World Earthquakes Past Week

Latest earthquakes in the World Past 7 Days

Barbara Jean sent me this link. Interesting web site.

Mojitos on the Move

Comment Up
Don't bother putting on your dancing shoes--Mojitos is moving?

On several occasions, Mojito’s plead its case to stay opened longer. The last public plea was at City Hall on August 18, 2009. The owner had his attorney, Dennis Koehler. Koehler, who sounded as if he was in a court room trying a case before a Judge, accused all of us who spoke as “an unruly mob”--typical attorney “double-speak.” Attorneys can do that without flickering an eyelash. Mojito's request?--grant them a waiver allowing them to stay opened until 5am which would enable them to become a nightclub instead of a bar. This would instantly make the property more valuable.

First they were turned down by the P&Z Board. John Paxman recused himself that night because of dealings with the establishment. Three voting for Mojitos on the P&Z were Spinelli (the only one of the trio still on the Board due to his term still in effect), LeBlanc and Foreman. One of them even went so far as to make a disingenuous statement that it was "disingenuous to snatch the rug from under them; it has always been a bar." In spite of our ordinances, Mojitos continued to stay open after 2am. After 80 years, it didn't want to be just a bar.

The majority City Commission had good sense. Turning down Mojito's request were Jennings, Golden and Mulvehill. Clemens and Lowe who voted "for" are no longer in office. This is just another example of responsible government that has taken place with this Commission.

Now we can see first-hand how sincere Mojitos was in its request for a waiver. After they admitted in a public meeting that they had been staying opened way past hours all along, Code got after them and gave them friendly persuasion to close per ordinance. It is moving and selling off its inventory just four months after its failed request. It's a bummer not getting your way in Lake Worth. What's next? New business? The sale of the property?

Bryant Park

It is estimated that 38 to 40 trees were moved in the middle of Bryant Park to make way for asphalt! ASPHALT! When are things like this EVER going to stop? Did this ever come before the City Commission for a decision? How can some city employee decide what is best for us?

What it looked like before the move

This Park belongs to all the taxpayers of Lake Worth. Should we not be entitled to have a say?

What it looks like now

Mayor Varela has this on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting.

Photos sent by Bryant ParkNA

A short while ago on Lake Osborne

There are so many great reasons to live in Lake Worth.
I don't have to walk very far to find some of
nature's wonders.

Another unique sunset

Pelican calling it a day

I watched this guy hunting for quite awhile.
He finally caught dinner. He walked over to the bank
and cracked the shell.

On Haiti - "Hope" is not cutting it

Now the United States and the United Nations are being criticized by Haitians. What for? They are upset about the coordination of the tremendous amount of supplies and goods that are entering their torn country but not being delivered fast enough to those who need them. But Haitians have had it. They are more than frustrated. They have lived through aid never getting to them. It is a situation that has persisted through the years. The U.S. knows that too.

What you have there is a totally collapsed infrastructure. Roads are impassable. The main sea port was destroyed. You have a small airport with one runway with 200 planes coming and going on a daily basis. They are upset because we are transporting troops first before goods.

Without troops and helicopters and other forms of transport on the ground, there will be no way to get the goods to where they need to be. Without opening up the roads, there will be no distribution of medical supplies and water. We have to import equipment to move the rubble. Without security, more people will be out there with machetes, looting and causing mayhem. These are the facts of life and our troops are on a life and death mission.

The Post Editorial says that we need to save Haiti. Their reasoning is there was “hope” to getting the country on track because Haiti “might provide opportunities beyond violence or drugs or making illegal runs for Florida.” What a bunch of hogwash.

We have been involved in Haitian politics almost since its inception. Look at the mess. It is the one of the poorest nations in the world. We supported corrupt regimes with the “hope” that it would get better. Haiti was doing OK until the Duvaliers came into power. They managed to destroy civil society and placed the country on a path toward destruction. Haiti has never recovered from this corrupt Father and Son regime. Then came Aristide who was freely elected. We have sent in over a billion in aid through the years that never got to the people and went to corrupt leaders. Aristide was linked to corruption and the drug trade. It hasn’t gotten better in Haiti. They have not been able to rise from the ashes.

