What a Life!

Follow me to another site

2008-05-08T08:34:00.002-04:00

Hey, readers, I'm getting ready to say goodbye. My blog is migrating to a wonderful site --momsmiami.com.
Check it out. It's got lots of great information.

Affording paradise

2008-05-07T08:17:00.002-04:00

A new study by FIU proves what we all know. Most Miamians can't afford to own a home here anymore. They can't afford to rent, either. And this is with the drop in home prices! But enough with the confirmations and studies. Something has to be done to make South Florida affordable for the next generation.
But what? Building more affordable housing? Where -- in the hinterlands so the commutes are even more horrible?
I haven't read of any good solutions.

Do as I say not as I do

2008-05-06T08:55:00.002-04:00

You gotta love this one. A mom in line for a Disney World ride beat another woman who tried to get in front of her. She was extradited from Alabama and jailed.
Story doesn't say, but I wonder if their kids looked on. Some lesson.

Here's to you, Death

2008-05-05T11:23:00.003-04:00

So this Illinois guy has ordered his coffin -- in the colors and shape of his favorite brew, Pabst. What a great sense of humor! That's how we should all face the Grim Reaper.
I need to think more along those lines. My hubby, for instance, has already told me he doesn't want a regular funeral. He insists on a party and has picked out the music. To me, though, those are morbid thoughts.

Canseco in foreclosure, too

2008-05-02T08:46:00.004-04:00

I've been living in my house for quite a while and, thankfully, have built up a nice chunk of equity regardless of how the market gyrates. And gyrate it does. A friend who is a real estate appraiser told me most of his business now is foreclosures with a sprinkling of re-fi. The bulk of those foreclosures are people who bought with intentions of flipping and couldn't.
But it's not just the average Joe who has been caught in this mess. Jose Canseco's mansion in California is on that list. The former baseball star who grew up in Miami walked away because it didn't make any sense to continue payments, he said.
I want to know: what happens to these houses? what happens to these people who speculated and lost? (I'm not talking about those who were bamboozled in some cases of mortgage fraud)
I sure as heck don't want to pick up the tab.

Take the offer and run

2008-04-30T08:13:00.002-04:00

Ah,something to smile about. The principal of Devonaire K-8 has offered to stay on for $1 a year salary to make sure that the expansion he has been overseeing is finished correctly.
The School Board said no.
Hell-oh? Are we cutting our nose to spite our face?
I know several people whose children attend or have attended Devonaire and they have always spoken highly of this guy. I don't know him from Adam, but I recognize appreciation. So why not accept the gracious offer?
Apparently, it has something to do with budget constraints, but it sounds like a lot of hogwash to me. If this board can decide not to give teachers their raises after agreeing to do so in a contract, I am sure they can find a creative accounting way to keep this guy on board next year. How about donating the $119,000 to buy supplies or hire para-professionals or give teachers bonuses?

Fame and money and Spitzer's hooker

2008-04-29T08:22:00.002-04:00

I'm constantly amazed at how people like Ashley Dupree -- now known as Spitzer's hooker -- can make money off their bad behavior and our stupidity. I must be living in some fantasy land because I thought that the 22-year-old with the loose morals might follow wise counsel and lay low for a while. But I guess it's all about cashing in on those 15 minutes of fame.

Not me, unfortunately

2008-04-28T08:15:00.003-04:00

The winning lottery ticket worth $38 million was sold in Miami -- and I am NOT the winner. Actually, I don't play every week, just when the payout is high. I forgot last week, however.
I used to think I'd continue working regardless of my Lotto winnings, but I'm not so sure I would anymore. I'm beginning to consider the possibility that I could donate my time and talents to some organizations that I've long admired. It would be work without the pay.
Of course, I have to buy the dang tickets to win.

Does this mean we're healing?

2008-04-25T08:22:00.003-04:00

Finally, a comedy about the post 9/11 hysteria that has gripped the country -- in good and bad ways. I haven't seen the film and have no idea if it's funny, but the fact that we might be able to laugh at ourselves is promising. To me it signals healing.
It might also prompt the complacent majority to face some of the un-American acts our leaders have pushed in the name of anti-terrorism.

Work is a four letter word

2008-04-24T09:03:00.002-04:00

Today is Take Your Child to Work Day. My youngest is supposed to be at work with me. I've been in my home office for about an hour. He's already bored.
Hmm. I don't think that was the intent of the day. I wish he could see the exciting part of my day -- what goes on inside my head, before the writing.

Good news -- but can students think critically?

2008-04-23T08:12:00.002-04:00

Good news for a change: Our kids are doing better on the state standardized tests, a trend that is echoed in other urban areas.
Nevertheless, as a parent who has watched the ridiculous emphasis on FCAT, I'm worried that my kids are being taught the test. I want something more -- more academic rigor, the challenge of critical thinking, problem-solving skills, etc.
How are we doing there?

How green are you really?

2008-04-21T08:18:00.003-04:00

Excuse my cynicism, but I'm getting a little tired of everybody bragging about how green they are becoming, including businesses. It's all for show. I've gone in to countless shops and offices where the air conditioning has been set at Siberia. People who buy reusable Publix bags drive gas-guzzling SUVs. And fashionistas who wear green clothes landscape their massive yards with hundreds of lights all night.
If you're going to talk the talk -- as they used to say when I was a kid -- then you have to walk the walk, too.

Vote yes for the Children's Trust

2008-04-18T08:16:00.003-04:00

If there is one organization that deserves to be funded even in these difficult times, it's certainly the Children's Trust. I've seen first-hand the organization's accomplishments. It's an investment in the future.
Let's hope our leaders and the rest of the community see it that way.

