got out of there! It was just classic...and every time she wanted to find something else in the store, she'd ask me where it was and I'd look at the signs and tell her…and then she'd proceed to stop at least two other Lowe's employees and ask THEM the very same question!! :)

Even funnier...as we moved along one of the aisles about halfway through the visit, I happened to stop for 10 seconds or so to check something out. When I looked up, I was just stunned to see her about 6 or 7 aisles away!! I couldn't run to get there that fast in my BEST days…and SHE'S 83!!! :)

As the Lowe's visit wore on and 'just going to run in and get some cabinet handles' morphed into strategically traversing what ultimately encompassed that entire huge store, I just watched with a growing smile as she perused everything on the shelves with a kind of 'kid in a candy store' wonderment at the overwhelming displays of home products. And I couldn't have been more delighted to be with her that day...it was a beautiful thing to see! For those of you who know my Mom, you'll understand...she's truly 'a piece of work'! :)

Thanks for everything, Mom!! Love you!!

Five Things Fort Lauderdale Needs To Make Happen...

2010-04-13T10:41:00.000-04:00

While prioritizing a list of things I need to get done in the coming year, I couldn't help but think of a few things Fort Lauderdale needs to get done that would really help our city move forward. Thought I'd put them out there and see what YOU think, too! So here are my "Top Five Things We Need To Get Done in Fort Lauderdale!"...

1) Get SOMETHING done with the IRELAND'S INN property...all that prime beachfront property just sitting there looking blighted just bewilders me. I realize these things can take time, and I'm sure something's in the works...let's just hope it happens soon!

2) Get something done to rebuild and revitalize the LAS OLAS RIVERFRONT shopping area...it's one of THE MOST IMPORTANT pieces to realizing the vision for creating a vibrant Downtown here in Fort Lauderdale! With so many popular venues surrounding it, i.e. Riverwalk, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, MODS and Himmarshee's 2nd Ave. cafes & bars, and with the many events regularly held along the Riverwalk, there MUST be a way to reenergize and revitalize the property. Let's hope someone recognizes the potential there and can envision a way to realize it...sooner rather than later!

3) Do something spectacular that makes economic sense with the redevelopment of the International Swimming Hall of Fame / Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center property! The days of competitive swimming events alone at the Hall of Fame pool being enough of an economic draw to realize the potential for that property for the City are long gone. We love competitive swimming and the rich, iconic history of the legendary International Swimming Hall of Fame and pool can be a branding and marketing bonanza for the property's redevelopment and economic/travel marketing. But with the current 'Aquatic Center' competitive swimming primary-use strategy losing the City approx. $1 million per year and state-of-the-art US Olympic Swimming training centers being built elsewhere around the country already, we simply have to be more creative with the use of the property to capitalize on the economic potential there. I think (and hope!) we're going to see some better ideas beyond what's on the table now when this comes up before the Commission in the near future...

4) Ditto the above for the Bahia Mar redevelopment proposals...the good news is that it will probably end up being much better than the initially proposed plans for the project. So let's hope a few self-interest agendas and a few vocal 'anti-develop anything' interests don't derail this thing.

5) Finally...we somehow need to kick our Economic Development marketing efforts into another gear to go out and bring some new corporate employers to our downtown area. To date, I know we haven't had much budget to work with on this effort and it seems as if the joint effort with the Chamber of Commerce hasn't produced much of anything substantial yet, though I'm sure it's ongoing effort and things aren't easy out there. But generating new revenue sources and bringing additional, solid employment to the city is every bit as important, maybe more so, to our budget as is cutting expenses...and provides the additional benefits of potential for recurring and growing downstream revenues vs. the one-time benefit of cutting expenses. No better time than now to get started on this...

So that's my 'Top Five.' We'd love to hear YOUR 'TOP FIVE THINGS FORT LAUDERDALE NEEDS TO MAKE HAPPEN'...so please leave your comments here or send us an email to GeorgeQPublic@gmail.com ...and as they come in, we'll keep you posted on what your fellow residents are saying!

There's yet another new movement growing in our city...and it's a productive one!

2010-04-11T11:59:00.000-04:00

I am absolutely delighted to report that there's yet another new 'citizens movement' growing here in Fort Lauderdale...and this time it's one that is actually doing something productive for our citizens and our city!

If you haven't yet heard of or looked into Fort Lauderdale's Citizen's Volunteer Corps (CVC)...it's about time you did. In an impressive response to Mayor Jack Seiler's recently-issued '100,000 Volunteer Hours Challenge', the ever-growing Citizens Volunteer Corps turned out one of its most impressive showings ever on Saturday morning, April 10, when over 140 volunteers from around the city showed up to walk the streets of Northwest Gardens in the Durrs & Home Beautiful communities to clean up trash and debris from the area.

No protestors, no complaining, no whining...just a bunch of people wanting to do something tangible and productive for their city and to help their neighbors. CVC is a whole different kind of 'movement' that stresses what we have in common as citizens and how we can help one another even in little ways...and a far different cry from the divisive and poisonous rhetoric we're all continually bombarded with these days from the political pundits and flacks who try to gain by tearing things down rather than building them up!

Saturday's clean-up project was a truly inspiring event and a tremendous community outpouring of effort, with City Housing Authority staff, City officials and City staff teaming up with CVC volunteers from:
- 21 different neighborhood associations around the city
- another 55 Community Service Student Volunteers from 'Step Up' & 'Youth Build' groups
- volunteers from 8 Business Associations
- volunteers and sponsorship from 5 construction companies
- employees and students from 2 schools
- and members from 3 Church groups!

Organized by CVC leader Eugenia Duncan Ellis, the volunteers were led by Scott Strawbridge, Maxine Singh, Hal Barnes, Jeri Pryor, Petula Burke, Rebecca Walter, and included 'hands on' clean-up efforts from Mayor Jack Seiler, Commissioner Bobby DuBose and former Commissioner Tim Smith among other prominent locals. Overall, the entire group effort netted 572 hours to the Mayor's "Volunteer Challenge" scoreboard!

To many, it may seem like just a little,unimportant thing to get out there and help clean up for a few hours...but I'm here to tell you how many people approached me personally as we walked the neighborhood and, after finding out what we were doing, thanked us all most graciously and sincerely. And, even more heartening, as we moved on down the street, I noticed several of those very people bending over to pick up debris around their own cars and sidewalks!

The bottom line is that little things can make bigger things happen. So please consider volunteering a few hours of YOUR time along with the growing number of CVC volunteers on the next CVC project to help make our City better and more beautiful. Contact Maxine Singh at City Hall (954) 828-5005 for more information on upcoming projects. And be sure to check the City's website at www.fortlauderdale.gov/volunteerchallenge/index.htm for the latest 'barometer' of success and 'Volunteer Challenge' hours logged!

"Giving Back to the Community" - Citizens Volunteer Corps. I hope it's a movement whose time has come!

Karzai proving Michael Moore was right all along in 'Fahrenheit 451'

2010-04-07T07:32:00.001-04:00

I recall watching Michael Moore's controversial movie, 'Fahrenheit 451' at a packed theater on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach and being just absolutely stunned at the Bush administration's partnership with Hamid Karzai and how Bush pushed him into the Afghan presidency with 'the blessings' of the U.S.

I also recall very clearly how Michael Moore was absolutely vilified by the righties for (among other things) his portrayal and expose of Karzai's political and administrative connections to the opium lords in Afghanistan and vested interest in the proposed pipeline from the Black Sea (that the Bush family & Halliburton apparently STILL have major stakes in!). You know, the kinds of unethical things that the United States of America supposedly stood against as the righteous leader of the world.

So here we are now...seven or eight years later and we have Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the guy that Bush put in charge of Afghanistan as a 'friend' of the U.S., not only rigging their elections and ridiculously accusing the UN of being behind the election fraud (and thereby admitting that there WAS fraud!), but now also threatening to embrace the Taliban as we (coincidentally, of course!) begin to make real progress on rooting out the corruption in his government…most of which, as it turns out, leads right back to him.

Looks like the Bush legacy just continues to plague us and saddle the people of the United States of America, with yet another embarrassment of monumental proportions...not to mention the billions of dollars of 'assistance' we've sent Afghanistan that is now being thought may have mostly gone into the pockets of Karzai and friends, and even more importantly, the many lives we've lost while trying to help the country get back on track after the devastations wrought by the Taliban and al-Quaeda.

I will never fly Delta Airlines again!

2010-03-28T09:46:00.001-04:00

By it's title, you can probably discern that I'm totally fed up with Delta Airlines, especially since they've completed their buyout of Northwest Airlines and thereby eliminating a former competitor that had forced them to keep reasonable rates for some MY most-traveled routes, specifically Fort Lauderdale to Detroit (where my quite elderly parents still live).

I recently used miles to purchase a ticket to go to Detroit to visit my parents back in March. Unfortunately, I got sick the day before I was supposed to leave and, with my parents in their 80s & 90s and being highly susceptible to illnesses at that age turning into pneumonia, I didn't dare travel to visit them and take a chance on giving them even so much as a cold at their ages.

So, on the morning before my afternoon flight left, I called Delta and spoke with a SkyMiles rep who told me "No problem, sir! You'll get a credit for those miles and can use them again when you're healthy." I then specifically asked if there was any penalty for canceling and how the advance baggage fee I paid would be handled and was told (as clearly as I can recall): "No sir. You'll get full credit for those miles...and the $23.00 baggage fee you paid in advance...just keep your ticket number so we can use it to issue the credit next time." Not only was I told there was NO penalty...I was told I'd also get the credit for prepaid baggage that I'd put on my credit card.!

Flash forward to this morning...and as I'm sure you can already guess...when I went to rebook a flight up for my Mother's 80+ birthday (she'd kill me if I wrote her specific age..probably will be mad that I mentioned 80+ as it is!!)...they'd charged a $150.00 ticket change fee against the 'credit' (92% of the original ticket cost paid with miles!!).! AND...to add insult to injury...NOT ONE OF THE THREE AGENTS I SPOKE WITH could find any 'baggage fee' charged (it's on my AMEX statement, though, showing Delta clear as a bell!) nor COULD THEY FIND AN RECORD OF ME HAVING CALLED TO CANCEL THE FLIGHT!

I must be getting old because, in my younger days I wouldn't have been laughing in astonishment at the incredulousness of this...I'd have had more than a few choice words, I'm sure! Instead today, I very patiently went step by step through all of the facts with each of the three reps in turn. The first rep must have been new because she couldn't even find my ticket # reference. The 2nd was great and told me I could do this all online and get the full $199.00 credit for the unused ticket...only to find out when I did go online, the 'credit' had been reduced by a $150.00 'change fee'. So I called again, and on the 3rd call, I was finally told about the $150.00 'change fee' charge!! Neither of the other two agents...nor the agent I actually called to cancel the flight with on March 4th (yes, I'm old fashioned and believe in being considerate like that!) had even mentioned it!!!

At this point, I very quietly informed the 3rd agent that this $150.00 charge was totally unacceptable and that, unless they could find a way to waive it, I would not only never fly Delta again, I would do my best to spread the word to everyone I ever talked with about flying exactly why I would never fly Delta again. She consulted with a supervisor who's response was, 'We'll gladly reinstate the full credit...if you can get a note from the Dr. that treated your illness on the date that caused you not to fly." So...I laughed and told the agent that I hadn't gone to Dr. because I don't go for things I know will pass in a week or two (which how long it took for me to get healthy again, as I expected from my experience with illnesses over 58 years of life). To her credit, she said she was very sorry...and I told her I'd explained my position, thanked her for her personal concern and attempts to resolve this and that I'd had it with Delta for good and that they could keep the remaining $49.00 credit.

I realize my complaint and total disgust over this won't mean anything to Delta...but next time you're flying Delta anywhere, I would just ask you to consider flying other airlines instead and help send a message that enough is enough. I certainly understand that it won't be possible or practical for you to do as I am going to do...which is to NEVER fly Delta again...but any little help you can give to help send a message that a $150.00 ticket change fee (the cost of another ticket!!) is unacceptable and unconscionable just might help in getting them to rethink this policy. Thanks!

A Final Weekend Whoppers!! FactCheck.org on the facts & fiction of the Healthcare bill

2010-03-20T07:24:00.001-04:00

With the Healthcare bill about to be voted on this weekend, here is THE BEST OBJECTIVE SUMMARY OF WHAT IS AND ISN'T FACTUAL about the Obama/Dems' Healthcare bill that I've yet seen. It's from FactCheck.org...totally objective...and neither party is spared!

I'm urging everyone I know to read it…and then take an honest look at what your own favorite news media, politicians and pundits are saying about the bill…and compare what they're telling you to the facts. Then draw your own conclusions.

http://www.factcheck.org/2010/03/a-final-weekend-of-whoppers/

Best! GM

Begosh & Begorrah!! Happy St. Patty's Day!

2010-03-17T13:02:00.000-04:00

Not since my early years in Chicago and later years in Coral Gables celebrating St. Patty's Day at John Martin's Pub (a great party!) have I seen and felt the spirit of the Irish come alive in Fort Lauderdale as it has since last Saturday's fantastic St. Patrick's Day Parade! We're in the spirit and donning our 'green' for St. Patrick's Day today and an evening out and about with friends...which will be just about anyone who's feeling 'Irish' today...and which will definitely include a few tastes of Harp and/or Guiness draft! It's great to have that Irish spirit back!

There is one rumor going around City Hall types that one wonders about, however. Is it true a certain Notre Dame alum & City leader here in Fort Lauderdale has been actively recruiting a certain 6'7" Planning & Zoning Director (a former Michigan State Spartan, at that!) to be the Notre Dame Fighting Irish's newest Head Leprechaun Mascot for next football season???

Happy St. Patty's Day everyone! :) We'll get back to more serious issues next week! - George Q. Public

Hope for some real bipartisanship??

2010-02-18T07:41:00.000-05:00

Maybe there's hope for our major political parties to find some common ground after all! A new Washington Post/ABC News poll that shows Americans of ALL political persuasions in almost universal, vehement opposition (to quote the story writers) to the recent Supreme Court decision that opened the doors for corporations, labor unions and other organizations to spend as much as they want to on political campaigns.

Here's the link to the poll and story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/17/AR2010021701151.html

The short verson is that approx. 80% of Americans say they're against the recent Court decision. And what I find hopeful and especially encouraging is that the 80% number holds pretty much true through EVERY political party segment polled! i.e. 85% of Dems, 81% of Independents and 76% of Republicans opposed it!!

It's extremely interesting that the Court decision was split 5-4 along idealogical lines (conservatives 5 - so-called liberals 4), and...at the time of the decision...Republicans almost universally PRAISED the decision, while Dems almost universally opposed it.

So how is it that this poll shows 76% of American Republicans actually OPPOSING the decision right along with Dems and Independents? Could the Washington establishment Republicans and Conservatives possibly be 'out of step' with their own real Republican consitituencies??

It would seem so at first glance...and, beyond first glance, appears to be even more likely when one sees that most polls on Congress & Washington problems these days show the U.S. voting populace consistently placing more blame on Republicans for the gridlock and problems in Washington than on the Dems (but who also get a heavy dose of blame for partisanship). Even John McCain, author of the original campaign finance bill, warned at the time that the decision would see a backlash once the public realized how much money was involved and what the likely effects of so much unfettered money would mean.

So just when it seems that our country is irreparably broken and divided between the left and right, we finally get a glimpse at the inherent underlying strength of our nation's belief in the proposition made long ago that this was to be a government 'of the people, by the people and for the people'.

It's greatly reassuring to find once again that when the limits of our democracy are tested to the breaking point, Americans CAN and DO come together to protect our nation's democracy and our most basic tenet of freedom...the right to have our individual votes actually mean something.

Let's hope for some bipartisan follow-through on this with legislation reestablishing the rules of campaign financing along the lines of the McCain-Feingold law intent. With polls like this one, maybe it will actually happen.

On a lighter note...MSU Basketball program ranks #1 for the Decade!

2010-02-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

I just came across this on ESPN:
http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/poll/_/id/4063/college-basketball-best

With over 92,000 votes in so far, MSU basketball leads the voting by a wide margin for the 'Best College Basketball Program of the Decade' in this ESPN poll, and the 1999-2000 National Championship Team (Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson et al) is leading the voting for Best Team of the Decade.

Aside from the 'ballot box stuffing' that's surely going on via East Lansing :), it's very cool just to see the program up there in the 1st tier...among the best of the very best. Kudos to Tom Izzo and everyone associated with MSU Basketball over the years! It's always been a 'saving grace' during football season to be able to say "The good news is that basketball season is almost here!" :)

One of these days, I'll have to get back to East Lansing and go to a game at the Breslin Center. When I was at MSU from '69-'73, the basketball team played at the drafty old Jenison Fieldhouse...which, coincidentally, was where the Michigan High School Basketball Championship games were played and where my River Rouge high school team played and WON the State Championship NINE YEARS IN A ROW from 1961-1969. So I spent a fair time of my youth sports years watching games there...and as I look back on it, that 'aura of championships' at Jenison may well have been an unconscious factor in why I chose to go to MSU instead of University of Michigan...hmmm...never thought of that until just now!

In any case, it's just fun to see this, to share with old MSU friends...and especially to point this out to my 'Tar Heel' friends and fans!! But to those Tar Heel friends (Genia!), I'm pleased to really say: 'Hey! I'm just delighted to even see MSU be mentioned with such a great, classy program as NC's." See you around the hoops!!

Obama / Republicans Q & A session a 'model' for more to come?

2010-02-06T07:16:00.000-05:00

I came across this after reading Nate Silver's latest post on fivethirtyeight.com ...which I once again commend to all of you for some of the most intelligent and factually-based political information out there...be you lefty, righty or in the middle somewhere.

After reading through this proposal, based upon the highly enlightening and encouraging recent question and answer session between President Obama and Republican leaders, I think it's a great idea with the potential for helping to bridge the stark divide between the parties and get our politicians back into thinking of themselves as Americans first, and then as politicians. Please read and see what YOU think. Thx! GM

WWW.DEMANDQUESTIONTIME.COM

One of my immediate concerns is that this may never come to pass due to the 'exposure risk' it might subject our elected officials to if implemented. I'd welcome hearing your thoughts on this proposal...I'm still only on my first cup of coffee this morning, so it's very possible I've overlooked something here! :)

Thanks! Hope to hear from you!

Stunned by today's Supreme Court decision...

2010-01-21T21:24:00.001-05:00

If you're an individual voter anywhere near the middle of the political spectrum, you have reason to officially begin mourning the demise of hope for an America that might be governed by its people...and it's not because of the Republican Senate election win in Massachusetts on Tuesday.

There's another change in the 'status quo' that just happened today that has me far more disillusioned than just about anything I can recall in my years of political awareness...and I'm afraid it's the end of any hope for individuals to participate in the governing of America. With the Supreme Court 5-4 decision today to overturn over 100 years of settled law WITH NO PRECEDENT FOR DOING SO and ending all restrictions on corporate advertising and campaign finance contributions, the age of individual voters...whether right wing, left wing or centrist...having any chance to influence the direction of our government has come to an stunning close.

In my disappointment, I just have to point out the ironic and tremendous hypocrisy in this 'party line' Supreme Court decision. For all the talk of the right against 'judicial activism'...here's a decision, with NO PRECEDENT to base judgment upon...that is not only a PURELY political decision...it's EXACTLY WHAT THE RIGHT WING ALWAYS COMPLAINED ABOUT BEING 'JUDICIAL ACTIVISM!!' They've simply legalized the 'buying and selling' of election candidates via unlimited corporate campaign spending...and have basically sold out America's individual voters outright. From now on, our votes are the pathetic whimpers of economic and political slaves. It appears the long hand of GW Bush (via his Supreme Court appointments) has once again screwed America's little people at the expense of the aristocracy.

For all this decision implies and portends, we may as well be living back in the dark ages under feudal lords...which is what corporations have now become because of this. They don't have participate in government any more...they'll just buy the Senators and Representatives who'll play ball with them and provide unlimited funding...and will destroy anyone who takes sides against them.

I'm shocked even beyond the incredible stupidity of Americans to elect GW Bush...twice...and sincerely hope that I'm just overreacting to this news.

My first thought when I heard this was to remember that line from George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' about 'some animals are more equal than others'?? Well...welcome to The Animal Farm...it's now called America.

Friday the 15th...mid-month perspective

2010-01-15T07:16:00.002-05:00

As we see, read and hear more and more coverage about the tragedy and devastation from the earthquake in Haiti, the magnitude of the disaster seems to finally be sinking in. Exactly how many people have died will never be known...but the magnitude of the tragedy is simply staggering as we learn more about what has happened. If, as is being estimated, approx. 30,000 people have died in this earthquake...that is TEN TIMES AS MANY PEOPLE as died in the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11. Which is all the 'relative comparison' one should need to be even more totally stunned by this catastrophe.

It is humbling...and inspiring...to see the swift response of our country and our fellow human beings from around the world to this disaster in sending aid, water, food, medical supplies, manpower, equipment, sheltering and everything needed that makes up the basis for human survival.

I know that we will all personally do or give whatever we can. But the only thing I can do with my words here today is to reflect upon what a stark and stunning lesson this is to all of us on this planet that our very existence on this planet is fragile. We are yet again reminded by a natural disaster that mankind is wholly subject to the vagaries of nature. And it lays bare how petty our political, economic and lifestyle differences really are in the scheme of things.

I'll try to remember that...I hope we all will.

Year out...Year in...on a personal note.

2009-12-31T10:43:00.000-05:00

Goodbye 2009!...

