Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

Verizon is making a killing on this FiOS gimmick. The demand for FiOs is so overwhelming, that at the beginning of this year, the company moved a bunch of repair technicians away from fixing landline telephone service in order to install service for those new hungry FiOS customers. 

Because of that, some landline customers have had to wait up to a week for phone repair.  But that’s a problem. The State of Florida wants to make sure that your phone works if you have to call 911, so they require phone companies to repair service within 24 hours at least 95 percent of the time in any given area. 

Verizon knew they were not quite meeting that goal, so they went to the Public Service Commission in March to ask for an exemption.  Thankfully, the PSC said no, and in fact began a probe to see just how bad Verizon was performing.

Turns out that over the past 6 years, Verizon’s record declined steadily, and failed to meet the standards 262 times in 2007, compared with five times in 2001.  What was their excuse?

Verizon officials traveled to Tallahassee in April to tell regulators that the company was simply overwhelmed with demand for the FiOS service…

Attorney General Bill McCollum is not impressed, and asked the PSC to open a formal case, and begin piling on the fines.  At $25,000 per violation in 2007, the petition calls for over $6.5 million in fines.

Go Florida!

The traditional "Alien Visits Earth" story often has the intergalactic tourist inquiring about our Big Man On Campus:  "Take me to your leader!" the alien demands. 

Where would you start if that guy showed up here today?

When looking for leadership, it makes sense to look to elected officials - we literally chose these people to represent us.  And the biggest figurehead stateside is the President of the United States.  Unfortunately, George Bush has a job approval rating of about 22%, and hasn’t seen 50% for three years.  I’d say that’s a real lack of confidence in his leadership skills.  Good thing he is leaving soon.  As for his eventual replacement, it may only be slightly better. With the blessing from party "leaders," Presidential wannabees seem to be more concerned about making each other look bad, rather than offering solid ideas to lead the country forward.

Because it seems they are constantly campaigning, US Legislators, Governors, and State Legislators are focused on keeping the status quo, rather than taking any chances on pissing off the electorate.  In addition, back room deals are a-plenty, and many of these folks are simply making connections, and granting favors on your dime, in the hopes of parlaying it all into a great paying job in the private sector.

In Hillsborough County, to whom would you take the alien?  Jim Norman?  Brian Blair?  Pat Bean?  With exception of maybe Mark and Rose, your county commission would first want to know what the alien would be able to do for them personally.

You may have better luck with Tampa’s City Council, but you are just as likely to show up in the middle of some pissy foot-stomping.

Given the mixed results in politics, perhaps we should look for leaders in other areas.

What about the business world?  Well, corporate leaders make more headlines for outrageous salaries or getting caught in scandals rather than for any real leadership efforts.  I have to agree with Bill Lane when he says there are no Jack Welchs or Lee Iacoccas anymore.

Media?  They can’t even keep their own house straight.

Sports?  Bill Belichick is the latest star, and he is a cheater and a classless sore loser.

Embarrassing, isn’t it?

Perhaps I’m too cynical.  I’m sure there are several great examples of leadership right here in the bay area.  Who do you admire for putting community ahead of self?

In the meantime, should the curious alien land in my back yard, I’ll offer him an iced tea and a sandwich, make sure to keep the television off, and tell him my wife will be home shortly.

Opinion piece from Lakeland Local. Note that USF Lakeland has since been renamed USF Polytechnic. Chuck Welch takes issue with a recent Tampa Tribune editorial about USF Lakeland Polytechnic:

It seems the last couple of years have proved one fact to this new resident of Lakeland.

Tampa and Orlando media are afraid of Polk County.

To the Orlando Sentinel we’re often “rural Polk County” or “Orlando-area.”

To the Tampa Tribune we’re evidently a drain on their campus.

In [Sunday]’s Tribune is an unsigned editorial, USF Lakeland Campus Driven By Political, Development Ambitions

I’ll sum up the editorial for you, “Dear Lakeland, We got ours. Stay small. Wait for us to annex you.” It’s the same thing we hear from Orlando. Both cities look to Polk County as land for their growth.

The editorial starts with the statement: “One of the smartest things Gov. Charlie Crist did last year was veto funding for a regional campus of the University of South Florida in Lakeland.”

Now we well know that Crist was new to the job, and pulling the funding was a matter of misinformation. The campus money…unlike the commuter rail funds…was a matter of long public debate.

The Money:

As you read the editorial, notice how the writer wants you to believe USF Lakeland is taking money out of the hands of USF Tampa.

“and weighed against the cost to USF’s aging campus in Tampa” “A new university in Lakeland shouldn’t be built at USF’s expense.”