Everything cycles, including our moods

2008-04-17T08:27:00.004-04:00

Another day, another story about job cuts. Plenty of people I know have been axed -- not a good thing ever, but especially difficult when you're in your 50s -- and many more who are looking for work right out of school.
Wasn't it not that long ago when we were all bragging about the equity in our homes and the plumpness of our stock accounts?

Was it the money or something else?

2008-04-16T08:52:00.004-04:00

A woman is accused of trying to hire somebody to kill her ex-husband. This, despite the fact that she got a really good deal in the divorce. According to the husband, she was here illegally and sleeping in a friend's living room when they met. He took her in, married her, made her legal and shared a life with her and their three children -- including a business.
That's gratitude for you.

Bucking the trend

2008-04-15T08:46:00.003-04:00

We live in a time when everything is public and anything can be sold for a price. So it's heartwarming to know that some people will buck the trend.A businessman has paid $1 million plus for a sex tape of Marilyn Monroe.
Not to play it on the Internet. Not to talk about it on Dr. Phil or Jerry Springer.
The man wants to pull it off the market out of respect for the late actress. He's locked it up in a safe.

Pretty soon they'll have classes in the broom closet

2008-04-11T08:25:00.002-04:00

The news from Tallahassee is that there will be more cuts to the schools' budget. If this does happen, I hope the powers that be leave the classrooms alone and look at the administrative costs. From talking to teachers, students and my own children, I know the situation is pretty bare bones right now.
And we claim we support education!
When will our elected officials -- and the populace -- understand that spending on education is the best investment we can make in the future?

A pleasant surprise

2008-04-10T08:27:00.003-04:00

After a long day at school, my 17-year-old amazed me with his industriousness. I'm not sure what happened at school or at football practice, but he bolted for the computer as soon as he came home and started signing up for SAT subject tests. All of a sudden he has decided that he wants to apply to the top colleges in the country and SAT subject tests are a requirement. For months I've been asking him about his college plans and if there were any additional tests he needed to take. Now -- enlightment.
This from a kid who seemed to meandering through his junior year in high school, without purpose or ambition.
Life is full of pleasant surprises.

When parents excuse their kids' behavior

2008-04-08T09:05:00.003-04:00

I saw a disturbing video on TV news this morning about the beating of a 16-year-old girl by some of her schoolmates who were upset that she had trashed them on the MySpace website. The video existed because they were going to post it online.
How sick can we get?
Well, sicker than videoing your criminality. A mother of one of the teens who is accused in the ambush that left the girl with two black eyes and the loss of hearing in one ear actually went on national news to say the incident was "overblown." The apple doesn't fall from the tree apparently.

How safe are our colleges?

2008-04-07T08:20:00.003-04:00

Maybe it's the age of my younger children that makes me so sensitive to college-related news. Yet, it seems that we're hearing about more and more accidents and crimes on college campuses. The latest tragedy is the death of a freshman at UM, most likely from an accidental fall.
It's a painful reminder that when we send our children off into the world with all kinds of precautions, danger lurks: shootings, date rape, binge drinking, etc.
With age and experience, I'm getting more and more paranoid.

On vacation -- hurrah!

2008-03-27T08:33:00.002-04:00

I'm off on a well-deserved vacation through April 7. I need all the rest I can get. Just to take time off I've been putting in long hours to leave everything done.
I don't dare think about what it will be like when I get back!

Salary comparison is faulty

2008-03-24T08:25:00.004-04:00

A UM business prof says that Miami-Dade's public school spending on top administrators' salaries is in line with private businesses. He made these remarks after a list of adminsitrators making more than $100,000 was released. It turns out that the number of people who went over that figure has almost doubled in one year. Some of them also get company cars. The UM expert says they would be getting that kind of payout if they were in the private sector.
I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, I am sure that many of these people more than earn that pay. For instance, the principal at my children's high school must put in some long, long hours. Not only is she at school during regular hours, but I also see her at every function I attend -- games, PTAs, etc.
On the other hand, these administrators do NOT work for a private business. If they did, they would not get the kind of retirement benefits they now get. They also would not get the number of holidays. Forget the pension and retiree medical coverage. They'd be lucky to have a 401K.
One more thing: I'd like to know how their salaries relate to the salary of an average teacher. Is there as much of a discrepancy in the school system between the top dogs and the peons as there is in the private sector?

Moving on out

2008-03-20T08:34:00.003-04:00

For the first time in a long while, more people are moving out of South Florida than moving in, according to a new report using Census data.
So why does traffic get worse every year? And does that mean that our roads will eventually be less congested if the moving on out trend continues?
Some of our city fathers may lament the exodus, but I'm cheering it on.

Staying true

2008-03-19T08:26:00.004-04:00

Revelations about infidelity continue in New York. The new gov said that he actually had more than that one affair he admitted to earlier. He has had several, including one with a state employee. Yep, he's been busy.
His admission is a good thing, I think, because it stops the media frenzy and allows him to do what he has been elected to do: run the state. However, I find it troublesome that he -- and so many others in power -- take their marriage vows so lightly. Are they a reflection of the rest of us? Sure hope not.
A story on the Today Show this morning said that as many as 25 percent of all marriages eventually deal with adultery.

Bed-hopping takes time, doesn't it?

2008-03-18T08:55:00.003-04:00

The new governor of New York -- the guy who took over for Eliot Spitzer -- has admitted that he had an affair with another woman when his now-solid marriage was going through a rough patch. The couple has since worked it out.
If recent news is any indication, lots of people, especially those in public office, are bed-hopping. I can't figure it out: Where do they find the time to lead this secret life? When do they work? How do they meet the demands of family and another relationship?
I think it's hard enough balancing work and family. Add a romantic second to the mix -- yikes!

