Posts
There is a wonderful art installation being planned in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. It will honor all our military personnel currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places around the world. I urge all area residents to participate.
The artists will construct a "wall of light" in a downtown park using plastic water bottles. Each bottle will contain a 5-word message of appreciation and hope to our deployed servicemen and women. Their design is for "an illuminated, translucent wall, 6 feet high and 200 feet long. They estimate it will take 34,000 bottles to build this wall.
That's a lot of bottles, and this is where every Jacksonville area citizen's involvement is needed. The artists need you to furnish the bottles. It couldn't be easier. Write a message of only 5 words to the troops in ballpoint or waterproof ink on a piece of paper and insert it into the bottle. Put the cap on and remove the label. Drop it off at one of the collection points around the city. Go to http://www.messageinabottlejax.com/ for the convenient locations.
This is a great family, church, club or neighborhood project. Each bottle is an individual act of gratitude. Stacked together, all the bottles are a community message from the entire city of love, remembrance and appreciation to our troops.
Showing posts with label jacksonville. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jacksonville. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Sunday, May 22, 2011
The Florida Times-Union Has Lost Its Mind
The Florida Times-Union’s management has lost its collective mind. They want to charge readers up to $72.28 per year for the new TV Weekly. This is scheduled to replace the weekly TV schedule that has been included in the Friday paper at no additional charge beginning June 5, 2011. If you are a subscriber, you can get it for as low as $34.84 per year with a 24-month subscription. This works out to 67¢ per week. Their promotional ads have the nerve to call this the “BEST DEAL” in bright red letters as though they were doing us subscribers a favor.
Well, this subscriber is not so gullible. After reviewing the free sample included in today’s Sunday paper, I went online to see what a subscription to TV Guide would cost. What I found at www.tvguide.com/magazine was a subscription rate of $16.50 for 56 issues if you paid immediately by credit card or $16.50 for 48 issues if you wanted them to bill you. For credit card payers, that works out to only 29¢ per issue or a savings of 38¢ every week over the best offer for the Times-Union’s TV Weekly. TV Guide’s format is very similar to TV Weekly’s and TV Guide has made major improvements in its coverage of daytime and local stations. Plus TV Guide has more extensive editorial content. In other words, I can get a better product for substantially less. That’s a no-brainer for any savvy consumer who wants a paper TV program schedule. (Yes, I know I can check the current schedule on the TV itself or online. However, I like to know ahead of time what is going to be on so I can plan my schedule accordingly.)
So, I immediately subscribed to the TV Guide to save $18.34 per year for a paper television schedule. That is not the only savings I will be enjoying. The only reason I subscribed to the Friday-Saturday-Sunday (weekend) package of the Times-Union was to get the TV schedule that came in the Friday paper. Now, I can go back to a Sunday-only subscription for the coupons. This will reduce my subscription cost from $12.79 to $8.54 per month, a savings of $51 per year. Even after deducting the cost of the TV Guide, I will save $34.50 a year.
It really pleases me that I can reduce the money I give the Times-Union after their support and active promotion of Alvin Brown for Mayor. If it were not for the shopping coupons I use from the Sunday paper, I would cancel my subscription all together. (And, yes, I know I could get coupons online but then I have to pay for the ink and paper to print them out. Plus, it costs a lot more time to find them than clipping coupons from the paper while I watch TV.)
Well, this subscriber is not so gullible. After reviewing the free sample included in today’s Sunday paper, I went online to see what a subscription to TV Guide would cost. What I found at www.tvguide.com/magazine was a subscription rate of $16.50 for 56 issues if you paid immediately by credit card or $16.50 for 48 issues if you wanted them to bill you. For credit card payers, that works out to only 29¢ per issue or a savings of 38¢ every week over the best offer for the Times-Union’s TV Weekly. TV Guide’s format is very similar to TV Weekly’s and TV Guide has made major improvements in its coverage of daytime and local stations. Plus TV Guide has more extensive editorial content. In other words, I can get a better product for substantially less. That’s a no-brainer for any savvy consumer who wants a paper TV program schedule. (Yes, I know I can check the current schedule on the TV itself or online. However, I like to know ahead of time what is going to be on so I can plan my schedule accordingly.)
So, I immediately subscribed to the TV Guide to save $18.34 per year for a paper television schedule. That is not the only savings I will be enjoying. The only reason I subscribed to the Friday-Saturday-Sunday (weekend) package of the Times-Union was to get the TV schedule that came in the Friday paper. Now, I can go back to a Sunday-only subscription for the coupons. This will reduce my subscription cost from $12.79 to $8.54 per month, a savings of $51 per year. Even after deducting the cost of the TV Guide, I will save $34.50 a year.
It really pleases me that I can reduce the money I give the Times-Union after their support and active promotion of Alvin Brown for Mayor. If it were not for the shopping coupons I use from the Sunday paper, I would cancel my subscription all together. (And, yes, I know I could get coupons online but then I have to pay for the ink and paper to print them out. Plus, it costs a lot more time to find them than clipping coupons from the paper while I watch TV.)
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Election of Alvin Brown: "Yes, Massa; No, Massa"
Jacksonville, Florida elected Alvin Brown as its mayor on Tuesday. He is the city's first black mayor. Today's Florida Times-Union screamed "Historic Election" on its frontpage.
In the accompanying articles, many expressed their expectations of "change" for the city. Where have we heard that before? Ah, yes, Obama promised transformative change for the nation. God help our city if we experience that kind of change here. The bad news for those expecting change in Jacksonville by voting for Alvin Brown for mayor is, in reality, they were snookered into voting for more of the same old, same old. They will be sorely disappointed in the next four years.
For decades, Jacksonville has been run as a plantation by a clubby group of local businessmen, landowners and developers. Whatever they wanted, they got. They owned City Hall. I once overheard a discussion between several of this group in which one of them expressed regrets that the "natives were getting restless" and it was getting "harder to manage the plantation."
If any politician, mayor or councilmember, dared to defy them, this group financed and backed their replacement. Few dared such defiance, and even fewer survived in office if they did. One of those who did stand up to this group on occasion was Mike Hogan, Brown's Republican opponent in the mayoral race.
Jacksonville's powerbrokers were horrified when Hogan won the primary in May. Their support was split between Rick Mullaney and Audrey Moran, although the bulk went to the latter. That was a strategic mistake that allowed Brown to squeek by Moran for second place. Even Brown's supporters were surprised that his mobilization of the black vote gained the prize of a run-off against Hogan.
So, what did the majority of Jacksonville's Republican (in name only) plantation owners do? They decided to back Democrat Alvin Brown. Led by Pete Rummell, a former St. Joe Paper executive, the group of thirty or so business leaders poured money into Brown's campaign coffers. They did so because Brown, unlike Hogan, promised to watch out for their interests, especially the development of downtown Jacksonville.
For decades now, this group has promoted downtown over the interests of other neighborhoods and needs in the city. Thanks to them, we have the mostly riderless Skyway Express, the shopperless Jacksonville Landing, the businessless LaVilla section, the workerless office buildings, the dinerless restaurants, the walkerless sidewalks, the readerless Main Library, the conventioneerless Prime Osborn Convention Center, the winless Jacksonville Jaguars and the residentless condo high-rises in downtown Jacksonville.
A few weeks ago, I had an appointment at a doctor's office in LaVilla. Riding through downtown, even I was shocked at how dead downtown was at 10 a.m. Almost the only people I saw were the homeless. Yet, we have the monuments to this gang of thirty's skewed priorities of the Baseball Grounds and Everbank Field that sit vacant most days and the money pit of the new County Courthouse under construction.
Those of us who think other areas and other priorities -- like jobs, the port, transportation, taxes and small businesses -- deserve City Hall's attention saw hope for change in Hogan. He promised to give downtown no more (and no less) attention than other neighborhoods around the city. In other words, he was willing to buck the plantation's owners.
Unfortunately, the owners whipped Hogan. They showed him, Brown, and all the other politicians in Jacksonville that they better not dare to buck the plantation system. Brown is completely beholden to these plantation owners. When they tell him to do or not do something, he had better answer "Yes, massa" or "No, massa" if he wants to keep his new job.
In the accompanying articles, many expressed their expectations of "change" for the city. Where have we heard that before? Ah, yes, Obama promised transformative change for the nation. God help our city if we experience that kind of change here. The bad news for those expecting change in Jacksonville by voting for Alvin Brown for mayor is, in reality, they were snookered into voting for more of the same old, same old. They will be sorely disappointed in the next four years.
For decades, Jacksonville has been run as a plantation by a clubby group of local businessmen, landowners and developers. Whatever they wanted, they got. They owned City Hall. I once overheard a discussion between several of this group in which one of them expressed regrets that the "natives were getting restless" and it was getting "harder to manage the plantation."
If any politician, mayor or councilmember, dared to defy them, this group financed and backed their replacement. Few dared such defiance, and even fewer survived in office if they did. One of those who did stand up to this group on occasion was Mike Hogan, Brown's Republican opponent in the mayoral race.
Jacksonville's powerbrokers were horrified when Hogan won the primary in May. Their support was split between Rick Mullaney and Audrey Moran, although the bulk went to the latter. That was a strategic mistake that allowed Brown to squeek by Moran for second place. Even Brown's supporters were surprised that his mobilization of the black vote gained the prize of a run-off against Hogan.
So, what did the majority of Jacksonville's Republican (in name only) plantation owners do? They decided to back Democrat Alvin Brown. Led by Pete Rummell, a former St. Joe Paper executive, the group of thirty or so business leaders poured money into Brown's campaign coffers. They did so because Brown, unlike Hogan, promised to watch out for their interests, especially the development of downtown Jacksonville.
For decades now, this group has promoted downtown over the interests of other neighborhoods and needs in the city. Thanks to them, we have the mostly riderless Skyway Express, the shopperless Jacksonville Landing, the businessless LaVilla section, the workerless office buildings, the dinerless restaurants, the walkerless sidewalks, the readerless Main Library, the conventioneerless Prime Osborn Convention Center, the winless Jacksonville Jaguars and the residentless condo high-rises in downtown Jacksonville.
A few weeks ago, I had an appointment at a doctor's office in LaVilla. Riding through downtown, even I was shocked at how dead downtown was at 10 a.m. Almost the only people I saw were the homeless. Yet, we have the monuments to this gang of thirty's skewed priorities of the Baseball Grounds and Everbank Field that sit vacant most days and the money pit of the new County Courthouse under construction.
Those of us who think other areas and other priorities -- like jobs, the port, transportation, taxes and small businesses -- deserve City Hall's attention saw hope for change in Hogan. He promised to give downtown no more (and no less) attention than other neighborhoods around the city. In other words, he was willing to buck the plantation's owners.
Unfortunately, the owners whipped Hogan. They showed him, Brown, and all the other politicians in Jacksonville that they better not dare to buck the plantation system. Brown is completely beholden to these plantation owners. When they tell him to do or not do something, he had better answer "Yes, massa" or "No, massa" if he wants to keep his new job.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Jacksonville in the War Between the States: 1861
Few know the interesting local story of this epic war. According to the 1860 Census, Jacksonville had a population of just over 2,000 people. Most lived in the area of today’s downtown. H.H. Hoeg was Mayor.
The chief amusements of Jacksonville citizens were dinner parties, picnics, oyster roasts, card playing, and dancing. Camping, then called “marooning,” on the St. Johns riverbank was popular when the moon was full.
Romantic serenading was common. One was known as “charivari” or “shiveree,” targeting the newly married. Friends and neighbors would make noise with tin pans, horns, and whistles outside the couple’s home, and it would not stop until the couple invited their harassers in for cake and wine.
The road to today’s Lake City, then called Alligator, began at Monroe Street. Bay, Julia, and Forsyth streets bound the Judson House, Jacksonville’s most fashionable hotel. Today’s Robert E. Lee High School is located on what was Magnolia Plantation. Its owner, Elias G. Jaudon, raised cattle. Florida would be the Confederacy’s primary source of beef and dairy products throughout the war. The Union forces’ goal in their frequent North Florida raids was to shut down this supply line.
Anna Kingsley, widow and former African slave of Zephaniah Kingsley, presided over her family’s businesses after returning to Jacksonville from Haiti in 1860. She, along with her daughter Mary and son-in-law John Sammis, operated Kingsley Plantation on Ft. George Island, Laurel Grove in today’s Orange Park, and Anna’s Plantation on Mandarin Point. They also owned a sawmill, sugar mill, cotton gins, and a brickyard that provided bricks for many buildings in the growing town. They sided with the Union despite being the number one slave-owners in the area.
When Florida withdrew from the Union on January 10, 1861, it intended to be an independent republic, but it joined the Confederate States of America (the C.S.A.) a few months later. After Florida’s secession, citizen militias formed quickly. The Jacksonville Light Infantry garrisoned at the mouth of the St. Johns River near today’s jetties. The Duval Cow Boys took a position up on St. Johns Bluff near Fort Caroline. All understood the St. Johns River would be the route of any Union assault on Jacksonville.
