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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Col. Allen West for Congress District 22 launches 2nd TV ad

"We know our economic security has been threatened by the policies of the liberal leadership in Washington D.C.

The unemployment rate in Florida has tripled since my opponent, incumbent Congressman Ron Klein took office. Foreclosures in south Florida have skyrocketed, making our district one of the most affected areas in the entire country.

It's time for real solutions coupled with traditional principles to guide us through these troubled times. Our economic engine--driven by the American worker and American ingenuity--that has brought our country through past recessions must be unleashed," said Col. Allen West today.

Today's Surf at Lake Worth Beach

Gang statement at the Lake Worth Beach?

Gang statement?

What is the meaning of shoes hanging from wires?

According to WikiAnswers--It can mean a variety of things and can vary regionally. Here are a few meanings--take your pick.

They are the shoes of a friend lost to violence thrown up in a memorial near their place of death.
Signifies that drugs are sold at that location
Marks gang territory
You have bullies in your area and they took another kids shoes for a game of keep away.
Someone got a new pair of tennies and just thought of a way to get rid of the old ones.

These shoes have been hanging there since April. Are we waiting for them to rot off the wire?

Islam--Three Things you Need to Know

White Roses, a group headquartered in Sweden, created a video to inform non-Muslims about Islam. The name of this video is: Three Things About Islam.

The name White Roses is based on a student resistance group "Die weiße Rose" in Nazi Germany. The group became known for an anonymous leaflet campaign, from June 1942 until February 1943, which called for active opposition to Adolf Hitler's regime.

We continue to listen to Muslims defending the building of a Mosque near the 911 Site saying that they are the "peaceful" Muslims. The leader of the proposed site, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, says that the opposition to the project are just "very small, loud and vociferous voices." According to a recent CNN Poll, 70% of Americans do not want it built there.

Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, says it is all "politics." Only 54% of Democrats oppose it whereas 82% of Republicans disapprove. We continue to listen to President Obama also saying that Muslims have the right. These sort of statements just show how out of touch the Democratic Party has become.

In a recent poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 34% of respondents said they believe Obama is a Christian, down from 48% in March 2009. Eighteen percent said he is a Muslim, up from 11% in March 2009. No matter what religion he is, Obama better pray, starting now and up until the election in 2012.

Bird at Benny's

Comment Up

This little guy flew down, grabbed a jelly out of the box, poked his beak into the plastic to open the container and devoured the strawberry jam...did not even bother to read the sign.

FL Chamber against the Florida taxpayer

Message from Dori-

Proof that the Chamber of Commerce puts the interest of Big Business at any Cost to the Taxpayer...

“The Florida Chamber of Commerce is disappointed in Thursday’s ruling striking down SB 360. Legislation intended to reduce excessive regulations, stimulate investment, and create jobs has instead been tied up in costly, taxpayer-funded litigation for over a year," said Adam Babington, vice president for Government Affairs at the Florida Chamber of Commerce in a released statement.

The cities involved in the lawsuit, however, maintain that taxpayers would have been the hardest hit had the legislation been allowed to stand.

"Basically, this bill would've shifted the burden of traffic and roadway mitigation onto the taxpayers," said Eric Hersh, mayor of Weston, one of the cities that was a lead plaintiff in the case. "We've had an unprecedented amount of growth before the law. You can't say that (striking down SB 360) stymies growth, that's nonsense," he said.

Sunshine State News

Palm Beach County says NO to more affordable housing

The Palm Beach County Commission was deadlocked yesterday, 3/3, on a vote to extend affordable housing into rural areas. The idea died at the dais. We are probably all lucky that Jeff Koons is no longer on the Commission as the vote would have passed. Citing a glut of inexpensive housing, Santamaria, Marcus and Abrams said that extending the program would only allow landowners to make more money on development.

On August 18, the Lake Worth Finance Advisory Board also said “no” to spending CDBG funds on affordable housing in Lake Worth. Most housing in Lake Worth is affordable, losing half its value over the last two years. Since that meeting, Staff has rescinded the request to Palm Beach County.

Even though this is not an Amendment 4 issue, it just shows the power of a commission and its direct responsibility for the over-development of housing units across our State. Politicians do not like Amendment 4 as they really don't care what the people want. They think that they know better as they hold the developer's hand.

Adonis Losada, an Immigrant

Adonis Losada was in the news. Originally from Cuba, he “immigrated” here in 2000 from God knows where, and has been in the PB County jail now for 11 months. He is furious about that. He wants to go back to Miami to be tried by his peers. Do they have more sexual predators down there?

I say, send him back to Cuba. He can barely speak English and we, the taxpayer, have to pay for his public defender as well as 11 months now of room and board. He admitted at the time of his arrest that he had a problem. What is he accused of doing? Possession and transmission of heinous child pornography. California is also building a case against this guy.

We need to eliminate the "wet feet, dry feet" policy.

Just the sort of immigrant we do not want in this country.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Commissions don't listen to the voters - We need Amendment 4

"Proposed Amendment 4, Florida Hometown Democracy, will be presented to the voters in the November elections. This proposed amendment would give voters an opportunity to vote on major changes to a community’s growth management plan. Under current law, major changes to our growth management plan are decided by county commissioners. Many communities are now suffering from severe water restrictions, declining home values, as well as real estate taxes that are still too high.

The root cause of these ills has been the failure of our community to adhere to its growth management plan. County commissioners just can’t say no to special business interests when it comes to plan amendments, their future campaign cash depends on it."

Read more about it HERE

Today, the PB County Commission approved of changes at Lion Country Safari allowing for 250 more homes to be built. Even the DCA objected saying it would contribute to urban sprawl. Kilday & Associates (land planners that are everywhere...they even stuck their neck into the Sunset property) wanted it. Jess Santamaria said "yes." Karen Marcus was the only dissenting vote.

Surf Cam at Lake Worth Pier

Comment Up
The City manager's Report is touting CITY SURFLINE which seems to be nothing but ads. The cam lasts for 30 seconds and then on to some advertising. How do these people get away with it? Why do we think this is cool? They have cams all over the world apparently.

