South Florida Daily Blog

SFDB's Favorite Comment From Yesterday

2012-01-31T09:15:00.001-05:00

"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

SFDB Morning Chuckle

2012-01-31T08:15:00.001-05:00

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

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The Cooler

2012-01-31T07:14:00.000-05:00

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.

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-31T06:44:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-30T20:58:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-30T14:00:00.002-05:00

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

2012-01-30T11:30:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-30T09:15:00.004-05:00

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.

SFDB Morning Chuckle

2012-01-30T08:15:00.002-05:00

-via Mr. Lovenstein

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The Cooler

2012-01-30T07:53:00.000-05:00

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.

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-30T07:15:00.000-05:00

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.

Your Evening Sift

2012-01-29T19:41:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-29T18:13:00.000-05:00

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"

2012-01-29T16:19:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

PostSecret

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SFDB Reaches 500 Google Reader Subscribers

2012-01-29T13:00:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-29T10:56:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-29T10:23:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-28T22:00:00.001-05:00

Etta James, The Very Thought of You

RIP, Etta.

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Your Evening Sift

2012-01-28T18:47:00.000-05:00

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.

Yuengling: America's Largest Brewer

2012-01-28T16:00:00.002-05:00

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

2012-01-28T13:18:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-28T10:15:00.002-05:00

And I'm hoping for more...

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Your Morning Sift

2012-01-28T09:58:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-27T21:29:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-27T14:07:00.000-05:00

1977...

Theme from Welcome Back, Kotter

...and RIP Robert Hegyes, aka Juan Epstein

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Just Answer The Question, Newt

2012-01-27T12:30:00.002-05:00

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

2012-01-27T11:20:00.000-05:00

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

SFDB Question Of The Day

2012-01-27T10:10:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-27T09:23:00.001-05:00

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 Bat 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

2012-01-26T19:39:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-26T11:30:00.004-05:00

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

2012-01-26T10:00:00.003-05:00

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

2012-01-26T09:17:00.000-05:00

ProtoHaus Tiny House

-via Fancy

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The Cooler

2012-01-26T08:53:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-26T07:58:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-25T19:21:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-25T11:30:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-25T09:15:00.001-05:00

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

2012-01-25T08:15:00.002-05:00

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

2012-01-25T07:39:00.001-05:00

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.

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-25T07:01:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-24T20:48:00.000-05:00

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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The Gingrich Who Stole South Carolina

2012-01-24T14:00:00.005-05:00

There might not be a better Daily Show clip that illustrates the abject hypocrisy of the Republican Party and, in particular, Newt Gingrich...

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

* Okay, I'm not quite sure why the video sat here broken for 5 hours without anyone saying anything but...well, it's fixed now.

-via Bark Bark Woof Woof

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SFDB Post Of The Week

2012-01-24T11:30:00.001-05:00

SFDB selects its Post of the Week by going back and reviewing all the Sifts that we've done over the past 7 days. We find the best post of the week and note the runners ups as we judge them to be.

Some regulars showed up for this week's Post of the Week selections. Let's take a look.

Runners-Up: Food for Thought's review of Harry's Pizzeria in the Design District was full of fine verbiage and nice photos. Who knew Mike LaMonica was so passionate about his orchids? There was a nice pace to this post and plenty of images to consider. It was refreshing to see Beached Miami get back to the good stuff with a superb set of photos from the January Art Walk.

Winner: I like blogs that aren't afraid to state their opinions even when they may not be the most popular or in keeping with what everyone else is thinking or saying. Such was the case with Transit Miami last week. After the Wall Street Journal wrote a largely complimentary piece about Miami Beach's designer parking garages, Transit Miami lit into the thinking that a parking garage could be considered something more than a place to park your car. Nevermind that most reading the article might think otherwise, Transit Miami didn't hold back in their criticism. Whether you agreed with them or not, Visit Miami Beach – Come See Our Parking Garages was solid and full of the passion that we've come to expect from Transit Miami over the years. Readers responded in the comment section and I'm responding here by giving it this week's Post of the Week recognition.

'Til next time, people, keep on blogging!

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Eddie Vedder Coming To Broward

2012-01-24T09:15:00.001-05:00

Sweet!

Eddie Vedder will perform at Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center for the Performing Arts on May 13, part of a 13-city April-May U.S. solo tour announced Monday. Tickets for the show go on sale Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. at BrowardCenter.org and 954-462-0222.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts site says that seats are going for $79.50: nothing more, nothing less. Which is a bit strange.

This is Vedder's only South Florida date of a 4-city Sunshine State jaunt. Other stops include Orlando, Clearwater and Jacksonville.

If you go, this will no doubt be on the set list.

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SFDB Ecard Of The Day

2012-01-24T08:17:00.000-05:00

The Cooler

2012-01-24T07:53:00.001-05:00

Not a whole lot of exciting news this morning, readers. Here you go.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Republican congressman Allen West explains to others like him why it's okay for African-Americans to vote for rich, white guys who constantly denigrate and stereotype them.

West and about a dozen black leaders said they want to break down what they consider public misperceptions about them and about the monolithic nature of black voters — and their habit of voting for Democrats.

B- Sun-Sentinel: Republican family values.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — A regional director for Sen. Marco Rubio has been placed on administrative leave after his arrest on battery charges, accused by his wife of rolling her up in a carpet and punching and kicking her, according to the arrest report.

C- Sun-Sentinel: Cat lady.

WEST DELRAY — Sheriff's deputies and officers from Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control had their hands full Friday night, evicting a woman and collecting the 66 cats she had accumulated in her home west of Delray Beach.

[...]

People in these situations usually start with a small number of animals, he said, and quickly are overwhelmed.

"They have no idea how quick they can reproduce if you don't get them sterilized," he said. "A lot of the cat people don't even realize how many animals they have."

D- Sun-Sentinel: So what are you doing to celebrate?

MIAMI— Recently retired Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Jason Taylor will be honored during Tuesday's Miami-Dade Commission meeting.

A proclamation, to be presented by Chairman Joe Martinez and county officials, will officially declare January 24th "Jason Taylor Day."

E- CBS4: Video, Miami Marlin dancer auditions.

F- CBS4: Answering the question, "Who wins when a motorcycle runs into a fire truck?" I think we all know the answer.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A man on a motorcycle was killed when he slammed his bike into the side of a Miami Fire Rescue unit early Monday morning.

Department spokesman Lt. Ignatius Carroll said Rescue 9 had its emergency lights and sirens on when it was broadsided by a motorcyclist at NW 46th Street and 12th Avenue. On impact the man, identified as 36-year old Charles Flowers, was thrown for about 100 feet. Flowers was not wearing a helmet.

G- WPTV: Life in South Florida.

WELLINGTON, Fla. - A Wellington man was arrested Sunday afternoon for punching his 86-year-old father in the eye.

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-24T07:10:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

If John Belushi were still around he would be 63 today. And if you don't know who John Belushi was, well, then, we just need to move on to your morning Sift. Enjoy.

A- Bark Bark Woof Woof shares his comments on Mitt Romney's tax returns.

The criticism of Mr. Romney or anyone else who makes $33,048 in “less than a day” isn't a battle of capitalism versus communism; it's the difference between rewarding someone with a lower tax rate for making money in a way that is inaccessible to a majority of the people. Most Americans don't have the luxury of investing enough money to earn an income from it alone.

B- Random Pixels links to a news story that discusses a possible new Doral home for the Miami Herald.

C- Man or Maniac? meticulously dissects the thinking of Miamians who believe that casinos are a good thing for a community.

Any world-class resort would want to staff itself with the best people from around the planet; you don't want the former night-desk manager from the Sinbad Motel on Biscayne Boulevard running the place.

D- Liz Tracy, one of the founders of The Heat Lightning, will no longer be contributing to the blog because she now has a full-time job in Broward.

As the new music editor at the New Times Broward-Palm Beach, I will be saying good-bye to Miami, moving to Broward, and to The Heat Lightning – the blog which I birthed with Alesh a year and a half ago.

Your Evening Sift

2012-01-23T20:06:00.000-05:00

It was a kind of weird day today. I got an email from another blogger that informed me that SFDB was being blocked by Miami-Dade County servers [it isn't]. And I never got into a flow at work today for some reason. Well, it was Monday after all, wasn't it? I'm just glad it's over. Here we go with your Sift.

A- Ironically, Gun Free Zone has a problem with Libertarians because of their presentation and the fact that they're uncompromising...and, oh, they have a huge public relations problem. Which, somehow, gets us to this...

I recently heard a podcast where the author was complaining about police harassment to Open Carry people and the example he gave was of why should somebody wearing a kilt and OC at 11:30 pm in a neighborhood where drugs are known to be trafficked should not be interviewed by police because he is not doing anything bad or something like that. Buddy, let me tell you something, if you are walking in front of my house at that time wearing a kilt and OC, rest assured that the side of your head will be painted by a red dot until I don’t see you anymore.

