Wednesday, December 31, 2008
latest city fiasco
Thank you for all the excellent research and information. Is there ANY of the, what, 20-25 community pools in S Fla that charges a flat rate? No matter how any swimmers and how much time? Are WE the only one to operate in this manner? There are reasons why all the other pools charge by the lane, time, and swimmers, right? IF ALL the other pools charge that way and WE charge a flat rate that is ridiculously cheap (because the City Manager has NO idea how much any other pools charge, as he has said in the past), then he is just incompetent beyond belief, and needs to go just for THAT staggering and stupendous stupidity! He is obviously NOT concerned about getting a fair market value for the residents, and seems to be MORE interested in putting money into swim team owners pockets than anything! Why would he be interested in lining the MDAC owners pockets with our tax dollars? Fabricating Optimist connections, totally failing to do due diligence in hiring the Rec Director, FORGETTING to include water, electric, and sewer connections to the new bathrooms, multiple expensive (300%) cost overruns and at least TWO YEARS to complete the bathrooms and the CC enclosure, each - how many more costly fiascos does it take to see hes in over his head (at the very least)? At the worst...... well, you decide.... There is a pattern of incompetence, at best; at worst is a pattern of backroom handshake deals, HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of taxpayers dollars lost, multiple fabrications, and willfully disregarding the Councils directions whenever he wishes. Is this the record of a man who is a good steward of our tax dollars? Is THIS a record of a man we can TRUST? You decide.
HR investigation?
Rumors are that Dotson is looking into this pool mess seriously. The HR lady is making some kind of investigation and will report to the Council tonight. Apparently they are waiting for some kind of word from Wilton Manors. Why didnt they do this BEFORE anybody was hired? Are they also lloking into the Hialeah jobs claimed? Gym vouched for the new Director- could it be he didnt do ANY of the standard checks one might expect? Doesnt sound like it. Was that another fabrication on Gyms part, or just laziness? It is NOT clear if the HR lady is looking into the complaints of the young ladies or not. It seems that only now is there a real vetting of the new Director. The HR lady apparently IS the one to look into the qualifications, work experience, etc. but its not clear she would be the best person to look into the young ladies complaints. We have profesional investigators on our police department - why are THEY not being requested by the Mayor and the Council to look into these allegations? The Chief seems to be a standup guy and would most certainly have a professional, impartial investigation done. A crude remark, or a touch on the arm, are mistakes but not the grounds for termination. Grabbing a butt, or other parts of the anatomy, or explicit offers are, of cousre, WAY out of bounds and ARE grounds for dismissal. We really dont know exactly WHAT happened yet, and may not until a complete investigation is done. Lets wait until ALL the facts are in before coming to any conclusions. Gym would like to sweep this whole thing under the rug, like the phantom Optimist connection, and the backroom secret handshake deals at the pool, but THATS not gonna happen.
questions persist
The City Manager has said in the past that he doesnt charge by the lane, like other pools do, and that he charges a flat monthly fee, as he wants. He has decided for the past 2.5 years+ that $200 a month is fair market value for the use of our pool for swim team practices. How did he arrive at that number? On what basis? It is obvious that the MDC pool is worth SIX+ TIMES more than our pool, for some reason. What would those reasons be? Is it possible that there are any other comparable pools in town that only charge for-profit, 100-strong swim teams $200 a month for three hours a day and six days a week? Even at $500 a month, it is still considerably less than HALF what they were paying at MDC! We are trying to determine fair market value and the MDC pool is the only comparable pool found to compare with. It is assumed that MDC is heated. Were they at MDC four years ago because our pool was closed during the Winter? During what years was our pool closed in the Winter? It would be helpful to know because it could indicate how much money was saved back then, as background information. Have the costs of chemicals, etc gone up significantly in the past four years? How many years were they based at MDC? Has MDC said how much they would charge NOW to have a for-profit swim team there three hours a day, six days a week? Are there any other pools in town that charge a flat rate per month, and not by the lane usage and times, for for-profit swim teams? If every OTHER pool in town charges by the lanes and times used, why are WE the exception? Did he just pick that number out of a hat? Did he do ANY research into what to charge BEFORE deciding to charge $200 a month? Or was it completely arbitrary, as it appears, with NO concern for getting the fair market value and a fair return for the residents?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
questions persist
The stated pool rentals by the Council is $60 per hour. For three hours a day that would add up to $180 per day; times six days = $1080 a week. Times 52 weeks =$ 56,160 per year. Is it possible that MDAC uses all 7 of the lanes on the deep end, PLUS some of the shallow end lanes? For $200 a month? If MDAC was paying $1300 a month to rent MDC, that amounts to $ 15,600 a year. If they were paying $1500 a month it amounts to $18,000 a year. They move from paying a MINIMUM of $15,600 a year to the Springs, where they are billed $2400 for MORE TIME AND MORE LANES! The $13,200 a year went straight out of the taxpayers pockets and INTO the MDAC owners pockets! The BS excuse about providing an incentive to get more Springs kids is bogus, because there were NO breaks given to the swimmers when they moved, only the owners. Why does a 100-strong Doral swim team with five stated places to practice NEED a HUGE discount? What are the specifics of that secret handshake deal Gym made with them? Does ANYBODY know? Does the Mayor or Council know? If not, why not? how is a secret handshake deal in ANY way enforcable if we dont even know what the terms of that agreement are? How many lanes? for how many hours? payments to be made when? by what method, and to who? How can the City Attorney APPROVE of this arrangement? Why hasnt he made ANY statement regarding the legality and means of enforcing such agreements, now that he KNOWS these deals exist?
clarifications
Claification: Our pool calculations. I calculated for the 7 lanes on the deep side as I have been told I cannot use them during the 3 hour time frame as they belong to the swim team. I did NOT include anything for the lanes used in the shallow end. The manager at MDC was helpful as it was explained that the pool mgt. must make an honest determination of lane usage and if 4 lanes are rented they must have the staff limit usage to that amount by the teams. Allowing a team to pay for way fewer lanes than used causes a loss of revenue and over extension of payroll. His word.... The real importance of all of this is to focus attention on management of our facilities. IF we do not charge a market value price for any and all facilities... especially for private business use.... and then actually collect what is charged... well, you can see what has happened.
New York Times
December 29, 2008, 8:12 am
When Lightning Strikes Wind Turbines
By Kate Galbraith
This has been known to fry wind turbines. (Photo: The Associated Press)With snow, ice and frigid weather, winter creates complications for renewable energy, as I wrote last week. But for Ralph Brokaw, a Wyoming rancher with both cows and wind turbines on his land, the worst hazard is not the ice that his blades can throw off in the winter.
Rather, it is lightning strikes on the towers, which usually occur in summer when there are more storms.
The effect is spectacular — and scary. “It will explode those blades, and they’ll throw chunks of blade several hundred feet,” Mr. Brokaw, a member of his local fire department, told me over the telephone.
As the chunks fall, the firefighters douse them with water. Otherwise, “There’s really not much you can do with a turbine that’s 200 foot tall and on fire,” he said.
Mr. Brokaw said that in the past five years he has been called to help put out two or three turbine fires. He said that “there’s oil and gearboxes and a tremendous amount of wiring” in the generator — so even though the turbines are very well-grounded, they can sometimes light up.
From Green Inc.
Mapping the World for a Wind-Powered Future
Wind Companies Compelled to Play Nice in New York
Prius: It’s Not Just a Car, It’s an Emergency Generator
The Secretary of Agriculture’s Climate Challenge
Turbulence for Two East Coast Offshore Wind FarmsFrom Around the Web
Boston Globe
Wind, wave power play
What's This?
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The Use and Abuse of Paper Towels
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.13 Comments
1. December 29, 2008
9:12 am
Link
It seems like the coverage of wind energy in this section disproportionately focuses on the risks associated with wind energy facilities (ice, lightning, etc) and often only anecdotally.
It would be nice to see the NY Times take a more comprehensive approach that scientifically assesses wind energy’s benefits and risks and compares them with the benefits and risks of other power generation options such as coal, nuclear, natural gas, etc.
Anecdotal pieces such as this one contribute little to the dialogue about our energy choices and future.
— Tim
2. December 29, 2008
9:45 am
Link
I’d like to see one of videos on YouTube. =)
Out of all the wind tubines out there I’d like to know how often lightning strikes one and then out of the ones that have been hit by lightning what was the end result (i.e. loss of life be it animals or humans and what kind of destruction to property along with the total value of the the property destroyed). My guess is that it’s not very high at all, but activists will be out there clamoring to show how unsafe they are while tens of thousands of people die on the roads each year. More people probably die from a vending machine falling on them than from a wind turbine being struck by lightning. But whatchya gonna do? People just have to complain about something, right?
— Capt. Concernicus
3. December 29, 2008
11:28 am
Link
If the these turbines are so dangerous, maybe we’ll have to have a Price-Anderson Act for wind like the other “carbon free” nuclear industry requires to be “economical”. (Not to speak of 80% federal loan guarantees.)
I’d second Tim’s comment on adding a bit more focus on comparative risk and more systemic rather than anecdotal commentary.
— Dennis
4. December 29, 2008
11:43 am
Link
The high number of annual lightning strikes to pole-mounted transformers (and the resulting explosions and fires in residential neighborhoods) hasn’t deterred utilities from using above-ground transmission and distribution lines. Two or three turbine fires won’t halt wind energy development in Wyoming, or anyplace else…once financing returns.
http://energypriorities.com/entries/2008/10/reffwest.php
— Denis Du Bois, Editor, Energy Priorities Magazine
5. December 29, 2008
12:37 pm
Link
Turnabout’s fair play, no? More people probably die from falling vending machines than from nuclear power plant explosions (and certainly do from consuming too much of what comes out of those vending machines :-)), yet some people find it perfectly acceptable to perpetuate misinformation about nuclear power. So how can they complain when similar tactics are used against them?
— James
6. December 29, 2008
12:55 pm
Link
I’m sure a lightning strike on a 200 foot tall wind turbine is amazing to watch, but apparently engineers have been working to prevent future fireworks displays that may force Wyoming Ranchers to get their entertainment elsewhere.
This company makes lightning rods that are inserted inside the turbine blades and suppress the massive current from a lightning strike. [http://machinedesign.com/article/when-lightning-strikes-wind-turbines-1011]
And this company goes a step further than a single point lightning rod with a design that relies on a sort of cluster effect of lightning “food” in the form a dense plasma cloud. [http://pepei.pennnet.com/display_article/210663/6/ARTCL/none/none/1/Ion-Plasma-Generator-Reduces-Wind-Turbine-Lightning-Strikes/]
— Brent
7. December 29, 2008
2:03 pm
Link
I think the previous comments display a little too much of that green self-righteousness that sometimes makes discussion difficult. The writer didn’t conclude by stating the risk of a lightning strike is good reason to avoid wind power. He was simply reporting a phenomenom which has been observed by people who live around turbines.
While I also support alternative energy sources, I hadn’t thought about this issue until reading it in the NYT. I think the story does a service in reminding the reader that there is no free lunch, even with environmentally friendly tech.
Here’s a few other “anecdotal” reports or concerns for the “pro-winders” to grind their teet over:
1. Wind turbines built in the flyways of migratory birds cause avoidable deaths of threatened species each year. Is this risk fully considered in choosing and approving sites?
2. Wind turbines are less effective in generating power on the hottest days - because there’s less wind - when we need this power the most.
3. Some neighbors of wind turbines have reported sleep disorders and nausea triggered by the constant, low frequency whine of the turbine blades. Is this risk properly disclosed and mitigated by proponents of wind energy?
3. Who pays to decommission these turbines when their useful life is exceeded? If I was leasing land for a turbine, I don’t want the promoter to abandon it and leave me with a 200 foot tall yard ornament.
And so it goes….
— P.D.
8. December 29, 2008
3:58 pm
Link
Wind power is not a solution.
The whole truth about wind turbines is never told by lobbyists and governments.
How could the very weak and extremely unreliable initial energy source of a wind turbine ever produce a steady power of any significance?
Please think!
And read: “Wind energy- the whole truth” at: http://www.windenergy-the-truth.com/
And to show how completely irrelevant wind power is in regard to the worldwide energy and climate crisis visit the following link: http://www.bp.com/iframe.do?categoryId=9024179&contentId=7044895
And play around with the charts you see there (The BP charts regarding energy reserves and energy consumption worldwide over the last 20 to 40 years.) and make some calculations. And if you don´t get confused with the zeros, you will get my point.
The resources now poured into futile, but very ingenious and high-tech windmills, could be far better used for, for example:
1) Burning coal in a cleaner way,
2) Efficiency of energy use in the broadest sense of the word
3) Promoting a drastic change of life style (There are about 6.5 billion people, who all have the right to have some energy to their disposal).
Just 3 ideas.
Alexander
— Alexander
9. December 29, 2008
7:19 pm
Link
I applaud Ms. Galbraith for pointing out some of the facts about wind turbines that the wind lobby is quick to dismiss. The National Lightning Safety Institute has very good information available about the hairline fractures that occur following lightning strikes. These fractures allow moisture to penetrate the blade and when the next strike occurs, the blade explodes. A lack of any regulatory environment makes incident reporting and data collection non-existent. Moreover, most turbines previously have been placed in unpopulated areas. No more…now the developers are proposing to place turbines within 750 feet of homes on Ohio, an extremely active area for lighting. Ohioans are scared to death and Ms. Galbraith’s article has brought attention to an important area of concern. olicy makers shoud take note and wind developers should be ashamed.
— julie
10. December 29, 2008
10:26 pm
Link
I agree with Alexander insofar as he understands the futility of wind energy, and appreciate the link to http://www.windenergy-the-truth.com/. The public and our law makers need to see more of the truth to neutralize some of the high priced hype they get from the T.V. and AWEA’s lobby force.