"A link to live video feed from Surfline is now available on the homepage of the City’s official website. Surfline provides live video feed of surf on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to provide surfers and spectators with up-to-date information on surf and weather conditions."

Cam at Lake Worth Pier.

Get used to it. After the beach redevelopment, you won't be able to drive over and look at the ocean. Thank Commissioner Jennings and Mayor Varela for that. We can all just look at Surfline's 30 second cam on the ocean. Such a deal.

Lake Worth Schools get off "Intervene" List

Comment Up

HELEN GLEICHER
PRINCIPAL OF NORTH GRADE SCHOOL, LAKE WORTH

State Education Commissioner Eric Smith and K-12 Chancellor Frances Haithcock today visited Lake Worth Community High School students, teachers and staff to congratulate them on what he called “the dramatic improvement” in student achievement last year.

The increase in student proficiency enabled the school to be released from the State’s list of “Intervene” schools, the most serious designation under the state’s accountability system based on student academic achievement. Lake Worth High was one of only two schools of the fifteen Intervene schools last year to work their way off the list. “To get this done in just one year is phenomenal," Smith said. “What you are doing is a model for the rest of the state,” he said. Smith, a former teacher, school Administrator and Superintendent, said the school got his attention when it got off the “Intervene” list in just one year.

Lake Worth High was only on the “Intervene” list for one year and improved by making numerous changes in the curriculum, instruction, teacher training, district support student assignments to appropriate Reading and Math courses. “It was a lot of hard work by a fantastic team,” said former Principal Ian Saltzman.

Current Principal Kirk Howell said, “I inherited a solid team of professionals and students eager to learn, so we ware continuing to operate at a high level. We are not going backward.”

Superintendent Art Johnson was in the middle of a pep talk with the school’s teachers when Smith and Haithcock arrived, congratulating them on contributing to Palm Beach County earning its sixth consecutive A rating from the state. Johnson pointed out that Palm Beach County is the only urban Florida<>

Smith visited several class rooms and spoke quietly with several students in their Reading classes. Dr. Haithcock vowed to continue state support of the school as it works to continue to raise achievement among all student groups.

After Smith left Lake Worth High, he traveled to Miami Dade County where the only other school to get off the Intervene list is located.

The Gulfstream Hotel, Lake Worth's Planning & Zoning Board, Lisa Maxwell and Jeff Clemens

Comment Up

"The Gulfstream Hotel, the historic Lake Worth property on Lake Avenue, remains shuttered, its potential unrealized. Asset Holding Company 5 LLC filed a foreclosure lawsuit against CSC Lake Worth Limited Partnership on Aug. 11 in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. The lawsuit seeks repayment of a $12 million loan, plus the foreclosure of the hotel property." Read more about it HERE

Our own Planning and Zoning Board, and member at the time Lisa Maxwell, now a candidate for District 4 running against Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill, allowed the owner of the Gulfstream, Ceebraid and Adam Schlesinger, to jerk the City of Lake Worth around granting them variance after variance and plan change after plan change just so that we could witness delay after delay. Schlesinger was hoping that the economy would turn in his favor. Our P&Z bent over backwards in accommodating the owner.

Read blog on the Gulfstream Hotel.

Back in July 2005, Schlesinger bought the historic hotel for $12,910,000 paying over double what it sold for only two years before. The hotel is 13,500 sq. ft. situated on 0.399 acres directly across from the Intracoastal Waterway and Bryant Park.

In the meantime, it has been over 5 years that the City of Lake Worth has been without a hotel. Schlesinger says he is trying to "work out" his loan problem.

Charles Celi filed a complaint and it went to an Appeal. Jennings, Golden and Mulvehill voted to grant his appeal and to reverse the approval of the Planning & Zoning Board regarding Schlesinger’s request for a time extension on the Gulfstream Hotel. Read what happened. Celi got the 3 to 2 vote but lost anyway. Clemens and Lowe dissented...just another BAD (corrupt) vote by former Mayor Jeff Clemens who is now running for House District 89 against Steven Rosenblum.

So, now we have the Gulfstream Hotel in foreclosure and Schlesinger owing everyone in the world big bucks. He sure can't claim that the Planning & Zoning Board and Lisa Maxwell or Mayor Clemens didn't do everything possible to vote in his favor against the best interests of Lake Worth.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Alumni Spaghetti Dinner

I would estimate about 400 people there today at Lake Worth High School for the Alumni Foundation Annual Spaghetti Dinner. Kathy Snyder Graves, Class of '53, was the chairperson and she did a fabulous job--from her committees on table decorations, to programs, to even our own Katie McGiveron along with her daughter Shay, cutting vegetables for 3 hours. I took 62 photos and below are a few.

On my way out someone stopped me to say "hello." It was Nona Childs Holt, one of my oldest and dearest friends from way back when we were kids and majorettes together at LW High. Nona and her husband live in Coral Springs but will be up for the Reunion in October. My childhood friend, Randy Hall was there. Lonnie Mills, Class of '61 was the MC and did a little Johnny Cash. Decades of graduating classes were represented and we all had a good time.

Alumni Spaghetti Dinner

More Spaghetti

Spaghetti Dinner 2

Amendment 4 is a David and Goliath Vote

Everyone knows that Amendment 4, Florida Hometown Democracy, is fighting the big bucks to win its grassroots initiative on November 2. It is a blitzkrieg of development interests and they plan to squash, like a bug, anyone who has any belief that the citizens of Florida might interfere with their ability to make more big bucks. They are deathly afraid that we the people might just not want that development in our community...we might not want that shopping center encroaching on the Everglades. They have amassed a big fighting machine filled with $$$$$ as well as lies and plan on running over all of us "little people" on election day.

It is all about greed versus protecting our State from corruption, sprawl, more empty units, more foreclosures and higher taxes. This really is a David and Goliath vote.

