Where is the "City Beautiful"

January 7, 2007 Leave a comment

Miami Today reports on the possible conflict among the “Cities’ Beautiful”:

Orlando’s application to federally trademark longtime slogan The City Beautiful is in the initial stages of approval, leaving Coral Gables, which also uses the name, about a month to negotiate shared usage before a formal objection period begins.
Coral Gables, which has called itself The City Beautiful since the 1930s, also was seeking the trademark but applied almost two months after Orlando filed its application.
The cities, officials say, will work together for shared use of the name.
“We’re now negotiating a joint-use agreement so everybody wins,” said David Brown, Coral Gables city manager.
City attorney Elizabeth Hernandez said lodging an official objection is Plan B.
“The cities are working to get the benefit of the usage of the names,” she said in an e-mail.Ý”Unless we come to agreement, we will object to each other’s applications.ÝI know we are all working toward resolution of this matter.”Ý
Attorney David Rogero, handling the process for Coral Gables, said representatives of both cities will begin negotiations soon for concurrent use of the slogan.

Filed under Coral Gables

Spitzter’s Government Reforms: Dare Miami-Dade Commissioners Take Note

January 1, 2007 Leave a comment

A first step of the new governor of New York was to institute clear steps toward establishing honest government. Would it be that both state, county and local governments take the same interest in good, ethical and open government. One can only hope that Spitzer is successful and that other states learn from this challenge and be driven to change.

Spitzer enacted measures to limit political consideration and mandate ethical behavior by employees of the executive branch.They ban gifts from lobbyists; end personal use of state cars, computers and equipment; prohibit nepotismand ban ex-employees hired by the Spitzer administration from lobbying the executive branch for two years.

Other executive orders ban statewide officials _ including Spitzer _ from appearing in state-paid commercials _ stopping a practice expanded greatly under Republican Governor Pataki, which critics called free campaign ads.

Another measure established a state commission to make sure candidates for judicial appointments are qualified. Yet another order requires many public meetings to soon be broadcast.

Filed under Coral Gables, Florida, Government, Miami

On the Hanging

January 1, 2007 Leave a comment

There is no great solace from the comments of Deepak Chopra on The Huntington Post, as follows:

The sad truth is that America’s moral position in Iraq–and the world
at large– hangs by a thread, and the execution of Saddam made the
thread thinner than ever.

Filed under International

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