Since CO2 in the air is such a serious problem doesn’t it merit a seriousand focused solution? Wind energy is rarely consistent enough even across large regions to reduce coal emissions, but nuclear power can.
Surprisingly it boasts the lowest death rate per MWH of ANY generation source in the free world - ever. Nuclear also doesn’t require the massive grid system overhaul central plains wind dictates saving billions more. Furthermore, the technology to reprocess spent nuclear rods we already own reduces the spent fuel issue dramatically.
With our nation’s finite energy dollars we would do well to focus on a single meaningful solution, taking advantage of economies of scale and building a reliable domestic energy manufacturing infrastructure that gives depth of meaning to “energy independence” in the process.
Some slick talking politicians claim “there is no silver bullet” to cure our energy challenges and so we need “silver buckshot.” That sounds like a way to attract more votes, not a way to produce the maximum amount of low carbon electricity at the lowest cost.
— Thomas
11. December 29, 2008
11:18 pm
Link
Fried food kills more people in Texas than wind turbines ever did or will do. Bring ‘em on. The more turbines the merrier.
— Ben in Texas
12. December 30, 2008
9:06 am
Link
#7 - P.D,
IF I’m one of those “previous commentors” you are talking about I’d just like to say that in no way am I one of those granola chewing, tree-hugging hippies you are attempting to reference. I was merely pointing out that everyone has a gripe about something regardless of what it is. I believe we do need alternative energy supplies, but you don’t see me running to Toyota to trade in my car for a Prius. You don’t need to one extreme to make an impact. If everyone
did things in moderation and we developed realistic alternative energy sources we could cut down some of our “addiction” to foreign energy.
#8 - Alexander,
Do you work for BP? If so, I can see why you are so against wind turbines as an alternative energy source. Therefore any discussion with you would be absolutely pointless.
— Capt. Concernicus
13. December 30, 2008
1:03 pm
Link
Capt. Concernicus
Rest assured, I am not an employee of BP, but their link gives a good global picture regarding the Global Energy needs and generation. If you know a better link please let me know. I also agree an article like: ‘When Lightning Strikes Wind Turbines’ is completely anecdotic and does not address the global energy crisis in a substantial way.
The number one priority of the US must be:
Complete Independence of FOREIGN fossil fuels.
America is sitting on one of the biggest fossil fuel reserves in the world, called COAL. Good for another 100 or 200 hundred years! Like China and Russia. Pour the resources into developing the technology to burn that stuff in a clean and efficient way. And once when America has that technology, imagine the power that will bring by exporting that technology to the rest of the world? Having that technology will turn the table completely for America. Instead of wasting a trillion dollars on wind. Have a look at: http://www.windenergy-the-truth.com/wind-mills-electricity-yield.html There you will see how many monster (highly sophisticated) wind turbines a small country like the Netherlands has to build just to compensate their 1% increase of yearly electricity consumption.
Can you imagine Russia or China coming- up with that kind of technology first? America will be literarily blown of the face of the earth! And don’t forget that electricity is only 30% of all energy used. Why tackle only 30% of the problem with futile, but ingenious (Oh yes, I admire the technology used there, I am a mecanical engineer.) wind turbines and not tackle the complete problem.
Therefore America should do the following:
1) Burning coal in a cleaner way,
2) Efficiency of energy use in the broadest sense of the word
3) Promoting a drastic change of life style (There are about 6.5 billion people, who all have the right to have some energy to their disposal).
4) Put a 1 or 2 dollar tax on gas and use these revenues to force (or help) those dumboos in Detroit (I mean the CEO’s) to develop the most fuel efficient cars in the world. America has the technology and could lead again!
5) Super conductivity.
6) Plasma fusion.
7) Energy efficient housing. (Insulation, window planning and if you like put some solar panels and silly wind mill on the roof, but without subsidies and or tax breaks, but make it obligatory.)
8) Rethink city planning, so you don’t need a car to move from shop to shop.
Just a few ideas.
Alexander
When Lightning Strikes Wind Turbines
By Kate Galbraith
This has been known to fry wind turbines. (Photo: The Associated Press)With snow, ice and frigid weather, winter creates complications for renewable energy, as I wrote last week. But for Ralph Brokaw, a Wyoming rancher with both cows and wind turbines on his land, the worst hazard is not the ice that his blades can throw off in the winter.
Rather, it is lightning strikes on the towers, which usually occur in summer when there are more storms.
The effect is spectacular — and scary. “It will explode those blades, and they’ll throw chunks of blade several hundred feet,” Mr. Brokaw, a member of his local fire department, told me over the telephone.
As the chunks fall, the firefighters douse them with water. Otherwise, “There’s really not much you can do with a turbine that’s 200 foot tall and on fire,” he said.
Mr. Brokaw said that in the past five years he has been called to help put out two or three turbine fires. He said that “there’s oil and gearboxes and a tremendous amount of wiring” in the generator — so even though the turbines are very well-grounded, they can sometimes light up.
From Green Inc.
Mapping the World for a Wind-Powered Future
Wind Companies Compelled to Play Nice in New York
Prius: It’s Not Just a Car, It’s an Emergency Generator
The Secretary of Agriculture’s Climate Challenge
Turbulence for Two East Coast Offshore Wind FarmsFrom Around the Web
Boston Globe
Wind, wave power play
What's This?
Powered by Blogrunner
.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous post
The Use and Abuse of Paper Towels
Next post
New Year’s Ball in Times Square to Stay Bright, All Year Round
.13 Comments
1. December 29, 2008
9:12 am
Link
It seems like the coverage of wind energy in this section disproportionately focuses on the risks associated with wind energy facilities (ice, lightning, etc) and often only anecdotally.
It would be nice to see the NY Times take a more comprehensive approach that scientifically assesses wind energy’s benefits and risks and compares them with the benefits and risks of other power generation options such as coal, nuclear, natural gas, etc.
Anecdotal pieces such as this one contribute little to the dialogue about our energy choices and future.
— Tim
2. December 29, 2008
9:45 am
Link
I’d like to see one of videos on YouTube. =)
Out of all the wind tubines out there I’d like to know how often lightning strikes one and then out of the ones that have been hit by lightning what was the end result (i.e. loss of life be it animals or humans and what kind of destruction to property along with the total value of the the property destroyed). My guess is that it’s not very high at all, but activists will be out there clamoring to show how unsafe they are while tens of thousands of people die on the roads each year. More people probably die from a vending machine falling on them than from a wind turbine being struck by lightning. But whatchya gonna do? People just have to complain about something, right?
— Capt. Concernicus
3. December 29, 2008
11:28 am
Link
If the these turbines are so dangerous, maybe we’ll have to have a Price-Anderson Act for wind like the other “carbon free” nuclear industry requires to be “economical”. (Not to speak of 80% federal loan guarantees.)
I’d second Tim’s comment on adding a bit more focus on comparative risk and more systemic rather than anecdotal commentary.
— Dennis
4. December 29, 2008
11:43 am
Link
The high number of annual lightning strikes to pole-mounted transformers (and the resulting explosions and fires in residential neighborhoods) hasn’t deterred utilities from using above-ground transmission and distribution lines. Two or three turbine fires won’t halt wind energy development in Wyoming, or anyplace else…once financing returns.
http://energypriorities.com/entries/2008/10/reffwest.php
— Denis Du Bois, Editor, Energy Priorities Magazine
5. December 29, 2008
12:37 pm
Link
Turnabout’s fair play, no? More people probably die from falling vending machines than from nuclear power plant explosions (and certainly do from consuming too much of what comes out of those vending machines :-)), yet some people find it perfectly acceptable to perpetuate misinformation about nuclear power. So how can they complain when similar tactics are used against them?
— James
6. December 29, 2008
12:55 pm
Link
I’m sure a lightning strike on a 200 foot tall wind turbine is amazing to watch, but apparently engineers have been working to prevent future fireworks displays that may force Wyoming Ranchers to get their entertainment elsewhere.
This company makes lightning rods that are inserted inside the turbine blades and suppress the massive current from a lightning strike. [http://machinedesign.com/article/when-lightning-strikes-wind-turbines-1011]
And this company goes a step further than a single point lightning rod with a design that relies on a sort of cluster effect of lightning “food” in the form a dense plasma cloud. [http://pepei.pennnet.com/display_article/210663/6/ARTCL/none/none/1/Ion-Plasma-Generator-Reduces-Wind-Turbine-Lightning-Strikes/]
— Brent
7. December 29, 2008
2:03 pm
Link
I think the previous comments display a little too much of that green self-righteousness that sometimes makes discussion difficult. The writer didn’t conclude by stating the risk of a lightning strike is good reason to avoid wind power. He was simply reporting a phenomenom which has been observed by people who live around turbines.
While I also support alternative energy sources, I hadn’t thought about this issue until reading it in the NYT. I think the story does a service in reminding the reader that there is no free lunch, even with environmentally friendly tech.
Here’s a few other “anecdotal” reports or concerns for the “pro-winders” to grind their teet over:
1. Wind turbines built in the flyways of migratory birds cause avoidable deaths of threatened species each year. Is this risk fully considered in choosing and approving sites?
2. Wind turbines are less effective in generating power on the hottest days - because there’s less wind - when we need this power the most.
3. Some neighbors of wind turbines have reported sleep disorders and nausea triggered by the constant, low frequency whine of the turbine blades. Is this risk properly disclosed and mitigated by proponents of wind energy?
3. Who pays to decommission these turbines when their useful life is exceeded? If I was leasing land for a turbine, I don’t want the promoter to abandon it and leave me with a 200 foot tall yard ornament.
And so it goes….
— P.D.
8. December 29, 2008
3:58 pm
Link
Wind power is not a solution.
The whole truth about wind turbines is never told by lobbyists and governments.
How could the very weak and extremely unreliable initial energy source of a wind turbine ever produce a steady power of any significance?
Please think!
And read: “Wind energy- the whole truth” at: http://www.windenergy-the-truth.com/
And to show how completely irrelevant wind power is in regard to the worldwide energy and climate crisis visit the following link: http://www.bp.com/iframe.do?categoryId=9024179&contentId=7044895
And play around with the charts you see there (The BP charts regarding energy reserves and energy consumption worldwide over the last 20 to 40 years.) and make some calculations. And if you don´t get confused with the zeros, you will get my point.
The resources now poured into futile, but very ingenious and high-tech windmills, could be far better used for, for example:
1) Burning coal in a cleaner way,
2) Efficiency of energy use in the broadest sense of the word
3) Promoting a drastic change of life style (There are about 6.5 billion people, who all have the right to have some energy to their disposal).
Just 3 ideas.
Alexander
— Alexander
9. December 29, 2008
7:19 pm
Link
I applaud Ms. Galbraith for pointing out some of the facts about wind turbines that the wind lobby is quick to dismiss. The National Lightning Safety Institute has very good information available about the hairline fractures that occur following lightning strikes. These fractures allow moisture to penetrate the blade and when the next strike occurs, the blade explodes. A lack of any regulatory environment makes incident reporting and data collection non-existent. Moreover, most turbines previously have been placed in unpopulated areas. No more…now the developers are proposing to place turbines within 750 feet of homes on Ohio, an extremely active area for lighting. Ohioans are scared to death and Ms. Galbraith’s article has brought attention to an important area of concern. olicy makers shoud take note and wind developers should be ashamed.
— julie
10. December 29, 2008
10:26 pm
Link
I agree with Alexander insofar as he understands the futility of wind energy, and appreciate the link to http://www.windenergy-the-truth.com/. The public and our law makers need to see more of the truth to neutralize some of the high priced hype they get from the T.V. and AWEA’s lobby force.
Since CO2 in the air is such a serious problem doesn’t it merit a seriousand focused solution? Wind energy is rarely consistent enough even across large regions to reduce coal emissions, but nuclear power can.
Surprisingly it boasts the lowest death rate per MWH of ANY generation source in the free world - ever. Nuclear also doesn’t require the massive grid system overhaul central plains wind dictates saving billions more. Furthermore, the technology to reprocess spent nuclear rods we already own reduces the spent fuel issue dramatically.
With our nation’s finite energy dollars we would do well to focus on a single meaningful solution, taking advantage of economies of scale and building a reliable domestic energy manufacturing infrastructure that gives depth of meaning to “energy independence” in the process.
Some slick talking politicians claim “there is no silver bullet” to cure our energy challenges and so we need “silver buckshot.” That sounds like a way to attract more votes, not a way to produce the maximum amount of low carbon electricity at the lowest cost.
— Thomas
11. December 29, 2008
11:18 pm
Link
Fried food kills more people in Texas than wind turbines ever did or will do. Bring ‘em on. The more turbines the merrier.
— Ben in Texas
12. December 30, 2008
9:06 am
Link
#7 - P.D,
IF I’m one of those “previous commentors” you are talking about I’d just like to say that in no way am I one of those granola chewing, tree-hugging hippies you are attempting to reference. I was merely pointing out that everyone has a gripe about something regardless of what it is. I believe we do need alternative energy supplies, but you don’t see me running to Toyota to trade in my car for a Prius. You don’t need to one extreme to make an impact. If everyone
did things in moderation and we developed realistic alternative energy sources we could cut down some of our “addiction” to foreign energy.
#8 - Alexander,
Do you work for BP? If so, I can see why you are so against wind turbines as an alternative energy source. Therefore any discussion with you would be absolutely pointless.
— Capt. Concernicus
13. December 30, 2008
1:03 pm
Link
Capt. Concernicus
Rest assured, I am not an employee of BP, but their link gives a good global picture regarding the Global Energy needs and generation. If you know a better link please let me know. I also agree an article like: ‘When Lightning Strikes Wind Turbines’ is completely anecdotic and does not address the global energy crisis in a substantial way.
The number one priority of the US must be:
Complete Independence of FOREIGN fossil fuels.