- Rest in peace, Buzz...I hope you know that we all think of you often and smile each time we do! You lived life your own way, and though you went too soon, you live on with each of us who knew you. You'll never be forgotten, my dear friend! Jack 'Buzzy' Blair, 1951-2009.

Welcome 2010!

- Happy 21st Anniversary, Ann! :) I love you and probably wouldn't even still be here without you!!

- Thanks for still being here, Tom...and for always believing in me, no matter what! You've inspired me from the time we were little and walked to school together from Kindergarten through high school...and you still do! Just no better words than these to describe you: Best friend...priceless! And 'Thanks, Leah!' for being there with and for Tommy through everything...and for being HIS inspiration!! :)

- Humbled and resolved by my last visit to my parents', George & Margaret, in River Rouge...they continue to amaze me with their resilience, determination and grace through the most trying of times. They've both set an example for living and giving that I can only hope to try to live up to in the rest of my days here on this planet. Mom & Dad...Thank you for being all that you are...I love you both so much!

- And a very special 'Thanks!' to Trisha and Janet for all you do to help take care of them and Joan.

- Delighted to have my brother, John, move down here to South Florida this year to further his IT career with his new job...and glad to see Betty, Katie & Nick all doing what they have to do to deal with this new direction for all of them. I hope you find and make it an exciting new adventure!

- Pleased to have such great in-laws to spend holidays and special times with...John & Eileen and Nikki and Jack...thanks for sharing and making us feel so special!

- Grateful for my old friends, new friends & true friends...and for the many friends and colleagues who share my interests and passions for making a positive contribution to our society and environment.

Yes. I am blessed...and I will do my best to make 2010 a better year!

A Bruising Year...but a sense of optimism prevails

2009-12-22T07:26:00.000-05:00

On whatever level you operate, observe or just plain live at...2009 has been a hell of bruising year...economically, politically and financially. No matter how you cut it, everyone took a hit. And not everyone is still standing...some major players have disappeared.

In business, just look at a few of the iconic brands that disappeared this past year: Pontiac, Kodachrome film, Circuit City, Max Factor, The Rocky Mountain News, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Ann Arbor News...and the newspaper business 'model' is in turmoil.

But some of us, whether because of good planning, good fortune or just plain determination to never give up, just shake ourselves off and get back up again. For more punishment? Maybe for some...but for others, it's just another big curveball that made us hit the dirt...but when we do get up, it's with a smile and even greater determination to knock the next pitch out of the park!

So as 2009 draws to a close...take a look at where you've been, and what you've been through...what we've all been through, for that matter...and understand that there's only one way to make 2010 a better year: dust ourselves off, dig in and focus like a laser on the next pitch. And when it comes, get that bat off your shoulder and swing it for all you're worth.

In other words, no matter who you are or what you do...make your own future...waiting for it to be handed to you seldom even gets you to first base.

Merry Christmas and my very Best Wishes to all for a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year in 2010!

City 'Visioning Committee' takes shape

2009-12-17T10:50:00.002-05:00

We're very pleased to present another 'Guest Post'...this time from our friend and colleague Rob Dressler. Rob is the driving force behind the 'Fort Lauderdale Forum' civic issues group and a former Mayor of Fort Lauderdale. He's also been at the forefront of the call for a new 'Visioning' process to be instituted by the City and he updates us today on the latest developments on that front.
-------------
VISIONING UPDATE: 12/17/09
"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare"

At its meeting on December 15, 2009, the Commission created a "Visioning Committee" and made appointments as listed below:

Mayor Seiler: Tim Smith & Stan Eichelbaum
Roberts: Gloria Katz & Alan Gabriel
Rodstrom: Charlie Ladd & one to be named
DuBose: Randall Vitale & one to be named
Rogers: Wiley Thompson & Peg Buchan
Consensus: one to be named

Congratulations to the appointees, many of whom have been receiving these updates. Three appointments remain to be made, including the consensus appointment, so don't give up if you're interested.

Also, the Ordinance was passed on first reading, but apparently there was no discussion about how the Chairperson will be determined. Since there are enough members for a quorum, the Committee has been authorized to begin meeting without waiting for the remaining appointments, and the City Clerk is apparently calling members about setting up a meeting. I will provide more information as it becomes available.

From my personal perspective, it looks to be an outstanding group of knowledgeable people who should be able to work well together and expand the visioning process into the community. Congratulations! to the Mayor and Commissioners.

- Rob
------------------------------------

Thanks again, Rob! And, as always, we welcome your comments and input! Just click on the 'Comments' link below!

Guest Post - re: High-Level Bridge Over New River Proposal

2009-12-11T14:54:00.000-05:00

We're pleased to pass along this Guest Post by our friend and colleague, Mark Snead. Mark's a local resident who also happens to be an avid boater and sailor and has some interesting thoughts on the proposed high-level bridge over the New River being considered for new FEC passenger train service. If you're not familiar with the proposal, read the Sun Sentinel article here.

Here's what Mark had to say to Mayor Jack Seiler and District IV Commissioner Romney Rogers about the issue:
---------------

I’m writing in regards to the article in the Sun-Sentinel this week about the proposal to build a 55-foot fixed bridge at the FEC crossing in downtown. In my opinion, this would be a huge mistake! The standard bridge height on the entire ICW is 65 feet. Thousands of modestly sized sail boats (including my own) are built to that height with masts of 60-65 feet. This is the same faulty logic that set the 17th Street bridge at 55 feet so that ‘it wouldn’t have to open so often’. I invite you to examine the records and see just how often it does open. I’d also invite you to take a boat ride up the river from the current railroad bridge to I-95 and count just how many sailboats there are in that stretch, where would they all go if they had to stop at downtown? I’d also invite you to look at Lauderdale Marine Center and the other yards east of I-95 and see how much of their business comes from vessels like mine that could no longer reach them. Citing the height of the RR bridge at I-95 as the standard ignores the fact that the proposed bridge would be moving the 55 foot barrier significantly to the east.

As I know you both appreciate, the marine industry is vital to this city and I encourage you to actively support nothing less than a 65-foot fixed bridge at this location.

Sincerely,

Mark Snead
-----------
Thanks, Mark!!

As always, we welcome your comments and opinions on this issue, so 'weigh in' now! :)

For all we try to do...what else are we missing?

2009-12-05T07:44:00.007-05:00

Here's another guest post...a social experiment a bit off the political path, but might just put that 'political path' into perspective when you think about it. 'Thanks!' to John Parker, a friend and attorney from Michigan, for sending this along.
------------

In a Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007, the man with a violin in this picture played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
- After 3 minutes...a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.
- 4 minutes later...the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
- after 6 minutes...a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
- 10 minutes...a 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.
- 45 minutes...the musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
1 hour...he finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition of his effort whatsoever.

No one knew, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities. The questions raised: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made....how many other things are we missing?

Something we can all learn from...

2009-12-04T10:35:00.007-05:00

Whether you're in politics, sports, civic work, government, business, non-profit or just a plain person, here's a short video that came to me from my lifelong best friend with just this message: 'This is why we play sports."

It has a great twist at the end and is a re-creation of the TRUE story with the original teams doing the video. If you like it, pass it along...just I felt compelled to do for you! Thanks to Tom Biggs, my best friend from the day we first met when we were 4 years old, for sending this along to me...and us!

www.responsibilityproject.com/films/player/the-home-run/

Best! George Q.

Sun Sentinel Responds to Clean Up Blogs Suggestion

2009-11-19T12:39:00.011-05:00

Dear Readers,

Earlier today, after reading yet another hateful, derogatory and ugly comment on a blog post on the Sun Sentinel blogs (I won't mention which one), I wrote the below note and sent it to everyone at the Sun Sentinel I thought might read it.

Much to my pleasant surprise, I received the following response from Chris Tiedje, Social Media Coordinator, Sun Sentinel Media Company...which I find very encouraging and I hope you will, as well. Chris has graciously OK'd to share this with you, so let's get to it!

---------------
Dear Sun Sentinel Editors & Writers,

I would like to once again suggest to you that it would be an advantageous civic and business decision on the part of the Sun Sentinel to adopt a policy of requiring those wishing to post on your various blogs, such as BROWARD POLITICS, to be required to register (once) a legitimate name, email and telephone number with you before being allowed posting their comments...EXACTLY AS YOU REQUIRE FOR POSTING LETTERS TO THE EDITOR IN YOUR PRINT EDITIONS!

I post occasionally on your Broward Politics blog under the pseudonym of 'GEORGE Q. PUBLIC' (and link it to my bio and profile every time so anyone can see who I am). And while I commend you for occasionally removing a particularly heinous posting, the amount and nature of the offensive, obscene, vile, hateful, defamatory, derogatory and threatening posts that so often appear in your blogs due to the 'anonymous' posters knowing there is no traceable link back to them regardless of what they post has now caused even ME to have second thoughts about posting my opinions on your blogs.

And this is not just my opinion on this matter. I have been told by more than a few decent, civic-minded people who DO participate in civic affairs here in Fort Lauderdale that they actually FEAR posting to your blogs now...even anonymously...due to the retaliatory, humiliating and obscene abuse such simple decent posts of opinions are so often subjected to on your blogs...all of which is because there is no accountability whatsoever...or even a perception thereof.

You already require this minimal accountability for your print editions...and there is now NO DIFFERENCE whatsoever between print and online media, even in terms of legal liabilities, I'm told...so what is the logic behind allowing the differing standards between the two?

I submit to you that most of the major newspapers around the country, as you undoubtedly know, DO require this minimal step of registering with them prior to being allowed to post to their blogs. Doing so does not impede 'anonymity' as posters can still use pseudonyms to post their comments...and it does not affect freedom of the press or freedom of expression in any ways other than making it a bit more responsible EXACTLY AS YOU REQUIRE FOR YOUR PRINT EDITIONS. Your time-honored protections remain intact, as you would not disclose these identities unless under subpoena to do so...but those who would post totally false, defamatory, obscene, vile and hateful might be dissuaded from doing so...which would benefit us all!

I further submit to you that doing so will BOOST your online readership...and increase the quality and quantity (benefitting online ad revenues) of posting participation in by more decent, responsible civic-minded citizens...and thereby allowing more people who avoid reading and posting to them now to do so without fear of obscene, vile, humiliating and/or threatening retaliation for posting their opinions and comments.

Shown below is a simple 'login' form required by the Detroit Free Press to post any comments to its blogs (and/or commentary on its articles). If the DETROIT FREE PRESS can do this, for God's sake, there should be no problem for the Sun Sentinel to do it.

I urge you again to use your unique online platform more advantageously and impose at least a perception of 'accountability' on your blogs to everyone's benefit and to simply require would-be blog and commentary posters to register with you prior to being allowed to post.

Thanks for your consideration.

George Mihaiu
GMStrategic Media
PO Box 461090, Fort Lauderdale FL 33346
Tel: 954.828.1337 | www.gmstrategic.com
aka 'George Q. Public - A Citizen's Voice' - www.GeorgeQPublic.blogspot.com
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----------------------------------------------------------
The following is Chris' reply to my above email:

Thanks for your comments, George. I couldn’t agree more. This is something we’re working on Tribune-wide, and we are in the process of installing new software to help us do exactly what you’re suggesting. A big part of the issue we face in the newsroom is getting the writers and editors to read and respond to user comments. It is a big cultural switch, but know that we are working on it.

Please feel free to contact me any time with questions on this matter. Thanks for reading.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Chris Tiedje
Social Media Coordinator
Sun Sentinel Media Company
954-356-4340 (p)
954-235-2859 (c)
954-356-4471 (f)
Twitter: @ctiedje
---------------------

Beyond the City Manager's contract issue...what next?

2009-11-17T06:45:00.005-05:00

As everyone knows by now, the City Manager's contract renewal on tonight's Commission agenda is yet another of those highly polarizing issues that always cause some to get overly emotional. And it's perhaps understandably and even justifiably so in some cases.

But I would remind those who've taken strong and seemingly uncompromising positions either for or against Mr. Gretsas' contract...whether understandable and justified or not...that when all is said and done, we all still have to live here together and work here together. The decision will be what it will be...and after the decision is made there will still be much that we all CAN do together to contribute positively to our neighborhoods, our community and our City.

For proof of this, we need look no further than to the CVC (Citizens Volunteer Corps) project helping work on the new Tarpon River green space this past weekend. It was one of their best turnouts ever and I think it says something very important about our city and our neighborhoods...and about what we CAN do to tangibly improve our city by working together.

Over 70 VOLUNTEERS showed up, and not just from Tarpon River, but from at least 19 neighborhoods from around the city...along with volunteers from several local business groups, an impressive number of young people doing their community service work, a group of city staff volunteering their time, and many more individuals who simply CARE enough to volunteer their time and efforts. These folks understand what working together can achieve and they set an example of cooperation that, in the end, is the only way to achieve the kind of progress that can build, beautify and unite our city...without the incessant, divisive wrangling of political factions and self-serving agendas. And there's a lesson to be learned from this.

So I have to shout out a huge 'KUDOS!' to Genia Ellis, Maxine Singh, Gene Dempsey, Reid Morgan, Hal Barnes and EVERYONE VOLUNTEERING AND WORKING TOGETHER through CVC and truly showing how to make Fort Lauderdale a better place to live, work and play! Click here for some great pictures of the event!

On the Agenda...Fort Lauderdale's future?

2009-11-16T16:55:00.005-05:00

With so much of the focus of tomorrow evening's Fort Lauderdale City Commission meeting on the matter of renewing the City Manager's contract (or not)...it seems that another important agenda item that may affect the City's future just as significantly is being somewhat overlooked: the Conference Agenda (afternoon session beginning at 1:3o pm) discussion of a 'Visioning' process for the city.

Fort Lauderdale Forum moderator Robert Dressler has been an active proponent of taking an updated look at the future direction of the City. He was instrumental in getting the discussion on to the official agenda and recently wrote a letter to the Mayor and Commissioners offering some thoughts on how the process might be approached. Here's his letter:

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

THE FORT LAUDERDALE FORUM

Dear Mayor, Vice-Mayor and Commissioners,

Congratulations on your decision to discuss a process to renew our City's vision for the future.

While you have significant challenges facing you in the present, as well as a celebration for our Centennial, this is also an ideal time to for a new Mayor and Commission to plan for the beginning of Fort Lauderdale's second century.

Having talked with citizens about this subject for the past year, I can assure that there is strong public support and enthusiasm for such a process. To be effective, the visioning process must be accepted both by the Commission and staff and by our broad, diverse community.

To start the process, I suggest that you appoint a small but representative group of "doers" to advise you on how to accomplish a community-wide process. Such a process will be not be quick or without cost, but I believe our City has the talent and resources to make it happen.

You may wish to provide that the process be completed before the end of 2010, in time for the beginning of Fort Lauderdale's Second Century.

Best wishes for your discussions and decisions.

Rob Dressler

PS: Visioning will the subject of our Fort Lauderdale Forum meeting the following morning. Mayor Seiler has agreed to give a report on your decisions, and then there will be open discussion, which will be videoed and posted on our Web site.

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

For those who might be interested, The Fort Lauderdale Forum will meet on Wednesday morning, 7:30 am at the FAU/BCC Higher Education Complex, 111 E. Las Olas Blvd., Rm. 1110...parking available in the City Garage. Time is 7:30 am-7:45 am for coffee & networking. 7:45-8:45 am Presentation & Discussion and you're welcome to attend! And if you can't make it, check their website at www.FTLForum.org for video of what transpired.

U.S. become top country 'brand': survey

2009-11-06T09:18:00.003-05:00

Here's something I came across this morning that's interesting...and encouraging for the U.S....

"SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Barack Obama has done it again. The president's starpower has made the United States the place most people want to visi and do business with, according to an annual survey that ranks nations like retail brands.

The Country Brand Index, compiled by brand consultancy FutureBrand, found the United States had unseated Australia, which held the top spot for the past three years. Australia came in third this year with Canada rising to second place.

New Zealand and France rounded up the top five country brands in this year's index that included 102 countries." Here's the link to the Reuters article so you can read it for yourself.

Response to a ludicrous assertion on why the Gretsas vote was postponed

2009-11-04T06:27:00.006-05:00

This is a special, limited distribution 'George Q. Public' blog post in response to yesterday's ludicrous E-Mail blast by Earl Rynerson re: the postponement of the vote on the City Manager's contract renewal. The below response was sent as a response to Rynerson's post, appeared for approx. five minutes on his site, then was taken down...which, in itself tells one all you need to know about Earl Rynerson's vision for 'A Better Fort Lauderdale' in two key words: self-serving.

George Mihaiu aka 'George Q. Public'

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

Earl,

While your comments (on the Commission's ability to vote without all Commissioners present.ed) may be technically and procedurally accurate, you've once again shot yourself in the foot and have shown your stark inability to grasp the sensitivities, common decencies and courtesies that have been shown by just about everyone else in the city toward Bobby Dubose at a time of extreme grief and sorrow over the loss of his mother. The only 'shameful' actions here are yours in asserting nefarious motives and actions in this vote postponement.

Did you ever stop to think that maybe, with the commissioners agreeing to postpone the vote on this issue...and several other issues that affect his District specifically...that they all might really be in agreement with doing so and that it might be a sign of courtesy and respect for a fellow commissioner in a time of great grief and sorrow? Gee...maybe you'd ask them, eh??

- Why don't we hear Bruce Roberts screaming for the vote to be held without Bobby?

- Why don't we hear Charlotte Rodstrom screaming for the vote to be held without Bobby?

THEY are supposedly in favor of getting rid of Gretsas, so you'd think if anyone had motive to assert such a scheme, it would be them!

But...NO...THEY HAVEN'T been screaming about it, have they? Despite their deep differences on the issue of Gretsas as City Manager...they really do respect and value their colleague, Bobby Dubose, and they respect and value his input.

Further, they respect and value the PROCESS...not just the outcome! It's called good judgment and common decency, and I applaud the Mayor and entire Commission for setting an example of what those two words mean for those who obviously don't understand that.

George Mihaiu aka 'George Q. Public'

On Renewing Gretsas' City Manager Contract...

2009-11-02T08:19:00.009-05:00

By now, it seems that the 'conventional wisdom' of the local political pundits in Fort Lauderdale has the issue of whether the current City Manager, George Gretsas, stays or goes all figured out and that the Commission votes are 'sure' to be: Rodstrom & Roberts against renewing the City Manager's contract, Rogers and DuBose in favor of renewing and the deciding vote to be cast by Mayor Jack Seiler ...and thereby asserting that Seiler will carry the sole and entire responsibility for George Gretsas stays or goes.

From my perspective, it's just WRONG on many levels to evaluate the situation in that way...and here's why:

1) As anyone who's EVER played team sports knows all full well...though the spotlight may be on whomever hits (or misses) the last game-winning shot...the reality is that EVERY SHOT throughout the game counts just the same as the last one or the team wouldn't BE in that position at the end of the game! Every jump shot, rebound, block, tackle, pass and run on every play is critical to the outcome of that game in whatever sport you play! Which is why MOST athletes who've been in those situations acknowledge in their 'post-event' interviews that it really was a TEAM effort that put him or her in that situation...and it's exactly the same in politics! So to lay all the responsibility on ONE vote by a specific Mayor or Commissioner when there are others 'on the team' ALSO CASTING A VOTE is misguided at best and a gross oversimplification of the situation that goes far beyond the facts of this or any such matter!

2) While the votes are supposedly already 'counted and in place' by some of these local pundits, I've been around long enough to be wary of these kinds of 'assumptions'. If there's anything in life (and politics) that you CAN be certain about, it's that things can and do change, and no one can be certain of what tomorrow may bring. So, while the vote on the City Manager's contract renewal may well go exactly as most other local political pundits expect...I'm not quite ready to accept that each of these commissioners is going to vote the way they're expected to on this one! I've seen far too many things not pan out the way they were expected to in my lifetime. And to borrow a long-used and always-apt phrase from my sports days, 'No one really knows what's going to happen out there...and THAT's why you play the game!'

3) Finally, this is a situation that could be the best example ever of how 'politics can breed strange bedfellows.' On both sides of this issue, whether for or against this contract renewal, there are pundits, activists and observers taking the same side of the issue with others around the city that they wouldn't normally talk with, be seen with or give any credence to whatsoever! And frankly, I find that dynamic as interesting as can be...and a reassuring sign that despite all of our many idealogical and political differences, most folks are still weighing the facts according to their own value systems...and aren't just following the 'party lines' or 'civic divides' when it comes to making decisions on specific issues.

So what's MY position on the renewal of the City Manager's contract? Let me state right up front that I'm 'late to this game' (yes, I'm a George-come-lately! :) and I don't have the personal perspectives and experiences of dealing with the current City Manager or past City managers that so many others have. So the best I can do is offer a thought about the decision-making process that our Mayor and Comissioners are facing...with yet another sports analogy:

Sometimes you need to change QBs to get your offense going in the right direction...and there are other times you have to stick with your QB and let him grow, learn and overcome the problems. But neither way is absolutely sure to work and get the results you want, so the best you can do is to make a judgment call based upon what you know. And IF I was the Mayor or a Commissioner, I'd make my call only AFTER listening to all sides weigh in with their facts, arguments and opinions...which is exactly what I think our Mayor Seiler and EACH of our commissioners WILL do on Tuesday. And if they do that, I can live with their decision either way it goes.

What DOES matter to me about this whole issue is what probably matters to most of us regular people who live and work here: Whichever way this vote does go...we want to see responsible, respectful and professional city management and administration...and responsible, honest and transparent budgets for this city going forward. There is no reason or excuse for anything else. See you Tuesday night!