It is horrible what has happened to Haiti, not only now with the worse natural disaster close to us but the continued conditions of its people, who by no fault of their own, were born there and live there with no means of improving their situation. Many of those who get educated leave Haiti with most migrating to the U.S., while those left behind continue to suffer. We need to rethink Haiti altogether because what we have been doing with all our financial "hope" and good intentions have not worked. Geraldo Riviera thinks that we need to take over the country.

Right now, however, we need to put politics aside and help the Haitian people first. 85% of the buildings in Port au Prince were destroyed. Thousands are dead. People continue to die.

The True State of Affairs

Dr. Steve Rosen
GUEST BLOGGER


This State of "idiots" and all other States, especially California, have NO real debt like they claim. For YEARS they have been scarfing away our tax dollars in private investments so they could use our dollars to buy into the private sector.

Each State has a CAFR fund or Comprehensive Annual Financial Report that outlines all of these dealings. California has over a trillion dollars of taxpayer money tied up in private investment yet they whine about being broke and going bust. Bullshit. Likewise for Florida and other States. There is no shortage of cash. Period.

The politico scum just don’t want anyone catching on to this travesty. Why do you think so many jobs are outsourced? One reason is the controlling shares of stock in major companies owned by investment pools of local and state government investments. Each local government can buy no more than 5% of a company’s stock so they formed private investment arms to pool the tax dollars they invest and are able to buy controlling shares of companies.

In the lust for more profit, it is in many cases that our very own governments that are directly responsible for outsourcing US jobs to places like China. Why else would there be no significant import duties on these goods so US based manufacturers could have a fair market?

Think about it. If you want more information, go to www.Cafr1.com where it’s all nicely laid out. This information should be pushed by Florida Hometown Democracy. After all, the two clowns running for governor, Alex Stink and Bill McCrapem along with the current idiot in the governor's mansion, Crusthead, comprise the State Board of Administration that over sees the state CAFR funds. Remember last year the fund lost around $200 million in poorly handled real estate investments and localities started pulling out the tax dollars that belong to us!!

Nobody talks about this but this is where the tax dollars go! This should be part of FHD campaign strategy to expose this travesty.

Dr. Steve Rosen


Surplus Taxpayer Money in Florida

Editor Note of Explanation: "The CAFR is the accounting Bible for all local government. It shows the total gross income, investment structure, and also shows the general purpose operating budget as is "selectively" created by your local government. I note that the selectively created operating budget usually amounts to one-third of the gross income and is where 100% of tax income is shown. The other two-thirds of the gross income is shown only in the CAFR report and the other two-thirds is derived from return on investments and enterprise operations of which said enterprise operations will have their own CAFR or Annual Financial Report listing their own investments and gross income separate from the local government they are under. (many games are played here)"

Alumni Appreciation Night

According to an announcement made by Brett Packard, Assistant Principal, Lake Worth High School has designated its last home basketball game as Alumni Appreciation Night.

This game will be held on Friday, February 5 at 7:30. They play Boca Raton High.

Everyone come out and support our high school team.

A Saturday in Lake Worth

No one swimming. Pool cover expected in 4 weeks

Choppy surf did not deter this sailor

Later this year, forget about convenient parking

Tree and plant sale sponsored by Lake Worth Tree Board

Gail Silverblatt, Chair of Tree Board in green shirt and her crew, David McGrew, Vicki Skinner, Debra Gower, Josette Kaufman

Shauna Coolican, 2010 Census Count Committee

Annabeth Karson, 2010 Census Count Committee

Number One Terrorist

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Born in 1957, 6’4” with a nationality of Saudi Arabian, Usama bin Ladin is a fugitive from justice with a $25 million reward on his head. As we all know and will never forget, the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He is also responsible for the August 7, 1998 bombings of the United States Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya.

Also, he has been indicted on murder of U.S. nationals outside the United States; conspiracy to murder U.S. nationals outside the United States; and attack on a federal facility resulting in death.