America is sitting on one of the biggest fossil fuel reserves in the world, called COAL. Good for another 100 or 200 hundred years! Like China and Russia. Pour the resources into developing the technology to burn that stuff in a clean and efficient way. And once when America has that technology, imagine the power that will bring by exporting that technology to the rest of the world? Having that technology will turn the table completely for America. Instead of wasting a trillion dollars on wind. Have a look at: http://www.windenergy-the-truth.com/wind-mills-electricity-yield.html There you will see how many monster (highly sophisticated) wind turbines a small country like the Netherlands has to build just to compensate their 1% increase of yearly electricity consumption.
Can you imagine Russia or China coming- up with that kind of technology first? America will be literarily blown of the face of the earth! And don’t forget that electricity is only 30% of all energy used. Why tackle only 30% of the problem with futile, but ingenious (Oh yes, I admire the technology used there, I am a mecanical engineer.) wind turbines and not tackle the complete problem.
Therefore America should do the following:
1) Burning coal in a cleaner way,
2) Efficiency of energy use in the broadest sense of the word
3) Promoting a drastic change of life style (There are about 6.5 billion people, who all have the right to have some energy to their disposal).
4) Put a 1 or 2 dollar tax on gas and use these revenues to force (or help) those dumboos in Detroit (I mean the CEO’s) to develop the most fuel efficient cars in the world. America has the technology and could lead again!
5) Super conductivity.
6) Plasma fusion.
7) Energy efficient housing. (Insulation, window planning and if you like put some solar panels and silly wind mill on the roof, but without subsidies and or tax breaks, but make it obligatory.)
8) Rethink city planning, so you don’t need a car to move from shop to shop.
Just a few ideas.
Alexander
New York Times
December 29, 2008, 7:11 am
Florida, the Next Hotbed of Venture Capital?
By Claire Cain Miller
Silicon Valley, Austin, Boston, New York … and Orlando?
The state of Florida wants to tap into the billions of venture capital dollars invested in young companies each year. It is seeking venture capital funds in which to invest money from the $29.5 million Florida Opportunity Fund, established by the state to funnel more venture capital to Florida start-ups.
The fund will look for regional and national venture capital funds that have done business in Florida and plan to invest in young Florida companies, particularly those developed at Florida universities and research institutions. Then, the fund will invest portions of its $29.5 million in those funds, with the goal of creating and growing Florida businesses.
The Florida Opportunity Fund hopes to create more venture capital activity in the state, said Gail Rayos, a spokeswoman.
The fund is managed by Florida First Partners, which is a joint venture between Milcom Venture Partners, a Florida venture capital fund manager, and a Credit Suisse investment group that runs similar funds in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, New York and Oregon.
Venture capital is spreading outside its historic hotbeds in Silicon Valley and New England, but so far, Florida has not been getting a significant chunk of the money. The fastest-growing regions for venture capital investment over the last decade are New Mexico, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, according to the National Venture Capital Association. Florida will receive only a small fraction of the $30 billion that is expected to be invested in start-ups this year.
The Florida Opportunity Fund hopes to change that. It is tapping into the state’s existing industries, including aerospace engineering, homeland security, military and clean energy, and hoping to build up its life sciences and information technology sectors.
Despite the venture capital industry’s poor returns and pessimistic outlook, the state says it believes that investment in technology start-ups will help Florida’s work force and economy remain competitive, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said in a statement.
Venture capitalists have invested $6.4 billion in some 700 Florida companies since 2000, according to Enterprise Florida, a government economic development group.
Some of those companies have already attracted top venture capital firms. This year, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Index Ventures invested $34.5 million in Lehigh Technologies, a Naples company that makes rubber powders for greener manufacturing. Benchmark Capital invested $12 million in Pentaho, an Orlando open-source business intelligence software company that has also been funded by Index Ventures and New Enterprise Associates.
.10 Comments
1. December 29, 2008
9:02 am
Link
Florida has a fast money mentality more suitable to hucksters than venture capitalists. Bad idea.
— Lyle Vos
2. December 29, 2008
10:03 am
Link
Good thought - wrong implementation.
Putting money into the venture capital stage of risk investing is misdirected for a State Development Agency.
Florida should be putting its money into the Seed stage. And then successful seed investments are further funded by the Venture Capital stage.
Please see - http://www.slideshare.net/ElliottDahan/start-fund-12012008-presentation
Thank you,
Elliott Dahan
— Elliott
3. December 29, 2008
10:03 am
Link
Florida funds.
— Joseph J. Kreder
4. December 29, 2008
10:11 am
Link
We tried this in MIchigan. It will take at least a decade to see if it works. Current signs are it won’t. In any case to have a chance Florida needs several $ billion not the paltry sum they are proposing.
— Geoffrey Henny
5. December 29, 2008
10:37 am
Link
I’m not sure 29.5 million would get a new theme park ride off the ground….
— lm
6. December 29, 2008
10:40 am
Link
Ah, Florida!
The scam capital of the United States. The state where corporate thieves and the likes of OJ Simpson go, so no one can touch their assets and they can continue to live the way they want on the money they have stolen.
— jss
7. December 29, 2008
10:49 am
Link
Completely mis-guided, and typical of a gov’t agency to pursue an economic model, which in itself is under severe stress. A clear sign perhaps of a market top (and that’s with the financial markets already reeling)?
— Roy Liu
8. December 29, 2008
1:42 pm
Link
Someone hasn’t done their homework. The biotech industry is plunging into Palm Beach County as well as other counties in Florida.
We have been fortunate to have have a pro-business Governor and legislature, both term-limited as the U.S. Congress should be, the past ten years that understand investment.
Term limits require that the Governor and the legislature return to the private sector where they have to live with their legislation. Maybe the U.S. taxpayers will catch on an bring Congress back to reality, if it ever was there.
Insofar as scams are concerned. I always thought that we should ban the thugs from NYC from migrating south and polluting our air.
— Prudent Man, CFA
9. December 29, 2008
6:23 pm
Link
As someone who has raised in excess of $20M in VC capital for an Orlando-based technology startup, I have firsthand experience with our state’s unique challenges. First, there are very few VC firms with Florida offices. Second, Florida offers very few of the incentives (development grants, low cost loans, training $, etc.) that most other states provide; despite the longterm benefit of creating high wage, non-service sector jobs/balance. Thirdly, our very, very poor public school systems make recruiting/attracting young engineers difficult. On the plus side, corporations such as Lockheed, Harris, and L3, to name a few, do help when it comes finding strong exec and tech teams and there is a lot of very experienced, helpful, retired execs that can be tapped fairly easily to help tech startups.
— Rob Strandberg
10. December 29, 2008
11:29 pm
Link
I’ve wondered why Orlando hasn’t given this a lot more effort. Let’s face it, Orlando is an especially nice place to live if a family has children. Also, their tech corridors (with Tampa and Cocoa Beach) could tap into a lot of nearby technical talent.
I’ve been living in China for the past five years, came here via Silicon Valley (and via META Group, Oracle HQ and Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus). If/when I come back to the States, I’d rather go back to a place like Orlando than a place like Silicon Valley. Although I miss Silicon Valley, changes in my life make Orlando look a lot more attractive. In fact, Orlando would appeal to me more than ANY of the places you’ve listed — by far.
Here’s an idea for Orlando: Focus more on greentech; don’t let California walk away with all the best talent. Greentech is still open for grabs and I’ve noticed that most of the folks in both solar and wind tend to be family types. (My last couple of years have been in solar and wind, which is what I’m still doing.) This might be a good match for Orlando. Silicon Valley appeals to youth, but the greentech “industry” is filled with more seasoned execs — execs with gray hair (or, no hair). It’s not run by 20-something clones akin to the Facebook management team, not by a long shot.
Orlando, go for greentech. And even though Orlando is hardly the best place for wind, this doesn’t mean that wind power technologies couldn’t be developed there for “export” to the Midwest or Europe. In a general sense, ditto for biomass. Solar, of course, is more likely a natural fit.
— David Scott Lewis
Florida, the Next Hotbed of Venture Capital?
By Claire Cain Miller
Silicon Valley, Austin, Boston, New York … and Orlando?
The state of Florida wants to tap into the billions of venture capital dollars invested in young companies each year. It is seeking venture capital funds in which to invest money from the $29.5 million Florida Opportunity Fund, established by the state to funnel more venture capital to Florida start-ups.
The fund will look for regional and national venture capital funds that have done business in Florida and plan to invest in young Florida companies, particularly those developed at Florida universities and research institutions. Then, the fund will invest portions of its $29.5 million in those funds, with the goal of creating and growing Florida businesses.
The Florida Opportunity Fund hopes to create more venture capital activity in the state, said Gail Rayos, a spokeswoman.
The fund is managed by Florida First Partners, which is a joint venture between Milcom Venture Partners, a Florida venture capital fund manager, and a Credit Suisse investment group that runs similar funds in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, New York and Oregon.
Venture capital is spreading outside its historic hotbeds in Silicon Valley and New England, but so far, Florida has not been getting a significant chunk of the money. The fastest-growing regions for venture capital investment over the last decade are New Mexico, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, according to the National Venture Capital Association. Florida will receive only a small fraction of the $30 billion that is expected to be invested in start-ups this year.
The Florida Opportunity Fund hopes to change that. It is tapping into the state’s existing industries, including aerospace engineering, homeland security, military and clean energy, and hoping to build up its life sciences and information technology sectors.
Despite the venture capital industry’s poor returns and pessimistic outlook, the state says it believes that investment in technology start-ups will help Florida’s work force and economy remain competitive, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp said in a statement.
Venture capitalists have invested $6.4 billion in some 700 Florida companies since 2000, according to Enterprise Florida, a government economic development group.
Some of those companies have already attracted top venture capital firms. This year, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Index Ventures invested $34.5 million in Lehigh Technologies, a Naples company that makes rubber powders for greener manufacturing. Benchmark Capital invested $12 million in Pentaho, an Orlando open-source business intelligence software company that has also been funded by Index Ventures and New Enterprise Associates.
.10 Comments
1. December 29, 2008
9:02 am
Link
Florida has a fast money mentality more suitable to hucksters than venture capitalists. Bad idea.
— Lyle Vos
2. December 29, 2008
10:03 am
Link
Good thought - wrong implementation.
Putting money into the venture capital stage of risk investing is misdirected for a State Development Agency.
Florida should be putting its money into the Seed stage. And then successful seed investments are further funded by the Venture Capital stage.
Please see - http://www.slideshare.net/ElliottDahan/start-fund-12012008-presentation
Thank you,
Elliott Dahan
— Elliott
3. December 29, 2008
10:03 am
Link
Florida funds.
— Joseph J. Kreder
4. December 29, 2008
10:11 am
Link
We tried this in MIchigan. It will take at least a decade to see if it works. Current signs are it won’t. In any case to have a chance Florida needs several $ billion not the paltry sum they are proposing.
— Geoffrey Henny
5. December 29, 2008
10:37 am
Link
I’m not sure 29.5 million would get a new theme park ride off the ground….
— lm
6. December 29, 2008
10:40 am
Link
Ah, Florida!
The scam capital of the United States. The state where corporate thieves and the likes of OJ Simpson go, so no one can touch their assets and they can continue to live the way they want on the money they have stolen.
— jss
7. December 29, 2008
10:49 am
Link
Completely mis-guided, and typical of a gov’t agency to pursue an economic model, which in itself is under severe stress. A clear sign perhaps of a market top (and that’s with the financial markets already reeling)?
— Roy Liu
8. December 29, 2008
1:42 pm
Link
Someone hasn’t done their homework. The biotech industry is plunging into Palm Beach County as well as other counties in Florida.
We have been fortunate to have have a pro-business Governor and legislature, both term-limited as the U.S. Congress should be, the past ten years that understand investment.
Term limits require that the Governor and the legislature return to the private sector where they have to live with their legislation. Maybe the U.S. taxpayers will catch on an bring Congress back to reality, if it ever was there.
Insofar as scams are concerned. I always thought that we should ban the thugs from NYC from migrating south and polluting our air.
— Prudent Man, CFA
9. December 29, 2008
6:23 pm
Link
As someone who has raised in excess of $20M in VC capital for an Orlando-based technology startup, I have firsthand experience with our state’s unique challenges. First, there are very few VC firms with Florida offices. Second, Florida offers very few of the incentives (development grants, low cost loans, training $, etc.) that most other states provide; despite the longterm benefit of creating high wage, non-service sector jobs/balance. Thirdly, our very, very poor public school systems make recruiting/attracting young engineers difficult. On the plus side, corporations such as Lockheed, Harris, and L3, to name a few, do help when it comes finding strong exec and tech teams and there is a lot of very experienced, helpful, retired execs that can be tapped fairly easily to help tech startups.
— Rob Strandberg
10. December 29, 2008
11:29 pm
Link
I’ve wondered why Orlando hasn’t given this a lot more effort. Let’s face it, Orlando is an especially nice place to live if a family has children. Also, their tech corridors (with Tampa and Cocoa Beach) could tap into a lot of nearby technical talent.
I’ve been living in China for the past five years, came here via Silicon Valley (and via META Group, Oracle HQ and Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus). If/when I come back to the States, I’d rather go back to a place like Orlando than a place like Silicon Valley. Although I miss Silicon Valley, changes in my life make Orlando look a lot more attractive. In fact, Orlando would appeal to me more than ANY of the places you’ve listed — by far.
Here’s an idea for Orlando: Focus more on greentech; don’t let California walk away with all the best talent. Greentech is still open for grabs and I’ve noticed that most of the folks in both solar and wind tend to be family types. (My last couple of years have been in solar and wind, which is what I’m still doing.) This might be a good match for Orlando. Silicon Valley appeals to youth, but the greentech “industry” is filled with more seasoned execs — execs with gray hair (or, no hair). It’s not run by 20-something clones akin to the Facebook management team, not by a long shot.