B- Bark Bark Woof Woof shares some special memories from 4 years ago.

C- Worst Pizza can't recommend the pizza at 101 Ocean Pizza in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.

It was as if 101 Ocean took a couple of tomatoes and had the chef slapped his hands together with them and let them fall onto this pizza. In my opinion, this was utterly gross and unappetizing. They shouldn’t even remotely call this sauce on their menu, it is just chucks…not sauce. In my personal opinion, they should mention this on the menu. Something along the lines of “we have dough cheese and some uncut pieces of tomatoes that disguise themselves as sauce.”

D- Eater Miami reports that a popular Design District restaurant is closing down.

Design District Italian and cocktails hot spot Maitardi is closing for good on Saturday, February 11 and going out in grand style with a farewell party Wednesday, February 8 from 7 p.m. featuring signature amuse-bouches by Maitardi's sister venues including Salumeria 104, Soyka, TiramesU, Spris, Van Dyke Café from 7 to 8pm and a Prosecco bar from 7 to 9pm by Segafredo L’Originale on Lincoln Road.

E- Random Pixels links to an article about UM President Donna E. Shalala's possible conflicts of interest.

F- A Miami bicycle shop has received some national recognition, according to Spokes 'n' Folks.

G- The New St. Regis Bal Harbour is as opulent and luxurious as you might imagine, says All Purpose Dark, who takes us inside.

Further in, you come across this deer sculpture made of crystal balls and the check-in desks - which are sit-down desks. Introductory room rates start at $675, by the way, and expect those to climb to $800 for peak season. And all 243 guest rooms face the ocean.

H- Mike LaMonica writes a post to his ex-wife for a cause.

I- Miamism gives us a look at the inside of a $16.5 million "mod home" on North Bay Road in Miami Beach.

The house has double gourmet kitchens as well as summer kitchen equipped with pizza oven. We can certainly assume that these people love to entertain and cook. I love the fact that the “caterer’s kitchen” is something that is becoming popular in Miami Beach within the mega luxury real estate realm. Nothing like keeping your kitchen clean and untouched while caterers make a mess of their own kitchen.

A Few More Deering Estate Photos

2012-01-23T11:30:00.003-05:00

Just a few more images from my visit to the Deering Estate on Saturday...

No, the following isn't the groom having last regrets. Just a musician who arrived a little early and was spending some time on his phone before the ceremony.

These little guys were yapping up a storm outside a Starbucks not too far from the entrance to the estate.

More Divorces Make Better Republican Presidents

2012-01-23T09:15:00.002-05:00

According to a Fox News psychiatrist, Republican Newt Gingrich's 3 marriages indicate that he would be a super President of the United States...

I want to be coldly analytical, not moralize, here. I want to tell you what Mr. Gingrich’s behavior could mean for the country, not for the future of his current marriage. So, here’s what one interested in making America stronger can reasonably conclude—psychologically—from Mr. Gingrich’s behavior during his three marriages:

1) Three women have met Mr. Gingrich and been so moved by his emotional energy and intellect that they decided they wanted to spend the rest of their lives with him.

2) Two of these women felt this way even though Mr. Gingrich was already married.

3 ) One of them felt this way even though Mr. Gingrich was already married for the second time, was not exactly her equal in the looks department and had a wife (Marianne) who wanted to make his life without her as painful as possible.

Conclusion: When three women want to sign on for life with a man who is now running for president, I worry more about whether we’ll be clamoring for a third Gingrich term, not whether we’ll want to let him go after one.

4) Two women—Mr. Gingrich’s first two wives—have sat down with him while he delivered to them incredibly painful truths: that he no longer loved them as he did before, that he had fallen in love with other women and that he needed to follow his heart, despite the great price he would pay financially and the risk he would be taking with his reputation.

Conclusion: I can only hope Mr. Gingrich will be as direct and unsparing with the Congress, the American people and our allies. If this nation must now move with conviction in the direction of its heart, Newt Gingrich is obviously no stranger to that journey.

If Ted Bundy was a Republican and was still around today, there is no doubt in my mind that he would be a frontrunner for the GOP and a favorite of Rush Limbaugh if he only had the balls to call Obama the "Food Stamp President" and believed that students from poor neighborhoods should work as child janitors selling doughnuts.

And Fox News psychiatrists would dutifully explain to their audience of conservative bigots how raping and murdering women was somehow "presidential"...between commercials hawking gold and the latest pharmaceuticals.

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SFDB Monday Wake Up Call

2012-01-23T08:15:00.001-05:00

-via The Daily What

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The Cooler

2012-01-23T07:35:00.000-05:00

There isn't jack going on in the news this morning so I included a video that is sure to entertain.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Lap belts fastened?

MIAMI— Six crew members were injured Sunday due to turbulence on an American Airlines flight from Brazil to Miami, an airport spokeswoman said.

The carrier’s Flight 980 apparently encountered turbulence on its way to Miami International Airport from the Recife Airport in Brazil, airport spokeswoman Maria Levrant said. The flight landed at MIA shortly after 6:30 p.m. It had 136 passengers and nine crew members on board, an airline spokeswoman said.

B- Sun-Sentinel: Why you're supposed to move the cars from the roadway.

PLANTATION— Police are investigating the deaths of three people who were struck by a car early Saturday as they stood in the roadway on Broward Boulevard near Northwest 69th Avenue.

Two women in their 20s, one from Sunrise and another from Fort Lauderdale, were involved in a single-car collision with a tree near that intersection about 4:30 a.m., according to Plantation police.

Police said a second driver stopped to check on their well-being. All three people, standing outside their vehicles, were then struck by a car driven by a Plantation man, according to Detective Phillip Toman.

C- Finally, it wasn't covered by any South Florida news outlet that I know of but we now apparently have another household pest to add to our critter list down here...bats. Barrel tile roof owners, listen up!

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Your Morning Sift

2012-01-23T06:49:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

And here we go into the last full week of January. Wasn't it just New Year's Day? Enjoy your morning Sift.

A- Bark Bark Woof Woof doesn't give Gov. Chris Christie much of a chance for a vice president selection.

But politically, Gov. Christie would be a bad choice for Mitt Romney as his vice president. Both of them are considered to be "moderate" in the GOP,which is like being the lonely little petunia in the onion patch: they're not full-tilt Teabaggers, and Gov. Christie riled up the base when he defended a Muslim-American judge. They're both from the Northeast, which is always grounds for suspicion among the True Believers, and if Mr. Romney is truly going to appeal to that crowd, he'll need to go with someone like Mike Huckabee. Now there's a marriage made in hell.

B- The Republicans are coming to South Florida as the next stop on their clown car ride and Justice Building Blog and Obalesque can't wait. From the latter...

I suspect Team Gingrinch will not fare as well in Florida as it did in South Carolina, and that Mittney’s well-oiled and high financed campaign machinery will prevail, resetting the direction of the race back to what passes for reason among the ‘Pubs. (Santorum and Paul are mere distractions. Even ‘Pubs don’t take them seriously.) Florida will be the turning point, which is disappointing in a way, because it marks the end of the great entertainment, and the beginning of hidebound national politics as usual.

C- As part their Old School Sunday series, The305.Com shares a video of old Miami Beach literature.

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Your Evening Sift

2012-01-22T21:50:00.000-05:00

This weekend went way too fast. There was a fair number of blogger writing today in the South Florida blogosphere so I have a pretty decent evening Sift for you. Enjoy.

A- Bark Bark Woof Woof shares a nice set of photos of his Sunday drive through the Everglades with a local British car club.

B- Midtown Chic-a finds a great out-of-the-way Spanish restaurant at 27th and Biscayne.

The menu was only a page long and pretty easy to digest. They have a deal that consists of 3 tapas for $14.95 that was fantastic and filling. We opted for the Tortilla De Patatas (Spanish potato omelette), fried calamari and ham croquettes. Midtown Chica doesn’t usually do ham croquettes because they usually taste processed but these had delicious and fresh pork filling and she actually loved them!

C- Beached Miami gives us a quick look at this weekend's Rachel Goodrich concert and then links to their Facebook page for a full set of photos.

D- Atlantic City native Man or Maniac? explains how casinos work and why they are not a good deal for the community.

The real problem is where the people coming in on those buses will be spending their money. They'll be spending it in the casino.

Now, you're thinking, "of COURSE they'll spend money in the casino, that's why they want to build one!" But you're missing the point. People coming in to spend money in the casino will ONLY be spending money in the casino. They won't step outside for a meal; the casino has restaurants, and they'll passing out vouchers or coupons for them on the bus. Want a drink? There's service right at the poker table, or even the slot machine. Want a souvenir? The casino gift shop has everything you need.

