Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Panagioti Tsolkas, reason activist environmental community is fractured: position on transgenderism (not kidding)

You can read Mr. Panagioti Tsolkas' entire treatise here in the Anarchist News. Here is an excerpt where he describes how essential it is to have a correct position on transgenderism. Why this is important in saving the planet from destruction isn't explained. From Mr. Tsolkas' treatise:
     When Deep Green Resistance (DGR) came on the scene, it was not uncommon to hear EF!ers expressing high hopes that they would bring new energy and strategic thinking … and boy was that a let down!
The people at the top of DGR consistently disrespect potential allies in transgender, anarchist and animal rights circles, then preach ad naseum against “horizontal hostility” (meaning the denigration of other activists’ efforts) whenever they were challenged.
     In 2013, the EF! Journal Collective adopted a position explicitly taking issue with the persistent anti-transgender attitude of [Lierre] Keith and [Derrick] Jensen, and the policies they enforce for DGR, using their influence as renowned authors. [emphasis added] DGR’s position against trans people stems from adherence to a theoretical trend of second wave feminism. This view thinks that if gender is a social construct designed to repress women, any expression of gender is therefore an affront to women. While EF! has long held a critique of patriarchy, seeing it as having cleared a path for industrialism, it takes more than the absence or presence of a penis to maintain patriarchy. The controlling and dominating behavior exemplified by DGR’s authority figures is a far greater concern than the fabricated threat of transgender people against a particular sect of feminism.
     Thankfully the debate surrounding DGR has presented another opportunity for today’s anarchist and ecological resistance movements to clarify and strengthen its position of solidarity with trans people. Making strides towards the queering of activist counter culture has become a priority for many EF! organizers. 
The treatise by Mr. Tsolkas was footnoted. Here is the first footnote:
1 The perspectives presented come from a first-hand perspective. The author has no credentials in academia. On the contrary, he doesn’t have a High School diploma.

La Joya Villages Apartments in the City of Lake Worth, opening this Fall

If you're interested in the La Joya Villages Apartments in the little City of Lake Worth, FL, here is the application form to fill out.

Will the City of Lake Worth once again become a "chicken battleground"?

Lake Worth Commissioner Ryan Maier is the Founder of the Lake Worth Chickens Facebook page. Frank Cerabino wrote about this in 2011. [Note that Ryan Maier didn't start a Infrastructure Facebook page or a Code Enforcement Facebook page]. Here from the article by The Palm Beach Post's Frank Cerabino:
Lake Worth has once again become a chicken battleground.

The pro-chicken forces in the city were rebuffed two years ago when the city commission rejected an ordinance that would have allowed Lake Worth residents to raise a few egg-laying hens in backyard coops.

A hen that appeared to be unattended and homeless wanders a vacant lot near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and G Street in Lake Worth. A Facebook group is seeking to change the city's code to allow residents to keep "a small number" of hens in their yards.

But now, with a special election for mayor looming at the end of the month, the chicken squawking is back.

"There's a whole clandestine chicken army out there," said former City Commissioner Cara Jennings, who mother-henned the 2009 effort but is lying low this time.

Freelance hairstylist Ryan Maier, 31, started a Facebook group called Lake Worth Chickens recently because of his interest in growing his own food.
You can read about ex-Commissioner Cara Jennings' involvement in the chicken issue here.
Photo courtesy of the Tom McGow Archives.
An example of a chicken coop from the Lake Worth Chickens Facebook page, March 16, 2013.

Jeff Speck, David Dixon, and "new urbanism" in Tampa Bay, Florida

There is a Q&A in this article published in the Tampa Bay Times. I encourage anyone interested in walkability, bikability, and urban planning to read this article. Here are the first few paragraphs:
     David Dixon and Jeff Speck are two of the best urban planners in the business.
     That's why Jeff Vinik hired them.
     The Tampa Bay Lightning owner is planning a $1 billion transformation of the downtown waterfront. He wants to spend the next decade turning 40 acres of empty land and existing development into a livable space that will appeal to two important demographics: millennials and empty nesters.
     That's the speciality of "new urbanists" like Dixon and Speck. They're leading practitioners of "new urbanism," the movement to make cities more appealing and accommodating to human activity in order to generate economic activity.

An Indiana company who challenged Indiana's RFRA puts together moving "Thank you, Indiana" video

Today, Salesforce released this beautiful video thanking the State of Indiana.

The audio is none other than Harvey Milk, delivering his "Hope" speech.

Indiana hasn't extended full protections to LGBT people, but thanks to Salesforce and all the corporations, small businesses, politicians, grassroots activists, and ordinary citizens, that genie is now out of the bottle, and it seems impossible an anti-discrimination bill won't cross Gov. Pence's desk during the next legislative session.

Click here for link to related article.

Future of manhole flowers to be discussed by Beaufort City Council

Seems that someone or some people are taking creativity into their own hands and painting streets in this South Carolina town. Other random acts of art are some blue benches and playful puns on some streets signs. Looks like too much merriment is going on here and now these incidents will be getting the attention of the City Council there. Click title for link.
Public works director Lamar Taylor said council is expected to discuss the guerrilla art at Tuesday's work session.
Questions have blossomed around the flowers since they appeared overnight. Are they art or vandalism or something else altogether? Should they be painted over or otherwise removed?
Council members can discuss projects and issues during work sessions and give staff guidance, but can take official action only during voting meetings.
On Monday, Taylor said he needed to know more about the flowers and why they were painted before public works took any action.
This reminds me of the kerfuffle over painting rainbow crosswalks across Lake Avenue, which went ahead despite attempts to squash it. Our Pride painters kept themselves confined to city streets to avoid a problem with FDOT.

