EARTH JURISPRUDENCE EVENTS

The Center for Earth Jurisprudence invites you to join us for two special events featuring Jennifer Greene, director of the Water Research Institute of Blue Hill, Maine (http://www.waterresearch.org). A few spaces are still available for you to experience the creation of a river and explore local springs. Please RSVP soon to participate!

Meandering, Saturday, January 25th: A community experience of creating a river, led by Jennifer Greene. Participants will enjoy a day of exploration and discovery, using clay to mold a riverbed. This is a creative, hands-on event. Refreshments will be provided throughout the day. General Public: $15. Students: $10. Register by e-mailing CEJ-info@barry.edu.

Springs Tour, Sunday, January 26th: Come along with Jennifer Greene and local author and conservationist Bill Belleville as they visit local springs and the Little Wekiva River. We will enjoy a beautiful day outdoors and learn more about springs ecosystems and their importance in Central Florida.  Snacks are included. All are invited to this FREE event. RSVP by e-mailing CEJ-info@barry.edu.

For further information call (321) 206-5788.     

Jane M. Goddard, Esq.

Associate Director

Center for Earth Jurisprudence

Barry University School of Law

6441 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32807

Phone: (321) 206-5788 - Fax: (321) 206-5662

jgoddard@barry.edu - www.EarthJuris.org - facebook.com/earthjuris  

CLEAN WATER RALLIES

Clean Water Rallies will be held in the following City locations.

Stuart at Stuart Memorial Park

11:00am on January 22, 2014

300 SE Ocean Blvd. & Georgia Ave

Stuart, Fl.34994

Contact; Marty Baum (Indian River Keeper) 772-631-5827

Vero Beach at The Willow School

1:00pm on January 22, 2014

950  43rd Ave

Vero Beach, Fl. 32960

Contact: Kristy Polackwich 772-538-9304

* YES FORT PIERCE IS BACK ON

Fort Pierce at Ft. Pierce City Marine

11:30am on January 22, 2014

1 Ave A

Fort Pierce, Fl. 34950

Contact: Katy Lewey 772-607-3281

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO FACEBOOK PAGE at: 

Floridians' Clean Water Declaration Campaign

PSL COUNCIL UPDATE

from Richard Silvestri

The PSL Council delayed vote on the feritlizer ord in order to get clarification on penalties for non-compliance and enforcement.  Not certain when it will be on the agenda again; stay tuned or let me know if you find out beforehand.

None of the 10 or so that I notified who came to speak in favor of the fertilizer ord. knew discussion on the Seven50 Plan would be on the agenda.  AC4PR was there in greater numbers than we, but not a huge number of them.  Comm. Martin fostered the agenda item and spoke against the plan first, saying it was against home rule.  At that point only three commissioners were in attendance, Faiella and Berger being the remainder.  With only three minutes to speak unprepared, it is hard to lodge good arguments.  The big reason all three gave for being against was that the big boys down south would overrule us and also that other counties and cities had turned it down with special weight given to the SLC decision.  So now the Seven50 plan appears to become extinct on "Me, too" reasoning.  Although the discussion started out with it appearing the plan was dead in PSL, after several of us spoke the commission delayed further action.  Once again, it is uncertain when it reappears and when for vote.   One thing is certain, with those of us speaking up, the AC4PR knows they again have opposition and is going to be stacking the meetings until the vote is done.  I say "again" because we knew we stood no chance in Republican Martin County and they had no opposition at all there. 

Are we going to just sit here and not put up a fight?  If we are, let me know and I will stop wasting my efforts with this issue.  If we fight, then we need people there, with facts, willing to speak and even those not willing to speak just to be there.  For instance, one of the opponents at the podium asked all against the plan to stand.  It was the entire audience except a half dozen of us.  Pitiful.  I don't know about the rest, but the last time I was that embarrassed was in a dream I had wherein I was walking naked on Times Square.

Richard C. Silvestri

ACTION NECESSARY: WE NEED YOU

from John Debus

WE NEED TO STOP THE TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership). They have started to try an "Fastrack" this through. We need to call our Representative, "As Soon As Possible", and tell them "NO FASTRACK for TPP", the people want to know the DETAILS. This Trade Agreement is an AMERICAN JOBS and RIGHTS KILLER.

Senator Bill Nelson; www.billnelson.senate.gov  561-514-0189 or 202-224-5274

Senator Marco Rubio;  www.rubio.senate.gov   407-254-2573 or 202-224-3041

Congressman Patrick Murphy; congressmanpatrick.murphy@mail.house.gov; 561-253-8433 or 202225-3026

Congressman Bill Posey; 321-632-1776 or 202225-3671

PLEASE CALL, E-MAIL or DO BOTH.

COMMITMENT TO CLEAN WATER RALLY: At 1 pm on January 22, 2014 at the Willow School at 950 43rd Ave., Vero Beach, 32960. Contact information: Kristy Polackwich, 772-538-9304 or kpolackwich@yahoo.com.  PLEASE COME OUT AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT. We will be collecting signatures for the  "FLORIDIANS' CLEAN WATER DECLARATION". We will be taking these to Tallahassee in February to demand ACTION. 