Can't afford a brain drain

2008-03-17T08:34:00.002-04:00

Developers are buying up trailer parks to build more housing, but the people who live in them can't afford to go anywhere else. Miami desperately needs more affordable housing -- and not just for lower income people.
I know plenty of college graduates who can't afford the rent on the money they take home. They either move back with their parents or move very far, sometimes traveling more than an hour or two to work.
Many of my friends' children don't even return to Miami after they graduate from college. The jobs don't pay enough to have a decent standard of living here.
We're facing a brain drain, folks.

Exchange of ideas, customs?

2008-03-14T06:33:00.002-04:00

I'm a big believer in student exchange, particularly of ones like this one with Saudi students coming to MDC. I think getting to know people opens the door of tolerance a little bit.
I wonder what these Saudi students will say about Miami and the classmates they met when they return home.

School cuts need to be fair

2008-03-13T08:37:00.003-04:00

The school system is cutting even more from its budget. And Superintendent Rudy Crew warned there may be more trims, including administrative bonuses.
Say what? Does he mean adminsitrators are still getting bonuses while the kids are suffering in the classroom? And believe you me, the students and teachers are feeling the pinch.
Several teachers have e-mailed me with suggestions, some of which are very interesting:
1) Adjust the thermostats in the schools. Classrooms are freezing -- a fact I've confirmed with my children and with my own visits -- and the temperature should be set at a cost-saving 78 degrees.
2) Regional superintendents and other big cheeses are issued SUVs. Why not give them Civics or Priuses instead?
3) Have Crew forego his hefty bonuses, some of which are more than what a beginning teacher makes.
Are these doable?

Too much FCAT

2008-03-11T08:47:00.002-04:00

The last of my kids, a ninth grader, is taking the FCAT today. He usually does well, so I'm not worried. But he said something last night that echoes what a lot of teachers tell me: Everything around school is set up around this test.
So the question remains: Are we teaching our kids to think or bubble in answers?

A sip of medication

2008-03-10T08:29:00.002-04:00

Is that water you drinking making you happy? Turns out there are places where the water is medicated with traces of chemicals that ward of such illnesses as asthma and high blood pressure.
Are we being secretly drugged? (I love a good conspiracy) Or is this much ado about nothing? (That's the journalist in me.)

Foreclosures: should we bail people out?

2008-03-07T08:43:00.002-05:00

Was it mortgage fraud or stupid greed? Foreclosures are at an all-time high and they continue to threaten the health of the economy. Debate rages about how best to shore up these homeowners.
I'm sure there was mortgage fraud involved in some cases, but I suspect the majority of people got in over their heads because they wanted what they couldn't afford. Should the American taxpayer be responsible for his neighbor's market gamble?
I don't think so.

Cutting into our future

2008-03-06T08:22:00.003-05:00

The state's cost cutting has begun. So who do we slash? The kids. Our elected officials have voted to cut hundreds of millions from schools in the first round of what will likely be a long battle. How shortsighted can we get?

Spelling it out for the next generation

2008-03-05T08:28:00.004-05:00

If you've lost hope in the next generation, read this story about Miami's champion spellers. A couple hundred of them duked it out yesterday, and once again I was the emcee for the event. These kids were incredible. Some fourth graders were spelling out words I had never heard.
Every year I say that this event is my annual lesson in humility. Hats off to these bright students who worked so hard to make it to the Herald's 68th annual Spelling Bee.

Discipline before teaching

2008-03-03T08:51:00.003-05:00

The Edison High School community is trying to patch things up after a student demonstration got out of hand. From what I've read, there are 101 versions of the incident, and we may never know the truth.
But I know this: It's going to be more and more difficult for that school to hire teachers. If discipline can't be maintained, teaching can't be done. I know of two teachers who have left Edison in the last three or four years. Maintaining discipline was one of the reasons they transferred.They wanted to be teachers, not babysitters.
How often does this happen in other schools?

Reading, writing and safety

2008-02-29T08:42:00.003-05:00

Years ago, when my daughter became the first one of my children to enter high school, I was mortified that the principal spent most of his orientation speech talking about safety. What about academics? I wondered. What about learning and critical thinking and college?
Obviously the guy knew what he was talking about. Shootings on campus -- college or otherwise -- are not rare anymore. This week we've had two in two days at local schools. What the hell is going on with our kids? Are they simply a reflection of the society at large?

What would we do without electric juice?

2008-02-27T10:39:00.003-05:00

Since I work mostly from home, I was one of that million without power during FPL's power outage yesterday. Once again I was reminded how incredibly dependent we are on electricity.
But just in case I needed reinforcement, we were part of a 16-house grid that didn't have electricity AGAIN most of the night and now until mid-morning.Felt like the aftermath of a hurricane.
Gotta admit something, though. For all the inconvenience caused by the outages, FPL's people were courteous, prompt and attentive. Wish all my interactions were the same.

Buying up foreclosures

2008-02-26T08:27:00.003-05:00

Foreclosures are high high high in Florida. Wouldn't you love to have the big bucks to buy up these properties at bargain basement prices, wait out the market for a while, then sell 10-15 years from now at a nice profit?
That's certainly what I would do. Unfortunately, I -- like most people I know -- don't have that kind of money. This is a perfect example of how the rich get richer: they have the deep pockets to seize opportunities.

The more things change...

2008-02-25T08:55:00.002-05:00

...the more they stay the same. Raul Castro, who has taken over for brother Fidel, has appointed a couple of military brass to top posts in the government. His #2 guy is a communist hard-liner.
I don't know why anyone thinks that the younger brother will be substantially different.

What's with all the babies?

2008-02-22T08:36:00.002-05:00

Everywhere I turn there's news about celebs having babies. The latest: Jennifer Lopez just had twins. These celebs then turn around and sell pictures of the babes to magazines and other media. What kind of society are we that we prize such photos to the tune of millions of dollars?
I'm hoping these celebs, who don't need the money, are at least donating those millions to charity.