Associated Press: "Jewish groups pull support of Holocaust exhibit"

This story appears in The Palm Beach Post on-line edition:
     Jewish leaders in Florida say they're pulling their support for a Holocaust exhibit because of its association with a North Carolina church where five members have been indicted on charges that they kidnapped and beat a man because he's gay.
     Students at Word of Faith Fellowship church in Spindale created art commemorating Holocaust victims. Ron Shelton, a retired pastor in Cocoa, Florida, is helping bring the exhibition to the Space Coast Convention Center.
     But David Pelzman, president of the Temple Beth Shalom, said Monday that he's troubled by the church's past. So are others who say they didn't know about the charges before the event was announced in January.
     Sixteen Jewish and community leaders signed an "open letter" to let people in Brevard County know their concerns. The five-day exhibition opens April 19.
Here is the website that is promoting the exhibit and here is the "official" website for the World of Faith Fellowship. This church has had its share of controversy and you can read all about that here and watch this video:

Upcoming Art Events in Downtown Lake Worth

Artisans On The Ave Gallery 
630 Lake Ave 
Lake Worth, Fl. 33460 
561-582-3300
Friday April 17th 2015, 6pm-9pm 

Featuring artists–Gail Johnson, Philip Rodano, Dennis Tishkowsky, 
Barbara Winkle and Deb Yager

Free event open to the public. Complimentary refreshments will be served. Music will be provided by Bo Reynolds for your enjoyment 

There will be an art demonstration by artist Deb Yager

For more information please call 561-762-8162

And...

Arté Cuba!
The work of Cuban artist Pedro C. Ortiz (1932-2001)
Reception: Friday, April 24, 2015 | 6-9 pm

RSVP 
This exhibition is free.
Exhibition dates: April 24-May 15, 2015

Rolando Chang Barrero Fine Art Gallery
711 Lucerne AvenueLake Worth, Florida 33460
Contact: Rolando Chang Barrero


RCBfineart@gmail.com for more information

How many Burmese pythons in south FL? Even the experts don't know

The Florida Weekly has this article by Lindsey Nesmith titled, "Invasion of the exotics": 
     Because of the [Burmese] python’s elusive nature, it’s practically impossible to know how many are established locally or in South Florida. There could be anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 in Florida, all the way up to the Alabama and Georgia borders, but the current breeding population probably only extends to Lake Okeechobee, Bartoszek [Conservancy of Southwest Florida staff biologist Ian Bartoszek] said. The ability to escape short-lived freezes has been crucial to the snakes’ survival in South Florida, but it’s difficult to tell whether they have been able to expand their territory any further.
     Utilizing the underground refuges of burrowing mammals might help Burmese pythons expand their range farther to the north than previously thought possible, Mr. Bartoszek said. “If these microhabitats allow them to survive through a freeze event, then the snakes will continue to adapt to their new environment and gain ground.”
     Burmese python sightings in the Everglades extend as far back as the 1980s, but experts at the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission think the problem was exacerbated when a breeding facility in Homestead was destroyed in Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Monday, April 6, 2015

Love > Hate: Another peaceful protest against bigotry and racism today in Lake Worth

This protest, of course, is in response to Mrs. Dee McNamara's racist rant at Lake Worth City Hall. A quick apology could have settled this; however Mrs. McNamara and her supporters have chosen the path of double-down denial instead. 

Very sad considering that one of Mrs. McNamara's supporters, Lynn Anderson, attended the Common Ground Church Easter service yesterday in the Lake Worth Cultural Plaza. It would seem the message of "Love > Hate" by Pastor Mike Olive didn't quite resonate with Mrs. Anderson. Too bad. 


On City of Lake Worth agenda tomorrow: City Manager Michael Bornstein's contract


Today marks 1,086 days since City Manager Michael Bornstein was hired on April 16, 2012. There is nothing significant about 1,086 days except as a matter of perspective. Consider this, the previous city manager, Susan Stanton was fired on December 6, 2011 after 953 days on the job. Stanton's tenure was marked by divisiveness and a lack of outreach to the greater community in Lake Worth. To put it bluntly, Lake Worth continued to be a mess under the tenure of Susan Stanton.

Under Stanton, the relationship between the business community and the city was strained, to non-existent. The relationship with the CRA was contentious, at best. Stanton caused such a rift with the neighboring communities that to this day some are still wary of partnering on projects fearing Lake Worth will be too much trouble. Under direction of then-sitting commissioners (Jennings, Golden, Mulvehill) Stanton cut the code department and sent neighborhoods already on the brink on a downward spiral for almost three years. A local blog at the time, referencing the coming Christmas holiday season and the firing of Stanton, wrote:
"In this joyous season, I am celebrating the potential for renewal in Lake Worth which began with a bold move to clean out city management from the top down.
From Paul Boyer, Bob Baldwin to Susan Stanton… inept, corrupt, wasteful and often cruel leadership disregarded the public and common sense honesty and openness.
Yes, I know there are those who are disappointed to see Stanton fired but dwelling on one side of her performance while ignoring the other side of the story… is delusional."
Let's focus on one aspect of City Manager Michael Bornstein's performance in comparison to then City Manager Stanton: outreach to the community. In the months before Stanton's firing she refused any invitations to neighborhood meetings. Except for her supporters she rarely engaged the public. On rare occasions when she did engage the public outside city hall she requested a PBSO escort. Stability is key to the future of Lake Worth and we finally are experiencing the results of that. It is no time to wobble.

Community outreach changed dramatically under the direction of City Manager Bornstein: Bornstein has engaged the public at every level. Under his tenure the city commission, staff, city employees and the NAPC have worked to educate and involve many citizens in our city. It is rare to have a public event in Lake Worth and not have the presence of Bornstein, and if not, he'll have a representative there in his place.

The form of government we have in Lake Worth requires a confident and engaged city manager. We as a city simply cannot solve our problems without such an individual. There is a respect Michael Bornstein has outside Lake Worth, in surrounding communities and the county government. It is significant as the city goes forward.

First Annual Dive Against Debris on Saturday, April 18th

CITY OF LAKE WORTH BEACH CLEAN UP AND DIVE AGAINST DEBRIS

WHEN: SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

WHERE: LAKE WORTH BEACH
                       
THIS EVENT IS FREE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:      

Lake Worth, FloridaThe City of Lake Worth and Wet Pleasures Dive Outfitters present the First Annual Dive Against Debris on Saturday, April 18th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Certified divers please join us for an underwater pier clean up. A dive master and reef clean up specialist will be on hand to teach you how to clean up the pylons. Non Certified Divers can participate by picking up the trash on our beach!

A free event for the entire family!  For more information or to sign up please call Wet Pleasures Dive Outfitters (561) 547-4343.

