Your Evening Sift

Romney wins! *yawn* Here's your evening Sift.

A- Miami Beach 411's RSS feed has been FUBAR the last few days so tonight I'm going to catch you up to one of the posts that got lost in the shuffle...Carlos Miller was there when Morning Joe showed up at Jerry's Diner, so of course we get the scoop on what went down.

I was already in the spirit of things, munching on a pickle, ordering a Sky High Rueben and taking in the scene with my video camera, which was the typical 5 a.m. South Beach crowd of hookers, strippers, clubbers with the added exception of a growing crowd of political junkies.

B- Political Cortadito has a snazzy new URL.

C- Coconut Grove Grapevine rails against the BID.

While the 19 board members are falling all over themselves with delusions of grandeur at the BID meetings (some are not even business owners, they are neighbors or people that don't even live in the Grove) the Grove is going to hell. The few board members who spoke their own minds were dumped by the board -- which is not elected, but appointed. And so it is basically a puppet board that does the bidding (no pun intended) of a few. The poor, shameless, lame bidding.

D- Photos and videos from January's Critical Mass ride are up at The Miami Bike Scene.

E- Justice Building Blog maintains that the Miami-Dade criminal justice system is mired in the Stone Ages.

Thirty years ago you didn't have a cell phone or a beeper. Nothing about your TV was flat if it was working. The word "Internet" didn't exist in most dictionaries (neither did Al Gore ). If you were sick you didn't get a CAT scan. An X-ray sufficed. Look how far we've come (Newt Gingrich excepted).

But what happened to the Dade County Clerk's Office? It's as if some evil villain from Star Trek has frozen the clerk's office just as it was in 1982.

How many of you would sign up to receive emails from the clerk's office as an official court notice? How much money would that save in paper and postage? What if you could add your client's email address as well? But who's going to explain to Harvey Ruvin what an email is?

F- Beached Miami tells us about Sundays on the Green in Wynwood.

Sundays on the Green, a monthly festival that mixes environmentally friendly vendors, skateboarding, art, children’s educational activities, and music, kicked off on Sunday, Jan. 29. Celebrated in a 12,000-square-foot lot at 572 N.W. 23rd Street, just east of I-95, the project is the brainchild of a collective known as Wynwood Green. The group is lead by Daniel Wills, owner of recording studio Armory Studios, on whose lawn the event takes place. Also on board: WVUM, 305Green, the artists collective Ground Up Collective, and party supplier I Am Your Villain.

The idea behind Sundays On The Green is to provide a space to encourage environmentally friendly practices, support charities and community organizations while also uniting the families that make up Wynwood’s eclectic community.

G- Worst Pizza once again rips Casola's Pizza and, once again, somehow gives them an average rating.

First off there was a ridiculous amount of flour on the crust. I mean it was just excessive, and wasn’t the finest quality. When I picked the slice up, you would have thought we finally had some snow in Miami. And when I put the slice down, it actually wouldn’t lay flat due to some of the flour that fell off piling up into a mini mountain. There is nothing anyone can say to me to justify the amount of flour used. It was gross.

H- Everything you want to know about champagne at South Florida Food and Wine.


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How Fox News Is Destroying The Republican Party

 

Eric Boehlert writing for the Huffington Post...

That's because Fox News isn't simply offering a rightward take on the day's events, or innocently providing Republican-friendly commentary, of course. It's leading an exhausting, day-in, day-out attack campaign against Obama, Democrats and all their liberal allies. (Real or imagined.) Its relentless, paranoid crusade falls well outside the mainstream of American politics, which is why the Republican primary season, so proudly sponsored by Fox News, is shaping up to be such an embarrassment.

Make no mistake, kingmaker Ailes has made sure his channel's profoundly un-serious stamp permeates this year's GOP contest. For more and more spooked Republicans though, it's a stamp of failure and looming defeat.

For Ailes and company, that slash-and-burn formula works wonders in terms of super-serving its hardcore, hard-right audience of three million viewers. But in terms of supporting a serious, national campaign and a serious, national conversation? It's not working. At all.

As Fox News has moved in and essentially replaced the RNC as the driving electoral force in Republican politics today, and with Ailes ensconced in his kingmaker role, candidates have had to bow down to Fox in search of votes and the channel's coveted free airtime. That means campaigns have been forced to become part of the channel's culture of personal destruction, as well as its signature self-pity.

[...]

Two years ago, despondent conservative and former Bush speechwriter David Frum, noting the sweeping power that Ailes was accumulating, observed that, "Republicans originally thought that Fox worked for us, and now we are discovering we work for Fox."

They've all become Fox's bitches. And Roger Ailes couldn't be happier.

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The Changing Miami Skyline

1998

2011

While obviously not taken from exactly the same place, the images still show the amazing transformation Miami's skyline has undergone in the last 10-15 years..

More about the photos [and the larger versions] can be found at Skyskraper City.



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SFDB's Favorite Comment From Yesterday

"There has always been a drawbridge mentality in this country, and it has always been revealed to be exactly the wrong response -- the selfish malcontents who regard the statue in the NY harbor lifting her lamp as a French bitch-whore. It's just appalling. We are a nation of immigrants. Immigration makes us stronger. We need to welcome people to this country and embrace their cultures, skills, contributions, and concerns. Is this even debatable? We need more immigration, not less. It's who we are, and the world is a better place for us."


- Squathole, Cuban-American Hardliners And The DREAM Act

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SFDB Morning Chuckle

The new Acura NSX Super Bowl Ad with Jerry Seinfeld...





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The Cooler

Not a bad news day. Check out what I found interesting while reviewing South Florida news feeds.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Map of Broward and Palm Beach unidentified dead uses skulls as markers. Nice.

B- Sun-Sentinel: Darwin nods.

PEMBROKE PINES— A 20-year-old man died early Tuesday when he fell out of a moving pickup truck along U.S. 27, authorities said.

The incident happened shortly before 1 a.m. just north of Johnson Street.

[...]

According to investigators, alcohol may have been a factor in the incident.

C- Sun-Sentinel: Life in South Florida.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman likened boy, 9, found in street to a concentration camp survivor

Joseph Lee studied a color snapshot of his 9-year-old nephew Monday as a Miami child-welfare judge glanced at Lee.

