Saturday, January 3, 2009
Dotson da Man
Looks like the Council will focus on this issue of the complaints by the young ladies next time, as it has several implications regarding pool operations, management actions, possible legal complications and city policies. Mr Dotson is looking into it seriously and will ask the pertinent questions. In the meantime there are several FOIs needed requesting billing invoices and verified deposit slips from MDAC, the high schools, and the middle schools. THAT should illuminate some things!
pool numbers distilled
IF, and its a BIG IF, the payments by MDAC for the past year WERE made, that would total $2400, right? That is ONE TEAM, paying a pittance. How can the revenues from Aquatics/polo be estimated to be $2150 for the WHOLE YEAR? Adding the possible $1500 each from Reagan and Columbus high schools, the $2400 from the polo team, the theoretical $750 per day for meets, MSSH, and the middle schools and they get ONLY $2150? That is impossible of course. Either their numbers are NO WHERE close to reality IF they have collected all those monies, OR they actually DIDNT COLLECT those monies and the $2150 is accurate! Neither conclusion is acceptable. Can it be that, for accounting purposes, they cant tell the difference between a 100-strong private swim team, meet revenues, the high schools, the middle schools and the handful of daily local swimmers from Oct-April??? THAT would be preposterous, right? The terms immensely and incomprehensibly inept and incompetent come to mind, at the VERY least! For the City Manager to tell a resident in his ofice that he has NO idea where his pool revenue numbers were derived from, is simply unbelievable!!!! Especially when he pulls out a quarterly report, flips thru the pages while the resident is there, and says he keeps a close watch on THOSE VERY FIGURES and details that they were discussing! Either he DOESNT have the figures and has NO idea where they are (which is just incredibly incompetent), or he DOES know where they are and keeps a close watch on them (but doesnt want anybody else to see them)! WHICH IS IT? How can ANYBODY believe ANYTHING he has to say? The fabricated Optimist connection? Secret backroom handshake deals? He works in the shadows, out of sight, where nobody can see what he is doing; a practitioner of the purposefully obscure. Is this what we want in our city officials? Honest administrators strive for transparency because they have NOTHING to hide!
pool audit needed
The legal technicality MDAC has been hiding behind is that they are not LEGALLY COMPELLED to show proof of payments to anybody YET. Even IF those payments were to be MIRACULOUSLY found at some point in the future, the whole secret backroom handshake deal process needs to be reviewed and assessed in an independent outside audit, along with the pool operations. Why have the Mayor and Council NOT spoken out? At LEAST on the fabricated Optimist connection? The claims of the young ladies? ANYTHING!!?? Can it be that they are STILL awaiting Gym doing damage control and directing them what they should think and say? You MIGHT think they would be embarrassed and ashamed but that is unlikely, as they have demonstrated NO signs of either of THOSE emotions while depriving the residents the right to vote on the gym and annexation, their failure to oversee and supervise the City Manager in ANY of the construction projects (both the Cc and bathrooms taking well over two years and TRIPLE what they were originally priced at), or any of a half dozen other fiascos in the City over the past five years. Except for Dotson, they have firmly taken up positions astride the fence, as usual, and are just awaiting Gym's directions. Dotson will get the residents some answers. Only an outside independent audit will get ALL the answers tho.
ethical and honest questioned
Well, its certainly true that MDAC may lose some money if they are ever made to pay the FAIR MARKET VALUE of our pool! That $1100 a month they have put into their pockets since they moved over to our pool will certainly be reduced, or eliminated. You might think an honest an ethical business would NOT hide behind a legal technicality, especially if they HOPE to continue practicing at our pool in the future! That paltry sum they have paid in the past, IF its been paid, will not stand for long with a new Council! Hopefully the new Council will know that we are being ripped off by the City Manager who allows them to use our pool for a pittance. MDAC knows it too, but they will pretend they are paying fair market value because its money in their pocket! They KNOW what fair market value is because they were paying it at MDC before they came to the Springs. Ethical and honest my butt!
choose
You demand proof of evidence of an established business supported by its citizens. Isnt it more like its a business supported by SPRINGS citizens? WE pay to keep the pool open year-round. WE pay to heat the pool so your swimmers will be comfortable. WE pay the staff. WE pay for the chemicals! WE pay the 140-200k per year so that YOU can pay $200 a month, or less, for YEARS! If our numbers are in error, we would WELCOME you posting the right numbers! Please! OR you can continue to hide behind a legal technicality. The choice is YOURS!