Helen Broward of Duval County designed Florida’s secession flag with three stars and the motto “The Rights of the South at All Hazards.” The flag hung in the state’s House of Representatives throughout the war.
St. Augustine-born Edmund Kirby Smith, an 1845 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and veteran of the Mexican War, resigned from the U.S. Army in 1861 to join the Confederate forces. He was commissioned a colonel of the cavalry. He was assigned to serve as chief of staff to General Joseph E. Johnston at Harper’s Ferry and helped organize the Army of the Shenandoah.
Joseph Finegan was Florida’s most famous Confederate warrior. Born in Ireland, he settled in Nassau County as a planter, lumberman, and railroader. He served as a member of Florida’s secession convention. He was appointed as commander of all of east Florida.
To be continued
© 2011, Susan M. Lamb
The chief amusements of Jacksonville citizens were dinner parties, picnics, oyster roasts, card playing, and dancing. Camping, then called “marooning,” on the St. Johns riverbank was popular when the moon was full.
Romantic serenading was common. One was known as “charivari” or “shiveree,” targeting the newly married. Friends and neighbors would make noise with tin pans, horns, and whistles outside the couple’s home, and it would not stop until the couple invited their harassers in for cake and wine.
The road to today’s Lake City, then called Alligator, began at Monroe Street. Bay, Julia, and Forsyth streets bound the Judson House, Jacksonville’s most fashionable hotel. Today’s Robert E. Lee High School is located on what was Magnolia Plantation. Its owner, Elias G. Jaudon, raised cattle. Florida would be the Confederacy’s primary source of beef and dairy products throughout the war. The Union forces’ goal in their frequent North Florida raids was to shut down this supply line.
Anna Kingsley, widow and former African slave of Zephaniah Kingsley, presided over her family’s businesses after returning to Jacksonville from Haiti in 1860. She, along with her daughter Mary and son-in-law John Sammis, operated Kingsley Plantation on Ft. George Island, Laurel Grove in today’s Orange Park, and Anna’s Plantation on Mandarin Point. They also owned a sawmill, sugar mill, cotton gins, and a brickyard that provided bricks for many buildings in the growing town. They sided with the Union despite being the number one slave-owners in the area.
When Florida withdrew from the Union on January 10, 1861, it intended to be an independent republic, but it joined the Confederate States of America (the C.S.A.) a few months later. After Florida’s secession, citizen militias formed quickly. The Jacksonville Light Infantry garrisoned at the mouth of the St. Johns River near today’s jetties. The Duval Cow Boys took a position up on St. Johns Bluff near Fort Caroline. All understood the St. Johns River would be the route of any Union assault on Jacksonville.
Helen Broward of Duval County designed Florida’s secession flag with three stars and the motto “The Rights of the South at All Hazards.” The flag hung in the state’s House of Representatives throughout the war.
St. Augustine-born Edmund Kirby Smith, an 1845 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and veteran of the Mexican War, resigned from the U.S. Army in 1861 to join the Confederate forces. He was commissioned a colonel of the cavalry. He was assigned to serve as chief of staff to General Joseph E. Johnston at Harper’s Ferry and helped organize the Army of the Shenandoah.
Joseph Finegan was Florida’s most famous Confederate warrior. Born in Ireland, he settled in Nassau County as a planter, lumberman, and railroader. He served as a member of Florida’s secession convention. He was appointed as commander of all of east Florida.
To be continued
© 2011, Susan M. Lamb
Jacksonville City Election Recommendations
Mayor: Mike Hogan (Republican)
Do you like what President Obama has done to our country? If so, you might like what Alvin Brown, whom Obama has endorsed, will do to Jacksonville. Personally, I do not believe my city needs similar inexperience and incompetence, so Mike Hogan is my choice for mayor. He has served on the City Council, in the state legislature, and is our current Tax Collector. In all these positions, Mike has gained an unmatched reputation for honesty and integrity, especially in his dealings with his constituents. He is a fiscal conservative, winning the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. He has been endorsed by the N.R.A., too. I give my highest recommendation to Mike Hogan for Mayor. Website: www.hoganformayor.com.
Tax Collector: Dick Kravitz (Republican)
Dick Kravitz brings a wealth of legislative and business experience to the position of Tax Collector. He has served on the City Council and in the state legislature. He has been fiscally conservative on budget and tax matters and has been endorsed by the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: www.kravitzfortaxcollector.com.
Council-at-Large Group 1: Kimberly Daniels (Democrat)
This has to be one of the strangest races in Jacksonville history. Our choice is a lawyer who has been in the past and is currently under investigation by the Florida Bar Association for ethical violations, one of which could lead to criminal charges. The other candidate is a former prostitute and druggie who is now pastor of a Northside Christian congregation with 400 members. Because the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County gave her opponent an ANTI-endorsement, I decided to vote without enthusiasm for Kimberly Daniels. Website http://www.votekimberlydaniels.com.
Council-at-Large Group 4: Jim Robinson (Republican)
Neither of the candidates for Council-at-Large Group 4 have run for or held political office previously. The Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County endorsed both and both are conservative Republicans. I am voting for Jim Robinson because he is a 30-year resident of Jacksonville, a former US Army Transportation Corps Officer and a Civil Engineer who has owned his own business in Jacksonville. He recently retired, allowing him to devote full time to the city’s needs. Website http://votejimrobinson.com
Council-at-Large Group 5: Robin Lumb (Republican)
This is another race in which none of the candidates has previous political experience. Robin Lumb won my recommendation because of his active opposition to Obamacare, including organizing Town Hall meetings and public forums, and his advocacy for expansion of JaxPort for job generation. A fiscal conservative, he does not believe tax hikes will solve the city’s budget problems. He wants to focus on essential services and basic needs (public safety, roads, parks and libraries). He is a small business owner and has served on many civic and charitable organization boards. Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County has endorsed him. Website: www.votelumb.com.
As always, no matter whom you support, please get out and vote.
Do you like what President Obama has done to our country? If so, you might like what Alvin Brown, whom Obama has endorsed, will do to Jacksonville. Personally, I do not believe my city needs similar inexperience and incompetence, so Mike Hogan is my choice for mayor. He has served on the City Council, in the state legislature, and is our current Tax Collector. In all these positions, Mike has gained an unmatched reputation for honesty and integrity, especially in his dealings with his constituents. He is a fiscal conservative, winning the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. He has been endorsed by the N.R.A., too. I give my highest recommendation to Mike Hogan for Mayor. Website: www.hoganformayor.com.
Tax Collector: Dick Kravitz (Republican)
Dick Kravitz brings a wealth of legislative and business experience to the position of Tax Collector. He has served on the City Council and in the state legislature. He has been fiscally conservative on budget and tax matters and has been endorsed by the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: www.kravitzfortaxcollector.com.
Council-at-Large Group 1: Kimberly Daniels (Democrat)
This has to be one of the strangest races in Jacksonville history. Our choice is a lawyer who has been in the past and is currently under investigation by the Florida Bar Association for ethical violations, one of which could lead to criminal charges. The other candidate is a former prostitute and druggie who is now pastor of a Northside Christian congregation with 400 members. Because the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County gave her opponent an ANTI-endorsement, I decided to vote without enthusiasm for Kimberly Daniels. Website http://www.votekimberlydaniels.com.
Council-at-Large Group 4: Jim Robinson (Republican)
Neither of the candidates for Council-at-Large Group 4 have run for or held political office previously. The Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County endorsed both and both are conservative Republicans. I am voting for Jim Robinson because he is a 30-year resident of Jacksonville, a former US Army Transportation Corps Officer and a Civil Engineer who has owned his own business in Jacksonville. He recently retired, allowing him to devote full time to the city’s needs. Website http://votejimrobinson.com
Council-at-Large Group 5: Robin Lumb (Republican)
This is another race in which none of the candidates has previous political experience. Robin Lumb won my recommendation because of his active opposition to Obamacare, including organizing Town Hall meetings and public forums, and his advocacy for expansion of JaxPort for job generation. A fiscal conservative, he does not believe tax hikes will solve the city’s budget problems. He wants to focus on essential services and basic needs (public safety, roads, parks and libraries). He is a small business owner and has served on many civic and charitable organization boards. Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County has endorsed him. Website: www.votelumb.com.
As always, no matter whom you support, please get out and vote.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Recommendations for 2011 Jacksonville City Election Primary
Mayor: Mike Hogan (Republican)
Mike Hogan has served on the City Council, in the state legislature, and is the current Tax Collector. In all these positions, Mike has gained an unmatched reputation for honesty and integrity, especially in his dealings with his constituents. As a member of City Council, I personally experienced the fact that he made himself readily available to anyone who wished to discuss issues before the Council. Although we did not always agree, I found him always willing to listen carefully and consider all points of view before making a decision. He is a fiscal conservative, winning the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. He has been endorsed by the N.R.A., too. I give my highest recommendation to Mike Hogan for Mayor. Website: http://www.hoganformayor.com/.
Sheriff: Soren G. Brockdorf (No Party Affliation)
With Jacksonville still the murder capital of Florida, it is time for entirely new leadership in the Sheriff’s Department. Soren would bring to the Sheriff’s office both a law enforcement and business background. In law enforcement, he has been a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer, a Clay County Deputy and a Federal Agent. He is a Supreme Court Certified Family and County Mediator. He has outlined precise plans to reduce administrative costs that will allow for more monies for officers on the streets. For example, he wants to introduce software that will get needed information directly to officers in the field while eliminating 120 administrative positions. He has pledged to put more officers in the neighborhoods with the highest crime rates and to reduce response times to police calls. He wants to add a DNA lab with a two-day turnaround so rape victims do not have to wait six months for results, which currently allows perpetrators to remain on the streets to victimize other women. Website: http://www.1sheriff.com/.
Property Appraiser: Jim Overton (Republican)
Jim is the current Property Appraiser and has done a good job of creating efficiencies in how the office operates while reducing the budget. He has put much of the information online that taxpayers need. He won the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: http://www.jimoverton.com/.
Tax Collector: Dick Kravitz (Republican)
Dick Kravitz brings a wealth of legislative and business experience to the position of Tax Collector. He has served on the City Council and in the state legislature. I found him willing to listen to differing points of view on issues before making decisions. He has been fiscally conservative on budget and tax matters and has been endorsed by the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: http://www.kravitzfortaxcollector.com/.
Council-at-Large Group 1: Steve Burnett (No Party Affiliation)
If you read the report in The Florida Times-Union, the race for Council-at-Large Group 1 is colorful. Each candidate has background issues and none is ideal. Steve is a twenty-year Navy veteran who advocates limited government as defined by the City Charter. After retiring from the Navy, he owned and operated 50 Jackson Hewitt tax preparation offices with 300 employees in Florida and Georgia. He is a registered Republican, although he chose to run without party affiliation. When he sold his Jackson Hewitt franchises, he was caught by a local TV news crew throwing records into a dumpster without shredding them, making clients and employees vulnerable to identity theft. Because of what I consider more serious issues with the other candidates, I will vote for Steve for Council-at-Large Group 1.
The Republican candidate, David A. Taylor is a lawyer by trade, specializing in commercial litigation and adoptions. He has been in the past and is currently under investigation by the Florida Bar Association for ethical violations, one of which could lead to criminal charges. The NE Florida Builder’s Association, both the Firefighters and Police unions, First Coast Manufacturer’s Association and JAXBiz have endorsed him, but the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County gave him an ANTI-endorsement. These caused me to decide not to support David Taylor.
Steve’s other opponent is Democrat Kimberly Daniels, a self-admitted former drug abuser and prostitute. She now is pastor of a Northside Christian congregation with a reported 400 members. She pays no property taxes on her home because it is listed as a “rectory.” There are questions regarding the propriety of using church funds to make enhancements to the property, including a swimming pool with screened enclosure.
Council-at-Large Group 2: John R. Crescimbeni (Democrat)
John has served on the City Council for a combined total of ten years. Despite his Democrat affiliation, he has been one of the most consistent fiscal conservatives in city government. He practices what he preaches by being the only council member who does not have a paid legislative aide; he answers his own phone and does his own research. He has never missed a regularly scheduled City Council meeting in all ten years and has one of the best committee attendance records. He asks the tough questions on contracts such as those with the Jaguars or for the landfill. He opposed the county courthouse cost overruns. He voted against tax and fee increases, winning the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: http://www.johnforcitycouncil.com/.