The judge was looking for signs that Lee was as disturbed by the photo as she was. But Lee simply stared at the picture.

"I'm looking for words," Lee said. "I was not aware of any of this."

The photo, which was not released publicly, depicted a little boy who had become so emaciated that his bones protruded from his skin and his eyes bulged from their sockets, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman said. She likened him to a concentration camp survivor.

The boy, who is not being named, was discovered by police wandering his North Miami Beach neighborhood Saturday — beaten, naked and starving. His parents, Marsee Strong, 34, and Edward Bailey, 40, remain at the Miami-Dade County Jail on charges of aggravated child abuse and neglect on $65,000 bail.

D- Sun-Sentinel: Chan Lowe.

E- Palm Beach Post: How about Suck Up City?

WEST PALM BEACH — City officials so badly want to bring a Trader Joe's boutique grocery store to downtown that Commissioner Kimberly Mitchell said she'd consider renaming West Palm Beach .

"For a day we would become not West Palm Beach but Trader Joe's, Florida," Mitchell said at Monday's commission workshop.

The Monrovia, Calif. chain has 365 stores in 31 states and is expanding to Florida, with a store opening in Naples next week.

West Palm Beach's Downtown Development Authority is starting a marketing campaign called "What would I trade for Trader Joe's?" They'll film city icons giving up precious items in return for a Trader's Joe opening in downtown.

F- CBS4: Video, DJ Rony Seikaly.

G- WPTV: Wish all criminals were like this.

A deputy went to Sparkle Plenty Car Wash in the 5200 block of Southeast Federal Highway after the owner reported a person was "manipulating the coin change machines," a report states.

The deputy saw a man later identified as Murphy removing a $10 bill from a vending machine slot. The $10 bill had tape and fishing line attached to it.

"You got me boss," Murphy is quoted as saying.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

It's the last day of January and it's also voting day for Florida's Fox News audience. Here is your morning Sift.

A- Ipanemic expresses his love for the synthesizer.

The MicroKorg XL, shown in my pictures here, apart from being a superb synthesizer in terms of sound, is just a beautiful machine with fantastic retro styling. I had a long inner battle in deciding between this and the original MicroKorg which had a an even more retro wood frame finish (my Opus 3 had the same finish). Ultimately, I chose the XL for it’s USB connection. My little workstation is quickly becoming wires and cables. And blinking lights.

B- Why Wal-Mart is bad for Midtown...at Beached Miami.

It is a mistake to bring Walmart to the Midtown/Wynwood area, which has become the artistic center of the City of Miami. To expose this still fragile area to the life-sucking force that is a Walmart might irreparably damage the community. We need our local businesses to be able to thrive so that we can ensure that the full time workers in our community can earn decent wages that will keep them from being a burden on taxpayers.

C- Obalesque agrees with Rush that politics needs to be dirty.

Rushbo is right-o: we need to hear this over and over again, loud and clear. The proper response to negative campaigning is more negative campaigning. Tune it out at your own risk: they count on your inattention and forgiveness. Throw eggs and fart proudly at rallies. This is America, this is democracy. This is who we are.

D- Republicans can't help their hypocrisy, as Bark Bark Woof Woof demonstrates.



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Your Evening SIft

The best part of Monday night is having Monday behind you. Enjoy your evening Sift.

A- EPIC whips, courtesy of Miamism Pix.

B- Random Pixels has the Morning Joe clip from South Beach this morning.

And, for some unexplained reason, the show's producers booked the Herald's Dave Barry, a guy who never passes up an opportunity to roll out his repertoire of stale jokes and show-off his bowl-on-the-head haircut.

C- Saturday night's DWNTWN Crawl photos are ready at Soul of Miami.

D- Florida Keys Girl recaps Day One of the Key West Food and Wine Festival.

The Key West Food and Wine Festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the year. It draws a crowd from all over the place, and for good reason: A) It is in January, in Florida; B) It’s not so overpriced and crowded, like some other festivals around the country and C) The unique events are really fun.

E- There's a new restaurant opening on the top of the South Beach parking garage known as 1111 Lincoln Road with an all-star kitchen that Eater Miami tells us about.

Said team will be creating a menu that's, according to the PR spin, "a harmonious blend of the regional cuisines of Asia prepared with classic French techniques and the vibrant flavors and ingredients of South America and Florida."

F- 8 new photos are up at The Street.

G- Beached Miami has the details on a new gallery opening in Wynwood.

He says the gallery will feature contemporary masterpieces by the likes of Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, and Chuck Close. Shienbaum also plans to do solo shows of emerging artists from around the world, and he has already scheduled a showing of 40 pieces by up-and-coming London artists for March.

H- There's two reasons to be jealous of South Florida Food and Wine's recent experience at the Key Biscayne Ritz-Carlton: the food and the cars.

I- Jeb! Bush and today's Republican Party presidential candidates are discusses at Eye on Miami.

This much is clear: the Bush apparatchiks detest Newt Gingrich. For his part, Jeb's antagonism dates back to the early 1990's when Gingrich held court in DC and Jeb, not George W., aspired to succeed the father. These days Gingrich is too careful to mention the family name. It is otherwise comical the extent to which the Republican primary debates have scrubbed Bush from talking points, as though Pravda circa 1960 is advising the candidates.

J- Concierge legal services have arrived in South Florida, according to South Florida Lawyers.



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The Politics Of A Photo

Former Florida Governor Jeb! Bush and his father stopped by the White House last week to visit with the Kenyan Socialist Muslim who hates America, reports Politico.

When asked what the men discussed and why it wasn't on the schedule, the White House released a statement saying, “The three men enjoyed a personal visit in the Oval Office – as they have done on previous occasions when President Bush is Washington.”

While the visit may have been personal, the politics of showing the President engaging in conversation with 2 establishment Republicans who are smiling are obvious.

And it doesn't hurt Jeb! in 2016 with those conservatives who aren't asking to see Obama's birth certificate.


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Random Acts Of Culture At MIA

From the Knight Arts blog...

