“A study by the nonprofit Transportation for America in Washington, D.C., lists the most dangerous metropolitan areas for pedestrians, and the worst four just happen to be in the Sunshine State: Orlando, Tampa, Miami and Jacksonville. It may seem like an astonishing find, but it’s not actually all that surprising: 490 pedestrians were killed by cars in Florida last year, the most in any state, and South Florida consistently ranks as one of the worst pockets for hit-and-run fatalities. ..”
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1942986,00.html?cnn=yes#ixzz0YM7vXvRX

    If you live in Miami you know it just from getting the news…Young and old are run down and the driver will not even stop.  I forget if it was the day I left Miami or a day or two before but an old couple were both killed crossing a street.
    The report I think is saying that these cities and others are dangerous by design.  To many high speed cars and little safety given, in design, to walkers and cyclists.
     In Miami I am not sure that is the only reason.  Someone should do a study and I do not think it would be hard… I think there are two additional reasons…Drivers that are not here legal and do not want to get in trouble with the police…Drivers that are not from the United States and in their nation you want to not have any contact with the police or you be robbed and beat by them.  The other thing is that the police in Miami do not do traffic enforcement.  You never see them stop a driver.  The police in Miami need to get off their asses and start doing traffic enforcement.  
      I do not think people are going to stop taking vacations in FL because the police stopped them for speeding.  I think people may stop visiting Miami when they find out they stand a good chance of being killed walking across the street to get to the beach.  Not only that the driver that hits them will not even stop.

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  We got five boxes waiting to be picked up.  We should have a few more… I was just getting ready last night to print out shipping labels when I lost Internet service.  I waited two hours and still no Internet service…
  I went to bed and just woke up..  So I got to print about three shipping labels.
  I got to then take apart this computer and ship it.
  Tomorrow Russell and I will be in Fort Worth (TX).
  I am not sure if we will make it to the apartment office  before they close.  I can not get the key until I sign the lease. 
 
  So this is goodbye from Miami FL.

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  Ken and I went to the Miccosukee Indian casino.  We have been a number of times.  Why we go to it I never know.  We never win… never see or hear about anyone winning. 
  I lost $60.00 tonight.  If you come to Miami FL for vacation…Enjoy the weather, the beaches and everything here except, my advice, skip all of the casinos. 

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  Yahoo! Real Estate has the list of America’s Most Expensive Cities for 2009. 
Check out the article but here is the list starting with the most expensive;  New York, Los Angeles, White Plains (NY), San Francisco, Honolulu, Miami (FL), Chicago, Boston, Houston (TX) and Washington DC.
  Now that I look at the article I see it is Yahoo! got it from Forbes. 
  The list looks sort of correct to me but I just do not like some of the data they used to come up with the list. 
  I do know that Miami is a very expensive city but there are a lot of poor people that live here.  There are a lot of people that live here and do not make much money but they party all the time.
  It is a strange place. 
  I recommend Miami to come and visit and vacation …but I can not recommend it as a place to move to and try and live here.
  The price of homes is down here.  If you got the money you can get a real good deal on some homes.  Homes and condos that cost $250K or $300K you can get for $100K or less.  The problem is the association dues, taxes and insurance.  Good luck getting insurance.

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  As I write this it is 62 F (17 C) in Miami FL.  It is 9 AM.  That is COLD for Miami.  It is not cold for me…I am from Missouri.
  There are people here that will have on big coats and be talking about how cold it is today.

  I love the weather here in FL.  I like the weather, the beaches and everything about Florida except for the people.  I do not like getting phone calls in Spanish.  I do not like having people come to my door that do not speak English.  I do not like going in a store and having problems ordering because the people do not speak English.
  “These” people are turning me into a racist at my age.  I hate that.  I been fighting racism all my life.  I am the only white person that I know that was fired for fighting racism.  
  I think it is only Miami that is like this …but I am not sure…
  No matter how “cold” it gets here I never put on a coat.  People will say arn’t you cold?  I just say … No this is not cold…I am from Missouri.