You might have noticed the button on the right on this Blog on National Terrorist Alerts. We are in a highly elevated position. The cost of the War in Iraq has costs us nearly $702 billion. In Afghanistan, we have spent $248 billion. This one guy is collapsing our economy and killing U.S. citizens all the while hiding in a cave! Sound outrageous?

Isn’t it about time we caught this murdering terrorist?

South Florida Fair Opens Today

This is my FAVORITE event of the year and I have not missed the Fair- ever!

Today is opening day so I will see ya later.

2010 Census Counter Question

Last night I listened to a presentation from a woman representing the 2010 Census. In order to work and make money up to $16.25 an hour you have to pass certain requirements such as proof of U.S. citizenship. Also there is a “simple” test you must pass.

The following is the first question I read. After reading the possible answers where you had to choose the best one, I stated out loud, “I failed the test.”

The Statement: Each county is divided into a number of census tracts. The tracts are, in turn, subdivided into blocks. Groups of blocks within a tract are then combined into assignment areas (AA).

The Question: Which of the following best shows the four geographic units discussed above, in order of size, from largest to smaller?

(A) AA, block, tract, county
(B) County, block, tract, AA
(C) County, AA, tract, block
(D) County, tract, AA, block

The purpose of the question is to determine organizational skills and your ability to use logical reasoning and follow instructions. They didn't care if the census counter was "accurate" and on point, just that they got close. Why did they not give you an accurate answer from which to choose? The "best" answer seemed wrong.

It is too bad that Annabeth/Shauna were not in charge of writing the Q&A.

Note: A reader analyzed it and his logic seems correct. I failed the test. The key word here is "combined." I will leave the Census up to anyone else. :) Thanks, Tom.

Save the Florida Panther

Comment Up

It is estimated that less than 100 Florida panthers are alive today due to over-development.

Here is what you can do:

First, Please sign the PETITION to save our State animal.

Second, vote YES on November 2 for Amendment 4.

Now this sounds like my kind of Guy

A little over a month ago, President Obama said, "I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street."

Because of public sentiment regarding large bonsues being paid to top financial executives, Obama will impose a fee on bailed out banks. If Wall Street doesn't get it and the bankers don't get it, the American people and Obama do.

CLICK HERE

America always out front

Comment Up

Living in the greatest country in the World and always the most generous, the US always is millions of steps ahead of the rest, even when we are over $12 trillion in debt. If you notice the stats below, China has pledged $1 million. The Treasury Department estimates that our debt to China is approximately $776.4 billion, having grown more than $240 billion in the last year. That is more than $10,000 in debt for the average American working family. I have never understood the complaint that when it comes to tragedies, we should do more.

President Obama says $100 million is the first installment.

Funding, committed and uncommitted $

World Bank (emergency loan) 100000000
US 100,000,000
Private (individuals & organizations) 13250818
UN & agencies 10000000
UK 10000000
Australia 8992806
Canada 5000000
Japan 5000000
European Commission 4400000
Netherlands 2886003
Switzerland 1941748
Denmark 1939394
Finland 1803752
Italy 1548002
Germany 1443001
Guyana 1000000
China 1,000,000
Estonia 1000000
New Zealand 1000000
Russian Federation 700000
Belgium 651876
Inter-American Development Bank 200000
Greece 144300
Sweden 61848
TOTAL 273963548

For Information on how to DONATE

Photo by Logan Abassi/U.S./The AP

The "Dirty Dozen" and Election 2010 - Conclusion

Comment Up

Tiger waiting and watching his prey

It is time that everyone takes a more active role in our City and shows up for meetings and finds out the truth. It is not what you hear from the Dozen nor is it from what you read in the political and very one-sided local "news" that they have in their hip pocket by being a friend of the Editor. I noticed even where the PB Post this morning put a negative slant on the 2010 Census Committee choice because the reporter only interviewed the opposition. You really have to be there and you must get to know the parties involved. These people, (Dirty Dozen) have excuses for everything and play the blame game. Honest people don't need excuses; dishonest people never run out of them.