Monday Morning Musings...an upbeat Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show!

2009-11-02T06:47:00.007-05:00

It was really nice to see such a great turnout and attendance at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show this weekend! We went early on Saturday and were very pleased to see a growing crowd wandering the show around Bahia Mar as the day went on. Even more striking...and my wife and I both noted it...there seemed to be a much more 'upbeat' atmosphere by showgoers and exhibitors alike that we haven't seen for the last few years! Could that be a sign hinting that an economic recovery is actually underway? Or maybe just 'an escape' from the bad news for a weekend of fantasy yachts and glorious weather? Or maybe (probably!) a little of both...either way, it was welcome and encouraging!

A Special 'Kudos!' to the City and Water Taxi Shuttles for running the free shuttles to and from the show from so many key locales around the city and actually making the journey to the show a great part of the show experience! We strolled over to the Riverfront at Riverwalk, jumped on the Water Taxi Shuttle that arrived just as we got there and had a great little ride down the New River and Intracoastal that dropped us right in the heart of the show at Bahia Mar! And later took us back the same way with the same ease and pleasant ride. Just can't beat that! Thank you!!!

Interestingly, we also heard that the Convention Center show locale traffic was way down...which, from my past experiences, is no great loss...mainly because it's become mostly 'who cares?' kinds of exhibits unrelated to boating and yachting that are parked there. Which leads one to wonder:

Maybe Show Management & MIASF should consider sticking to & enhancing the 'core attraction' of this show that brings the money to town...the Superyachts, Megayachts, Regular Yachts and boats at the Bahia Mar & Las Olas Marina venues...and simply forget about all the other exhibitors who offer a bazillion products unrelated to boats and yachts and necessitate using the Convention Center for their booths?

A seemingly-applicable analogy would be to operate like best arts & crafts shows in the world already do (think Las Olas!) and become a 'juried' show, i.e. limit the space available to the very best the yachting and marine world has to offer! The 'loss of Convention Center exhibit revenue' could (would?) be offset by bigger crowds at the main venue, slightly higher exhibition rates for the core show exhibitors (who'd benefit by getting more traffic and exclusivity) and by the massive reduction in costs of operating the Convention Center locale. It's just a thought that would seem to make sense...and maybe another compelling reason to get the redevelopment of the Bahia Mar property underway?

Guest Post - Kicking BUTTS in Fort Lauderdale!

2009-10-27T08:47:00.006-04:00

We're delighted to bring you a 'Guest Post' today from our civic-minded colleague, Michael Moran, who takes issue with a growing problem in our city. It's also a pet peeve of ours and we'd welcome your thoughts, comments and ideas on what to do about it! Click here to read this exceptionally well-written article...a classic example of how a little thing can make a BIG difference for all of us! Thanks, Michael!

On another note, it's 'BOAT SHOW' time here in Fort Lauderdale...and this year's show, with it's annual influx of superyachts, megayachts and their owners and prospective buyers, takes on a whole new level of importance. First, as an indicator of the health of the boating and marine industry locally and, perhaps even more so, as an indicator of the overall economic situation both in the U.S. and globally. Let's do what we can to show our local boating, yachting and marine industry that we support them and get over to see the show! Click here for official show info!

Finally, just a 'heads up' that comes to us from former Fort Lauderdale Mayor Rob Dressler about the oft-talked about 'Visioning' process for the City. Per Rob's recent note:

"Visioning is now officially on the City's agenda. At the October 20 meeting, the Commissioners agreed, apparently unanimously, to discuss the subject at their conference meeting on November 17. The results of those discussions will the the subject of the FTL Forum meeting on November 18 (which happens to be one year since the Forum panel discussions about the City which led to the visioning discussions.) Mayor Seiler suggested that people with an interest or ideas contact the City Clerk or their Commissioners. If you have an interest in being involved in the visioning process or have ideas about it, please do so." Thanks, Rob!

That's all for today...send us YOUR comments and 'Guest Post' articles...we welcome your participation! George Q.

FPL Wrap-up and More Pressing City Issues...

2009-10-22T06:25:00.006-04:00

Compliments to those on BOTH sides of the FPL franchise renewal issue that was debated, considered and finally settled on Tuesday evening. There were impressive, well-informed and compelling speakers from the public on both sides of the issue, as well as from among the lobbyists, commissioners and the Mayor. I thought it was encouraging for our political and civic future that the great majority of attendees on both sides were civil and respectful of each other while still expressing their passion very eloquently and effectively.

Regrettably, there were still a very few participants who chose instead to express their 'passion' by being divisive, condescending and dismissive to the other side in both word and manner. With time and experience, one comes to learn that these extremes are simply typical of 'group dynamics' on any controversial issue. But even knowing this, I still just shake my head in amazement at the complete lack of comprehension and common sense by these types who think that ridiculing, insulting and being abrasively disrespectful to your opponents...and to the actual decision-makers in some cases!...is an effective way to get things done.

While telling themselves they are 'expressing their passion' while offending anyone who doesn't share their opinion, such a self-aggrandizing attitude not only costs them their credibility, but also destroys their capability to gain any degree of cooperation, now and in the future, from the wide range of interests and factions that you simply have to be able to work with to get ANYTHING done in a political environment. It's understood as 'common sense' for most of us...but it just never seems to sink in for some. And being locked into their own reality and denial, it probably never will sink in for most of them.

In any case, the issue is settled...and my last word on it is that I personally think that there will be many opportunities to move toward more green and sustainable alternative power sources and technologies...both with and outside of FPL...that will present and manifest themselves in the years to come.

Moving on to another serious issue...I'd been planning to write about the very serious problem and issue of homelessness in the city and area when I got word yesterday of a new effort to 'rebrand' and reframe the issue of our growing homeless population by referring to them as 'our neighbors without homes'. I wasn't personally in that meeting on the subject, but I'm told it was seriously and aggressively promoted in the interests of being more sensitive to the plight of those in such an unfortunate position.

Well, OK...let's take a look at that. We all obviously want to be sensitive and respectful, and it's easy to see the wisdom and benefit of eliminating slang and other terms MEANT to be derisive or derogatory. But words using the '...less' suffix are simply descriptive terms meaning 'without' and are NOT slang word or terms devised or meant to be derogatory or belittling in an way. And if one follows the logic of this thinking as it would apply beyond the specific term 'homeless' and we apply the same rules to the rest of our terminology utilizing the suffix '...less', it would dictate that we should now begin referring to anything or anyone formerly described by a word ending with the suffix '...less' as, just for an example, 'our neighbors without a brain'...fka brainless!

So as much as I DO understand the good intent of trying to be more 'politically correct' and trying to eliminate derogatory, insulting and belittling slang and other terms, this particular effort seems just a bit extreme to me. Anyone else find it so? I welcome your comments on this...and we'll revisit the reality of the homeless issue and problem soon. Stay tuned!

Go Green! (both environmentally and as in Michigan State Spartans!)

Best! GQ

FPL follies in Fort Lauderdale

2009-10-17T08:03:00.007-04:00

With the FPL franchise renewal contract coming up for a vote on Tuesday, the 'anti-everythings' are coming out of the walls. Before I jump on a few people for being hypocritical, 'johnny-come-latelies', I do want to say that several of the people opposing the renewal of this contract clearly DO have the best interests of the city in mind, do have some good points about our electric power future and their efforts to bring the issues to light in Fort Lauderdale are laudable. I think Vicki Eckels, in particular, should be commended and taken seriously for her long-standing concerns about this issue and her efforts to bring alternative solutions and opportunities for generating electric power to the City's attention. Kudos, Vicki!

But there are several reasons, from my perspective, that we probably SHOULD get this contract taken care of and renewed sooner rather than later...with the most advantageous terms we can negotiate, of course:

re: negotiating advantageous terms: Critics, including some on the Utility Advisory Committee, seem to think FPL is dictating terms and our city negotiators are just rolling over...and the truth couldn't be more diametrically opposite to that claim. The REALITY of these negotiations is that there are TWO PARTIES to them...and BOTH HAVE COMPROMISED SIGNIFICANTLY on terms. For the 'Johnny Come Lately' critics of the agreement now trying to hold it up, including Earl Rynerson and several Utility Advisory Committee members, I ask this:

- "Where was your indignation, concern and commentary on this issue during your campaign for Mayor, Earl? You had every opportunity to do so during the previous commission's tenure and discussions of the issue, but you were nowhere to be seen or found on this issue. I attended quite a few of the candidate forums and I DID NOT HEAR ONE WORD OUT OF YOU ABOUT THIS ISSUE AT THAT TIME...and jumping on the bandwagon only now, while criticizing THIS COMMISSION AND THIS MAYOR when the previous Commission and Mayor refused to take up the issue, is transparently self-serving and hypocritical. Your continuing spiteful, tiresome and mostly-unwarranted criticisms of the Mayor and Commission under the guise of making this 'A Better Fort Lauderdale' is so obviously self-serving and transparent, you've now compromised and ruined any purported public service credibility you may once have had...and with such a 'sour grapes' and antagonistic attitude, you are quite simply your own worst enemy when it comes to political effectiveness.

- Even more deserving of criticism are a few of those on the Utility Advisory Board who NOW, at the last minute, claim they've been trying to tell the Commission about this for years! Oh, really? I've been to MOST of the Commission meetings for the past year and watched almost all of the rest on TV...and to say that you tried to warn them, and to now moan and groan and scream about the 'burden on our children' this agreement will bring is patently false at worst and blatantly hypocritical and negligent on your part at best. Your actions right now are the best argument that could ever be made for an Advisory Board's recommendation to the Commission to NOT have any binding effect on the Commission!

- As to the idea being promoted that the City should buy out the FPL plant and infrastructure and run it ourselves: This, increduously I must note, comes from many of the same people who regularly criticize city government for waste, ineffectiveness and mismanagement! For now and the forseeable future, there is no way on earth the City is or can possibly be prepared, without several YEARS of study and planning, to run a power plant and create the operational bureaucracy needed to do it right and do it in a cost-effective manner! Aside from that fact, just one more small item that those who support this idea never seem to mention or understand is this: FPL runs dozens of power plants and CAN SPREAD THE COST OF THE STAFFING, BUREAUCRACY AND MOST OF THE OPERATING INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS (computers, equipment, monitoring systems, etc.) OVER THOSE DOZENS OF PLANTS AND THE REVENUE THEY GENERATE. If we were to run our own plant, however, ALMOST THE SAME STAFFING, BUREAUCRACY AND OPERATING INFRASTRUCTURE WOULD BE REQUIRED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE FUNDED BY JUST ONE PLANT GENERATING THE REVENUE VS. DOZENS OF PLANTS. And that simply cannot be profitable, and would be a HUGE COST to the City and taxpayers at exactly the time we are struggling with budgets and the need to streamline city government.

So, to 'practice what I preach'...i.e. if you criticize, you must validate that criticism by providing a better idea or solution to the problem (as opposed to just criticizing everyone else as 95% of the so-called 'activists' do on this or any other issue)...here's my suggestion for action on this issue, which incorporates what I think are the best component ideas from all sides:

1) Yes...let's secure the franchise agreement for now with the best terms we can get...without jeopardizing the needed millions of dollars flowing from this agreement that the city needs to operate. From personal experience, I've lived in other cities and the rates we pay for electricity here ARE very reasonable...and those who claim otherwise are just uninformed, misinformed or blatantly lying to support their position. Period.

2) Yes...let's DEFINITELY begin NOW to research and plan to provide and operate our own source(s) of power for the future, even while we continue to 'lease' the power from FPL for this transitional period. Technology is changing ever more rapidly and in just a few years alternative power sources may well render the FPL plant system outdated and perhaps even irrelevant. To even THINK about buying an aging power plant and infrastructure with those kinds of attendant risks is about as foolish and short-sighted as one could be...and having a 30 yr. agreement in place while we see new technologies emerge and evolve into more reliable power sources may well be TO OUR ADVANTAGE rather than to our detriment, as the 'anti-everythings' assert. If FPL can make a great profit doing it while not gouging us, 'more power to them!' (sorry...couldn't resist the pun! :)

That's my opinion...and for the rest, I defer to the judgement of those who represent us to do what they think is right and best for the city overall. From the day this Mayor and Commission were elected, I haven't seen them do anything else but that...and I have every confidence they'll do the best they can for us on this issue, too!

George Q.

It's Fall!...Football, FPL & the Frenzy & Follies of Fort Lauderdale Politics

2009-09-12T10:33:00.010-04:00

I've been here in South Florida for 25 years now and the change in pace from the hot, slow pace of Summer to Fall's frantic back-to-school, back-to-work and back to the frenzy and follies of city, county and state politics just always seems to happen too quickly...like a whirlwind of activity that we can never quite catch up with! To wit:

It's football season...and there's just nothing else like it! Florida teams at every level of play -- from pee-wee, to high school, to college to the pros -- are ALWAYS among the best in the nation (much to my admiration and resigned chagrin as a Michigan State alum)! And during the season, fans' Saturdays and Sundays are time commitments every bit as demanding and inflexible as the work week...with the only difference being that beer can and does flow during these Saturdays and Sunday periods!

It's also the time for budget anguish and the 'follies of the polis' sideshow at just about every level of government...from Fort Lauderdale, to Broward County to the State of Florida. And THAT takes time, mostly in the evening for meetings, reading and research (for those few who actually DO any reading and research in this city, county & state!). Just to illustrate the massive time commitments needed to keep up with everything, here are just a few things going on in the Fort Lauderdal political & civic arena alone right now:

a) it's Budget time!...and the passions, logic, emotions and debate at workshops, commission meetings and the ever up-to-the minute blogosphere over what truly are some very tough decisions to be made is approaching the zero hour;
b) A big part of the budget...the biggest, actually...is the negotiation with our Public Safety departments and unions, i.e. Police and Fire, and how those two Gorillas in the room will react to the apparent need for a change and compromise by them to help the City meet it's budget needs...and there are so many working parts, I can't even begin to go into them here;
c) Another major issue is the renewal (or not) of City Manager George Gretsas' contract. Unless you've been out of town until just yesterday, you have to know that Gretsas has made some very powerful enemies during his tenure and, in all fairness, some friends, too. So how will our new Commission deal with George's contract amid the implacable call for his head from so many powerful factions in the City?? If you want drama...get out from behind your TV and get over to City Hall for this one! It's 'reality-based' Emmy material if anything ever is!
d) And we also have the FPL electric power franchise renewal coming up for a vote...some think the City dropped the ball by not having a consultant study the possibility of taking over the power-generating facilities from FPL, which is an option for the City at the end of this agreement, and thereby at least knowing what it would entail and what it would cost. It may not be a realistic option, but these same folks argue that without knowing those costs or studying it going into contract negotiations, the City may have simply ceded the leverage in the negotiations process to FPL. Seems to me that kind of study would require a lot of time...so much, in fact, that it probably needed to be generated by the previous commission and Mayor if were to have any reliability. In the end...in my opinion...it's just another of the 'dropped balls' this new commission inherited at this year's election. Sometimes you have to clean up the mess you're in before you can begin the remodeling you know is needed.
e) Not last and certainly not least in the affairs of the city is the issue of the proposed redevelopment of Bahia Mar into 'Bahia Mar Park' that has seen an amplification in volume and tone since coming into the public forum last spring...I've stated my position on that more than a few times...you can read my post on it here. This one takes center stage again this week I will be keeping tabs on it.

Then we have BROWARD COUNTY...it's Budget time at the County, too. Here's a link to complete info: www.broward.org/2010budget/

And THE STATE OF FLORIDA...where the latest news from Tallahassee is that Gov. Crist's proposed pact with the Seminole Tribe on gambling revenues is coming apart in the legislature. Our own Fort Lauderdale Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff is on top of this one and was quoted as: "I think it's unconscionable that we'd basically hamstring our own businesses and basically put them out of business and give an exclusive to the Indians." ...which is significant because she actually sits on the House Indian Gambling committee. I'm with you on this one, Ellyn...

As you can tell, this could go on forever...so I'm going to close this posting with a different subject altogether...a final plea for everyone in Fort Lauderdale to get over to the International Swimming Hall of Fame's 'A Golden Homecoming' event tomorrow night (Sunday, 9/13) beginning at 6:30 pm.

It's a a fabulous and heartwarming benefit reception featuring Greg Louganis, special 'sneak peak' preview of the new Greg Louganis Olympic Gold Medal exhibit and a reuniting with a 1988 Gold Medal given to young AIDS victim Ryan White in the late 80s. For more info, please visit the International Swimming Hall of Fame website at www.ISHOF.org...buy a ticket and we'll see you there!

More soon...George Q.

An introduction to George Q. Public...

2009-09-12T08:51:00.007-04:00

For those of you joining 'George Q. Public' for the first time, 'Thanks!' for your interest! I hope you'll take a few minutes to look through our archives of prior posts on subjects that may be of interest to you.

I began this blog over a year ago with absolutely no other designs or plans for it beyond being a medium where I could blow off a little steam from time to time during the 2008 elections and my friends could read it if they wanted to...or not if they didn't.

Over the course of the year, it's been passed around, I named it 'George Q. Public' and it has since evolved into a commentary primarily on Fort Lauderdale, Broward County and Florida politics, business and civics. In fact, it seems to have been passed around quite often...I'm usually introduced these days in some city circles as 'George Q. Public' instead of my real name, George Mihaiu! Then again, it might just be easier to pronounce than my real last name...:) (it's Me-high).

In any case, the purpose of 'George Q. Public' is NOT to comment or have an opinion on EVERY single issue out there...very few can really know enough about even a few issues to comment intelligently on them and I'm no exception. As 'George Q. Public', I merely to try to promote and provide a well-reasoned, civil and respectful platform and discourse on issues I DO know enough about to feel that I CAN comment upon with some degree of confidence. Issues which need a voice that represents those of us who are just regular, hard-working, reasonable and decent people, i.e. the 'John Q. Public' types who are just fed up with the overbearing, loud and hyper-ventilating extremists from both sides of the political aisle who too ofen dominate the media as if their extremist opinions and agendas are the only ones that are out there.

I hope you'll join us...I'll generally only send out one or two posts per week, if that and my time permitting. And if and when we disagree, no matter how diametrically opposite, as long as we do so respectfully, I WILL post your comments, ideas and suggestions on ways to make Fort Lauderdale, Broward County and Florida a better place to live, work and play...every day!

Hope to hear from you! And if you feel it worthwhile to pass along to your friends and colleagues, please do so. I'll always do my very best to merit your readership, participation and confidence. Thanks!

Click here to go to my latest 'George Q. Public' post!

Gearing back up at the end of summer...

2009-08-19T11:56:00.002-04:00

Hope you all had a nice summer! Thanks to all for your patience with me as I took some time off from the blogging to take some personal time and to do some planning for some new business opportunities that have presented themselves recently...more on those soon! :)

It's fitting that my return to George Q. Public today is the 1-year anniversary of my hip replacement surgery. Just as they said, it really does take almost a whole year to actually lose the recovery discomfort and I'm finding myself being pretty much back to normal now as I walk around without limping so much or thinking about it. And it's especially appropriate to get back 'on the blog' right now because it's that time of year right when, even though I'm getting older, my blood starts pump a little more vigorously and my senses seem a bit heightened...all because it's football season and the memories of two-a-days at this time of year are a seasonal imprint on the psyche of just about all of us who ever played the game! :)

With that said...it's time to gear back up for the fall and I'm back in the game...of custom publishing, blogging and participating in the greatest of our games...politics!!

Coming next are some thoughts on the raging 'healthcare' issue...is it really healthcare that's the issue, though??? Back at you soon...!

George Q.

Bahia Mar Park is a marquee opportunity for Fort Lauderdale's future

2009-07-16T09:03:00.005-04:00

While the Planning & Zoning Board may have 'punted' (good description, Brittany!), the delays being thrown at this project and into this process will hopefully end soon. Sure...the proposed Bahia Mar Park project as it stands now may not be perfect and not the best deal we can get, and perhaps more clarity on the traffic impact objection would be helpful. But the good news in all this is that developer has already stated publicly, privately and in every way possible that they are willing to compromise on many aspects of the project and to work with City 'as a partner' to make this much-needed redevelopment happen...and as a 'partner' is the way it SHOULD be in any business relationship and the only way such a business relationship can reach its full potential.

Bottom line is that we didn't elect our city officials to be 'stewards of the past' and make sure nothing happens so that the present stays just the same. We elected them to be 'stewards of our present and future', i.e. to evaluate today's possibilities and seize opportunities to lead this city into tomorrow.

This Bahia Mar Park redevelopment is a classic example of having to make a decision 'for the greater good' as faced by countless other governing bodies throughout the world over time. And as in all such situations, there are some who will be vehemently and viciously opposed and others who will be enthused and exhilarated in support. The reality is that you can't please everyone...and rather than waste time trying to do that which is impossible, it's up to our Mayor and Commissioner to look at the Bahia Mar Park redevelopment with a sole focus doing what's right for the greater good of the city and its future.

This is a marquee opportunity to make Fort Lauderdale a special destination...Waldorf Astoria doesn't go just anywhere (unlike W, Trump & most others that have already transformed the beach). It's an opportunity to put a capital 'WOW!' on the rebuilding/rebranding of the 'new Fort Lauderdale beach' with a grand project that will be a destination for tourists, marine and boating interests and our own residents, and which will benefit the city, its citizenry, the region and its business community financially, economically, aesthetically, environmentally and socio-demographically for generations to come.

Let the fireworks begin...Bahia Mar Park is in the news!