Orlando, go for greentech. And even though Orlando is hardly the best place for wind, this doesn’t mean that wind power technologies couldn’t be developed there for “export” to the Midwest or Europe. In a general sense, ditto for biomass. Solar, of course, is more likely a natural fit.
— David Scott Lewis
New York Times
December 30, 2008, 9:18 am
Harnessing Electronic Records for Public Health Goals
By Sewell ChanAbout 1,000 primary-care physicians have given up their doctor’s pens over the past year to collect the smallest details of their patients’ lives in a database as part of a $60 million city health department project.
Experts say it is the most ambitious government effort nationwide to harness electronic data for public health goals like monitoring disease frequency, cancer screening and substance abuse. It follows the Bloomberg administration’s aggressive focus on everyday health concerns — which has included startling anti smoking advertisements in subways and requirements that chain restaurants post calorie counts — and frequent use of statistics to drive public policy on crime, homelessness and other issues.
And echoing the city’s cash-incentive experiments in the school system, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will soon start offering doctors bonuses of perhaps $100 for each patient who hits specified targets like controlling blood pressure or cholesterol, up to $20,000 for each doctor.
In April, the city will begin sending participating doctors report cards on how their preventive efforts compare with their peers’ (only the individual doctor being rated will be named, and the rankings will not be public). A prototype was used in 2007 to send electronic messages warning physicians in the Bronx of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. And the city is currently using the system to track the spread of flu infection in New York City in real time — a much more accurate gauge, doctors say, than a Web tool being developed by Google.
Health maintenance organizations, clinics and hospitals here and elsewhere already use electronic records to communicate; Kaiser Permanente, the giant California H.M.O., has a system much like New York’s. Perhaps the one most similar to New York’s initiative is a demonstration project of the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative that links doctors in three small suburban and rural communities.
But New York is trying to connect the vast majority of medical practices, which have 10 or fewer doctors, particularly in poorer neighborhoods, in hopes that providing them access to a broader base of patient information — and ranking their performance against their peers — will help them make strides in preventive medicine. The health department is providing subsidies for doctors to subscribe to the system and teams of trainers to support the transition; so far, more than 1 in 10 of the city’s estimated 10,000 primary-care doctors have started using the system, and an additional 500 are in the pipeline.
This is truly a great idea. Electronic records also reduce the prescription pad errors, due to poor penmanship. All of the VA records are online so you can go to any VA in the country and they will have access to your records! saves time, money, and trees. Whats not to like?
Harnessing Electronic Records for Public Health Goals
By Sewell ChanAbout 1,000 primary-care physicians have given up their doctor’s pens over the past year to collect the smallest details of their patients’ lives in a database as part of a $60 million city health department project.
Experts say it is the most ambitious government effort nationwide to harness electronic data for public health goals like monitoring disease frequency, cancer screening and substance abuse. It follows the Bloomberg administration’s aggressive focus on everyday health concerns — which has included startling anti smoking advertisements in subways and requirements that chain restaurants post calorie counts — and frequent use of statistics to drive public policy on crime, homelessness and other issues.
And echoing the city’s cash-incentive experiments in the school system, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will soon start offering doctors bonuses of perhaps $100 for each patient who hits specified targets like controlling blood pressure or cholesterol, up to $20,000 for each doctor.
In April, the city will begin sending participating doctors report cards on how their preventive efforts compare with their peers’ (only the individual doctor being rated will be named, and the rankings will not be public). A prototype was used in 2007 to send electronic messages warning physicians in the Bronx of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. And the city is currently using the system to track the spread of flu infection in New York City in real time — a much more accurate gauge, doctors say, than a Web tool being developed by Google.
Health maintenance organizations, clinics and hospitals here and elsewhere already use electronic records to communicate; Kaiser Permanente, the giant California H.M.O., has a system much like New York’s. Perhaps the one most similar to New York’s initiative is a demonstration project of the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative that links doctors in three small suburban and rural communities.
But New York is trying to connect the vast majority of medical practices, which have 10 or fewer doctors, particularly in poorer neighborhoods, in hopes that providing them access to a broader base of patient information — and ranking their performance against their peers — will help them make strides in preventive medicine. The health department is providing subsidies for doctors to subscribe to the system and teams of trainers to support the transition; so far, more than 1 in 10 of the city’s estimated 10,000 primary-care doctors have started using the system, and an additional 500 are in the pipeline.
This is truly a great idea. Electronic records also reduce the prescription pad errors, due to poor penmanship. All of the VA records are online so you can go to any VA in the country and they will have access to your records! saves time, money, and trees. Whats not to like?
as the pool fiasco unfolds...
$504 per week times 52 weeks = $26,208 per year. They DO practice all year round, right? There was a big deal about Phelps practicing 365 days a year for YEARS! Pretty impressive! Dedication! Even if the kids ONLY practice 50 weeks a year, its still over $25,000, and STILL impressive, for TWO reasons: One, fifty weeks a year is incredible dedication for kids, or anybody; two, if they can get our pool for LESS than TEN CENTS on the dollar of fair market value, thats a 90% discount and impressive for anybody! Anybody except the taxpayers, who are being hosed again! Now if we can only get their owners to pay the going rate! If we could get 15k from the City of Doral and another 25k from MDAC, would that be something to consider? That price would be less than they paid at MDC, closer to the going rate, and make more lanes available than they had at MDC. Standard county rates would apply for meets, etc. Back rents would also have to be brought up to date.
the plot thickens
Was it NOT three AC units to be used on the new community center? Does ANYBODY have any idea what that will cost in maintenance to run 24/7? The architect that drew up the plans is the Chair for the Building and Zoning Board? And a candidate for Council, who is also closely aligned with City officials, is ALSO on that Board? Should he recuse himself too? Are there any other City connections that we should know about?
pool ponderings
Wow. Found an online calculator on Google and ran the numbers again. The latest numbers are accurate- $882 a week and $45,864 a year. If MDAC was paying MDC $1300 a month, that= $15,600 a year. If $1500 a month, that = $18,000 a year. Is MDAC heated? Is it possible that large swim teams get a LARGE discount to use pools if, say they do another ironclad handshake deal and agree to rent for the whole year? Or is it more likely they knew somebody down there too, who gave them another sweetheart deal?
pool figures emerge
Lets see... 147 times six days = $1764 per week, right? used for all 52 weeks per year = $44,864, by my figures, right? THAT would go a LONG way toward defraying our pool expenses, no? So we are collecting MAYBE $2400 a year for pool usage that SHOULD be bringing in almost $45,000 per year. We are NOT collecting the fair market value, and havent for the almost the past three years, because we want the owners of MDAC to make more profits, at the taxpayers expense???? The "encourage Springs swimmers to attend" argument is nonsense of course, as the swimmers have benefitted NADA, ZERO from the paltry $2400 a year rate we have charged for over the past 2.5 years! Only the owners have benefitted, and benefitted GREATLY, according to these numbers! And this does not BEGIN to address the additional monies we SHOULD have been receiving for meets! When you say our pool has been given away for PENNIES on the dollar, you are talking about SIX PENNIES on the DOLLAR! Taxpayers, however, are charged 100 % of the costs to run the pool for this giveaway! The Saturday morning practices are held during hours the pool is not normally open, and require a minimum of 2 lifeguards to be present for safety purposes. I assume that would be overtime for those lifeguards, 3 hours or so. What additional costs are involved there? City officials say that different lifeguards are paid different sums due to seniority, credentials, etc. What is a good, average number, or even starting pay, when figuring for overtime? More costs for the taxpayers to pay, and NO more income coming in!
Monday, December 29, 2008
teen study
The study is the latest in a series that have raised questions about programs that focus on encouraging abstinence until marriage, including those that specifically ask students to publicly declare their intention to remain virgins. The new analysis, however, goes beyond earlier analyses by focusing on teens who had similar values about sex and other issues before they took a virginity pledge.
"Previous studies would compare a mixture of apples and oranges," Rosenbaum said. "I tried to pull out the apples and compare only the apples to other apples."
The findings are reigniting the debate about the effectiveness of abstinence-focused sexual education just as Congress and the new Obama administration are about to reconsider the more than $176 million in annual funding for such programs.
"This study again raises the issue of why the federal government is continuing to invest in abstinence-only programs," said Sarah Brown of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "What have we gained if we only encourage young people to delay sex until they are older, but then when they do become sexually active — and most do well before marriage — they don't protect themselves or their partners?"
'Get real about sex education'
James Wagoner of the advocacy group Advocates for Youth agreed: "The Democratic Congress needs to get its head out of the sand and get real about sex education in America."
Proponents of such programs, however, dismissed the study as flawed and argued that programs that focus on abstinence go much further than simply asking youths to make a one-time promise to remain virgins.
"It is remarkable that an author who employs rigorous research methodology would then compromise those standards by making wild, ideologically tainted and inaccurate analysis regarding the content of abstinence education programs," said Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association.
Rosenbaum analyzed data collected by the federal government's National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which gathered detailed information from a representative sample of about 11,000 students in grades seven through 12 in 1995, 1996 and 2001.
Although researchers have analyzed data from that survey before to examine abstinence education programs, the new study is the first to use a more stringent method to account for other factors that could influence the teens' behavior, such as their attitudes about sex before they took the pledge.
100 variables
Rosenbaum focused on about 3,400 students who had not had sex or taken a virginity pledge in 1995. She compared 289 students who were 17 years old on average in 1996, when they took a virginity pledge, with 645 who did not take a pledge but were otherwise similar. She based that judgment on about 100 variables, including their attitudes and their parents' attitudes about sex and their perception of their friends' attitudes about sex and birth control.
"This study came about because somebody who decides to take a virginity pledge tends to be different from the average American teenager. The pledgers tend to be more religious. They tend to be more conservative. They tend to be less positive about sex. There are some striking differences," Rosenbaum said. "So comparing pledgers to all non-pledgers doesn't make a lot of sense."
By 2001, Rosenbaum found, 82 percent of those who had taken a pledge had retracted their promises, and there was no significant difference in the proportion of students in both groups who had engaged in any type of sexual activity, including giving or receiving oral sex, vaginal intercourse, the age at which they first had sex, or their number of sexual partners. More than half of both groups had engaged in various types of sexual activity, had an average of about three sexual partners and had had sex for the first time by age 21 even if they were unmarried.
"It seems that pledgers aren't really internalizing the pledge," Rosenbaum said. "Participating in a program doesn't appear to be motivating them to change their behavior. It seems like abstinence has to come from an individual conviction rather than participating in a program."
'Negative views about condoms'
While there was no difference in the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the two groups, the percentage of students who reported condom use was about 10 points lower for those who had taken the pledge, and they were about 6 percentage points less likely to use any form of contraception. For example, about 24 percent of those who had taken a pledge said they always used a condom, compared with about 34 percent of those who had not.
Rosenbaum attributed the difference to what youths learn about condoms in abstinence-focused programs.
"There's been a lot of work that has found that teenagers who take part in abstinence-only education have more negative views about condoms," she said. "They tend not to give accurate information about condoms and birth control."
But Huber disputed that charge.
"Abstinence education programs provide accurate information on the level of protection offered through the typical use of condoms and contraception," she said. "Students understand that while condoms may reduce the risk of infection and/or pregnancy, they do not remove the risk."
"Previous studies would compare a mixture of apples and oranges," Rosenbaum said. "I tried to pull out the apples and compare only the apples to other apples."
The findings are reigniting the debate about the effectiveness of abstinence-focused sexual education just as Congress and the new Obama administration are about to reconsider the more than $176 million in annual funding for such programs.
"This study again raises the issue of why the federal government is continuing to invest in abstinence-only programs," said Sarah Brown of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "What have we gained if we only encourage young people to delay sex until they are older, but then when they do become sexually active — and most do well before marriage — they don't protect themselves or their partners?"
'Get real about sex education'
James Wagoner of the advocacy group Advocates for Youth agreed: "The Democratic Congress needs to get its head out of the sand and get real about sex education in America."
Proponents of such programs, however, dismissed the study as flawed and argued that programs that focus on abstinence go much further than simply asking youths to make a one-time promise to remain virgins.
"It is remarkable that an author who employs rigorous research methodology would then compromise those standards by making wild, ideologically tainted and inaccurate analysis regarding the content of abstinence education programs," said Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association.
Rosenbaum analyzed data collected by the federal government's National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which gathered detailed information from a representative sample of about 11,000 students in grades seven through 12 in 1995, 1996 and 2001.
Although researchers have analyzed data from that survey before to examine abstinence education programs, the new study is the first to use a more stringent method to account for other factors that could influence the teens' behavior, such as their attitudes about sex before they took the pledge.
100 variables
Rosenbaum focused on about 3,400 students who had not had sex or taken a virginity pledge in 1995. She compared 289 students who were 17 years old on average in 1996, when they took a virginity pledge, with 645 who did not take a pledge but were otherwise similar. She based that judgment on about 100 variables, including their attitudes and their parents' attitudes about sex and their perception of their friends' attitudes about sex and birth control.
"This study came about because somebody who decides to take a virginity pledge tends to be different from the average American teenager. The pledgers tend to be more religious. They tend to be more conservative. They tend to be less positive about sex. There are some striking differences," Rosenbaum said. "So comparing pledgers to all non-pledgers doesn't make a lot of sense."
By 2001, Rosenbaum found, 82 percent of those who had taken a pledge had retracted their promises, and there was no significant difference in the proportion of students in both groups who had engaged in any type of sexual activity, including giving or receiving oral sex, vaginal intercourse, the age at which they first had sex, or their number of sexual partners. More than half of both groups had engaged in various types of sexual activity, had an average of about three sexual partners and had had sex for the first time by age 21 even if they were unmarried.