On Friday, Dec 23 the Cuban Classical Ballet surprised travelers at Miami International Airport with spontaneous performances of “Divertissement” from The Nutcracker.

While there are a number of people who seem to be entertained and enjoying themselves, there doesn't seem to be a lot of smiles at MIA that day...but then again, it's MIA.





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SFDB's A Few Moments @ F.A.T. Village Art Walk

Meandered over to the F.A.T. Village Art Walk this past Saturday night before the rain arrived. Here's a few photos of the exhibits and the action that was going on at the time.

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SFDB Morning Chuckle

-via Mr. Lovenstein


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The Cooler

It's a typically slow Monday news morning. Here's a few stories I found somewhat interesting.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Recycling police.

LAKE WORTH— The city's push to encourage recycling and reduce the volume of waste trucked to the county landfill goes high-tech this week.

The refuse division is beginning a one-year pilot test of a computerized monitoring system that tells managers when residents recycle - and when they don't.

[...]

Two city garbage trucks have been fitted with bar-code readers that take note every time a recycling container is tilted up to be emptied.

"It allows us to call up any address in the city and find out how many times they've recycled," said Jamie Brown, interim public services director.

B- Palm Beach Post: Photos from the Race for the Cure.

C- Palm Beach Post: A proven track record.

“You’re going to see an overwhelming victory for Romney this year” predicted former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart. Diaz-Balart backed McCain four years ago. This year, he’s endorsing Romney. So is his brother, U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, and U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami.

“They trust Ileana, Mario and me, they trust us,” Lincoln Diaz-Balart said of Cuban-American voters. “They know that he (Romney) is listening to us, that he is our friend, and thus that our community will have a friend in the White House. So you’re going to see a very dramatic difference in the vote on Tuesday from four years ago.”

D- CBS4: Locking up the philanderer vote.

WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) — There was a surprise announcement on the campaign trail in South Florida Saturday night when former presidential candidate Herman Cain officially endorsed Newt Gingrich for President.

E- NBC Miami: Life in South Florida.

The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. in the 4200 block of Northwest 4th Street, according to Miami Police Det. Margarita Crown.

Crown said two women were riding in a Ford Taurus when the driver stopped to get out of the car because a caution light came on.

But the driver didn't put the car in park, and it began rolling. That's when the passenger reached over and apparently hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes running over the woman, Crown said.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

January 2012 is almost history, if you can believe it. The weather felt more like April. Here's your morning Sift.

A- A premium pool of primate photos predominate Nikon Miami's latest post.

B- Obalesque ponders the the reasons why so many professionals move to the dark side during their careers.

What is it about professionals — often highly educated, professionally trained, credentialed and certified — that so many lose their focus and embrace the dark side, stumbling downward on slimy stiles into a hell of their own construction? The physicians caught in the pain clinic scam. The Medicaid/Medicare scammers. Investment counselors turned Ponzi schemers. Psychologists of any stripe and kidney, who are the equivalent of gypsy fortune tellers.

C- Blind Tastes provides a brief wrap up of a recent cocktail competition on Miami Beach.

D- Shorter Man or Maniac?...

Newt Gingrich is a liar.

E- The Chowfather loves him some neMesis Urban Bistro in downtown Miami.

This is easily becoming one of my favorite spots in Miami. It has a neighborhood vibe sans a neighborhood. Chef Micah is clearly proud and passionate about her food and it shows.

F- Go Hydrology! answers the often-asked question, "How long does the winter mosaic last [in the swamp]?"

G- Eye on Miami compares the agreements of states that currently allow gambling.

I put the States in order of when they allowed gambling from the earliest, Colorado in 1931 to the latest, Maryland in 2008. If you follow along you will see the deals for each State. You will also see that the deals get better and better because we know just how much money these casinos generate. The lowest rates are for the first two States to approve gambling.

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Your Evening Sift

It was a great Sunday for blogging in the South Florida blogosphere. It's rare that I have a full Sunday evening Sift...but here it is. Enjoy.

A- Soul of Miami shares some images from Friday's Viernes Culturales event in Little Havana.

B- Justice Building Blog makes me laugh.

Newt Gingrich is a vampire. He is the un dead. He cannot be killed without a wooden stake though his heart (or a few more steaks from the Palm- Newt's getting portly) and getting beat in Florida, which is a probability come Tuesday, will not do it.

C- The Florida Grand Opera's "Rigolleto" sounds like a grand production, according to South Florida Classical Review.

Florida Grand Opera’s production, which opened Saturday at the Arsht Center in Miami, offered everything one could want in a production of this work — brilliant performances in starring roles, stirring orchestral playing, assured stage direction and opulent sets — all coming together for a powerful evening of opera.

D- Beached Miami has a great set of photos from this weekend's Critical Mass and some commentary.

The motorists were honking and yelling, too many cyclists — mostly stragglers — were taunting the drivers (“We own the road!” “Wait your turn!”), and one guy got out of his car and into the face of a corker. This kind of thing will happen when 1,200 riders take over the road, but heckling motorists is childish. Critical Mass is a statement ride, but that statement should not be: “We’re a bunch of assholes.” If a driver gets feisty, there are ways to handle it. You can ignore it or try to calm him down. But don’t tempt him to run you over — you might get someone else hit.

E- The Chowfather seems to have enjoyed himself at Blue Collar.

Blue Collar recently opened in the old American Noodle spot on Biscayne Blvd. in the Upper East Side of Miami. It is owned and operated by Chef Allen veteran Daniel Serfer.

It was love at first site for me after seeing the menu posted on their website. The Big Ragout Sandwich had my name written all over it. The Shrimp and Grits, Pork and Beans and Chanukah Latkes also turned me on.

F- The Burger Beast reports that Sweetness Bake Shop has added donuts to their sweet offerings and I think I gained 10 pounds just looking at the photos.

Sweetness Bake Shop & Cafe who also run the Sugar Rush Truck have added doughnuts to its arsenal of sweet creations. The doughnuts will also be available on the truck occasionally as they were this past Friday at Tamiami Park. It seems as if they are testing out different flavors daily since there was a Lucky Charms doughnut when I was there that I hadn’t seen on their Facebook page.