2009-07-01T09:11:00.004-04:00

Just saw the Broward Politics post this morning by Sun Sentinel writer Brittany Wallman highlighting the opposition to the proposed redevelopment of the run-down Bahia Mar property by Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, whose district represents most of the beach community. After reading her letter to constituents, I felt compelled to respond and offer my two cents' worth:

This plan has been discussed exhaustively and amended by the Bahia Mar Park group several times in accordance with the concerns expressed by the community. The choice is simple...a) we continue to have a run-down property with a blacktop parking lot eyesore that won't be redeveloped for years to come...or b) we get a fabulous new Waldorf Astoria, attractively designed condos and retail shops with waterfront park and renewable greenspace ...and which has the added benefit of keeping the hugely-important Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show here as the premier mega-yacht show of its kind in the world. For those of you who don't think FLIB can be replaced by another show elsewhere in the world, guess again. There are currently several major yachting centers throughout the world (along with at least two more being built as this is written) that will have the capacity AND offer the upscale attractions and environment to make it impossible for FLIBS NOT to move to a new location if we don't create the right environment for them to stay here.

Ms. Rodstrom was elected to be a steward for the best interests of her district and the City of Fort Lauderdale...and it's laudable that she's been listening to the concerns of her constituents. Some have been, to say it politely, 'over the top' on opposing this, however...and despite their every concern being addressed and resolved when it's been expressed, they simply continue to 'manufacture more concerns' in order to cloud the issue in an attempt to derail this project. Nothing in life or development is EVER perfect or will EVER satisfy everyone, so IMHO it's time to accept that this is an opportunity to help secure and enhance Fort Lauderdale's future as a world-class destination...and a world-class community. I hope Ms. Rodstrom will come around to understand that it's time take the best interests of the entire city into account and grasp the opportunity to make this project everything it can be.

I'd welcome YOUR thoughts and comments on this issue...and please feel free to spread this around to others who might offer even more and better insight on this issue...Thanks! George Q.

Monday musings...

2009-06-29T08:24:00.003-04:00

Some random musings on a Monday morning seems about right for today:

- Have had some interesting feedback on the 'Riverwalk Tram' idea...mostly good, a few negative (as always :) and will be interesting to see what ideas will emerge from the consultants to address the issue of 'navigating' Riverwalk to enhance it's allure as a 'draw';

- Mark your calendar and save the date...Sunday, Sept. 13th...for 'A Golden Homecoming'...an event that will be bringing national exposure to our iconic International Swimming Hall of Fame. In conjunction with the annual Hall of Fame inductions weekend and the public unveiling of the new 'Greg Louganis Exhibit' at ISHOF the next day (Monday, Sept. 14th, by invitation only), a special event fundraising ceremony, reception and preview of the new exhibit will be held on that Sunday evening at which Greg Louganis will be reunited with the 1988 Olympic Gold Medal he'd given to Ryan White years ago. The medal will be presented to him by Ryan's mother, Jeanne White Grinder, to be rejoined with the rest of his Olympic Medals in the new exhibit. There is a wonderful and heartwarming story to this and is an 'event not to be missed'...a limited number of tickets will be available soon and we'll have more info on it when the event is officially announced!

- The Fort Lauderdale political landscape is about to become more and more interesting as we move through summer and into fall...if you think the 4th of July has fireworks, just wait!
...Bahia Mar Park, the redevelopment plan for Bahia Mar is on the July agenda and I suspect that will be an item of interest that will make some news (fyi...as a resident, I'm for this long-overdue redevelopment project...but more on it next time!)
...While the Commission takes it's traditional summer 'recess' in August and staff gets much-needed vacation time, the zero-based budgeting process will continue to work it's way toward a budget recommendation in September...and THAT will be an exercise in civics you won't want to miss!
...The all-important police and fire union negotiations will also be continuing during the summer and while everyone appears to want to do their part, there seem to be some inevitable 'sticking points' yet to be resolved...again, should be interesting as more info comes out;
...and, as if this isn't enough, the new Convention Center hotel and Port Everglades bypass road and security checkpoint redesign project will be coming online in the fall...all good, but not all easy!

I'd say that's enough for THIS Monday's musings! Have a great 4th of July weekend!!

Could Riverwalk be a little easier to navigate?

2009-06-11T12:42:00.016-04:00

One of Mayor Seiler's oft-repeated themes for improving our downtown 'experience' has been that we have to figure out how to make our Riverwalk area even better, safer and more popular and make it a 'drawing card' for tourists and residents from beyond just our downtown populace.

Well, an idea surfaced this morning while talking politics over coffee with friends that seems to make some sense (on the surface, anyway) and might help to do just what Mayor Seiler envisions. And after walking along Riverwalk last night with my wife and a friend and quickly realizing that the heat and humidity of summer are now upon us, the idea seems especially timely.

We thought it might be interesting to float the idea of having a 'Key West Conch Tour Train-style' little tram train here on Riverwalk...running up and down Riverwalk (and maybe even surrounding streets?)...carrying people from the east end of Riverwalk at Las Olas to the west end of Riverwalk at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts and The Symphony condominium...and stopping anywhere in between needed to let people on and off. Here's a picture of the Conch Tour Train from their website that shows the kind of 'style' such a 'Riverwalk Tour Tram' might take:

It wouldn't even have to be as elaborate a 'train/tram' setup as this one...maybe smaller, electric vehicles. In any case, we pretty much all agree that it would be a nice, conveniently functional and fun addition that might go a long way toward enhancing the Riverwalk experience (especially in summer!) for young and old, alike.

Of course, the ultimate question is: How do you fund it? Well, between Riverwalk Trust, DDA and the City, I'd bet we could put some thoughts together and target some grant applications (such as a few of them DDA just discussed this morning) that might help make it happen.

But for now, it's just an idea and we'd welcome YOUR comments and thoughts on whether YOU think this would be a good idea for Riverwalk...or not! Just post your comments below!

Oh...and, as always, this goes to a very limited number of recipients, so if you would pass it along to anyone who might be interested, it's much appreciated! Just tell them to go online to www.GeorgeQPublic.blogspot.com

Best! George Q.

Recent Sun Sentinel articles 'off the mark' on Police & Sheriff's overtime pay

2009-06-09T15:59:00.004-04:00

I'm very pleased to post, with his permission, a friend's letter to the Sun Sentinel today regarding the paper's recent coverage of the Fort Lauderdale Police and Broward Sheriffs' overtime pay issues. I know him to be a savvy and experienced observer, so without any further ado, here's today's post...his letter to the Sun Sentinel on this issue:

(as addressed to the Sun Sentinel)

"Shame on You! Your recent pieces regarding overtime at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Broward Sheriff’s office were disgraceful. You made the public servants who risk their lives everyday look like criminals for being willing to work overtime. They should certainly not be faulted for taking advantage of the opportunity presented to them...after all, America was founded on individual enterprise and hard work. If there is any valid criticism here, it should target the administration of the departments. Unfortunately, there was precious little information regarding various metrics that might be used to assess whether the amounts of overtime in question are problematic. One such metric would be the departments’ percentage of overtime relative to other similar agencies. From my business experience, 8% of payroll is a very reasonable level of overtime. If a department needs to buy extra hours, they can hire, train, and pay benefits to a permanent employee or they can pay a 50% premium to existing staff. The permanent employee will always get a check, whether the work is there or not, the Overtime is only paid when the hours are needed. With benefits packages running close to 30% of pay and training costs easily running another 30%, I’d say buying these hours on a flexible basis for only a 50% premium is GOOD BUSINESS. For one, I applaud the management for judiciously managing our tax dollars and keeping fixed costs in check. To the employees who are willing to sell their time for the best possible price – good for you!"

Mark Snead
-----

Well said, Mark!...and a big 'Amen!' to it from George Q. Public!!

On the bright side of the street...!

2009-06-03T16:19:00.008-04:00

Every now and then, something happens to cause us to stop and look at things from a little different perspective. And I've just had one of those moments that gives me encouragement and a sense of optimism about the times, the community and the world that we live in today.

While I was attending the City Commission meeting Tuesday evening, my wife and some good neighborhood friends were at a well-known local dining establishment, Casa D'Angelo, for a fund-raiser for PACE Center for Girls, a wonderful delinquency prevention, educational and life-skills program specifically for 11-18 year old girls considered 'at risk' here in the community. My wife, Ann, works at PACE and was working the event (she was a volunteer there who loved it so much, she ended up working there!) and our friends and PACE supporters, Mark and Joanne Snead from Rio Vista, were the 'chairs' of the evening's event (they came to PACE the same way!). Here's a link to PACE's website: www.pacecenter.org which I urge you to visit to learn more. (This annual event, by the way, is seemingly becoming one of the most popular of the many fund-raising events in town...and hard to get into...it's always sold out!).

To the point...Ann has worked on a number of their fund-raising events, but she came home from this one more excited, delighted and simply amazed than I've EVER seen her after one of them. When I asked her how it went, words like 'Best ever!', 'Fantastic', 'Unbelievable', 'I just can't describe it' came pouring out as I listened to her go on and on about how it had been more successful than they'd ever imagined and how unexpectedly and wonderfully generous so many people had been...especially in these trying times of late.

So what happened that made this event for PACE so special and successful beyond their expectations in these tough economic times when even the most worthy of the many charitable non-profits are feeling the pinch these days?

Apparently, something about this particular evening suddenly changed that perception of 'restraint' the charitable world had been struggling with over the past year. As Ann related to me, "...people just stepped up and responded with more than we'd ever even hoped for!" And as my friend and co-chair of the event, Mark Snead, put it, "...it was everyone's hard work and the incredible generosity of this community!" that made the night a success beyond anyone's expectations! Perhaps Joanne Snead said it best in that "...really was due to everyone's hard work and devotion to PACE."

Somehow, the attendees and donors seemed to really understand the value and need of helping these 'at risk' young girls to avoid the tragic pitfalls of delinquency and crime. Maybe some of it was due to Sheriff Al Lamberti's impassioned opening remarks that embraced 'prevention' as the most effective crime deterrent of all. Or maybe it was Aggie Pappas' remarks as Director of PACE, on the indispensable need to help get these girls on the right track to self esteem and a healthy, purposeful life through education. Or maybe it's just that much of the angst over our economy that had pervaded everyone's thinking and outlook over the last year or so suddenly dissipated and the pent up spirit of giving was released Tuesday evening.

Whatever it was, and it was certainly all of those considerations and more, it made me stop, think about and be grateful for the generosity, caring and spirit of giving (not just financially, but in time and effort, as well) of so many in this community who are more fortunate than others.

So as a member of the general public...George Q. Public would like to pass along our sincere 'Thanks!' and 'Well done!' to those of you who cast off the gloom and doom mindset and stepped up to help this program for our girls in this way...and for continuing to do in so many other ways that that often go unrecognized. I hope we'll all take a page from your example Tuesday night and change our mindsets from the doom and gloom of late to the spirit of giving and helping when we can. And THAT gives me cause for optimism!

P.S. As always, I only send this to a very limited number of you...if you think it merits passing along, please feel free to do so. Thanks!

The petty side of local politics rears its ugly head

2009-05-30T10:01:00.004-04:00

In a citywide email blast, former Fort Lauderdale Mayoral Candidate Earl Rynerson, last night basically accused Mayor Jack Seiler of unethical use of his office and city stationery! Interesting if true, but of course it's not...and Rynerson, if he'd done ANY homework on this at all, should have known this before publishing it. In fact, the situation he's alluding to is called 'Public/Private partnership' and 'Contract Publishing' and there's an entire worldwide industry built for exactly this purpose!

a) to see Rynerson's complaint...and I've posted a rebuttal there...quite a lengthy one in order to educate him and his supporters...see: http://abetterftlauderdale.com/?p=246

b) here's the Ziff Davis (a bigtime publisher) definition of 'Contract Publishing' quoted from their website...see: http://www.ziffdavis.com/integratedmedia/contract
"Contract publishing offers a complete turnkey publication management service for organizations that lack either a full compliment of internal resources or publishing expertise." To that, I'd simply add: "or lack of budget." as is that is USUALLY the case in contract publishing situations.

The short version of why Rynerson is way off base on this one is this:

Having actually BEEN a professional contract publisher for more than 15 years dealing exclusively with public and quasi-public entities, I can tell you unequivocally that this kind of ‘contract publishing’ and the introductory letter process is a common and standard process throughout the U.S., as well as all over the entire world!

I PERSONALLY have done numerous projects (usually much larger in nature) with similar process to what’s been cited here in contract with many public entities…including the City of Los Angeles, Broward County and Miami-Dade County, just to name a few. (see my website for more details).

As a public/private partnership model, these kinds of projects are designed to provide the public entity with usable collateral informational materials at little or no cost (and are often even a way for the entity to make some royalty revenue off of it as an ‘offset’ to any assistance it renders, such as staff time!) It’s not only PERMISSABLE to use the public entity stationery and have a key executive’s introduction letter for these kinds of projects (publisher usually reimburses cost of those materials and funds all postage costs), it’s NECESSARY, ADVISABLE and even LAUDABLE, as it clearly outlines and details the public/private nature of the project, the purpose and importance of it and the benefits to:
A) THE PUBLIC,
B) THE PUBLIC ENTITY,
and C) THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

It’s all ‘up front’ that way…and by using a contract publisher to sell the advertising and use the proceeds to pay for ALL of the production costs, it serves the necessary purpose of keeping the advertiser at ‘arms length’ from the public entity.

And of course the publisher hopes to make a profit! It’s silly to allude to any ‘nefarious’ purpose in that…particularly as there is never any guarantee of making a profit in these projects! I’d go out on a limb here and dare to guess that Mr. Rynerson, TOO, is likely in HIS business to make a profit. (it's only us publishers and writers that are too stupid to work for profit ourselves! :)

As I’ve thought about this, I’m actually pretty sure this company, Dolph Maps, has previously done one or two (or more) of these maps with/for the City in the past…long before Jack Seiler became Mayor. Might be worth checking out. I’d also bet, from my own professional experience in doing MANY projects of a similar nature, that this isn’t costing the city one single penny…AND THAT THE PRIVATE PUBLISHER probably actually paid these mailing costs (it’s standard in these kinds of projects to do so!). The public entity (the City) spends NO money and NO time on this whatsoever and is reaping the benefit of having a great and NEEDED information resource made available to it's residents and visitors FOR FREE at a time when budget constraints would not allow for this to be done in any other way!

So from George to Earl...you often DO have many good ideas and suggestions that I can and would support...and your efforts via 'A Better Ft. Lauderdale' are commendable! But these kinds of unresearched, unsupportable and unwarranted allegations of some kind of impropriety or transgression when there is none whatsoever simply make you sound petty, jealous and bitter…not ‘civic-minded’…and serve only to discredit the actual good ideas you DO have. Do your homework next time...we expect better from you!

Interesting times in Fort Lauderdale

2009-05-28T08:39:00.005-04:00

It was an interesting day in Fort Lauderdale yesterday (Wed. 5/27) for those working on, dependent upon and wondering about the city's future.

The day started off early with The Fort Lauderdale Forum's final meeting of the summer, featuring a panel discussion with presentation from five city business leaders addressing the question: 'Fort Lauderdale's Economy: What Can We Do Now?' Panelists included Doug Egan, President of Stiles Corporation; Frank Herhold, Executive Director of the Marine Industries Association; Dan Lindblad, Executive Director of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce; Christopher Pollock, VP Corporate Development for the Watermark Management Group, LLC/IAG Florida, Inc.; and Stan Eichelbaum, International Economic Development expert and consultant now based here in Fort Lauderdale. Click here to view the Executive Summary of their presentations.

In the early evening, the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) held it's inaugural Annual Meeting at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts' Amaturo Theater. Themed 'Inside Downtown 2009: Shaping a World-Class Downtown', the event attracted a virtual 'Who's Who!' of Fort Lauderdale and South Florida political and business leaders. Hosted by Kelley Shanley, President & CEO, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and emcee'd by DDA Vice Chairman Alan Hooper, the event's featured speakers were (in order): DDA Chairman Charlie Ladd, U.S. Representative Ron Klein, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, Broward County Mayor Stacey Ritter and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz.

I'm sure there will be a release from DDA about the event shortly and I'll link to it when I can...in the meantime, it was a good 'first step' for such an event. While a bit light on specific details and development plans for what will actually taking place downtown, it was an upbeat presentation. And special 'kudos' to all of the speakers who specifically acknowledged and praised the fantastic job and efforts of DDA Executive Director Chris Wren and his staff. It was recognition well-deserved for Chris, and judging by the applause, appreciated by the entire audience, as well. If you haven't seen or heard a presentation on 'The Wave' and other downtown development plans by Chris, here's one of the best tips I can personally give you: make a point of it!!

P.S. 'Thanks!' to all of you who pass these blog posts on to your friends and colleagues. I'm only able send them to a very, very limited group of recipients, so 'Thanks!' for passing it along whenever you feel it worthwhile to do so! George Q.

America's looking better...

2009-05-26T13:03:00.010-04:00

Is it just me or is 'America looking better' after this long, holiday weekend?

- Obama nominates a fantastic, eminently qualified Hispanic woman to the U.S. Supreme court whose credentials and personal background make her an ideal choice, regardless of ethnicity and gender. I can't wait to see how the right wingers go after this one...will they shoot themselves in the foot in doing so? Should be fun to watch! Advice to the righties: nominate this woman without the rancor of a partisan fight and move on...it's a strategy no one will expect and will 'up your profile' and show a willingness to work with the Dems in the best overall interests of America (if only for this particular issue).

- Colin Powell reemerges and delivers a thoughtful and intelligent repudiation of the Cheney/Limbaugh Republican alliance...showing clearly to anyone with any reasoning capability that Cheney/Limbaugh and their ilk are nothing more than 'wannabe and pretend' soldiers and nowhere near worthy of the respect and dignity the 30+ years of exceptional real military service that Powell brings to the Republican party and to our country. That said, I almost wish he WOULD leave the Republicans and come over to the Dems! Because if he stays with the Republicans and does manage to gain leadership or influence in the Republican party, it would bring GOP back to mainstream relevance in a heartbeat. I say 'almost', however, because I believe we NEED two strong parties working together near the middle to keep this country strong amid the daunting challenges we face all about us today and looking forward.

- It's a good sign that even Tom Ridge takes issue with the Cheney national security assertions and Limbaugh's divisive rhetoric. Coming from Ridge, that's promising and reassuring, and shows that not all Republicans are extremist right-wingnut types...and perhaps these new voices of Ridge and Powell will bode well for the GOP in the coming months and years.

- Consumer Confidence jumps and the stock market moves with it! Hey...there's still a long way to go to get back to the levels we saw before last year's 'crash'...but it sure looks more and more each day as if we're on the right track to getting the economy stabilized, the first step in process toward economic recovery. But it WILL take a while.

- North Korea tests another nuke...and has pissed off pretty much entire world this time! In doing so, they've made this latest test into much more than just a 'test' of Obama and the U.S. It's looking like a 'real coalition' of nations will form to deal with the North Koreans after this. And that's a whole lot more formidable than just the U.S. on it's own.

Enough for now...back to local politics next time!

Memorial Day reflections...and, of course, some politics!

2009-05-25T08:48:00.007-04:00

As I look out the window early this Memorial Day and watch the rainy morning morph into a sunny day and give the 'green light' for many outdoor plans here in Fort Lauderdale, I find myself reflecting upon the real reason today is a national holiday -- to honor and express our appreciation for all of those who've served in our armed forces and in defense of the United States of America. There's a sense of quiet about this morning, even if only in my own mind, that invites reflection on the history and service of our military over the years.

When my number came up very early in the draft lottery drawing held in the early 70s, I was just about to finish up school and graduate from Michigan State University, and I received my notice to report for induction about a week or two after watching the lottery draw on TV. I won't recount the details of the nation's psyche at that time...you can draw upon your own memories of what it was like with the Vietnam War at that time. Suffice it to say that, while I wasn't thrilled at being drafted within months of my graduation from college, I nonetheless reported to the Induction Center in Detroit as ordered and was dropped off there by my father, a WWII veteran, who left me with words I'll always remember: "Whatever happens, make us proud...make yourself proud."

As it turned out, I flunked the physical exam due to a number of injuries suffered while playing football in college and I've often wondered what direction my life would have taken if I'd passed that physical and been put on that bus waiting outside the Induction Center. That day is especially memorable to me on days like today, Memorial Day, where we honor those who have served our country and remember those who given their lives for it. Without their service and sacrifice, you and I might not be able to have these political and philosophical discussions and arguments over the direction our government is taking...and for that I am deeply and sincerely appreciative.

Because of those who've served in the past, we have a chance to live as freely as we do today. And because of those who serve today, we remain safe and free in a world where, if not for them, it could all change tomorrow.

So amidst the bbq ribs, chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs today, I hope everyone will take a minute to ask themselves what they, too, can do to serve in the same spirit as those we remember and honor today. And with that, I'll have my hot dogs slathered with mustard, thank you! :)

Kris Allen...American Idol?? Adam Lambert is the real STAR!!

2009-05-20T22:05:00.005-04:00

American Idol...Kris Allen? Ann and I just looked at each other in disbelief when Brian Seacrest announced it. OK, he's a great kid and a nice singer...but this Adam Lambert kid is a STAR, STAR, STAR in capital letters and such a great, great talent, there's just no comparison.

Lambert is Elvis reincarnated...he even moved ME (and I'm 57 1/2 years old for God's sake!) with his unbelievable performances, Freddy Mercury-like voice and natural showman talent. We wish 'Good luck!' to young Mr. Allen, of course...but I think even he knew the real star on that stage was Adam Lambert.