E- The305.Com has an amazing photo of what 5th and Alton looked like in the '20's.

F- Discourse notes a "cheap shot" from Greg Cote in today's Miami Herald.

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Goodbye, Gabby

2012-01-22T16:14:00.000-05:00

Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is resigning from Congress this week in order to concentrate on recovering from a gunshot wound to the head that she received during an attempted assassination in Tucson, Arizona a little over a year ago.

On Jan. 8, 2011, Ms. Giffords was shot by Jared Lee Loughner, a 22-year-old college dropout, at a Congress on Your Corner meet-and-greet event outside a grocery store in Tucson, Ariz. A 9-year-old girl named Christina Green and a federal judge, John Roll, were among those killed. Mr. Loughner has been charged with numerous federal counts, among them the attempted assassination of a member of Congress.

[...]

According to her office, Ms. Giffords will attempt to “finish her Congress on Your Corner” event in the supermarket parking lot in Tucson where she was shot. It will be a private event that will include some of the people who attended last year. Ms. Giffords, who will officially resign later this week, will also attend President Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night in the House chamber.

Ms. Giffords thanks her supporters in this video.

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SFDB Sunday Secret

2012-01-22T14:00:00.002-05:00

-PostSecret

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Yosemite

2012-01-22T11:00:00.002-05:00

Earlier in this life, I traveled to Paris. I've been to Rome. I've gone to London. I've been to Athens. I've visited Tokyo.

I've been around the world and you will never, ever find me traveling outside the country again as long as we have places like Yosemite to visit and explore. My passport has permanently expired.

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Your Morning Sift

2012-01-22T09:56:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

It's a lazy Sunday morning, readers. Grab your coffee and spend some time reading your morning Sift.

A- There's room for all creatures big and small in the swamp, Go Hydrology! reminds us.

B- Superbee has found himself a bar on South Beach.

South Beach, we've found ourselves a higher-class Purdy -- you can still bankrupt yourself -- but it'll be slightly more conspicuous and slightly more embarrassing when it happens -- but if you're able to pull through without landing yourself in shame and ruin, you'll be able to black-shirt yourself into the JAPiest den of drunken debauchery since the Astor went out of style.

C- Belle Isle Blog reminds us that the Miami Marathon is only a week away and provides some suggestions how non-runners can make the most of it.

D- Coconut Grove Grapevine shares a few images from the chocolate festival at Fairchild Tropical Gardens and says that the Grove should have a similar event.

I went to the chocolate festival yesterday at Fairchild Tropical Gardens and between you and me, it was not much of a chocolate festival and more of a food festival. There were many food booths on the grounds and lots of food trucks. The chocolate was sort of hard to find and when found, it was for sale. There were not many samples.

E- You gotta love the guy's tee shirt at The Green Parrot.

F- Eye on Miami considers the state of the economy and the lack of jobs and, most importantly, are attitudes towards those who still have one.

We all clamor for decent jobs (that every politician promises and never delivers) and at the same time we shoot our fellow workers who have decent jobs in the foot. We are being manipulated to believe cops, teachers, and other union workers are pulling in huge salaries and pensions that they don't deserve. But it is peanuts if you look at the true villains in this jobs dance. The employers are greedy, or in the case of the county - inept, and the workforce is punished and we the citizens all cheer. What dopes we are, falling prey to a big fat lie.

SFDB Saturday Night Turndown Service

2012-01-21T22:00:00.002-05:00

Rachel Goodrich and The Moneybags, Run To You [Acoustic on WLRN]

-via Beached Miami

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Your Evening Sift

2012-01-21T21:02:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, what a day. We're a little later than usual with this Saturday evening Sift but it's worth the wait. Enjoy your Sift and your Saturday night. I'll be back at 10 with the Turndown Service.

A- There was a lot of support shown for pit bulls [today?] in Hialeah and Nikon Miami was there.

B- The305.Com posts some photos of Miami Heat players who have traveled back into the '70's.

C- Food for Thought says there isn't much to complain about at Harry's Pizzeria.

Purists who insist that pizza is simply about the perfect balance of dough, cheese and tomato will scoff, but the pizzas at Harry's are mostly about the toppings. That's not necessarily a bad thing, certainly not when you're talking about the MGF&D Bacon Pizza, topped with Michael's house-cured bacon, sliced fingerling potatoes, caramelized onions, gruyere cheese and fresh arugula. It's a perfectly balanced combination.

D- Another stolen bike alert from The Miami Bike Scene but this one comes with a photo of the thief.

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Simply Endearing

2012-01-21T16:54:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day to visit the Deering Estate. Surprisingly, attendance was light on such a beautiful January day. We had almost the whole place to ourselves although, as you can see, a late afternoon wedding was getting ready to change that.

Deering Estate at Cutler
16701 SW 72nd Ave.
Miami

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The Big Picture: Costa Concordia

2012-01-21T14:00:00.001-05:00

The Boston Globe has done a great job collecting some amazing photos, including the one above showing a huge boulder embedded in the ship's hull, of the Costa Concordia cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Italy.

Here.

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There's Only One Man To Blame

2012-01-21T10:00:00.004-05:00

Cuban prisoner of conscience Wilmar Villar Mendoza died Thursday in a hospital in Santiago de Cuba after an extended hunger strike and Cuban-American hardliners in Miami have predictably exploited Villar's death as an opportunity to excoriate President Obama and anyone who supports his trade and travel polices with the island nation, including fellow Cuban-Americans who travel to Cuba and/or send monetary support to family members there. Yesterday, Babalu's Editor, Val Prieto, sarcastically referred to those Cuban-Americans as the "good Cubans."

Let's be clear, whether it's Mendoza or Boitel or Zapata Tamayo, throughout history there is one person and one person only that is responsible for the deaths of these Cuban patriots.

To point fingers anywhere else is an amazing display of political opportunism that can only make Fidel Castro smile and appreciate Senator Marco Rubio and the rest of the Cuban-American hardliners who play into his weathered and wrinkled hands year after year after year.

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Your Morning Sift

2012-01-21T08:57:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

It's mornings like this one when I don't have a lot of time that I thank the South Florida blogosphere for being a little lazy. Enjoy your short morning Sift and don't forget about the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar.

A- Yes, Miami, we now have our own vodka...as South Florida Food and Wine notes.

ABSOLUT has created yet another new city-inspired vodka; this time around our very own Miami has been proofed and bottled; ABSOLUT MIAMI is infused with the flavors and essence of passionfruit and orange blossom.

B- South Floridians have the Miami Chamber of Commerce to thank for the abysmal quality of life that we experience, according to Eye on Miami.

This week data cruncher Sperling's Best Places rated America's Most Stressful Cities, 2012: of the top five, three are in Florida. Why? Because no fast-growing state in the nation allowed itself to be chopped into bits and pieces to favor developers and land speculators like Florida. We sold ourselves-- and keep selling ourselves-- to the lowest bidder. The result is a predictable mess: TRAFFIC, DEGRADED QUALITY OF LIFE, POOR SCHOOLS AND FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE.

Your Evening Sift

2012-01-20T20:56:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe that I'm still updating the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar but I am. There are so many things to do this weekend. Here we go, readers. Enjoy your Sift.

A- Discourse got a pretty cool phone call today.

The phone rang. “It’s Elizabeth Warren,” my wife said.

B- Check out Miami jazzman Leo Casino at Liam Crotty Photography.

C- The Miami Beach "Designer Parking Garages" and the attention they're getting has Transit Miami spitting fire.

More parking encourages more driving, which increases congestion and diminishes the livability and civility of the city. The addiction to parking that is deeply ingrained in Miami Beach knows no bounds. I can only describe it as a ‘fetish-ization’ of vehicular storage. With the newly-constructed ‘designer’ garages and three more parking-centric projects on the way throughout South Beach, I am beginning to wonder just how many more cars can cram on that narrow sliver of sand before it sinks into Biscayne Bay. Perhaps those airy parking garages will someday make a nice artificial reef.

D- Justice Building Blog crowns Anthony's Coal-Fired and Steve's as the best pizza places in Miami-Dade County.

At Steve's it's all about the sauce and their secret ingredient, which we strongly suspect is a large dose of sugar. The sauce makes the pizza and we've never had a bad slice. Steve's is a small pizza joint, serving slices and pies for the Jockey Club crowd nearby. There's not much ambiance, but then you don't need much when all you want are a few good slices.

E- CSA Share Week 7 is on display at Redland Rambles.

F- There's a new "trendy Asian fusion gastrolounge" opening in Delray, according to Eater Miami.

