01.27.20- The 5 Page Non-Story
The weekend brought an expose by Florida Today on the investments of Brevard Schools.At issue, the companies in the funds in the district’s portfolio.Some of the banks in the funds were guilty of previous offenses that drew fines from the government.
Some of that bank activity was criminal and I understand the consternation.What I don’t understand is why the sudden standard for the School District and nobody else.
The district, like many individuals, relies on an investment firm to handle their portfolio and bring the desired return.
I’d venture to say that most of us don’t look beyond the past and projected yields of our investments.I’d venture to say that Gannett’s 401K plan is handled largely the same way.
This was a 5 page story about the district doing what Brevard County and other boards and governments have done with the very same investment firm.
5 pages was overkill and reeks of a hit piece for lack of anything more constructive to report.
01.28.20- Athletes Are People, Too
There was a bit of controversy this week in how an Army General responded to the public reaction to the death of Kobe Bryant.The general said he’d rather spend his energy remembering a lost soldier from the same weekend.
I get it.We over celebrate professional athletes in America.In fact, it’s a worldwide phenomenon.We love our sports and those who play them at the highest levels.And because they mean so much to us, their deaths garner a lot of attention.
Yes, there is a good argument that our military and first responder professionals are more important and even more deserving of recognition.We sure don’t pay them that way.
But something we forget when it comes to these athletes is that, just like those military members and first responders, the athletes are people, too.They have families and problems and they’re human like the rest of us.
I’m not an NBA fan, but what got me about the loss of Kobe Bryant was his beautiful daughter, also lost, and his wife and kids who now go on without them.Just like everybody else.
01.29.20- Money for Nothing…and the Game’s on TV
Do our Brevard County governments have a spare $20 million?I don’t think so and neither do you.
Miami, on the other hand, apparently does.They have dumped $20 million into the NFL and security expenses to bring this year’s Super Bowl to Miami.
The NFL gets a $1m cash gift; the Dolphins are getting $4m for helping in the effort to bring the game to South Florida.They are using another million of tax dollars for team hotel expenses and well over a quarter of a million for a media party.All of it taxpayer dollars.
The Miami Super Bowl host committee says if they don’t do this another venue will.I say let ‘em.There is no excuse for tax funding the championship of the most wealthy sports entity in the world.
We build their stadiums; we beg them so come here and pay them to do it.
How stupid are we? With a nod to Dire Straits…very when it’s…
Money for Nothing and the game’s on TV!
01.20.20- Some Officials NOT Clueless!
Our first MICKnugget of the New Year was entitled “Killer Crosswalks- Clueless Officials.”I am happy to report that the headline is not universally true.
While it remains such for Satellite Beach and maybe other beachside jurisdictions, the City of Melbourne council members have seen the light- and not a yellow flashing one, either!
No the light Melbourne sees is that these traffic control devices that do no such thing are a hazard to life and limb and they want the nonsense stopped.
The problem, as Florida Today’s Rick Neale pointed out on Thursday’s show, is that the streets in questions and the traffic control thereon are under the control of FDOT.
FDOT, in installing these WALKING DEAD hazards, has in some fashion ben listening to local officials who wanted them.I hope they listen to the City of Melbourne who have recognized the error of their ways and are trying to reverse the bad implementation.
Admitting an error is a sign of leadership. Failing to do so is nothing short of cowardice.
01.21.20- Trump Voters Are Not Enemies!
Comics are some of the most astute observers of our society.The fact that they see humor in it and can relate that to us is an indicator of their talent.
Case in point: Dave Chappelle.
Now Chappelle is not a conservative by any means and his comedy is over the edge for many, but dog gone it, he’s insightful.He sees and explains things in his own unique style and we laugh.If we’re smart we also learn.
Chappelle has endorsed Andrew Yang in the Democratic Primary.I’m OK with that, it’s Chappelle’s choice.Me?I am and will be a Trump voter.
What’s Chappelle say to that?He says he understands it.And while we’ll see this differently, we’ll allow each other to see it in our own ways.Chappelle says we are not enemies.If only more people would grasp that.
We need to learn to laugh at ourselves, allow each other to be who we are and to recognize that differences of opinion are simply that…and that’s OK.