Council-at-Large Group 4: Juan Diaz (Republican)
None of the candidates for Council-at-Large Group 4 have run for or held political office previously. After careful review of all their proposals and positions, I have decided to vote for Juan Diaz. He is a young corporate attorney who has served on a variety of local boards, committees and civic organizations. He is a fiscal conservative and won a co- endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. He advocates job creation through expansion of JaxPort, Mayport Naval Station, the Cecil Commerce Center and Jacksonville’s healthcare facilities. He opposes tax or fee increases as a means of balancing the city’s budget. Instead, he would work to eliminate duplication of services, make pension reforms, privatize some services, etc. The Northeast Florida Board of Realtors and United Christians of Florida P.A.C also endorse him. Website: http://diaz4jax.com/.
Council-at-Large Group 5: Robin Lumb (Republican)
This is another race in which none of the candidates has previous political experience. Robin won my recommendation because of his active opposition to Obamacare, including organization of Town Hall meetings and public forums, and his advocacy for expansion of JaxPort for job generation. A fiscal conservative, he does not believe tax hikes will solve the city’s budget problems. Instead, pension costs need to be brought under control along with budget discipline that focuses on essential services and basic needs (public safety, roads, parks and libraries). He is a small business owner and has served on many civic and charitable organization boards. Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County has endorsed him. Website: http://www.votelumb.com/.
The primary will be held on Tuesday, March 22nd. Early voting begins Monday, March 7th. Whether you agree with my selections or not, please vote.
Mike Hogan has served on the City Council, in the state legislature, and is the current Tax Collector. In all these positions, Mike has gained an unmatched reputation for honesty and integrity, especially in his dealings with his constituents. As a member of City Council, I personally experienced the fact that he made himself readily available to anyone who wished to discuss issues before the Council. Although we did not always agree, I found him always willing to listen carefully and consider all points of view before making a decision. He is a fiscal conservative, winning the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. He has been endorsed by the N.R.A., too. I give my highest recommendation to Mike Hogan for Mayor. Website: http://www.hoganformayor.com/.
Sheriff: Soren G. Brockdorf (No Party Affliation)
With Jacksonville still the murder capital of Florida, it is time for entirely new leadership in the Sheriff’s Department. Soren would bring to the Sheriff’s office both a law enforcement and business background. In law enforcement, he has been a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Officer, a Clay County Deputy and a Federal Agent. He is a Supreme Court Certified Family and County Mediator. He has outlined precise plans to reduce administrative costs that will allow for more monies for officers on the streets. For example, he wants to introduce software that will get needed information directly to officers in the field while eliminating 120 administrative positions. He has pledged to put more officers in the neighborhoods with the highest crime rates and to reduce response times to police calls. He wants to add a DNA lab with a two-day turnaround so rape victims do not have to wait six months for results, which currently allows perpetrators to remain on the streets to victimize other women. Website: http://www.1sheriff.com/.
Property Appraiser: Jim Overton (Republican)
Jim is the current Property Appraiser and has done a good job of creating efficiencies in how the office operates while reducing the budget. He has put much of the information online that taxpayers need. He won the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: http://www.jimoverton.com/.
Tax Collector: Dick Kravitz (Republican)
Dick Kravitz brings a wealth of legislative and business experience to the position of Tax Collector. He has served on the City Council and in the state legislature. I found him willing to listen to differing points of view on issues before making decisions. He has been fiscally conservative on budget and tax matters and has been endorsed by the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: http://www.kravitzfortaxcollector.com/.
Council-at-Large Group 1: Steve Burnett (No Party Affiliation)
If you read the report in The Florida Times-Union, the race for Council-at-Large Group 1 is colorful. Each candidate has background issues and none is ideal. Steve is a twenty-year Navy veteran who advocates limited government as defined by the City Charter. After retiring from the Navy, he owned and operated 50 Jackson Hewitt tax preparation offices with 300 employees in Florida and Georgia. He is a registered Republican, although he chose to run without party affiliation. When he sold his Jackson Hewitt franchises, he was caught by a local TV news crew throwing records into a dumpster without shredding them, making clients and employees vulnerable to identity theft. Because of what I consider more serious issues with the other candidates, I will vote for Steve for Council-at-Large Group 1.
The Republican candidate, David A. Taylor is a lawyer by trade, specializing in commercial litigation and adoptions. He has been in the past and is currently under investigation by the Florida Bar Association for ethical violations, one of which could lead to criminal charges. The NE Florida Builder’s Association, both the Firefighters and Police unions, First Coast Manufacturer’s Association and JAXBiz have endorsed him, but the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County gave him an ANTI-endorsement. These caused me to decide not to support David Taylor.
Steve’s other opponent is Democrat Kimberly Daniels, a self-admitted former drug abuser and prostitute. She now is pastor of a Northside Christian congregation with a reported 400 members. She pays no property taxes on her home because it is listed as a “rectory.” There are questions regarding the propriety of using church funds to make enhancements to the property, including a swimming pool with screened enclosure.
Council-at-Large Group 2: John R. Crescimbeni (Democrat)
John has served on the City Council for a combined total of ten years. Despite his Democrat affiliation, he has been one of the most consistent fiscal conservatives in city government. He practices what he preaches by being the only council member who does not have a paid legislative aide; he answers his own phone and does his own research. He has never missed a regularly scheduled City Council meeting in all ten years and has one of the best committee attendance records. He asks the tough questions on contracts such as those with the Jaguars or for the landfill. He opposed the county courthouse cost overruns. He voted against tax and fee increases, winning the endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. Website: http://www.johnforcitycouncil.com/.
Council-at-Large Group 4: Juan Diaz (Republican)
None of the candidates for Council-at-Large Group 4 have run for or held political office previously. After careful review of all their proposals and positions, I have decided to vote for Juan Diaz. He is a young corporate attorney who has served on a variety of local boards, committees and civic organizations. He is a fiscal conservative and won a co- endorsement of the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County. He advocates job creation through expansion of JaxPort, Mayport Naval Station, the Cecil Commerce Center and Jacksonville’s healthcare facilities. He opposes tax or fee increases as a means of balancing the city’s budget. Instead, he would work to eliminate duplication of services, make pension reforms, privatize some services, etc. The Northeast Florida Board of Realtors and United Christians of Florida P.A.C also endorse him. Website: http://diaz4jax.com/.
Council-at-Large Group 5: Robin Lumb (Republican)
This is another race in which none of the candidates has previous political experience. Robin won my recommendation because of his active opposition to Obamacare, including organization of Town Hall meetings and public forums, and his advocacy for expansion of JaxPort for job generation. A fiscal conservative, he does not believe tax hikes will solve the city’s budget problems. Instead, pension costs need to be brought under control along with budget discipline that focuses on essential services and basic needs (public safety, roads, parks and libraries). He is a small business owner and has served on many civic and charitable organization boards. Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County has endorsed him. Website: http://www.votelumb.com/.
The primary will be held on Tuesday, March 22nd. Early voting begins Monday, March 7th. Whether you agree with my selections or not, please vote.
Monday, August 9, 2010
2010 Florida Republican Primary Candidate Recommendations
Here are my recommendations for the Florida Republican Primary election. Early voting began today and continues through August 22, 2010. The election itself is on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.
U. S. Senator
William Escoffery III
Address:
265 Country Club Road
Shalimar, FL 32579
Phone: (850)225-7228
Website: www.senatebill.us/
Email: Dr.Escoffery@senatebill.us/
Medical doctor. "Bible-believing Christian"
Platform:
Address:
Platform:
Address
Private-practice lawyer & visiting professor at Florida International University’s Metropolitan Center. From 2000-2008, Rubio served in the Florida House of Representatives. During this period, he served as Majority Whip, Majority Leader and Speaker of the House.
Positions:
FL Governor
Address
Single parent, retired USAF Colonel, educator, small-business owner, health care professional, farmer. PhD in Management
Websites have long list of endorsements and resume but no information on issue positions. Both seem to be primarily aimed to sell his book, The Right Future for Florida and You… Starting Right Now!
Address
Longwood, FL 32791
Florida Attorney General; former U.S. Representative
Positions:
Rick Scott
Address
300 S.E. 2nd Street
Businessman: former Founder & CEO of Columbia/HCA hospital system & Solantic Urgent Care Centers. Started Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, an organization founded to defend free market principles in health care that focused successfully on defeating President Obama’s government-run public option plan. Supports and has attended & spoken at Tea Party rallies.
Positions:
FL Attorney General
Holly Benson
Address
P.O. Box 998
Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration; former Secretary of the Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation and State Representative
Positions:
Pam Bondi
Address
Prosecutor for 18 years. Hillsborough County elections records show Bondi registered to vote as a Democrat in 1984 and switched to Republican on July 21, 2000. Election records also show Bondi didn't always vote when she had the chance. She skipped party primary elections in 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 2002 and 2008. She did not cast a ballot in the last presidential primary in January 2008.
Positions:
Jeff Kottkamp
Address
Post Office Box 10787
Lt. Governor of FL; former State Representative
Issues:
Charles Perniciaro
Address
Medical doctor, the Director of Dermatopathology at Bernhardt Laboratories. Member of Beach United Methodist Church. Recently changed voter registration from Democrat to Republican. "I've always been a conservative. I've been working to help Republicans get elected throughout my entire career. My contribution records from the Florida Division of Elections, going back 15 years, are public record. All of those contributions were to Republicans and committees that support tort reform. No Democrats. I've also hosted fund raisers in my home for Republican candidates. My prior voter registration was from the days when conservatives were all Democrats in the South. Although I didn't get around to correcting my party registration at the courthouse until recently, I‘ve lived and voted as a Republican for a long time. This primary will be a referendum on what it means to be a Republican, and about which Republican is running for the right reasons."
Issues:
Address
109 Premiere Vista Way
State Representative; former Speaker-of-the-House. Interim chairman of the Republican Party of Florida. Florida co-chair for the George W. Bush for President campaign in 2004. Former chairman of the Board of Trustees of Florida State University. Former Clay County School Board member; chairman and vice chairman. Former Counsel to the Jacksonville law firm of Smith Hulsey & Busey. Former partner of Southern Strategy Group, a Tallahassee-based governmental relations firm.
Positions:
State Representative Dist. 16
Charles McBurney
Address
76 S. Laura St., Ste. 590
State Representative. Lawyer. Former Assistant State Attorney (prosecutor). Deacon in South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.
Issues:
Luis Melendez
Address:
1401 Riverplace Boulevard, #610
An Allied Health Professional and a medical educator at a Jacksonville technical college. Small business owner, President of the Florida State Assembly of the Association of Surgical Technologists. A naturalized American citizen who served honorably in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman with the Fleet Marine Force serving the United States Marine Corps.
Issues:
Address
221 N. Hogan St., Suite 382
Assistant State Attorney, Senior Prosecutor in Homicide & Major Crimes; previously in the Special Assault & Repeat Offenders' division. Member of New Grace Church of Fleming Island. Founder of Clay County Victims' Services. Past Chairman of the Clay County Task Force on Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence. Past member of the Orange Park Medical Center Board of Trustees. Young Life of Clay County committee member.
Endorsements: Jennifer Carroll, Steve Wise, Mike Weinstein, Matt Shirk, Lake Ray, John Rutherford.
Mark Hulsey
Address
Certified Family Mediator & Child Custody Evaluator. Has practised law in 4 of the 5 areas covered by Circuit Court. Law educator at JU, FSCJ & UNF. Military veteran: Army Captain. Participated in Pro Bono work with the Jacksonville Area Legal Aid since 2000 and with the City Rescue Mission since 2000. Member of St. John's Episcopal Cathedral.
Endorsements: Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters, Association of Fire Chiefs, Duval Teachers United, Ed Austin, John Delaney, Jake Godbold, Tommy Hazouri, Martha Barrett, Nancy Broner, Vicki Drake, Brenda Preistly-Jackson, Daniel Davis, Michael Corrigan, Kevin Hyde, Dr. Johnny Gaffney, Mike Hogan, Jim Overton, Alberta Hipps, Kris Barns, Aaron Bean, ,Tony Hill, Betty Burney
- U. S. Senator from Florida: William Escoffery III
- Governor of Florida: Rick Scott
- Attorney General of Florida: Holly Benson
- Florida State Senator District 8: Charles Perniciaro
- Florida State Representative District 16: Charles McBurney
- Florida Fourth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Group 25: Samuel P. Garrison
2010 Primary Candidates
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Early Voting for Primary: Tues., August 9 - Sun., August 22, 2010
Last Day to Request Absentee Ballot for Primary: Wed., August 18, 2010
Last Day to Register to Vote or Change Registration for General Election: Mon., October 4, 2010
Last Day to Request Absentee Ballot for General Election: Wed., October 27, 2010
General Election: Tues., November 2, 2010
For More Information:
Jerry Holland, Duval County Supervisor of Elections
105 E. Monroe St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 630-1414
265 Country Club Road
Shalimar, FL 32579
Phone: (850)225-7228
Website: www.senatebill.us/
Email: Dr.Escoffery@senatebill.us/
Platform:
- Limit big government (reduce taxes & regulations)
- Cut taxes
- Expand jobs (free market; stop bail-outs)
- Protect life (pro-life)
- Keep America safe (identify terrorism, prosecute terrorists under military tribunals)
- Guard our borders (stop illegal immigration & deport illegals here; no amnesty)
- Control the courts
- Root out corruption
- Restore Bible values
- Strengthen the family
- Defend U.S. sovereignty
- Safeguard individual rights
William Billy Kogut
12 Winchester Road
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Phone: (386) 316-3133
Website: http://kogut2010.intuitwebsites.com/
Businessman & realtor in Flagler County since 1995. Memer of the Flagler County Planning Board. Former Municipal Chairman for Wallington, New Jersey. "Bible-believing Christian"
- Protect our Constitution
- Repeal Obama Care
- Strongly Support our Military
- Oppose Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants
- Audit U.N. and Federal Reserve
- Supports Fair Tax
- Pro-gun
- Pro-life
- Supports traditional marriage
Marco Rubio
4027 South LeJeune Road
Coral Gables, FL 33146
Website: http://www.marcorubio.com
Email: marcorubioforsenate@gmail.com
- Anti-amnesty for illegals and pro border security, employment verification.