The whimsy of the restaurant continues at the bar where home made lychee cotton candy will be served along with numerous house infused vodka libations, including the questionable flavors of yellow Skittle, green apple Jolly Rancher, marshmallow and black seedless grape.

G- The Heat Lightning links to some pretty interesting Reddit forum threads in which a South Beach doorman answers questions about being a doorman.

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Flashback Friday

2012-01-20T14:00:00.001-05:00

1985...

The Cure, In-Between Days

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Jerry Springer Takes Down Carlson And Fox

2012-01-20T11:30:00.001-05:00

You gotta love Fox New's Gretchen Carlson's incredulous reaction when Jerry Springer calls out Fox News about their "fair and balanced" approach to delivering news...

Here's a couple examples of Carlson "just letting her viewers decide for themselves."

First, she wonders whether union teachers are brainwashing students...

Second, she describes how the Obama Administration is "working overtime" to raise taxes...

Gretchen Carlson is a conservative hack employed by Fox News just like 99% of her fellow commentators there at Fox. Hearing the truth from Springer in front of a national audience was obviously a little too much for her to take.

I never thought I would ever pat Jerry Springer on the back for anything but, damn, he done good.

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Richard Schiffman On The Joys Of Blogging

2012-01-20T09:15:00.001-05:00

I found myself nodding in agreement to most of what Richard Schiffman recently wrote for the Huffington Post about the joys of blogging...

What is unique about a blog is that the readership is so visceral and indeed frequently in your face. They give you a piece of their mind as you have given them a piece of yours. They tell you in the comment string why they either love or hate what you have written. They correct you, when you have erred, they expand on your points, they cite facts that you may have ignored, they call you on your prejudices, laud your wisdom, accuse you of angling for a book deal -- you name it.

[...]

But again, it is not just the speed of publication, or even the ubiquity of the responses that sets blogging apart. It is being part of a larger conversation. An article in print lives and dies on the page, often soon after it comes out. A blog is a different kind of animal. It is the opening of a conversation. As writers, we have a tendency to take our own ideas as finished end products. We may think that we are Moses handing down the Ten Commandments from some taintless mountaintop of vision. Fortunately, blogging quickly disabuses us of all such notions!

For one thing, the form of the blog does not lend itself to making authoritative pronouncements so much as floating trial balloons of ideas and jotting down some spontaneous reflections. Which is not to say that a blog post should not be thoughtful, factually accurate, focused and well crafted. But the point of a blog is to provoke thought, not to spell out some definitive and exhaustive theory of all and everything.

In this respect, blogs are very postmodern -- or Zen, if you prefer. A good blog shows you thinking on your feet. It is not a closed system of thought, it is not the final, settled Truth of the matter. It does not even believe in final Truths, it believes in a process of thinking things out together on the big issues which confront us.

Make sure you check out the whole thing.

Contrary to what some may think, I love the debate and discussion here at SFDB and elsewhere in the blogosphere. It's when you close down that debate that a blog slowly withers and loses its character. It's difficult to keep the discussion going sometimes because there are so many yahoos out there [just take a look at the Herald comment board any given morning] but it's a necessary evil of having an open comment system.

I can't imagine blogging without engaging my audience through comments. It just wouldn't be enjoyable any more.

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SFDB Morning Chuckle

2012-01-20T08:15:00.002-05:00

Not bad for an angry black Muslim who hates America...

At the Apollo, no less.

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The Cooler

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here's what I found interesting in this morning's news.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Life in South Florida.

Owner of the Tantra Restaurant on Espanola Way, Hogle was outside his business Tuesday morning when an acquaintance beckoned. The man was protecting a flock of pigeons from some very curious cats. The birds had been found inside a box in a nearby Dumpster.

B- Sun-Sentinel: There are some left.

JM Family Enterprises, Ultimate Software, and Baptist Health are employers with South Florida headquarters named Thursday to Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For, 2012."

C- Palm Beach Post: All in $1 bills.

BOYNTON BEACH — The church that's moving into a shut-down Federal Highway strip club soon will be open for business after receiving a surprise donation: a staggering $12,000.

"Oh, Lord. I cannot explain it," Pierre Dumont, pastor of Eglise Assemblee Evangelique de Christ, said Thursday night. "For us, we consider this as a miracle."

[...]

For weeks, volunteers have painted over black walls, pulled out the dancing poles and torn up carpeting still smelling of stale alcohol.

D- NBC Miami: It just takes one of these pinheads.

The man who struck and killed a pedestrian with his SUV in Miami Beach early Thursday was Brazilian race car driver J.P. Mauro, police said.

The 20-year-old Brazilian was driving a silver Mercedes-Benz SUV north on Collins Avenue at about 60 mph in a 30 mph zone when his car swerved left and drove up onto the sidewalk at about 1:30 a.m., Miami Beach Police spokesman Juan Sanchez said.

That is where Mauro struck pedestrian Russell Knudson, 45, who was attempting to put his bicycle into a rear door of a four-wheel-drive Toyota, Sanchez said. The impact threw Knudson “to the sidewalk, mid-block” and he died on the scene, Sanchez said.

The Mercedes kept going north on the sidewalk until it stopped just before 40th Street, according to Sanchez.

E- WPLG: It's dry out there.

MIAMI - The National Weather Service announced Thursday that abnormally dry conditions have returned to South Florida with areas in southern Miami-Dade and mainland Monroe counties experiencing moderate drought conditions.

Dry weather has been occurring in South Florida since November 2011 thanks to an area of high pressure that has been keeping things dry. The cold fronts that have passed through South Florida this winter have been dry with very little rainfall associated with them putting South Florida in a high risk for wildfires.

F- WPLG: OMG! OMG!

MIAMI - Denver quarterback Tim Tebow and LeBron James exchanged tweets early Friday morning.

Following the Heat's win over the Lakers, Tebow tweeted to James, "Way to ball out tonight @KingJames! Loved the black & white @MiamiHeat uni's!"

LeBron tweeted back a short time later, "Thanks buddy! I'll have one for u."

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-20T07:26:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

Man, it was busy in the South Florida blogosphere last night. TGIF and all that. Make sure you check out the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar and enjoy your morning Sift.

A- Miami Beach 411 has more background on events leading up to the recent arrests of 7 Occupy Miami activists on the FIU campus.

B- Go Hydrology! compares this swamp year with past ones.

Also memorable was the epic winter deluge in February of 2008.

It flushed water well up into the marl prairies in what had appeared, up until that point, to be an early and deep dry down towards spring. The flood waters were all the more ostentatious because the ground vegetation in the prairies was thin and dormant in its threadbare winter state.

C- Hallandale Beach's Yardhouse Burger is better than average, says Burgers by the Beach.

With 9 burgers and 5 sliders to choose from its hard to pick but I went with the Pepper Jack burger, with roasted green chiles, roasted garlic aioli & well, pepper jack cheese. Cooked medium. I mention this because the burger was so juicy it was bleeding onto the plate as it arrived.

D- The Miami Bike Scene posts a couple excellent local BMX videos.

E- Tropicult profiles local artist Baghead.

Baghead is an artist of many mediums, from pencil sketches to murals to his favorite, felt tip markers. If you’ve met him at Kill Your Idol, The Vagabond, or other favorite local spots he frequents he may have already drawn you a picture on a bar napkin. That being said, he prefers a glass of wine when he draws and buzzed or not, Baghead is one friendly dude.

F- The Reid Report tells us why Newt Gingrich is a 1%'er.

G- Is Philly depressing? Obalesque gives his opinion.

Philadelphia was a dreary place for a long time but it has remade itself remarkably. By the time I left I knew I would miss it, and I did and still do. At the moment it’s 34 degrees there. I’m not going back. If I want to get depressed again, I’ll do it here. All I need to do is look at my bank balance.

H- Newt Gingrich's performance last night in the latest GOP debate, while appealing to the Republican base, demonstrates just how unfit he is for the office of the President, according to Bark Bark Woof Woof.

You can debate whether or not Mr. King should have brought up the question as the first one in the debate, and you can even debate whether or not it's a fair question to ask. Given the way the current crop of Republicans is intent on telling other people how to live their private lives and who they can or cannot marry or whether or not they can use contraception during sex, it seems like a legitimate question to ask them about their support of "traditional" marriage: one man, one woman, until death do you part, etc. But there's one thing that's breathtakingly clear: John King wouldn't have asked the question if Newt Gingrich hadn't been screwing around on his second wife in the first place. So for Mr. Gingrich to get on his high horse, act mortally offended, blame the media (and Barack Obama indirectly) and whip up the crowd to a standing-ovation frenzy, is defense, deflection, projection, and denial in its purest form and just the latest example of many that Newt Gingrich doesn't have the character or the maturity to be anywhere near the Oval Office.