Sticking it to us

2008-02-21T08:36:00.002-05:00

Government officials and Marlins reps are very close to a deal to get a new stadium built. In this particular contract, the public's tab has gone up.
Why should my money go to fund a home for a wealthy owner and his team?

Who will return to Cuba?

2008-02-19T08:37:00.004-05:00

At the gym this morning I was asked if my family would return to Cuba now that Castro is resigning from his post. The question itself implies there will be real change in Cuba, which I doubt, particularly if Raul Castro remains in power.
But the reality is that I am Cuban by birth and by culture. (In fact, the latter may be a stretch, since both sides of my family hail from the region of Catalonia in Spain and that's where the majority of my relatives still live. My mother moved to Cuba as a 10-year-old, after the Spanish Civil War.)
I am an American, raised mostly in Miami. I would feel totally out of place in a country I last saw when I was a toddler.

Say it ain't so...

2008-02-15T08:20:00.002-05:00

Zach Thomas released? How could the Fins do that? Everybody loves him. He's likable, fun to watch, and a good linebacker. (I'm partial to linebackers because my son plays middle linebacker for his high school football team.)
Then again, sports is a cold, cold business. Maybe next time we complain about the players' salaries, we'll remember that there is NO job security on the field.

Who cares?

2008-02-14T08:23:00.003-05:00

So this is what passes for news these days. We're supposed to care about O.J. Simpson's girlfriend's injuries .
Of course this isn't the only example how the news business I entered almost 30 years ago has been turned on its head. Earlier this week NBC's Today show spent about 10 minutes on Britney Spears' latest crisis. Who cares?
Well, apparently somebody does.

Teachers deserve better

2008-02-12T08:06:00.001-05:00

What does it say about our society when we pay our teachers so poorly that they have to take second jobs to make ends meet? On the other side of the spectrum, we have athletes and entertainers pulling down hundreds of thousands of dollars for an appearance. Are their contributions any more important?

Auctioning off the Orange Bowl

2008-02-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

Piece by piece, bit by bit, the Orange Bowl is being dismantled. Everything is being sold in auction. We bought a bench of seats -- an uncharacteristic splurge that I know we will treasure long into old age.
But hubby and I are wondering what will happen to those large mosaics on the side of the bowl. Did somebody buy them? Are they going to a museum?

Too many guns

2008-02-08T08:49:00.001-05:00

There are daily reports about senseless killings perpetrated by gunmen. The latest two: One guy killed his neighbor during a feud over his front lawn. The second left six people dead in Missouri during a city council meeting.
If guns weren't so easily accessible, would these murders have happened?

Real estate killing

2008-02-07T09:25:00.001-05:00

We have so many foreclosures that the court can't keep up with the backlog. Were these people cheated by brokers? Or, are these the same people who two or three years ago were crowing about the killing they were making in real estate?
Should I feel sorry for these homeowners or should I think they got what was coming to them?
It's got to be a pretty horrible ordeal to lose your home.

People are talking politics

2008-02-06T08:27:00.000-05:00

The pundits predicted Super Tuesday would settle the candidates for November's presidential election, but it looks like it's going to be a long race to the nominations. I've reached the conclusion that this is good. Very good, in fact.
For the first time in years I'm hearing people discuss the elections, the issues and the candidates. This has been particularly true among the young voters I know. It might be because of the historic consequences of '08. The top Democratic candidates are a woman and a black man.
But whatever the reason, it's great to see an engaged electorate.

1972 Dolphins remain on the pedestal

2008-02-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

As usual, we crossed the street to go to my neighbor's Super Bowl party, a tradition we've maintained for years. Usually the star attraction is the food. This time, the food was great, sure, but that game -- wow!
The best part about it: Everybody -- along with the rest of Miami -- was cheering against New England. Those of us who remember the euphoria of the 1972 Dolphins' perfect season didn't want that record upset, and certainly not by the Pats. (Remember the snow plow incident?)
New England's loss just goes to show what an incredible feat that perfect season is.

Pretty cool pad

2008-02-01T08:09:00.000-05:00

I don't know if it's envy or plain ole curiosity, but I've always wanted to check out how the other half leaves. If I had the extra $25,000 hanging around to buy me a ticket into the auction, I'd go check out the Dan Marino homes for sale.
I'd have to adjust my expectations and frame of reference, of course. Anytime I see a huge mansion, I worry about the time and sweat it would take to clean it. But come on, if you can afford a pad like that, you aren't brandishing a feather duster.

Time-out -- or lock out -- for 2 mothers

2008-01-31T09:19:00.000-05:00

Two women duked it out in front of a school when they went to pick up their children ---who have the same father. If parents act this way, can we expect anything different from the children?

Not a good thing

2008-01-30T08:26:00.000-05:00

The tax cut we approved is going to bite us in the butt. As I've said before, it's a band-aid solution to an inequitable tax structure. We took the easy way out. Just as the original Save Our Homes amendment was short-sighted, this one is, too.

The wonderful right to vote

2008-01-28T08:59:00.000-05:00

Wow! We're actually voting -- in record numbers for the primary. Can it be that we're recognizing the value of democracy? Have we realized how lucky we are to be able to vote?
I haven't gone to the polls early, as so many of my friends have. But I will be there tomorrow. After much thought, I'm voting against the property tax despite the fact that it would help me plenty when I downsize in the next couple of years.
The current proposal is a band-aid solution that will help some people but not others. It will also cut badly needed funding for our schools.

Higher education is becoming elitist

2008-01-25T09:02:00.001-05:00

The board that governs the state university system wants to increase tuition by 8 percent. That sounds like a lot, but the reality is that Florida's universities charge lower rates than other state schools. We still get a pretty good deal here.
I'm worried, however, for middle-class students who don't qualify for grants but must instead take out loans to advance their education. Some of these loans turn out to run in the tens of thousands, and if you're, say, a teacher, it's an onerous debt to take on.
Unfortunately, higher education is becoming very elitist.