  (I do not tell them that I do not even own a coat. SMILE)

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“As thousands of jobless Americans lose their weekly unemployment checks, Congress is still debating who should qualify for a benefits extension. The House passed a bill last month extending benefits by 13 weeks. But the proposal has languished in the Senate. CNMoney reports Sen. Max Baucus is pushing legislation that would lengthen benefits for the jobless nationwide by four weeks… “ full story..

  My grandson is one of those people that has had his unemployment money come to an end.  It is extra hard for him to find work because he does not speak Spanish.  He also does not have a car.  It is not as hard here in Miami to find a job without a car because bus and rail service is pretty good.  (Except from 0100 to 0500 hours.  Smile)

  I think they should keep the unemployment money going until the end of the year and then I think they should keep it going in areas with very high un-employment. 

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“BY ALFONSO CHARDY

achardy@MiamiHerald.com

The Florida Department of Transportation formally committed itself Friday to building the first segment of a high-speed rail line from Miami to Tampa — so long as the federal government awards the state the $2.53 billion it wants for the project.

Competition is intense, but transportation experts said Florida is well positioned — along with California and Illinois — to share the $8 billion the Obama administration is offering to develop a national high-speed rail network. Awards will be announced in December…”   Miami Herald

  I think a high-speed rail line would be great for Florida and for the United States.  I am 68  years old and I do not think I would live long enough to see it complete but I still think it would be great.
  It would create some good jobs here and that is an extra.
  It would be built in phases and the first would be Orlando to Fort Pierce, then Fort Pierce to West Palm Beach and then from West Palm Beach to Miami.  The route would run from Orlando International Airport to Miami International Airport. 
  Just think you could fly down to Orlando for all that Orlando stuff and then get on the high-speed rail and pop on down to Miami for all our stuff.  It would make this an even better place to visit for vacation.  I hope it gets built. 

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  I love it when the sun goes down.  This is a great time of the year in Miami. 
 
   I just took the photo above a few minutes ago.  That is a golf course with a lake.

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  I found two places in downtown Miami and both in the same building.  One is 712 sq ft with one bedroom and bathroom and is on the 16th floor.  The other one is on the 22nd floor.  Both rent for $585.00 a month and that includes; cable tv, electricity and water.
  I would be just a couple of blocks from everything.  I would be about five blocks from Bayside Park.  There is a mall there and boat rides and that is where meeting and protest are held all the time.  I could protest everyday something. Smile
  Now with only two for rent in downtown Miami the odds are I could not get one of them.
  I do have a ticket for the PowerBall tonight and the jackpot is $150 million.  If I won the jackpot I guess I could buy the entire building. 

Update:  I decided to look up on the Internet the building to see how many floors it had and here is the information I found.

SHORT TERM RENTAL: WHY
STAYING IN A HOTEL? IF HERE YOU PAY JUST $585 PER WK & $109/DAY
RENT INCLUDES FREE CELL, PARKING, INTERNET & NO TAXES. LARGE ONE
BEDROOM FLOOR PLAN LOFT STYLE CONDO WHERE FOUR PEOPLE CAN SLEEP. THIS
FANTASTIC UNIT HAS ITALIAN CABINETS & STAINLESS STEEL
APPLIANCES.BLDG AMENITIES INCLUDES LOUNGE POOL,PARTY ROOM, GYM, &
24 HRS CONCIERGE & SECURITY. JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE
METROMOVER, 1 BLOCK AWAY FROM BAYSIDE,& CLOSE TO MIAMI AIRPORT.
PERFECT FOR EXECUTIVES & VACATIONERS. 

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  I will be moving in six months.  I could move sooner if I find the right place.  What is a very odd feeling …is that I can live anyplace in the United States…I am 68 years old and free to move anyplace and live anyplace.
  I do like FL.  I love the weather and the beaches.
  I am looking at places to rent.  Today I was looking, using Realtor.Com and I found a place with 400 sq ft.  It is in Miami Beach, Fl and it rents for $650.00 a month.  (I know $650.00 is a LOT of money for 400 sq ft.)  All utilities are included.  How much electric power could you use in 400 sq feet?  Smile
  Just think it is in Miami Beach and you can fish in your own backyard.