Your Evening Sift

2012-01-19T21:59:00.001-05:00

Well, if you're still up I have a decent evening Sift for you along with the regularly updated SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar. Enjoy.

A- Shorter Miami Beach 411...

SOPA is a great proposed law that I firmly believe in and regularly violate.

B- Road work is way behind schedule on the Venetian Causeway, according to Belle Isle Blog, and the Miami Marathon is just around the corner.

“It’s a mess,” acknowledged Whitney Murphy, event manager for US Road Sports, which stages the annual race. Her organization expects a record 25,000 runners for this year’s marathon and half-marathon, about 3,000 more than last year. No matter the distance, all runners cross the Venetian.

“There is a lot of construction,” she said, and joked: “I’m getting gray hair at 26.” She said the marathon organizers are “working with the county and the city and they are going to smooth out the road for the runners and wheel chairs.”

C- Miami Beach's parking garages are becoming the talk of the art world and newspapers, says Culture Designers.

D- It was a rocking at Grand Central last night and Beached Miami shares their photos.

On the verge of shipping out on the Weezer Cruise, indie rock god-nerds Sebadoh played Grand Central Wednesday night to an appreciative but staid audience of around 250. Miami-based bands PLAINS and Jacuzzi Boys (both in the top five of the SoFla 2011 Songs list) warmed up the crowd.

E- For her upcoming 6th blogaversary, Restaurant Gal is looking at notable posts from each year.

I took time these past few weeks to look back at the beginning of a writing project I never thought would last a month, much less years. I was at once struck by my energy to write so often as I was by how differently I might write many of those stories today. Over the next few weeks, I’ll revisit each year of RG before offering a look forward. Enjoy this post’s 2006 retrospective.

F- Camera Ephemera pays homage to the late Kodak.

I certainly exposed a lot of their film; sometimes, I bought it "processing included," sending the exposed roll back to Kodak to be developed using a mailer included with the roll.

G- Burger Beast wants to know what you think of the food trucks...on the QT, of course.

All I’m looking to do is to put together the best possible events for you and I’d like one on one comments privately other than those with a bone to pick publicly which is why I won’t allow comments to be left on this post.

H- There's lots of theater to talk about in this week's Scene...at South Florida Theatre Scene.

I- South Florida Lawyers excerpts some articles discussing the chances of any passengers collecting off the recent cruise ship accident.

J- Boy Writes Miami says "meh" about Damn Good Burger.

The truth is you’ll probably never hear anyone say, “let’s go to Damn Good Burger” unless they’re stupid coworkers with children and they think “damn” is some kind of taboo word requiring further inspection. There’s just nothing special about the place, except maybe the decor which tries for the ’60s but only goes far enough so that it looks like they’re saying, “look, we ‘like’ the ’60s, but we like not looking like Steak ‘n Shake either.”

K- Eye on Miami gives us more reasons not to vote for casinos.

We can't even figure out how people are going to get to the new Marlins Stadium by car or public transit. Anyone who has read this blog knows our view about the pitiful traffic pattern of downtown Miami, including the insertion of the Performing Arsht Center and the Heat Arena and the new Museum named for Jorge Perez. Yes with failing to plan for traffic, Miami shoots itself in the foot better than any other city in America.

Name That Spot #24

2012-01-19T11:30:00.001-05:00

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

Tell me what business establishment this belongs to and where it is located.

Past winners include 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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Miami New Times "Best Blogs:" "Political" Or Not?

2012-01-19T09:15:00.002-05:00

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out whether the blogs that the Miami New Times just named as "Miami's Best" are limited to political blogs or blogs in general. Here's why.

On Tuesday, January 17th, MNT announced their Best Of Honorable Mentions on Riptide with this post title...

Overnight that morphed into this [although, strangely, it's dated today]....

On the same day, MNT announced the main attraction with this title [again, with today's date]...

Finally, another Riptide post on Wednesday referred to "Miami's Top 10 Political Bloggers"...

From the kind of selections they made and the thought process that apparently drove a couple of the post titles, it sure seems like MNT meant their picks to represent the best political blogs in Miami.

So why is this distinction important? If MNT is saying that these are the best blogs that Miami has to offer, then blogs like Miami Beach 411, South Florida Classical Review and Food for Thought, all non-political Miami blogs that provide stellar writing and great local content on a regular basis, are apparently not as good as the ones they selected.

I would vigorously disagree and maintain that MNT has it right when they call their picks [with the exception of Beached Miami which does a heck of a lot of things right but rarely gets political] the Best Political Blogs in Miami.

The Best Miami Blogs, overall, are a whole different grouping that should be left for discussion on another day.

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SFDB Cool Of The Day

2012-01-19T08:23:00.000-05:00

1980 Land Rover

-via Fancy

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The Cooler

2012-01-19T08:14:00.000-05:00

Running short on time this morning so not a real long Cooler for you. Enjoy.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Publix getting cheesier.

Publix stores will be expanding specialty cheese sections to offer more gourmet snack options with helpful signs and meal tip displays.

New signs will call attention to specially priced items, new products and also offer helpful information on pairing wine and cheese, said Kimberly Reynolds, Publix spokeswoman.

B- Sun-Sentinel: Because too many people have no lives whatsoever.

PALM CITY— Following recent reports that Casey Anthony might be living in St. Lucie County, online site The Daily Beast is reporting Anthony has taken refuge at Cross Church in Palm City, under the wing of lead Pastor Steve Camp.

Local media outlets descended upon 34th Street in Palm City, where the Christian church is located, on Wednesday night. Police patrolled the grounds' perimeter watching for trespassers.

Neighborhood residents drawn to the media trucks and flashing lights got an eyeful. People with signs stating "Hide your Kids" roamed the street. Pro-Casey residents rode by, yelling "Casey is innocent!"

C- Sun-Sentinel: Life in South Florida.

According to an arrest affidavit filed in the case, Samantha Hepburn, Giselle Shillingford and Marquita Addison were sitting inside a parked Volkswagen Beetle on Tuesday in the 800 block of Northwest Ninth Street when Parker intentionally rammed into them.

"The victims then observed the defendant, armed with a baseball bat, exiting the driver's side of the white truck and intentionally using the baseball bat, breaking the windows," the affidavit said.

Parker swung the bat twice at Hepburn before striking her head, the document said.

Meanwhile, people that were inside Parker's truck, got out of the vehicle and smashed the Volkswagen's back window.

As Parker drove away, the victims said that Parker's passengers jumped into the bed of the truck and one man fired three gunshots toward the Volkswagen, the affidavit said.

D- Palm Beach Post: Geniuses at work.

BOYNTON BEACH — In the three months since the city's Shopper Hopper bus service was taken over by Boca Raton's Mae Volen Center, ridership is down more than half over 2010, according to a report prepared for this week's city commission meeting.

But, as people became used to the new configuration, ridership grew 15 percent in the first month and another 10 percent in the next one, the report said.

With most riders being seniors on fixed incomes, recreation and parks director Wally Majors has no doubt about the primary cause for the drop: a jump from 50 cents a ride to $3.

"That's a 600 percent increase," Majors told commissioners Tuesday. "That's Economics 101."

E- Miami Today: Just like the snow birds.

After hailing the arrival of the world's largest passenger airliner last year, Miami International Airport officials are disappointed to learn that Lufthansa's daily flights between Germany and Miami using the Airbus A380 will end in March.

Beginning March 25, the German carrier will switch to the smaller Boeing 747 for the daily flights between Frankfurt and Miami, Lufthansa confirmed this week.

[...]

A380 flights are expected to resume in October, said county Aviation Director Jose Abreu.

F- WPLG: Surprised this doesn't happen more often.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - A man was killed early Thursday morning while getting into his car on Collins Avenue at 39th Street in Miami Beach.

A Mercedes SUV was traveling Northbound on Collins Avenue around 1:30 a.m. when police say the driver hit a man who was getting into his car.

That man was killed instantly.

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

35 years ago it was snowing in South Florida. Something to keep in mind as you check out the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar and peruse through your morning Sift.

A- The Green Parrot Bar has some great images from the most recent Green Parrot Ukulele Association meeting.

B- Random Pixels is videotaping the local evening news on WPLG and critiquing the anchors.

I would love to know how many times he cringes as he watches Laurie Jennings and Calvin Hughes - Channel 10's Dynamic News Duo - bumble and stumble their way through 90 minutes of news.

Here's 21 seconds from Wednesday night's 5pm newscast that pretty much tells you all you need to know about this pair.

C- Eye on Miami decides to stop staying at Marriotts because their CEO is a Republican.

I have been loyal to the Marriott hotel chain always staying at one during my globetrotting. Well, trips to New York is more accurate. I heard some bad news that has soured my love affair with the chain, the CEO is a right wing Republican contributor.