[UPDATE] 7th Ave. S road proposal and other road improvements in City of Lake Worth

[UPDATE: The new road proposed for 7th Ave South will once again come before the City Commission tomorrow night:
The City has done everything they can to address concerns of residents and here is the new proposal: a one-way street west with a 6' multi-use path. This will be a very interesting item. Back on October 28th, 2014, I wrote the following about this topic:]

For many years past commissions in Lake Worth have neglected or postponed investment in the southwest part of the city. This area is known as District One (represented by Vice Mayor Scott Maxwell). This is not to say that other areas of the city have not been neglected, but this area stands out over others. On the October 7th City Commission agenda, the final steps in improving road rights-of-way that had never been improved—ever—were finally being funded through long-unused Community Development Block Grant monies. The present commission led by Mayor Pam Triolo and City Manager Michael Bornstein, when learning of this money available, went to work to find how this CDBG money could be best utilized. The federal money, channeled through Palm Beach County, sat there through previous City Commissions. The city had to re-assure the County that it did intend on using this money after being dormant.

A series of four neighborhood presentations by Public Services Director Jamie Brown, an assessment completed by the county and DOT, four previous discussions at public commission meetings, and lengthy discussions with neighbors in the area near 7th Ave. South were all accomplished while Commissioner McVoy was in office, taking in everything that was happening and thought to have been keeping tabs and displaying tacit approval of what was going on. Not until nudged by his narrow group of supporters, did he protest about the lack of community engagement and need for more planning and study - prior to the money being spent. Money already simmering on the back burner for years.

From the minutes of the October 7th meeting: "Commissioner McVoy commented that there was a lot of support in the community for greenway; however, he [Commissioner McVoy] said he did not know if the 7th Avenue South neighborhood had any input." McVoy's observations are dishonest and untrue.

Here is the link to the minutes of the October 7 city commission meeting from the agenda on the October 21 city commission meeting. The subject matter begins on page 17.

The crowd at the city commission meeting on October 7 included former commissioner/Anarchist Cara Jennings, Anarchist Panagioti Tsolkas. Former Commissioner Jo-Ann Golden (and Cara-clone) had her comments read into the record in absentia, a petition was presented from "23 mothers in the area", and neighbors claimed they had no idea a road was being proposed. (At this point you may want to re-read the second paragraph above.) Some neighbors had become accustomed to having 7th Ave. South their private park for walking dogs, a playground for children, their neighborhood "green" space, etc.

The need for a road on 7th Ave. South can be demonstrated quite easily. Following is a map and some pictures of the area in question.

The map above shows the new La Joya Villages project, 6th Ave. South (a major thoroughfare), the FEC tracks, and it's relationship to what would be an improved road along the 7th Ave. South right-of-way. This improvement can alleviate congestion and give the neighborhood improved access, as a reliever of traffic on 6th Avenue South (called a "demilitarized zone" by Commissioner McVoy during the meeting due to its lack of safe pedestrian crossings north and south of the roadway). Having a 'greenway' (no vehicular traffic) on 7th Ave. South doesn't solve the problem. Some neighbors suggested a traffic light at 6th Ave. South and 'F' St. Having a traffic light that close to the FEC tracks is problematic and would likely not be approved by the county.

Now let's examine some pictures of the area in question:


La Joya Villages, currently under construction, is a new residential development at the southeast corner of 6th Ave. South and 'F' Street. Along with the new road proposed new water lines and drainage will be addressed. Note that 7th Ave. South is not an "avenue" at at all; it is a neglected dirt path overgrown with foliage and littered with trash and debris. It is not the Garden of Eden some would have you believe.

There was concern expressed at the meeting about the excessive width of the new road. It was thought that the paved area of the street would contain 12 foot travel lanes. Recent evidence and research suggests 10' lanes are safer because they encourage lower speeds and increased driver awareness, especially in urban areas where walkability is important.

It turns out, in the actual plans shared with me by Jamie Brown, the city has designed the vehicular lanes at 11 feet. This was done in order to accommodate 4 foot bike lanes on either side of the road, and a sidewalk on one side of the road. See below:


Some time in the near future (I am told in November), another meeting will be held with the neighbors about the 7th Ave. South road construction. This will be the fifth neighborhood meeting. I will do my best to be there and record the meeting for those of you interested in these proceedings. On a final note, the tactic employed by Commissioner McVoy, Cara Jennings, and Panagioti Tsolkas on October 7 is not a new one. Some of the faces have changed but the tactic is an old one us veterans of Lake Worth politics have seen many times. One of the desired outcomes of this tactic is to cause anger and frustration by elected officials and staff - usually at the last minute, after multiple opportunities to be tuned into the process earlier. Thus we are left with a spectacle of finger-pointing and "how could you let this go so far" verbiage. All this to spend long dormant monies that could improve this area of the city.

Let's hope this next meeting is productive and compromise is not something to avoid. Two words of advice: stay calm.

Andrew Harrison, the 'N-word', and the City of Lake Worth, FL

The irony lost on most everyone is Mrs. McNamara's racist rant at Lake Worth City Hall is being spun as Free Speech yet The Lake Worth Herald somehow erred using their Free Speech when reporting the event. Which proves once again that, for some, Free Speech from your friends is more special than Free Speech from your enemies.

Which brings us to Andrew Harrison and his use of the 'N-word' at a press conference: he immediately apologized; not a small fact to be pointed out.

No doubt Andrew Harrison will be a hot topic in some circles here in Lake Worth. Maybe used as some sort of justification that use of the 'N-word' isn't so bad after all even at City Hall prior to a ceremony. Before you go down that road you might want to watch this video of former Commissioner Retha Lowe on this very subject:

State Rep. Dave Kerner: "The answer isn't to legislate discrimination. This is 2015. It has got to stop at some point."

This article comes from the Public News Service and titled, "Indiana-style Discrimination in Florida?". From the article:
     Only weeks after the Florida House of Representatives overturned a ban on gay adoptions, that same branch of government is trying to pass a law that grants private adoption agencies the right to steer children away from same-sex couples based on religious beliefs.
     The so-called "Conscience Protection" bill is sponsored by state Representative Jason Brodeur (R-Sanford), [emphasis added] who wants to protect religious freedom and says it holds up constitutionally.
     "Homosexuals are not a protected class, they're not a suspect class, they're not a quasi-suspect class," says Brodeur. "They're a rational basis class, which receives the lowest level of scrutiny and certainly discrimination involving religion receives a much higher level. So, it has been upheld that this should be a good constitutional case."
     Critics say the bill is designed to discriminate against same-sex couples wishing to adopt. Several of them stood up against the law during discussion in the House Judiciary Committee last week and said it was designed to echo Indiana's controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
At the end of the article you find out that this proposed legislation has no sponsor in the Florida Senate and will likely go away as so many bills like the "Conscience Protection" bill do. This bill by Jason Brodeur plays well with the base in his home district and he is a very popular state representative in District 28. However, considering what's happening in Indiana don't suspect too many Florida legislatures would welcome that terrible PR problem here in our state so dependent on tourism and tourist dollars.

