Monday, May 6, 2024

Why Cuba Is Ripe for Corruption

 A fascinating recent story in The Miami Herald about corruption in Cuba got me thinking about stories I wrote more than two decades ago – and I thought: “Of course!”

It’s inevitable. I saw the same process in Romania in 2001 – and thought it would be repeated in Cuba, though I misjudged the specifics. For the full analysis, click HERE

Saturday, May 4, 2024

A Fabulous Novel about Miami

 Say Hello to My Little Friend may be the best novel ever written about Miami -- showing a lifestyle that rarely makes it into print. A work of genius. See more HERE.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Tom Petersen: A Special Public Servant

 For a half-century, he served Miami-Dade as VISTA volunteer, public defender, top administrator in the state attorney's office -- and finally judge. He was the only person I wrote two Tropic cover stories on. His quests continue to fascinate and trouble me. My memories of this extraordinary man are HERE.  

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Miami-Dade Recycling To Miss Deadline

Miami-Dade's plan to change its recycling won't meet a March 31 deadline. Full story at the right, or click HERE

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

What To Do with Plastic No Recycler Wants

My esteemed spouse, super-recycler Kathy Martin, found a company that would accept plastic that our local recycling facilities reject. The cost was hefty -- as was the uncertainty about what happens to the stuff. Full story available HERE 

Tuesday, November 22, 2022

FPL Finally Gets Smart About Burying Lines

 For decades, Florida Power & Light said burying lines was "not a silver bullet." Then it offered to underground if the community paid. Now, the worst areas are getting buried lines for essentially nothing. For full story see the page on left or click HERE.


Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Boulevard Market in New Yorker

 Mercy Supermarket, 6600 Biscayne Blvd., was the title subject of a poem by Campbell McGrath in The New Yorker. What would the owner think about this honor? I had to find out. 

Full post HERE