Just like a tiger ready to pounce or like commandos ready to attack, this City is under siege from them and their plan is programmed for Election 2010. If this is not a professionally orchestered attempt to take-over, then it is a group highly organized and highly motivated with the funds to cause a lot of damage. And you can do something about it by getting involved. Don't readily accept everything told to you. Check the facts and seek the truth.

This is a story weaved by objective reality. It is not fantasy as they would like you to believe. It is happening. This is not about being popular with some people. This is not about straddling the fence. This is about listening and learning. This is all about speaking out. Don't let them be the only voice heard in our city. Staying home or staying silent and hoping for the best will NOT cut it. Take their lead and talk more with your Commissioners and speak up at public meetings. Ask the tough questions. Attend your neighborhood association meetings. Get active. You have nothing to fear. See it all first-hand. The last voice heard is the one that everyone remembers.

These angry people are a force to be reckoned with a mission that is undeterred by any reason other than their own. They "know" that they are right and therefore the unbelievable greed and hubris that they possess will decimate our entire City if you do not get involved.

It is more like a Che Guevara mindset...an appealing message sprinkled with a lot of hatred and mis-truths that are things to be harnessed and used...twisting the facts to suit the cause or to stir up the pot. This use of hatred and ridicule and lies to encourage the dehumanization of an adversary is but another manifestation of the doctrine found throughout the centuries. It is nothing new. They are playing this game to win. The are fed up. They don't like being in the minority vote. They hate being a "loser."

The difference today and yesterday is that they have taken formal action and are being legally advised and a lot of them are finally out of the closet. Confident, arrogant and nothing to impugn them, it is a game that they have resolve to win.

If you want our elected officials to preserve Lake Worth's small town charm, you have 10 months to "get it" and do something about it. It took a long time to get an honest majority commission elected that is motivated in doing what's right for all Lake Worthians, not just the "chosen few." Some of the good ole boys are still around foaming at the mouth, ready to strike.

This commission has appointed honest people to Boards; with more to come; it has allowed the new city manager to hire competent and professional staff and retain those who are dedicated employees. Hopefully many of the actions of the past commissions will not be repeated.

Right now, bonfires on the beach have resumed and soon we will have concerts at Bryant Park. Our beach will soon be upgraded and our Casino restored. We have hired a golf pro and our course is now making money. We are on our way to being self-sufficient with our own reverse Osmosis Plant as we will be a supplier, not a buyer. Our electric is reliable and stable. We will no longer have another building as high as The Lucerne. Soon we will have our 100th Anniversary and our Museum is being saved. Development of the Park of Commerce is in order with developers paying for the infrastructure, not the City of Lake Worth. Businesses are moving back to Lake Worth and we are getting more and more a sense of community and a common direction. This is all thanks to our majority Commission and the untold hours they spend trying to make Lake Worth a better place for all residents.

In conclusion, it is all about your city; it's all up to you. You are what makes this City a great place to live.

LW High School Students recognized

Lake Worth Community High School Students Obtain EKG Certification

Eighteen of the 24 Lake Worth Community High School students who were the first from the school to take the EKG (electrocardiogram) certification exams have successfully passed! The students---who participate in the school’s Medical Magnet CHOICE program-- took the industry certification exams shortly before the end of the year.

These students---many of them bilingual-- were certified by the National Healthcareer Association. Those who pass the exam are recognized as a nationally certified Allied Healthcare professional. In addition to adding to their credentials, passing this industry certification allows them to work as a Certified EKG Technician (CET).

Principal Dr. Ian Saltzman said the achievement is a plus for the students---and our healthcare profession. “These young people have now gained a professional certification they can use in the labor market right now---and they’re still in high school,” he said. “In addition, our community benefits because Palm Beach County now has 18 more people who are certified to work in a growing industry.”

For more information, contact Assistant Principal Brett Packard
(561) 533-6322 or
email Packard@palmbeach.k12.fl.us.

Karson and Coolican 2010 Census Count Committee

Comment Up
Being the only one on the dais who was overtly playing politics, Commissioner Scott Maxwell wondered why everything had to be political…”let’s get rid of the politics here,” he said.