"It seems that pledgers aren't really internalizing the pledge," Rosenbaum said. "Participating in a program doesn't appear to be motivating them to change their behavior. It seems like abstinence has to come from an individual conviction rather than participating in a program."
'Negative views about condoms'
While there was no difference in the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in the two groups, the percentage of students who reported condom use was about 10 points lower for those who had taken the pledge, and they were about 6 percentage points less likely to use any form of contraception. For example, about 24 percent of those who had taken a pledge said they always used a condom, compared with about 34 percent of those who had not.
Rosenbaum attributed the difference to what youths learn about condoms in abstinence-focused programs.
"There's been a lot of work that has found that teenagers who take part in abstinence-only education have more negative views about condoms," she said. "They tend not to give accurate information about condoms and birth control."
But Huber disputed that charge.
"Abstinence education programs provide accurate information on the level of protection offered through the typical use of condoms and contraception," she said. "Students understand that while condoms may reduce the risk of infection and/or pregnancy, they do not remove the risk."
Hormones overrule virginity pledges
Teenagers who pledge to remain virgins until marriage are just as likely to have premarital sex as those who do not promise abstinence and are significantly less likely to use condoms and other forms of birth control when they do, according to a study released today.
The new analysis of data from a large federal survey found that more than half of youths became sexually active before marriage regardless of whether they had taken a "virginity pledge," but that the percentage who took precautions against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases was 10 points lower for pledgers than for non-pledgers.
"Taking a pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior," said Janet E. Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, whose report appears in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics. "But it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking."
The new analysis of data from a large federal survey found that more than half of youths became sexually active before marriage regardless of whether they had taken a "virginity pledge," but that the percentage who took precautions against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases was 10 points lower for pledgers than for non-pledgers.
"Taking a pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior," said Janet E. Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, whose report appears in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics. "But it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking."
numbers needed?
There IS documentation regarding what MDAC was paying at the junior college, right? Was that a monthly flat fee or based on daily usage, and therefore an average fee? They used 4 lanes there, right? Figuring an average of 60 swimmers daily, more or less, how many lanes does MDAC use now? Figuring the short course rates for 3 hours a day and 6 days a week, what SHOULD they be paying, according to your numbers? Are the rates for a heated pool the same as an unheated pool? Firm numbers are needed. Thanks. Numbers regarding actual heating bills need to be confirmed too. They SOUND official, but you know how Gym is about fabrications, right?
debacle of the day
In the interests of fairness, the new Rec Director should be allowed to state HIS side of the situation. Everybody certainly has a right to express their opinions here but lets not convict a guy before ALL the facts are in. Facts need to be gathered, evaluated, and substantiated, just like we are doing here with the pool operations debacle. If the accusations turn out to be true, it will be ANOTHER botched management disaster in a LONG history of poor judgements, haphazard and inconsistent documentation, unsound business principles, sweetheart giveaways, fabrications, cost overruns and change orders, and secret backroom handshake deals AT THE TAXPAYERS EXPENSE. Change is needed- NOW.
Gazette headline
Its easy to see whats coming down the line. GAZETTE HEADLINE- Pelican Players Agree to Use NEW 300+ Seat Theater For One Dollar Per Year! City Manager negotiates yet another handshake agreement where City residents will pay ALL the expenses of Pelican Players plus hire the owner to a lucrative contract to direct the ensemble! Minimal-to-NO monies will be wasted on such pesky details as documenting the actual number and types of admissions, or expenses, as this is a system that has served the City Manager well at the pool over the years, despite the protests of the taxpayers! Instead, those monies will be invested in a limo and driver for the Director! Any possible losses would be covered by the City, of course, and any possible profits will go to the for-profit business, as usual! City management and Council are willing for the tax paying residents to pay ANY price to help local businessmen profit! Dont believe us? Just ask Mr. Santana, the MDAC swim team, or local construction contractors! ALL are making VERY NICE livings at the taxpayers expense! City revenues are down some this year tho. Some residents have resisted paying the higher fees and taxes we have assessed them. We are on to them, tho. Some have even sought refuge in unemployment checks, garage sales, and home foreclosures to avoid paying the higher fees and taxes (slackards), so this Grand Opening may be for a limited engagement! So come to the new Bob Best Theater for the Performing Arts while we are still solvent!
clarification
Nineteen days ago a FOI was made requesting to "see the revenues we have received over the past three years from Miami Dade Aquatics Club, Columbus HS, and Reagan HS for practices, meets, etc." No reply from the City as of yet, nineteen days later, but they HAVE made the daily logs available. Since all the revenues were requested, is someone to suppose that all the information is contained there? If there were other revenues in another account they would be covered by the request, no? The request was NOT for SOME of the revenues - it was for the revenues, period, and is all-inclusive, no matter WHAT account they may be in. Perhaps that point needs to be clarified for the City, so there will be NO misunderstandings. After 19 days, and all that is offerred is the daily logs, one would probably assume that ALL of the revenues that have been paid are noted in the daily logs, as there have been NO other sources made available.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
pool incident alternatives
This should be relatively easy to confirm or deny. Perhaps a FOI regarding any complaints on file about the new Director would do the trick? Are their complaints in writing? They have to report it to the police, if its true, because if they dont it will just get worse and include more and more people. Make a police report so they can investigate. Thats their job. Or call Paul Dotson. He has looked into pool improprieties in the past. Bob Best has teenaged daughter too. Their numbers are found at the city website or in the local directory.
another snafu
Once had hope the city malfunctions and screwups were just misunderstandings or old-fashioned out-of-date ways of doing things. Those possible explanations no longer exist as credible alternatives anymore. NOBODY can waste that much taxpayer money day after day, year after year, in EVERYTHING he touches! Its IMPOSSIBLE for anybody to be THAT stupid or inept! Gym says he vetted Mr Giglio personally. In that process is it possible any history of sexual harrassment or improprieties would have come to light? If so, wouldnt he have made the Mayor and Council aware of it BEFORE hiring him? Were the Mayor and Council forewarned about this possibility? He has always fancied himself as a ladies man, all the way back to high school. What was the problem at Wilton Manors, that he only spent one year there, and left under questionable circumstances? Less than ONE MONTH on the job and he already has complaints about harrassment! This is NOT a good sign! The responsibility for the Rec Directors job performance ultimately falls on the City Managers desk. He was responsible for getting him hired and he is responsible for his job performance, or lack of same. If Gym wont respond the Mayor and Council are the next step up the ladder. If THEY wont respond the cops, EEOC or State Attorney would be the next step. The young ladies should have their complaints documented, with dates, times, and what was said or done, and any possible witnesses. Another City fiasco from the City Manager. Will it EVER end? Will it end in a lawsuit against the City for failure to protect their employess?
commentary
You would HOPE that the Mayors concern as a father of a teen daughter would trump his concerns as a politician in this possible harrassment situation, since he has a daughter about the same age and wouldnt, hopefully, stand by while SHE was harrassed. We shall see.
The Mayor explains himself, as only HE can
It will be interesting to see what the Mayor does about this latest fiasco. If he knew about this situation and did NOTHING, he will get a chance to explain WHY. If he DIDN'T know about this situation, he can explain WHY he didn't know anything about it! He can also explain why, now that he knows there IS no contract and that the use of our facility is being given away for PENNIES on the dollar to a private entity, he hasnt taken ANY steps to correct this situation! Being a longtime Optimist, it will be interesting to hear why he hasn't spoken out about in regards to the phantom Optimist connection at the pool too! How long has he approved of handshake deals as a valid means of conducting city business? When did he authorize this handshake deal with MDAC? How many of these handshake deals has he approved? Exactly WHEN did he first go on record as approving handshake deals? What was THAT date? If he does NOT approve of handshake deals, when did he go on record with THAT position? Now that he has been aware for the past couple weeks, at least, that at least one handshake deal has been happening for almost the past three years, what has he DONE about that? Is he aware of ANY OTHER handshake deals? What does he think about the City Manager ignoring the wishes of the Mayor and Council and charging whatever he wants? How often does this happen? Does he mind being ignored ? Does he REALLY believe he has an inherent responsibility as an elected city official to oversee and supervise the City Manager? If so, why hasn't it been done? If not, why not? All of those questions would also apply to the Council members too, of course!
Santa Gym is giving away FREE pool services?
When you talk about the "bad publicity" that MDAC is receiving, are you talking about any ONE of the following issues? To address the apparently unauthorized handshake deal to rent our pool for PENNIES on the dollar! Or the imaginary Optimist connection that ISNT NOW and NEVER WAS. Or the legality of the sweetheart handshake deal! Or the actual numbers of Springs kids involved in MDAC! Or the lack of controls or sound business practices at the pool regarding admissions! Or the new Recreation Directors rumored hitting on the young ladies at the pool? Or the lack of specific itemized records of how many swimmers from each swim team is utilizing our facility, and when? Or the meet revenues and where THAT money goes and how much has been received over the years from various meets- GMAC, districts, MDAC, Sun Devils, etc. Or the taping incident! Or when, if ever, the City Manager was authorized to rent the pool for whatever he wanted! Or why he didnt follow the Councils edicts? or direction? Or when did he receive approval by the Mayor and Council to charge whatever he wanted, if ever! Or does he have ANY idea NOW how much other pools charge for swim practices and meets (if not, why not?)? If he does know, what has he found to be the standard rates charged at other pools, and why are we NOT charging the standard rates ? While hes at it he can demonstrate where the MS and Doral middle school rental fees are! It would also be interesting to know if he NOW has ANY idea how the annual pool revenue numbers are derived? If so, why has he NOT made THOSE public? Which of these issues would you be saying isnt valid, and for WHAT reason? Which of those issues have ANYTHING to do with the Santa meet?Because a Santa meet somewhere else may have had problems? problems that were apparently resolved? Talk to the appropriate governing body, Fla Gold Coast Swimming Assn. We would only be interested in Ms Silveira if she was connected to MDAC and involved with this current sweetheart deal and ripoff of the residents from the City Manager! If she is NOT associated with, or connected to, this ripoff with MDAC, we have little and NO interest in her or what shes doing, or NOT doing! Refer your complaints to FGC. Our focus is on this giveaway of our facilities for PENNIES in the dollar for YEARS!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Questions multiply...
Is it possible that pool management doesnt know the difference between daily pool admissions (mostly locals and some private parties) and monthly swim team pool rentals (high schools, polo team, MDAC)? How is it that SOMETIMES the possible rents (only the fronts of the checks are shown) are noted in the daily logs, but only on a sporadic basis? Can it be that other payments will be MIRACULOUSLY found at some point down the road in another account and paraded before the Council? How convenient that would be! Of course it wouldnt BEGIN to address the unauthorized handshake deal to rent our pool for PENNIES on the dollar! Or the imaginary Optimist connection that ISNT NOW and NEVER WAS. or the legality of the sweetheart handshake deal! or the actual numbers of Springs kids involved in MDAC! or the lack of controls at the pool regarding admissions! Or the new Recreation Directors rumored hitting on the young ladies at the pool! Or the lack of specific itemized records of how many swimmers from each swim team is utilizing our facility, and when! Or the meet revenues and where THAT money goes and how much has been received over the years from various meets- GMAC, districts, MDAC, Sun Devils, etc. Or the taping incident! or when, if ever, the City Manager was authorized to rent the pool for whatever he wanted! Or why he didnt follow the Councils direction! Or when did he receive approval by the Mayor and Council to charge whatever he wanted, if ever! Or does he have ANY idea NOW how much other pools charge for swim practices and meets (if not, why not?)? If he does know, what has he found to be the standard rates charged at other pools, and why are we NOT charging the standard rates?
MDAC profits at our expense
Shouldnt every citizen have a say in whether we want our money to go to cover expenses incurred by a private business based in Doral that has only a handful of Springs kids and doesnt even pay enough to cover the expenses of keeping the pool open for their group? Why should WE take a BIG loss so that THEY can profit? The City Council APPROVED the City Manager renting our pool for PENNIES on the dollar??? Without any contract? on a handshake? NOW that the Council knows all this is happening, what are they DOING about it? No oversight, supervision, or accountability has been required of the City Manager in YEARS! Why would they START now? Gym will continue to bleed the city of needed tax dollars and resources until we are bled dry. And the City Council will act surprised. They ALL need to go. Start with the City Manager.
Santa meet as a diversion?
What does the Santa Claus meet have to do with paying the rent for the use of our pool? or not? How are the facts and figures presented here in any way changed by who won the Santa Claus meet? Why would Springs taxpayer care about the Santa Claus meet when we are in a recession, people are out of work, foreclosures are at a multi-year highs, and the City Manager is giving away use of city facilities for PENNIES on the dollar? Wouldnt an ETHICAL business want to clear up any doubts about the rents they might still owe, and put the Springs taxpayers minds at ease, as a part of being a good neighbor and someone who might want to CONTINUE doing business with the City? The focus next time will be on pool operations, and NOT closing the pool, so THAT scare tactic wont be as effective then.
choose your symbols
Is there ANYBODY out there who, if their house was sold for less than 15% of its true value, would think they got a GREAT deal? If their house was sold for a little less than 40% of what its really worth, would ANYBODY thing they even got a GOOD deal? Of course not. They would be getting hosed, just like the residents are at the pool! We are not seeking to gouge anybody, but we dont want to BE gouged either! We need to bring a couple dozen HOSES to the next Council meeting! Or maybe some really large screws.
fire-sale benefits?