To the argument that people have the right to develop what they want on their land... yes they do but only when your Comprehensive Plan allows for that development. And that has been the problem...corrupt and or inept public officials that have allowed land-use changes for developers and to the detriment of their communities all across Florida. Amendment 4 will put a stop to that practice. If that land is not zoned for that development, the people will have the right to vote on it. Afterall, everything your city commission does affects you, the taxpayer. Look at some of the stupid and costly decisions made by past commissions right here in Lake Worth. Think The Lucerne.

David won it once. We need your help to do it again. Vote YES on Amendmen4 this November 2.

Moving Sale Today

MOVING SALE - SUNDAY AUG 29 - Everything Must Go! (Cheap or Free)

430 SOUTH “E” STREET -- LAKE WORTH 33460
--Between Lake & Sixth Ave South
(Note: E Street is “One Way” going South)

Owner says:
Yes, I'm moving out of my house on E Street--But I am NOT moving from Lake Worth! As always, I have to spend time in LA working.

SUNDAY AUG 29 -- 9 AM -- 9 PM
Monday Aug 30 ----- 8 AM -- 5 PM )

RAIN or SHINE -- SALE IS INSIDE (house & garage)
EVERYTHING MUST GO! -- Hundreds of items for Sale - Let’s recycle, instead of contributing to landfills

SUPER CHEAP -- Take as much as you want for whatever you can afford to pay- If you want it, please take it. -- I need to get everything out of the house!

LAKE WORTH TRADITION -- Many items original to LW circa 1950s-1980s
Please take things you want & love & appreciate-- keep them in Lake Worth!

CHARITY DONATIONS - If it’s not sold --- AmVets & Goodwill are coming to pick up on Mon/Tues - Or FREE items for YOUR CHARITY -- I’ll happily contribute if you take stuff away

YOUR DONATIONS ACCEPTED
YOUR TIME & HELP WITH MOVE OUT?- Sunday Night - Monday Morning - Monday Night - Tuesday Morning- Packing, Cleaning, Charity Drop-Offs, Disposal of Garbage & Recycling, etc

Steven Rosenblum candidate House District 89 on Jobs

Steven Rosenblum is running against Jeff Clemens for House District 89. As jobs and the economy are our main issues in the State, this is what Steven says about Jobs:

Jobs

Florida faces an unemployment rate over 12%. Many Floridians have been out of work for a year or more. Some have given up looking for work out of frustration.

We need a combination of lower taxes and tax rebate incentives to bring new businesses to Florida, especially manufacturers, and to allow existing businesses to hire again. We can create jobs by developing our energy resources while also lowering the cost of energy. This, in turn, will also free up more dollars for businesses to grow and thrive.

We also need to examine our state university and county community college curriculums to ensure that they are offering classes to students that will allow them to compete in the 21st Century job market.

To learn how to help or donate to Steven's campaign, go to Elect Rosenblum

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Vote YES on Amendment 4

"The lobbying and development crowd is lining up in a big way to oppose an amendment aimed at giving voters a direct say on what does -- and doesn't -- get built in their communities."

Rick Scott speaks after Primary

Total Votes for Allen West and Ron Klein

Latest Totals
All

GOP U.S. House District 22
Candidate Votes Pct.
Allen West-- 29863-- 76.6%
David Brady-- 9102-- 23.4%

Dem U.S. House District 22
Candidate Votes Pct.
Ron Klein (i)-- 23950-- 84.6%
Paul Renneisen-- 4369-- 15.4%

BIG Moving Sale

One of our residents is moving to the west coast of the country.

TODAY & TOMORROW

MOVING SALE - EVERYTHING MUST GO

Saturday 8am-8pm -- Sunday 9am-7pm

430 SOUTH “E” STREET

Rain or Shine -- Most of the sale is inside house & garage

Join Col. Allen West in a New Dream

Dori and the Florida Farm Bureau

Comment Up

What happens when we no longer have farmland?

Any company that feels its ability to make money might be diminished to some degree if Amendment 4 passes does not know the facts. They do not realize that there is so much land already available under Comprehensive Plans right now for builders to build, for buyers to come, and for businesses to make tons of money. They have all been under the spell of the Ryan Houcks and Chamber of Commerces across the State. They continue to fight any legislation that protects our State from uncontrolled growth.

John Hoblick, leader of the Florida Farm Bureau just said that he was pleased with Marco Rubio’s decision to put an emphasis on a strong agriculture. “We applaud what Rubio’s done and we are hopeful that fellow candidates in this race and other statewide races will follow his lead,” said Hoblick. Then why, Mr. Hoblick, are you for developers to come in and pave over farm land? You speak on two sides of your mouth. Florida Hometown Democracy, along with Marco Rubio, believes in a strong agriculture as well.

Dori Sutter just wrote to the Florida Farm Bureau and I have printed her letter below.

Subject: Disappointed to hear about Florida Farm Bureau's 'stand' against Amendment 4...

Dear Mr. Hoblick:

Your recent public stand, as the President of Florida Farm Bureau, against Florida Hometown Democracy's Amendment 4 and the large number of contributions made to the Opposition is very disheartening.

As a new member, I chose Farm Bureau Insurance due to it's high rating and long reputation with the Florida farming industry going back to when my Dad subscribed to Farm Bureau Insurance when I was growing up in the farming community of Seminole County surrounding Sanford, FL.

As a tenth generation Floridian I've seen our agricultural areas dwindle away year after year to sprouting housing subdivisions and town centers. Sanford was once the Celery Capitol of the World, now the only celery you will find is at the supermarkets. The once busy State Farmers Market in Sanford, where trucks would pickup fresh produce from local farms to transport to train depots and other areas of the State, is still there...not sure what it is used for today because there are no more farms left in Sanford. The small truck farms that surrounded Sanford have all gone. Most of the family farmers who I grew up with were pushed out or soldout to developers, moving to Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia to find roots in new earth to till.

I find it unconscionable that Florida Farm Bureau would 'side' with the Development Industry and it's land-use politics of the Chamber of Commerce to further destroy Florida's agricultural lands. Lands today that are not owned by heart n soul true Farmers and Ranchers, but by Big Agricultural Land Owners/Developers that 'use' the agricultural tax exemption to hold on to land paying low taxes until they're ready to convert it (changing its land use) to make big $$$ in developing rural land that pushes into needed water sheds, wildlife habitats and environmentally sensitive areas of rivers and wetlands...the natural landscape that maintains Florida.