G- The mojito review makes a comeback at Miamism when they visit Cafe Prima Pasta and find a "crazy good" perfect mojito.


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Driving Around South Florida, LeBron Edition

So you're driving around South Florida and you pull up to a light and look to the right and...WTF...there's LeBron on his bike on his way to the AAA for a game. What do you do?

Well, if you're Ted Hill you grab your smartphone and snap off a picture...

Gotta give the man credit for mixing it up with Miami traffic.

I hope the Heat has their LeBron James insurance policy up to date.

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Dave Barry And Marc Caputo On "Face The Nation"

This morning CBS News Political Director John Dickerson, Miami Herald political reporter Marc Caputo, and humorist Dave Barry joined Bob Schieffer on CBS News "Face The Nation" to talk Florida politics with downtown Miami as a background. Notable perhaps for how unfunny Barry has seemingly become and how uncomfortable Caputo looks in a suit.




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SFDB Sunday Secret

PostSecret


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SFDB Reaches 500 Google Reader Subscribers

Sometime late Saturday night or early Sunday morning SFDB received its 500th Google Reader subscriber.

Thanks to all of you out there who read SFDB, either through your reader or by dropping by and actually visiting the blog. It feels good to know that I'm being read by so many each day. You all are my return on an investment of time and energy that sometimes seems too taxing.

Have a great day.

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Allen West Orders Liberals Out Of The United States

Rep. Allen West once again proves that he is unfit to serve the United States.



Representative West, who chose to leave the United States Army with his tail between his legs for acting like a goon, doesn't speak for this Floridian and I plan on letting his Washington, DC office know Monday morning.

Let West know that he doesn't speak for you.



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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Just got in from running a marathon...around the breakfast buffet table. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Enjoy your morning Sift.

A- Great Sunday morning video about python hunting in the Everglades...at Eye on Miami.

B- Given a strand and a dome, Go Hydrology! will take a dome.

C- Belle Isle Blog already has some marathon photos from this morning up.


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SFDB Saturday Night Turndown Service

Etta James, The Very Thought of You


RIP, Etta.


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Your Evening Sift

It was a slow Saturday in the South Florida blogosphere. My Yuengling post has me thirsty...gotta run. Enjoy your Sift.

A- A photographer who regularly reads Carlos Miller has got himself arrested after photographing police near Sarasota.

A Florida man was arrested on wiretapping charges after video recording police making a traffic stop from across the street, spending 24 hours in jail and setting the stage for a potential lawsuit.

But first, Steve Horrigan, must first find a lawyer and beat the criminal felony charge hanging over him.

Horrigan, a regular Photography is Not a Crime reader who goes by Steveo, said North Port police confiscated his phone and have yet to return it to him.

B- The Cleveland Orchestra is back in town for a while and is putting on a strong program, according to the South Florida Classical Review, despite the distractions thrown at them by typical South Floridians.

The only complaint was that ushers were still seating people when the performance began; after the first movement ended, they continued to allow in a flood of latecomers, so in the first minutes of the second movement, Bronfman and the orchestra had to compete for attention with the whispers and clicking heels of people finding their seats.

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Yuengling: America's Largest Brewer

Yuengling is not only America's oldest brewery but is also now its largest...

D.G. Yuengling and Son, which proudly bills itself as America's oldest brewery, has something new to brag about.

The Pottsville company, whose sales surged last year when it entered Ohio, has become the largest American beer-maker by surpassing Boston Beer in 2011 sales.

That's right. A beer launched by a German immigrant in 1829 to quench the thirst of Pennsylvania coal miners can claim a distinction once held by Anheuser-Busch, maker of the iconic Budweiser brand, which got gobbled up by a Belgian company a few years ago.

Yuengling is my go to beer when nothing else looks appealing or known to me on the menu.

Well deserved.


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Cuban-American Hardliners And The DREAM Act

You would think that a group of people who have benefited so much from U.S. immigration policies would have some compassion and concern for fellow immigrants who have proved themselves to be constructive United States residents....

[The DREAM Act] would provide conditional permanent residency to certain illegal aliens of good moral character who graduate from US high schools, arrived in the US as minors, and lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment. If they were to complete two years in the military or two years at a four year institution of higher learning, they would obtain temporary residency for a six year period. Within the six year period, they may qualify if they have "acquired a degree from an institution of higher education in the United States or has completed at least 2 years, in good standing, in a program for a bachelor's degree or higher degree in the United States" or have "served in the armed services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, has received an honorable discharge".[2] Military enlistment contracts require an eight year commitment, with active duty commitments typically between four and six years, but as low as two years.[3][4] "Any alien whose permanent resident status is terminated... shall return to the immigration status the alien had immediately prior to receiving conditional permanent resident status under this Act."[5

Instead, when these immigrants raise their voices to express their support and passion for their cause, this is what the Cuban-American hardliners give them [Babalu Blog, via Twitter]...

[Rubio's] speech was briefly interrupted by a minuscule group of pro-amnesty Dream Act "activists" (for lack of a better term) who attempted to heckle the senator. Having seen these provocateurs in action over the past few weeks at different political events, it has become more than obvious that they are woefully inept in garnering attention and sympathy for their cause. With few people outside their tiny ranks willing to listen or support their misguided crusade, they have resorted to desperate acts of disruption at public events in order to get news cameras pointed at them. They may call themselves "immigration activists," but after seeing how they operate, a more apt description would be "media whores."

Calling the DREAM Act a "misguided crusade" seems awful rich coming from a group who have been committed to the same "crusade" for 50 years without showing anything for it. But it's what we've come to expect from this bunch of egocentric, arrogant and privileged "crusaders" who are, ironically, forever painting themselves as victims and who never seem miss an opportunity to exploit the plight of the Cuban people for their own political gains.

Perhaps it's because the Cuban-American hardliners feel threatened that someday the high standards that the DREAM Act demands will be applied to them and their ability to live in this country will be dependent upon one's contributions to society rather than their adeptness at navigating the Straits of Florida.

"Media whores?" "Activists?" "Misguided crusaders?" "Tiny ranks?" "Inept?"

Wow. Self project much, guys?



