The Cooler

Here are the South Florida mainstream media stories that caught my eye this morning. Enjoy.

A- Herald: One reason we have so many pedestrians killed in South Florida is because we actually still have debates about the need for sidewalks.

For 14 years, a fiercely determined group of McMaster's neighbors has fought the village of Pinecrest's plan for a sidewalk on 60th Avenue. They've staged protests, penned angry letters, and even once -- in 1998 -- plopped down on the ground to stop the bulldozers.

``It would attract all the traffic, dog-walking, people-walking and noise that they bring,'' said sidewalk opponent Joe Morales, 54, who moved to Pinecrest over 30 years ago because he liked its ``rural'' feel.

B- Herald: Video, Miami Spice.

C- Herald: Pitts on people like Andrew Breibart.

Ten years ago, Arthur Teitelbaum, then an official of the Anti-Defamation League, wrote in another context: ``Beware the moments when facts seem to confirm prejudices. Such times are traps, when the well-meaning are misled and the mean-spirited gain confidence.''

It is excellent advice.

What does Breitbart exemplify, if not a mean-spirited confidence? Why not? He knows that we are a people loath to listen, resistant to reason, imprisoned by our own narratives. And thus, easy to fool everytime.

The mudpit is getting full.

D- Sun-Sentinel: Your "Only in South Florida" moment of the day.

FORT LAUDERDALE — Broward County Court candidate Jordan Howard Breslaw says he may be collecting unemployment benefits, but that shouldn't detract from his superior qualifications in his bid to unseat Judge Mary Rudd Robinson.

The chiropractor, attorney and author of "How to Raise Millionaire Children," also known as Jordan H. Jordan, says his current unemployment is an "unfortunate circumstance" that came about when he was "let go" from a Coral Springs law office in July 2008.

E- Sun-Sentinel: We suck at recycling.

"Recycling is a tough sell in South Florida," said Russell Ketchem, who oversees the recycling program in Pompano Beach. "There is definitely room for improvement."

And not participating is like throwing away money. Most residents in Broward and Palm Beach counties already pay for recycling through their property taxes and garbage bills. Condos and businesses usually have to pay an extra fee for recycling but can lower their solid waste bills if they generate less trash.

The rate of recycling in South Florida hasn't changed much since 2004. Broward recycled about a quarter of its trash in 2008, and Palm Beach County recycled around a third that year — compared with 50 percent in Seattle and more than 72 percent in San Francisco, according to figures provided by each city.

F- Sun-Sentinel: Sad.

PARKLAND — A week after she and a friend were found hanging from a picnic pavilion in a Parkland park, 24-year-old Nikayla Baldomero has died, the Broward Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday.

G- South Florida Business Journal: I blame it on the humidity.

Florida nabbed the No. 17 spot on Businessweek.com’s top 20 list of America’s laziest states.

The report was based on five years – from 2004 to 2008 – of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use survey.

It averages the time people spend each day on various activities.

Floridians spend, on average, 8 hours and 36 minutes sleeping, 2 hours and 53 minutes watching television and 18 minutes relaxing and thinking.

We spend another 40 minutes a day socializing.

H- NBC Miami: I'm predicting they'll be bought out and burned by the usual suspects.

Castro has generated plenty of ink in the last five years, with constant speculation about his health and his role in the regime. Now he's generating ink of his own.

Due out in August, according to a Cuban State Operated website, "The Strategic Victory" is Castro's account of the 1958 battles and skirmishes between the Batisita Army and Castro's Revolutionary Army.

I- WPLG: Video, In a story you will never see at Babalu, a recently-freed Cuban prisoner is coming to Miami and his family is overjoyed.


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