Today, we have unprecedented over-development with more approved growth in local comprehensive plans throughout Florida to attract 100 million residents....100 million residents we do not have the water resources, services or infrastructure to accommodate. There is enough approved growth in all aspects of industries to create jobs, revenue and take a new direction for Florida in growing 'better'; but, currently there is no demand, no market after hitting bottom 'again', only this time it was nationwide. To continue the same historical 10 year construction cycle is insane, with Farm Bureau approving of this 'insanity'.

Florida will be the last to recover, due to over-development and greed on the part of the Development, Mortgage and Real Estate Industries. It also ranks #1 in the Nation for Political Corruption and #2 for Mortgage Fraud... NOT something to be proud of. Yet, the same Industries that aided and abetted this catastrophe, are the same ones Opposing Florida Hometown Democracy 's Amendment 4. You will find few individual citizens listed as contributors to the Opposition's campaign named "Citizens for Lower Taxes and Better Economy" aka "Citizens for Smarter Growth", among other misnomers.

The only true 'grassroots' campaign of citizens is Florida Hometown Democracy's campaign for Amendment 4. I am proud to be among the 1,000,000 Floridians that put this Amendment on the Ballot in November. Those 1,000,000 supporters have grown immensely with thousands of small contributions toward fighting for citizens' right to veto future bad growth decisions. The Mason Dixon poll held earlier this year reflected that 61% of voters would pass this Amendment on Nov. 2nd...and it will pass by a greater percentage....no matter how much the opposition spends on misinformation and lies. Perhaps, Mr. Hoblick, you should check out the real facts on Amendment 4 because it IS really very simple, it's only as complicated as politics and the opposition want to make it out to be.

Now, I have to research for a New Insurance Carrier because I will not stay with such a hypocritical firm as Farm Bureau...a company that is supposed to 'protect the agricultural and farming industry' to insure it's future. Your very public stand 'against' Amendment 4 reflects that you care only about the 'politics' of the game and the large land-owners you insure, not about true 'agriculture and farming' members. You've lost a good customer (previously I was with Nationwide for over 20 yrs), looks like they're getting me back.

I invite you to Get the real facts, Mr. Hoblick, and visit our new website at www.floridahometowndemocracy.com

We're In It to WIN it on Nov. 2nd!...by numbers of citizens...not numbers of $$$.
--

Dori Sutter
Winter Springs, FL
Seminole-Orange County Coordinator

AMENDMENT 4 CAMPAIGN 2010
Paid Political advertisement paid for and approved by Florida Hometown Democracy, Inc. PAC

Oh What a Night by Jan Bergemann - The Florida Primary

Read Jan Bergemann's take on the Primary

Friday, August 27, 2010

Marco Rubio's latest TV ad - The American Dream is Still a Reality

I love this ad!

Backdoor Amnesty

The Feds are moving to dismiss some deportation cases. Critics assail the plan as a bid to create a kind of backdoor amnesty.

Speaking about the Obama administration, Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies said, "They've made clear that they have no interest in enforcing immigration laws against people who are not convicted criminals which advocates for strict controls."

Are we not all sick of it? Illegal aliens may not be convicted criminals but by the mere fact they crossed our borders illegally, they ARE just that, criminals.

Amendment 4 sign waving on Lantana Road

Amendment 4 is an amendment that all developers and most politicians simply hate. That's a given. But occasionally we run into someone who says, "Oh, no, that would hurt jobs in Florida." When asked to explain, they have no explanation at all. They have been reading all the paid propaganda from the opposition that represents the Florida Chamber and building industries.

Those entities also state and get published, mistruths like, "Oh a city would have to wait for 2 years before they could get something done at a general election." This is not the fact of the matter. They continue on with the lie regarding St. Pete Beach as an example of why it would not work stating St. Pete Beach has amendment 4. It doesn't.

They have the money and a huge war chest
manned by paid professionals to perpetuate the lies.
$6 million dollars is coming right at us and we know that money can convince.

Amendment 4 has only the truth.

Katie McGiveron, Chair of Save Our Neighborhood, Inc.

With dark clouds coming in from the West, the weather held up for us on Lantana Road and Highridge. We had several cars beeping, one even had a Vote No sign in its window--must have been a developer or Realtor or Chamber member.

Someone yelled at David, "I thought the election was over."

Anyone wanting to wave signs this evening (weather permitting), get in touch. LaSonna?

Allen West on Israel

Bottom line--

You vote Obama/Klein, you vote Hamas and $1.3 billion American dollars going towards terror.

You vote for Allen West, you vote Israel and America.

Which is the right vote?

Growth Law unconstitutional in Florida

Chief Circuit Judge Charles Francis struck down a 2009 law that loosened State planning requirements and controls on urban sprawl. The law was put into effect to foster growth--a law that development and business interests favored and heavily lobbied. Environmentalists said that the law would encourage sprawl.

Read about the UNCONSTITUTIONALITY of the law.

Commissioner Scott Maxwell officially launches his Blog

Always being up and positive about Lake Worth, fellow Commissioners, the City Manager, Assistant City Manager and the City Attorney, as well as a team player,:) Scott is looking for contributors (fair and balanced and factual I presume) to help him. This was forwarded to me by someone on his "preferred" e-mail list.
...................................................
Announcing the Grand Opening of Commissioner Scott Maxwell's Blog!
Commissioner Scott Maxwell

Dear Friends,

I'm excited to officially announce the "Grand Opening" of my new Blog!

By keeping you, your friends, and your neighbors up-to-date with the latest city related topics I believe important to most, I hope to encourage everyone interested in Lake Worth to visit as well.

Everyone is invited to visit my Blog regularly to learn more of how together we can all help create a better Lake Worth!

While this Blog is still a work in progress, I could really use your help with maintaining this important undertaking, so I am looking for contributors to assist me with the ongoing maintenance of the Blog!.