Greenacres: more signs Palm Beach County is emerging from Great Recession

Kevin D. Thompson at The Palm Beach Post, with article about empty plaza storefronts in Greenacres and a positive city manager, Wadie Atallah:
     Vacant shopping plaza storefronts isn’t an issue unique to Greenacres. Drive through Palm Beach County and you’ll see a host of dusty “For Sale” or “For Lease” signs hanging in stores where there were once customers.
     The city said it has 29 commercial plazas, with many of the smaller ones on Jog and Lake Worth roads and 10th Avenue North. Of those plazas, the city said as of February, Riverbridge and Trafalgar Square, also on Forest Hill Boulevard, have the lowest occupancy rates at 77 and 81 percent, respectively.
     City Manager Wadie Atallah said there are some plazas that are 100 percent occupied, but the average occupancy rate ranges from 85 to 90 percent.
     “To me, that’s good since we’re coming out of a recession,” he said. “I don’t know what the expectations are, but it’s almost virtually impossible to have all plazas at 100 percent occupancy all the time.”
In the mid-1990s, Atallah said, some plaza occupancy rates were as low as 50 percent.

A Note from the Editor at Rolling Stone on retraction (4/5/15)

The following "NOTE FROM THE EDITOR" is from the article in Rolling Stone titled, "Rolling Stone and UVA: The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism Report":
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Last November, we published a story, 'A Rape on Campus' [RS 1223], that centered around a University of Virginia student's horrifying account of her alleged gang rape at a campus fraternity house. Within days, commentators started to question the veracity of our narrative. Then, when The Washington Post uncovered details suggesting that the assault could not have taken place the way we described it, the truth of the story became a subject of national controversy.
     As we asked ourselves how we could have gotten the story wrong, we decided the only responsible and credible thing to do was to ask someone from outside the magazine to investigate any lapses in reporting, editing and fact-checking behind the story. We reached out to Steve Coll, dean of the Columbia School of Journalism, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter himself, who accepted our offer. We agreed that we would cooperate fully, that he and his team could take as much time as they needed and write whatever they wanted. They would receive no payment, and we promised to publish their report in full. (A condensed version of the report will appear in the next issue of the magazine, out April 8th.)
     This report was painful reading, to me personally and to all of us at Rolling Stone. It is also, in its own way, a fascinating document ­— a piece of journalism, as Coll describes it, about a failure of journalism. With its publication, we are officially retracting 'A Rape on Campus.' We are also committing ourselves to a series of recommendations about journalistic practices that are spelled out in the report. We would like to apologize to our readers and to all of those who were damaged by our story and the ensuing fallout, including members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and UVA administrators and students. Sexual assault is a serious problem on college campuses, and it is important that rape victims feel comfortable stepping forward. It saddens us to think that their willingness to do so might be diminished by our failings.
Will Dana, Managing Editor

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Happy Easter from the First Family...

Margaret Menge, self-described reporter/editor, taking time off "to reflect"

Maybe Ms. Menge will reflect on her standards for community journalism here in the City of Lake Worth. Maybe she'll reflect on her sin of sensationalizing suicide (more on this tomorrow)? She has the time; she's taken the week off from publishing her ALWAYS FREE 'newspaper'. Possibly she'll reconsider her defense of the image below as acceptable Free Speech in our small city. 
At a Lake Worth City Commission meeting on 9/23/14 Margaret Menge defended the image above created and published by Lynn Anderson. Here is the proof. Question: what community benefit does an image of our mayor "in flames" serve?

In her rambling 'House Editorial' (Vol. 1/Issue 11 on 3/27/15) announcing she's "taking off next week" she does does write this one paragraph which is sound advice:
     When we talk about sight, and seeing, I think we often mean not just seeing with the eyes, but seeing in a deeper way, with a willingness and a desire to see and know what is true, and to reject what is false.
A good place to start is reviewing the first eleven issues.

Albert Einstein: The Negro Question (1946)

You can read the entire essay by Albert Einstein here. Here are the first three paragraphs where he justifies himself, as a relative newcomer to the United States, on why his opinion is as valid as any other opinion from an American who was born and raised in this country:
     I am writing as one who has lived among you in America only a little more than ten years. And I am writing seriously and warningly. Many readers may ask:
     "What right has he to speak about things which concern us alone, and which no newcomer should touch?"
     I do not think such a standpoint is justified. One who has grown up in an environment takes much for granted. On the other hand, one who has come to this country as a mature person may have a keen eye for everything peculiar and characteristic. I believe he should speak out freely on what he sees and feels, for by so doing he may perhaps prove himself useful.

Let's lighten things up: A catchy rock tune from 1997

"Admiral" James is the lead vocal.

[UPDATE] Lauren Hills at CBS12/WPEC: What happened to the audio?

[UPDATE: CBS12 took down the video of interview with Lake Worth City Manager Michael Bornstein and replaced it with a still shot. A real shame because this appeared to be a decent news report by Lauren Hills. The original post from 4/2 follows:]

Lauren Hills did a story yesterday in Lake Worth titled, "Stormwater System Improvements To Help With Lake Worth Flooding"; there is a little problem: you can't hear anything. The audio is not working as of 12:30 pm today (4/2).
Above is a screen grab of Lauren Hills with Lake Worth City Manager Michael Bornstein. Your guess is as good as mine what CM Bornstein had to say. If this is any help below is an excerpt of text from the story by Lauren Hills:
     It's a problem that city manager Michael Bornstein says has been going on for years.
     "Everytime we have spring and fall tides, especially when we have a rain event, it's impassable," said Bornstein.
     But in just a few days, FDOT will be starting a project to improve the stormwater system at the base of the bridge to help prevent this kind of flooding. Bernstein says it'll be a big step to help with the problem.
If the audio is fixed I'll let everyone know via an update here on my blog. However, if the past is any indication of future performance, don't hold your breadth this technical error ever being corrected.