Noise pollution?

2008-01-24T08:31:00.001-05:00

Let's hear it for silence. It seems everywhere I go there's a ring or a bong or a ping going off -- the result of our electronic gadgets. The noise pollution has been getting to me so much lately that I find myself hiding in my bathroom to get away from it all. Sweet soundlessness.
Yet, I can understand why some long-distance runners don't want to give up their headphones despite orders to do so in the upcoming marathon. There's nothing like a good song to make a situation easier.

The story behind the diamond donation

2008-01-23T08:18:00.000-05:00

Want to write a good book? Start with this story: The Salvation Army is raffling off a donated diamond ring in time for Valentine's Day. Frankly, I'm not as interested in the ring as in the woman who walked into a donation center and told S.A. people to do something good with it.
Is she a jilted loved? Someone with better jewelry? A woman wanting to get rid of sad memories?
I'm very, very curious.

Losing ground

2008-01-17T08:11:00.000-05:00

I feel fortunate in many ways. I have a good job, a nice house and healthy children. But there's no doubt I've been losing economic ground for the past 2-3 years. Now there's confirmation from muckety-mucks that inflation is squeezing the middle class.
Our income is not keeping pace with our most basic expenses for food and health. Milk is through the roof. And health costs? Forget it. The medicine I take now costs me twice as much as it did two years ago, and that's with higher premiums.
What's the solution?

Booting insurance companies

2008-01-15T08:09:00.001-05:00

It's about time! State lawmakers are putting insurance companies' feet to the fire for not lowering homeowners' premiums as the law requires.
How about telling these wayward companies that they can't write auto and life and other insurance until they meet the spirit of the law?
Granted, my homeowners insurance did go down this year -- but it was by a negligible amount.

Smugglers prey on desperation

2008-01-14T08:31:00.000-05:00

I can't imagine anything more heartbreaking than these relatives waiting to hear any news about 40 Cubans who are lost at sea after leaving the island in November. The boat they were being smuggled in was fit for 8 people, and the smuggler who was making the clandestine trip stood to make $400,000. What a criminal! He new he was running a high risk in terrible weather by cramming five times the number of people on the boat. Smugglers such as these should be severly prosecuted.
Yet, what desperation must these people face on the island to risk their lives!

Is "repurposing" a real word?

2008-01-11T08:31:00.000-05:00

Miami-Dade school officials are proposing to close down schools that are underenrolled in order to use the buildings for other functions. The term use? Repurposing.
Is that even a word? I looked it up in my pocket Merriam Webster Dictionary and couldn't find it. I wonder if our educators made it up.
Bet the kids wouldn't pass the FCAT writing if they used it in one of their essays.

Need a urinal? A stadium seat? Scoreboard?

2008-01-10T09:17:00.000-05:00

I've got to remodel one of my bathrooms. How about installing an Orange Bowl urinal? That would be a real conversation piece.
Officials are auctioning off parts of the venerable, wonderful Orange Bowl before demolishing it. I would really love to have a seat -- for old times' sake -- but realize that I probably won't be able to afford it. It would be nice to have part of Miami history and my childhood in my living room.

From making a killing to foreclosure

2008-01-09T08:36:00.000-05:00

Surprise, surprise, hundreds of condos are in foreclosure and plenty of them along Brickell.
Wasn't it just a year or so ago that people were boasting about making a killing in the real estate market?

Preying on women's fears

2008-01-08T08:44:00.000-05:00

Oh, for pete's sake! Apparently the rage in home parties these days is not Tupperware, candles or scrapbooking. It's Tasers. "Independent contractors" are hosting or giving parties to sell the stun gun as a self-defense accessory.
Companies will do ANYTHING to make a buck, won't they? This is one sick way of preying on people's fears.

Violent children: warning signs?

2008-01-07T08:13:00.000-05:00

I can't think of anything as horrible as this 12-year-old boy accused of killing a toddler with a bat. Twelve years old!
The mother is quoted as saying that her son is not a violent child, but children don't just erupt in such uncontrolled anger suddenly. There are usually warning signs.
This poor, poor family.

Adios for the holidays

2007-12-21T08:38:00.000-05:00

This is my last day before what I think is a well-deserved vacation. (Truth be told, my MIND has been on vacation for the past three days!) I'm not doing anything special during these two weeks, but I intend to relax and putter as much as I can, considering all the festivities -- Nochebuena and Christmas -- are at my house.
Mainly I'm going to enjoy my children and my absolutely beautiful twin granddaughters. Just thinking about those little babies brings a smile to my face. Having them in my life is the best Christmas gift of all.

Suite, sweet seating

2007-12-20T08:19:00.000-05:00

I want the Marlins to stay in our area, but I'm a bit miffed about how our tax dollars are used to subsidize rich owners and wealthy players. Now it turns out our tax dollars do something more. As part of a deal in the works, city and county commissioners would get suite seating for their support.
Who else gets such preferential treatment? Not the folks paying the taxes apparently.

So easy a chimp can do it

2007-12-18T08:10:00.000-05:00

Have trouble balancing your checkbook? Can't figure out the tip to leave the waitress? Need the calculator to add a row of figures? Hire a monkey.
Here's a story about our hairy cousins and their math and memory talents -- some as good as a college student's.
And I was worried that American students didn't score as well on tests as students from other industrialized nations.