If you would like to share your important Blog talents and or contribute news and events with those who have the same passion for making Lake Wort the best it can be, I'd appreciate your valuable assistance and input for immediate communication & publication,

Please forward this email to anyone who might be interested to help me spread the word.

To see my Blog, just click the "Visit My Site" button in this email.

If you feel you have reached this email in error or would like to be removed from this email list, please email me at:

NoThanks@blogscottmaxwell.com

to have your email address removed as soon as possible.

Thank You Again for your time and interest.

Best regards,

Scott

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Allen West's first TV campaign ad

Ron Klein came out against Allen West today. Where has he been the last several years? No one has heard a peep out of him. Luckily he was living well and safe while Col. Allen West was serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now that it is election time, we finally get to hear Klein's vicious attack against a great American. Who doesn't have credit card debt? But Ron Klein wants to beat up on Allen West, a man with a distinguished record and a hero and someone all of us out here admire. Read here for the facts.

Allen West's campaign responded: "It's sad that Klein has chosen to play politics as usual at a time when our country needs principled leadership - especially considering the fact that he flat out lied about Allen ever having an IRS lien in Marion County. Let me say this again. Allen West, and his wife Dr. Angela M. Graham-West have never resided, nor owned property in Marion County, IN, and there was never a valid IRS lien placed upon them. Since Ron Klein approved this message, then Ron Klein owes the West family a formal public apology for this outrageous lie in his first campaign ad in 2010.

Allen West said, "When one considers that Ron Klein is questioning the roughly $15,000 my family has or is working to repay, I have several questions for Ron Klein: What about the trillions of dollars you have wasted at the taxpayer's expense? As a Member of the House Financial Services Committee, why did you allow American taxpayer-funded TARP money to be provided to foreign banks and financial institutions? Why did you allow your office to exceed its allocated operating budget? Why do you refuse to take accountability for the failure of stimulus money to actually stimulate the economy? While you sat on the House Financial Services Committee, South Florida has seen its unemployment rate more than triple from 4% to nearly 13%."

Yes on Amendment 4

Katie and I will be at Highridge and Lantana Roads
between 4:30 and 5:30 today.

Yes on Amendment 4

Mortgage Companies under Investigation in Florida

"Florida continues to be a hotbed for troubled borrowers. One in every 171 homes statewide received a filing, a notice of foreclosure sale or were repossessed by lenders last month," so says the SunSentinel.

Adding to the problem are shady mortgage companies. Following is a list of mortgage companies actively under investigation in Florida and that consequently played a big part in our foreclosure crisis. Is yours listed?

Thanks to Jill for sending me the above companies doing business in Florida.

CBS Obama Poll

Take the Poll at CBS and Rate Obama's first year in office

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

District 1 Community Meeting

Comment Up

Step-Children in District 1

Commissioner Scott Maxwell will be hosting a District 1 Community Meeting and some leaders were not told--at least the President of Residents of Lake Osborne Heights, Murry Hills NA and other condo communities, Lake Osborne Shores, etc. I wrote Commissioner Maxwell but he never answered my e-mail.

Amendment 4 launches new web site

Click HERE for a big surprise!!

BIG
BIGGER
YES

Catch the Buzz for Allen West

Two months ago or so, and at the last minute, Allen West had a challenger in his race for Republican District 22 for Congress. No one ever heard of David Brady not even Sid Dinerstein, head of the Republican Party Palm Beach County. Where did he come from? Who was behind him? He raised zero funds that we know of. No one seems to know anything about the guy other than he is a builder. Let's ask the Democrats. Let's ask Ron Klein. He was put in the race to put a cog in the wheel...a thorn in the side of Col. Allen West. He was there to denigrate West. We know for a fact that there has been some sleazy tactics by Democrats in this campaign. The Palm Beach Post's liberal Editorial Board leaped on the left wheel of political diatribe and endorsed Brady. Now we see first-hand how a newspaper can influence an uninformed electorate.

Col. West, in spite of the Post's endorsement for Brady, an unknown by everyone (even himself), got 74.11% of the Republican vote. The Post mentioned West on page 5 of the local section not even bothering to give his percentage of win.

See what the buzz is all about and why Allen West is the Best and why we can no longer accept the status quo because it is NOT working. Democrats continue to blame it on Republicans when the fact of the matter is they are in control--continue on with their entitlement programs just adding $27 billion more to a Stimulus program that has failed. In fact, Congress has failed the American people.

We need a leader. We need a man with a real vision. We need Allen West.

Is Palm Beach County Preparing for Amendment 4

Now with the Primary election over, we all need to get in gear for the general election on November 2. Palm Beach County is. It is preparing itself for Amendment 4.

There is a one-half page public notice in today's paper with all the changes the County wants to do. Density is up in almost every single case.

Polo Club Residential, 29.5 acres, from Low Residential (2units to an acre) to Low Residential (3 units to an acre)

Andalucia Residential, 58.03 acres, from Low Residential (2units to an acre) to Low Residential (3 units to an acre) and to Medium Residential (5 units per acre)

Gulfstream Polo, 95.8 acres, from Low Residential (2 units per acres) to Multiple Land Use with commercial low-office and Medium Residential (5 units per acre)

Lake Worth/Lyons NE, 19.17 acres, from Low Residential (2 units per acres) to Low Commercial with an underlying low residential

Villages of Windsor, 22.5 acres, from low residential (2 units per acre) to high residential (8 units per acre)

Lion County Safari, 637.16 acres, changing it from Rural to Exurban and from commercial recreation with underlying (1 unit per acre) to commercial recreation (2.5 units per acre).

Sluggett Commercial, 64.48 acres,

Seuss Institutional, 4.96 acres, from Rural Residential (5 units per acres) to Institutional and Public Facilities

Reduce the right-of-way on Wabasso Drive from 80 feet to 60 feet

Natural area additions, 150 acres on north side of Indiantown Rd, from Rural Residential (1 unit per ten acres) to Conservation.

Natural area additions, 254 acres on north side of Indiantown Rd, from Rural Residential (1 unit per ten acres) to Conservation.

Natural area additions, 5 acres on south side of Indiantown Rd, from Rural Residential (1 unit per ten acres) to Conservation.

