Friday The Thirteenth ~ First Mug Of The Day

My friend North Miami City Councilman Scott Galvin got an idea a couple of years ago. I know. Nobody expects city officials to think. He thought it would be nice if you could drive down the street and see American flags flying in front of the houses on patriotic holidays.

He decided to use his expense allowance for something other than weekend junkets and entertaining potential contributors to his next re-election campaign. He bought American flags with the money! Any resident who wanted one could have one for the asking.

That's me there, holding my imported-from-India Leica mug. My fiend Mukul Dube in Dehli came up with the idea for the mugs. He doesn't have a cushy government post with a huge expense account like Scott. He will sell you one though. $20.00 U.S. will get it all the way from Delhi to your door, mug and postage included! The little bit of profit he makes goes to help out poor children in Delhi. They can use the help! Mukul's email is uthappam@gmail.com and he'll accept your check.

The Campaign Button ~ From Twenty Years Ago

Monkette was poking around in my desk when she ran across a couple of theses campaign buttons. She wanted to know the back story about them.

Twenty years ago Mayor Neu talked me into running for council. So I ran. Then the mayor double crossed me and started backing somebody else. I did the same! I let my campaign falter in my effort to defeat the mayor and elect a young unknown woman candidate. She won. Vengeance is sweet.

I was married to Claudia Bailey at the time and she designed the button. Scott Galvin and I both lost that election. A few years later Scott ran again and won. I decided to not bother. I had enough influence through my board positions and from being on a first name basis with the local congressman, Bill Lehman. Just about every Sunday morning would find Bill and me and a few others having breakfast at the big round table at Jimmie's Place. A few times a month you would find me accompanying Bill around the community or attending some function or another. As long as I shot a few pictures I'd get paid. That's what it's all about, right? Being on the council only paid a token amount.

Now that the mayor and council gave themselves that humongous salary and benefits package I just might run in two years. Monkette decided that it's not too soon to start the campaign. We're both wearing buttons!

Those Not Running

(Just a reminder to the candidates that the photographs here in The Price of Silver are copyright (c) Al Kaplan and may not be reproduced in any form without the permission and consent of the copyright holder. You may link to them however.)

North Miami elections aren't run by party affiliation, no Democrats or Republicans, just residents. Monkette still found this odd, even after working as campaign manager of Kevin Burns' succesful mayoral campaign two years ago, because party affiliation was such a big factor in the recent presidential election.

Here we're out behind City Hall waiting for the meeting to start along with two of the counclimen who won four year terms two years ago. Councilman Michael Blynn is wearing a suit and tie, showing off his belly, and faces left in the photo. Councilman Scott Galvin, in a skin tight short sleeve knit shirt, shows off his physique while facing right. Monkette, as usual, sat on my shoulder surveying the scene. "This whole concept of right and left makes no sense" she whispered in my ear "...but I'd choose Scott on looks alone!" I reminded her that those guys weren't running in this election. "Damn! That's confusing!" she replied. Later, drinking coffee at Starbucks (the city has lousy coffee, and we both concur on that assesment!) we discussed the candidates
and agreeed that Frank Wolland was the best choice for Mayor and Bonnie Schwartzbaum the best choice for City Clerk. The council seat in our district won't be up for election for two more years but Monkette thinks that Michelle Garcia would make a great addition to the City Council. I had a bit of trouble explaining to her that she wasn't in our district but Monkette is supporting her anyway. Monkette wants to start a new political party, CIC! (That stands for Chicks In Charge!)

Flying The Stars And Stripes!

Councilman Scott Galvin got this great idea that our North Miami residents should try to make the city look more patriotic by getting everyone to fly the American flag on national holidays. He made a deal with a local flag company and got a "wholesale price" on a mess of 3x5 foot flags complete with aluminum poles and brackets. Anybody stopping by his office could pick up a free flag. He was hoping to see the streets lined with flags on the Fourth of July. It didn't happen. Oh, there were flags flying, but nowhere near what he'd hoped for.

I was driving down the street and saw this house, probably in foreclosure, all boarded up, and a huge pile of trash out in front. I stopped to check out the pile for treasures. The only thing I salvaged was that cute little toy monkey sitting on the shoulder of the dressmakers' form. Monkette was sitting on my front seat and she suggested that I get a photo of the little toy monkey showing her patriotism by holding up the American flag.