Well, it is certainly true that NOT paying the little amount of pool rent SHOULD, and WOULD have eventually raised a red flag. And it HAS. Even tho a review of public records does NOT indicate more than 5 payments out of the past 36 months, it IS possible that those ridiculously low payments have been made and the monies mislaid, or put into another account. It IS odd that sporadic payments would be reflected on the daily logs sometimes, and other places at other times. Perhaps it is just another sign of the chaos and disorganization in the City. Even if one accepts the POSSIBILTY that the $200 a month pittances were paid, its a lousy deal for Springs residents, as its 15% of the true market value. Even $500 a month is less than 40% of the true market value. Why would Springs residents accept that deeply-discounted rate to a private business while they are losing 200k a year? We are losing our butt in a recession economy, and can afford to give away our facilities at a fire-sale rate? especially to a private club with so few Springs kids? and at NO benefit to the swimmers- as it is money out of the residents pockets and into the pockets of the owners? An ethical business would have done the right thing and straightened this situation out a LONG time ago, not hiding behind a legal technicality. It is difficult to conceive that the hardworking, dedicated, and honest parents of MDAC swimmers are not embarrassed and ashamed by the highly unethical actions of the owners.
another sweetheart deal
What EXACTLY has MDAC done for the 6 residents out of the 100 swimmers on MDAC that are Springs residents? MDAC has held daily practices at our pool for 15% of the going rates, while the taxpayers lose at least 200k, for YEARS. How is that a benefit to MS taxpayers? On the outside possibility that they may have paid that paltry sum, how does that benefit MS taxpayers? To pay $2400 of a rental bill that SHOULD have been at least $15,600, while Springs taxpayer LOSE 200k a year, is a benefit to Miami Springs? It is but a pittance of what they SHOULD be charged, and they KNOW it! HOW do they know it? They know it because four years ago they were paying Miami Dade Junior College at least $1300 a month to rent 4 lanes there! So explain to us again how We, the taxpayers, benefit from having 6 Springs kids or less out of 100, practicing at OUR pool 6 days a week for almost 15% of the true value of that rental while it costs us 150-200k a year to keep open? We gain $2400, maybe, and lose 200k in the process. Does THAT sound like good business to ANYBODY (except MDAC)? And that doesnt begin to address the revenues NOT taken for meets. MDAC is taking advantage of a secret, sweetheart backroom handshake deal with the City Manager that was NEVER authorized by the Council! And has NO legal standing! Contact the Mayor and the Council if you think that will help, but there ARE serious doubts about them doing ANYTHING! In fact, they are at least partially responsible for this, yet ANOTHER City Manager sweetheart deal and fiasco for the taxpaying residents! A result of little and NO oversight and supervision by the Council! AGAIN!
Friday, December 26, 2008
midle school monies missing?
Springs Middle IS mentioned maybe 12-15 times, when the swim teams are itemized at all. NO real mention of Doral middle in recent memory, altho will double check. If they were paying $2 per day per swimmer in CASH that would mean a LOT of cash is unaccounted for over the years! Do they have receipts? Better yet, do they have cancelled checks? How many years have the middle schools been practicing at our pool? Perhaps a FOI request for middle school payments is in order too? Those could be matched up with the receipts and/or cancelled checks, right?
more lost revenues?
8 Dec 07 2 adults paid, 46 kids identified. Total revenues claimed and paid that day $5. None of the kids identified as swim team kids. Glad kids spent the day swimming. Concerned that they paid to swim and the monies disappeared.
lost revenues
29 Dec 07 58 total patrons documented- 13 adults, 45 kids. total number charged- one adult, 15 kids. Total revenues for the day= $25. None of the patrons were designated as swim team participants. Wonder if this is another Whooops moment at the pool, where they FORGOT to charge for the additional patrons, OR a pattern of daily under-reporting revenues ? If all the revenues arent reported, the city gets cheated out of needed revenues. Worse, if all the patrons paid and the difference in what was reported and the actual use was just pocketed! Either way, the residents lose revenues due to, poor management and controls in the first place, and theft in the second case. Either, or both, should be grounds for dismissal, if not prosecution.
various rates
The review revealed that the GOOD, to EXCELLENT, documentation of the swim teams who use our pool on a daily basis, started 6-11-08, and continued until very recently. There are apparently various rates for different pool rentals- 3-12-08 pool rental $180; 5-3-08 pool party rental 1-5pm $97; 5-10-08 pool rental $ 77.50; 5-19-08 and 5-26-08 rental $123.40 each; 5-31-08 rentals $172.60 and $ 130.00. Anybody know what these various rates may be for? Did somebody out there say they rented the pool last Summer for $240? What was the date on that check? When was it cashed? More pieces to the puzzle..
real representation
Unfortunately, if you go to MOST of the Council, including the Mayor, nothing will be done to the City manager either. Only Mr Dotson has stood up to the City Manager and asked the hard questions that need to be asked. Contact Mr Dotson if you want something done about city business practices. He helped the guy at the pool who was taped illegally and he will help ANY citizen who has been treated badly by city officials. Have your homework done tho, and present only the facts, as Mr Dotson doesnt work with half-truths, rumors, or personal vendettas.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
MDAC claims
Just curious, but how much education is usually required to attand a Council meeting? Is MDAC actually saying that the City didnt BILL them every month for pool usage? Are they ACTUALLY saying they thought that six months a year their daily practices were FREE, and that they were only obligated to pay for every SEVENTH month?? Every seventh month they were only required to pay for ONE? Thats hard to believe as they had just finished paying at least $1300 a month for 4 lanes at the Jr College!! They went from $1300 a month to FREE. Pretty good deal for MDAC as they just pocketed the $1300 a month for the past 30-odd months! Not very good for Springs taxpayers as they just footed the bill for MDAC to practice FREE! MDAC DOESNT pay, except a paltry $200 every seventh month, and the taxpayers pay ALL YEAR ROUND, to the tune of HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars! MDAC claims innocence, but they KNOW what a STEAL even $200 a month is! MDAC gets richer and the taxpayers get poorer! All with the City Managers approval.
commentary
It is difficult to justify commenting on a person for their height, eye color, etc. as those are the result of the cards Mother Nature has dealt them, and they had no choice in the matter. It is totally another matter to comment on their job performance, job skills (or lack of same), decisions made or not made, management style, or interpersonal skills (or not). It is much easier to justify commenting on a public official when they CHOOSE to be arrogant, petty, vindictive, dishonest, misleading, mendacious, manipulative, obscure, vain, overbearing, secretive, obtuse, egotistical, irresponsible, and/or corrupt. THOSE are CHOICES they make, and they have to live with the consequences.
Xmas is a time of wonders
Exactly HOW would a handshake deal be enforced? How would ANYBODY know if the terms were being accurately fulfilled? Are there any witnesses to these handshake agreements? What are the legal ramifications? How many of these handshake deals does the City have? Six? A dozen? More ? Does the Mayor or any of the Council know exactly what these deals are? If not, why not? If they DO know about these backroom handshake deals, why havent they let the rest of us in on the secrets? Do these secret handshake deals meet the Government in the Sunshine requirements? if not, why not? are they somehow exempt? Wonder how many secret handshake deals the County has? the State of Fla? Most of the business agreements with the city are dicussed during the Council meetings? when were these agreements discussed? Did the Mayor and Council approve these agreements? Xmas is a time of wonder- and I was just wondering too!
A Xmas wish
Happy Holidays!! There is a sign-in sheet when you go to lift weights. You have to fill out a sheet with complete information when you want a FOI request. Why not at the pool? It is curious that the Mayor and the Council, now that they know there is NO contracts or use agreements, only a handshake deal with MDAC, they are not DEMANDING contracts be put into place immediately!!? Does it mean they believe that handshake deals are sufficient? Does the Mayor or the Council even KNOW what the handshake deals ARE? Has it ever been discussed? After knowing the Optimist connection was a pure fabrication, how can they trust the City Manager's word on ANYTHING? He SAYS that Columbus and Reagan HS have paid $1500 each for the past 2 seasons, but there is NO proof of that being true, and he offers NO proof ? He SAYS that MDAC has paid a paltry $200 a month to practice at our pool but a review only finds 5 months accounted for out of the last 36 months! Perhaps he cannot find the records because several of them appear to be missing. In that case all he has to do is request MDAC to provide THEIR cancelled checks, deposit slips, and bank statements! Simple, no ?! Or perhaps the City Manager thinks that 5 payments of $200 out of the past 36 months is sufficient rent for the use of our pool, since he said he had NO IDEA what other pools charge for their pools ? If THAT is the case then he is just INCREDIBLY INCOMPETENT and should be allowed to "pursue other oppurtunities" elsewhere. Any way you slice it, the pool is just ANOTHER fiasco the City Manager is involved in that costs the residents a LOT of money. As this is Xmas and a time for being kind - set him free...Let him go, start with a clean slate, somewhere else. We simply cant afford him any more.
cant or wont produce records?
Merry Xmas !! it is not clear if the City CANT, or WONT, provide the necessary records requested. It MAY be that they are in such a state of disarray and chaos that they couldnt FIND the records IF they ever existed. OR it could be that the incriminating records have been conveniently lost, and could miraculously arise at a later date! Or perhaps they are taking this holiday season to order another gallon of white-out and are ADJUSTING the records accordingly. The holidays are a time for INFINITE possibility ! The taxpayers pay the salaries of city officials, and have to answer to the taxpayers. EACH and EVERY taxpayer has a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent. Is there any doubt or question about THAT? So when ANY business uses OUR facilities and doesnt pay the rent, we have a RIGHT to know WHY NOT! If they SAY they have paid the rent but the revenues are NOT reflected anywhere, then SOMEBODY should have records to confirm their claims. If they cant or wont produce the records, either the city or the business, then the citizens have EVERY right to doubt and question whether those revenues were collected, or not. So yes, MDAC, does not have to answer to the residents DIRECTLY, its not a legal requirement, but indirectly they DO. Does the City of Miami Springs want to do business with ANY entity that cant or wont produce records to prove payments have been made, or who hides behind a legal technicality to avoid doing the right thing? Be it a dozen, a hundred, or a thousand residents, each and every one has a RIGHT to know whether the City is being paid for the services THEY pay for! Any questions?
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
the clincher
The latest pathetic excuse for NOT providing a roster takes the cake!! There previously WAS some hope that it could ALL be a misunderstanding, or something like that that, on MDAC's part. This latest child predator excuse makes NO sense and is seen as a last desperate attempt to prevent the resolution of these issues. First, would a child predator only ask for the six or so (of the 100 swimmers at MDAC)? Second, would they do it openly, and repeatedly, in a public forum? Thirdly, it has already been stated that the kids are not needed to verify their participation or not- their PARENTS would be the ones to do that! Are you also concerned about PARENT ABUSE? Ridiculous. Absurd. Preposterous. It seems to be last gasp effort to excuse and divert attention away from NOT providing the simple information requested! Honest people would NOT resist like this, because they would have nothing to hide. Dishonest people will continue to hide behind whatever ridiculous explanations they can dream up. This is unfortunate because there are surely many hardworking, honest and dedicated parents associated with MDAC, as there are in most swim clubs. This must be very sad for them.
A Green Scorecard
How a Green Scorecard Can Stimulate the Economy
Richard Conniff
Updated: 12/17/2008 12:36:05 PM
Note: Yale Environment 360 is a publication of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Visit them at www.e360.yale.edu.
And so our eight-year interlude from reality draws to a close, and the job of cleaning up begins. The trouble is, we’re not just cleaning up after a failed presidency. We’re cleaning up after a two-century binge.
Barack Obama has won an historic victory, and with it the right to take office under the most difficult circumstances since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Maybe more difficult, because while both FDR and Obama had financial meltdowns to deal with, Obama also faces the meltdown meltdown — the rapid disintegration of the planet's climate system that threatens to challenge the very foundations of our civilization.
Do you think that sounds melodramatic? Let me give it to you from the abstract of a scientific paper written earlier this year by one of the people who now work for Mr. Obama, NASA scientist James Hansen. "If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleo-climate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 [in the atmosphere] will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm [parts per million] to at most 350 ppm." In other words, if we keep increasing carbon any longer, the earth itself will make our efforts moot.
Hansen's calculation is a scientifically grounded way of saying: Everything must change at once. To meet his target, before enough feedback loops kick in to irrevocably warm the planet, Hansen says fossil-fuel combustion, particularly coal, must cease around the planet by about 2030, and that it must happen sooner in the industrialized nations. As the climate observer, and tireless blogger, Joe Romm observed when Hansen's paper was published, it means that "we need to go straight to the government-led WWII-style effort for the whole planet that is sustained for decades." (Well, back to FDR, what do you know.).
Anyway, here are some of the pieces of what Obama must push for:
Massive government investment in green energy. For this to have any hope of being politically viable, it will need to be seen as the single huge stimulus effort that might lift us out of our financial swamp. (That's almost certainly true, by the way — name another emergent technology capable of re-floating the economy for the long run). We have at least some of the technologies we'd need — wind, the newly promising desert solar arrays, and the ever-useful insulation (the installation of which would at least create a lot of jobs — you're not going to send your house to China for a layer of fiberglass). You might also push for nuclear, but it takes a long time and it's probably too expensive to make a rational list. Still, no holds barred.
A stiff cap on carbon, which will help drive the process. Again, to have any chance of passing politically, it will need to come with the feature proposed in recent years by Peter Barnes, and that Obama has semi-endorsed: a "cap and share" approach that would return the revenue raised directly to consumers. That is, Exxon would pay for the permit to pour carbon into the atmosphere, a cost that would rise steadily as the cap was lowered. But instead of the money going into government coffers, every American would get a check each year for their share of the proceeds. They'd be made whole against the rising cost of energy, while the shock that the price signal would send would be preserved. Current versions of cap-and-trade are too weak and too riddled with loopholes — getting a clean, tough bill through Congress needs to be a preoccupation of President Obama.
Once the president has done all that tough stuff at home, he'll need to do it all over again, globally. The world is meeting in Copenhagen in December of 2009 to come up with a successor to the Kyoto treaty, the modest first international effort that George W. Bush walked away from weeks after taking office. If Hansen and others are even close to right, this will represent the last legitimate shot the world has at putting itself on a new carbon regime in time to make any difference.