- Pro-gun: "A" rating with NRA & endorsed by Gun Owners of America
- Opposes cap-and-trade carbon tax
- Opposed Obama's stimulus plans
- Supports balanced budget amendment & line-item veto
- Pro-life
Agenda in Florida House:
- lower taxes
- better schools
- a leaner and more efficient government
- free market empowerment
- protect private property rights
- championed a major overhaul of the Florida tax system that would have eliminated all property taxes on primary residences in favor of a flat consumption tax
- blocking the expansion of gambling in Florida
Endorsed by: Jeb Bush, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney, Rudy Guiliani, The Club for Growth, Associated Builders & Contractors of Florida, FL Right to Life, Eagle Forum
Mike McCalister
3201 Foxden Lane
Plant City, FL 33565
Phone: (727) 641-4873
Website: http://mikemccalister4governor.com/ or http://mikemccalister.com/
Email: bmccalister@earthlink.net
Bill McCollum
Post Office Box 915006 or
Phone: (850) 241-1885
Website: http://billmccollum.com
Email: info@BillMcCollum.com
- Pro-gun rights: "A" rating with NRA
- Illegal immigration: supports amended AZ law; opposed amnesty; voted to make hiring illegals illegal; pro-English language
- Economy & Jobs: wrote “Real Solutions, New Jobs: A Roadmap to Florida’s Future” with Steve Forbes. It provide tax relief, regulatory reform, litigation reform, and property tax cuts, and to improve Florida’s education, transportation, water and energy infrastructure.
- Pro-life: 100% rating from the National Right to Life Committee.
- First Attorney General to file suit against Obamacare, which 19 other states have joined now.
Endorsements: Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey, Ander Crenshaw, Cliff Stearns, etc., FL Right to Life - A rating
1400 Gulf Shore Blvd., North
Suite 148
Naples, FL 34102 or
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: (954) 915-3360
Website: www.rickscottforflorida.com
Email: info@rickscottforflorida.com
- Cut government workforce by 5%
- Phase out the corporate income tax
- Reduce regulations
- Cut state property taxes by 19%
- Pro-gun: highest rating from NRA & Unified Sportsmen of Florida
- Pro-life: wants Roe v. Wade overturned
- Illegal immigration: bring AZ's new law here; opposes amnesty
- 7-7-7 Plan: these 7 steps will create 700,000 jobs in 7 years:
- 1. Implement Accountability Budgeting
- 2. Reduce Government Spending
- 3. Enact Regulatory Reform
- 4. Focus on Job Growth and Retention
- 5. Invest in World Class State Universities
- 6. Reduce Property Taxes
- 7. Phase out the Business Income Tax
2640-A Mitcham Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32308 or
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone: 850-224-3800
Website: http://www.hollybenson.com
- Will continue lawsuit against Obamacare & supports tort reform
- Will support AZ's illegal immigration law for FL Hold the federal government accountable for the costs to Florida’s taxpayers of illegal immigrants who attend our schools, receive care in our health care facilities and consume needed services.
- Pro-gun: A+ rating from NRA
- Pro-life & pro-family: 100% rating from the Christian Coalition as a state rep.
Pam Bondi
610 South Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33606
Phone: 866-246-9110
Fax: 866-702-3290
Website: http://www.pambondi.com/
Email: info@pambondi.com
- Pro-gun: A rating from NRA
- Supports AZ immigration law for FL
- Wants to stop Obamacare
- Pro-life
Endorsements: Bob Martinez (her campaign chairman), Associated Builders & Contractors of FL, Associated Industries of FL, Chamber of Commerce of FL, and the pro-life Susan B. Anthony Candidate List Fund. 4 of the 5 largest newspapers in Florida: St.Petersburg Times, Miami Herald, Tampa Tribune and the Orlando Sentinel
Post Office Box 10787
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone: 850-701-2377
Website: http://www.jeffkottkamp.com/
Email: info@JeffKottkamp.com
- Pro-gun: A+ rated by the NRA. Co-sponsor of the Castle Doctrine law. Banned government from registering guns owned by individuals. Stopped the anti-gun lobby from filing frivolous lawsuits against gun makers and owners of shooting ranges.
- Supports AZ immigration law for FL. Would sue the federal government to recover the millions of dollars paid out each year by our taxpayers as a result of illegal immigrants in our state.
- Pro-life: Sponsor of the Parental Notification bill signed into law by Governor Jeb Bush. Led the fight to punish drunk drivers who kill unborn babies. Faith and Family Award presented by the Christian Coalition. Defender of Life Award by the Florida Catholic Conference.
- Will continue lawsuit against Obamacare. Has successfully sued the federal government in the past. Supports Tenth Amendment
Endorsements: Florida Police Benevolent Association, Florida Fraternal Order of Police, Florida Right to Life PAC, Connie Mack, FL Right to Life
State Senator Dist. 8
Post Office Box 331178
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
Phone: (904) 372-4494
Website: www.charlesperniciaro.com
Email: senatorcp@aol.com
- Refuses to accept PAC donations to campaign
- Jobs are the first priority. Spend money on backlogged transportation projects. Reduce regulations.
- Opposed Thrasher's SB 6 for education reform, which was vetoed by Gov. Crist and had wide opposition.
- Illegal immigrants should not be eligible for state or federal benefits. Ports & borders must be secured. Prosecute illegals & businesses that hire them.
- Opposes Obamacare. Limit Medicaid to set budget.
- Pro-gun.
Endorsements: the Republican Liberty Caucus of NE FL, the Jacksonville Liberty Journal.
John Thrasher4963 Beach Boulevard
Jacksonville, FL 32207 or
St. Augustine, 32080 Phone 904-607-2226
Phone 904-607-2226
Website: http://electthrasher.com/
- Keep taxes low
- Grow our job base and our local economy
- Improve our children’s education
- Preserve the St. Johns River and our beautiful beaches
Endorsements: NRA and Unified Sportsmen of Florida, , Florida Police Benevolent Association and the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, Florida United Businesses, the Florida Right to Life Political Action Committee, Mitt Romney, Ander Crenshaw, Jeb Bush, FL Right to Life
6326 Christopher Creek Road E.
Jacksonville, FL 32217 or
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: (904)731-7726 or (904) 798-0002
Website: http://www.votemcburney.com/
- Sponsored & passed Civics Education bill.
- Combat gangs and gang-related violence
- Voted to balance the State's budget every year
- Led the fight to make our schools more accountable and to improve their performance by directing more dollars into the classroom
- Introduced “Florida Taxpayers Protection Act”, House Bill 1197. The legislation would tax non-residents on Florida property transferred as a result of estate or inheritance to the extent a State imposes an estate or inheritance tax on Floridians for property in that other state.
Endorsements: NRA, John Delaney, Ed Austin, FL Right to Life
1401 Riverplace Boulevard, #610
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Phone: (904)962-8932
Website: www.electmelendez.com
- Support sports' teams such as the Jaguars for economic impact they bring.
- Have criminals serve their full sentence and make prisons more spartan or restrict privileges.
- Government benefits should be time-limited & require drug screening.
- Supports Fair Tax. No tax increases -- cut spending.
- Pro-gun: member of NRA.
- Supports term limits.
- Supports school choice with student accountability for grades made if receive gov't. assistance to attend private schools.
- Pro-life.
- Supports AZ's immigration law & pro-English.
Endorsements: Republican Liberty Caucus
Fourth Circuit Court Judge Group 25
Samuel P. Garrison
1223 Orange Circle North
Orange Park, FL 32073 or
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: (904)303-5212
Website: http://www.garrisonforjudge.com/
E-mail: Garrison@garrisonforjudge.com
200 East Forsyth Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: (904)353-7188
Website: http://www.votehulsey.com/
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Get Ye to the Alhambra Theatre in Jacksonville
Today, I enjoyed an absolutely delightful afternoon at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining here in Jacksonville, Florida. After a delicious luncheon buffet, I saw "High School Musical." The food was plentiful and excellent. The play was fun and full of youthful enthusiasm.
The Alhambra Theatre is the oldest professional dinner theatre in the country. After 42 years of continuous operation, it closed its doors briefly in 2009 due to the economy. Thankfully, a group of investors quickly reopened it in December 2009.
They recruited one of Jacksonville's premier chefs, Matthew Medure, to revamp the menu. The luncheon buffet today featured baked chicken, seafood newburg, baked ham, and a variety of sides. An absolutely fresh salad with an assortment of greens and vegetables was served at the table beforehand. Two desserts are offered: bread pudding and chocolate mousse. Both were good, but the mousse was to die for.
The group of twelve seniors I was with included four in electric wheelchairs and several others who use walkers or canes. Physical improvements to the theatre helped, especially a new fully accessible restroom. The staff could not have been more helpful in accommodating our needs. They made trips to the buffet to bring our food.
The Alhambra has always offered wonderful theatre productions. Fortunately, founder Tod Booth, Sr. continues to be involved. The actors and actresses today were excellent with strong voices and seemingly endless physical vigor for the strenuous dance routines.
I encourage everyone to support the Alhambra Theatre in Jacksonville. Coming shows here in 2010 include:
42nd Street: March 10 – April 25
Cinderella: June 16 – August 8
Amorous Crossing: August 11 – September 5
The Wedding Singer: September 8 – October 10
The King and I: October 13 – November 28
It’s a Wonderful Life: December 1 – December 24
The Alhambra Theatre is located at 12000 Beach Blvd. on Jacksonville's Southside. Their phone number is (904) 641-1212. Go to www.alhambrajax.com for current ticket prices or to make reservations online. You will be glad you did.
The Alhambra Theatre is the oldest professional dinner theatre in the country. After 42 years of continuous operation, it closed its doors briefly in 2009 due to the economy. Thankfully, a group of investors quickly reopened it in December 2009.
They recruited one of Jacksonville's premier chefs, Matthew Medure, to revamp the menu. The luncheon buffet today featured baked chicken, seafood newburg, baked ham, and a variety of sides. An absolutely fresh salad with an assortment of greens and vegetables was served at the table beforehand. Two desserts are offered: bread pudding and chocolate mousse. Both were good, but the mousse was to die for.
The group of twelve seniors I was with included four in electric wheelchairs and several others who use walkers or canes. Physical improvements to the theatre helped, especially a new fully accessible restroom. The staff could not have been more helpful in accommodating our needs. They made trips to the buffet to bring our food.
The Alhambra has always offered wonderful theatre productions. Fortunately, founder Tod Booth, Sr. continues to be involved. The actors and actresses today were excellent with strong voices and seemingly endless physical vigor for the strenuous dance routines.
I encourage everyone to support the Alhambra Theatre in Jacksonville. Coming shows here in 2010 include:
42nd Street: March 10 – April 25
Cinderella: June 16 – August 8
Amorous Crossing: August 11 – September 5
The Wedding Singer: September 8 – October 10
The King and I: October 13 – November 28
It’s a Wonderful Life: December 1 – December 24
The Alhambra Theatre is located at 12000 Beach Blvd. on Jacksonville's Southside. Their phone number is (904) 641-1212. Go to www.alhambrajax.com for current ticket prices or to make reservations online. You will be glad you did.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Bah Humbug to Political Correctness
It's that time of year again when liberals who worship at the altar of diversity and political correctness attack Christmas. They do it by convincing retailers to reject terms like "Merry Christmas," "Christmas trees," "Christmas shopping," "Christmas gifts," etc. Instead, everything should be generic, such as "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings." The reason for the season is to be avoided at all costs.
The latest example is at St. John's Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida. Instead of a "Christmas tree," they lit "The Great Tree." Funny, it's decorated like a Christmas tree, but evidently Druids manage this shopping mall owned by Simon Management Group.