Almost 50% raised for the Screen on the Green at the Cultural Plaza!


To help out go here to bring back once again the Screen on the Green this year. There are only 23 days left. This is a tremendously popular event in downtown Lake Worth. I'll update again on the effort in a couple weeks.

Happy Easter!

Pictures from yesterday's Easter festivities in Bryant Park

Check out AnnaMaria's blog and all the great pictures. She writes this about this year's Easter Bonnet Parade: 
"The Bonnet Parade more than doubled this year in attendance. Everyone was invited to embellish their bonnets or make one if they did not come with one, till the supplies were exhausted."
Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this wonderful event happen in our little City of Lake Worth!

Nancy Smith: "There's No Business Like Everglades Show Business"

Nancy Smith starts off her column with this line, "Buy the land, don't buy the land -- it's all pretend, all a big show and all for naught."

Then she has this analysis:
     And then there's the matter of the University of Florida Water Institute report. When Florida lawmakers get a good look at pages 6 and 8, a half-billion-dollar land buy to stop the pollution of the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries is going to be a tougher sell than a family vacation at the Holiday Inn Kabul. [emphasis added]
     Those two pages work like a tag team.
     I'll spare you the technical explanation. What page 6 says in everyday language is, nearly 80 percent of the water to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries is local basin runoff. That means only 20 percent has been coming from Lake Okeechobee.
    Then, on page 8 the report states, after completion of all the current projects -- IRL-5, C-43, the Restoration Strategies, and Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) -- lake discharges will be reduced only by 55 percent. But -- reducing 55 percent of the 20 percent of the water the lake contributes to the estuaries means you move that 20 percent contribution to less than 10 percent of the fresh water that goes into the estuaries.
     I know it's complicated, but this is the bottom line legislators already have heard in testimony: Florida is going a long way toward solving the lake-to-estuaries component of the water problem by working to complete the projects already on the table and with land already owned by the state.
We'll find out soon enough if Nancy Smith is correct that legislators will vote this land buy down. Five hundred million dollars could fund a whole lot of environmental projects in this state that have gone neglected for many years.

Starting today: TriRail service directly to the Miami Airport

From an article in the Sun Sentinel, an easy way to catch a flight:
     Catching a flight at Miami International Airport? Getting there by train from Broward and Palm Beach counties is about to get a lot easier.
     On Sunday morning, Tri-Rail will begin running commuter trains into a $92 million station that's just east of the airport. From there, it's a five-minute ride aboard a people mover to the terminal.
     Travelers will no longer have to schlep their luggage off trains at Hialeah and then board shuttles which must fight traffic to the airport. The change should save between 15 to 20 minutes – more if there are traffic jams or accidents on surrounding roads.
The Tri-Rail website is very user-friendlycheck it out for yourself. Let's say you have a weekday 10:30 a.m. flight to catch at the Miami Airport and you're departing from the Lake Worth station: Tri-Rail suggests you get to the station 20 minutes ahead of schedule: be at the Lake Worth Tri-Rail Station at 6:30; train P611 leaves at 6:56 and arrives in Miami at 8:35 (99 minutes); the cost is $6.90.

No worry about traffic, parking, shuttles, or cabs. How cool is that?

Stop putting Gopher Tortoises in the water! They can't swim!

Not all turtles can swim! Some people are inadvertently killing Gopher Tortoises when they put them in the water, mistaking Gopher Tortoises for a species of sea turtle. You don't want to do that.

From the text of the story on NBC5/WPTV:
     Florida wildlife officials want residents and visitors to know that not all turtles can swim.
     The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reported Friday that there were at least three instances last month of people "helping" gopher tortoise hatchlings to the ocean. Gopher tortoises cannot swim well and can easily drown.
     Officials say gopher tortoises often nest in dunes near sea turtle nesting beaches, leading to the confusion. Gopher tortoises can be distinguished from sea turtles by their limbs. Gopher tortoises have toes with claws on each toe, while sea turtles have flippers with only one or two claws on each foreflipper. Officials say identification can usually be made without handling the reptiles.

Residents surveyed in Palm Beach Gardens—excellent results for city

Tony Doris at The Palm Beach Post has an article today about a survey of residents in Palm Beach Gardens. One of the results will surprise most people who have been following the Briger Tract story, more on that later. From the article:
     Palm Beach Gardens’ first report card in a decade is in its parents’ mailbox and no time-outs are likely for city staff.
     A survey of 400 residents found that, while the most common concerns were growth, crime and taxes, an equal number said they had no concerns and city departments and services got high marks.
     The home phone and cellphone survey was conducted by Kerr & Downs Research from Jan. 5 to Jan. 15 at a cost of $15,000 and its results were presented to the city council Thursday night. The results were generally more favorable than in 2006, when the same company conducted a survey with similar questions.
The city government in Palm Beach Gardens and their city manager, Ron Ferris, are very pleased as they should be. Congratulations to the city of Palm Beach Gardens.

Now for the surprising result from the survey. You would think after months and months of protests in Palm Beach Gardens by our good friends here in Lake Worth, EarthFirst! and their affininty groups, that public support for development of the Briger Tract would be negatively affected. If you thought yes, you would be very wrong. Here is the survey result as reported by Tony Doris:
65 percent favor “more Bio science project development to support the Scripps (Research Institute) initiative, up from 57 percent in 2006.

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Albert Einstein: Thoughts on race relations in the United States . . .

. . . of America. Words that still ring true all these years later:
     Many a sincere person will answer: "Our attitude towards Negroes is the result of unfavorable experiences which we have had by living side by side with Negroes in this country. They are not our equals in intelligence, sense of responsibility, reliability."
     I am firmly convinced that whoever believes this suffers from a fatal misconception. Your ancestors dragged these black people from their homes by force; and in the white man's quest for wealth and an easy life they have been ruthlessly suppressed and exploited, degraded into slavery. The modern prejudice against Negroes is the result of the desire to maintain this unworthy condition.
     The ancient Greeks also had slaves. They were not Negroes but white men who had been taken captive in war. There could be no talk of racial differences. And yet Aristotle, one of the great Greek philosophers, declared slaves inferior beings who were justly subdued and deprived of their liberty. It is clear that he was enmeshed in a traditional prejudice from which, despite his extraordinary intellect, he could not free himself.
 