It will be incredibly difficult, mostly because we begin from such unequal places. China has lots of coal and it would like to burn it, because it's the cheapest way to pull rural Chinese out of dire poverty (something the country's leaders would quite like to do because otherwise they won't be the country's leaders much longer). If we want them to use, say, windmills instead, we're going to need to “share some wealth,” north to south, to make it happen. The Chinese opened the bidding last week, with a suggestion that one percent of the U.S. annual GDP would be a good amount to send their way. That's going to be quite a political ask — it means that Americans would be working roughly one hour every two weeks just to help the global South build up their clean alternatives. What we're talking about is a carbon version of the Marshall Plan, and it would mean Obama needs to be not just FDR but Truman and Ike as well.
What it all boils down to is: The bills are coming due. And not just, or even mainly, the bills from a failed Bush presidency, but the bills from 200 years of burning fossil fuel. Twenty years ago when we started worrying about global warming, we thought we'd have a generation to pay those bills off. But we were wrong — the planet was more finely balanced than we'd realized. The melting Arctic is the call from the repo man.
Any hope of succeeding will require Obama to grasp, deep in his guts, the fact that climate, energy, food, and the economy are now hopelessly intertwined, and that trying to solve any one of these problems without taking on the others simply makes all of them worse. More, he needs to understand, again viscerally, the single stark fact of our time: No matter how many votes, no matter how much lobbying, no matter how much pressure you apply, you can't amend the laws of physics and chemistry. They aren't like the laws that politicians are used to dealing with. They will be obeyed, like it or not. 350 is now the most important number on the planet, the red line that defines reality reality.
It doesn't define political reality, however. The political reality goes like this: George W. Bush was so terrible on this issue that the bar has been set incredibly low — Obama will get all the political points he needs with fairly minimal effort. Doing what actually needs to be done will be politically…unpopular isn't even the word. It might well wreck his political future, because it would involve — directly or indirectly — raising the cost of continuing to live as we do right now.
My guess, from the outside, is that all Obama's instincts are centrist. Certainly in energy policy he's offered nothing all that bold or interesting, though his sophistication and engagement have grown during the campaign, which is a good sign. A better sign is simply that, by every testimony, he's one of the smartest men ever to assume high political office in this country. Not just smarter than Bush. Really smart. Smart enough, if he sits down to really understand the scale of the problem he faces, that he might decide to take the gambles that the situation requires. He said, not long ago, "under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket" — which is a sign of someone who is aware there may be a reality to come to grips with.
First signs to watch for: Does he go to Poland next month for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, and in so doing electrify the international talks over carbon? Are people like green-jobs advocate Van Jones on the short list of those he's listening to on energy policy? Can he see clear to making this — after dealing with the short-term financial emergency — his first legislative priority, even before health care?
Obama, and the rest of us, have a lot more to fear than fear itself. We've got carbon, and right now that's the most frightening stuff on earth.
Richard Conniff is a 2007 Guggenheim Fellow and a National Magazine Award-winning writer, whose articles have appeared in Time, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic. His upcoming book, Swimming With Piranhas at Feeding Time -- My Life Doing Dumb Things With Animals, is due out from W.W. Norton in May. He is the author of six other books, including The Natural History of the Rich: A Field Guide and Spineless Wonders: Strange Tales of the Invertebrate World. Conniff has also written for Yale e360 about carbon offsets and the greenhouse gas NF3.
More From Yale E360
Obama Ready To Move On Clean-Energy Economy
A Detroit Bailout Must Include a Green Makeover
Obama's Big Climate Challenge
Richard Conniff
Updated: 12/17/2008 12:36:05 PM
Note: Yale Environment 360 is a publication of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Visit them at www.e360.yale.edu.
And so our eight-year interlude from reality draws to a close, and the job of cleaning up begins. The trouble is, we’re not just cleaning up after a failed presidency. We’re cleaning up after a two-century binge.
Barack Obama has won an historic victory, and with it the right to take office under the most difficult circumstances since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Maybe more difficult, because while both FDR and Obama had financial meltdowns to deal with, Obama also faces the meltdown meltdown — the rapid disintegration of the planet's climate system that threatens to challenge the very foundations of our civilization.
Do you think that sounds melodramatic? Let me give it to you from the abstract of a scientific paper written earlier this year by one of the people who now work for Mr. Obama, NASA scientist James Hansen. "If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, paleo-climate evidence and ongoing climate change suggest that CO2 [in the atmosphere] will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm [parts per million] to at most 350 ppm." In other words, if we keep increasing carbon any longer, the earth itself will make our efforts moot.
Hansen's calculation is a scientifically grounded way of saying: Everything must change at once. To meet his target, before enough feedback loops kick in to irrevocably warm the planet, Hansen says fossil-fuel combustion, particularly coal, must cease around the planet by about 2030, and that it must happen sooner in the industrialized nations. As the climate observer, and tireless blogger, Joe Romm observed when Hansen's paper was published, it means that "we need to go straight to the government-led WWII-style effort for the whole planet that is sustained for decades." (Well, back to FDR, what do you know.).
Anyway, here are some of the pieces of what Obama must push for:
Massive government investment in green energy. For this to have any hope of being politically viable, it will need to be seen as the single huge stimulus effort that might lift us out of our financial swamp. (That's almost certainly true, by the way — name another emergent technology capable of re-floating the economy for the long run). We have at least some of the technologies we'd need — wind, the newly promising desert solar arrays, and the ever-useful insulation (the installation of which would at least create a lot of jobs — you're not going to send your house to China for a layer of fiberglass). You might also push for nuclear, but it takes a long time and it's probably too expensive to make a rational list. Still, no holds barred.
A stiff cap on carbon, which will help drive the process. Again, to have any chance of passing politically, it will need to come with the feature proposed in recent years by Peter Barnes, and that Obama has semi-endorsed: a "cap and share" approach that would return the revenue raised directly to consumers. That is, Exxon would pay for the permit to pour carbon into the atmosphere, a cost that would rise steadily as the cap was lowered. But instead of the money going into government coffers, every American would get a check each year for their share of the proceeds. They'd be made whole against the rising cost of energy, while the shock that the price signal would send would be preserved. Current versions of cap-and-trade are too weak and too riddled with loopholes — getting a clean, tough bill through Congress needs to be a preoccupation of President Obama.
Once the president has done all that tough stuff at home, he'll need to do it all over again, globally. The world is meeting in Copenhagen in December of 2009 to come up with a successor to the Kyoto treaty, the modest first international effort that George W. Bush walked away from weeks after taking office. If Hansen and others are even close to right, this will represent the last legitimate shot the world has at putting itself on a new carbon regime in time to make any difference.
It will be incredibly difficult, mostly because we begin from such unequal places. China has lots of coal and it would like to burn it, because it's the cheapest way to pull rural Chinese out of dire poverty (something the country's leaders would quite like to do because otherwise they won't be the country's leaders much longer). If we want them to use, say, windmills instead, we're going to need to “share some wealth,” north to south, to make it happen. The Chinese opened the bidding last week, with a suggestion that one percent of the U.S. annual GDP would be a good amount to send their way. That's going to be quite a political ask — it means that Americans would be working roughly one hour every two weeks just to help the global South build up their clean alternatives. What we're talking about is a carbon version of the Marshall Plan, and it would mean Obama needs to be not just FDR but Truman and Ike as well.
What it all boils down to is: The bills are coming due. And not just, or even mainly, the bills from a failed Bush presidency, but the bills from 200 years of burning fossil fuel. Twenty years ago when we started worrying about global warming, we thought we'd have a generation to pay those bills off. But we were wrong — the planet was more finely balanced than we'd realized. The melting Arctic is the call from the repo man.
Any hope of succeeding will require Obama to grasp, deep in his guts, the fact that climate, energy, food, and the economy are now hopelessly intertwined, and that trying to solve any one of these problems without taking on the others simply makes all of them worse. More, he needs to understand, again viscerally, the single stark fact of our time: No matter how many votes, no matter how much lobbying, no matter how much pressure you apply, you can't amend the laws of physics and chemistry. They aren't like the laws that politicians are used to dealing with. They will be obeyed, like it or not. 350 is now the most important number on the planet, the red line that defines reality reality.
It doesn't define political reality, however. The political reality goes like this: George W. Bush was so terrible on this issue that the bar has been set incredibly low — Obama will get all the political points he needs with fairly minimal effort. Doing what actually needs to be done will be politically…unpopular isn't even the word. It might well wreck his political future, because it would involve — directly or indirectly — raising the cost of continuing to live as we do right now.
My guess, from the outside, is that all Obama's instincts are centrist. Certainly in energy policy he's offered nothing all that bold or interesting, though his sophistication and engagement have grown during the campaign, which is a good sign. A better sign is simply that, by every testimony, he's one of the smartest men ever to assume high political office in this country. Not just smarter than Bush. Really smart. Smart enough, if he sits down to really understand the scale of the problem he faces, that he might decide to take the gambles that the situation requires. He said, not long ago, "under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket" — which is a sign of someone who is aware there may be a reality to come to grips with.
First signs to watch for: Does he go to Poland next month for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, and in so doing electrify the international talks over carbon? Are people like green-jobs advocate Van Jones on the short list of those he's listening to on energy policy? Can he see clear to making this — after dealing with the short-term financial emergency — his first legislative priority, even before health care?
Obama, and the rest of us, have a lot more to fear than fear itself. We've got carbon, and right now that's the most frightening stuff on earth.
Richard Conniff is a 2007 Guggenheim Fellow and a National Magazine Award-winning writer, whose articles have appeared in Time, Smithsonian, The Atlantic, The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic. His upcoming book, Swimming With Piranhas at Feeding Time -- My Life Doing Dumb Things With Animals, is due out from W.W. Norton in May. He is the author of six other books, including The Natural History of the Rich: A Field Guide and Spineless Wonders: Strange Tales of the Invertebrate World. Conniff has also written for Yale e360 about carbon offsets and the greenhouse gas NF3.
More From Yale E360
Obama Ready To Move On Clean-Energy Economy
A Detroit Bailout Must Include a Green Makeover
Obama's Big Climate Challenge
Green facts
25 percent: The increase in volume of household garbage between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.
90 percent: Less energy used by LED bulbs, compared to standard incandescent lights.
25 to 30 million: Number of Christmas trees sold in the United States each year.
90 percent: Less energy used by LED bulbs, compared to standard incandescent lights.
25 to 30 million: Number of Christmas trees sold in the United States each year.
reality bites
Apparently the merger of the Ecology Board and the Parks and Parkways Board did not go very well, for anybody. In theory, if a citizen has a complaint, they should be able to go up the chain of command until they are heard and the problem addressed. In actuality, the Mayor and Council have not directed the City Manager to do ANYTHING for years, that the City Manager hasnt already approved. They basically await his direction and respond to his agenda. He facilitates their agendas and they respond in kind. You scratch my back and I will scratch yours politics. Shameless self-promotion all around.
Merry Xmas
Its amusing how the people who complain about the posters here and say they must have NO life as a result of these posts, DO IT BY POSTING THEMSELVES ! Does THAT say anything about the sorry state of THEIR lives? If they make a stupid blanket statement about people who post, and they ARE one of the posters, it must apply to them too, right? Stupidity NEVER takes a holiday! Merry Xmas ! Even to those who make no sense, as they provide a chuckle for the rest of us!
factual discussion
What "false information' has been posted here? What "malicious lies"? If you, or anybody else, has different numbers that you can confirm lets see them! This IS a forum and this IS a dicussion group! There can be NO discussion or debate however, without any credible opposing arguments that are based on facts. Where ARE your numbers? cancelled checks? bank statements? deposit slips? If you have NONE, and it doesnt appear you DO, then we really dont have any basis for debate or discussion.
ZERO credibility
A personal review of the past three years of daily logs by the resident only shows FIVE months of $200 pool rentals paid, out of 36! Gym says that MDAC has started paying $500 a month since October, but there is NO record of any of those payments being made in ANY of the daily logs reviewed. Gym also said there was an Optimist connection and THAT turned out to be a total FABRICATION, so taking Gym's word on ANYTHING is a highly questionable situation, at best! His credibility is ZERO since the Optimist falsehood! Only a cancelled check can substantiate any of those rental claims, and/or a bank statement or deposit slip. And THOSE are NOT made available- wonder why not?
Truth takes no holiday
What "garbage" has been posted here? What insults have been posted here? Facts and figures have been posted here, and conclusions drawn from them, that is true. They are only garbage if you have NO different facts or figures to contradict them, or disprove them, as is the case here. Insults are not particularly helpful in resolving the differences of opinion, that is true, and are to be minimized in the interests of resolving the issues. Those lying, deceiving, and misleading the residents and wasting their tax monies are the ones with the SORRY LIFE. Truth, like crooks, takes no holiday. We would like to forgive those who try to deceive us and steal our money, but they have shown NO signs of repentance, regret, or changes of heart, so we will continue to pursue the truth until it is exposed for ALL to see.
MDAC roster issues addressed
While MDAC is NOT compelled to reveal a roster of the Springs kids involved on their team, yet, you might think that, in the interests of being a good neighbor and maintaining good working relationships with the taxpaying residents of Miami Springs, they might just volunteer to provide the list. Volunteering would also go a long way toward clearing up this situation and resolving the now highly questionable and suspicious situation. A list of the kids names are NOT necessary, of course, as it is the PARENTS of these kids that would have to verify their attendance and participation in MDAC anyway, thus addressing and defusing the "Child Predator" defense (which was unbelievable and preposterous in the first place). To allow for seasonality only the parents names of the Springs kids are requested for the past 2-3 years, along with their contact information. A verifiable list of names is necessary because a list of names is NOT always accurate, as you know. So what do you say, MDAC? It is the right and honorable thing to do, no?