Now, the St. John's Town Center is one of my favorite places to shop and dine. I was really looking forward to spending a day there in the next month now that I have my electric wheelchair. I was going to explore from one end to the other and end with dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.
However, I have a strict policy that my Christmas dollars do not go to malls and retailers where Christmas is not acknowledged or is disguised. Let them rely on non-Christians and pagans to move them into the black at the end of their financial year. So, instead of St. John's Town Center, I will go to the Jacksonville Landing where they still have a "Christmas" tree.
Here's the complaint I sent to Simon Property Group from their website's feedback form: http://www.simon.com/about_simon/contact_spg/default.aspx
Another way to contact Simon Property Group, owner of St. John's Town Center, is:
Corporate Headquarters
Simon Property Group, Inc.
225 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 636-1600
The latest example is at St. John's Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida. Instead of a "Christmas tree," they lit "The Great Tree." Funny, it's decorated like a Christmas tree, but evidently Druids manage this shopping mall owned by Simon Management Group.
Now, the St. John's Town Center is one of my favorite places to shop and dine. I was really looking forward to spending a day there in the next month now that I have my electric wheelchair. I was going to explore from one end to the other and end with dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.
However, I have a strict policy that my Christmas dollars do not go to malls and retailers where Christmas is not acknowledged or is disguised. Let them rely on non-Christians and pagans to move them into the black at the end of their financial year. So, instead of St. John's Town Center, I will go to the Jacksonville Landing where they still have a "Christmas" tree.
Here's the complaint I sent to Simon Property Group from their website's feedback form: http://www.simon.com/about_simon/contact_spg/default.aspx
St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville, Florida has fallen victim to the silliness of political correctness. Instead of having a "Christmas" tree, someone decided to call it "The "Great Tree." I can only guess this person was afraid to offend believers of other religions by calling what is clearly a Christmas tree by its proper name.
However, as a Christian, I am offended when people refuse to acknowledge with its correct name the Christmas holiday I am celebrating and for which I am shopping for presents and decorations. I am not celebrating just any holiday or season. I am buying Christmas presents, I am putting up Christmas decorations, I am sending Christmas cards, etc.
This silliness and discrimination against Christians needs to stop. If you had a Hanukkah Menorah, would you call it "The Great Candle Display"? I doubt it.
I was looking forward to going out to St. Johns Town Center to do some Christmas shopping and enjoy dinner at The Cheesecake Factory in the next few weeks. However, I refuse to spend my Christmas shopping dollars at malls or stores that refuse to recognize the season for which I am shopping. I will go where I hear and see "Merry Christmas," not just the generic "Happy Holidays" and "Seasons Greetings." You can keep your "Great Tree." I plan to shop where they still have Christmas trees.
Another way to contact Simon Property Group, owner of St. John's Town Center, is:
Corporate Headquarters
Simon Property Group, Inc.
225 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
(317) 636-1600
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Jacksonville Waterspout, An Awesome Sight
Friday afternoon, June 26, 2009, had a little excitement here in Jackonville, Florida. A fully formed waterspout took a leisurely cruise up the St. Johns River from near the Buckman Bridge to San Marco. It was visible for over twenty minutes.
Around 5 p.m., a friend called me to tell me to look out my window because there was a tornado. I thought she was nuts. The sun was shining. I live on the third floor on the east side of a high rise apartment, and she is on the opposite side of the building on the 12th floor. I had my television on a local channel. There was a severe thunderstorm warning, there was no tornado watch or warning. I told her I would come right up. I wanted to reassure her.
My first clue that maybe something really was happening was when I got on the elevator. Another resident told me she was going to her apartment "to escape the tornado." However, this resident is mentally challenged so I was not convinced.
The second clue was the remarks of one of our security workers. She was rushing downstairs and said to me, "Be careful, there is bad weather nearby." That gave me pause. Maybe my friend was not being alarmist.
When I walked into her apartment and looked out the west-facing window, my jaw dropped. Right in the middle of the window was this perfectly formed stovepipe tornado reaching from a wall-cloud to below the tree line. I was shocked. I had a hard time believing my eyes.
The sight was both frightening and beautiful. It was a rich blue, backlit by the sun. It was on the leading edge of a storm that trailed behind with menacing black clouds. I was mesmerized. The photo taken by a Florida Times-Union photographer from University Blvd. West is exactly what we saw. Go to: http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=24344779&event=785549&CategoryID=29031 to see it.
Together, my friend and I watched the tornado slowly move from south to north, which was a relief. It was not moving towards us. I said to my friend, "If it is on the ground, there is going to be major damage." However, as I watched it, I became hopeful that it was a waterspout on the river. The distance from us looked right, and the blue color told me it was not picking up debris.
As it moved further to the north, it gradually shrank in size and began to rope out, indicating that it was weakening. The TV stations began reporting on it, confirming that it was a waterspout.
My biggest concern was the bend in the river at downtown. Would it follow the river around that right angle bend or would it make landfall into downtown? What would happen if it crossed the Fuller Warren bridge which carries I-95 across the river on the south edge of downtown? It was the height of evening rush hour. There are some very dramatic shots looking south across the bridge at the approaching waterspout and the traffic on the bridge. Fortunately, it dissipated or lifted before reaching the bridge.
The storm that was trailing to the south of it hit our building full force, obscuring our view of the waterspout. The lightning was horrendous and very close, and the rain came down in wind-whipped sheets. There was a small amount of pea-size hail. I did back away from the windows, then.
The television stations showed several pictures of funnel clouds reforming and attempting to lower over downtown or Riverside, but none of them reached the ground. Just this morning on Channel 4, I saw a Riverside viewer's photo looking straight up into a funnel. It was close enough to the ground to see the debris (leaves, shingles, small branches) swirling in and around it. Fortunately, there was only minimal damage from the storm.
Having grown up in the Midwest, I went through many tornado drills. Afterwards, I realized I broke all the rules that had been drummed into me about what to do in a tornado. I went up, not down, in a highrise. I did not get away from the windows. I did not go into an interior room or stay out in the hall. Instead, I stood there and watched. I now have an inkling of what attracts storm-chasers to see tornados. It was an awesome sight.
Around 5 p.m., a friend called me to tell me to look out my window because there was a tornado. I thought she was nuts. The sun was shining. I live on the third floor on the east side of a high rise apartment, and she is on the opposite side of the building on the 12th floor. I had my television on a local channel. There was a severe thunderstorm warning, there was no tornado watch or warning. I told her I would come right up. I wanted to reassure her.
My first clue that maybe something really was happening was when I got on the elevator. Another resident told me she was going to her apartment "to escape the tornado." However, this resident is mentally challenged so I was not convinced.
The second clue was the remarks of one of our security workers. She was rushing downstairs and said to me, "Be careful, there is bad weather nearby." That gave me pause. Maybe my friend was not being alarmist.
When I walked into her apartment and looked out the west-facing window, my jaw dropped. Right in the middle of the window was this perfectly formed stovepipe tornado reaching from a wall-cloud to below the tree line. I was shocked. I had a hard time believing my eyes.
The sight was both frightening and beautiful. It was a rich blue, backlit by the sun. It was on the leading edge of a storm that trailed behind with menacing black clouds. I was mesmerized. The photo taken by a Florida Times-Union photographer from University Blvd. West is exactly what we saw. Go to: http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=24344779&event=785549&CategoryID=29031 to see it.
Together, my friend and I watched the tornado slowly move from south to north, which was a relief. It was not moving towards us. I said to my friend, "If it is on the ground, there is going to be major damage." However, as I watched it, I became hopeful that it was a waterspout on the river. The distance from us looked right, and the blue color told me it was not picking up debris.
As it moved further to the north, it gradually shrank in size and began to rope out, indicating that it was weakening. The TV stations began reporting on it, confirming that it was a waterspout.
My biggest concern was the bend in the river at downtown. Would it follow the river around that right angle bend or would it make landfall into downtown? What would happen if it crossed the Fuller Warren bridge which carries I-95 across the river on the south edge of downtown? It was the height of evening rush hour. There are some very dramatic shots looking south across the bridge at the approaching waterspout and the traffic on the bridge. Fortunately, it dissipated or lifted before reaching the bridge.
The storm that was trailing to the south of it hit our building full force, obscuring our view of the waterspout. The lightning was horrendous and very close, and the rain came down in wind-whipped sheets. There was a small amount of pea-size hail. I did back away from the windows, then.
The television stations showed several pictures of funnel clouds reforming and attempting to lower over downtown or Riverside, but none of them reached the ground. Just this morning on Channel 4, I saw a Riverside viewer's photo looking straight up into a funnel. It was close enough to the ground to see the debris (leaves, shingles, small branches) swirling in and around it. Fortunately, there was only minimal damage from the storm.
Having grown up in the Midwest, I went through many tornado drills. Afterwards, I realized I broke all the rules that had been drummed into me about what to do in a tornado. I went up, not down, in a highrise. I did not get away from the windows. I did not go into an interior room or stay out in the hall. Instead, I stood there and watched. I now have an inkling of what attracts storm-chasers to see tornados. It was an awesome sight.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009 Fearless Forecasts
Another year, another set of fearless forecasts designed to prove psychics are no more reliable predictors of the future than anybody else. Here are my 2009 predictions. Please join in the fun and make your own. If you are having a New Year’s Eve party, get your guests involved. Write all their forecasts down and save the list to reveal the results at next year’s party.
· The economic downturn will be much worse by year-end. Some economists will say we are in a depression as predicted by the Elliott Wave Theory.
· Deflation will be a problem. Housing prices, in particular, will be in free fall again or still.
· The Dow will drop to 5,500 or lower, then rebound to around 8,000. Gold will go to above 1,000.
· Unemployment will be 9.9% or higher by year-end.
· The bailouts of the financial system will not work, and large banks, brokerage firms, etc. will fail because the Federal Reserve Bank cannot lend at less than 0% interest.
· Thousands of retail stores and restaurants, including national chains, will be forced into bankruptcy or will close to stop losses.
· Shortly after Barack Obama’s inauguration, he and/or his staff will be implicated in Chicago or Illinois political corruption. By year’s end, the media will have turned on Obama with vicious attacks.
· The Midwest will have flooding problems again this year due to higher than normal snowfall.
· A Montana earthquake will surprise people. It will cause little damage and no loss of life.
· We will be mired in an Afghan war where we will be unsure who our enemies and friends are. It will be compared to what the Russians experienced or Vietnam.
· Suicide bombers will come to North America, either in Canada or the U.S. If here, they will target Las Vegas.
· Jacksonville will continue to dodge hurricanes despite a very active hurricane season.
· Israel will attack Iran if we do not, and this will cause an explosive counter-reaction among Arabs. Russia, not the U.S., will intervene. Most of Europe, especially Germany, will side with Russia against Israel.
· Despite saber rattling, Pakistan and India will not go to war.
· U.S. troops will make repeated incursions into Pakistan’s northern areas to flush out Al-Qaeda.
· Mexican drug lord terrorists will continue cross-border intrusions into the U.S. The tragic death of an innocent child will galvanize public opinion and force a reluctant administration to crack down and counter-attack.
Here’s one much longer-term prediction: If Obama fulfills his campaign promise to raise taxes on the wealthy, it will guarantee a depression, and he will become the 21st century’s Herbert Hoover. It will also assure the return of Republican control of the House in 2010 and his defeat in 2012.
· The economic downturn will be much worse by year-end. Some economists will say we are in a depression as predicted by the Elliott Wave Theory.
· Deflation will be a problem. Housing prices, in particular, will be in free fall again or still.
· The Dow will drop to 5,500 or lower, then rebound to around 8,000. Gold will go to above 1,000.
· Unemployment will be 9.9% or higher by year-end.
· The bailouts of the financial system will not work, and large banks, brokerage firms, etc. will fail because the Federal Reserve Bank cannot lend at less than 0% interest.
· Thousands of retail stores and restaurants, including national chains, will be forced into bankruptcy or will close to stop losses.
· Shortly after Barack Obama’s inauguration, he and/or his staff will be implicated in Chicago or Illinois political corruption. By year’s end, the media will have turned on Obama with vicious attacks.
· The Midwest will have flooding problems again this year due to higher than normal snowfall.
· A Montana earthquake will surprise people. It will cause little damage and no loss of life.
· We will be mired in an Afghan war where we will be unsure who our enemies and friends are. It will be compared to what the Russians experienced or Vietnam.
· Suicide bombers will come to North America, either in Canada or the U.S. If here, they will target Las Vegas.
· Jacksonville will continue to dodge hurricanes despite a very active hurricane season.
· Israel will attack Iran if we do not, and this will cause an explosive counter-reaction among Arabs. Russia, not the U.S., will intervene. Most of Europe, especially Germany, will side with Russia against Israel.