About the only thing I can figure is that maybe American Idol used the 2000 State of Florida voting machines!!! :)

City & County off to a good start; & is online voting finally here??

2009-05-19T15:36:00.003-04:00

That 'new era' in Fort Lauderdale politics continues to open things up to new possibilities as the City and County Mayors and Commissioners met for the first time in years to proclaim their willingness and need to work cooperatively to address the many issues that affect both. The meeting room was packed with the 'who's who' of city and county politics, and as Scott Wyman, political writer for the Sun-Sentinel wrote about the meeting: "The lunch was packed with lobbyists, developers and staff from both governments – standing-room only. County Aviation Director Kent George, Police Chief Frank Adderley and lobbyist Judy Stern were among those left without a seat." Can't improve on Scott's account of the meeting, so here's the link to it...worth reading! http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2009/05/surprise_county_and_fort_laude.html

While the commissioners positioned most things as a 'win/win' for the public, attendees also may gotten a glimpse at a couple of issues that may be about to become more openly contentious...most immediate among them being the sand bypass project that has Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood opposing each other and which brought closing remarks that left no doubt that the parties are still far apart.

On another note...haven't we all wondered at one time or another why it is we can do our banking online securely, but we can't vote online!?? Well...it appears that may soon become a thing of the past...the not being able to vote online thing, anyway! I've written several times on the issue of low voter turnout and was reminded of it again today as I perused a political magazine story about how the city of Honolulu (that's Hawaii!) is in the process of a first of its kind municipal vote...voting ONLINE in the nation's first ALL DIGITAL ELECTION! Here's the link:
http://politicsmagazine.com/top-story-slideshow/slide-02/

Times they are a-changing...finally!

Rachel Alexandra in the Belmont? Hoping it doesn't happen!

2009-05-17T10:32:00.007-04:00

The Preakness Stakes gave America yet another great Triple Crown race and inspiring storyline!...and the winner, Rachel Alexandra, the super-filly, proved she IS a great, great horse with the way she raced and won. And Mine That Bird, the Kentucky Derby winner proved beyond a doubt that his Derby win was no fluke...and if he would have had a little better trip, he might have gotten to Rachel Alexandra at the wire.

So here's another George Q. Public Prediction: Rachel Alexandra skips the Belmont! Why?

a) she's already proven she's a GREAT horse and that she can beat the boys convincingly at a Classic distance, boosting her current and future value to just about as high as it's ever going to be. Even if she wins the Belmont, her value as a broodmare won't be significantly THAT much more than it is today (the economics of horse racing are a reality to be considered.)
b) Preakness appears to have been a very physically-demanding race for her and it would be a monumentally stupid risk to take with her after her absolutely sensational performances in her last four or five races this winter and spring...it's just common sense for any kind of athlete to give them a little rest after performing at such superb level for such a period of time;
c) if she loses for any reason whatsoever...or even worse, if she gets hurt...they will have risked her health, legacy, reputation AND all that 'future value'...for exactly what more benefit or reason???

Let's hope the owners leave a little 'what if' mystery to her story to be pondered and argued in the years to come. And, if they do race her again, let it be against up & coming fillies later this year at Saratoga that want a shot a knocking off the champ. Even if she loses to one of those, there will always be a question of whether 'she was ready and right' for the race and it won't tarnish her reputation as badly because of her memorable, impressive win over the colts in the 2009 Preakness.

Yes...skipping the Belmont is by far the best decision for the horse, the owners and for horse racing itself. In answer to critics, just look at what has happened in the past to such great, great fillies as Ruffian and Eight Belles (and others) when subjected to the greater stresses of racing against the physically more adept colts (it's just a fact of life). Let's celebrate her as a Champion 'for the Ages' and do the right thing...for her!

Fort Lauderdale & Broward County officials to finally meet on mutual interests

2009-05-16T11:52:00.006-04:00

One of the most interesting local political and civic developments since the recent elections will be taking place this Tuesday, May 19th, as Fort Lauderdale's Mayor and Commissioners meet with the Broward County Commissioners in a first 'Bi-Annual Summit' to discuss better cooperation and coordination on a range of issues that affect both. Items on the agenda for discussion include Downtown Fort Lauderdale issue, Airport issues, Port Everglades issues, Annexation, the city's Northwest neighborhoods issues and Beach issues. Click HERE for the complete, posted agenda.

Hey...if ever there was an obvious, common sense and mutually beneficial step to improve intergovernmental relations between the city and the county, this is it...and 'Kudos!' to both groups (especially Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, who I know pushed for this from the beginning) for making this happen...finally! Just proves that our recent elections and the new faces and personalities it brought really DID make a difference. We'll keep you posted on what happens!

Time for some pure entertainment...!

2009-05-03T18:56:00.010-04:00

This article started out to be commentary on how unbelievably unreasonable and factually 'challenged' some of my right-wing friends...and I mean real, personal friends of mine...are in their hatred of everything Obama and Democrats still today. It's as if their own time time at the helm of the ship of state was just wonderful and the whole world has turned upside down only since January when Obama took office! And I was going to comment in depth on the fact that, as I said back in February, that the economic tailspin was coming to an end and things would begin improving, albeit slowly, from now on...and as we approach mid-May and the latest economic reports come in, we find that's exactly what all the economic indicators are now showing.

Instead...I find myself looking forward excitedly to today's 12:30pm showtime of the latest 'Star Trek' movie at our nearby IMAX Theatre here in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Yep! We're headed over there shortly to get in line to be sure we get good seats and...for a while, anyway...the anticipation of seeing this 'prequel' to the series telling the tale of a young James T. Kirk is simply drowning out the noise and urgency of the latest political spats and diatribes!

So to all of you...Dems, Repubs and Independents...or whatever you consider yourself to be...be mindful of these sage and immortal words:

Live long and prosper!!! :)

Best! George Q.

Specter's switch to Dems...a look at what it really means

2009-04-29T07:03:00.007-04:00

Once again, for one of the most cogent, factually-based examinations of what Specter's switch to the Dems may really mean, I have to refer you to Nate Silver of fivethirtyeight.com and his analysis of this current headline issue. Silver looks at the actual voting pattern changes of all Congressman who've switched parties since 1980 and his examination of the data in this factual, unbiased manner is illuminating. I've posted a quick snippet from it below...but I urge anyone who believes they they are a thinking person, regardless of political persuasion, to read Nate Silver's comments on this situation at www.fivethirtyeight.com entitled 'What Kind of Democrat Will Arlen Specter Be?' at 7:02pm 4/28/09...

"....The average magnitude of the change was ±.394 points, with about two-thirds of the cases somewhere between ±.3 and ±.5.

What does this mean for Specter? If we take his rating of +.091 from the 110th Congress and subtract .394 points from it, we come up with a -.303. That would make him similar to Tim Johnson (-.282), Blanche Lincoln (-.297), Kent Conrad (.315) or Joe Liberman (-.333). Bob Casey Jr,, by contrast, Specter's colleague from Pennsylvania, rates as a -.401, whereas the average Democratic senator in the 110th Congress was a -.441.

There are both aggravating and mitigating circumstances that may affect Specter's positioning. On the one hand, he seems to have made the switch more or less unabashedly for electoral reasons, even alluding to the polling in his statement today. This suggests that he'll be no more and no less Democratic than he can get away with. On the other hand, the parties are now more polarized than they once were, and so crossing the aisle may mean more than it once did. Prior to this party-switch, Specter's DW-NOMINATE scores had gradually been moving away from the center as it had become harder to stake out a position as a moderate Republican."

Read the whole thing...it's worth it. George Q.

Seiler quickly proving he's a pro and a needed leader

2009-04-22T10:21:00.007-04:00

Just back from attending the Fort Lauderdale Forum at FAU this morning and listening to new Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler discuss the state of the city and the budget. Before I get into specifics of what he said, I have to say that my overriding observation after this is that he's a pro among mostly amateurs and wannabes and is proving that he means what he's said and says at every stage of the game. As he gets into the budget and has to begin addessing the tougher issues, his popularity may eventually take a bit of a hit as some of the 'vested interests' take a necessary hit from the budget axe that WILL be wielded. But from what we've all seen so far, his sole focus is getting this city into the kind of financial shape that can do the things needed to position Fort Lauderdale for needed progress in the coming years...and he's following through on making the tough calls that requires.

Here are some snippets from his talk today:

- City has partnered with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber to survey businesses to see what they think is needed here, what kinds of businesses and economic opportunities can and should be pursued. Will cover much more ground toward determining needs and opportunities than hiring another economic development staffer, with benefits and salaries and limited time capabilities to try to do the same thing.

- City and County Commissions getting together for a 'Summit' on May 19th to discuss all aspects of their mutual interests, including the airport, seaport, new beach hotel project...and other common interests such as the Courthouse, Downtown Development and the 'Wave' project, CRS, etc.

- 2009 Current Budget Overview: '09 budget already down 4%-5% below projections for revenues and will go lower. Interest income down, Property Tax revenues down, Licenses/Permits down, Fines down, Tourism down (though not as much as the rest of Florida)...only thing going up is Yacht & Docking fees which speaks for the importance of our local marine industry.

-2010 Budget Outlook: Property tax revenues will continue to drop and expected to reach 2006 levels/values. Looking at overall Property values in the city in the area of $31 billion in 2008 expected to drop to area of $26-$27 billion in 2010...and that's a huge hit to property tax revenues. Only areas still holding value are industrial properties and 'banks' (noted probably has something to do with bailout monies being thrown their way).
Also pointed out that the State of Florida recognized and began planning for budget shortfalls when it became evidend in 2006 and has cut 10%-12% of budget in the years since then...but City didn't recognize it in their budget at all and, in fact, GREW the budget 10%-12% in the same period in the face of this economic slump...and that's a big part of today's budget crisis.
- reiterated that Property Appraiser Lori Parrish not only sees a 10%-12% drop in property values in 2010, but warned Commission of a further 15% or so drop expected in 2011...which means we've got a long way to go and hard choices to make before this budget crisis is anywhere near being resolved.
- noted that our Public Safety (Police & Fire) is 59% of the budget and need for Public Safety as an absolutely necessary component for the success of economic development and tourism efforts...when already looking at a shortage of almost 90 officers...makes it a tough place to find funds to cut budget.

Looking outward to ways we'll be looking at to meet the budget challenges include:
- more public/private partnerships to generate more revenue positive items;
- greater cooperation with the County and elimination of duplicate agencies, programs, services, etc.;
- increasing revenues from downtown economic development...have to increase the density and business there, yet keep buffer between downtown and nearby neigbhorhoods so as to make downtown and Riverwalk as much of a tourist, visitor and business destination as the beach is;
- address wages and salaries in some cases as they implement 'Zero-based budgeting' and reevaluate every aspect of city needs for services, staffing and facilities; understanding that some things are contractual and as inherited from prior city administration, can't be changed.
- targeting the City Centennial in 2011 to be the date the budgets have been resolved and planned 3-5 years out, something that the City hasn't been doing in recent years;
- looking for a positive, mutually beneficial working relationship with the Police and Fire unions as those talks come up this fall with the background of the economic situation clearly understood by all;

These are just a few of the items Mayor Seiler addressed in much more detail in his talk and in elaborated upon in his answers to a number of questions from the crowd in attendance. There's much to be done...and there's no sugar-coating it or passing the buck by our new Mayor or new Commissioners...they're tackling these issues head-on as they should. So I urge YOU to get involved, give them your feedback on these issues and be a part of the solution instead of just griping about the problems!

Sometimes you're just proud to know someone...

2009-04-20T08:32:00.004-04:00

Every so often someone takes note of the fact that in my college days I played QB at Michigan State University and it's always a kick to think back on those days and the friends I made. But three former teammates in particular have always stood out among us...and are doing so again in a way that simply dwarfs the pride and admiration I've always had for them for their football exploits and professional accomplishments.

The three - Joe DeLamielleure, NFL Hall-of-Famer; Eljay Bowron, former Director of the U.S. Secret Service and John Shinsky, Ph.D. in Education and founder and builder of 'The City of Children' orphanage for abandoned and abused children in Matamoros, Mexico - are getting on bicycles April 25 and riding 2000 miles over 18 days from East Lansing, Michigan to Matamoros, Mexico, hoping to raise $500,000 in donations to help complete John's orphanage project. Shinsky was raised in orphanages himself, is a recent cancer survivor and has a life story that is 'Oprah-worthy' by itself!

The three became close friends while playing football at Michigan State University in the early 1970’s. DeLamielleure went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) where he earned election to the NFL Hall of Fame. Bowron found his own success as a police officer before eventually serving as Director of the U. S. Secret Service for six different presidents. Shinsky built an inspiring 35-year career serving as a Special Education teacher and Director of Special Education...but it was on a business trip to Texas a few years ago where he found the calling that may become his legacy.

The orphanage in Matamoros is already taking shape. Michigan business leaders have donated used office furnishings, a cargo van and money; friends have pulled together frequent flier miles and organized banquets; a man in Matamoros donated the land and volunteers have started erecting the buildings. Yet it wasn’t until DeLamielleure and Bowron offered to join the bike ride effort and helped convinced the Buffalo Bills alumni group and other major sponsors to get aboard that the dream felt like it was becoming a reality.

And of course...none of them have biked anywhere near 100 miles before this...much less 2000 miles! But knowing them as I have since first attending MSU together back in 1969, I KNOW they'll achieve this, too.

I hope you'll take a minute or two to learn a little more about these extraordinary men, this extraordinary ride and about the reason they're doing it...it's truly inspiring! As another of my MSU football buddies, Remo Mark Grua (another overachiever from our MSU group!), put it: 'Shinsk, Joe D. & Eljay make us proud!'

Please visit their site at http://www.orphanagefundraiser.com

Thanks! I hope you'll find it inspiring, too. GM

A 'micro-local' neighborhood issue...of interest

2009-04-19T08:03:00.006-04:00

Many of us recently received a report of a Fort Lauderdale city staffer making a decision on a neighborhood lighting issue that, to me, elicited a 'What???? Are you serious?' reaction when I read it and talked with others about it.

According to Cal Deal at the Fort Lauderdale Observer re: an unusually-zoned residential/office (ROA) neighborhood just north of Broward General Hospital, someone at the city decided that a certain small office in the neighborhood is required to install lighting "intense, 7-11 -style lighting on 20-foot poles NEXT TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES." The essence of the city's decision being that 'a business is a business...and business lighting (of the kind you'd expect on US1 Federal Highway a couple of blocks east of this) is required.'

That particular neighborhood, which is home to single family homes and to small offices in what used to be single family home buildings (lots of attorneys, doctors, tax preparers, etc.), is zoned BY DESIGN in the ROA ordinance to preserve the subdued character and residential 'look' of the neighborhood.

Not a pressing issue, right? But let's just take it one step beyond. The neighborhood is very roughly 50/50 single family homes and small offices mixed together throughout the neighborhood. So if this 'industrial-type' lighting is required for this one small office inside a single family structure, doesn't that mean that EVERY small office throughout the neighborhood will also have to install this same kind of industrial-like lighting? After all, they also are 'businesses' under the city's reasoning here.

You don't have to 'catch connecting flights' in the thought process here to see how silly this decision really is...at least on the surface of it...and that the neighborhood will quickly be lit up like a shopping center parking lot if this kind of lighting has to be installed.

I guess the reason I'm commenting on this is just to express that 'What???' kind of reaction I had when I heard of this bewildering decision...and "Why NOW?" is a question that comes to mind. What's changed after 30 years of this zoning seeming to work just fine and balancing the interests of families and small, professional offices there that requires this decision to be made now? And then for only one of the many small offices presumably in the same situation?

Maybe there IS a need for 'better lighting' there...but even if so, why the 'industrial-impact' kind the city has ordered here? Why not explore some kind of 'compromise' for a less intrusive lighting system...after all, the whole neighborhood is already a 'special case' ROA zone. Why not consider a 'special case' lighting solution more amenable to both residents and offices?...if in fact a 'solution' is really even needed.

As Mr. Deal frames it, there's even a more broad issue here: Does commercial interest in this and other ROA zones take precedence over residential interests? If so, it could be a disaster for the character of this and other neighborhoods that many families living in single family homes have come to enjoy. Even for those of us who DON'T live in this neighborhood or another ROA like it, it will be interesting to see how this issue plays out. You can bet it has already come to the attention of the city fathers.

For more detail on this, see http://www.fortlauderdaleobserver.com/lights

Obama addresses the Cuba issue...at last a President with some common sense

2009-04-14T10:01:00.003-04:00

With yesterday's move by President Obama to ease family travel and money remittances to Cuba, it looks like the U.S., under the pragmatic leadership of Obama and the Democratic Congress, may finally be opening the door to the possibility of normalized relations with Cuba after almost 50 years of a spectacularly failed embargo against the island nation 90 miles off our southernmost shores.

There is much else being written and said about this, so let me just say that having lived in Miami for almost 15 years, from the early '90s through '04, I was always struck by one simple fact that seemed pretty evident and yet ignored wholly:

When viewed from an arms-length approach with 'no dog in the hunt on either side', why was Cuba's revolution under Castro any different...on strictly philosophical basis, mind you...than the U.S. revolution against the British that eventually gave us our own independence from the oppressive 'capitalists' of that era?

Whatever the positive or negative details and facts behind all the reasons given for and against Castro's revolution and the subsequent U.S. embargo against it...by the 90s, it had become evident that in no way was the country ever going to go back to its capitalism days and our embargo against them was increasingly becoming an embarrassment and source of growing conflict with the rest of our Latin American neighbors. In hindsight...and I think it became obvious right at that time...the 'straw that broke the 'exiles' grip on U.S. policy and public sentiment and support for it was the Elian Gonzalez saga...the hard-line exiles' unreasonable and fanatic refusal to let the boy be reunited with his father in Cuba.

My wife and I lived in Coral Gables at the time and the spectacle of thousands of vehicles tying up OUR OWN traffic around town while these self-proclaimed liberty enthusiasts protested the unsupportable position of keeping this little boy from his father after his mother's death just soured the rest of us on the validity of their complaints and their cause. It was immediately after that episode that I began to hear from Cuban friends that even they thought the hard-line exiles had gone too far...and you could just 'see' the pendulum begin to swing toward finding new ways to deal with the Cuba of today.

So here we are in 2009 with a President and Congress that have properly finally recognized that there will not be any further benefit to the U.S. or its Cuban-American community to keep this now obsolete AND PHILOSOPHICALLY INCONSISTENT (think China & human rights!) embargo in place. History shows us that trade is the single best way to open the doors to productive, mutually beneficial relations...and it's about time the U.S. opened those doors to Cuba...and in doing so, it will open the doors to many more opportunities for us, them and for the benefit of relations throughout the entire hemisphere. Let's hope this process doesn't get derailed by those who continue to benefit from the discord between Cuba and the U.S.

On Republicans opposing Obama...even then, you gotta like the guy!

2009-04-09T08:03:00.005-04:00

Good Morning! Just read a commentary piece by Republican John Feehery, a former staffer for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republicans in Congress, that shows there ARE some thinking and savvy Republicans out there who understand that they can disagree with Obama on core issues, but like and support him nonetheless on others, and thereby do more good for the GOP than harm.

I want to make one comment before I post an excerpt below and link to the article: If Republicans adopted this guy's thinking and strategies, they'd have a party that could work it's way back into the mainstream of American politics. This kind of classy, smart and responsible thinking makes Boss Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. look petty, stupid and ugly by comparison. And for those who don't realize it, most Americans are somewhere near the middle on the social/political thought spectrum...not extreme left ideology or extreme right...and that 'middle' is who you have to win over to win elections.

Here's an excerpt that I hope will lead you to read this article in its entirety:

"...Philosophically, I don't agree with the president. He is a collectivist, where I believe more in individual responsibility. He is a Keynesian, where I am a supply-sider. He is pro-choice. I am pro-life."

"But I still like him. And I think many of my fellow Republicans on Capitol Hill are stuck in the same trap. They like the man, but don't like the policies. They hope, for the sake of the country, that he is successful, but have their real doubts that his policies will work. And because they are the loyal opposition, they are stuck, in this 24-hour cable news and talk radio culture, saying things about him that make them seem shrill and out of touch. What makes it worse is that, according to the polls, Americans have much more faith in Obama and the Democrats now than they do in the GOP."

"Here are some suggestions about how Republicans can square the circle, how they can express their admiration for the man and even some of the goals of this administration, without rolling over on the policy front:..." Click here to read the rest of the article!

re: a new Fort Lauderdale dining blog...very nicely done!!

2009-04-08T21:02:00.003-04:00

There's a great new Fort Lauderdale food and dining blog (no...it's NOT mine!) that really covers some nice ground around here. If you get a minute, check it out: The Table Tattlers! at www.thetabletattlers.blogspot.com ...

Very professional...local culinary and wine experts...and it shows! Just read the one on 'China Grill' and it's 'spot on' as my old Brit buddies used to say!

Gotta follow this one. I hear they're going to do quite a few more reviews of dining establishments in the 17th Street area.

Obama in Baghdad - tells troops Iraq must take over

2009-04-07T11:55:00.003-04:00

Tuesday April 7, 2009

AP – 5 mins ago BAGHDAD – Cheered wildly by U.S. troops, President Barack Obama flew unannounced into Iraq on Tuesday and promptly declared it is time for Iraqis "take responsibility for their country" after America's commitment of six years and thousands of lives.

Note the 'Cheered wildly by U.S. troops..." part especially. Enough said??