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
YES, or NO
IF MDAC didnt lie at the last Council meeting then perhaps they just didnt tell all the truth either. Either they were wrong or the website is wrong. Which is it? Perhaps the website is just out of date. If thats the case it should be updated. If they truly have paid the tiny $200 a month pool rent every month then it should be NO problem to prove it wasnt a fabrication. I WAS there, and spoke. To say somebody has paid all the rent asked of them is NOT saying they have paid all the rents they are obligated to pay. If they pay SOME months, as it appears, then they admit that rents are due on a monthly basis. Is MDAC saying they thought that pool rents were due some months but not all of them? or even MOST of them? Without splitting hairs or trying to avoid the question, the question is an easy one - Did MDAC pay $200 a month for every month they have been practicing at the Springs pool? If so, are they currently up to date now? Are there cancelled checks and/or bank statements to confirm those possible payments? Those are YES and NO questions. YES, or NO?
Rip Tides Appear Solid
Memo says, "For the upcoming water polo camp we will receive $1350. This is a five-day camp and does not interfere with any other pool activities, including the swim team." Receipt for last years water polo camp was for $2000. whats the difference between this years and last years, except $650? Cost per student is $300 for the whole week. Receipt for 11-7-05 is for $200 for October rental. Receipt for 1-6-06 is for Rip Tide water polo practice and is for $160, ck #1080. Receipt for 5-3-06 is for $600, ck #1122. Next receipt is for $800, on 8-17-06, ck # 1178. the last receipt is for $500, written 11-28-06, ck # 1211. It seems the Rip Tides actually pay $200 a month in pool rentals. This is a group of 20 guys, right? and a nonprofit? arent the nonprofits supposed to pay LESS than for-profits? especially less than those with MANY more swimmers? There is good documentation of pool rentals paid regularly, for this year at least. Rip Tides do not appear to be the problem. There is NO apparent payments to this point in the review for either Columbus or Reagan HS's for the past two years, nor the supposed $500 pool rentals for October or November, 2008. Wet Dolfins paid $375 1-16-07 for 25 hours of one lane rental, ck #1133.
doubters remain
There is a BIG difference between SAYING you paid something and PROVING it. For instance, the City Manager SAID there was an Optimist connection with the concessions at the pool BUT that didnt turn out to be true. It was a complete and total FABRICATION. Fabrications happen, like for instance when the MDAC website claims the team has multiple places to practice, and the coach says its only one. That may only qualify as only a half-fabrication because he apparently FORGOT to mention that we are the only pool local heated pool during the Winter and that during the warmer months they DO practice at many other sites. Another possible fabrication could involve the pool rent payments. A Springs resident has reviewed daily logs back to 2006 and only found FIVE months payments documented- yet MDAC says they have paid them ALL. Someone is fabricating a story again. If you can, prove the resident in error. Once you are known for fabricating its hard for honest people to believe you. Ask our City Manager. We HOPE that MDAC will tell the truth, no matter what it is, and back it up with credible sources- cancelled checks, bank statements, deposit slips, etc., like we HOPE the City Manager will do. Until that happens, can you blame us for having our doubts?
skimming?
Note at the bottom of the daily log dated 6-20-08: Water polo does not pay. What should we do? Note 5-23-08 at the bottom: Water polo is not-for-profit group. Apparently this information is accurate. Does this mean that all the other groups pay a cash admission? Like the Doral coach said he paid $2 a swimmer per day? That would amount to a nice chunk of cash every day that is NOT accounted for in the logs. Is it possible that is a part fo the handshake deal between the City Manager and MDAC? Has the handshake agreement EVER been revealed, as to what EXACTLY it entails? Were there any witnesses to the handshake deal? Is it possible that MDAC pays $2 each swimmer every day in cash, or weekly, and THATS why they dont think they owe anymore rent? Could THAT be why Gym gave them such a HUGE discount? That would be skimming, right? That would be a felony, right? Skimming IS grand theft, right?
possibilities
IF MDAC has paid all the pool practice rents of $200 a month since they have been there and they can prove it with cancelled checks, etc., then the responsibility switches to the City Manager to show where those monies went. It IS possible that MDAC DID pay those missing rents, and the City Manager just FORGOT to record them! Whoops! Or pocketed them- whoops! In any case, they are NOT accounted for in the daily logs, except those five months noted previously, and ALL the rents and meet revenues need to be accounted for-from MDAC, Columbus, Reagan, and nonprofit polo team. Polo team is not only the best renter we have, they are the ONLY consistent payer we have! Again, it IS possible MDAC paid the rents and they just got LOST in transit, somehow. Once their payments are verified and confirmed the picture will get considerably clearer. And thanks for the note and fax, whoever you are.
log reviews
Hooray !!! Another check for pool rent from MDAC of $200 has been found! Dated 6/26/08. That makes a grand total of FIVE months rent accounted for in the past THIRTY SIX months! That is ALMOST 15% of the rents due! Several dozen more daily logs reviewed today. Acording to the City manager MSSH parents donated the $1100 concessions revenue towards MSSH pool rental, which is nice. No sign, however, of any bills or invoices to GMAC for pool rentals tho, or monies paid to us from that meet. GMAC does usually pay the going rate for their meets, right? They dont expect free rents too, do they? Documentation again ranges from EXCELLENT to nonexistent. LOTS of team swimmers using our pool lately- 84 documented 10/14/08, 117 on 10/13/08, 100 on 10/20/08. A large majority are MDAC on each of those days. NO swim teams of any type were mentioned on Feb, March, April, May 2008. 29 Dec 07 13 adults and 45 kids documented= total of 58 patrons. Admission fees collected $25 for one adult and 15 kids. several logs are missing: Jan 2008 had only 3 daily logs listed- 1/7/08, 1/9/08, and 1/19/08. Pool was only open THREE DAYS during this past January? Only 9 logs were found for Feb 08, and 11 for March 08. We are open SIX days a week during those months, right? Six days times at least four weeks would be at least 24 days a month we are open, right? Where ARE those other logs?
subsidies legal?
IF it is the City Attorneys legal opinion that handshakes are a legally defensible and enforceable means of doing City business, what legal steps would he suggest to the Mayor and Council to enforce said handshake agreement with MDAC into payments of pool rents that are, recent research has indicated, almost TWO YEARS in arrears? is there not something in the City charter about NOT allowing the subsidizing of private enterprises? Wonder what his legal opinion would be regarding the ridiculously low pool rental payments on the pool? (that are only occasionally paid). If FREE RENT isnt a subsidy to a for-profit business, what is?
handshakes legally binding?
How in the world can the city Attorney approve a handshake deal as a legally sound method of doing City business? how would the terms of that handshake be enforced? Who were the witnesses? What terms did and agreements, and under what conditions, did they witness? Were the witnesses of legal age? of sound mind? in possession of sound hearing? able to comprehend what was transpiring? was the City Attorney present at any of these handshake agreements? If so, what did HE witness? Was he consulted before these agreements were made? If so, did he offer a legal opinion of the said agreements before they were consumated? if so, where IS those legal opinions? Now that he KNOWS there ARE no contracts OR use agreements in place, only handshake agreements, what is his legal opinion of the status of these aforementioned handshake agreements? Is he going to recommend to the Mayor and Council that formal contracts be put into place, or is he comfortable legally that the handshakes are defensible and enforceable, if needed? Is he going to wait for the Mayor and the Council to ask him his legal opinion first? Why would he wait, now that he is aware of a potential problem? Isnt a large part of his job to anticipate potential legal problems and proactively advise and warn the Council BEFORE something adverse happens? Why is he NOT doing that in this case?
TWO YEARS of FREE pool rent?
What would be the best way to find out how many swimmers there were three years ago in MDAC? Two years ago? last year? Gym gave them this HUGE discount to build up their numbers, supposedly- even tho it would have had ZERO effect on the swimmers as THEY received NO DISCOUNT on their monthly dues. The only ones who benefitted were the owners of MDAC. And NOW we find they havent even bothered to that paltry sum 90% of the time! Research indicates they havent made ONE payment for almost the last TWO YEARS!
Monday, December 22, 2008
simple solutions needed now
IF MDAC truly HAS paid whatever it was asked to pay to practice at our pool and host meets, they should have NO problem providing the cancelled chacks and receipts from the City they received upon payment. If their claim of 15 to 30 Springs residents are true they should have NO problem proving that too, by providing a verifiable roster for the past three years! That is what honest people do! Those TWO requests would be simple to prove, right, for people who are honest, no?
Senior moment strikes!
the GMAC question is a good one because, even if MSSH parents applied that money to their pool rentals (whether it really went thru the Optimists or not), the GMAC should have been billed for THEIR use of the pool. Gym says the bill is $750 a day, and there SHOULD be an invoice to that effect. Subsequent payments, if any, should also be noted. There was a GMAC note but what it entailed doesnt come to mind right now, as resident is claiming Senior moment! Will have to review the notes and daily logs.
addendum
The 12-10-08 FOI requested to see the revenues from MDAC, Columbus, Reagan HS's for meets, practices, etc. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
mid-course adjustments
The water Polo/Aquatic revenue numbers seem to have ben ADJUSTED. The FY 2005-06 numbers were $ 1250; the FY 2006-07 numbers have been adjusted UPWARD to $ 8740, up from $4800. FY 2007-08 dropped back to $ 2150 and the same amiount is projected for this year. Wonder how they account for the 500+% jump in revenues last year, and the subsequent drop the next two years? is it possible that we had a one-time supernova burst in swimming and swimmers one year- that dies out the next year? Nah. Isnt it more likely we got an accurate count of real admissions for one year? Anybody buy that FIVE TIMES more people went to our pool ONE YEAR? and then went someplace else? or stopped swimming at all? Anybody buying that our revenues are REALLY $2150 for last year and this one? Nah, didnt think so. Hard to believe ANY numbers they put up there, right? Pathetic. Preposterous. Implausible, if not impossible to ponder. Incredibly incompetent. Unbelievably inept; believably corrupt. City Manager claims Columbus and Reagan HS paid $1500 a season each for the past two seasons. IF that were true, and its a BIG IF, then how does he get $2150 as the total revenues from Aquatics? Numbers make NO SENSE, and neither does he. WHERE is that money?
FOI redux
Yes, there was something in there about the Wet Dolfin Academy or something, and very possibly a receipt, altho some of it was in Spanish. Will check again tomorrow. The invoice question is a good one. Perhaps a FOI for the HS billing invoices and subsequent payments would be in order. A FOI for MDAC billing and subsequent payments might be even MORE interesting! A FOI from the resident dated 12-10-08 requested to see all "the revenues we have received from Miami Dade Aquatics Club, Columbus HS, and Reagan HS for practices and meets, etc." A current roster of names for those entities was also requested via FOI the same day. No word so far, but they DID make the records available for viewing and copying. Curious if that meets the requirements for an FOI- you think?
where has all the money gone? long time passing...
The question was so good, somehow it was missed. Of course these Rip Tide revenues need to be correlated with revenues reported for that time frame! Bank statements, deposit slips, and quarterly reports should do that nicely, altho any one of them COULD be forged, the chances of all 3 being forged is small! If the claimed revenues for 07-08 were $2150, and $4800 for the year before, that would NOT even account for the Rip Tide revenues that WERE probably actually collected over that period! NOT to mention the supposed $2400 a year from MDAC, the $750 a day pool rental fee for meets, the $1500 a season from Columbus and Reagan HS, GMAC meets, district meets, or private parties. Where is ALL this revenue reflected? Of course, if it REALLY wasnt collected, the question would have to be, WHY NOT? If it WAS collected and disappeared, the State Attorney WILL BE notified.
confirmation needed
Good question. The $6672 accounted for by receipts from Patti Bradley are from as far back as 2005. The dates and amounts were noted, no? The Rip Tides DID make a 6 month lump sum payment for the previous six months that was not included in the previous figure, but the confirmation of that payment hasnt been made yet. The resident only confirms possible payments once he has a copy of the log and the receipt in his hand. Time ran out today before a copy could be made. Tomorrow.
trust, but verify
Daily logs for the past ten days or so are not available now. The documentation has been EXCELLENT at times, and incomplete or entirely absent at other times. Is management somehow discouraging good documentation now? If they were, what would they be hiding? If the coach who said he paid $2 a swimmer per day to use our pool for practice is right, consistently under-estimating and under-documenting the numbers of actual swimmers six days a week could leave a significant amount of cash unaccounted for, no? Same with admissions, but on a lesser scale. We are pretty sure the Rip Tide monies made it into the city accounts, but of course need to verify those revenues anyway, just as a matter of good business principles. The same will be required of the City Manager for the MSSH, Columbus, Reagan HS and MDAC monies that were supposedly paid to the City over the past 2-3 years. Trust, but verify. It just gets more and more curious.
nonprofit Rip Tides only ones paying
Several dozen more logs were reviewed today and it appears that the only ones paying us on a regular basis is the Rip Tides nonprofit water polo club. 9 receipts were reviewed totaling $6672 were found, going back to 2005. Other than the four months of rent noted previously there were more NO MDAC pool practice rental or meet receipts found. NONE. No receipts were found for MSSH, the middle school, Columbus, or Reagan HS.
change is needed
The residents and taxpayers are paying OVER 300k per year to keep the pool open year-round. Yet somehow, the City Manager sees fit to give a 100-strong private swim team HUGE discounts to use our pool, in direct opposition to the stated Councils standard fees, and doesnt even bother to validate that those pittances are paid! The HUGE discounts come right out of the taxpayers pocket into the private swim teams pocket! $1100 a month, at least, for YEARS! There are NO CONTRACTS, contrary to the City Managers initial opinion, NO use agreements, and NO connection to the Optimist Club! Why has the Mayor and Council allowed this to go on for YEARS? How much longer will they turn a blind eye? How much longer will the residents ALLOW them to NOT supervise or oversee the City Manager? Change is needed, NOW.
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