· Despite saber rattling, Pakistan and India will not go to war.
· U.S. troops will make repeated incursions into Pakistan’s northern areas to flush out Al-Qaeda.
· Mexican drug lord terrorists will continue cross-border intrusions into the U.S. The tragic death of an innocent child will galvanize public opinion and force a reluctant administration to crack down and counter-attack.
Here’s one much longer-term prediction: If Obama fulfills his campaign promise to raise taxes on the wealthy, it will guarantee a depression, and he will become the 21st century’s Herbert Hoover. It will also assure the return of Republican control of the House in 2010 and his defeat in 2012.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Garden Ridge Sells Signs "Carolers Will Be Shot"
A church friend advised me on Sunday, November 30, 2008, that she had gone shopping at a local Garden Ridge store on "Black Friday." As she was about to leave, she saw a yard decoration for Christmas on sale that stunned her. It was a sign with lights and caroler figures with the warning "Carolers Will Be Shot." She promptly asked a to see the manager. She asked the manager, "What are we teaching our children? Why would you have a sign like this on sale in a city with a high murder rate?" The manager's response, "I only work here," showed a cowardly refusal to take responsibility for her store.
The Garden Ridge store in question is located at:
201 Monument Road
Jacksonville, FL 32225
Phone: (904) 721-6226
Some buyer thought the signs were cute or funny. However, this crosses the line from humor to threat. It is especially inappropriate during the Christmas season. Carolers are Christian people trying to spread some good cheer and joy in our neighborhoods. In fact, this sign could be interpreted as anti-Christian and bigoted. Can you imagine the uproar if a store sold yard signs that warned "Blacks Will Be Shot" or "Homosexual Couples Will Be Shot"?
Here in Jacksonville, Florida, we are struggling to reduce a murder rate that is the highest in the state. The mayor's program, the Jacksonville Journey, is a joint effort of government leaders, businessmen, educators, ministers, and law enforcement to come together to solve this problem. We do not need a store selling signs that threaten more violence against anyone. If you find this as objectionable as I do, please call the store's manager and complain.
Most likely, these signs are available at other Garden Ridge stores. Stop by or call your local store to see if they are selling them. Let the manager know that you cannot shop at a store that sells items that threaten violence, especially during the season of peace and good will towards all.
Another action strongly recommended is to write Garden Ridge's corporate headquarters as well. Online, they invite email comments and questions to: customercareline@gardenridge.com .
Then, let their President and CEO Albert J. Neupaver know that you do not approve of his company promoting violence. The toll-free phone number is (888) 621-3814 and the Houston headquarters' number is (281) 579-7901. The FAX number is (412) 825-1019. The mailing address is:
Garden Ridge Corporation
19411 Atrium Place, Ste. 170
Houston, TX 77084
The Garden Ridge store in question is located at:
201 Monument Road
Jacksonville, FL 32225
Phone: (904) 721-6226
Some buyer thought the signs were cute or funny. However, this crosses the line from humor to threat. It is especially inappropriate during the Christmas season. Carolers are Christian people trying to spread some good cheer and joy in our neighborhoods. In fact, this sign could be interpreted as anti-Christian and bigoted. Can you imagine the uproar if a store sold yard signs that warned "Blacks Will Be Shot" or "Homosexual Couples Will Be Shot"?
Here in Jacksonville, Florida, we are struggling to reduce a murder rate that is the highest in the state. The mayor's program, the Jacksonville Journey, is a joint effort of government leaders, businessmen, educators, ministers, and law enforcement to come together to solve this problem. We do not need a store selling signs that threaten more violence against anyone. If you find this as objectionable as I do, please call the store's manager and complain.
Most likely, these signs are available at other Garden Ridge stores. Stop by or call your local store to see if they are selling them. Let the manager know that you cannot shop at a store that sells items that threaten violence, especially during the season of peace and good will towards all.
Another action strongly recommended is to write Garden Ridge's corporate headquarters as well. Online, they invite email comments and questions to: customercareline@gardenridge.com .
Then, let their President and CEO Albert J. Neupaver know that you do not approve of his company promoting violence. The toll-free phone number is (888) 621-3814 and the Houston headquarters' number is (281) 579-7901. The FAX number is (412) 825-1019. The mailing address is:
Garden Ridge Corporation
19411 Atrium Place, Ste. 170
Houston, TX 77084
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Deo Vindice: Nathan B. Forrest High School’s Name Retained by Duval County School Board
Lovers of the South, we had a great victory last Monday, November 3rd, here in Jacksonville, Florida, CSA. The Duval County School Board voted 5-2 to retain the name of Nathan B. Forrest High School. Tremendous pressure had been placed on the Board over the past two years to change the school's name.
Please accept my grateful thanks to all of you who wrote and called School Board members or spoke at the meetings on behalf of our Southern heritage and history. Your efforts made the victory possible. I admit I was very worried that we would lose this one because several of the Board members are about to retire or cannot run again due to term limits; they would not have to answer to voters. Instead, they listened and remembered their history.
In today's Sunday Florida Times-Union, there is a front page story on the decision. (See http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/110908/met_353875219.shtml ) According to it, our Mayor John Peyton, Executive V.P. of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Jerry Mallot, and Public Relations guru Michael Munz are unhappy with the decision. If you like, you can contact them at:
Mayor John Peyton
City Hall
117 W. Duval St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 630-1776
Email: jpeyton@coj.net
Mr. Jerry Mallott, Executive Vice President
Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce
5000 Norwood Ave.
Jacksonville, FL 32208
(904) 366.6654
Email: jerry.mallot@jacksonvillechamber.org
Mr. Michael Munz
Dalton Agency
140 W. Monroe St., Ste. 200
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 398-5222
FAX: (904) 398-5220
As Jesus told us, we must be ever vigilant for the enemy lurks around waiting to devour. Nothing could be more true than with the name of Nathan B. Forrest High School here. Every few years, we have to refight this battle. I will keep you posted as to any future developments.
Please accept my grateful thanks to all of you who wrote and called School Board members or spoke at the meetings on behalf of our Southern heritage and history. Your efforts made the victory possible. I admit I was very worried that we would lose this one because several of the Board members are about to retire or cannot run again due to term limits; they would not have to answer to voters. Instead, they listened and remembered their history.
In today's Sunday Florida Times-Union, there is a front page story on the decision. (See http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/110908/met_353875219.shtml ) According to it, our Mayor John Peyton, Executive V.P. of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce Jerry Mallot, and Public Relations guru Michael Munz are unhappy with the decision. If you like, you can contact them at:
Mayor John Peyton
City Hall
117 W. Duval St.
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 630-1776
Email: jpeyton@coj.net
Mr. Jerry Mallott, Executive Vice President
Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce
5000 Norwood Ave.
Jacksonville, FL 32208
(904) 366.6654
Email: jerry.mallot@jacksonvillechamber.org
Mr. Michael Munz
Dalton Agency
140 W. Monroe St., Ste. 200
Jacksonville, FL 32202
(904) 398-5222
FAX: (904) 398-5220
As Jesus told us, we must be ever vigilant for the enemy lurks around waiting to devour. Nothing could be more true than with the name of Nathan B. Forrest High School here. Every few years, we have to refight this battle. I will keep you posted as to any future developments.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Florida Has Fay-tigue
Florida has Fay fatigue, Fay-tigue. Jacksonville, once again, dodged a bullet in that Fay did not develop into a hurricane. She was predicted to strengthen into a category 1 hurricane Tuesday evening, August 19th. She was on a path similar to Dora, the last hurricane to make a direct hit on Northeast Florida’s First Coast. Anyone who lived here back in 1964 remembers Dora and talks about how bad it was.
Fay was bad enough, even if she was “only” a tropical storm. Here on the Southside of Jacksonville, the winds really picked up around 1 p.m. Wednesday, August 20th. Up to that time, we had passing squalls, sometimes with driving rain. For the rest of Wednesday and all day and night Thursday, the wind and rain were nearly continuous.
My cat Tuxedo signaled when Fay was upon us. She became very nervous, hiding under the bed or the dresser. On the few occasions when she came out to eat or use her litter box, she slinked instead of walked to her destination. Her eyes were as big as saucers as she nervously looked at the windows. I was glad to see that she instinctively knew to take cover.
Fortunately, I live in an area not prone to flooding. There are no tall trees close enough to fall on the apartment building where I reside. Half the people in our building loss all or most of their power. I was in the blessed half who had power throughout the storm, except for two or three very brief outages.
The old saying, “God helps those who help themselves,” may not be in the Bible, but it is a wise principle. I prayed over my freezer, which was full of meat and vegetables, before and throughout the storm. I was also prepared with two bags of ice on standby in case the power went out for a long period of time.
Still, Fay was not a fun experience, even for us with power. The building’s plumbing stopped working on Wednesday, so we were unable to flush toilets until late Friday afternoon. The air conditioning did not start working until late Friday night. We could not put trash out until Saturday. Because of the rain and wind, we could not open windows. By Friday, the trash and toilets were rank and our apartments uncomfortably hot, even with fans. I shudder to think what it would have been like if Fay had been a hurricane.
The one phrase I heard from so many residents before Fay came ashore was, “Oh, Jacksonville is safe” or “It can’t hit here.” I even heard one man say he was sick of the media hype about the storm. He said, “They’re just scaring old folks.”
Many Jacksonville residents refuse to prepare for storms because they refuse to believe Jacksonville has had and can have hurricanes. Yes, we are a little bit more protected by the fact that our shoreline curves in and does not stick out into the Atlantic like areas to our south and north. Fay, however, proved that relying on this is foolishness. It puts an unfair burden on those of us who do prepare. Because hurricanes give plenty of advance warning, there is no excuse not to have the minimal supplies and equipment needed to survive until after the storm passes.
Fay was bad enough, even if she was “only” a tropical storm. Here on the Southside of Jacksonville, the winds really picked up around 1 p.m. Wednesday, August 20th. Up to that time, we had passing squalls, sometimes with driving rain. For the rest of Wednesday and all day and night Thursday, the wind and rain were nearly continuous.
My cat Tuxedo signaled when Fay was upon us. She became very nervous, hiding under the bed or the dresser. On the few occasions when she came out to eat or use her litter box, she slinked instead of walked to her destination. Her eyes were as big as saucers as she nervously looked at the windows. I was glad to see that she instinctively knew to take cover.
Fortunately, I live in an area not prone to flooding. There are no tall trees close enough to fall on the apartment building where I reside. Half the people in our building loss all or most of their power. I was in the blessed half who had power throughout the storm, except for two or three very brief outages.
The old saying, “God helps those who help themselves,” may not be in the Bible, but it is a wise principle. I prayed over my freezer, which was full of meat and vegetables, before and throughout the storm. I was also prepared with two bags of ice on standby in case the power went out for a long period of time.
Still, Fay was not a fun experience, even for us with power. The building’s plumbing stopped working on Wednesday, so we were unable to flush toilets until late Friday afternoon. The air conditioning did not start working until late Friday night. We could not put trash out until Saturday. Because of the rain and wind, we could not open windows. By Friday, the trash and toilets were rank and our apartments uncomfortably hot, even with fans. I shudder to think what it would have been like if Fay had been a hurricane.
The one phrase I heard from so many residents before Fay came ashore was, “Oh, Jacksonville is safe” or “It can’t hit here.” I even heard one man say he was sick of the media hype about the storm. He said, “They’re just scaring old folks.”
Many Jacksonville residents refuse to prepare for storms because they refuse to believe Jacksonville has had and can have hurricanes. Yes, we are a little bit more protected by the fact that our shoreline curves in and does not stick out into the Atlantic like areas to our south and north. Fay, however, proved that relying on this is foolishness. It puts an unfair burden on those of us who do prepare. Because hurricanes give plenty of advance warning, there is no excuse not to have the minimal supplies and equipment needed to survive until after the storm passes.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tropical Storm Fay May Be a Windwalker
In 6 hours from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. while over "land," Tropical Storm Fay's winds increased by 5 mph from 60 to 65 mph. Her minimum central pressure dropped precipitously by 16 mb from 1002 to 986 mb. Her forward speed has slowed from 12 mph to 8 mph. All of these are signs that Fay is strengthening. At first, I was baffled. You can hear the amazement in the voices of the reporters. How can this be? Hurricanes are suppose to weaken over land.
After looking more closely at the maps, I realized Fay is not really over land. It is over the Everglades, the river or sea of grass, and Lake Okeechobee. Fay may be what the Seminoles of old called a "windwalker." According to a native Floridian, a windwalker is a treacherous, seemingly gentle storm that "walks" across the Everglades, gathering strength, goes back into the ocean, and then slams back into land as a destructive hurricane. That is exactly what the National Hurricane Center's (NHC) models are beginning to project.