What really matters in politics

2007-12-17T08:39:00.000-05:00

What a sad state of affairs. Presidential candidate Barack Obama has to constantly defend his religion and proclaim to the press he is NOT a Muslim. He is, in fact, a Christian. Yet, smear e-mails and letters are trying to portray him as a Muslim.
It shouldn't even matter. Just as it shouldn't matter if another candidate is a Mormon or a Christian. Or a woman.
What is important? How a candidate plans to deal with Iraq. How a candidate is going to deal with health care reform. How a candidate is going to deal with the subprime mess, our dependency on oil, global warming, etc.

The December Dilemma

2007-12-14T08:12:00.000-05:00

Approaching the midway mark of December, and I'm already exhausted from the parties. It's not even Christmas, either.
This morning when I slammed shut the 5 a.m. alarm, I turned over and told my husband, "I'm getting too old to do this." This being the round of seasonal festivities. Every weekend we have a minimum of two or three parties, then several commitments during the week. What should be a jolly-holly time has become a drag-myself-to-the next-place month.
I either learn to say no or turn into the Grinch.

The other stats football players should have

2007-12-11T08:15:00.000-05:00

Florida has long been known for its football talent, but this year the high schools seem to have produced a bumper crop. Three South Florida schools are headed for state championships and our stories are awash with statistics -- vertical jump, 40-times etc.
I wonder if anyone at these schools is paying the same amount of attention to other stats -- GPA and SAT scores.

Why rescue others from bad money decisions?

2007-12-07T10:06:00.000-05:00

A foreclosure here, a foreclosure there, a foreclosure everywhere. Turns out we're fourth in the country in foreclosed homes, with 1 in every 32 home mortgages headed south. I feel sorry for those homeowners who got caught up in mortgage fraud schemes.
But I think the vast majority of these people who can't pay should've known it was coming. They couldn't afford the house in the first place and that's why they were getting adjustable rate mortgages and the 57 other dangerous varieties. What's more, plenty of them figured they could just flip the place and make a handsome profit. Now they're caught. Too bad, so sad. It's happened to all of us who make a bet on stocks, real estate and commodities.
But I don't want my tax money rescuing people who should've known better and who would've continued their bad economic behavior if the market had continued to soar.
We Americans have to start learning old-fashioned money values -- self-reliance, frugality, discretion. If you can't afford it, don't buy it.

Ho-hum about mass killings?

2007-12-06T10:22:00.000-05:00

You know our priorities are all mixed up when this story on the Oklahoma shooting that killed eight people was carried inside The Miami Herald. Have these mass murders become so commonplace that we are ho-hum about them?

A happy ending

2007-12-05T08:27:00.001-05:00

The international custody battle over a 5-year-old Cuban girl has been settled in a Solomon-like way. The Cubas family, a well-to-do Coral Gables family that was fostering the little girl, has agreed to weekly visitations. The biological father got permanent custody but has to stay here for a couple more years.
I don't know Joe and Maria Cubas, but my hat goes off to them. They've adopted the little girl's half brother and have fought to make sure the little girl's life is settled -- at a great emotional cost to themselves. What impressed me most: when Cubas shook the biological father's hand and then hugged him before leaving the courtroom.
We should all learn from such wise and civil behavior.

Why Sean Taylor's death remains so upsetting

2007-12-04T08:52:00.000-05:00

All week I've been trying to figure out why the senseless death of football star Sean Taylor has upset me so much. Yes, I had met him a few times when he was in high school, a nice, polite kid who my son knew. And yes, I had watched him wow us with his exploits on the field when he played for the University of Miami and then the Washington Redskins.
But that alone doesn't explain the unsettled feeling at the pit of my stomach. Then watching yesterday's funeral at the Pharmed Arena I realized that I was upset by several things. First and foremost, Sean's death typified what is happening among so many of our young people, especially among black and Hispanic men -- too much violence, too much death. His murder cut short a life with so much potential, and all because of greed, because of thieves who wanted to take wealth that wasn't theirs.
I was also pretty miffed at my profession. So many writers and sportscasters jumped to conclusions about why he had been killed, and maybe now they are deservedly eating crow. Repeatedly and in private I heard from my son and his high school friends that Sean was misunderstood, that the media had been doing a hatchet job on his life and intentions. that Sean was actually shy and humble and sometimes a little embarrassed by the attention. The person he was off the field was different from the hard-hitting win-at-all-costs player.

Tax money goes to plasma TVs?

2007-12-03T07:54:00.000-05:00

It's bad enough that property taxes are through the roof, but when you read about questionable spending by public officials, it makes the situation appalling. A story about the lavish spending by the Miami city attorney confirms the fears of many taxpayers.
Plasma TVs? Hundreds of thousands in office remodeling? Thousands in restaurant dinner tabs?
Taxpayers deserve answers.

Journalists and the Sean Taylor story

2007-11-29T08:47:00.000-05:00

Dan's the man. Read the LeBatard column about what 24/7 journalism has become, and how the death of Sean Taylor didn't necessarily bring out the best in the business. Everyone has a theory, and they are more than happy to share it with the world. We've become a nation of opinion-makers without the facts. Sounds like we've been watching too much CSI as well.
The worst are the comments posted online by website readers. I was appalled at some of the opinions. Please please tell me that these people are not a reflection of humankind.
But remember: what goes around comes around.

How stupid can you get?

2007-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

A Georgia man tried to open a bank account with a million dollar bill. It was fake, of course. The U.S. mint has never printed a bill for that amount. You would think the guy would do a little research before trying to pull a stunt like that.

The Sean Taylor I knew

2007-11-27T08:23:00.000-05:00

I delivered the bad news to my eldest son very early this morning: Sean Taylor had died. They had played football together at Gulliver and had kept up the friendship, speaking sporadically through Sean's rise in the athletic world.
Those who have blogged and written derogatory comments about Sean didn't know him. The Sean I met many times as a teenager was respectful, well-mannered and even soft-spoken. Yes, he was very intense on the field, but he was a good kid.
I feel so badly for his parents and his young family.