Friday, January 2, 2009
lots of claims but little proof
Can it be that a poster here ACTUALLY made a bunch of statements but sees NO REASON why they might provide ANY evidence to support their claims???? YES, we paid what you asked for, but we cant, or wont prove it! Yes, there IS an Optimist connection, but again, we cant, or wont, provide ANY evidence to that effect! YES, there are MANY Springs kids involved in our program, but AGAIN, we cannot or will not provide ANY evidence to support that claim!! It is up to YOU to show that we are full of it, in error, or flat out LYING! Until you DO prove us wrong, with indisputable proof, we will hide behind whatever legal technicalities we can! while all the while claiming to be an ethical and honest business!!! Thats our story and we are sticking to it!!! DOES THAT sound like an ethical and honest business to ANYBODY?????? Please.
enlightenment needed
IF there has been information posted here that is DEAD wrong, please enlighten us with the correct information! The City Manager SAID that the MDAC rate has been $200 a month for the past 2.5+ years, and now they are paying $500 a month. Of course, Gym also said there was an Optimist connection at the pool and THAT turned out to have NO basis in fact! Until there are confirmed facts that support those numbers, the jury is still out. Ms Gannon spoke about the benefits of water aerobics, and that may be true, but there hasnt been any proof of a consistent water aerobic program for MONTHS! There is also LITTLE evidence of many swim lessons being given from Oct-March of last year and from October 2008 thru the present, from the reviews that have been done. There is NO evidence of the $500 per month rental charge to MDAC having been paid either, but if it has been missed somehow, please fill us in as to where that revenue information can be found! In addition, there is NO evidence of the $750 per day meet pool rental fees Gym has claimed have been charged in the past. If those revenues are located somewhere else, other than the daily logs, please let us know where THEY can be found also! Education is wonderful thing! Please, educate us regarding the RIGHT numbers, and put them here, for all to see. God forbid we should ever have outright FABRICATIONS or unapproved secret backroom handshake deals regarding City businesses!
pool giveaway
The pool is both an asset and a liability. The residents who use the pool do NOT get to use it at 15% of the going rate, do they? The rate last Summer was $2.50 for adults and $1.50 for kids. The MDAC swim team DOES get to use our pool for less than 15% of the fair market value. The fair market value to use our pool for swim practice for three hours a day for 6 days a week was established by Gym to be $200 a month. How this was decided is not at all clear, because he has said in the past he had NO IDEA what other pools were charging! The fair market value is WHATEVER Gym says it is? Since when? When he says it was to encourage more Springs kids to join, it make NO real sense because the swimmers have gotten NONE of the benefits, and therefore there is NO incentive for them to join. The only one who benefitted was the MDAC owners, at the expense of the Springs taxpayers. It would be very interesting to see how that $200 giveaway has worked as an incentive for Springs kids to join!Another giveaway, plain and simple.
subsidies legal?
A resume was requested and received. While the pool is not meant to be a big money maker, it is also NOT intended to be a big money loser either. Break even would be HUGE step forward, and the closer we get to that the better off we will be, as taxpayers. Allowing outside private teams made up of 95% nonresidents to use our pool at 15% of the going market rate is defrauding the taxpayers of their rightful revenues and a subsidy to the private swim team. Why are we the only ones in town that subsidize private teams? Isnt there something in the charter that forbids that practice?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
changes are needed
Happy New Year everyone! Looking forward to hearing what the HR lady found in her report. Heard that the new Rec Director left there under highly questionable circumstances. If true, why didnt Gym reveal that when he was checking his buddies references out? Wonder if Wilton Manors would hire him again? It has always been a stretch to believe that a guy could reach back 28 years and recover the knowledge and skills he once MAY have had, during that possible one year of being a Rec Director at Wilton Manors. It DOES show the problems involved when the City Manager does NO due diligence in checking the candidate out and hires him on a smile and a handshake. Too many handshake deals in this City. Not enough DUE DILIGENCE. The Mayor and the Council should be embarrassed, if not outraged! Its a complete and utter failure to do DUE DILIGENCE on the part of the City Manager when vetting for the position that has been called, "the most important job in the City!" How much more of this arrogance, incompetency, outrageously expensive construction projects, backroom handshake giveaways, blatant disregard for the wishes of the Council, and failure to do even the basics of DUE DILIGENCE are we going to stand for? Start the New Year with a new City Manager!
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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.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?
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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
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!
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