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Change Happened

And I'm hoping for more...





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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Is there going to be a winter in South Florida this year? I keep asking myself this question as the temps soar into the 80's day after day and the humidity, while not the soup of July and August, continues to linger. The SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar stands ready to help you with your weekend planning. Enjoy!

A- The305.Com lists the places where you can obtain boxed water in Miami.

B- The difference that 40 years makes...at Bark Bark Woof Woof.

C- Norman Braman discusses the effect gambling will have on South Florida in a video clip that Eye on Miami posts this morning.


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Your Evening Sift

It's Miami Marathon weekend in the Magic City and the Race For The Cure in Palm Beach tomorrow. You know what that means: lots of sore glutes on Monday. Am I allowed to carbo load even if I'm not running? Check out the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar and enjoy your evening Sift, readers!

A- Your CSA share for Week #8 is up at Redland Rambles.

B- If you plan on going anywhere in eastern Miami-Dade County on Sunday morning, you may want to visit The305.Com and make sure you can get there...massive road closures due to the marathon.

C- There is drama afoot with the CheeseMe food truck but Burger Beast sorts it out for us.

D- Miamism.com has a booth at the St. Rose Carnival in Miami Shores and Miamism Pix has the photo.

E- Florida Keys Girl wanders up to the mainland and tries out Emilio's Trattoria in Bal Harbour.

These are some of the best pastas around. Understandably, I could not decide which one to choose, so I ordered the Italian flag of pastas: a trio of rigatoni quattro fromaggi, bowties with pesto (I love their pesto, mostly because it tastes like a less garlicky version of mine) and penne with pomodoro sauce. If not the most interesting choice on the menu, it was delicious and I loved every tasty bite. FKGuy ordered (not surprisingly) the papardelle with porcini mushrooms, and loads of butter. I had a helping hand in eating that one, too.

F- Transit Miami awards Gimleteye of Eye on Miami with the Quote of the Decade.

G- The Cuban Triangle reviews the Cuba policy positions of the Republican presidential candidates.

Ernesto Hernandez Busto, Spain-based editor of Penultimos Dias, is following it all in Miami and attended the Romney event. He liked Romney’s remarks and those of his wife, he found Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen “enthusiastic and predictable,” but found something lacking in the whole lineup and in all the other candidates: “an understanding of the Cuban situation that goes beyond the traditional topics.”

Welcome to the club, Ernesto.

H- Go Hydrology! films another installment from the swamp.



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Flashback Friday

1977...




Theme from Welcome Back, Kotter


...and RIP Robert Hegyes, aka Juan Epstein


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Just Answer The Question, Newt

Some of you might remember Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's unhinged outrage during a recent debate when he was asked about an ex-wife's allegations that he wanted an open marriage. Gingrich angrily claimed that he had several friends that could prove the allegations wrong.

Well, he didn't.

He had lied.

And on Wednesday, Gingrich's campaign manager admitted as much.




Lat night, an arrogant Gingrich once again tried to get out of answering a question by whining about it but this time CNN's Wolf Blitzer wasn't going to let Newt off the hook. Watch.






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South Florida Cartoons

Can Jim Morin be any more spot on than he is with his latest cartoon?

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SFDB Question Of The Day

Starbucks plans to begin selling beer and wine in some of its stores in Atlanta and Southern California, according to reports...

The move "is a natural progression for us as we are always looking for ways to evolve and enhance the Starbucks experience based on what our customers are telling us," said US vice president Clarice Turner.

"We're pleased with the response of our customers to the introduction of wine, beer and premium food at several of our stores in the Pacific Northwest, and we're excited to see how the idea translates to other markets."

Evening opening hours were was first tried out in Seattle in October 2010, while five stores in the Seattle area and one in Portland, Oregon currently serve wine, beer and premium food.

Americans appear to be evenly divided over this move although demographics does seem to play some part in whether you're for or against it, Starbucks Gossip reports.

Put me in the camp of opposing it. Here's why.

Starbucks customers go to stores primarily for one thing right now...coffee. It's the Starbucks identity and the brand. Secondary to the coffee is a place to assemble and socialize with friends and acquaintances or just to hang out. When wine and beer is introduced, the brand is diluted, in my opinion, and "the place to get coffee" becomes just another "place to hang out"...and you know how many of those we have.

Starbucks should continue to concentrate on coffee and not get distracted.

What do you think?



-image via Marketing Daily



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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Well, as you can probably guess by now, I took today off and got some much-needed sleep. What that means for you is a little extra in your morning Sift. The SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar continues to be updated and we're in full Friday mode. Enjoy!

A- Eye on Miami wonders about the role of a Palmetto Bay attorney in Miami Lakes politics.

So why is Stephen Cody in Miami Lakes snapping photos and passing out 15 pages of stuff, most of it dismissed ethics complaints (deemed frivolous), at a meeting in Miami Lakes?

B- Random Pixels posts a Miami Herald story from the past.

C- Obalesque says that Republicans are getting everything they deserve with their field of candidates.

They’re truly worried, and it’s richly rewarding, because they stood silently by for the last 4 years as their own party operatives kept lowering the bar, cheapening the dialog, dumbing down the arguments, and debasing the debate. They handed the reins over to the Evangelicals and Teabaggers who drove the party apparatus so far off the trail they can’t find their way back. The Kenyan Muslim Socialist wants to ban Christmas, take away your guns, declare Sharia Law, raise your taxes, and pee in the punch bowl, while the elite liberal Jewish media protect him by refusing to expose his evil deeds — and holy shit, did you notice that he’s Black?

D- I love the quote that Bark Bark Woof Woof links to this morning that illustrates the seriousness of the threat that our current President presents to Christianity.

E- This year's DASH Portfolio Day gives Swampstyle hope for the future of the arts in South Florida.

Design and Architecture Senior High School may be under the umbrella of the Dade County public school system but it is anything but mundane. DASH continues to be the 305 laboratory for creative genius delivering visionary cultivated socially.

F- The Reid Blog has the top 10 "fails" of the latest Republican debate.

G- What Venetian Isle residents can expect during Miami Marathon Weekend, courtesy of Belle Isle Blog.