 The lowest priced rental of the 37 listed was one for $450.00 with 400 sq feet but it has been listed for two months so I think they just have a number of rental units in the building and they just leave that same one up.
  One nice thing about Miami Beach they are soon going to have free WiFi for the entire city.  
  Think of all the photos I could take for ShowMeBlog and it is just a short distance to Haulover Beach. I been in Miami for over five years and have not made it to Haulover Beach and if I got a place in Miami Beach I could walk to Haulover Beach everyday.

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  What a great idea.  Today is Museum Day and you and a friend can enjoy free general admission to hundreds of museums and cultural venues across the United States.
   I wish I had found about this sooner.  I checked and there are about six or seven events just in Miami.  The Miami Zoo is one place taking part in this event.  I think the normal price to get in the zoo is about $15.00 so you could save about $30.00 just at the Miami Zoo today.
   This is a nation wide event check it out:  Museum Day

  Want to thank Dick Williams for bring this event to my attention.

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  I love Chinese food.  Russell called in an order at China Kit and I walked over and picked up the food.  It came to $20.29 and Russell and I are both full and we got some left over.
  Russell likes Crab Rangoon and we always get some to go with our order.

  China Kit is just a small place but the food is good.  They are located at 13911 SW 66 Street, Miami, FL 33183. 

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  I have not been to the Miami Metro Zoo.  I was thinking about going tomorrow.  The weather has been nice the last few days.  If you buy a ticket online to get in the cost is $15.95 plus tax.  I think I could get a $1.00 off because I am an old guy.
  I see they have some zoo memberships for not very much money.  They have a Dual Membership for $54.00 and three options.  I would take option 2 and that is that I could get in free all year and bring one unnamed adult and they could get in free plus we would get discounts at the zoo for food and stuff like that… Sounds like a good deal.  The question is would I go three or more times per year to the zoo.
  I am thinking that I should wait until I get my SS money and then buy a membership.
  Or do you think I should just go tomorrow and then see how I like it and then I could buy the membership later?  
  I can not remember the last time I was at a zoo.  I know it was Kansas City (MO) but it was a very long time ago.
  Will I make it to the zoo tomorrow?   If I go I will take a photos and make some videos.

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  My legs hurt from that long walk.  Russell says he has had to walk it before due to missing the last bus.  I am not sure what it would cost to have a cab take you nine miles.  
  I looked on the Internet and for LA it looks like the cost would be about $18.10 for a nine mile trip.  I did not add in time delays because there was little to no traffic at that time of the night.  It would have been worth $18.01 to get home the other night.  I am not sure what the cab rates are in Miami. 
  I found an interesting web site:  TaxiFareFinder
 

“Are you visiting a new city? Planning a night out in town? How much will the taxi cost? What are the taxi rates?

Get your Taxi Fare Estimates before you leave, so you can plan and travel with confidence!

Taxi Fare Finder.com calculates how much your cab fare may cost in your city. Just type in the addresses and go! …”

  Pretty neat site.  It says that I walked 7.8 miles and that it would take 17 minutes by cab and the cost would be $2.50 for initial fare, $22.09 for metered fare, $1.00 fuel surcharge and a 15% tip would bring it all to $29.28 for the trip.
  I see they also have information about each city and flat rate trips etc. That will be something a person visiting Miami should check.

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  Two friends of mine, brothers, are on vacation in FL.  I worked with them at a hospital in Kansas City for years.  They called me and I met them at Bayside park.
  We got something to eat and then we sat out by the ocean and talked about the old days for five hours.  Then I looked at the time and it was 0100 hours. 
  I was thinking that the MetroRail ran until 0130 hours.  I was wrong it must be 0100.  So I had to wait for a bus that just goes from MetroRail station to MetroRail station.
  I took the bus to Dadeland South.  I was thinking that the 88 bus would be running .. maybe only one time an hour…Well it was not running no buses were running… Buses do not run between 0100 and 0500 hours.
 

I decided to walk home.  I think it was about 0230 hours… I got home at 0630 hours.  It was a nine mile walk.
I hope I can get some sleep today.  I did not take my medication last night… I do not think missing one time is going to be a problem.
  I am tried.
  BUT…now you guys can not talk about me not getting out …. I may not get out often.. But when I do… I do it up big time.
  Not bad… nine mile walk in the middle of the night by a 68 year old man.  I may see if the Army wants me. 