The Mayor, in true political form himself, decided to vote with the minority by staying true to his personal belief-- following city policy thus eliminating both bids for minor infractions. His objection was done in such a way that politics did not appear to enter into his decision. In his own way too, he threw the City under the bus for politics.

Early on in the meeting regarding the 2010 Census Proposals by Annabeth Karson/Shauna Coolican and the CRB Board, Maxwell wanted to eliminate both bids as they were “non-responsive.” In actuality, “non-responsive” involved minor infractions to the RFP. All the Dozen smiled back. He made a motion that died for lack of a second. He brought the same thing back later that fell on dead ears. All the Dozen frowned. He gave up the entire City of Lake Worth by playing the political card.

It didn’t matter that this census means a lot of money to the City of Lake Worth to get it right or $1,300 per resident. The reason why the City Manager hired Annabeth/Shauna to begin with a few weeks ago was to ensure success. The political Dozen got in the way just to have that hire sabotaged and hijacked. And they were in force last night, chatting the entire time from the back row. Even the Mayor had to remind them that their conversation could be heard from the dais.

The reason why they were unhappy with Annabeth was her access to a lot of information that she would be compiling on the City’s behalf. As she is a political activist (an actual requirement for this position), they did not want her to have that information at her finger tips for her future political candidates. Commissioner Jennings threw that argument off the radar when she pointed out that it was all public information and anyone would be able to obtain it.

It’s always a sad day in Lake Worth when you have citizen volunteers such as Annabeth, Shauna, Mark, Carla, and Herman who have to go through a public interrogation such as last night. You would have thought they were applying for a $100,000 a year job when in fact the bid was for $26,000. Both groups held their own but it was clear, Annabeth and Shauna were highly qualified and the most prepared. It was also made clear that the CRB would have Sunshine Law problems and would have to meet in a public meeting on any and every decision whereas Annabeth/Shauna could confer minute by minute in the decision process. As this position should have been filled last Summer, we need someone of Annabeth’s proven capabilities to move this forward. It will take someone of her organizational talents to complete this job for the benefit of all of Lake Worth.

There never was anyone else from inception. Last night never should have happened but because of politics that Commissioner Maxwell deems abhorrent, Karson and Coolican, as well as the public, had to endure the most public and humiliating grilling, (most coming from Commissioner Maxwell) that I have ever seen in Lake Worth. Both groups stood their own with dignity and class but in the end, the team of Karson and Coolican, on a 3 to 2 vote, got the job they should have had two weeks ago.

The "Dirty Dozen" and Election 2010 - Part III

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The slum, blight and fall of our city, did not start with the first election of Commissioner Jennings as the Dozen would like to tell you and have you believe. It has been a Plan in effect for at least ten years by many who are biding their time, waiting. Some we still see hanging out at City Hall, some flitting around on a daily basis. This deplorable situation of slum and blight did not start over night. Why do you think that we have $60 million in outstanding code violations over the past decade?

If you look at the "Dirty Dozen," you will find several people who make their money from real estate, (remember The Lucerne?) a planner, several merchants, a few attorneys, some failed candidates for office, one still on our own Planning and Zoning Board and a few others who are hangers on for the ride and who are there because of their expressed hate of our elected officials that they could not throw out of elected office. They hate them because they actually believe the hype from the Dozen. They hate them because we have three honest commissioners that have stopped their forward movement. There are others there for their own self interests such as claiming public right-of-ways to the IntraCoastal Waterway as their own. Tonight, from 5 to 9, at the LW Golf Course, the City will be meeting on the public rights-of-way.

These people are the darlings of developers. They have never met a developer they didn't like. They want to ensure that at least one of "them" is on a major Board, President of their Neighborhood Association or highly visible throughout the city. They cultivate "friends" wherever they go. They are people who make the charge that decisions from the dais are political when they are the most political people of all in everything that they do and say.

It is the Group that is still mad about the Casino…they want it knocked down. This started when the Casino was jackhammered during the Romano administration and the holes were NEVER cemented in. It was a devious plan to allow the casino to rot from within. They have had a desire for a certain out of town developer to take over our beach. Some of them still think that Greater Bay and the flim flam artist should have control of our beach!!!