– If you need to leave Belle Isle on island Sunday morning, walking is the best way. A bike is second-best. By car, you can only go east, and it won’t be easy. You best be is to stay put until about 10 a.m.

H- There is a definite difference between winter and summer swamp, as Go Hydrology! shows us.

I- South Florida Food and Wine gives us the reasons why you best be hungry when you go to Serendipity 3 on Lincoln Road.

The Small Plates/ Tapas style dishes have no place here at Serendipity 3 Miami as the concept is about “ample” portions which ironically are ideal for sharing; sort of making this scenario six and one half dozen of another. Everything we ordered we shared. The Thai Beef Salad ($16), ABC Burger ($15), and my favorite the Fried Chicken & Waffles ($20). Our chicken was cooked perfectly, moist and tender on the inside, seasoned just right with crunchy fried greatness on the outside. And now the waffles. The waffles are like eating air, this could be very dangerous.

J- Coconut Grove Grapevine points out that the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce has a new logo and a new website.




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Your Evening Sift

While the Sifts get shorter as the weekend approaches the SFBD Weekend Widget in the right sidebar continues to grow. Make sure you check it out and enjoy your evening Sift.

A- A Newt Gingrich staffer strikes a cameraman during a recent Gingrich appearance in Miami-Dade County and Carlos Miller has the video.

B- Transit Miami asks readers to make sure that the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority understands that you're not in favor of further westward expansion of the 836.

Miami-Dade Expressway Authority is planning to expand the 836 Dolphin Expressway west toward Krome Avenue and then south to Tamiami Airport. This project would accelerate westward development, threaten agriculture, and threaten Everglades restoration.

C- If it's Thursday then it's time for South Florida Theatre Scene's weekend preview.

D- Is Michele Bernstein getting ready to expand to include a "to go" location on Biscayne Boulevard? Eater Miami links to a Miami Herald report and finds that the report may be premature.



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Why Conservative News Outlets Are Intentionally Dumbing Down America

I am continuously harping on the toxic effect that conservative media is having on the American public but, really, what do I know?

Instead of listening to me, listen to conservative columnist and neocon Bush II speechwriter David Frum explain why this is happening and who benefits. Excellent stuff.









-via Pensito Review


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Sparky's Roadside Barbecue

Sparky's Roadside Barbecue isn't all South Beach and fancy and pretentious and that's what makes it so easy to bop into on a weekday for lunch. Which is exactly what I did yesterday in between business tasks in downtown Miami. We arrived at 12:05 to an almost empty place which made me think about whether or not it was the right choice but by 12:20 every seat was filled and people were waiting for tables to free up.

Sparky's has been visited by the Burger Beast and Jeff Eats and there's a couple dated Chowhound threads on it so I'll let you click on those links to get a more complete review. For my part, I had the smoked chicken thigh platter with mac 'n cheese and baked beans and everything was out of this world. I tried my dining companion's waffle fries and they rocked the house.  In addition, the service was friendly, quick and courteous even though the place was getting slammed.

Oh, and there's cool music.

Do yourself a favor and visit Sparky's.  The food is superb and the ambiance is priceless.


Sparky's Roadside Barbecue
204 NE 1st Street
305-377-2877


-photo via Sparky's



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SFDB Cool Of The Day

ProtoHaus Tiny House

-via Fancy




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The Cooler

Just a few things from the mainstream media outlets this morning.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Something to look forward to.

It's already a bottleneck and a magnet for accidents. But using the Ives Dairy Road interchange at Interstate 95 is about to become even tougher for commuters.

A $7.5 million upgrade of the traffic-choked interchange — the one frequently used by drivers to get to Aventura Mall and Sun Life Stadium — begins Wednesday and will last for the next nine months.

"People are going to be affected by this work, said Tish Burgher, a project spokeswoman. "The volume of traffic that goes through the interchange every day is huge."

B- Sun-Sentinel: And then he should go after the media.

Tyler Weinman is suing the county and a prominent animal rights organization for botching the high-profile investigation that led to his arrest.

Tyler Weinman, the youth once accused of mutilating 19 cats across South Miami-Dade, is suing the county and a prominent animal rights organization for botching the high-profile investigation that led to his arrest.

Miami-Dade prosecutors dropped felony animal abuse charges against Weinman in November 2010, an embarrassing conclusion to a highly publicized case.

Relying on the opinions of employees of the county's animal services department, Miami-Dade detectives had built a circumstantial case that collapsed when a defense expert discovered animal bite marks, likely from a large dog, under the fur of eight preserved cat carcasses.

Named in the lawsuit: Miami-Dade County, including Detective Dominick Columbro and former Animal Services Director Sara Pizano; and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the University of Florida, which employed forensic veterinarian Melinda D. Merck.

C- Sun-Sentinel: Chan Lowe.

D- CBS4: Life in South Florida.

PEMBROKE PINES (CBS4) – A car slammed into a worker cleaning up debris along a canal in Pembroke Pines Wednesday sending the worker and the car into the water.

A police officer who happened to be in the shopping plaza and several Good Samaritans jumped in to help rescue the worker and the elderly female driver.

E- NBC Miami: Video, the updated Miami Casino.


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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

It's a very busy Thursday morning in the South Florida blogosphere. Lots of siftable posts out there. And, because the weekend is right around the corner, the SFDB Weekend Widget is up and running in the right sidebar. Enjoy.

A- Man or Maniac? disassembles another lame conservative argument.

B- Obalesque makes me laugh...and so do his commenters.

Please note that the window has the words FREE SMELLS in red neon. For several months I puzzled over who (or what) SMELLS is and why he has been incarcerated, inspiring this neon plea for his release.

C- Republican presidential candidates are so desperate at least one of them is promising Americans the moon...literally, as Bark Bark Woof Woof tells us.

D- Shorter Coconut Grove Grapevine...

If everyone didn't have to work and just hung out all day doing nothing then they really would appreciate the Grove more...like I do.

E- Swamp mosaics with Go Hydrology!

F- Under the Sun posts the story of a stray Miami-Dade pit bull that was nursed back to health in Broward County.