I think so.

MSU Basketball Team is rocking the NCAAs!!

2009-04-05T10:37:00.003-04:00

MSU making it to the Final Four was awesome enough for a team that has had it challenges this year. But on Saturday night, they took another step up and beat UCONN to get to the Championship game Monday night against North Carolina!

UCONN was yet another bigger, faster and supposedly stronger team that the boys from MSU have taken down in this tourney. This team exemplifies what the word 'teamwork' means...so regardless of whether they win or lose on Monday night, the way they've played the game makes them TRUE winners in my book!

There are volumes being written about how MSU is making the NCAA Championships, being held in Detroit, a special event in the annals of NCAA Tournament lore...and all I can possibly do is echo them.

So I'll leave it with a simple, elated and proud: 'GO GREEN! BEAT NC!'

Back to the issue of how to increase voter turnout from pathetic levels

2009-04-03T06:13:00.004-04:00

In reading a recent Sun Sentinel blog post referring to the low voter turnout for our City Commission election recently here in Fort Lauderdale, where approx. only 10% of registered voters bothered to vote, it occurs to me that we, the people, as a collective body through our governmental entities make it a DUTY and OBLIGATION of citizenship to pay taxes or face enforceable penalties if not...so why don't we adopt the same highly effective compliance process to voting? Isn't the right to vote a sacred obligation and duty of every American citizen in the same way as paying taxes?

So just assuming for a moment that the somewhat dubious premise above might be valid...then we have a few very simple answers and many means at hand to ensure raising the voter turnout at every level. Here are just a few 'off the top of my head' ideas...some might be extreme, some ridiculous at first glance (maybe thereafter, as well!)...but we have to do SOMETHING, so here goes:

1) If you don't vote, you can't renew your driver's license. Think about it...voting is a civic duty, driving is a licensed privilege...if you don't meet your civic obligation to vote, why should you have the privilege of driving? (hey...I know it's easy to debunk this one, but gotta start the conversation somewhere...)

2) If you don't vote, you pay a hefty fine. Our government at all levels goes to great expense to set up the voting process...if you don't vote, you're causing us to waste money and resources when you don't show up.

3) If you don't vote, you automatically go to the head of the list for jury duty...with no excuses allowed!

4) If you don't vote, and you're between 18 and 50, you have a 10pm curfew...if you're over 50, you already have a 10pm curfew by virtue of your age, so one of the other ideas will have to apply to you.

5) If you don't vote, you can't buy or own a gun! Again, if you're not 'all in' for the duties, obligations and responsibilities of citizenship, then you shouldn't be afforded the rights and privileges.

6) If you don't vote, your marriage license has to be renewed....no, wait...maybe we'd better not go there.

7) If you don't vote, your property taxes double (at least!) for the year.

8) If you don't vote, you don't get the tax refund you're owed from the IRS...at least not until you have to file a completely new, 2nd tax return for the period 'to-date' (to ensure 'pain' and keep you from just copying the old one).

9) If you don't vote, you lose your Cable or Satellite TV service...with all digital TV soon, that's a total TV blackout. OMG!!!

10) If you don't vote, you lose all tax deductions for your charitable donations for the year. (heh! heh!)

Those are just a few ideas that just might perk up interest in voting and guarantee better voter turnout. I have tons more, but have to get back to my real job right now.

So I ask you...any other ideas out there along these lines?? Go ahead...be creative!

Oh...one last thing...if you DO vote, none of the above apply, you get to live the American dream with all rights, privileges, discounted Caribbean cruises and debt load it accords...AND you get a gold star on all of your blog posts for the whole year!

The difference between Obama and Bush work ethic and abilities is striking

2009-04-02T09:21:00.005-04:00

I just read this summary of President Obama's G20 activities by NBC News Political Director Chuck Todd and it struck me: Can you even fathom George W. Bush trying to do all of this in this short period of time?....
----
"Diplomatic Decathlon: In just a few hours yesterday, President Obama completed the equivalent of a diplomatic decathlon -- from pledging nuclear disarmament with the Russians, to facing down critics about the American economic way of life. It was a week's worth of international diplomacy packed into 12 hours, and he's back at it again today. Already, Obama has met with Korean leaders, participated in G-20 breakfast, took a G-20 class photo, attended a plenary session, and attended a G-20 leaders lunch. His challenge today: to convince an American public, a skeptical press corps, and a VERY skeptical European leadership that something meaningful is coming out of the G-20 other than flowery language that is so watered down, it appears to make no policy. After the G-20, the focus shifts from the economy to foreign policy, in particular Afghanistan -- where the president is already tamping down expectations for how many troop commitments he'll get at the NATO summit. And if the president fails to convince more allies to send more troops, will there be hesitance in Congress to fulfill the latest 10,000-troop request that Gen. David Petraeus revealed has been requested."
----
Whatever your thoughts on it, it's very evident from this week's agenda alone that in Barack Obama we elected a President of the United States who is not only popular and a good speaker, but someone who is a hard-worker, extraordinarily intelligent and a leader we can be proud of and wholly support when interacts with the rest of the world on our behalf.

A 'debt-free' city...amazing!

2009-03-30T22:38:00.002-04:00

One of my best friends passed this along to me today...about a debt-free city (far larger than Fort Lauderdale) and after watching it, I think it's worth passing along to you. It's 6 1/2 minutes long...and at least the first 5 1/2 minutes are worth watching. Enjoy...and think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY79KbCptTo

Sun-Sentinel blog posts need 'light of day'

2009-03-27T18:29:00.008-04:00

I sent this note to several Sun-Sentinel writers a day or two ago re: the increasing vileness and hate-mongering appearing on their blogs via 'anonymous' postings:
-----
"Man!...there are some serious nut cases out there posting some crazy and pretty disgusting things on your Sun-Sentinel blogs these days...and it's definitely getting worse each day I check in.

I realize that allowing anonymous posts might seem to be a bit 'entertaining'...but in the interest of attracting a more serious, helpful and respectful dialogue, just wondering if the Sun Sentinel has considered requiring people register and be identifiable in order to post online?...i.e. like you do in print opinions requiring a legitimate name, phone number and email address that identifies you to everyone. It would undoubtedly preclude and eliminate much of the ugly, hateful and threatening commentary that goes on under the current policy. If it's good enough for print to require ID, why not for your blogs??

I'm pretty much convinced that you'd gather a much bigger, better, faster, stronger and more participatory audience, and far better quality of feedback and discussion for the blogs if you were to do so. There would, of course, be a few complainers...mostly those that can't stand the 'light of day'...but I'd also bet it would be good for your online business before too long...and I speak from experience, having almost always have found it best in the long run to bet on the better nature of people.
-----

While I understand fully the concept of 'freedom of the press', I also understand that the vile, ugly, threatening and hate comments out there are NOT necessarily protected free speech under various interpretations of 1st Amendment rights under our Constitution. And as much as there may well be 'more truth expressed in anonymous postings', there is even more false info, intimidation, threats, hate-mongering and fear engendered by the 'lunatic fringe' that post these kinds of things.

My main concern with all of this is that it thwarts, dissuades and precludes our more reasonable and responsible citizens from expressing themselves and offering more helpful dialogue, reasonable argument and new ideas.

So I say again...to the Sun-Sentinel editors and publishers...AND to everyone out there:
'If you require valid ID before printing any public opinions and commentary in your PRINT pages of the Sun Sentinel, why shouldn't valid ID also be required for commentary and posts on your online blogs and commentary pages?'

Maybe it's might be time for some of us more 'reasonable and upstanding' folks to start getting vocal ourselves about this...and maybe WE should begin a campaign to try to convince our Sun-Sentinel 'powers' to require online commentary be posted 'in the light of the day!' instead of enabling these abusers and hate-mongers to post their heinous comments, spread their filth and intimidate others by hiding behind a screen of anonymity.

I encourage anyone reading this to let me know what you think about this issue by leaving a comment here...and let the SunSentinel editors know, too! You can email them at:
letters@sun-sentinel.com
afins@sun-sentinel.com

Nate Silver of fivethirtyeight.com weighs in on mortgage/housing 'blame game'

2009-03-24T09:57:00.004-04:00

As I've mentioned before several times, from everything I've read and seen on politics and economics over the past several years, I believe we have a 'giant among us' in the intellect and person of Nate Silver of fivethirtyeight.com.

Just read a piece from him on the housing and mortgage market 'blame game' that I'm proud to say echoes what I've been saying here for many a moon about the Fed's major blunders and significant role in causing much of today's financial and economic problems. Here's the meat of his piece:

"The collapse of the housing bubble was obviously a very important event in precipitating the current economic crisis. There is some debate among economists about just how important it was; I tend to side with folks like Dean Baker in thinking it was a very large problem indeed.

If so, however, it makes the matter of attributing blame for the economic crisis a little bit more complicated. Clearly, for instance, credit default swaps, which bankrupted AIG, were poorly conceived of and improperly regulated instruments. But their collapse was triggered by the correction in housing prices. AIG bought into the fiction that the housing bubble wasn't really a bubble, but save for a few prescient economists like Baker, Paul Krugman and Bob Schiller, so did most everyone else.

I know it isn't in vogue to say this, but I think the manifest excesses of Wall Street have made them perhaps too easy a target in assigning blame for the economic collapse. A more appropriate focal point is probably the Federal Reserve, which many economists believe kept interest rates far lower than they ought to have been, contributing to the climate of cheap credit that triggered the housing boom (and bust). The mortgage companies themselves, of course, also exercised exceptionally poor judgment -- as did the media, with its Flip-This-House fetishism, which perpetuated the fiction that one of the biggest asset price bubbles in American history was in fact business as usual. Whether to assign any blame to the homebuyer himself is probably not important. It's tempting to say: if Joe the Homeowner had only read Schiller, none of this would have happened! But it's difficult to expect the consumer to behave rationally when they were getting such bad information from their televisions and their elected (and appointed) officials."

For those of you who haven't, don't or won't read him, I'll say straightforwardly that while Silver leans Democratic, he is a realist, pragmatic and backs up his arguments with indisputable factual evidence...a welcome relief from 'opinions' that are nothing more than 'beliefs' touted as fact by so many (on both sides of the aisle!).

So here's another one of my 'famous' predictions for you...I sincerely believe that one day in our lifetimes, Nate Silver is going to be recognized by mainstream America as a 'giant among us'. Let's revisit this prediction 5-10-20 years from now and see how it worked out.

Monday musings - March 23, 2009

2009-03-23T17:16:00.003-04:00

Since no one else seems to have noticed or is sending plaudits my way for a few of my recent prescient posts on the economy and the stock markets, I humbly ask you to forgive me if I break an arm patting myself on the back today. I'm in an especially ebullient mood due to my MSU Spartans making the NCAA 'Sweet Sixteen'! I'm sure you understand...and here are a few Monday musings:

re: the stock market....
I see the Dow Jones Industrial Average up about 500 pts. today on the close...I hop you've read my prior post of last Thursday...hey, my 30 years of experience and a million or so in losses in my early years ought to be worth for some kind of insight into the markets and the economy! :)

re: the economy...
On Friday, Feb. 27th, I posted a little article titled: 'Precursors to an end to the recession?' ...a few of you thought I was crazy. Yet today, lo and behold, existing home sales rose 5.1% in February according to the National Association of Realtors. I think that's something I mentioned just might be about to happen in that post...a very important one of those 'precursors' to recovery.

re: Republicans vilifying Obama for driving the market down...
LMAO, actually!...besides being statistically the exact OPPOSITE of what the market's reactions have been since Obama got the stimulus bill passed (check it out, I dare you!), wasn't Obama all over the media all last week and again yesterday? And yet the market was up! How can that be???

And wasn't the much-maligned Tim Geithner, the latest villain in the sights of Boss Limbaugh and his idiot dittoheads, about to be forced to resign in shame? According to them, the markets hated Obama's plans and the youngish Mr. Geithner was going to ruin us all...until, of course, he unveiled the Public-Private Investment Program today to rescue the banking system and the market moves up 500 pts (approx. 7% in a day!) after it's released!

Gee...I guess maybe the market ISN'T totally 'dissing Obama' as some of the right-wingnuts pundits would want to believe, eh? It would truly be galactic justice if you morons out there who listen to and believe idiots like Limbaugh, Hannity and Mitch McConnell are the ones who were short the market today!! :)

OK...I've other real work to get back to now...hope your week started off as well as mine did today!

Fed's move to inject more liquidity was known by many beforehand

2009-03-19T08:06:00.002-04:00

Did you sell all of your stocks last week when the Dow dipped below 7,000? If you did, you got snookered by Wall Street pros again...just look at the charts of the Dow and check out the volume for the past two weeks...it's classic. Once again, in the face of a deluge of 'bad economic news' during the past few weeks as stock prices fell again, someone was BUYING despite all of that as volume surged when prices dipped below the 7,000 mark.

That's the way Wall Street works, folks...when the world is coming to an end and the economy is tanking (at least according to the clueless mainstream media...or are they being manipulated?), John & Jane Q. Public investor panics, order their mutual funds sold to get their remaining cash, and the big market makers are simply waiting there 'on the floor' (from the old days) with bushel baskets to buy up all the stock being sold at bargain basement prices until the immediate selling is exhausted.

Then suddenly, prices rebound a bit as the selling ends, immediate 'supply of stock' (i.e. sellers) has dried up and any buying at all sends prices inordinately higher until the 'bargain-basement buyers' of a few days ago start selling off some of the stock (inventory) to these new buyers that they took in a few days prior at much lower prices for a quick, easy and virtually guaranteed profit. And then a few days later...STOCK PRICES SHOOT UP ON SURPRISE GOOD NEWS! FED INJECTING ALMOST A TRILLION DOLLARS INTO THE SYSTEM via buying back long-term Treasury bonds (they buy, sellers get cash) and buying up even twice that amount in previously 'toxic' mortgage-related securities (i.e. giving banks and investment firms cash for the previously illiquid securities).

But is it really a SURPRISE? For those like myself who've not only traded but studied the markets for years, it's no surprise at all...and it shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone out there. Do you REALLY think the Fed doesn't let the banking and key financial system players know (even if it's not overt, it's somehow signaled) what it's likely to do beforehand so that they can be prepared?? Do you really think the rest of the world, to whom the U.S. owes trillions, would or could even fathom letting the U.S. go under? And to answer your question...Yes, I DID make a few bucks off of this move (though I didn't have enough to make it all that significant) and I DID expect it (see previous post from several weeks ago below re: getting close to a turnaround). You should have, too...do your homework...and remember this: who do you think owns virtually all of the mainstream media outlets that blasts out all of this news every day?

Here's a clue...it isn't George, John or Jane Q. Public.

Greenspan tries to deflect blame for role leading to today's problems

2009-03-12T21:10:00.003-04:00

I see Alan Greenspan is out there using the George W. Bush strategy of trying to rewrite history, create a 'legacy' and deny his own role and blame for much of the economic mess we find ourselves in today. Just noticed this 'Opinion' by him in Wednesday's Wall Street Urinal...er, Journal. Here's the opening:
---------------
The Fed Didn't Cause the Housing Bubble
Any new regulations should help direct savings toward productive investments.

By ALAN GREENSPAN March 11, 2009
We are in the midst of a global crisis that will unquestionably rank as the most virulent since the 1930s. It will eventually subside and pass into history. But how the interacting and reinforcing causes and effects of this severe contraction are interpreted will shape the reconfiguration of our currently disabled global financial
system.

There are at least two broad and competing explanations of the origins of this crisis. The first is that the "easy money" policies of the Federal Reserve produced the U.S. housing bubble that is at the core of today's financial mess.

The second, and far more credible, explanation agrees that it was indeed lower interest rates that spawned the speculative euphoria. However, the interest rate that mattered was not the federal-funds rate, but the rate on long-term, fixed-rate mortgages. Between 2002 and 2005, home mortgage rates led U.S. home price change by 11 months. This correlation between home prices and mortgage rates was highly significant, and a far better indicator of rising home prices than the fed-funds rate." ...
----------------------
He goes on in his usual obtuse fashion and tries to misdirect the focus of the blame away from a very simple explanation...mortgage rates were low because THE FED MADE AN UNPRECEDENTED AMOUNT OF MONEY AVAILABLE TO BANKS AT RIDICULOUSLY LOW INTEREST RATES, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE BANKING SYSTEM NOT TO LOAN OUT AS MUCH AS THEY POSSIBLY COULD TO WHOMEVER THEY COULD FIND TO GIVE IT TO!!! ....and as I read Greenspan's article, all I could think is 'bullshit!'

Apparently, I'm not alone in this as I read today where a prominent and highly respected financial newsletter writer said about Greenspan's article: "Shades of Winston Churchill's remark: "History will be kind to me for I intend to write it."

Pathetic attempt to salvage a 'legacy', Mr. Greenspan...YOU took your eye off the ball when it counted...and nothing you can say, do or point to now will ever absolve you of deserved blame for causing much of today's economic problems.

District IV Commission campaign a 'model' to be emulated

2009-03-07T08:27:00.004-05:00

re: Fort Lauderdale City elections...

Diametrically opposite to the sleazy and regrettable tone taken by some anonymous supporters of both candidates (not necessarily the Candidates themselves!) in the District 1 Commission election is our District IV Commission race.

Our two candidates, Coleman Prewitt and Romney Rogers, have taken the high road during the entire campaign and should be highly commended for providing an example for all candidates everywhere of what our political system CAN produce and SHOULD produce when it comes to election campaigns and candidates. These two men have been articulate, issues-oriented and sincerely respectful of each other throughout the campaign and have given voters in our district a rare and refreshing opportunity...a chance to vote FOR THE BEST OF TWO EXCELLENT CANDIDATES rather than the 'lesser of two evils' as is so frequently the case.

In doing so and comporting themselves as they have, they have earned the respect of voters from both camps and have set the stage for a 'win/win' situation in District IV, i.e. a legitimate chance to move forward and have even those who supported the losing candidate get behind and support the winner in efforts to guide Fort Lauderdale into the future. After all, isn't that the whole idea?

There is one more thing, of course...the winner has to actually live up to the promises and positions made during the campaign...and perhaps even more importantly...their supporters and followers have to do so, as well!

Local Voter Turnout in Fort Lauderdale - Can we break the low turnout malaise?

2009-03-05T06:07:00.005-05:00

As we approach our Fort Lauderdale 'runoff' elections on March 10th to fill the 3 City Commission seats remaining open, the consensus outlook among local pundits and campaign pros is once again for a very low voter turnout...and I find both the reality of it and the expectation of it to be frustrating, almost to the point of being infuriating, for a multitude of reasons...but, for today, I just want to look at two of those reasons:

1) the 'profile' of voters here in Fort Lauderdale...a unique set of circumstances that by its very nature pretty much ensures a lower turnout than in many, if not most, other cities;

2) the mindset, expectations and practices of the local 'campaign managers and pros'...the sum of which I've come to believe actually imposes somewhat of a barrier to higher turnout in and of itself;

As to 1) above...Fort Lauderdale is still very much of a seasonal 2nd home to many, or at least to a statistically significant number, making them far less committed to becoming involved in the city on anything more than on a social networking basis...i.e. it's a lot easier to make a civic 'contribution' by simply donating money and attending the fabulous fund-raising parties during the season here...and, quite frankly, that's tough to argue with. And it's also tough to argue with the reasoning of many of them that 'they don't know enough about the politics and people running for local office, so by not voting they are leaving such important decisions to those who do have more information and more interest.' Understandable...maybe even a good idea in some cases. Thus my thinking that, in some ways, the residential profile of Fort Lauderdale by its very nature will inevitably reflect a trend bias toward a lower voter turnout for local elections than the norm for other places.

It is premise 2) however...in the mindset, expectations and practices of the 'election and campaign professionals' here in Fort Lauderdale...that there IS room for change that CAN improve the voter turnout in these kinds of local elections. Almost invariably, those I've spoken with personally or observed responding or discussing the issue of low voter turnout dismiss the idea with the explanation that someone like me, who thinks we CAN get better voter turnout, is just naive and not familiar enough with Fort Lauderdale politics. Until now, and with no overwhelmingly compelling reason to thrust myself into the campaigns, I've simply shut up and deferred to those with more local experience. And from what I've seen, most are sincere, intelligent and experienced...but as the old saying goes: 'Sometimes you can be too close to the forest to see the trees.' And, having observed some of the camaign assumptions, practices and strategies in the meantime, and drawing on years of experience in selling 'intangibles', I'm pretty sure that I and a few others like me DO have some better ideas.

After all...politics is the art of selling ideas (politics and religion are the two ultimate intangibles when it comes to sales...ever notice that preachers are among the best salespeople on earth?!?) and the objective of the sales process is to 'give someone a reason to buy and to make the decision to do so'...in this case, your ideas. Since I'll undoubtedly end up participating in this process in the future, the how's and why's will have to stay just with me for now...but know this: I reject the idea and mindset of the 'gurus' that low voter turnout will always be so here in Fort Lauderdale...there is MUCH we can do together to change this...and we can and will turn this low voter turnout syndrome around here in Fort Lauderdale in the not-to-distant future. Stay tuned.

Monday morning 'Musings'...Fort Lauderdale 'Run-Off' elections

2009-03-02T08:47:00.005-05:00

March 10th will be the 'Run-Off' elections for our three remaining City Commission seats. Over this past weekend, the Sun Sentinel reminded readers of their Candidate endorsements in each race. But does their endorsement really have any impact on a 'Run-Off' election situation where the turnout is expected by local pundits and campaign pros to be even lower than the general election? And when I say 'lower than...', I mean relative to the general elections in the three districts involved in the Run-Off.

