It is almost too easy to make fun of Xavier Suarez. Miami certainly has suffered through its share of troubling political leaders, but only Suarez managed to have reporters across America, from the Washington Post to the Los Angeles Times, wondering in print if our mayor had lost his mind…
Micky Arison, You’re Outta Here You’re being replaced by some real business pros — Miami-Dade’s county commissioners: As Jim Mullin correctly implies in “Down in Flames” (July 15), the reasons given by the Miami Business Forum for terminating the referendum drive to create an independent airport authority were never robust…
Shoegazer: Hey, at least it’s not emo. Sometimes The Bitch’s addiction to the music that has evolved into the more flatteringly termed “dreampop,” thrumming with the alien wail of guitar reverb and a Dagwood sandwich of effects, is soothed with the live music methadone known as Internet radio. No, it…
For the sixth time in recent years a promising effort to create an independent body to govern Miami International Airport has flamed out. A group of business leaders last month dropped its plans to place on the November ballot a referendum for an airport authority that would finally put an…
“We’ve got real plans, we’ve got a better sense of what’s happening to America. And we’ve got better hair.” — John Kerry, introducing running mate John Edwards at a Cleveland rally “You need to call Dennis, he’s freaking out!” sputters Charles Lenchner, thrusting his cell phone at Tim Carpenter. Lenchner’s…
New Questions That Won’t Die If I were investigating David Berkofsky’s death, here’s what I’d ask: Forrest Norman’s very well-researched article about the mysterious shooting death of U.S. Customs inspector David Berkofsky (“The Question That Won’t Die,” July 1) raised several questions of interest to me as an attorney. First,…
Given the rolling, glow stick-wielding dancers, the 100-plus-degree heat, the total indifference of the cops, and the concentrated presence of more than 5000 men in tank tops, Peacock Park in Coconut Grove could well have been the scene for mass chaos, even a riot — but The Bitch was disappointed…
Portrait of the Artist as an Old Hag That was my mother you smeared: I’m Neith Nevelson’s youngest daughter and I would like to comment on Forrest Norman’s story about her (“A Brush with Death,” June 24). My mother seemed very excited that someone was interested in interviewing her, and…
A few months ago The Bitch was waiting for the bus at the Omni station when she observed a man capturing flocks of pigeons in a wire-mesh trap set with bread-crumb bait, then dumping the bewildered, cooing birds into a bicycle basket seemingly made exactly for the job of avian…
Old Friend, New Story I know Neith, and this was Neith: Thanks to Forrest Norman for writing such a great article about the artist Neith Nevelson (“A Brush with Death,” June 24). Neith is a long-time friend. I represented her for many years during the Eighties and early Nineties at…
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in I-95’s snarl, gazing with envy as a television news helicopter whipped past overhead, take comfort in Dave Slater’s anger. Before he retired in 1996 as a traffic reporter for both WPLG-TV (Channel 10) and WIOD-AM (610), Slater spent nearly twenty years flying above…
Many faithful — okay, a few faithful readers of The Bitch have written to inquire about an earlier reference to throwing gang signs. Some have expressed a desire to get in on the bandanna-happy action. So here is some lowdown: Before the deployment of complex gang greetings may commence, one…
Sure Sign of a Wise Leader Knowing when to call it quits: Brett Sokol hits the nail on the head in his “Kulchur” column about Miami-Dade mayoral candidate Maurice Ferré (“Ego Without End,” June 17). It was a great piece about a has-been who doesn’t know when to stop. Obviously…
The amount of research and study that has been brought to the subject of “the eternal battle between good and evil” in the 21st Century is truly amazing. It seems to overflow from the pages of university dissertations, newspapers, popular psychology books, and comic books with such spellbinding regularity that…
Pipe Dreams vs. Harsh Reality Simply put, the Star of Miami ain’t gonna happen: If I were Jewish, I’d say, “Oy vey!” But I’m Italian so I’ll say, “Fuhgeddaboutit.” While Kirk Nielsen’s article “Aqua Nova” (June 10) regarding Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt’s plans for the Henry Flagler monument and…
“This is it. I am done.” — Maurice Ferré, announcing the end of his political career after decisively losing the Miami-Dade County mayoral race in September 1996 “I’m finished. I’m no longer a candidate for anything.” — Ferré, after losing the City of Miami mayoral race in November 2001 “Hey,…
In her abundant spare time, The Bitch has been thinking of ways to entertain herself while annoying others this summer, and has decided to adopt the following affectations: 1. Pretending to smoke Nat Sherman’s clove cigarettes. 2. Developing and deploying a complex personal gang sign. 3. Angrily demanding that people…
A Family in Perfect Harmony It’s the Lord’s work, and the Lord loves pedal steel guitars: I am the eldest daughter of the Lee family (the one next door to Mom) and am writing to say how much I enjoyed reading John Anderson’s story about steel guitars and the music…
As rip currents swept unsuspecting swimmers out to sea along the Miami Beach coast two weeks ago, a couple of lifeguards went mano a mano during a workout session gone awry. According to a tale told to the sun-averse Bitch by a retired leathery lifeguard, Vince Andreano, captain of the…
It’s hardly surprising that Micky Arison wrote out a $2000 check to President George W. Bush’s re-election campaign. After all, last year the Carnival Corporation CEO and Miami Heat owner cashed in $66.1 million of his cruise line’s stock, on top of receiving another $90 million in stock dividend payments…
Best Magic City Reunion Hell’s flames reignite passion: Kudos on the annual Best of Miami issue (May 13)! I always look forward to it with great anticipation. I inevitably find some cool restaurant, club, something new to check out … but ay dios mio! Who is that hottie with the…
A Grateful Mother, a Lost Son And a crime unsolved: Bill Jensen’s article about my late son RJ Lockwood (“Hardcore and Bleeding,” May 20) was great except for one thing: I didn’t see the sentence for people who want to help to contact me or law-enforcement authorities. I also didn’t…