Unfortunately, Jacksonville and Northeast Florida may be the area that gets slammed. I'm praying I'm wrong. I urge all residents in the Northeast Florida and Coastal Georgia counties to stay very aware of what is happening with this storm. This is the time to make your emergency plans and get your supplies, if you have not done so already. For recommendations, go to my posting on June 1, 2007. Given the pattern of this storm, there may be very little time to act once Fay selects the stage for her final act. For direct access to NHC advisories, maps and discussions, go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/nhc_storms.shtml .
After looking more closely at the maps, I realized Fay is not really over land. It is over the Everglades, the river or sea of grass, and Lake Okeechobee. Fay may be what the Seminoles of old called a "windwalker." According to a native Floridian, a windwalker is a treacherous, seemingly gentle storm that "walks" across the Everglades, gathering strength, goes back into the ocean, and then slams back into land as a destructive hurricane. That is exactly what the National Hurricane Center's (NHC) models are beginning to project.
Unfortunately, Jacksonville and Northeast Florida may be the area that gets slammed. I'm praying I'm wrong. I urge all residents in the Northeast Florida and Coastal Georgia counties to stay very aware of what is happening with this storm. This is the time to make your emergency plans and get your supplies, if you have not done so already. For recommendations, go to my posting on June 1, 2007. Given the pattern of this storm, there may be very little time to act once Fay selects the stage for her final act. For direct access to NHC advisories, maps and discussions, go to http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/nhc_storms.shtml .
Friday, August 15, 2008
Virginia Norton v. Rick Buttner
If you are a Jacksonville resident, are you happy that the city kowtowed to the federal government and agreed to build all new H.U.D. housing in our best neighborhoods, such as Mandarin? Do you appreciate the higher crime rates and tumbling real estate values that have come with these newer H.U.D. complexes in previously stable and safe neighborhoods? If you are, then vote for Virginia Norton for Circuit Judge, Group 28. She is the city attorney you can thank for negotiating the appeasement deal with the feds.
If, on the other hand, you joined the fight to stop H.U.D. from taking over the apartment complex at Loretto Rd. and Aladddin in Mandarin, you can send your thanks to Virginia by voting for Rick Buttner for Circuit Court Judge, Group 28. If you are fed up with the increased robberies and assaults in areas along Sunbeam Rd., Baymeadows Rd., and Old St. Augustine Rd. on the Southside and 103rd on the Westside, I recommend you vote for Rick Buttner on Tuesday, August 26th.
If, on the other hand, you joined the fight to stop H.U.D. from taking over the apartment complex at Loretto Rd. and Aladddin in Mandarin, you can send your thanks to Virginia by voting for Rick Buttner for Circuit Court Judge, Group 28. If you are fed up with the increased robberies and assaults in areas along Sunbeam Rd., Baymeadows Rd., and Old St. Augustine Rd. on the Southside and 103rd on the Westside, I recommend you vote for Rick Buttner on Tuesday, August 26th.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Super Bowl & Jacksonville’s Murder Rate
Mayor John Peyton is boohooing that Jacksonville has lost its Super Bowl spirit. Jacksonville has Florida’s worst murder rate, with no end in sight. During the past week, Jacksonville experienced ten homicides, making it one of the city’s worst for murders. So far, there have been 83 homicides in 2008.
According to the F.B.I.’s 2006 (the most recent) Uniform Crime Report, the national murder index is 5.7 per 100,000 population. In contrast, Jacksonville suffered 110 murders or 13.8 per 100,000 population in 2006. Jacksonville’s overall crime index is 512.3 per 100,000 population compared to a national average of only 323.2 crimes per 100,000 population.
Certainly, a “can-do” attitude is required to solve any problem. However, Jacksonville’s crime problem is not the result of losing “Super spirit,” as Peyton suggests. Michael Hallett, head of University of North Florida's criminology department, nailed it when he said “tears in the social fabric have more to do with municipal spending priorities than a lack of Super Bowl excitement.” It is not a stretch to say that the Super Bowl and the Jaguars have contributed to the current crime wave.
Ever since Jacksonville acquired the Jaguars, city budgets have been skewed. Like imperial Rome, our city has chosen circuses over bread in recent years. The Better Jacksonville Plan exemplified this. The new baseball stadium, municipal arena, and the football stadium expansion were built before the new library and courthouse. While expensive sports and entertainment venues were improved, city budgets for libraries, social services, parks, community centers, youth programs, and mental health care were cut.
Jacksonville continues to lag behind other cities in the number of police officers, despite population increases, some of which were the result of the Super Bowl. Sheriff John Rutherford is correct to say, “We cannot arrest our way out of this crisis.” There is a direct correlation between the number of police per population and crime prevention.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) may be able to patrol its way out of this crime wave through more pro-active community policing. It worked in the latter half of 2006. Operation Safe Streets (OSS), which funded overtime for JSO officers to do more proactive policing in high crime neighborhoods, saw a “38% decline in murder the second half of 2006 when compared to the first half of the year, which had no OSS overtime.” Helping the decline was “the tens of thousands of citizen contacts that were made and the resulting increase in crime tips those conversations produced” through OSS.
Sheriff Rutherford proposed “the hiring of 225 sworn officers” over a three-year period in his "July 2008 Sheriff's message to the Community." The Law Enforcement and Deterrence Subcommittee of The Jacksonville Journey “recommended the addition of 101 patrol division officers to increase proactive policing levels and help deter crime.” In June, City Council unanimously approved the hiring of 40 additional sworn officers to the JSO in 2008 and another 40 in 2009.
As of 2006, Jacksonville had 1,690 officers or only 2.16 per 1000 population. The U.S. average for officers per 1000 population is 3. The Census Bureau estimated the population of Jacksonville in 2007 was 805,605. These 90 new hires will bring Jacksonville’s ratio of officers to population to about 2.2, still well below average, and a mere .04 increase over the current level. For the city to have 3 officers per 1000 population, we should have an increase of 727 or 2,417 sworn officers.
The Florida Times-Union cites Raymond Sauer, a Clemson University economics professor, “Super Bowls come and go while towns remain much the same after some temporary hoopla. ‘If there's a big event, there's a lot of civic cooperation,’ he said. ‘But for a change in the social fabric, it has to be something on a repeated basis. The Super Bowl doesn't come to town often enough.’"
“Rash of shootings has police fatigued,” Florida Times-Union, July 26, 2008 http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/072608/met_309841269.shtml City Data http://www.city-data.com/city/Jacksonville-Florida.html 2006 Uniform Crime Report, Federal Bureau of Investigation http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/ "City Council agenda," Florida Times-Union, June 25, 2008 http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/062508/met_294895465.shtml "July 2008 Sheriff's message to the Community," Jacksonville Sheriff's Office http://www.coj.net/Departments/Sheriffs+Office/Press+Room/July+2008+Sheriff%27s+Message+to+the+Community+.htm "City Council approves 40 new officers," WJXT-TV 4 http://www.news4jax.com/news/16700910/detail.html "City Council supports hiring more police officers," WTLV-TV 12 http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=112271&catid=3
According to the F.B.I.’s 2006 (the most recent) Uniform Crime Report, the national murder index is 5.7 per 100,000 population. In contrast, Jacksonville suffered 110 murders or 13.8 per 100,000 population in 2006. Jacksonville’s overall crime index is 512.3 per 100,000 population compared to a national average of only 323.2 crimes per 100,000 population.
Certainly, a “can-do” attitude is required to solve any problem. However, Jacksonville’s crime problem is not the result of losing “Super spirit,” as Peyton suggests. Michael Hallett, head of University of North Florida's criminology department, nailed it when he said “tears in the social fabric have more to do with municipal spending priorities than a lack of Super Bowl excitement.” It is not a stretch to say that the Super Bowl and the Jaguars have contributed to the current crime wave.
Ever since Jacksonville acquired the Jaguars, city budgets have been skewed. Like imperial Rome, our city has chosen circuses over bread in recent years. The Better Jacksonville Plan exemplified this. The new baseball stadium, municipal arena, and the football stadium expansion were built before the new library and courthouse. While expensive sports and entertainment venues were improved, city budgets for libraries, social services, parks, community centers, youth programs, and mental health care were cut.
Jacksonville continues to lag behind other cities in the number of police officers, despite population increases, some of which were the result of the Super Bowl. Sheriff John Rutherford is correct to say, “We cannot arrest our way out of this crisis.” There is a direct correlation between the number of police per population and crime prevention.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) may be able to patrol its way out of this crime wave through more pro-active community policing. It worked in the latter half of 2006. Operation Safe Streets (OSS), which funded overtime for JSO officers to do more proactive policing in high crime neighborhoods, saw a “38% decline in murder the second half of 2006 when compared to the first half of the year, which had no OSS overtime.” Helping the decline was “the tens of thousands of citizen contacts that were made and the resulting increase in crime tips those conversations produced” through OSS.
Sheriff Rutherford proposed “the hiring of 225 sworn officers” over a three-year period in his "July 2008 Sheriff's message to the Community." The Law Enforcement and Deterrence Subcommittee of The Jacksonville Journey “recommended the addition of 101 patrol division officers to increase proactive policing levels and help deter crime.” In June, City Council unanimously approved the hiring of 40 additional sworn officers to the JSO in 2008 and another 40 in 2009.
As of 2006, Jacksonville had 1,690 officers or only 2.16 per 1000 population. The U.S. average for officers per 1000 population is 3. The Census Bureau estimated the population of Jacksonville in 2007 was 805,605. These 90 new hires will bring Jacksonville’s ratio of officers to population to about 2.2, still well below average, and a mere .04 increase over the current level. For the city to have 3 officers per 1000 population, we should have an increase of 727 or 2,417 sworn officers.
The Florida Times-Union cites Raymond Sauer, a Clemson University economics professor, “Super Bowls come and go while towns remain much the same after some temporary hoopla. ‘If there's a big event, there's a lot of civic cooperation,’ he said. ‘But for a change in the social fabric, it has to be something on a repeated basis. The Super Bowl doesn't come to town often enough.’"
Sources:
Thursday, May 8, 2008
B.J.'s Wholesale Club's Response to Complaints about Confederate Flag Ban
BJ's Wholesale Club has a canned response to inquiries to Member Services (MemberCare@bjs.accentonline.com ):
"BJ'S Wholesale Club is committed to providing a comfortable workenvironment
where all our team members are treated fairly and with respect.All employers need to balance personal expression with the need to make theiremployees feel comfortable in the workplace. Like all employers we have guidelines of appropriate personal behavior and expression at work. While thepolicy does not identify any specific type of expression, it generallyprohibits expression that is rude, abusive, hostile or intimidating. Underthese guidelines, we asked this team member to not display the confederate flagin our parking lot. We understand that in the last few days the team member hasbeen parking offsite.We are confident that we have struck the right balance for all of our teammembers and their work environment."Sincerely,
BRANSON B. BJ's Member Care Services
It may be more productive to write their President & C.O.O. Laura Sen ( lsen@bjs.com ) as well as Investor Relations ( cmaloney@bjs.com ). Carbon copy (Cc) mediarelations@bjs.com . Let me know if you get a different reply.
Here's the letter I sent. Feel free to use portions, but it is always most effective to use your own words. Deo Vindice!
Dear Reader:
BJ's claims to want to have a sensitive and non-hostile work environment for all its employees. So, why is it okay to insult Southern sensibilities regarding one of its most revered symbols? Some cultures are more equal than others at BJ's.
BJ's, by its actions, is in violation of Florida State law. Statute 256.10 reads:
"Mutilation of or disrespect for confederate flags or replicas.--No person shall publicly mutilate, deface, defile, defy, trample upon, or by word or act cast contempt upon the flags of the Confederacy, or replicas thereof, for crass or commercial purposes; provided however nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent or prohibit the use of such flags for decorative or patriotic purposes."Note, Statute 256.10 specifically prohibits "disrespect" of Confederate flags. It goes on to specify "no person shall publicly…by word or act cast contempt upon the flags of the Confederacy, or replicas thereof, for crass or commercial purposes…"
B.J.’s Wholesale Club, in its statement, called the display of the Confederate battleflag "rude, abusive, hostile or intimidating." Banning it from company property certainly shows "disrespect" and "contempt" of a Confederate flag. Obviously, B.J.’s thinks it is protecting its bottom line by avoiding employee lawsuits. Being a Northern company, it undoubtedly believes that most of its customers might be offended if they saw the Confederate battleflag on its property. Thus, B.J.’s disrespect is "for crass or commercial purposes." Clearly, this violates both the letter and the spirit of Florida’s Statute 256.10.