I was Scrooge for the weekend

2007-11-26T08:09:00.001-05:00

I didn't do a lick of shopping this weekend. Not a one. Didn't battle crowds on Friday, didn't shop for bargains on Saturday, didn't open my wallet on Sunday. I'm so proud of myself.
The sales just aren't worth the crowds and the headaches. I think retailers have trained us to think that we're getting fantastic deals, but I'm not so sure that's true.

Bummed out for the holidays

2007-11-21T08:29:00.000-05:00

If you're feeling a bit off kilter, you're not alone. A new poll shows the overwhelming majority of us are very worried about where our country is headed. We feel we've meandered off course. Isn't that the truth!
While I'm personally happy with my job and my family, I feel extremely anxious about the future, particularly for my children. The Prez has squandered the opportunity we had to really reshape the world after 9/11, and the economic situation at home isn't any better.

Reward money = hard feelings

2007-11-20T08:20:00.000-05:00

Talk about being at the right place at the right time. Spradley, a homeless man who had made his way to South Florida from Las Vegas a few months back, was the person who picked up a hitchhiker, now accused of killing a cop. For his efforts Spradley received a $25,000 reward.
Happy ending? Not quite. The guy at the pawn shop where Spradley made the call to alert police is very unhappy that the reward wasn't split 50-50.
Where there's money, there's bound to be a squabble.

Failing -- once again -- to protect our children

2007-11-19T08:23:00.000-05:00

A state inspector general's report has found that DCF has once again failed the most vulnerable of our society -- young children. Supervisors in DCF offices in Perrine and central Miami pressured their underlings to "close" cases prematurely so they could rank higher on the leader board. That meant case workers didn't even visit some of the children who were reportedly abused. Read Carol Marbin Miller's story to find out the results. It's hard for me to even write about what happened to these kids.
Those supervisors should face criminal charges. Throw the book at them. They're despicably inhumane.

Don't Tase me, bro

2007-11-15T08:48:00.000-05:00

A Brevard County student got tased twice when he refused to stop fighting in school. Is that two times too much? I really can't tell from the initial reporting.
However, it seems that reports of police using Taser guns are on the rise. Hardly a week goes by without some story on it. I wonder if it's actually true that they're being used more -- or simply that we're reporting on them more. Mayber Tasers have become the media's story du jour.

Let Ricky play

2007-11-14T11:29:00.000-05:00

Now that the NFL has given the green light allowing Ricky Williams to play, the Dolphins should give him a chance. The Fins can use all the help they can get.
But does Ricky deserve it?
Yep -- on one condition: he's assigned a chaperone, paid from his salary. Better yet, make his comeback a reality show. Proceeds can go to charity. Regardless of the outcome, his story may make a great lesson for wannabe athletes.

How traditional should the turkey be?

2007-11-13T08:02:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend a friend and I got into a debate about Thanksgiving, of all things. She's a real traditionalist and will not serve black beans and rice with her turkey, which is also seasoned the traditional way. She wants her Thanksgiving meal to be "typically American." I, on the other hand, adopt a mish-mash of dishes. Along with the black beans and rice, we serve yuca and avocados and three bean salad and, of course, stuffing. The deserts are just as eclectic -- pumpkin pie and flan. I think this is just as "typically" American, just more modern.

My vote for the OB and a UM Great

2007-11-09T08:37:00.001-05:00

You know it's pretty sad that the venerable Orange Bowl is going to be demolished next year. This town doesn't care about history or tradition. It breaks my heart.
I grew up within walking distance of The Lady. I sold drinks in the stands, watched UM games, took my children there and attended various community events there as well. We've had UM season tickets forever. The first real outfits my brand new twin granddaughters wore were too-big UM cheerleading dresses. Sorry to see The Lady go but plan to buy as much memorabilia as I can afford.
My husband has a theory: The Dolphins haven't done squat since moving north to the "better" stadium. He predicts UM will follow in the Fins' unlucky steps. Not a comforting thought.
Now our esteemed sports commentator -- Greg Cote -- calls for reflection. He wants us to vote for the top UM players. Hubby will probably vote for The Mad Stork because he went to school with him at Hialeah High.
But why isn't Sean Taylor there?

J-Lo -- Is she ready for motherhood?

2007-11-08T08:53:00.000-05:00

You know what kind of world we live in when J -Lo's announcement of her pregnancy is banner news. Does it matter? Will it change my life, your life?
In any case, I hope she doesn't follow the footsteps of so many of her acting/dancing/singing peers. I hope she understands that a baby is not an accessory, one more accomplishment to brag about. Parenting is serious business.

Jenna vs. Rosie

2007-11-07T10:28:00.000-05:00

I love our Book Fair, but I have a suggestion. Next time let Jenna Bush present right next to Rosie O'Donnell. You would have not only fireworks but an overflow crowd.

2000 election recount: drama or comedy?

2007-11-06T08:23:00.000-05:00

So Hollywood is making a movie based on the controversial 2000 presidential election recount. It's about time. That's a compelling story with wonderful narrative elements -- intrigue, politics, competition and power-grabbing.
My question: Is it drama or a comedy?
What happened in 2000 completely changed the path our country has taken and will adversely affect generations to come. Sadly, the outcome of the recount will prove to be one of the low points in U.S. history.

Rosie -- the answer to literary ho-hums?

2007-11-05T05:49:00.000-05:00

You can say lots of things about Rosie O, but no one can ever proclaim she is boring. Having her open the Miami Book Fair is an interesting choice and one that will probably be controversial, not only because of her language and her views but also because the book fair usually has very literary figures during the weeknights leading to the street fair. Certainly Rosie is entertaining but not high brow.
But here's an idea for you: Rosie (and her book) may be the perfect person to spice up interest in an endeavor -- book-reading -- that is increasingly falling by the wayside. Too many people think of book-reading as unnecessary, slow, boring and something "others" do. Very sad.
Books can be about anything. They're not limited to the tomes we were assigned in high school. Maybe that's an idea that will ride the coattails of Rosie's appearance.