Who wrote this? These words were written by Albert Einstein in 1946. Tomorrow, word for word, will post the entire observations by Albert Einstein on "The Negro Question".

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has some very good company. . .

This image is from Facebook. Please contact me to claim ownership of this image. I will gladly give credit where credit is due.

Peaceful protest today in the little City of Lake Worth in response to bigotry and racism

This protest was organized in response to Mrs. McNamara's use of the 'N-word' (twice) at Lake Worth City Hall on March 16th. The Lake Worth Herald first reported this on March 19th and you can read that article here
One of Mrs. McNamara's staunchest supporters attended the protest.


Mrs. McNamara in preparation for the protest.
Warm water and wilting flowers on the front yard.
The supporters of Mrs. McNamara have settled on a firm strategy, it would seem, in defense of her racist rant: what she said is Free Speech. That is true. Those who are offended with her offensive language are exercising their Free Speech also. Don't forget that.

The City of Lake Worth and the ITN Process: recorded meetings for the public

When you visit this city website you will see links to five meetings:
March 31, 2015, Febuary 10, 2015, December 9, 2014, December 2, 2014, and November 4, 2014.

These meetings concern the Invitation to Negotiate, ITN # 14-211, Lake Worth Beach Casino.

Please share this information with anyone who claims a "lack of transparency" with this process. There is also this city press release:
For those of you who experience an uncontrollable urge to hyperventilate when hearing the words "Invitation to Negotiate" or "ITN" here is 3 hours of relaxing piano music to help you calm down. 
And, as always, thank you for visiting my blog.

[UPDATE] Being a protester can be a cool gig—"It's off to Tallahassee!"

Christine Stapleton at The Palm Beach Post with another story about protesters, titled: "Enviro group paying for students to urge lawmakers to “buy the land”

The big difference about the story today (4/4) is it appears in the "B" section on page 2 as opposed to the story yesterday on the Broward actors who got paid $75 to protest: that was in the "A" section, front page.

Here is how the "enviro" protesters are being treated, from the article by Christine Stapleton:
     Besides sending a “Buy The Land!” message to lawmakers,the college students and other advocates on the bus probably will have good seats to a free concert by Jimmy Buffett and commentary from best-selling author Carl Hiaasen on the state Capitol steps Tuesday.
     The charter buses will leave from Miami, West Palm Beach Stuart and Fort Myers on Monday. After a group dinner, the travelers will meet other advocates. Tuesday begins with lobby training before meeting with lawmakers, followed by the concert and rally at the Capitol and the drive home.
The irony wasn't lost on U.S. Sugar spokeswoman Judy Sanchez. Christine Stapleton includes this quote from Judy Sanchez:
     “Just wondering why the Everglades folks have never been called out for doing the same thing,” Sanchez wrote in email to The Post on Friday after reading about Thursday’s protest. “Providing free bus fare to Tally ($100?) and free hotel room ($150) to a bunch of college students and putting them through “lobby training” to have them learn your message – oh and then you throw in a free Jimmy Buffett concert ($100+)—that’s not buying people to show up at your rally?”
     “What’s the difference here and what happened yesterday?” Sanchez wrote.
Good question, Judy Sanchez.

If you go to the Post On Politics blog you'll see the image below which Christine Stapleton was able to locate and publish:

The Florida Squeeze: the problem with Broward and Palm Beach counties

Tough words from The Florida Squeeze sure to raise hackles from some self-described "liberal Democrats":
     The reality is social justice is not mutually exclusive from economic justice- you cannot be a good social liberal without being an economic one. In today’s society being progressive on social issues is easier than ever given the changing attitudes of millennials towards issues like LGBT rights, race and reproductive rights (though data indicates this particular view may not endure). But what is far more difficult is resisting the temptation for elected officials and candidates to raise money from vested economic/corporate interests who seeks to exploit and profit of influence in government. It is also a temptation which those who claim to be political activists on the left find hard to resist.
     Hired guns and those who hope to be hired or part of an “in” crowd advocate moderate / establishment candidates, neutral views on economic issues and ultimately a Democratic Party that checks ideological purity at the door in the interest of “winning.” The problem is this formula has done little to actually bring success in elections, as the Florida Democrats record of losing 17 of the last 18 races for state office and 19 of the last 20 statewide elections without Bill Nelson can attest.
     Broward and Palm Beach counties, ostensibly the most liberal counties in the state are worse for this sort of thinking than any other place in Florida. Since both are places where being a Democrat is politically useful, the Democrats are less ideological and more transactional. (EDITED 11:30 AM 4/2) Many locally, even some activists want to monetize working on candidate campaigns. Thus the true activism of some locally becomes muted and eventually non-existent as inter-party conflicts mostly revolving around personalities and not any sort of issue position become what motivates so many. Some “activists” In Broward and Palm Beach are tied directly to lobbyists/political consultants and simply work for candidates that hire the “correct” consultant.

The dwindling supply of potable water and humanitarian concerns

From America's Finest News Source is this alarming story :
     Fueling humanitarian concerns over the vital resource’s scarcity in many parts of the world, a report published Wednesday by researchers at Oregon State University has found that 68 percent of the earth’s supply of potable water is trapped in Coca-Cola products.
     According to top experts, the new report marks the first comprehensive attempt to measure the planet’s freshwater reserves and determine exactly how much of it is currently locked inside sources such as Coke, Diet Coke, Caffeine-Free Coke, Dr. Pepper, Barq’s root beer, and other Coca-Cola beverages, making it impossible to use as drinking water, or for bathing or cooking.
     “Less than 3 percent of the earth’s water is fresh, and of that, more than two-thirds exists in the form of Coke products incapable of serving any human need,” said the report’s lead author, Samer Ghosh, adding that the amount of freshwater that’s not trapped in the brand’s line of colas has been steadily declining for years. [emphasis added]
You can read the entire story at The Onion.