D- There's nothing like the wrath of a scorned woman as Newt Gingrich is about to find out, according to Bark Bark Woof Woof.

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Your Evening Sift

2012-01-18T20:23:00.000-05:00

Over the hump and on the downside into the weekend, readers, and you know what that means: the SFDB Weekend Widget is operational in the right sidebar. As always, we'll keep updating it through the weekend. Enjoy your evening Sift.

A- After some prodding, Gun Free Zone analyzes a recent shooting in Miami-Dade County during which a husband exercising his 2nd Amendment rights shot his wife after mistaking her for an intruder.

It is very probable that hubby’s sudden face to face with the wife was surprising and scary enough to provoke a basic reaction and the booger hook activated the bang stick.

B- Blogging Black Miami tells us all about the West Perrine MLK Parade.

Mr. Ed Hanna and the parade organizers should be proud. There were not as many spectators as usual but it was a nice, ethnically diverse crowd, representative of Dr. King’s fight for the civil rights of mankind. I’m always curious if the folks who attend or participate in the parade really understand why we celebrate with a national holiday.

C- Artlurker describes another kind of "CSA" that launched today.

For one price of $450, CSA members (but not necessarily members of LegalArt it seems) will each receive one work from each of the nine featured Miami artists: Jenny Brillhart, Kerry McLaney, Julie Friel, Gustavo Roman, Jason Hedges, Valeria Yamamoto, James Herring, Michelle Weinberg and Kathleen Hudspeth. Once a month for three months beginning February, three of the nine artists will congregate at a pre-disclosed location where CSA members can collect their works and meet the artists included in that month’s share.

D- Photos from Art Deco Weekend are up at Miami Beach 411.

E- A new pop-up restaurant is getting ready to open and Eater Miami has the details.

Wasting neither time nor his winnings, Chopped winner Giorgio Rapicavoli, along with pal and biz partner Alex Cassanova, is opening a pop-up restaurant called Eating House, scheduled to start dinner service early February through August inside Cafe Ponce, an existing breakfast and lunch joint in Coral Gables. Eating House will only be open from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday following the departure of Cafe Ponce's lunch crowd and staff when Rapacavoli and his crew will, explains a publicist, "turn the diner-style restaurant into a fun and funky, sort-of underground spot to grab delicious dinner and creative drinks."

F- Eat It, Miami's feel good [and somewhat hard to follow] review of Miami Beach's Hogzilla takes a turn for the worse when they get the bill.

$2 for "rocks?" $2 FOR ROCKS???

Any bourbon drinker will tell you that cheap bourbon is for mixing at college football games, good bourbon is excellent over ice and Pappy Van Winkle only touches the glass and your tongue. The words "Woodford on the rocks, please" come out of my mouth multiple times on any given weekend. Never have I had a bar or restaurant add a charge for ice. Notice they did it again on the Patron shots that my buddies visiting from DC had for dessert. Yes, they drink tequila for dessert.

G- Thoughts from Discourse on today's SOPA protest.

Much as I sympathize with the motives, I have never much liked campaigns that try to take the oppressor’s symbols (pink triangles, yellow stars, what have you) and turn them around into pride symbols. The origins stick.

Similarly, I get the idea of fighting censorship with quiet. See what censorship will get you? But I still don’t like it. So I’ve run a compromise, with an overlay on this site that you can click through.

The Obama Bump

2012-01-18T14:00:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure what, if anything, this says about our President.

I just really liked the picture.

-via Zandar Versus The Stupid

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Driving Around South Florida

2012-01-18T11:30:00.001-05:00

Spotted in Coral Springs by a Tamarac Talk reader...

There are a couple more sides to that vehicle, so make sure you check the above link.

No doubt this driver is also a firm believer that America should be a nation of child janitors selling doughnuts.

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SFDB Post Of The Week

2012-01-18T09:15:00.001-05:00

SFDB selects its Post of the Week by going back and reviewing all the Sifts that we've done over the previous week. We find the best post of the week and note the runners ups as we judge them to be.

Last week was a nice week of posting in the South Florida blogosphere. When I look at my selections, I feel like we had a good balance. See if you agree.

Runners-Up: Redland Rambles provided an informative post on Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead, one of those places all locals need to visit at least once. If you're considering a trip to Delray Beach anytime soon, make sure you use this fantastic blog entry by South Florida Food and Wine as a definitive reference. A new transportation service on Miami Beach called Swoop was profiled very nicely by Miami Beach 411.

Winner: Whenever a blogger can get exclusive coverage of an important news event, the resulting post is bound to be significant just by virtue of the fact that no one else was there. Such was the case when Carlos Miller, on the job for Miami Beach 411, was there when some Occupy Miami protesters were recently arrested at FIU. Carlos had his video camera, of course, and captured the whole thing on tape. FIU Police Arrest Occupy Activists For Attempting Concert also provided some important narrative on the chronology of events that led up to the arrests. Overall, just a great post that wound up furnishing info for many of the local mainstream media outlets. Kudos to Miami Beach 411 for this week's SFDB Post of the Week.

'Til next time, people, keep on blogging!

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SFDB Cool Of The Day

2012-01-18T08:26:00.000-05:00

1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster

-via Fancy

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The Cooler

2012-01-18T07:47:00.001-05:00

There's some kind of large cat on the loose and terrorizing neighborhoods in Broward. That and other wonderful news in the Cooler.

A- WSVN: Life in South Florida.

DAVIE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Wildlife officials are on the hunt for an animal that has recently been terrorizing one South Florida neighborhood.

Homeowner Lori Gress Friedberg said she saw a large black cat in the backyard of her Davie home. "It was a black panther," said Friedberg.

[...]

Another neighbor spotted a big black cat in the area, and one woman said the stray cats she used to feed are all gone.

B- Sun-Sentinel: Wild night in Boca.

A Boca Raton man taking a joy ride on his dune buggy through city property late at night has been arrested for drunken driving, police said.

Michael Biscardi III, 43, was charged with DUI after a Boca Raton patrol officer spotted him in his off-road vehicle, tearing through a city construction site in the 1500 block of NW 40th Street, according to an arrest report.

The officer saw the buggy's headlights in the unlit construction site across from the Spanish River Library around 10:15 p.m. Thursday. He turned a spotlight on the buggy, but Biscardi turned the four-wheeler around and tried to get away.

C- Palm Beach Post: Better than golf balls?

Since 2008, when Palm Springs approved the construction of a paintball facility bordering their home on Willow Road, the Johnsons have been living with noise and debris from flying paintballs.

"Our house is being plastered, and it's not fair," said Mary Johnson, 57.

Each weekend, Johnson said, she and her husband are subjected to constant noise from the Spent Paintball facility, which regularly hosts paintball games, tournaments and private parties. They also spend a significant amount of time cleaning up paintball damage to their home, cars, pool and plants.

D- Palm Beach Post: As long as it's not delivered by The King.

South Florida-based Burger King is testing door-to-door delivery at four restaurants in the Washington-D.C. area, according to a report in USA Today. If the trial works out, the idea could expand.

[...]

"There are some real food-quality issues here," Ron Paul, president of research firm Technomic, told USA Today. "But there’s no question that consumer expectation for having things delivered has risen."

E- CBS4: Now we know why they didn't save the Manatees.

MIAMI (CBS4)- The Miami Marlins are looking for a few good dancers and performers.

The team is holding open auditions on Saturday for dancers, gymnasts, cheerleaders and break dancers in South Florida to join the 2012 Miami Marlins Energy Team.

F- WPLG: Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - A man in Coral Gables received a piece of mail Tuesday from the past—36 years in the past.

"Holy smoke," Marc Smit told Local 10's Baron James.

Right along with his usual bills and letters, Smit received a copy of "Ms." Magazine from 1976.

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-18T07:02:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

You might notice that some of your favorite websites are off line today. Here's why. Enjoy your morning Sift.

A- Go Hydrology! compares the last few Florida dry seasons and there are graphs included.

Each in its own way has been extreme, either on the wet or dry side. For each year, however, timing of rain, or lack thereof, has been just as influential as amount.

B- Obalesque makes me laugh about a not-so-laughable subject.

He snaps his rubber gloves and motions toward the table. I drop trou and bend over. What a job this poor man has chosen for himself. He runs his right arm in up to the elbow, then shoulder. You think I exaggerate? When he’s done he tells me my prostate feels fine, but I should have my top left molar checked out.

C- Culture Designers shares a brief wrap up of the Miami International Art Fair.

D- Bark Bark Woof Woof explains how the Republican Party is dipping into well worn strategies of the past to energize their base that have worked so well in the past.