They are people who are using the excuse of slum and blight and illegal immigration and Cara Jennings as their reason for solidarity. They are speaking out, trying to convince anyone who will listen, that these three commissioners, Jennings, Golden and Mulvehill, are what's wrong with Lake Worth. They condemn our City Manager at every opportunity. After all, it was the commission that hired her, so automatically it must be just another bad decision. Lies abound and integrity is thrown out the window.

The truth is, it's all about development, something they believe will solve our poor tax base as well as lining the pockets of their friends. Height restrictions that Commissioner Jennings initiated was the straw that broke their camel's back. They have become more vocal and confrontational. If they can reverse this commission, development will once again be welcomed into our City; friends will be rewarded, perhaps heights can be changed to 10 stories and another Lucerne built (Loretta approved of this one that is costing us $1.2 million over 10 years), the Gulfstream may get more variances, more Pugh deals, Sunset can get reversed so their buddies can get their zoning change to build high, and the list goes on. They never saw a development deal of the CRA they didn't like.

The "plan" that has been ongoing for ten years backfired on them. It got out of control and snowballed to where we are now. They wanted these properties that were coded and fines so high and beyond the owner's ability to pay so that they or their friends could acquire them. They had no idea that we would be invaded by illegal immigrants to this extent. Eventually, corrupt code officials got fired and bad employees are now gone. They play their politics and scream bloody murder every chance they get trying to plant doubt and suspicion for the very things that they started, blaming it on everyone but themselves.

Directly after the election, they started their negative campaign. We will be hearing more and more angry remarks from this group. There is one thing of which I can assure-- the problems we face in Lake Worth were not caused nor were they started by Commissioner Jennings, Commissioner Mulvehill or Commissioner Golden.

Where is our new Mayor in all of this? He has been quiet and this Group is unsure that they can count on him to vote their direction all of the time as they were behind Loretta Sharpe for Mayor. He will be very smooth and clever in his delivery and stay out of political trouble as his aspirations are higher than Lake Worth. He will go by the letter of the book. No one will fault him on his Nay vote. He will play the role of the "good" cop. They "hear" him but still can't quite figure him out. Actually he is on a higher plane than those who want to use him so desperately.

Rene did go to Loretta's Christmas party but he might have thought it was just politically prudent to do so and therefore we will give him the benefit of the doubt. Basically birds of a feather really do flock together. Even on the day of the run-off election he told me he knew nothing about the robo call or the deceptive flier that was put out by this Group. However, just like the dolphin trafficking explanation, he was cc'd in e-mails about the flier. He knew about it.

Coming next -- The Conclusion
What's Next?

Message from Commissioner Mulvehill

Please join the City of Lake Worth in an informal open forum regarding the future use of our City’s Intracoastal right of way access points

WHEN: Wednesday, January 13, 2010
TIME: Anytime between 5-9 P.M.
LOCATION: Lake Worth Golf Course, One Seventh Avenue North, Lake Worth
For more information: 561-586-1600

Sorry dogs, No Park

After reading Tom's Page and finding out out about the allocation of the $600,000 for the Community Development Block Grant money, there are just a few points to make here.

If this Grant money will be used to help with mortgages to allow homeownership, then I am against it. If it will be used for the rehabilitation of existing homes, then it might be a good idea. It all depends on how the program is structured. I am handicapped in giving an opinion because I was not at the meeting.

I was surprised to learn that Mayor Varela was all for this idea particularly when he is the one who first brought up the problem in his first campaign-- that of foreclosures. In Palm Beach County, more than 45,000 pending foreclosure cases are in the system, with an average of 2,500 new cases being filed each month.

It is apparent that the Commission sided with the City Manager and Scott supported the neighborhoods-- a gym and traffic calming will get a bulk of the money with $350,000 in funding being reprogrammed to the housing program. We had two public meetings and not one resident mentioned giving any money towards a housing program. Sorry dogs. Sorry TRNA. I guess the residents really don't know what they want. Right, Commissioners?