From The Coastal Star—Delray Beach: Bike valet makes GreenMarket shopping wheel convenient

From the story by Rich Pollack:
     Seasonal resident Bill Bannon had just ridden his bike to Delray Beach’s GreenMarket when he discovered not only an abundance of bike rack space available but also free valet parking — for his bicycle.
     “I never heard of valet parking for a bicycle,” he said. “I thought it was a joke.”
     But valet parking for bicycles is serious business to the folks at Human Powered Delray — the nonprofit organization providing the service at the Saturday morning market since the season began in October.
     “People weren’t riding their bikes to the GreenMarket because there were only limited bike racks,” says Jim Chard, chairman of Human Powered Delray and strong advocate of seeing more pedestrians and bicycle riders in the city’s downtown area. “Many people didn’t even know there were bike racks.”
     Now, thanks to Human Powered Delray’s free bike valet service, riders don’t have to worry about finding a bike rack. They don’t even have to worry about locking their bikes.
The folks at Human Powered Delray have this quote from H. G. Wells on their website: "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race."

Protest in Lake Worth today (Saturday) at 2:00 p.m.: "Peaceful Protest against Racism & Bigotry"

The protest location is: 422 North Lakeside Drive, Lake Worth, FL:
Here is a description of the event by organizer Mark Parilla:
We want to save our city from these racist radical people. 
Dee McNamara, the wife of a former candidate for Mayor by the name of Lawrence McNamara, who lost, in the City of Lake Worth; saw fit to use the word "ni@@er" when asked to sit in the back of the city commission chambers before the swearing in of the newly elected and re-elected commissioners. Her response to a city staff member who had reserved the front row for candidates and their friends and family was that she was not a "N..." and would not sit in the back. She then pointed at the skin on her forearm and said "Do I look like a "N.." to you?" We want to send a message that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our city, much less in our city hall commission chambers! 
Bring your homemade signs with messages of Love not Hate, No Room For Racism In Lake Worth, We are not Niggers, etc. Get creative. No Profanity or foul words please let us not stoop to Mrs. McNamara's level. 
If you have a strong stomach then click on these links and take a gander at her vile comments.
http://10lakeworthdeemcnamara.blogspot.com/
 
https://www.facebook.com/laurencedee
You can read the original story in The Lake Worth Herald here about Mrs. McNamara's racist rant at Lake Worth City Hall on Monday, March 16th.

Remember: This is a peaceful protest.

[UPDATE] The Red Cross Designer's Show House exhibit ENDS TODAY (Saturday, April 4th)

[UPDATE: This exhibit ends TODAY. You procrastinators have run out of time. Read original post about Mary Lindsey's Special Assignment in The Lake Worth Herald:]

The Lake Worth Herald this week has Part 3 of 3 of Mary Lindsey's Special Assignment on the Lake Worth "Birthday Cake Castle". This last part deals with much of the history surrounding this treasured historical structure. Here is one short excerpt:
     The property changed hands several times but remained intact when G. Sherman Childs, himself a son of Lake Worth Pioneers who trained under Addison Mizner, designed and built the Castle in 1925. It became the “Birthday Cake Castle” in 1954 when then owner Upton Close presented the house to his wife Margaret Fretter Nye. That moniker was indelibly etched into the home and our hearts in the early 1980’s when McMow Art Glass designed and created the famous birthday cake stained glass window. 
There are wonderful pictures and much more information on this exhibit. Mr. Ted Brownstein and his book, Pioneers of Jewell: A Documentary History of Lake Worth’s Forgotten First Settlement (1885-1910), also gets cited in the article.

If you don't get The Lake Worth Herald you can subscribe here for online access, have the paper delivered to your mailbox, or a combination of the two.

Great job, Mary!

News from the City of Lake Worth (and a video for those of you who begin hyperventilating)

Friday, April 3, 2015

About those Florida East Coast (FEC) train horns: the FEC responds

The FEC responds with a Q&A on their website. The FEC also provides this brief summary:
Florida East Coast Railway (FECR) took delivery of 24 new GE locomotives in December 2014. These new, state of the art locomotives are more fuel efficient and cleaner environmentally than previous locomotives. The locomotives are used exclusively for FECR trains that operate between Jacksonville and South Florida. When initial noise complaints were received, FECR had GE test the new locomotive horns to ensure they were within the compliance range required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The test confirmed the horns were compliant and actually were found to be at a slightly lower decibel (db) level than the previous locomotive horns. While the new locomotives are compliant, FECR contacted the manufacturer to determine what differences there were between the new horns versus the horns on the old locomotives. Further, the FRA has decided to test the horns and their testing will take place in April.
Here is the entire document in pdf format.

Panagioti Tsolkas explains links between EarthFirst! and Earth Liberation Front

Panagioti Tsolkas has been very busy. He has this very long piece published in the Anarchist News titled, "No System but the Ecosystem: Earth First! and Anarchism by Panagioti Tsolkas". In this excerpt he explains the ties between EarthFirst! (EF!) and the Earth Liberation Front (ELF):
     While most environmental groups have generally shied away from militant actions, dismissed them—or worse, falsely accusing them of being done by state provocateurs—EF! has consistently stood up for militant underground groups’ actions, celebrating their attacks and publishing their communiqués. [emphasis added]
     Since the inception of the Earth Liberation Front, which appeared in the early ’90s, first in the UK, then in the US, it has always had ties to EF!. Essentially, EF! operated as an aboveground support network and mouthpiece for ELF actions. The same can be said to an extent for the ALF, though it was initiated in the late ’70s, prior to the existence of EF!, and has always maintained a larger base of support among the mainstream animal rights movement.
     In the wake of the Green Scare—a phrase used to describe a series of events in which both underground and aboveground Earth and animal liberation activists were arrested and accused of terrorism—the stories of individuals from active cells of the ELF have become public knowledge. The relationship between the ELF and EF! was exposed by these cases to be very strong, with direct connections between people who were involved simultaneously in major EF! blockades, the EF! Journal and some of the most notorious instances of ELF sabotage.
     One take on this situation is that this relationship was too close, and that people involved in underground actions should have avoided the aboveground movement entirely. But a more realistic assessment of the Green Scare is that while many major ELF actions seemed to be undertaken by superheroes of fictional proportions, they were actually carried out by small groups of normal people, just like anyone else. In many cases, they may have once stood next to us at a campfire or protest.
     We now know that many of those indicted for ELF crimes knew each other from their participation in aboveground direct action campaigns or participation on the Earth First! Journal collective, where they built enough trust and respect for each other to undertake attacks that caused over a hundred million dollars in damages to corporate and government targets in over 1,000 reported actions in the US alone.
Panagioti Tsolkas includes this at the end of the article:
     Panagioti has been an EF! organizer and on the EF! Journal’s Editorial Collective since 2010, though he is currently taking a hiatus. He has been a part of both Earth First! and anarchist movements in the US since the mid ’90s. He grew up in a Greek-American immigrant family and currently lives in the Everglades bioregion of sub-tropical south Florida. He’s never attended university and believes credibility in presenting an analysis of a movement should come primarily from lived experience rather than deskbound study.
Mr. Tsolkas' information about affinity groups and their role in EF! is also very interesting. 