G- Sex and the Beach has 10 reasons why everyone should sit up and pay attention to what's happening to Mattheson Hammock Park these days.

H- There is a real need for bicycle corrals in Miami and Transit Miami urges their implementation.

At the last meeting of the Miami-Dade Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), I presented a proposal for a centrally located on-street bicycle-parking corral. The proposed location is the SE corner of NW 2nd Avenue at NW 26th st. After the ensuing conversation, the BPAC decided to formally support the project moving forward.

I- Twenty-one new photos are up at The Street.


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Your Evening Sift

Food posts dominate this evening's Sift so if you haven't eaten yet, I warned you. Enjoy your evening Sift, readers. Grab a napkin.

A- Big Al's makes an authentic Philly cheese steak, according to Burgers by the Beach.

Meat was tender & juicy... Onions, perfectly chopped and grilled. And of course... The Wiz. You can't have a Philly without the Wiz.

B- Food for Thought shows us what he did with his CSA share from Week 9.

C- Capri Pizza on Atlantic in Delray Beach is average, according to Worst Pizza.

Even though the Chicago Style Pizza at Capri Pizza is nothing more than a Sicilian slice cut differently, The sauce was great. The dough was tasty and airy, and this pizza in general has potential. Cheese was not so great.

D- Nice post from Culture Designers that gives us an idea of what the DWTWN Food & Wine Festival was like this past weekend.

It was more packed than I had anticipated, but it was still fairly easy to get around and engage in the demonstrations that were being offered. I’d say my friends and I did a great job visiting most of the restaurant tents, and from burgers to seafood there was a wide variety to choose from. I particularly liked the spicy yellowfin tuna poke offered at The Oceanaire Seafood Room display!

E- Also from past weekend, the Burger Beast has scenes from the Burger Battle Alley contest at JA Uncorked in Lauderdale [I think].

It was a great showing by all the combatants but in the end, Charm City Burger Company’s Haute Burger was chosen by Riverwalk Trust and myself as the best of the night.

F- If you liked Transit Lounge, you'll like what replaced it, says Boy Writes Miami.

To me it doesn’t feel like Blackbird Ordinary is a completely new place, just a better version of Transit. I can’t do the whole “hittin’ on bitches” thing to reveal to gentlemen how whorish the crowd is anymore, but it’s Brickell; they’ll put out.

G- Jeff Eats won't be going back to Brio Tuscan Grille.

Let’s talk food…”tried” fried calamari, meat lasagna, chicken milanese, penne alla vodka, strip steak, veal marsala. Take this for what it’s worth, this is CHAIN FOOD. Now, I don’t know what your favorite Italian joint is, but I’ll bet you a nickel that its food runs absolute circles around Brio’s stuff. I’ll even go one step further and say that your 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th & 10th favorite Italian restaurants also run laps around Brio’s food.

H- More furloughs for Miami Herald employees, as Random Pixels posts the internal memo.

In an email today to newsroom staffers announcing company-wide one-week furloughs for all full-time employees, Landsberg wrote, "The improving trends we've seen in our business results so far this year are real and encouraging, but we continue to experience year-over-year revenue losses."

I- If you like melted cheese then you'll be happy with the latest All Purpose Dark post.

There's a new grilled cheese joint in town (actually, it's probably the only grilled cheese joint in town that's not a food truck) and it's name is, appropriately, MLT. It's on a clubby stretch of Washington which is perfect for the genre, considering plenty of tipsy nightlifers will find hangover-curing solace in their gut-busting menu of Philly Cheesesteaks, fried chicken on biscuits and namesake gooey sandwiches.

J- The Local's chef tells Blind Tastes that he's moving on and opening frita shops in West Miami-Dade.

We chatted via text today and he let me know that he was leaving The Local, his gastropub concept in Coral Gables, and launching a new endeavor this summer... Frita Shop!

K- Eye on Miami takes the recommendation of a commenter and decides to vote for Mitt Romney in the Republican primary.


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Name That Spot #25

Name That Spot is a periodic feature in which SFDB readers attempt to identify the South Florida location of the photo that is displayed.

Give me the name of the South Beach Hotel that you'll find this beautiful rooftop patio.

Past winners include Superbee, C.L.J., Miami Bike Scene, CultureDesigners, Gretchen, Balou[2], Gus, brwass, smedvin, Michael Kain, The Chowfather, Lori, CB[2], South Florida Food and Wine, Whack-A-Mole[2] and Alex de Carvalho[2]. There's been three Stumpers and one identified by "Anonymous."





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Republicans Then...And Now

Remember back in 2008 when Republican John McCain did the right thing...



Well, those days are long gone as McCain's party has turned into an out of control clown car.

Here is a woman [maybe the same one] on Monday in Lady Lake, Florida, conversing with Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum during a campaign stop.



Lady Lake is home to The Villages, a community of retirees from the Northeast that is over 98% white and helped elect Florida Governor Rick Scott. It is Florida Tea Party Headquarters, so it's not entirely surprising that these folks, who no doubt watch as much Fox News as they can between their trips to the local Golden Corral, are convinced that President Obama is an avowed Muslim and has "no legal right to be calling himself President"...if you don't count something called the "election."

But what is very telling is the way Rick Santorum does zero to correct this woman's [and the accompanying crowd's] delusions. Instead he plays off it and actually validates much of what she's babbling about.

Afterwards, when asked by a reporter about the exchange, Santorum turns into a coward.



This lack of leadership and responsibility are exactly the reasons why Santorum will never see the Oval Office and will forever be remembered more as an internet joke than a serious politician.



- via Pensito Review


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SFDB Culinary Adventure Of The Day

A chocolate cupcake stuffed with an Oreo and a peanut butter cup and topped off with Oreo peanut butter buttercream...



-via Buzzfeed



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The Cooler

It's a fine Hump Day news day, readers. Here are some of the stories that caught my attention this morning.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Life in South Florida.

PEMBROKE PINES— A 23-year-old Port St. Lucie woman was arrested Monday after allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old in the bedroom of his Pembroke Pines apartment.

The teen's mother called police early Monday after she found Carissa Rangel having sex with her son, according to a Pembroke Pines police arrest report.

[...]