Mr. Wallace knew how to whip up a crowd, tempering his rhetoric slightly so that he didn't come right out and use the n-word, but you knew who he was talking about when he railed against the welfare queens in their Cadillacs and strong young men who bought t-bone steaks with their food stamps. His slogan of "Stand Up For America" left little doubt who he was standing up against, and the Republican Party knew it too. When Richard Nixon ran on the Southern Strategy, he was ripping off George Wallace, and Ronald Reagan followed along, putting the nice Disney polish on the ugly old formula.

Your Evening Sift

2012-01-17T20:07:00.000-05:00

It's was kind of slow out there in the South Florida blogosphere this afternoon. Not a whole lot going on but I still was able to put together a pretty decent evening Sift for you.

A- It shouldn't surprise anyone that Gun Free Zone, the guy who is always on high alert and ready to kill someone, wants to continue to carry his gun into his local hospital waiting room.

And before you throw a sh*t [Ed.] fit, do yourself a favor and Google Medical Malpractice Deaths per year. Apparently a stethoscope is more dangerous than a Glock with a 30 round “clip.”

B- It's strawberry time in South Florida and the fields are waiting for you, according to Brickell Life.

If you pick a bunch, you'll be happy to know that the berries freeze very well. Just make sure you wash and clean them before storing in your freezer. Then all you have to do is dump them into a blender, add a little yogurt or milk and you've got an instant smoothie. Or let them thaw and add them to Greek yogurt like we do for breakfast and hit them with some local organic orange blossom honey.

C- Transit Miami provides their take on this past weekend's M-Path Celebration Ride.

Not only was the ride a chance to share observations of the new (and older) construction, but also it also sent a powerful message demonstrating just how important the completion of the M-Path is to area walkers, joggers, cyclists and rollers of all sorts. Our local officials must understand that continued M-Path improvements are necessary to further encourage active transportation in Miami-Dade County. With the number of people using the M-Path rising by the day, it’s long past time we demand the same response and engineering prowess that goes towards automobile infrastructure be applied to our pedestrian and cycling facilities as well.

D- Food for Thought makes a salad from his CSA share.

No bacon, no eggs, no croutons - just arugula, tomatoes, cutting celery, slivers of last week's radishes, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper, and a dollop of creme fraiche to pull everything together. I recognize this is not terribly interesting as a recipe or a dining experience. But it's a testament to the joy of great produce, grown with care, that this was one of the best things I ate all weekend. Those tomatoes are an emotional experience.

E- Blogging Black Miami has the Miami-Dade early voting schedule.

Remember that registered Republican voters will vote on a presidential candidate and ALL registered voters can vote on the two charter amendment ballot questions.

F- Nice photo of the Aventura Holf Course from Miamism Pix.

G- Are Miami Beach PD's top brass star struck? Random Pixels thinks so.

Instead of keeping a tight rein on their officers, both De Lucca and Noriega seemed more intent during their time as chief on currying favor with A-listers that party non-stop on the Beach.

H- South Florida Lawyers notes a seemingly disparate policy for lawyers carrying tech equipment into the Federal courthouses located in the Southern District of Florida.

I- Eye on Miami endorses term limits and huge salary increases salaries for Miami-Dade commissioners.

The salary increase is a small price to pay to ensure we will get some of these f--kers out of office once and for all. And, who knows, it might actually attract better candidates. Just hold your nose and vote for it. If you want perfect be a martyr and kill yourself for those virgins up there waiting for you.

Last Night's Republican Debate: Meeting Expectations

2012-01-17T14:00:00.003-05:00

Questions to keep in mind as you watch the following video from last night's Republican debate in South Carolina.

Nevermind the fact that more whites benefit from government welfare programs...how can you expect an arrogant rich white guy like Newt Gingrich to understand that there's something seriously wrong with painting African-Americans as welfare queens?

And how can you ever expect a conservative audience from South Carolina [who mischievously laughs when Gingrich addresses Juan Williams by his first name] to understand this concept?

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SFDB 2011 Post Of The Year: The Nominees

2012-01-17T11:30:00.002-05:00

It's here. All year long the SFDB Editors have diligently selected the Posts of the Month and now it's time to name Numero Uno for 2011. Looking back over the PotM's, it has definitely been a Beached Miami kind of year but Eye on Miami has also had a strong showing and has fielded a couple entries that will be considered. And, of course, there are all the other excellent posts, too.

I've mulled over what this year's Grand Prize should be and since everyone already has a new iPad or iPhone or is getting around town in a decent set of wheels, I'm thinking a $75 Amazon gift certificate will make the winner quite happy. It should. You don't see the Miami New Times handing out cash like this, do you? Damn straight.

The 14 SFDB Editors will have until January 31st at high noon to reread the nominee posts and cast their votes, although if history is any indicator, I will be chasing after some of them during the evening of the 30th in a last minute frenzy. [Eye on Miami, I'm looking at you.]

Okay, so here are the nominees...

Nominee #1: "New World Symphony To Create A New Multimedia World In Gehry Hall"

[South Florida Classical Review, January]

Nominee #2: "Bargain Shopping in the Danger Zone"

[Miami Beach 411, February]

Nominee #3: "Sold!"

[Beached Miami, March]

Nominee #4:"Peppermint Candy"

[Ipanemic, April]

Nominee #5: "Words and Pictures"

[Hidden City, May]

Nominee #6: "For The Love Of Lychees"

[Redland Rambles, June]

Nominee #7: "Y&T Records: 30 Years Of Music In One Room"

[Beached Miami, July]

Nominee #8: "Port of Miami Dredge Project Could Kill Rare ‘Super’ Coral"

[Beached Miami, August]

Nominee #9:"Absentee Ballot Fraud" (3 Parts)

[Eye on Miami, September]

Nominee #10: Rebeca Sosa Thanks Eye On Miami And We Thank The Commissioner.

[Eye on Miami, November]

Nominee #11: Metrorail ‘Bike and Ride’ Gets a Boost With New Hanging Bike Racks

[Transit Miami, December]

Just a couple notes: SFDB was on vacation for most of October and a Post of the Month was not selected. Also, I'm in the process of designing a more attractive Post of the Year logo. I can't guarantee that it's going to be a work of art but it should be something a little better than the above effort.

There's your nominees, folks. Some great blogging so make sure you check them out and if you have any comments, feel free to leave them below.

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Language, Religion And Consistency

2012-01-17T09:15:00.001-05:00

For most of us, being bilingual or knowing several different languages is something to be applauded. Leave it to the anti-intellectual conservatives to seriously wonder whether being able to converse in something other than English is actually beneficial...

During his campaign speeches, Jon Huntsman would often say a few sentences in Mandarin Chinese. This display did not go over well with audiences, which led some commentators to suggest that knowledge of a second language is a political liability.

Fortunately, the right-wingers at the National Review Online set us straight.

It’s good for candidates to know other languages. Because so many issues involve statistics, it’s also good for them to know calculus. But it would be strange if a candidate routinely interrupted speeches to solve differential equations. People would think that the candidate was just showing off.

So it's okay if you know a second language, just be careful how you use it. Apparently, there's an appropriate time and place and if conditions aren't right, you could be considered to be a bit of a show off.

Which got me to thinking...wouldn't it be a great thing if conservatives could apply the same reasoning to religion as they do to speaking other languages?

SFDB Cool Of The Day

2012-01-17T08:15:00.001-05:00

-via The Daily Wh.at

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The Cooler

2012-01-17T07:23:00.001-05:00

Here's your morning review of the mainstream media, folks. Enjoy.

A- Sun-Sentinel: Life in South Florida.

LAUDERDALE LAKES— Elizabeth Carter heard two gunshots outside her apartment Saturday. On Sunday morning, she said, blood seeped through her bedroom ceiling.

One or more killers had unleashed a massacre in the apartment above her, killing two women and a baby. Another baby was left unharmed to live amid the undiscovered carnage, possibly for a day.

"I believe they were all day there Saturday, because blood was leaking through to my house," said Carter, 72. "It takes a while for blood to leak through a ceiling, don't it?"

B- Sun-Sentinel: You need to be able to protect yourself against doctors and nurses.

In Florida, it's against the law to carry a gun into a school, an athletic event, a jail, a police station or a local government meeting. Not so with hospitals, where it remains perfectly legal to pack heat.

For years, Linda Quick of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association has wanted to change that. Just before each session of the Legislature, when her group publishes its agenda, it includes a talking point: "Add 'licensed hospitals and nursing homes' to the Safety Zone provisions of the Concealed Weapons Law."

The agenda item is once again on the association's list as the 2012 legislative session gets under way. "It's just common sense," says Quick. "You don't want guns in schools. Why on earth would you want them in hospitals?"

Fat chance, says Marion Hammer, the Tallahassee lobbyist for the National Rifle Association who has fought successfully for years against adding hospitals to the list. "NRA would oppose a bill that panders to the anti-gun political agenda of South Florida organizations,'' she wrote in an email to The Herald.