When I queried several of these local experts as to whether the endorsements actually make a difference or not, their common answer (in effect) was a bit 'qualified' and twofold:
1) Without the Mayor's race being on the ballot, many of the voters who showed up to vote in the primary election won't bother to show up for the runoff...even when it affects their own commission district...because they probably didn't care about anything other than the higher-profile Mayor's race.
2) Two of these candidates they've endorsed came in 2nd in the primary election despite the major newspaper endorsements. Which leaves many questions: Did those endorsements matter at all to begin with? Did they HELP get candidates into the 'finals' that might not have gotten there without them? And, conversely, did they hurt the non-endorsed candidates who led the voting in the general elections and keep them from 'sweeping' the 50% +1 vote needed to win in the primaries?

Both answers, of course, seem to imply that the Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald endorsements are worth little more than 'bragging rights' for their chosen candidates...but in a close, extremely low-turnout election, every single vote matters, so in that respect, one could say the endorsements 'matter'.

Which brings me to a related, even more perplexing question...that of 'voter turnout'. Will we EVER figure out how to get a voter turnout of greater than just 1 out of every 5 or 6 voters to go to the polls? Or must 'the many' be resigned to allowing our future to be decided by 'the few'? And if so, is it perhaps BETTER to have just those who are interested and (allegedly) informed decide elections rather than having others who are not (allegedly) as knowledgeable and informed about the issues and candidates also cast their vote, when in many cases, it would be simply a matter of whose name they like best?? More on this in my next post sometime in the next few days...

Precursors to an end to the recession?

2009-02-27T14:29:00.004-05:00

These economic times remind me of the late 70s & early 80s when interest rates soared and everything in the media headlines was about how the country was 'going down the tubes' and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it! Inflation was the bogeyman in those days...so maybe it was a bit different. But the lesson I learned from those days still seems right to me today:

'Look for the underlying signals that will LEAD to the economy bottoming out and turning around and you'll be way ahead of the game.'

While the mainstream press continues to emblazon headlines with dire news and things DO seem to continue to be as bad as we've seen them, I PERSONALLY now believe we're finally beginning to see the precursors to the end of this decline taking shape. A time when all of this terrible, terrible economic news will actually begin to viewed (rather perversely) as a POSITIVE by some, most notably the stock market, which will do so well in advance of any actual turnaround finally hitting our mainstream media headlines.

How can this be, you ask? Well...here are just a few 'common sense' reasons, mixed with a good 30 years of business and life experience observations:

1) After the extreme declines in home sales, new home construction and home prices we've experienced for a couple of years, we simply HAVE to be beginning to work off some of that excess housing inventory (i.e. 'supply') that was created by so much new construction in the boom years that just couldn't be absorbed by the market. This 'working off' of excess housing inventory is a development that simply has to eventually happen over time if there is no construction activity going on...and, as such, it is a mathematical 'must' (an axiom?) that it will presage any bottom in economic activity and any possible subsequent recovery in home prices and values.

2) We now DO have a stimulus package in the U.S....and no matter how you think or feel about it philosophically, it IS going to pour trillions of new dollars into the U.S economic system that WILL have an effect on the overall economy like a stone thrown into the water creates ripples in the surface that radiate outward. At the very worst, it will at least slow the rate of economic decline...and it's even more likely that it will help level things off and maybe even improve them enough to 'reboot' consumer spending and bank lending, which then WILL halt the downward spiral and eventually reverse it.

3) An finally, just as an anecdote...we're now hearing reports (like the one on the TV news last evening) of Chinese and European investors touring the U.S. on 'home-buying junkets'...so perhaps reports of the rest of the world being 'economically dead' are a bit overstated.

Bottom line for me is this: There is a light at the end of this tunnel now...anI don't think it's yet another train (as some will always like to believe). What I see in that light is a new attitude, new direction and new opportunities for all of us...and I'm starting to see the glass as 'half full!'

Sunday morning...'Snippets'

2009-02-22T08:28:00.008-05:00

Thomas Friedman (NY Times Editorial) once again dials into the essence of our economic needs with his call to 'Start Up the Risk-Takers'...here's a 'snippet':

"If we are going to be spending billions of taxpayer dollars, it can’t only be on office-decorating bankers, over-leveraged home speculators and auto executives who year after year spent more energy resisting changes and lobbying Washington than leading change and beating Toyota."

"...Our country is still bursting with innovators looking for capital. So, let’s make sure all the losers clamoring for help don’t drown out the potential winners who could lift us out of this. Some of our best companies, such as Intel, were started in recessions, when necessity makes innovators even more inventive and risk-takers even more daring."

Nate Silver (www.fivethirtyeight.com) debunks the ranting right conservative mantra that the stock market is going lower because of Obama and his stimulus plan...here's a 'snippet':

"One of the more unapologetically idiotic notions being advanced by certain conservative commentators (i.e. Limbaugh, Hannity, etc.) is the idea that the poor performance of the stock markets represents a negative reaction to Barack Obama's stimulus package."

GEORGE Q:...Nate Silver may well be one of the very BEST MINDS OF OUR TIME! Can't recommend him and fivethirtyeight.com highly enough!)

On a local basis pertaining to Fort Lauderdale...did you see the report of the near-riot at the Housing Authority of Fort Lauderdale's attempted distribution of 3000 available applications for Sect. 8 housing assistance? ...here's a 'snippet':

"Applicants were told specifically in fliers and ads not to arrive before 7 a.m. Saturday, said Tam English, executive director of the Housing Authority. But the number of people who showed up after dark Friday grew out of control, he said."

GEORGE Q:....as the article notes, officials blamed 'demand' for the much higher turnout than expected...duh? Did they think 'demand' for this limited number of loan apps would be LESS than the 3000 they had available? As one of our most respected local cops who was there said: 'Maybe if they'd consulted us first..."

Republicans displeased with Governor Crist? Apparently not all of them...

2009-02-20T17:02:00.005-05:00

It's been noted repeatedly lately that Republicans around the country...and especially here in Florida...are not very happy with Republican Governor Charlie Crist...who they feel hasn't been acting like a 'Republican' lately with his embrace (literally) of President Obama and his stimulus plan. Cited in today's Sun Sentinel was Ed Kennedy, state Republican committeeman from Broward County (Fort Lauderdale & surrounding cities).

In the article, Mr. Kennedy is quoted as saying that there's growing discontent with the governor among Republicans. "I think a problem is developing and he seems to be nonchalant about it. Not really concerned about the party as far as its bent is concerned, its leanings," Kennedy said. "Obviously he wants to take the party in a direction that the major part of the party does not really want to go...." He went on to say "...plenty of people active in the Republican Party share his view, but most aren't willing to speak about it publicly."

Really??

I'm curious as to his definition of 'plenty'...especially in light of the results of the Quinnipiac Poll released this week [which] found that 71 percent of Florida Republicans approved of the way Crist is handling his job as governor..."

Let's do some simple math here: If 70% of Republicans support Crist here, the other 30% are comprised of Mr. Kennedy and those who think like him and unfavorably about Governor Crist. That may be 'plenty'...but it's NOT anything like a 'majority' is it??

And that 30% correlates almost exactly with the 30% or so of Republicans who are thought comprise the 'hard core, extreme right wing' of the national Republican party...and the very ones who've been repudiated and rejected by the electorate (and by many in their own party, apparently) for refusing to compromise on anything whatsoever that doesn't suit their ideology, regardless of overall consequences.

Whether you voted for Crist or not, the people of this country and this state clearly sent a message in our recent elections that they WANT someone who is more centrist, objective and open to governing this state and this country in the best overall interests of everyone, regardless of whether they be Democrat or Republican. Looks to me like Charlie Crist, and the 70% of Republicans who support him, got that message loud and clear. One can only wonder why Mr. Kennedy and the rest didn't...or is it more a matter of 'won't'....?

Tuesday morning (after a Monday Holiday)

2009-02-17T09:02:00.003-05:00

On National politics...

Confused about the Stimulus bill? Here's a good summary from AP on MSNMoney:
"The $787 billion package might cut your taxes, make your health insurance cheaper, fix the roads you drive on and keep the best teachers in your children's schools. And that's just for starters." (bill summary link here)...

Re: the Republican refusal to go along in any way with the Stimulus bill...
I think we'd all hoped the GOP would have heeded the message sent by voters in the last election...but I'm resigned now to the regrettable fact that, having created and implemented the policies that caused most of today's problems, Republican leaders have chosen to obfuscate, rationalize and distort the facts in 'denial' of their own responsibility. All while deliberately trying to create confusion in the public's mind over what really happened to cause most of this and trying derail the only road to recovery left open to us. And they've chosen this path, rather than trying to work with Obama and the Dems to fix the problems we face, because they fear that Obama and the Dems just might have a better answer for this country and prove the whole Bush/Republican philosophy and policies were dead wrong all along.

If I was President Obama, here's what I'd tell Republicans after the way they've rejected his genuine bipartisan offers:
"I've reached out to you in a bipartisan spirit and have received nothing but your same old tired refrain, obfuscation and your total disdain. So now, I'm going to give you a taste of the same medicine you, George Bush and Dick Cheney gave us and shove OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR WAY (this is my polite way of expressing this) right through into law on behalf of the majority who voted us into power and who've had enough of you. And when we've done what we think has to be done, the people of this country will judge all of us."

"At least we'll have TRIED to do SOMETHING to get this country back on track, put our people back to work and give our kids some hope for the future."

What would YOU say to Republicans and the country right now if YOU were President Obama?

Rational vs. Radical...what are they really?

2009-02-16T07:46:00.008-05:00

For those of you who don't read Nate Silver and his outstanding 'fivethirtyeight.com' blog, today is a great day to start! This guy is simply in a class by himself...regardless of whether you're a Dem, Repub, Independent or other...and his post today is well worth the read.

To the left is the chart he posted and discusses today re: the relative merits of 'Rational vs. Radical' Progressivism. Below are my own comments on his article...you'll understand them better if you read Nate's post first, however! Hope you do and would welcome YOUR thoughts & comments on this excellent piece by Mr. Silver.

"Excellent thoughts, Nate, and I would suggest that your list of traits differentiating 'rational progressives' from 'radical progressives' has an even more pragmatic use: a way to counteract Conservatives' use of what you've defined as 'radical progressive' to paint ALL liberals and ALL progressives, as well as pretty much EVERYONE who is not them! And they've done so very effectively...at least until recently when their own self-serving and divisive hate-mongering exposed their right wingnut leaders extremism and turned the focus upon their parties own failures and abuse of power."

"While I and most reasonable people don't like the use of 'labels', the result of our recent elections in rejecting the direction and results of the past eight years of ultra-conservative policy have given us the opportunity to redefine the warped definitions ultra-conservatives co-opted for the labels 'liberal' and 'progressive'...and a chance to redefine them more accurately and positively with the traits of 'rationality'...i.e. to 'brand' rationality as the true mainstream political, economic and social group in America once again. And we're right here with you working on exactly that...making sure the voices of the radicals (on both sides of the aisle), while necessary to provoke awareness and thought, don't drown out the voices of the rationality and reason!"

As we grow older and gain at least some degree of wisdom from experience, we learn that this is a never-ending battle.

Congrats! Rio Vista!...What a great neighborhood!

2009-02-14T15:10:00.003-05:00

It was billed as a way to 'Start Your Heart' right on Valentines' Day...a 'just for fun' walk (or run!) around our beautiful neighborhood.

Our 1st Annual 'WALK/RUN RIO VISTA!' event turned out to be all of that and more for the 140+ Rio Vista residents who showed up at Virginia Young Park at 8:00am on a gorgeous Saturday morning wearing their Valentine's Day red!

Sponsored by our Rio Vista Civic Association, with the help of the City's Parks & Recreation Dept., initial estimates for the totally FREE event were for 50-75 participants to take part...after all, it was a 1st time event for the neighborhood. But by late afternoon on Friday the 13th, those estimates had been blown away...with over 130 residents already registering online on the Association's website or via fax and the promise of more walkups on Saturday.

It was truly an amazing day all around, with THE ZOO HEALTH CLUB sponsoring the free water in the park and in coolers on golf carts roaming throughout the event...and their fitness trainers kicked activities off with a 10-minute warmup exercise session for everyone just prior to the start.

And then the fun really began...with a loud, sharp police whistle blown by Fort Lauderdale Mounted Unit Officer Duval Madrigal from his saddle on top of his beautiful police horse, 'Comanche'. As everyone snapped to attention, he and Comanche rounded everyone up and led them to the starting line! It was quite a sight to see everyone fall in behind our Mounted Officer...and I have to say a very special 'Thank You!' to Officer Madrigal for bringing Comanche. He had to be one of the biggest hits of the event for everyone...but especially the kids...and Comanche even did a little 'running' against some of the more energetic ones who wanted to 'race' him!! :)

The runners took off first, led through their 5K course (designed by WALK/RUN RIO VISTA! Co-Chair, Bev Cannon..Kudos, Bev!!), by a golf cart driven by our own highly accomplished resident runner Judy Bertolett. The walking group started immediately after the runners, falling in behind the flashing lights of Sgt. Steve Scelfo of the Fort Lauderdale Police Dept. in his police cruiser. With Officer Madrigal on Comanche, and Sgt. Scelfo in his cruiser, the two officers led the way through our streets, making sure the intersections and traffic were safe and secure for everyone.

A little while later, as the runners and walkers hit the 'finish line', they were cheered on and photographed 'breaking the tape', held enthusiastically by THE ZOO Health Club trainers! Smiles and laughs were everywhere as the finshers 'broke the tape'...and it was so popular, we even saw a couple of 'do-overs'!

In the aftermath, as everyone cooled down and the event wound down, the comment heard over and over again from almost everyone attending was: 'What a great event! When's the next one?'...and I suddenly realized, standing along with my fellow volunteers who made it all possible, that we'd ALL been continually smiling, laughing and grinning with our friends and neighbors for the past two hours!

And there's something very special about that! It was a great way to meet neighbors, see those you might not see often enough and enjoy the beauty of our neighborhood with an early morning stroll.

Hey...just a suggestion...it might be worth YOU giving it a try in YOUR neighborhood! I hope you have as much fun as we did!

The Economy...Could US crisis be worse than Japan's?

2009-02-13T07:34:00.003-05:00

On a more national note than my recent posts...

I've just read this article from The Economist and would commend it to you as an excellent summation of the difficulties we're facing in trying to address and piece together the many disparate pieces of today's economic crisis 'puzzle'.

http://www.economist.com/finance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13110352&source=hptextfeature

It's not a quick or simple read, but it's a good one (at least in my estimation) and may be helpful to some for putting the situation into perspective. Why do I think it might be helpful?

Do you recall how many of our politicians (both parties!) kept saying over and over again since the bubble burst in 2005/2006 as the inevitable comparison to Japan's experience began to be asked: 'Oh no...the U.S. situation is completely different than Japan's...nothing like that could happen here'. And yet, here we are...

The purpose of this post is to direct you to an article that really might help you 'separate the wheat from the chaff' and better understand where we are today in lieu of the daily 'hair on fire' headlines from our mainstream press (TV and newspapers). I was fortunate to have had a decent economic and financial education, both academically and in the school of 'hard knocks', so I may have had a bit more experience in looking at economic stats and indicators than most and that allowed me to see what was happening. As many of my friends out there know, in explaining our decision to sell our home in late 2004 after it had more than doubled in price over 3 1/2 years, I often compared our economic situation in the U.S. to the boom and major bust cycle Japan had gone through in the 80s and 90s...and was fearful that we were headed into a similar situation and hadn't learned a damn thing!

So...if a simple guy like me could see this coming, why couldn't the brilliant Alan Greenspan and his Wall Street and Banking exec colleagues see it?? There's much, much more to this problem than just the tired, simplistic refrain of: 'too many people were out there getting loans that shouldn't have'...that's just classic 'blaming the messenger' for the policies the decision-makers created. But those who made the policies that caused most of today's problems will never admit it and will continually obfuscate, rationalize and distort the facts in their 'denial', resulting in today's confusion over what really happened and the current uncertainty as to how to deal with it!

The bottom line is: You can't solve a problem until you actually know what the problem really is...and that's why I hope the article I referred to above might be of some help to you.

Fort Lauderdale elections...what's next?

2009-02-12T07:06:00.003-05:00

It's been a couple of days since our Fort Lauderdale primaries and now that the dust has settled a little, let's take a look at where things stand and what's next in this process.

MAYOR - Jack Seiler won the Mayor's race outright by a large margin...pretty much as veteran observers expected...if ever such a thing as the proverbial 'mandate'...this is it! He's honest, sincere, experienced and with the connections he has from his time as a Florida State Representative, he'll be a very effective leader and advocate for the city;

COMMISSIONER DIST. II - Charlotte Rodstrom also won her race outright by a convincing margin to keep her seat...by almost all accounts, she seems to have a good handle on the mainstream balance needed to represent the city as well as everyone in her district;

COMMISSIONER DIST. I - Christine Teel, the incumbent, and Bruce Roberts, a well-known and backed challenger, were only a couple hundred votes apart and are headed into a March 10th runoff. In a late election night development, the third candidate in that race, Inger Garcia, immediately endorsed Roberts and urged all of her supporters to do so, as well. She picked up well over 400 votes...more than double the number Roberts would need to overtake Teel's lead in the primary...so this should be a very close one;

COMMISSIONER DIST. III - Bobby DuBose got 49% of the vote in the primary, barely missing the 50% + 1 needed to win the seat outright, and looks to be the favorite in his runoff vs. Pamela Adams, who got 31%. Adams has to get all of the votes from the other two candidates who ran, Nadine Hankerson and Magdalene Lewis, to overtake DuBose...not impossible, but quite a task and should be interesting to see how it turns out;

COMMISSIONER DIST. IV - Romney Rogers lead the voting in District III with 46% and heads into a runoff against Coleman Pruitt, who garnered 35%. Rogers is a well-known local attorney who grew up in the neighborhood and has the support of much of the 'old guard' in the district, while Prewitt has been boosted by endorsements from the Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald, among others, giving him a real shot at winning the runoff. Rogers lead by 448 votes in the primary and Prewitt needs to get those 448 and more from among the 785 voters who voted for primary candidates Jim Lewis or George Trodella. Of all the runoffs, this one may be the most telling as to the current balance of power in Fort Lauderdale between the longtime establishment powers (Rogers boasts endorsements by Mayor Jim Naugle and former congressman Clay Shaw) and a newer generation of public servants (lead by Prewitt) making their mark on the city.

But perhaps the best news coming out of this primary is that we've seen some exceptionally committed and qualified candidates running for office who have earned our respect by running positive, issues-oriented campaigns...and who all are more than capable of forming an effective and cohesive group of leaders needed to address the immediate challenges we face. We've also seen a better than usual voter turnout in the primaries, which reflects an increase in interest in civic affairs across the board in Fort Lauderdale...well beyond the ever-noisy 'lunatic fringe'...and that means regular citizens are taking an interest in their city again...and THAT'S a good thing for all of us!

Quit hiding behind that pseudonym!!

2009-02-09T09:40:00.006-05:00

On the eve of our local City of Fort Lauderdale elections, I've finally been moved to comment on the practice of many out there who post nasty, false, misleading, fraudulent, ugly, personally derogatory, libelous, defamatory, inflammatory and downright profane comments on our political blogs.

I know I speak for a great many decent, civic-minded and well-meaning people like me who try to use the blogosphere as a means to address the serious issues of the day when I say: What are you folks who post this kind of objectionable garbage trying to accomplish when you hide behind pseudonyms to spout this venom? Do you really think anyone even takes you seriously or gives you any credence at all when you spew foul language instead of constructive criticism and don't have the 'cojones' to show your face and stand behind your words?

Let's call this 'hiding behind pseudonyms' and for what it is: a cowardly, pathetic and useless waste of your own time and our bandwidth. And...in the end....except for this little commentary of mine that's meant to at least TRY to enlighten the one or two of you who might still be worth trying to reach and including in the process...WE ALL JUST IGNORE YOU!

That's right. Our politicians, political candidates, their staffs, civic activists and all the rest of us trying to make a positive contribution for the betterment of our community and anyone else earnestly interested in our political and social environments just don't and won't ever waste our time on your crude rants, profanities and other non-productive comments.

It's all very simple...if you REALLY want to have a voice in the process, stand up and identify yourself and offer constructive commentary and solutions to the problems...otherwise, you simply are one of the problems that will never get addressed.

I'm George Q. Public...and that's MY name and face right next to this post.

A Surprise Voter Turnout in Fort Lauderdale Elections?

2009-02-06T08:22:00.007-05:00

For the past month or so, local pundits and political junkies have issued authoritative-sounding predictions of a very low voter turnout for city elections. For the most part, they've based their projections on the traditional low turnouts seen in elections past and some candidates are even concentrating their efforts almost exclusively on reaching local 'Super Voters', i.e. those who can be identified from voting records as having consistently voted in local elections over the years.

But is this expectation of a low voter turnout based on past history valid THIS year? Could there be a surprise voter turnout in our upcoming Fort Lauderdale elections?