St. Lucie County PASSED the STRONG Fertilizer Ordinance, thanks to all the Organizations and people that have worked to make our Lagoon a top priority. WE WON, Thanks to all of you who e-mailed, called, came to the BOCC meeting and/or spoke at the meeting. Our next battles are the Cities of Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie and Stuart for the same/consistent fertilizer Ordinance. COME OUT AND SUPPORT YOUR RIVER, e-mail or call the Mayor and commissioners. * 7:00PM Monday January 13, 2014 Port St. Lucie Council meeting; 121 S.W. Port St. Lucie Blvd; Port St. Lucie, Fl. 34984

Mayor JoAnn Faiella;  mayor@cityofpsl.com  772-871-5159

Commissioner Linda Bartz;  district1@cityofpsl.com  772-871-5159

Commissioner Michelle Berger; district2@cityofpsl.com  772-871-5159

Commissioner Shannon Martin; district3@cityofpsl.com  772-871-5159

Commissioner Ron Bowen; district4@cityofpsl.com  772-871-5159

Please tell them that you SUPPORT the Strong Fertilizer Ordinance.

Thanks for all your support,

Take care,

John

A SHORT HISTORY OF FLORIDA BANKING

from Richard Silvestri

A September 19, 1993 Sun-Sentinel headline reads: 1926 Miami, The Blow that Broke the Boom. I had heard the stories from Dad how that storm had destroyed his and the fortune of thousands of others. The biggest reason given by historians-and Dad-was that people had wildly speculated in land in pyramid-scheme fashion. They concluded with how the 1926 Miami hurricane collapsed the whole Florida real estate market, because in a blink of the eye people became fearful and dumped their properties on the market while buyers headed back north. In Only Yesterday, written in the 1930s, Frederick Lewis Allen also explained the Florida real estate collapse citing that hurricane and the Prince Vladimir capsized by it and blocking the Port of Miami’s shipping channel, and a Florida East Coast Railway embargo, all of which were the final blows to Florida’s economy and major factor in creating the Great Depression. Allen’s book has been a reference for historians writing of The Great Depression. But they were wrong because he, the other historians and Dad did not know the true story locked away for over 50 years. Raymond Vickers, an attorney with a PhD in Economics, is an adjunct history professor at FSU. He wrote in 1994 Panic in Paradise, Florida’s Banking Crash of 1926. Vickers recounts the incredulous Florida banking laws which outlaw transparency of bank examiner findings of Florida banks. Not until a bank has failed can its records become public-but only after 50 years, thus explaining the copyright date of his book. He revealed outright theft of depositor’s money-money from Dad, my wife’s family, widows, children and the disabled dependent upon their savings, only to have it squandered by millionaire-crook-bankers masquerading as professional elites. The thievery connected then US Vice-President Dawes with Addison Mizner and George Merrick, developers of Boca Raton and Coral Gables, respectively, but who became bank officers all. They took depositor’s funds for their own personal use and/or investment in speculative real estate and other deals. Had they been honest, the history of Florida would be happier and a more prosperous state today would have resulted. Meanwhile those bankers lived and died rich; depositors lived and died poor. In 1994 Vickers was motivated to write because of the 1980’s Savings and Loan Fiasco. He wrote before the 2008 Wall Street Meltdown, but it is very easy to see the parallels. Some see my writings as demonization of the wealthy out of jealousy. Surely, I wouldn’t mind being wealthier. But as Vickers reminds, history repeats itself. With lessons from the past such as bankers using the deposits of many little people which amounts to lots of money for the bankers paying paltry returns for the use of same while using those depositors money to build their own wealth to astronomical heights. It was all abetted by political patronage so government officials would look away. Worse, the banking laws have not changed. I just summarized Vickers’s book for you. That is why I indict the oil industry wealth of the Koch Brothers who buy elections with propaganda. Vice President Dawes was also in the oil industry. It raises to question the Wall Street bankers and the bankers at TD Bank-excuse me, Toronto Dominion Bank and TD Ameritrade or rather Toronto Dominion Ameritrade for their paltry returns to depositors and excessive fees to common investors like you and me while they finance the oil industry to make even bigger profits such as with the Keystone XL Pipeline. Meanwhile consumers find it hard to get mortgages and small business people to get loans. Meanwhile the average people, the so-called 99 per cent, are left with a polluted earth and no money to seek social and earth justice. Am I jealous and paranoid? Is Professor Raymond Vickers? I highly recommend the reading of his book. Then give me your answer.

IN VIOLATION OF LAW

from Reid Friedson

Rick Scott, Ken Pruitt, and Ed Massey should be prosecuted for violating Florida's open government laws and other federal and state laws as documented in filings with the Florida Commission on Ethics and the Florida Human Relations Commission. Both commissions ignore the public trust. I recently learned the Florida Commission on Ethics dismissed all 30 claims before it on December 18, 2013. Corrupt.

SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM: LAST CALL AT THE OASIS

from Nancy Stiefel

January’s Social Justice Film is Last Call at the Oasis.  This documentary presents a powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century.  Water is the Earth's most valuable resource. Our cities are powered by it, agriculture and other industries depend on it, and all living things need it to survive. But instead of treating our water sources with care, we've allowed them to become polluted with toxic chemicals and agricultural and industrial waste. And it is very possible that in the near future, there won't be enough water to sustain life on the planet. 

Jennie Punter of the Toronto Globe and Mail says:  “There is nothing dry about Last Call at the Oasis, an engaging, informative, and fast-flowing documentary exploring the global water crisis.  While aimed at U.S. audiences, the film also includes stories from Australia, Asia, South America and, most interestingly, the Middle East, where a water shortage in one region is making allies of political foes.”

The public is invited to attend this 2011 documentary from Participant Media, the company responsible for An Inconvenient Truth, Food, Inc. and Waiting For “Superman.”   Pelican Island Audubon Society activists Richard and Juanita Baker will facilitate the discussion after the film which was featured at the 2012 Florida Audubon Society Conference.  The Fellowship’s Fair Trade Corner will be open one-half hour prior to the film.