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  We live on a busy street right on the corner.  About two times a month I hear a bang or a crash and look outside and there is a accident at the corner.

  
  That just happened 09/13/2009 at 0845.  I am up waiting to wake my son at 0900 which will not be easy.  He is hard to get up.  He has to get up extra early today.  He is trying to save a dog.  There is a cute and very smart dog at work and security is going to call animal control to take it away.  Here in Miami they keep them two days and then they kill them.  They kill 400 a week!  (That is the information someone told me.  I do not know if it is correct or not. I hope not.)
  My son is going to work early and try and get the dog in a cage and then he is taking it to an animal rescue place.  He is going to pay them $100.00 a month to try and find someone to take the dog. 
  It is not going to be easy to get the dog in the cage.  My son cooked steak last night for the dog.  If my son can not get the dog to the animal rescue place it is going to end up dead in about three days.

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  We have had three guys here working on the condos.  They are fixing patios fences and putting up some wood above and below windows for some reason.  None of them speak one word of English.  
  It is taking them forever to get the work done…I suspect they are not the problem they got a boss that comes around (No, he does not speak English) and I think he is directing them to do things and has them running around from one place in the condo to the other.  They have worked three days on our little fence and it is not done yet.
  Well they start about 0900 hours and they are working right outside my son’s bedroom.  The bring a radio and tune to Radio Havana Cuba or something…Not sure what it is ..but it is not in English… My son works the PM shift and stays up until 0400  hours.  When I worked the PM shift I would go to be at 0200 hours.  Well they been waking him up with their pounding and the pounding of Latin music.
  My son had someone at work write a sign to put on his patio door in Spanish.

  Now I would not truth anyone to write a sign in Spanish.  Smile
Hell, that sign could say anything …It could say…Kick me or please play the radio loud I love Latin music.  Smile

Continue reading »

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  The Miami Herald has extracts and links to many South Florida Blogs.  If you do not use that direct link you have to look sort of hard to find the blogs but they are there.  Pretty good for people wanting to know what is going on here or for people thinking of moving here or taking a vacation here in the South Florida area.
   Yes ShowMeBlog is there.  You can do a search for it.  It is an RSS feed so you see the first 35 words or so. 
    I wish it was a bit easier to find the blogs.  I am not sure how many people are reading the blogs at The Miami Herald.  I do not see any traffic showing up from their site.  I do not think anyone is rating or commenting on my blog at their site.
     Their own staff blogs are at the top and turn up great and I have no problem with that…That is the way it should be.  They are staff and excellent writers.
      With time The Miami Herald may find a better way to showcase some of the local blogs.  I am sure there is some fear on their part.  You never know what is going to be said in a blog that is not under your control. 
       CNN will spot light and direct to about six blogs under all the major news stories.  I wonder how they handle it.  I know CNN has linked to my blog in the past.  They must have someone on staff do a search and then pick the six blogs.  I could do that job.  Smile

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  We have a tropical depression forming in the Gulf of Mexico and heading towards the Alabama and Florida state line.  Sounds like it will miss me here in Miami this time.  But there are three other storms out there and they may head this direction.
  If you are wondering if we are ready for a storm hitting…the answer is no…We have not been ready since we got here…We have no one to blame but our self…I am a big believe in being ready for everything…I am just so short of money all the time..I never have the money to get ready.
  After the bad storm season we had back a few years ago.. Florida is asking everyone that lives in FL to have a enough basic needs to last for two or three days without expecting the state to supply you with food, water and ice.  I agree that is very smart.  That way the state can take care of real emergencies and get things done faster and better.
   Last time we got hit… A lot of time and effort went into just getting food, water and ice to people.  There seemed to me to be a lot of political crap entering in the entire effort… Where some areas that were poor getting the supplies etc.  When you have to CYA (cover you ass) it just delays things and makes things not work as well.
   I just got a feeling that these storms are not going to be a problem for the United States…But you never know and one of these days…soon this area is going to get hard with a hurricane.  I hope I have a ham radio and to be truthful I hope I can afford to fly the hell out of here before it hits.  Smile

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