Check page 9 of today’s Post for the rest of the proposed changes to the Comprehensive Plan and to the Future Land-Use Atlas.

Vote YES On Amendment 4, November 2

in order to put a stop to all these never-ending land-use changes and allow the residents to vote on those that affect their neighborhood.

Jeff Clemens plays the right Tune to win Primary

Singing the "right" tune

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Click title of blog to read & make comment
State Rep District 89

Brandenburg raised $58,059 and garnered 40% of the vote to Clemens' $34,248 with 60%.

(The Supervisor of Elections Web site still is not recording the true numbers in many cases as of this morning)

Clemens did make the charge that heavy hitter (OMG) Republicans were behind the Brandenburg campaign. If you look at the Brandenburg list of contributors you will see that many corporations gave money and many of the contributions were $500 each. Clemens' contributors seem to be more grassroots but he did have endorsements from many Unions and the PB Post. While he was Mayor of Lake Worth he sat on all the Union Pension Boards, some of the very same Unions that are now in talks with Lake Worth, a city in financial problems thanks to the Union contracts.

Now that Jeff Clemens has won his primary, let's take a look at some of his contributors. Don't these Lake Worth citizens care how Clemens messed up the City of Lake Worth, costing us millions of dollars? And what about the PB Post that always influences elections based on one interview? I guess not. They either don't care, don't know and therefore they are a big part of the problem. Mary Brandenburg who was term limited just did not want to relinquish the power and ran her husband in her place. That did not set well with a lot of the voters.

Some of the usual suspects and some who are "in the know" who voted for Clemens in spite of his dreadful record in Lake Worth--

John Deese ...$350
John Paxman (former Chair of P&Z)...$100
McMow Art Glass (Shanon Materio)...$250
Shanon Materio (former member CRA and now head of Businesses Aligned for Change to defeat Mulvehill and McVoy)...$50
Phil Spinelli (Vice Chair of P&Z) ...$200
Dave Vespo (former Commissioner District 4 and a big part of the problem) ...$200
Matt Tompkins (former Chair CRA)...$100
Brendan Lynch (former member CRA)...$100
John Pauly, Jr. (don't know what he's doing here, Democrat I guess)...$100
Herman Robinson (former member of P&Z)...$150
Padma Hinrichs (litigation attorney, lives in his College Park neighborhood)...$200
Brent Whitfield (Neighborhood Association President College Park) ...$200

Vote for Steven Rosenblum for House Rep District 89 in the General Election on November 2. He has not taken any money from special interests and he is not a career politician. He is a common sense fiscal conservative. He has not held elected office and is untainted.

Steve says that he would like to go to Tallahassee to represent the people, not special interests. He doesn't care which way the political wind is blowing and will legislate based on common sense and conservative principles.

Steve says, "I am a fiscal conservative who will fight to shrink the size and spending of government and keep it out of your way. I will work for an independent forensic audit of our state budget and advocate for zero-based budgeting, so that every department and agency will have to account for every dollar it requests each fiscal year. I have a quality that is painfully absent in many of those who currently serve in our government, common sense."

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Annual LWHS Alumni Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

Big Fundraiser

Dollars for Scholars Foundation

If you are in the area and are able, please try to attend! They will be serving delicious spaghetti, sauce with or without meat, a super salad, garlic bread, an array of desserts, canned sodas, water, tea, and coffee and all for $15 per person.

Sunday, August 29, 2010, 3-6 p.m.
Lake Worth High School Cafeteria

Let's all go eat spaghetti! Katie McGiveron will be helping in the kitchen! Proceeds go towards helping needy students go to college. We need your help. If you have never attended, come on out. You will have a lot of fun.

Rick Scott from Jacksonville

Spending tens of millions of dollars, will newcomer Rick Scott win against a long time politician?

Pearly Whites and Political Sound-bites

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The only thing HOT today will be the weather

This is what it looked like at Our Savior Lutheran this morning...one Brandenburg sign--oh yeah, instructions on where to vote written in Spanish. The bottom right shows two lonely signs at The Towers--Clemens and Brandenburg. There were only three voters who had cast ballots before me at 8:30 am.

Negative campaigning turned ugly and the closer it got to today, the more calls we got and the more fliers invaded our mailboxes, each one worse than the last. We all feel like yo yos. We ask, "Does that guy think we will vote him into office because he has a lot of bucks?" Heidi Fleiss for gosh sakes. Naked party gals on his yacht. Robo calls from him, his mother and then his wife. Well, he got the endorsement of the Post.

Our former Mayor also got the endorsement of the PB Post but Brandenburg got it from The Lake Worth Herald. Will the pearly whites and the political sound bites win it for Clemens?

Statewide, about 216,000 voters have cast absentee ballots.

As Col. Allen West says, "The 2010 election could prove to be the most important election of our lifetime. In order to restore dignity, integrity, character and honor back to Washington, we need your support. Please help us bring principled leadership back to Congress." Vote for Allen West for Congress.

Michael E. Arth running for FL Governor--On Immigration

This is not an endorsement for his candidacy but rather an approval of what Michael Arth has to say on immigration.

"The U.S. has more immigrants than all the other countries in the world. In recent years annual immigration rates have been around 1.5 million legal immigrants and 700,000 illegal immigrants. As Bill Clinton put it in 1998, “America has constantly drawn strength and spirit from wave after wave of immigrant... They have proved to be the most restless, the most adventurous, the most innovative, and the most industrious of people.” All this is probably true, historically speaking. However, things have changed.

Certainly during the last decade or two, there have been negative social, political, environmental, demographic, and economic implications for the U.S. and the world. Immigration to the U.S. is bad for the planet as a whole, because Americans, who consume 25% of the world's resources, only comprise 4.5% of its population. As a result, migration to the U.S. increases the ecological and carbon footprint of immigrants by more than 500%. Thus, immigration into the U.S. has a negative effect on the world's carrying capacity.