When good neighbors move away

2007-11-02T08:33:00.000-04:00

Our neighbors moved yesterday, and we will miss them plenty. In a city that has lost much of its community flavor, we are lucky to live on a block that everybody pretty much knows everybody else. On vacation? Your neighbor will pick up mail and walk your dogs. Need a cup of sugar? Just knock on the door.
Our neighbors retired to The Villages in Ocala. Miami just got too much for them. Too expensive. Too much traffic. Too too, in other words. We read about people flocking here, but I wonder how many are pulling up stakes and leaving.
The amazing thing is that they sold their house in two days. Two days! Isn't there a housing slump or something?

The real threat

2007-10-31T08:27:00.000-04:00

The inevitable happened: The parents of the Gomez brothers, along with a grandmother, were deported back to Colombia. Do we all feel safe now?
I wish we were as expedient in tracking down and kicking out terrorrists.

Handwashing has become fashionable.

2007-10-30T09:56:00.000-04:00

Another two Miami-Dade students have staph infections, one with the "superbug." You would think this is old news for our kids. But I've noticed that my children -- two teenage sons and a teenage niece -- have become very, very interested in washing their hands. And they do this without being reminded.
Somebody must be drilling them good in school. Hope the habit stays.

Property tax whiplash

2007-10-29T09:05:00.001-04:00

The latest offer by our elected officials to alleviate the burden of property taxes took me a couple of readings to completely understand. One good thing in the proposed Senate package for me: portability. I've long wanted to downsize as my children have grown older and moved out, yet it makes no economic sense to buy a house half the size of what I have and pay as much as triple in taxes. Nonetheless, new homeowners -- my children's generation -- are worse off than long-timers like me.
Between still exorbitant house prices, taxes and insurance, it is impossible to have a decent house in a good-schools neighborhood. If I were young and starting out, I'd hightail it out of here. Can you say brain drain?

A fool born every minute, or something like that

2007-10-26T10:20:00.001-04:00

Some guy in Houston bought a lock of Che Guevara's hair for $100 grand. That's proof that you can part a fool from his money with absolutely any come-on. The buyer apparently thinks Che, the man who was the catalyst for destroying Cuba's economy, was the greatest revolutionary of our times. How ironic that such a capitalistic transaction should mark a piece of the late Communist icon.
On a good note: There was only one buyer. Gives me hope.

School officials should've been forthcoming

2007-10-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

Turns out that the superbug infection rate is a little higher than we were led to believe. Five football players at Palmetto High were infected a few weeks back. And what did school officials do?
They didn't contact the school community. Oh, no, that would've been too responsible. They chickened out and sent letters only to parents whose children were on the team. The excuse: they didn't want to alarm the parents. Yeah, right.
Well, here's a bulletin for those decision-makers: Football players come in contact with other students -- in the classroom and through extracurricular activities. In fact, my 16-year-old is a varsity football player. His team will be playing Palmetto this Saturday. The likelihood that he will have "open skin" in this bruising game and will come into contact with someone from the opposing team is as certain as death and taxes.
Schools need to stop worrying about their reputations. Lesson here: Less damage control and more information.

Superbug has my kids super scared

2007-10-24T08:45:00.001-04:00

The buzz around school yesterday was all about this superbug and how desperate parents were taking their kids out of class. My kids arrived from school all worried that they could be infected. Apparently rumors were rampant about how you could catch the infection. My 16-year-old said his football team's equipment had been removed from the locker room to be disinfected. It was about time. Those pads stunk to the high heavens. He even brought home all kinds of smelly workout clothes to be washed.
Maybe the superbug will inspire our children to try for a little more cleanliness.

What can $46 billion buy?

2007-10-23T07:58:00.001-04:00

So now the Prez is asking for another $46 billion for the war. Sounds to me like we're throwing good money after bad.
What have the other billions of dollars gotten us? Dead Americans, worsening situation in the Middle East and no capture of bin Laden. Gee, what a deal.
What would $46 billion buy us here at home? And how long will our children have to mortgage their future to bankroll a ridiculous war?

How painful is this?

2007-10-22T07:56:00.000-04:00

Midway through the second quarter of yesterday's Miami Dolphins' whooping, I walked away from the TV and headed to the blazing heat outside,where I began to thin out the overgrown patch of bromeliads. It was more painful to watch the Dolphins than it was to get pricked by the plants.
Does anyone remember the Fins' perfect season so many eons ago? I was in high school then and it was something to behold. Really brought the community together: we had something to be proud of.
Dare I speak the unmentionable -- that our team reflects the state of our community? Or, am I exaggerating?

What's better for the child?

2007-09-28T08:45:00.000-04:00

At the beginning of the hearings pitting a wealthy foster family against a biological father from a rural town in Cuba for the custody of a 5-year-old girl, I opined the father should get the child. Case closed. I suspected politics infiltrated what should've been a simple matter of family rights.
I'm not so sure now. Though the judge in the case ruled that the biological father, a farmer of limited means and education, was fit to serve as a parent for the girl, my thinking has evolved as I've read more about the case. The 5-year-old has obviously bonded with the foster couple. Her half-brother has been adopted by them and the little girl is very close to him. What's more, it seems that the biological father and his legal team may have fabricated some letters to prove he was interested in the girl in the eyes of the court.
I think the girl would be better served staying where she's at -- a safe home where she's cared for disinterestedly. In Cuba, yes, she would be with her biological father, but in a home and with a family she really knows nothing about. Biology isn't everything.