The fact of the matter is that Polk County and Lakeland officials have pledged much of the money to the campus. Money matched by other funds. And none of the funds would or could go to USF Tampa. The Tribune’s lone reporter based in Polk County, Billy Townsend, recently wrote:

Only $15 million in state money is currently budgeted to begin construction of a single building at the proposed I-4 site. Polk County and the city of Lakeland have both pledged $5 million, which makes the campus eligible for an additional $10 million in state economic development funds.

The Land:

The Tribune editorial writer can’t determine if holding the campus off a year would keep or lose the donated land. That’s an important point to remember. The campus would be built on donated land.

“As much as anything, this campus is about helping a large landholder build a new community.” The implication is that the company thinks having a university close by would be a good thing. Guess what? It is. I am sure if I went to the Tribunes archives I could find all kinds of editorials arguing against USF Tampa getting donated land and grants.

What’s worse is the writer is confused about the land grant. On one hand they warn if the university doesn’t attract a certain number of students the land grant is revoked. The Tribune claims “USF Lakeland says it expects just 1,522 students by 2014-15,” but the USF
Lakeland Educational Plant Survey states: “Projected student headcount enrollment for the 2009-10 academic year will be 3,472 with 1,736 FTE and in 2014-15 headcount is projected to be 8,688 with 4,344 FTE.” (FTE = the number of Full Time students plus a percentage
of the part-time students)

Then the editorial writer counters with “However, it’s hard to believe the company will walk away if the deadline is not met, given the money it stands to make on the development.”

The corner of I-4 and the Polk Parkway is a perfect central for an university in as growth blooms along the freeway in Polk County. A company wants to give USF Lakeland the land. And Tampa thinks USF Lakeland should walk away. The Tribune opines that some other landowner would donate land. Does that make sense to you?

You’d get the impression that the editorial writer has an argument with the Williams Company. The Tribune editorial writer says, “Problem is, USF has said the Lakeland campus will not focus on research, but on extending the university’s reach to people who can’t make the drive to Tampa. So why build a research park?”

First, USF Lakeland faculty do perform research. Second, companies like to have research parks next to campuses.

Isn’t that a novel idea! A place for USF Lakeland students to intern and get good jobs. Right here in Polk County.

Of course, the Tribune has argued against USF Tampa having a research center located near the campus. Wait, no, they haven’t. In a
recent editorial they argued that USF Tampa should run next door neighbor Byrd Alzheimer Center “The Byrd center should become part of USF, where scientists are doing great work on Alzheimer’s research. It’s a natural fit.”

We’ve got ours. You get yours on your own.

The Buildings:

The Tribune editorial writer was also under the belief that money for USF Lakeland could be spent on improving infrastructure at USF Tampa, “money that will not be spent for upgrades at the Tampa campus’ less-than-new facilities.” USF Tampa started in 1956. I went to a university much older than that. They had buildings a lot older than 50 years. I can’t seem to remember that classes held in older buildings were inferior.

The Tribune counters with crowding, again in Tampa, “where professors face overcrowded classes and students sometimes have to sit on the floor.”

We have overcrowded classes because the Florida voter is more concerned with saving pennies in taxes than funding salaries for more teachers.

Admission Standards:

The writer claims that USF Lakeland admissions standards will be lower. The fact is USF Lakeland would be able to set their own standards. But what if they do allow more students to attend?

“Especially since the admissions standard for the campus will be lower than in Tampa, which means a USF Lakeland degree will hold less standing.” the writer claims.

Under that logic an USF Tampa degree holds less standing than those from hundreds of universities in the US. How elitist. When you decide which Media General editorial writers to keep, do you decide based on their alma mater?

Finally:

In true editorial fashion the writer ends with a bevy of unanswered questions. I thought I’d help out with a few answers.

• The manner in which USF Lakeland is being built isn’t good public policy.

– You mean it isn’t good for Tampa Tribune public policy.

• It is, however, good for The Williams Co. and the ambitions of a handful of Polk legislators.

– And quite a few people I call my neighbors.

• When balancing funding choices in this difficult year, Gov. Crist should call a time-out on USF’s ambitions for a campus in Polk. Instead, the governor should ask the state board to come back within a year with a plan that makes sense for the state, including the possibility of a
12th university.

– Why not move all of USF Tampa here to where the population growth is projected. I am sure Tampa could use the land for another freeway.

Senator Bob Graham was making the rounds recently, pushing his newly formed Center for Public Service, created partially to bring civics education back to public schools.  Which is sort of funny, because back in 1953, educational philosopher Robert Maynard Hutchins said that is the whole point: 

"The object of the educational system, taken as a whole, is not to produce hands for industry or to teach the young how to make a living. It is to produce responsible citizens."

To improve the performance of schools in the USA, No Child Left Behind went into effect in 2002. The Center for Education Policy says that since that mandated emphasis on reading and math, many schools have cut back on other classes.  That has led to some folks crying that your kids need more physical education, more art education, more music education and band practice, and that current science standards are not enough.  And that’s not all.