Two serious underlying causes of immigration to the U.S. are overpopulation and poverty in the source countries. By having a “relief valve” that allows the unhappy poor to leave, it only prolongs the day of reckoning for the source countries. Immigration to the U.S. should be addressed at its source with international efforts at eliminating the 70 million more people that are added to the planet every year. If we had zero population growth, the immigration problem would wither away. To read more about this click here.

E-mail: campaign@MichaelEArth.org

Monday, August 23, 2010

Coronal Hole in the Sun

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From spaceweather.com

CORONAL HOLE:

A coronal hole on the Sun is turning to face Earth. Coronal holes are places in the sun's atmosphere where the magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape.

Go to Space Weather and view the incredible image.

In the image, magnetic field lines are color-coded. White field lines are closed; they hold the solar wind in. Golden-brown field lines are open; they allow the solar wind out.

A stream of solar wind flowing from this coronal hole is expected to reach Earth on August 24th or 25th. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras when it arrives.

Manatee County Commissioner endorses Amendment 4

Joe McClash, Commissioner for Manatee County, District 7, speaks out FOR Amendment 4.

Read more on what Joe has to say, The Truth Behind the Lies from the Bradenton Times.

Read what the Sierra Club, Manatee-Sarasota Group, has to say about the Honorable Joe McClash. Click HERE.

Col. Allen West is Best

"...it must be clear to all in America that the goal of the liberal progressives is to have a majority of Americans wedded to government by subsistence or employment check…the end of the free market," said Col. Allen West, Candidate for Congress District 22.

Read more about what Allen West has to say at Conservatives 4 Congress.

He who controls the water...

Palm Beach County Water vs. our own Reverse Osmosis System

There are some who still profess and blog that we should have stayed with the Palm Beach County water contract. No reasons are given other than, "it was a deal." Yeah, it was a deal all right and the only guy that was shuffling the cards in his favor was PB County. I am sure that even our former Mayor, Jeff Clemens, still believes we should have gone with PB County Water.

We read or hear from those complaining about our high utility bills and state that we should have stayed with this "fine" contract with PB County. A recent statement by a Lake Worthian: "We are financing the reverse osmosis plant through utility rate increases - something that would not have been necessary if we stayed with the perfectly fine contract with Palm Beach County to provide water."

Well, let me ask you this, how would we have financed the $27+ million for County water? There was nothing "fine" about the PB County water deal unless you believe, however, that turning over our Floridan wells worth $14 million was a good thing and then spending $27 million in order to buy water from PB County. Some people like to find fault where there is NONE. Do not allow them to twist the truth. Do not swallow the lies. Watch out for all the spinmeisters in the next few months.

THE FACTS:

If we had stayed with the Palm Beach County Water Contract (LW a buyer of water)
$25,786,000
$1,500,000 payback to South Florida Water management for a total of
$27,286,000

Reverse Osmosis System (LW a supplier of water)
$23,556,000 (this includes the cost of getting out of the PB County Water deal of $1.2 million)
Savings of--
$3,730,000. "This equates to a savings of $1,000 for every resident in Lake Worth," says Commissioner Mulvehill.

When we asked Commissioner Mulvehill to expound more on it, she said, “Bottom line, we saved $3.7 million by building the RO. PLUS – we are getting an extra 500,000 gallons over the PB County contract – this is valued at $1.5 million dollars based on the $6million for 2 million dollar capacity charge that the County was going to charge us for a 30 year contract. PLUS, we get an expandable RO Plant – up to 9MGD and we are doing all of this without any future debt. One more thing, the rate for the RO water is now the SAME as was projected for the increases in the County water which is 11%. We had budgeted 13.5% increase in consumer water charges for building our RO Plant and have decreased this amount to 11%."

The way to quench the deep thirst of a growing populace and to meet the needs of the future, good leadership made up for the sins of a past Commission when Commissioner Suzanne Mulvehill was one of the commissioners who voted for the Reverse Osmosis System and to get out of the PB County water deal.

Infrastructure has to be replaced from time to time; that is just a fact of life. We chose going back and completing our own reverse osmosis plant once we were satisfied (after hearing experts testify) that deep well injection was the proper way to proceed to eliminate the waste by-products left-over from the process. Deep wells go down 3,000 feet into the Earth's surface.

Let me repeat--We ended the bad contract with Palm Beach County that would have turned over our Floridan wells, burning $14 million already invested in our RO and making us dependent upon PB County for our water supply and costs. We all know that costs always go up; they never go down. Now we are in the driver's seat. And we saved over $3 million dollars inspite of the bad decision of the Clemens commission.

This is just another huge example of how Suzanne Mulvehill made a great decision and who is a commissioner watching out for you.

Former candidate for Mayor speaks out against Jeff Clemens

Palm Beach Post
August 23, 2010

In December 2007, the Lake Worth City Commission voted on whether to give the five-year notice required to disengage from the Florida Municipal Power Association, our punitively expensive electricity provider since 2002. Jeff Clemens was the third vote against exiting this contract, thus extending our obligation to use FMPA as sole provider for an additional year.

In December 2008, Suzanne Mulvehill was the third vote to exit FMPA, so we will be free to contract with a less expensive supplier starting in 2014.

Lake Worth's commercial electric rates are the highest in the state, and our residential rates are 1.5 times greater than those enjoyed by Florida Power & Light customers. Lake Worth residents will continue to be burdened by these punitive rates throughout 2013 because of Jeff Clemens' uninformed vote.

LAURENCE McNAMARA

Lake Worth

Note: Jeff Clemens is a candidate for House Rep District 89

Message from Bob Kanjian

We are gearing up for Tuesday’s Election and Anne would greatly appreciate any time you could give to help Anne by working the polls.

The polls are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 PM. You may have helped us in the past and we are indebted for your efforts. The main times are from 7:00-10:00am, 12:00-2:00pm and the big rush from 4:00-7:00pm. If you could help during any of those times, Please email back to me your availability and I will make sure you receive an Anne Kanjian for School Board Tee shirt and some flyers to handout.

Anne would be very thankful for any time you can spare for her cause of running for the Palm Beach County School Board District #4. This is going to be a very close election and your efforts could be the difference. Thanks again!