Rangel then took the teen into his bedroom and sexually assaulted him, police said. The mother told police she heard moaning coming from the bedroom at about 1 a.m. Monday and confronted Rangel. The woman allegedly told the mother that she was "getting it done right," according to the report.

B- Sun-Sentinel: Brought to you by the party of less government and more personal freedom...of course.

TALLAHASSEE — In an emotionally charged two-and-a-half-hour debate, Republican lawmakers signed off on a trio of abortion bills that backers say would stop the "killing" of children and opponents counter would drastically interfere with a woman's access to good health care.

"We need to protect these unborn children from harm," said Rep. Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee, of the three bills that would make it more difficult for women to go through with an abortion.

[...]

The bills follow several anti-abortion measures that passed last year — including one requiring women seeking an abortion to first view an ultrasound of the fetus — and reflect strong majorities of socially conservative Republicans in both houses of the Legislature.

C- Sun-Sentinel: Dude apparently eats a lot of pasta.

MIAMI-DADE— A car hit a mother and her two young sons as they crossed the street Tuesday night in Southwest Miami-Dade, killing one of the boys, police said.

The accident happened about 6:40 p.m. near the intersection of Southwest 268th Street and 137th Avenue, Miami-Dade police said. The three were crossing 268th Street and were almost to the other side when they were hit by a green, 1990s-model Crown Victoria.

[...]

Curtis Nelson, 44, said he was sitting on a crate near the store when he heard a boom. He ran into the street, found one of the boys and got him out of the road. He went back and found the mother and the other son.

"He was twisted like spaghetti," Nelson said.

D- Sun-Sentinel: Chan Lowe.

E- CBS4: No layoffs.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Miami-Dade Commissioners have voted 7-6 to propose a new deal with law enforcement that will avoid any layoffs, but still require workers to contribute four percent from their base pay toward health care.

F- NBC Miami: I know one guy who is applying to UPS today.

At least two dozen people were injured after a FedEx truck collided with a Miami-Dade Transit bus Tuesday, authorities said.

[...]

The driver of the FedEx truck was not injured, but was given a ticket for running a red light, according to Miami Fire Rescue.

G- WPTV: Here's a Florida job for you.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program is seeking nuisance alligator trappers in St. Lucie County.

Applicants must have a clean criminal history, no fish or wildlife law violations, a valid working email address and they must reside in St. Lucie County, according to FWC.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

I know you're all feeling better about the state of our union. Here's your morning Sift.

A- Obalesque had better things to do than listen to last night's State of the Union speech.

I refuse to pay attention. There’s beer to drink and porn to watch, and no time to waste on foolish pursuits.

B- Miami-Dade County is planning to build some kind of boat storage building in Mattheson Hammock Park that's going to gum things up, according to Beached Miami.

Despite an apparent conflict of interest, the chair of Coral Gables’ Historic Preservation Board is pushing for the construction of a new, 4,300-square-foot, 50-foot-tall building to store about 350 boats in Matheson Hammock Park, according to the Coral Gables Gazette.

C- Miami Daily Photo captured the image of a rare BMW in South Miami.

D- The Miami Bike Scene posts an old video of a amateur bike race on Okeechobee Road from back in the 80's.

E- You might want to skip the Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg State Orchestra's next appearance at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach after reading this review from South Florida Classical Review.

Whatever this ensemble’s provenance (or lack thereof), it is anything but a first-class orchestra. Except for a strong principal flute, wind intonation was poor and brass playing was often loud and coarse. Even the strings, usually the strong point of Russian ensembles, sounded scrawny and undernourished. Ensemble was not always precise or in synch.

F- Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has a long history of making bigoted and divisive remarks and Bark Bark Woof Woof takes a look at some of them.


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Your Evening Sift

President Obama is getting ready to give his State of the Union speech tonight but I think I'm done with politics for the day. Hope it goes well. Here's your evening Sift.

A- There's actually a video commercial out for this weekend's birthday party for Rick Ross at Amnesia and The305.Com is the only blog that has it.

B- Michelle Bernstein's The Omphoy in Palm Beach is shutting down, according to Eater Miami.

The restaurant will close doors February 1st, leaving Bernstein to focus on her 3 Miami restaurants: Michy's, Sra. Martinez, and Crumb on Parchment. The official reasoning for closing has not been disclosed but numerous rumors have developed.

C- Jeff Eats must be reading Worst Pizza as he takes a crack at PieZano's Pizza and Pasta in Boca.

Give or take a few things that I would change, like the sub-rolls and the mozzarella/zucchini stuff—the joint is off to a real nice start. As for service and prices, very pleasant folks run the joint– you guys are gonna love Anthony’s Brooklyn accent and energy…very reasonable prices.

Let me sum Pie Zano’s up this way...I’ll be back!

D- Transit Miami finds out about Miami-Dade's "Cone of Silence" and pigeon poop issues during a recent meeting of the Transit Subcommittee of the Miami-Dade County MPO Citizen’s Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting (CTAC).

According to a Miami-Dade County Administrative Order promulgated in 2002 and an accompanying memo, the Cone of Silence is a policy “designed to protect the integrity of the procurement process by shielding it from undue influences prior to the recommendation of contract award”. Basically, the Cone of Silence is intended to ensure that no local government officials or staff engage in any sort of funny business deal-making when the local government in question is awarding work contracts.

E- Future cruise passengers should probably visit South Florida Lawyers for the continuing discussion on cruise passenger contracts.

F- The Cuban Triangle and Eye on Miami wraps up the positions of the remaining Republican presidential candidates as they campaign in Florida and pander to the Cuban-American hardliners. From the former...

With the Republican race scrambled by the South Carolina result, next Tuesday’s Florida winner-take-all primary takes on even greater importance.

That means greater competition for the support of the older, hard-line Cuban Americans who vote their Cuba beliefs in primary and general elections, and who to their credit go to the polls consistently and in large numbers.

It also means that this is a delicious, week-long moment of maximum leverage for hard-liners, where they can push the candidates to promise more and more on Cuba policy.

G- Coconut Grove Grapevine gets a letter from a concerned Grove resident who says that dog attacks are becoming more frequent.




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