George Q. Public thinks there could be a surprisingly more robust turnout than is generally expected for a number of possible reasons:

1) The interest generated in voting by last fall's Presidential and national elections has clearly demonstrated that people DO give a damn about their government. And the very fact that Barack Obama was elected President has proven that voting CAN AND DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE in this country and, consequently, more and more people are recognizing that their vote DOES MATTER to their own future. This 'motivational factor' may well be the major factor being overlooked by the 'low voter turnout' camps here in Fort Lauderdale who are concentrating almost exclusively on reaching the 'super voters'...they do so at their own peril while disregarding the lessons from the success of the Democrats' '50-state' strategy in last fall's elections in reaching out to voters everywhere, not just to those in states with the most electoral votes;

2) With three of the five Fort Lauderdale races, including Mayor, having NO INCUMBENT running for reelection, it is 'guaranteed' that this city will see a change of faces and direction in city government. With that, the residents of Fort Lauderdale may be more motivated and more likely to step up and vote in this election than in past years for the simple reason that they might think: 'Hey, the old guard is gone and this time I really DO have a chance to have a say in the future of this city!'...and as noted above, having your vote COUNT AND MATTER is a huge factor in the decision for any voter to get out there and vote;

3) The fact that there are FOUR candidates in three of the races (Mayor, District 3 & District 4) and THREE candidates in the other two races virtually assures that most of those candidates will be reaching out to every voter they can possibly find to try to gain an edge. In addition, many of the candidates are new to politics, have a completely different set of friends, neighbors and 'networks', again assuring that new faces from among these non-traditional voters will be showing up at the polls. Think of it like a multi-level marketing effect...or as a tree growing more branches...with more branches reaching out from the tree (more candidates), there are, by nature, going to be even more leaves sprouting from those branches (voters).

4) There has been an increase in civic activism this year that, while always there, now commands a much more important role in this town as civic and homeowner associations and other groups have 'upped their game' and learned how to expand their influence. Because of a growing professionalism in their organizational and communications capabilities, these groups can now provide more effective platforms for the candidates to get 'face time' with neighborhood residents that just wasn't possible in prior years. At each every local 'Candidates Night Forum', the numbers of attendees (and even the numbers of forums themselves!) have been growing...and this is a good thing for for our city...and for potential voter turnout.

5) Finally, and though it seems obvious to those of us who 'live' a good portion of our time online, the 'Internet factor' has dramatically widened the AVAILABILTY AND VARIETY OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE about the candidates, city government and the issues being faced. Though it's been growing in influence since it's very inception, it's really only in this past year or so that we can truly say the Internet is 'as mainstream' as any other media. Whereas TV and the Sun-Sentinel virtually controlled the information content and distribution of that content in prior years, the Internet has provided an ever-growing number of participants who offer alternative 'reach' and content of a scope and variety that has never been seen before. Just ask Barack Obama how much of a difference having a 'mainstream Internet' made to his campaign!

All of which lead us to believe that there WILL be an upside surprise in this election's turnout... and that those who don't think so are underestimating the change in voter attitudes and motivations everywhere...even here in Fort Lauderdale...as signaled in the 2008 elections.

That's George Q. Public's two cents' worth...and we'll soon know more. In the meantime, if you feel it worthwhile to do so, please forward this on to a few of your friends...and as always, I welcome and appreciate YOUR comments!

Sun-Sentinel Stirs things up with endorsements today!

2009-02-04T19:44:00.002-05:00

A bit of a surprise was delivered to doorsteps throughout Fort Lauderdale today as the Sun-Sentinel released its City Mayoral and Commission candidate endorsements. While their selection of Jack Seiler for Mayor was somewhat expected, it was several of their other selections that raised a few eyebrows...most notably their selection of Coleman Prewitt in District IV over what had been a presumed favorite, Romney Rogers.

I confess to being one of those who was a bit surprised and it started me thinking that perhaps last fall's election results are more pervasive and more representative of the massive scale of 'change' taking place in the thinking and attitudes of voters everywhere across this nation than many might have even hoped or imagined.

With a boost in stature for Coleman Prewitt today from the Sun-Sentinel's recognition of him for the District IV seat, it may well be that the 'wave of change' signaled by last fall's presidential and congressional elections is much more of permanent, generational change in the electorate at all levels after all...and not just a one-time 'throw the bum out' reaction to the Bush years, as many still argue. Guess we'll just have to wait until next week for more definitive answers...but no doubt that today's Sun-Sentinel selections really shook things up here in town!

News coverage of Fort Lauderdale elections still lacking...

2009-02-02T08:25:00.004-05:00

I came across an article in the Miami Herald Broward edition Saturday (1/31) commenting on the city elections and felt compelled to respond to one particular aspect of it that appears to come directly from Herald writer, Amy Sherman:

re: "And Prewitt's campaign brochure omits that he is openly gay and has been active in the community -- raising the question about whether he wants to appeal to conservative voters or if he merely wants to avoid being labeled as only having support in one community."

Since when does a candidate for office in any election, specifically including Fort Lauderdale's non-partisan election, have to declare openly whether they are gay, straight, black, white, red, blue or whatever??

Inserting such comments into a news article is clearly inappropriate bias for a professional news reporter, especially when it appears that Mr. Prewitt's campaign brochure clearly and unequivocably did not raise the issue of sexual preferences. If he had, then it would be open season and the reporter would clearly be entitled to pursue reporting along those lines. But Prewitt didn't and the brochure simply associated Mr. Rogers with the endorsement of an outgoing politician who many residents disliked for many, many more reasons than just those particular anti-gay comments he made a while back.

The thing I do agree with as valid is the question of whether Mr. Naugle's endorsement is a boon or a drawback to Rogers...or any other candidate.

And just to be perfectly clear to the lowest common denominator of residents here who might want to think otherwise to justify their own prejudices, I am a 57-year old, white male, married, heterosexual, small business owner who has lived and worked in Fort Lauderdale and South Florida since the mid-80s.

As such, the distinction among candidates to me and most of the people I know and associate with is purely a question of which candidate's ideas for Fort Lauderdale's future direction, in every aspect of city government, is most appealing...rather than the narrow distinction this particular reporter has chosen to bring forth of which candidate is gay, straight, religious, black, white, etc.

What I'd hoped to read from the Sun-Sentinel (better than most, but...), Miami Herald and other reporters covering our elections is how well almost every candidate in this campaign has conducted themselves and how they've concentrated on the issues they care about and the direction they want to take this city. Now THAT would be an article that might well serve a purpose to everyone in our community by bringing to light how qualified, responsible and civic-minded candidates for office this crop of candidates actually IS...and show that maybe we HAVE actually evolved a bit as a society and actually CAN have politicians we can trust and believe in to put the community's interests first.

The lesson of the recent national elections would seem to be that voters today are more intelligent, informed and open-minded than ever before in our nation's history...surely we should be able to expect a higher level of discourse from our news reporters to reflect this new reality.

Did Republicans Elect Possible Islamic Terrorist as RNC Chairman?!!? :)

2009-01-31T07:39:00.004-05:00

ALERT! Look out America!! Republicans may have been hoodwinked and may have elected an Islamic terrorist sleeper agent as RNC Chairman...or at least someone who might be 'palling around' with terrorists! After all, he's black and must have met some Muslims in his life...what if he secretly is one??!!

Someone should check into the claims he changed his name to an American sounding name as a 7 year old after he was secretly planted there by Islamic terrorists who are going to 'activate' him now that he's in charge of the Republican party!!

:) OK...I'm obviously being snide and sarcastic...but hope it makes the point that so many Republicans MISSED during the campaign for President. Do they NOW realize how stupid, ignorant and ugly they sounded when they tried to hang those labels on Barack Obama?? Probably not...but I had to try to point it out anyway! :)

It's 'Monday Morning...by George!'

2009-01-26T07:09:00.010-05:00

Here are a few things of interest to think about as we open the last week of the first month of 2009:

re: NATIONAL POLITICS... Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize-winning economist, has a good article today saying: "Basically, conservatives are throwing any objection they can think of against the Obama plan, hoping that something will stick." It's worth reading at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/opinion/26krugman.html?th&emc=th ...and be sure to read his closing comments!

re: ECONOMIC FORECASTS for the coming year...Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight.com continues to impress with a great comparison of economic forecasts from economists, based upon where they 'hang their hat', from Wall Street to non-profits. Read the whole thing, 'Smarter Than The Average Bears' at http://www.fivethirtyeight.com

re: FORT LAUDERDALE POLITICS... Former city commissioner Tim Smith's blog notes a nasty turn in the events and rhetoric specifically between District II Commission candidates Charlotte Rodstrom (incumbent) and Steven Glassman. It's spurred a flurry of commentary on Smith's blog and looks to be getting uglier by the day. Thus far, Howard Elfman, also a candidate for the seat, seems to be staying out of the fray and may just be the ultimate beneficiary of voters weary of such ugly, divisive politics, as was the lesson and message sent by voters throughout the nation our recent national elections.

In complete contrast to District II, we're PLEASED to send out 'KUDOS!' to all four candidates for the District IV seat who've thus far displayed an admirable inclination to politely acknowledge the other candidates, even when disagreeing, and focus on their own message to voters addressing the issues facing Fort Lauderdale today and in the future. In no particular order, these candidates are: Coleman Prewitt, Romney Rogers, Jim Lewis and George Trodella...and to each of them we say 'Thanks!' for setting a great example and making this an election about real issues and acting like responsible, concerned candidates and true public servants.

Last thought for today (and every day!): Why aren't there any Candidate Debates or Forums on local Fort Lauderdale TV so that EVERYONE in the city can actually get a look at and listen to these candidates? With most decrying the miniscule voter turnout expected, this would seem to be a 'no-brainer'...so why isn't it on city TV??

Back to State & Local Politics here in 2009

2009-01-25T09:57:00.005-05:00

With the Obama administration now officially in charge of the reins of our federal government, it's time to turn our attention back to our local politics here in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County and Florida.

Our Fort Lauderdale City primary elections for a new Mayor and seats on the City Commission are set for Feb. 10th. If no candidate receives 50% of the vote in the primary, the top two vote recipients for that office will face-off on March 10th in a final general election.

For those of you who aren't up on the slate of candidates for each office yet, here's a link to the City's elections site that will give you the complete picture of who's running for what...see: www.fortlauderdale.gov/clerk/election.htm...you'll also find their campaign finance & contribution info there, and if you take the time to look, you'll find it's very interesting reading!

But for today, we'll close with this: IF YOU WANT A VOICE...AND YOU'RE TIRED OF 'THE INMATES RUNNING THE ASYLUM'...GET INVOLVED! Go to one or more of the various civic association forums being held and meet, listen to and ask questions of the candidates. They're spending exhausting hours going to virtually each and every one of these and TRYING to reach out to YOU, the public, through them. There's one almost every day...here's a link to the current lists of them with dates & times...see: www.riovistaonline.com/pdfs/CandidateForums.pdf

Probably the best one coming up is January 29th at 7:00 PM at City Hall, 100 N. Andrews Ave., 1st Floor Commission Chamber. It's sponsored by the Council of Fort Lauderdale Civic Associations and features ALL of the candidates for Mayor and City Commission districts. BE THERE!!

Last thought for today (and every day!): Why aren't there any Candidate Debates or Forums on local Fort Lauderdale TV so that EVERYONE in the city can actually get a look at and listen to these candidates? With most decrying the miniscule voter turnout expected, this would seem to be a 'no-brainer'...so why isn't it on city TV??

George Q. Public

Thanks for helping bring back the REAL America, Rush!

2009-01-18T10:43:00.008-05:00

On his radio show last week, Rush Limbaugh railed against "people on our side of the aisle who have caved and who say, 'Well, I hope he succeeds. We have to give him a chance.'" "Why?" Limbaugh demanded. "...I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don't want them to succeed." (Excerpted from Politico.com 1/18/09)

As I shook my head in amazement at this, it suddenly dawned on me that we really need to 'thank' Rush and his right-wingnut lemming followers, for showing the rest of America what this country should NOT be and should NOT stand for!

You just couldn't be more clear, Rush, about your 'hooray for me and the hell with everyone else' philosophy and complete lack of regard for what happens to the United States of America and the people who have to coexist here as citizens.

So 'Please!'...keep mouthing off your neo-con nonsense...the more you cry, whine and plead, the more America sees you for what you really are...an extreme, right-wing zealot, whose opinions ARE NOT 'conservative' as you would like others to believe...but rather are fanatical, small-minded, irrelevant and totally out of touch with the REAL mainstream America.

So 'Thanks, Rush!' for being such a big part of why the majority of America has turned away from the likes of you!

Merry Christmas & Happy whatever you celebrate!

2008-12-24T08:37:00.002-05:00

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and every joy in whatever YOU celebrate this time of year!

A couple of Christmas eve comments on things 'of issue' today:

1) Gays decrying Rick Warren's selection to give invocation...hey, it's done...get over it! But keep working peacefully, thoughtfully and pleasantly persistently toward your goals. Gay marriage is an issue that just isn't going to be won TODAY in America (see CNN's poll this morning on these issues at http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/12/23/post-prop-8-public-opinion-on-same-sex-marriage-unchanged)...public opinion just isn't there yet. But the pendulum of time is moving that way, as well it should...because it just makes sense for everyone!

2) The Bernie Madoff 'ponzi scheme' scandal is probably just the tip of the iceberg on these kinds of things. I worked on Wall Street as a young man and even during my early training at Merrill Lynch in the mid-70s, it was obvious to see what a rigged system was in place for those who ran Wall Street...this inside information prohibition has always been a joke on Main Street...the only time it's ever been an issue is when the 'wrong' people (mostly little guys) actually use it to beat the big guys at their own game. Learned a long time ago that the 'pure capitalism' concept really means: "Hooray for me and the hell with you!" So there is a bit of perverse joy in seeing some of these millionaires and billionaires get there asses handed to them by someone THEY trusted as one of their own. On the other hand, how could someone live with themselves in the daily knowledge that they were deliberately living a life of fraud and theft? Aside from the 'Robin Hood' rationalization of 'stealing from the rich and giving to the poor' (as Madoff apparently did give generously to charities), how does someone like that reconcile that he's still stealing from many of the charities he was giving to??? My guess from over 50 years of studying human nature is that the motivation was really pretty simple: after taking big losses early on for clients and avoiding the disclosure of those by simply shuffling new investment funds back to the original investors, he deluded himself into thinking he could eventually invest the funds he still had and make enough money to cover himself so that no one would ever know! To do it for 30+ years, though, is unbelievable!

Jazzy Mihaiu - My Executive Assistant & My 'Best Girl!'

2008-11-19T07:21:00.004-05:00

I am experiencing a loss like nothing other ever before in my life since the death of our beautiful little Brittany, Jazzy, on Monday morning, Nov. 17th from heart disease.

Over my 57 years, I've seen loved ones pass away, but after spending almost every single day for the past 12 years with my faithful, loving, little Jazzy either at my side or following me around or pawing at me to give her a treat or let her outside, I didn't really know what it meant or really feels like to lose a true love of your life.

I am just heartsick that I can't hold her again and tell her I love her...and I now know how truly deep the hole in your soul and your heart is when you lose someone that you deeply, truly love. That 'loving energy' that had been there each and every day for so long is now suddenly gone...and you feel it so deeply...that's the sense of loss that I guess I never quite fully understood until now.

I try to think of the many laughs, smiles and good times we shared with her...and her many funny, funny antics over the years...but every now and then, I just miss being able to hold her and tell her I love her...and then I have another meltdown. Whether a spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, dog, cat, horse or any other loved one...it's LOVE that is just so noticeably absent from your world when they're gone...and it just plain hurts in your heart, mind and soul.

Here are a few pics of my sweet Jazzy girl...see www.gmstrategic.com/Jazzy.html...words just can't express how much I miss her or how blessed I feel to have shared so much of life with her.

And to anyone reading this, 'Thanks!' for your understanding and support.

George M. Mihaiu
Jasmine 'Jazzy' Mihaiu, Sept 1996-Nov 2008, ...my girl!

Limbaugh calls this 'the Obama recession'...funny!

2008-11-16T12:46:00.003-05:00

So Rush Limbaugh is calling our current economic situation 'the Obama recession', eh?

Dear Mr. Limbaugh and fans...blaming the current recession and troubled economic times that are consuming our whole world (not just the U.S.!) on the new, incoming President (who won't even take office for another 60 days) is exactly like blaming the firefighters who show up to battle the blaze when it's discovered!

And trying to do so just proves how delusional and in denial you are. So, since many of you refuse to 'take the hint' from the election of Barack Obama, it's time to be blunt with you:

Consider this election to be 'an intervention' by your fellow Americans for your own good...as you obviously are no longer capable of making rational economic, social and political decisions for yourselves!

Post-Election: Nice to be able to relax a bit!

2008-11-11T21:35:00.003-05:00

It's been a week since the election and it's really nice to be able to gear down a bit from the election stress...and to get back to my real publishing job and get some actual work done!

One of the nicest parts of the smashing Obama victory, though, is seeing the rabid right-wingnuts rail on uselessly now about their various Obama conspiracy theories and other objections to his election as our leader. Now that we've actually elected Obama as next President, it's kind of fun to sit back and read/listen/watch the rabid right-wingnuts go through the same agony we who voted against Bush/Cheney eight years ago...and again four years ago...had to endure for so long.

There couldn't be a sweeter, more poetic justice than brought by this election and seeing the discredited economic theories and social philosophies of the extreme right overwhelmingly rejected by the majority of the U.S. as well as by the rest of the civilized world.

Krugman cites FDR in urging Obama to think big

2008-11-07T07:23:00.003-05:00

Just read Paul Krugman's column in the NY Times online this morning (you know...the recent Nobel Prize for Economics winner) and I think it should be required reading for the whole nation!

I strongly commend this article to you as EXACTLY the kind of approach and course the new Obama administration should take. See http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/opinion/07krugman.html?th&emc=th)

"The Knives Are Out for Palin"

2008-11-06T09:26:00.002-05:00

Just saw this on 'First Read: The day in politics by NBC News for NBC News' e-newsbriefing I receive each day:

"*** The Knives Are Out For Palin: Don't miss today's piece in the New York Times about the infighting between the McCain and Palin camps. Some of the anecdotes: Not only were the McCain folks upset that Palin took the crank call from Canadian comedians posing as Sarkozy, but Palin failed to notify the McCain camp that she was going to speak with the supposed French leader. Also, RNC lawyers are perhaps heading to Alaska to take an inventory of the clothes that Palin purchased. Folks, this could get nasty. And before Palin can think about 2012 or beyond, she has to first survive the leaks we are about to see in the coming days. And it's not just the New York Times piece -- Newsweek's always good "what happened?" special issue has lots of negative Palin stories. Palin may be someone who struggled because she never had handlers/advisers before. Well, given the white-hot intensity of the post-election spin war, she's going to need to find her own unofficial defense team."

Hey...no sympathy for Palin here! She made the classic amateurish mistake of undercutting her boss and trying an end-run around him and his team for her own purposes and ambition. The 'wink & cutesy' tactics may have briefly worked back in Alaska's minor league political arena, but when you're trying to play in the majors, you'd better be a proven, indispensable commodity before pulling the kinds of stunts she tried.

Back to work! The 'honeymoon' is already over!

2008-11-06T08:37:00.002-05:00

I don't know about you, but I haven't gotten a lick of work done for the past week or so with the election and yesterday's 'celebratory hangover!' So it's 'back to work' for me at my regular publishing job...as well as for Barack Obama, Joe Biden and their transition team.

For those of you on the losing side of this election who have spoken up so graciously in accepting the verdict of the people in electing Obama and pledging YOUR support to him as our next President and Commander-in-Chief...you have honored yourselves, your candidate and your country in doing so, and we look forward to working across the aisle with you.

For those of you 'losers' who continue to spew hateful invective and refuse to respect the people's verdict (like it or not, WE respected the Bush elections for you!), you should know this: America is no longer a 'one color rules' country and your kind is shrinking in number and influence. America TODAY, and forever more, is truly a melting pot of races and beliefs...and we all MUST learn to not only tolerate our differences, but to strengthen our country by embracing them! If you can disagree with us agreeably, we'll do our best to work with your concerns. If you cannot or will not disagree agreeably, then nothing we can say will change your views and we will fight you...that is your own choice and your own doing.

America is 'back on track with Barack!'

2008-11-05T08:20:00.005-05:00

At 11:00pm Tuesday, Nov. 4th, when West Coast voting ended and the networks all confirmed that Barack Obama had been elected President of the United States of America, I could swear I actually felt the quake of a collective sigh of relief from the entire world, followed in a nanosecond by a shriek of joy and exhilaration like nothing I've ever heard to this day in my lifetime.

The America of dreams and ideals that we all once took for granted has officially returned from a period of darkness, distraction and confusion to live again with a renewed sense of higher purpose to make this little planet of ours a better place for everyone!

I watched the scene in Grant Park on TV while holding hands with my wife and as we listened to John McCain's gracious concession speech, and then watched and listened to our next President talk to America in his acceptance speech, I felt that 'quake' of emotion again and again.

As I watched and reflected upon how far America had come for me...a 57-year old, white, small business owner in Florida, originally from a little industrial, working-class town in Michigan adjacent to Detroit and tucked in between the steel mills on the Detroit River and massive Ford Rouge Auto plant complex...I found my thoughts going back to my high school days and of the many African-American classmates and friends that I grew up with there in the 1960s. I found myself smiling and thinking of the joy and emotions that must be in their hearts to see in our lifetime that the rest of America has finally grown up and finally accepted something we learned together back then in our high school...that it is really true that regardless of 'race, creed or color', we are all equal in the eyes of America...and beginning right now, the melting pot of people called 'Americans' will forever work together to make America everything it can and should be as a force for good and peace in this world!

I am truly still overwhelmed. Thank you, America! The very best of you has shown through on Nov. 4th, 2008...just like my high school friends and I have long hoped...America really IS that 'shining beacon on a hill'.