Robert J. Kanjian
BKanjian@titlematters.com

In Memoriam

MOM
6 years ago, the sun set on your beautiful presence.
There is never a day that passes
that you are not deeply missed.
You are in our hearts forever.
Love is eternal.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Jeff Greene and the Summerwind

A must read on candidate Jeff Greene for Senate. You will NOT believe it---what a guy.

Power and Money

Virtually all politicians are against Amendment 4, the very people who have screwed up our State, along with business groups and the building industry. All five candidates running for Attorney General said, "It would take power away from local officials."

With the majority of elected officials, it is all about POWER.

The opposition to amendment 4 that is associated with the Florida Chamber of Commerce at the helm says, "It will cost jobs." How will it do that? There is land all over our State ready to develop right now and zoned accordingly. Why don't they just build? Right now there is 1.3 billion square feet of office and commercial land ready to build upon. That equates to about 13,000 new Wal-Marts. There are multi-millions of residential units pre-approved that would right now accommodate 100 million new residents to our State. Again, why don't they build? They keep giving bogus arguments. They want the entire State to asphalt over.

With them, it is all about MONEY.

Power and money can lead to corruption and that is what has happened in our State. We have witnessed it in Palm Beach County. Elected officials went to prison.

"Land development is the engine that cyclically booms and busts Florida's economy. WPBT-Ch. 2 devoted an hourlong documentary to the issue. The PBS affiliate recently aired 'Imagining a New Florida,' and the program should rouse every caring Floridian to action.

It raises the most important question for the future of the Sunshine State: Can we continue to allow developers to abuse and misuse the landscape and destroy the state for their short-term profit, as they have done for decades?" Apparently the answer was a resounding "no."

The answer is to vote YES on Amendment 4 on November 2.

Amendment 4 Advocates

US Senate
Maurice Ferre

Florida Governor
Brian P. Moore

Martin County Commission
Ed Fielding, District 2
Sarah Heard, District 4

Elections

Read George Bennett's take on the Primaries.

Mr. Bennett concludes his article by quoting Nathan Gonzales of The Rothenberg Political Report--"Scott and Greene's quick ascent from essentially nothing to primary front-runners was a testament to the power of the outsider message."

NO, NO NO, NO NO!!

It is the POWER OF MONEY.
A politician will say anything to get elected.

PS: On another observation, Bill McCollum is backed by the Florida Chamber--a great reason why NOT to vote for him. We do not need any special interests controlling our State.

The article said that unlike the rest of the country, 84% of Florida Democrats still support Obama. You can see why we are in a lot of trouble: bigger government, $13+ trillion in debt; government entitlements; a health-care plan that will sink the ship, 7,528 wounded in action in Afghanistan and a war there that is growing with corruption with men returning home who can't find jobs, etc., etc.

Vote for Col. Allen West for Congress District 22.

Activists demonstrate for Illegals

Every decade, we have to endure some social justice group. The latest, of course, are those demonstrating for illegal aliens rights. Did no one tell them that the only right the illegal should have in this country is to turn around and get the heck out of Dodge?

I guess not because yesterday they demonstrated once again, waving Mexican flags, in downtown West Palm Beach.

Biker gang shootout in Arizona

You think we have problems? We could be living in Arizona.

Allen West for Congress

Regarding Col. Allen West
As Joe said it over on The Juice--

Joe says:
"Apple, there's one man in this campaign who will fight for your rights under the U.S. Constitution. That man is Allen West.

And the only thing in a political context that can save you and the comforts of your life (which you don't even know you have) is the Constitution. Ironically, liberty brings apathy.

For many years the oppressors have manipulated this apathy in their attempts to obscure the importance of the Constitution.

If we don't put West and others like him in political office over the next few years--in the end you and I, conservative and liberal together, will face misery and despair and the murderous onslaught of oppression."

Now who could say it better than that?

Vote West on August 24th Republican Primary

Lake Worth Casino - Savvy Business Decision

8-21-10

There was a good crowd at Compass for the Charette--many faces I did not know. This event was for those who knew little about the design or for those who just wanted to get their opinion on record or to be a part of the greatest undertaking we have made in decades. During my brief visit, I only saw two of the candidates there, depicted above, as well as Commissioner Jennings, Commissioner Mulvehill and Commissioner Maxwell.

The irony of this is that there is one political faction that has accused the other of not being in support of development and business, even going so far as to form a PAC to defeat a sitting Commissioner who is the number one person (Suzanne Mulevehill) who had this vision for Lake Worth and who fulfilled her promise to all those who voted for her.

The Casino will be the biggest development project in the history of our city since 1921 and will bring hundreds of jobs to Lake Worth over the next two years. This IS business savvy. Once it is built, it will put us on the map world over bringing in people clamoring to start a business here as well as those wanting to live here. It will generate more development along the Dixie Corridor and our city will grow. It will bring prosperity. The building will be completed at just the right time when the economy is supposed to start on an upward trend. This certainly is NOT anti-business.

The creative financing that will be approved by the Commission will save our resident taxpayers $400,000. This too IS business savvy.

The other political faction keeps on saying that this is not the time to build when the economy is unstable. The Mayor wants you to believe that we are only a hurricane away from bankruptcy and stands side by side with candidates supported by Businesses Aligned for Change Political Action Committee with some of its supporters wanting to stop this progress of our casino. We have over $66 million in cash reserve funds with approximately half of that amount unrestricted. Does this sound like bankruptcy?

The casino will be paid for by generated revenues from those leasing in the building. The stores will have new found income just from all those attracted to our new building that will be marketed throughout the United States and beyond. We finally have a Commission that is doing something for business and who proceeded and got a Plan and is finally getting something done. They are not worried about chickens but they are very positive that new found pride and prosperity will occur in Lake Worth from their savvy business decision.

Our new Casino will be the best thing that ever has happened to Lake Worth and it will be all ours. It will not be controlled by Palm Beach County, as is the beach redevelopment project located south of the casino, nor will it be controlled by a private partner getting all of the cash.

Savvy business in Lake Worth, our new Lake Worth Casino.