[REPOST] Karen Donohue and that Facebook posting on March 31 at 7:55 pm

As of today (4/2) at 2:45 pm you can still see Karen Donohue's now famous Facebook post:
You can read more about all this from Christine Stapleton at The Palm Beach Post. Below are some of the comments left on Karen Donohue's Facebook page:
You have to love the comment, "To stay in character, why don't you take a swim in the St. Lucie River?"

Easter Sunday and misleading advertising by the Common Ground (no 's') Church

Have you seen this misleading ad for an Easter Sunday Service at the Cultural Plaza in downtown Lake Worth, FL?
If you're a Christian and seeing the line, "Special Guest: John James of the Newsboys"were you reminded of the recent movie God's Not Dead with the soundtrack by the Newsboys?

If you were YOU ARE WRONG. John James "of the Newsboys" left the band 18 years ago. John James has nothing whatsoever to do with the movie God's Not Dead or the current band called the Newsboys.

Remember this as you search for a church service to attend on Easter Sunday morning. Don't let yourself be manipulated by shameless self-promoters such as Mike Olive who use religion as an emotional hook. Be skeptical!
Truth > Ignorance

Remember it's Evening on the Avenue TONIGHT at 6:00 pm

And while you're down there at the Cultural Plaza tonight don't forget to stop by the Lake Worth Neighborhood Association Presidents Council (NAPC) Front Porch
The Grey Mockingbird Garden is hosting the Front Porch tonight. See you there!

Actors hired to protest . . . and where have I heard the name Everett "Dirksen" Wilkinson?

Christine Stapleton at The Palm Beach Post is all over the story about the actors brought in to protest the SFWMD meeting yesterday. There is one name that stands out, Everett Wilkinson:
     Also at the protest Thursday was Everett Wilkinson, chairman of the South Florida Tea Party, [emphasis added] who said he did not know who had hired the protesters.
     But he did speak about the issue that the Tea Party of Miami cited as the reason for the protest in an email sent Monday — the purchase of 46,800 acres of land south of Lake Okeechobee that environmentalists want the district to make from U.S. Sugar for an estimated $500 million.
     “This has basically turned into a billion dollar boondoggle,” Wilkinson said of the land deal. “We’re here to stop wasteful spending.”
Everett "Dirksen" Wilkinson is known for an email he sent on July 12, 2013. Mr. Wilkinson felt it necessary to get his thoughts on the Trayvon Martin case out to the entire world in an email sent to "Patriot". Here are the three first paragraphs:
     I firmly believe that Obama and his thugs want to destroy America. [emphasis added] Yesterday we learned that the DOJ organized “Anti-George Zimmerman Protests” with tax payers’ money and the Black Panthers are busing thousands to Florida. In addition, we have been told that the media is being told by the government not to report on “violent flash mobs.”
     These mobs are pure evil and are like a pack of “rabid dogs” that have lost any semblance of humanity. This is not going to be just a Florida issue, but rather a countrywide explosion. Recent examples would “Black mob attacks pregnant White woman” and “Black mob beats man for Trayvon.”
     You need to be aware and protect yourself against these “flash mobs” and stock up on supplies now. The obvious things you need are firearms, ammunition, maps, food, water, full tank of gas and/or “Bug Out Bag Survival Bag” and/or “Urban Survival Kit.” I would also highly recommend a CB radio or ham radio because the cell phone towers may be overloaded or shut off.
Mr. Everett "Dirksen" Wilkinson isn't exactly the fella you want on your side of the issue, or any issue for that matter.

Great quote from Robert Van Winkle, aka "Vanilla Ice"

“I’m going to do what I do anyway,” Van Winkle said of the community service. “This is an easy thing. It’s like asking the Pope to pray.”

This is in response to his plea agreement yesterday (4/2). You can read the entire story by Daphne Duret at The Palm Beach Post here. Mr. Van Winkle is well known in Palm Beach County, especially in and around Wellington, for his community and volunteer efforts. I'm happy and am sure many others are happy as well that this minor, distracting drama is finally over. 

Easter activities tomorrow (Saturday) in Bryant Park

From The Lake Worth Herald:
     The City of Lake Worth’s 7th Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held this Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Bryant Park.
     Tickets for the Easter Egg Hunt are $1 per child for each trip into the Egg Patch. Search for the Golden Egg which can be redeemed for an Easter basket full of goodies.
     An Easter Bonnet Parade will take place 11 a.m., led by Mr. and Mrs. Bunny.
[and . . .]
     This is one Easter celebration you won’t want to miss! Bryant Park is located at the bottom of the Lake Worth Bridge on the southwest side.
     For more information contact the Lake Worth Recreation Department at 561-533-7363.

From Peter Schorsch: "Death Mermaid, paid actors, melodrama cheapen Everglades policy debate"

Well, that didn't take long. The story by Christine Stapleton in The Palm Beach Post is getting attention statewide. Peter Schorsch at the SaintPetersBlog has his take on this serious issue concerning water policy in Florida:
     Amid a lot of silly frivolity in the Legislature and in Congress these days, grassroots organizations and activists ought to be a bottom-up example of how to really engage in the issues without all the drama and tomfoolery.
     Instead we get a troupe of actors posing as Florida’s ultimate stakeholders, the engaged citizenry, on one hand and a warmed-over cover version of the infamous Death Mermaid on the other.
     I’m all about using communication persuasively, that’s how I make a living. And I’ve participated in some electoral theater here and there myself. But we can do better than cheap sideshows when it comes to the debate over how Florida will manage its most precious natural resources.