Next year I'm going to suggest to Scott that he should get a whole big bunch of little American flags. Maybe we can convince all the toy monkeys in town to go out in their front yards and wave the red, white, and blue.

Flying Old Glory with Pride

This is a season filled with flag flying. Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence day which is also called the Fourth of July. My friend North Miami City Councilman Scott Galvin decided that we should all have flags flying on July Fourth and he's come up with a plan. This is an email he just sent out:

North Miami residents....I hope you'll come get your flag!
Councilman Galvin's
'Grand Old Flag Giveaway'
June 14 - July 4
This is an historic year in American history. Thousands of our soldiers are fighting overseas. In November, we will continue the world's longest tradition of democracy by electing a new President.

In honor of our great country, I'm announcing my first-ever "Grand Old Flag Giveaway!"
Starting on Flag Day (June 14) and ending on Independence Day (July 4), I'm going to give away hundreds of 3' x 5' American flags to North Miami households. Everyone should fly Old Glory, and this is your chance to show your patriotism!

"Grand Old Flag Giveaway"Kick-Off Event

Saturday, June 14, 2008 10:00 am

Griffing Park "Bicentennial Fountain"
123 Street and West Dixie Highway

The "Grand Old Flag Giveaway"... Here's How it Works

Get Your Flag Kit! The kits being given include a pole, bracket, and a 3' x 5' USA flag (made in the US). This promotion is sponsored by Councilman Scott Galvin and Freedom Flag & Banner. Flag Kits will be available at North Miami City Hall, 776 NE 125 Street, at the Second Floor City Council Office. While supplies last, Flag Kits will be given away starting at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 14, 2008, and ending at 9:00 am on Friday, July 4, 2008.
Eligibility. Only North Miami residents are eligible to participate. When picking up your Flag Kit, a valid ID with home address must be presented (e.g. Driver's License, Utility Bill). Only one flag per household. Residents may not pick up a flag for their neighbors.

Don't forget to join North Miami's July 4th Celebration!

Independence Day By The Bay, Saluting Our Heroes. Location: FIU - Biscayne Campus, 3000 NE 151 Street Time: 6:00 PM FREE Admission. Gates open at 6pm. Fireworks at sundown. Bring your family to enjoy children's games, live entertainment and a spectacular fireworks show! Music, food & more!

The North Miami City Council Screws Up Big Time

Actually, this photo has nothing at all to do with the story. Todd posted the photo, and then I had this political rant to get off my chest. Councilman Scott Galvin and I founded the North Miami Historical Society a few years ago, and this is history in the making...LOL This is my email to Scott. Here goes:

Hi Scott,

I just got a phone call about paying my dues in the Historical Society. I said that I couldn't afford it because the self-centered North Miami City Council gave themselves a ten-fold raise, health insurance, a nice expense account, etc., etc. while refusing to increase board "salaries" from the ten bucks a meeting that we were paid way back in 1961. How that doesn't even cover the cost of gasoline for looking at the properties we have to vote on variances for. How on months when they decide to not have a meeting there's no pay at all.

Then there's the fact that it was recently decided to buy us all expensive memberships in professional organizations that cost as much or more than our annual pay, but the city won't pay for us to go to any of the seminars or the conventions. The memberships? All just for show. A total waste of money.

This is fun. It gets worse!

It's amazing how everybody just seems to make the connection with that huge water rate increase.

Yeah, I know. It's different pools of money, different budgets, but the "man in the street" doesn't see it that way. He just see the skyrocketing water bill. He reads about your ten fold salary increase. He hears about your new health and retirement package. Better than anything he has!

Some of them see the row of new shiny black SUV's parked in the council parking places out back, behind city hall, as they walk across the street from the municipal parking lot when going to meetings. It no doubt fills them with that warm fuzzy feeling just knowing that their elected officials are so well taken care of that they rush out and buy themselves those pretty new gas guzzling monsters. That's a great way to set an example of conservation! It's cool if the citizens can't afford to drive anyplace. The elected officials will make enough greenhouse gasses for them.

But let's distract the masses, set up showmobiles, have festivals along West Dixie Highway, and have live rock and reggae music next to city hall, the same sort of diversions the Romans used twenty centuries ago. Entertain the masses!

Cheers,

Al