It shows such an ignorance of history and culture. I was raised in "Land of Lincoln" Illinois and grew up with the Northern version of history. Fortunately, an American History teacher in Colorado taught me in high school to question and examine what I thought I knew. Doing so, I set out in my senior year to research and write a term paper on "The War Between the States: the Southern Viewpoint." I came to understand that most of what I had been taught about the causes and origins of this terrible conflict was wrong. Today, I live in Northeast Florida. I have continued to study this era in history and have visited many of the sites where this great conflict occurred. One of the things that fascinates me is the number of blacks who owned slaves in the South.
Did you know that the largest slave-holder in Jacksonville, for example, was a former black slave woman, Anna Kingsley? Interestingly, despite her obvious economic interests in preserving slavery on her multiple plantations, she supported the Union during the war. Why did she side with the supposed enemy of slavery? Because she feared that if the South was a separate country, the North would impose stiff tariffs on the production of her plantations, and she was dependent on those New England markets for her sugar, rice, and indigo. As with all wars, it was primarily about economics.
Of course, to attempt to ban or denigate the Confederate flag because it was the supposed flag of slavery is silly. More U.S. flags flew over slave markets than any Confederate States of America (C.S.A.) flag ever did. The flag in question was a battleflag, not a national flag. Actually, it was originally a naval jack for Confederate boats only.
The War between the States was the first modern war of attrition. The Confederate generals were men of honor and character. They did not target civilians; their goal was to engage rival military forces. Sherman, with the complicity of Lincoln, deliberately targeted civilians and introduced the concept of "total war." Today, under the Geneva Conventions, they could be brought up on charges of war crimes and would be found guilty.
Today, the Confederate flag represents the desire for self-determination and freedom from tyranny to those of us who proudly display it. True, the KKK and other such groups display the Confederate battleflag at times. However, their own rules require them to have an American flag and the Bible at every official event. Should we, therefore, ban the American flag and the Bible from display because they misuse them?
If you wish to learn more about these issues, I recommend THE SOUTH WAS RIGHT by the Kennedy brothers and DiLorenzo's excellent THE REAL LINCOLN.
Deo Vindice!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Southern Heritage Alert: Boycott B.J.'s Wholesale Club
Yet another Southern white male is under attack by the politically correct crowd. Bobby Tillett of Jacksonville, Fla., works for B.J.’s Wholesale Club at their warehouse. Tillett proudly displays a Confederate battleflag mounted on the back of his pick-up truck. Recently, his employer advised him he had to take the battleflag down if he wanted to park in the employees’ parking lot on company property.
According to a written statement from B.J.’s spokesperson:
B.J.’s Wholesale Club is headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts. This Yankee company operates more than 170 Clubs in 16 states from Maine to Florida. It is happy to take Southerner’s money but disrespects our culture.
Obviously, B.J.’s Wholesale Club needs some history, cultural diversity, and legal education. The flag Tillett flies from the rear of his truck is, first, historically correct. He is flying a square flag, not the more commonly seen rectangular flag that has been misused. The true battleflag, originally a Naval jack, was square. This flag never flew over slave quarters, on private plantations, or Confederate States of America (C.S.A.) government buildings. It was strictly a military battleflag.
In more recent years, some have misused the Confederate battleflag. Opponents usually cite its use by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as the reason it should never be displayed today. However, these same politically correct but ignorant people conveniently forget or do not know that the KKK also misuses the American flag and the Bible. Few realize that the KKK requires the presence of the U.S. flag and the Bible at all their rallies or events. They do not require the use of the Confederate or any other flag! Would those who wish to ban the display of the Confederate battleflag also ban the American flag and the Bible? No, they never suggest that, but that would be more fair.
B.J.’s Wholesale Club is in violation of Florida state law, also. State statute 256.10 reads:
According to a written statement from B.J.’s spokesperson:
"Like all employers, we have guidelines of appropriate personal behavior and expression at work. While the policy does not identify any specific type of expression, it generally prohibits expression that is rude, abusive, hostile or intimidating. Under these guidelines, we asked this team member to not display the confederate flag in our parking lot. We are confident that we have struck the right balance for all of our team members and their work environment."Tillett courageously declined to remove his flag. Instead, he is parking on public property and walks ten minutes to the warehouse. He told a reporter, "It's about heritage; it's about pride. I don't look at it much different than the American flag. There's been a lot of blood spilled over that flag, too, and I love that flag, and I'll fly it 'till the day I die." According to Tillett, fellow employees had not complained about the flag and, in fact, supported his display of it. For the full story, go to: http://www.news4jax.com/news/16116836/detail.html .
B.J.’s Wholesale Club is headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts. This Yankee company operates more than 170 Clubs in 16 states from Maine to Florida. It is happy to take Southerner’s money but disrespects our culture.
Obviously, B.J.’s Wholesale Club needs some history, cultural diversity, and legal education. The flag Tillett flies from the rear of his truck is, first, historically correct. He is flying a square flag, not the more commonly seen rectangular flag that has been misused. The true battleflag, originally a Naval jack, was square. This flag never flew over slave quarters, on private plantations, or Confederate States of America (C.S.A.) government buildings. It was strictly a military battleflag.
In more recent years, some have misused the Confederate battleflag. Opponents usually cite its use by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as the reason it should never be displayed today. However, these same politically correct but ignorant people conveniently forget or do not know that the KKK also misuses the American flag and the Bible. Few realize that the KKK requires the presence of the U.S. flag and the Bible at all their rallies or events. They do not require the use of the Confederate or any other flag! Would those who wish to ban the display of the Confederate battleflag also ban the American flag and the Bible? No, they never suggest that, but that would be more fair.
B.J.’s Wholesale Club is in violation of Florida state law, also. State statute 256.10 reads:
“Mutilation of or disrespect for confederate flags or replicas.--No person shall publicly mutilate, deface, defile, defy, trample upon, or by word or act cast contempt upon the flags of the Confederacy, or replicas thereof, for crass or commercial purposes; provided however nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent or prohibit the use of such flags for decorative or patriotic purposes.”
Note, Statute 256.10 specifically prohibits “disrespect” of Confederate flags. It goes on to specify “no person shall publicly…by word or act cast contempt upon the flags of the Confederacy, or replicas thereof, for crass or commercial purposes…”
B.J.’s Wholesale Club, in its statement, called the display of Tillett’s Confederate battleflag “rude, abusive, hostile or intimidating.” Both their words and the act of banning it from company property show “disrespect” and “contempt” of a Confederate flag. B.J.’s thinks it is protecting its bottom line by avoiding employee lawsuits. Being a Northern company, it undoubtedly believes that most of its customers might be offended if they saw the Confederate battleflag on its property. Thus, B.J.’s disrespect is “for crass or commercial purposes.” Clearly, this violates both the letter and the spirit of Florida’s Statute 256.10.
Southerners who love their heritage and Northerners who value their own civil rights should rally to support Tillett against B.J.’s Wholesale Club. For those who do not like the Confederate flag, I remind you that if B.J.’s can do this to one cultural symbol, it can do it to others. Perhaps you want to wear a cross to work or while shopping. Perhaps your preferred flag is the Black National flag or the Mexican flag. Let B.J.’s get away with banning the Confederate flag, and they will be empowered to ban other cherished symbols.
Here are my suggestions on actions to take against B.J.’s Wholesale Club:
If you are a member, call and speak to your local store manager to protest the ban on the Confederate flag. Tell him or her you will not join and/or shop at B.J.’s until they change their policy. I have found that contacting local management works better than anything else to get the message sent up to top management. Grassroots’ protests get attention. For those in the Jacksonville, Fla., area, B.J.’s has stores at:
- 560 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, FL 32073 (904) 272-4900
- 12200 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32225 (904) 221-2444
- 8046 Philips Hwy., Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 485-1180.
Let your membership expire or turn in your membership card with a note that you will no longer shop at a retailer that tramples workers’ civil rights. In other words, hit them in the pocketbook. Be sure you let them know why you are taking this action.
Write or call B.J.’s top management:
- Herb Zarkin, Chairman & C.E.O. and Laura Sen, President & C.O.O.
B.J.’s Wholesale Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 9601Natick, MA 01760
(508) 651-7400
Call or write the Manager at the Tillett’s job site:
- B.J.’s Wholesale Club Warehouse
4500 Directors Rd.Jacksonville, FL 32220
(904) 378-4448
If you own stock in B.J.’s Wholesale Club, email a protest to Investors Relations cmaloney@bjs.com or call Cathy Maloney, VP-Investor Relations, at (508) 651-6650.
Email B.J.’s Media Relations department at mediarelations@bjs.com to object to their arguments in their statement given to the media.
Organize flag-waving protests in front of local B.J.’s Wholesale Club stores on busy shopping days, especially Saturdays. As long as you are on public sidewalks or right-of-way and are not impeding traffic, you have the right to picket. This helps educate shoppers who may not know of B.J.’s actions against Tillett. I always talk to the local sheriff or police chief beforehand. I let them know what our plans are, ask for protection or extra patrol, and reassure them we want a strictly legal protest. I warn any participants that they are to be respectful, polite, sober, and unarmed. I ask them to leave before we start if they cannot abide by these rules.
If you have other suggestions, please leave a comment. And, if you take action, please let us know what you did. Deo Vindice!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Mad Cow Disease in Jacksonville – Part 2
Yesterday, I wrote about a case of Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease (CJD) in Jacksonville, Fla. The initial report said the patient, a 23-year old woman, did not acquire it by eating tainted meat.
Today, I call that assertion into serious question. Intrigued that CJD could be caught in some other way than through eating meat from a cow with Mad Cow Disease, I did some online research.
It is true Mad Cow Disease is not the only way to get CJD. There are two different types of CJD. One is called “classic,” in which there is a spontaneous mutation of normal brain protein into an abnormal protein” that then “leads to the production of more abnormal protein.” The other form of CJD is called Variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease or “vCJD.” This comes from “ingesting meat infected with the prion that causes mad cow disease (BSE).” The meat has to be contaminated by nervous system tissue to cause vCJD.
Here’s the kicker. “Most of the cases of classic CJD have been diagnosed in people between the ages of 55 and 75” because it takes “between 10 to 40 years” to become symptomatic after the protein mutates. Again, “Classic CJD almost always occurs in people over 50 years old. Once someone gets classic CJD, they may live for 6 to 12 months.”
Variant CJD, on the other hand, is a disease of young people. The average age of onset is 29 years of age. The symptoms of vCJD are slightly different and patients live slightly longer than those with classic CJD. “There have been 153 cases of vCJD reported in the world since the first case was identified in 1995.” It took about ten years for the first cases of vCJD to be reported after Mad Cow Disease infected British cattle.
The Jacksonville patient is too young to have classic CJD if my sources are correct. If she has Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease, then it is the vCJD.
The question, then, becomes where or how did she eat meat tainted with Mad Cow Disease? Did she travel to Britain during the 1990s and eat British meat before Mad Cow Disease was under control there? Or, was she exposed to Canadian beef when Mad Cow Disease was discovered there? Or, did she eat beef in her school lunch program that came from downer cattle that had Mad Cow Disease? I simply do not know, but I call for thorough investigation.
Source: CDC Fact Sheets, State of Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/factsheets/madcow.htm
Today, I call that assertion into serious question. Intrigued that CJD could be caught in some other way than through eating meat from a cow with Mad Cow Disease, I did some online research.
It is true Mad Cow Disease is not the only way to get CJD. There are two different types of CJD. One is called “classic,” in which there is a spontaneous mutation of normal brain protein into an abnormal protein” that then “leads to the production of more abnormal protein.” The other form of CJD is called Variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease or “vCJD.” This comes from “ingesting meat infected with the prion that causes mad cow disease (BSE).” The meat has to be contaminated by nervous system tissue to cause vCJD.
Here’s the kicker. “Most of the cases of classic CJD have been diagnosed in people between the ages of 55 and 75” because it takes “between 10 to 40 years” to become symptomatic after the protein mutates. Again, “Classic CJD almost always occurs in people over 50 years old. Once someone gets classic CJD, they may live for 6 to 12 months.”
Variant CJD, on the other hand, is a disease of young people. The average age of onset is 29 years of age. The symptoms of vCJD are slightly different and patients live slightly longer than those with classic CJD. “There have been 153 cases of vCJD reported in the world since the first case was identified in 1995.” It took about ten years for the first cases of vCJD to be reported after Mad Cow Disease infected British cattle.
The Jacksonville patient is too young to have classic CJD if my sources are correct. If she has Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease, then it is the vCJD.
The question, then, becomes where or how did she eat meat tainted with Mad Cow Disease? Did she travel to Britain during the 1990s and eat British meat before Mad Cow Disease was under control there? Or, was she exposed to Canadian beef when Mad Cow Disease was discovered there? Or, did she eat beef in her school lunch program that came from downer cattle that had Mad Cow Disease? I simply do not know, but I call for thorough investigation.
Source: CDC Fact Sheets, State of Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/factsheets/madcow.htm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
How Many of Me Are There?
| HowManyOfMe.com | ||
|