Eighty-eight percent of voters say they believe that schools can and should incorporate 21st century skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving skills, computer and technology skills, and communication and self-direction skills into their curriculum.  Some schools now offer career academies, and career training.  

Don’t forget about sex education.  And driver’s education.  And home economics.  Or foreign languages. 

Not everyone is happy with the basics, either. Some people say today’s students need more core math skills, while others want them to Just Read, Florida. 

So with all that learnin’ to do, your children will have to stay in school all day long or all year long or both.  Florida has added Pre-K classes, but it’s not good enough for some people.  Still others say we need more relevant and rigorous courses for all students.

But along with all of that pushing and pulling of students in different educational directions, school teachers and administrators still have so much more to do.  First the schools have to make sure there is a way to get the kids to school, and feed them healthy food.  Then they must make sure kids pull up their pants, keep an eye out for suicide prevention, perform random steroid testing on the athletes, may soon have to enforce an anti-bullying law winding through the legislature, and hundreds of other non-educational pursuits that have been (or are being) forced onto the school system.

Meanwhile, kids are really learning less and less.  They have no clue what’s going on with current events.  And Mom and Dad are so busy looking for ways to lower their taxes, they can’t help with the parenting, and they can’t even afford lottery tickets anymore to help with the costs.

I don’t know if forcing all that stuff into classrooms will help produce better citizens.  But without question, there sure is a need for some common sense in the educational system.

The Grapefruit Gal and I were fortunate to attend the Rays’ home opener against the Mariners last week from field-level seats, and as announced back in February, recent Bucs retiree Mike Alstott threw out the first pitch. Curiously, he was joined by an unannounced guest: Governor Charlie Crist, who also threw out the first pitch at last year’s home opener.

Certainly I’m not arguing the Gov was stealing the spotlight from one of Tampa Bay’s most popular athletes, especially being one of St. Pete’s native sons, but I noticed a peculiarity in the Rays’ treatment of their two guests that really stood out.

The Rays traditionally supply the honored first-pitch guest with a customized uniform featuring their name and some kind of relevant number. For Alstott, that meant his instantly-recognizable #40. Rays slugger Jonny Gomes caught for Alstott, and honored the tough-nosed running back by wearing an Alstott Bucs jersey. Yet the Rays skimped on Alstott’s jersey, giving him a cheap “replica” Rays shirt instead of the more expensive “authentic” ones like the players on the field wear. Note the lack of a ray patch on his sleeve and the cheap replica-style letters and numbers on the back.

Meanwhile, check out the jersey the Rays supplied Governor Crist with. It’s a legitimate authentic one, complete with Ray patch and authentic nameplate and numbers.

(Note to the Gov: tucking a jersey into your jeans makes you look like a dork. Plus, it shows off your fish-themed belt, which is also dorky.)

So why did the Governor get to share the spotlight with the A-Train? Why did he get a nicer jersey? I’m sure it has nothing to do with Rays ownership depending on his support for their new waterfront stadium plans. And what’s with his number? 12? I can’t see any immediate significance to the number, unless it’s a clever early promotion for a ‘12 presidential run.

Then again, this picture from last year’s opening day shows Crist sporting a #12 jersey yet again. (And that hideous fish-belt.) So what is it?

(Check out my full Flickr stream from opening day here.)

Hey Floridians!  You aren’t gambling enough.  Your kids will be more stupider if you don’t buy some scratch-offs right now.  You should probably smoke more cigarettes, too.  Think of the kids!

As I’m sure you have heard, McCain won half of Florida’s Republican delegates, and Clinton won the Democratic straw poll. Also, you overwhelmingly voted to pass Amendment 1, choosing to grab a bit of cash now instead of just hoping there is some later.

It looks like about 40% of registered voters made their way to the polls yesterday, higher than any other primary election since 1988. In Hillsborough, at least 37% voted in the election, while Polk County set a record with 39% turnout. 40% of Pasco made it to the polling places, 41% of Pinellas County voters cast ballots, and Hernando County saw a 45% voter turnout.

So how does that compare to past elections? Steve Bousquet knows:

Strong turnout, but not a record

The highest turnout for a presidential preference primary in Florida was 58 percent in 1972, the year of the state’s first primary, and the first year 18-year-olds could vote. Richard Nixon would go on to be re-elected over George McGovern. Primary turnout in Florida has generally declined steadily since then, to a low of 19 percent in 2000 and 20 percent in 2004.

OK, so who is gonna’ mark a ballot next week (or mail in an absentee ballott, or perhaps early vote)?

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Besides the Presidential Primary, the property tax amendment (Amendment 1) will be on the table for your consideration as well as other referendums and local items depending on where you’re voting….