C- Sun-Sentinel: Where do I sign up?

New York-based Gotham Dream Cars provides such adventures on the streets of South Florida through its monthly "Dream Car Tour." Participants take turns driving six uber-luxury cars on a 150-mile sightseeing trip. They stop every half-hour to exchange vehicles.

[...]

Along with two different-model Ferraris, drivers on the recent South Florida tour took turns maneuvering cars that included a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Lamborghini Murcielago. They also took the wheels of a Bentley Continental GT and an Aston Martin DB9.

D- Palm Beach Post: Too bad, so sad.

MIAMI — A bank is foreclosing on the Florida home of O.J. Simpson, who is serving time in a Nevada prison for kidnapping, armed robbery and other charges.

E- TC Palm: They write letters.

Letter: Help law enforcement by copying birth certificates to driver's license

The controversy over illegal immigration has been discussed and disputed for many decades.

Recently some states have allowed law enforcement officers to question people that they stop about their legitimacy to be in this country. Some people think this could result in discrimination on the part of the law enforcement officers and some people think that it is in keeping with proper law enforcement procedures.

Allow me to make a suggestion for discussion. Since we already have to submit our original birth certificate to obtain or renew our driver's license, why not make the birth certificate a part of the license itself. It would be quite simple to copy and reduce the applicant's birth certificate and reprint it on the reverse side of the driver's license. The small amount of information that is now present on the reverse side could be reduced to make room for the birth certificate. Now every licensed driver in Florida would have a certified copy of their birth certificate contained as part of their driver's license.

This would help protect the rights of the driving public and also allow law enforcement speedy access to pertinent information to make their job easier.

F- CBS4: When you constantly live in fear...

Miami-Dade Police said Vasquez had gone out with her two children to run some errands and returned home earlier than expected because she had forgot something.

Her husband Larry Valadez was at their Southwest Miami Dade home at SW 146th Terrace and 158th Court.

“He heard some noises coming from the first floor,” said Det. Alvaro Zabaleta, of Miami-Dade Police. “As he walked downstairs, he armed himself with a firearm and at that point is when he turned the corner, met face to face and pulled the trigger and shot.”

Your Morning Sift

2012-01-17T06:45:00.002-05:00

Good morning.

And here we go. Time to get back into the swing of the things. Here's your morning Sift.

A- Bark Bark Woof Woof has some thoughts on last night's Republican debate in South Carolina.

Well, this is South Carolina, and this was where the Civil War began, so this kind of noise is to be expected. Giving Newt Gingrich a standing ovation for calling President Obama the "food stamp president" was typical; the dog whistles have been replaced by air-raid sirens and it's only a matter of time before he or someone in this crowd comes out and calls Mr. Obama that word that you know they just want to say. Oh, and this happened on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Really.

B- The305.Com shares a video from Dwyane Wade's 30th birthday celebration at the Setai.

C- Obalesque doesn't like to clothe himself.

In fact, I’m often naked around the house, and it wouldn’t trouble me in the least to parade bare-ass outdoors – say, walking the dog through the neighborhood. After all, except for the collar, she does it. There is a genuine sense of vulnerability, though, with one’s package exposed and bouncing about unprotected.

Your Evening Sift

2012-01-16T20:00:00.000-05:00

Back to work Tuesday tomorrow. Ugh. Enjoy your evening Sift.

A- Random Pixels remembers the upcoming anniversary of the big Miami snow of 1977.

At the Associated Press bureau on Biscayne Boulevard, 29 year-old staffer Marty Merzer was working the overnight shift and it was his task to break the bone-chilling news to the world.

A few days ago, Merzer shared with me what he remembered of that night.

B- Speaking of cold weather, Go Hydrology! posts some images of ice in the swamp that were taken a few nights back.

C- The Cuban Triangle is following the case against American Alan Gross in Cuba and has some links and commentary.

It’s an 18-page document that begins with his business address in Maryland and ends with a list of every single item that was in his possession, right down to his Scotiabank credit card. In between it describes his activities, and it makes reference to several volumes containing hundreds of numbered pages of evidence gathered against him, much of it obtained from the computer, I-pad, and flash drives that Gross carried.

D- South Florida Theatre Scene discusses the controversy associated with the annual Carbonell Awards nominations.

There have been complaints over the years that the process is flawed, and polical; that some are nominated for political reasons instead of on merit: and those complaints are not without some merit.

E- Belle Isle Blog stumbles upon a treasure trove of old photographs that capture Belle Isle and the other islands along the Venetian Causeway.

The archive includes beautiful old color postcards, like the one above, which we had not seen before, as well as photos that provide an even closer look at early Belle Isle (pre-condo) and the construction and development of the Venetian Islands and Miami Beach.

SFDB Cool Of The Day

2012-01-16T16:00:00.001-05:00

Audi A5 Coupe

- via Fancy

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Sunday On South Beach

2012-01-16T14:00:00.005-05:00

I spent most of yesterday walking around on South Beach. Cruised by the Art Deco celebration on Ocean and walked Alton and Washington Avenues. I can't help but think the place is becoming more of a carnival every day. The blaring music, food smells and outrageous sights bombard the senses in a way that becomes more annoying as I get older. It was nice to retire to a quiet Broward suburb at the end of the day.

Two items of note...first, human billboards on Lincoln Road.

Really? I'm not sure how long this has been going on but...really?

Also, ate at Sosta yesterday for the first time and perhaps it was the perfect weather but the pizza tasted super. If you decide to go, try the "Sosta" with sundried tomato spreads, mozzarella, burratta cheese, and prosciutto crudo di parma. *Foodie imitation* The pizza was a deceptively simple dish, offering a wonderful contrast of a creamy cool cheese against a warm pizza, further brightened and enhanced by the other components.*/foodie imitation*

Since it's Lincoln Road, alfresco is a must....

SFDB Ecard Of The Day

2012-01-16T13:10:00.001-05:00

Embedded Comments @ SFDB

2012-01-16T12:00:00.001-05:00

I installed the latest and greatest commenting system that Blogger offers last night and would be interested in what you all think. I'm old school and usually stick with things that work just fine, but this embedded commenting system contains some features that might enhance your SFDB experience.

Try the new system and give me your thoughts.

-thanks to Random Pixels for the heads up.

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Your Morning Sift

2012-01-16T11:07:00.000-05:00

Good morning.

We're still in weekend holiday mode at SFDB HQ so your regular programming won't return until tomorrow. Enjoy your morning Sift.

A- Martin Luther King is remembered by Bark Bark Woof Woof and Gun Free Zone. From the former...

So here we now celebrate and honor the birthday of Dr. King three years into the presidency of the first African-American elected as president. And yet, the campaign to find a Republican candidate to run against Barack Obama's re-election has been colored, so to speak, with racial issues, including overt appeals on the part of some candidates to the old fears about "us" vs. "them" and the re-telling of myths and lies about welfare and African-Americans. And they haven't been subtle about it. Dr. King's admonition about judging us by the content of our character has been lacking in a lot of people who know that racism is still a specter in this nation and are willing to use it and exploit it.

B- Mike LaMonica is an orchid rescue man.

I’ve been taking in stray orchids for about a year now. The one’s that people usually toss away after the flowers die (yeah you). They aren’t the pretty kind like you’d buy in the store or boutique but to me that’s what makes them even more beautiful.

C- Carlos Miller claims his high-speed camera makes him look like a real pro and protects him from arrest.

Not only did I have a shotgun microphone on the camera, which enabled me to capture audio from a distance, but I was wearing headphones and had my 5D dangling from neck as well. The cops must have figured I was media and were smart enough to know that it would not have been wise to arrest me.

D- Nunez Photography shares images of Christmas decorations at a few typical South Florida residences.

E- Sounds like Mario the Baker on Biscayne Boulevard needs an attitude adjustment, according to this post from Eater Miami.

According to the father, who has been taking the children there since the four year old was an infant, the manager, Krista Tremblay, called him outside and said "We can't serve you, we can deliver to you or do takeout but we can't have your girls here. Maybe when they get older. They make too much of a mess and none of my waitresses want to wait on you."

F- Florida Keys Girl endorses Pepe's in Key West.

The food at Pepe’s is always good. The fish sandwiches are fresh. Mine, the blackened mahi mahi with cheese, was great. Cooked perfectly, and served with home fried potatoes, but not a ton of them, it is a reasonable sized portion.

G- So far, this winter has been warm in South Florida and Go Hydrology! has the graphs to prove it.

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MLK Day 2012

2012-01-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

It was Martin Luther King's last speech and you can't help but believe that he knew that James Earl Ray was close by. We have come so far, but Rush Limbaugh and people like him remind us every day of how far we have yet to go.

I'll be back later with the morning Sift.

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