Downtown Orlando Blog

Waterfall Expert to Visit Library

Joyce Wiatroski — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:11:43 -0400

Second Saturday at the Downtown library

October 10, 10 a.m.

Calling all history buffs, armchair adventurers, and concerned environmentalists.

Don't miss this eye-catching presentation promoting preservation!

Go chasing waterfalls with Charles Motley from the Amazon Waterfalls Association. Hear how Motley is spearheading a project to build the world's best ecological trail with a volunteer program in Peru's Department of the Amazonas.

Motley will show photos and a DVD presentation to showcase these natural beauties. The trek path will pass by one waterfall three times as high as the Eiffel Tower and three world class waterfalls higher than the Empire State Building, as well as another fifteen waterfalls equally as high.

For more information visit www.andesslopeswaterfall.com.

This special event brought to you by the Friends of the Orange Country Library System, is free and everyone is invited.

Martinez at Downtown Library

Joyce Wiatroski — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 08:56:19 -0400

Saturday, September 26, 10 a.m.

Orlando Public Library, Library Central

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Senator Mel Martinez will share stories of his fascinating life as a politician, author, Cuban Immigrant, devout Christian and family man.

He will also discuss his inspiring book A Sense of Belonging: From Castro's Cuba to the U.S. Senate, One Man's Pursuit of the American Dream.

Hear how his childhood immigration as part of a humanitarian effort called Operation Peter Pan helped him become the first Cuban-American elected to the U.S. Senate.

Book sale and signing will follow the program.

This event is free and all are welcome.

Book Sale at OCLS

Joyce Wiatroski — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:57:38 -0400

Public Sale Dates:

Friday, September 18, 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.

Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.

Sunday, September 20, 1:30 p.m. — 4:30 p.m.

Preview Sale Date:

Thursday, September 17, 6 p.m — 8 p.m.

Friends of the Library Members only. New members welcome to join at the door.

Now's the time to stock up! Check out the great selection of fiction, non-fiction, text books, cookbooks, how-to books, books on tape, music CD's, videos, children and juvenile sections, too. Everything in the store is half price the already low used bookstore prices. There's something for everyone, so come on down and fill a box or a basket with educational and entertainment choices.

For more information: 407 835-7481 or visit www.oclsfriends.info

Mayor Dyer opposes Your Second Amendment Rights

Dave Ballentine — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:12:56 -0400

A number of Florida's mayors have joined "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" (MAIG) which was founded and is funded by activist anti-gun billionaire and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.Our mayor, Buddy Dyer is a prominent member from Florida.

Despite its very misleading name, this national group of anti-gun mayors has lobbied Congress against national reciprocity of state Right-to-Carry permits, against much-needed reform of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), for regulating gun shows out of existence, and for repealing the Tiahrt Amendment that protects the privacy rights of law-abiding gun owners and limits disclosure of sensitive firearm trace data to protect law enforcement personnel and protect lawful gun manufacturers from bogus lawsuits.

Bloomberg created "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" as a front group to lobby Congress to oppose important pro-gun reforms and support new federal gun control restrictions. And some mayors have joined or been duped into joining this anti-gun Bloomberg crusade. , Iit is critical that Orlando gun owners write and / or call Buddy dyer, demanding he resign from this anti-gun group. You can do your part by contacting your mayor's office today and urging your mayor to withdraw his or her MAIG membership. A number of mayors have already quit the anti-gun Bloomberg coalition and Buddy Dyer should be the next one to do so. Remember, when guns are outlawed, only the outlaws will still have guns.

Please call, e-mail and write your mayor today and ask him or her to support law-abiding gun owners by publicly disassociating with Michael Bloomberg and "Mayors Against Illegal Guns." Help your mayor make the right choice between protecting your Second Amendment rights or continuing to be associated with those who actively oppose and undermine your firearms freedom.

Second Saturday at OCLS

Joyce Wiatroski — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:20:02 -0400

Puerto Ricans in Central Florida 1940s to 1980s: A History

Saturday, September 12, 10 a.m. Orlando Public Library

Learn about a new exhibit on Puerto Rican history presented by the University of Central Florida. The exhibit brings together photographs and stories of more than 75 people to sketch a history of the Puerto Rican community in Central Florida from the 1940s to the 1980s.

Each panel outlines the major themes of Puerto Rican experience in Central Florida and the accompanying digital stories share personal experiences of those who lived here during this time frame.

This exhibit is funded by the Florida Humanities Council..

This special event, brought to you by the Friends of the Orange County Library System, is free and everyone is invited.

Zaslow to Speak at OCLS

Joyce Wiatroski — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:44:12 -0400

Don't miss this year's Evening with the Author presented by Bright House Networks.

September 11, 2009 at 7 p.m.

Orlando Public Library

Jeff Zaslow, Wall Street Journal columnist and bestselling coauthor of The Last Lecture and author of The Girls from Ames will speak at the Orlando Public Library.

Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, wine and a book sale and signing. Presented by Bright House Networks, this evening will brighten your outlook with its motivational and moving message.

Tickets are $50 each and all proceeds benefit the Orange County Library System. Purchase online, by phone at 407.835.7481 or in person at the library system’s Community Relations Office on the third floor of the Orlando Public Library.

Come out for an uplifting evening which will benefit both you and our valuable community resource, the Orlando Public Library.

"Southern Living" mentions "The Other Side of Orlando"

Dave Ballentine — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:57:16 -0400

The September Southern Living arrived in our mailbox, albeit a big wet in this Friday's rain that fell this afternoon. They gave Thornton Park and Downtown a page of cover on page FL 8 and a part of FL 10, and continued with some coverage of Winter Park on FL 10. Mentioned was my favorite BBQ hangout, Wildside, which many of you probably already know, is on the corner of Summerlin and Washington.

Wildside is the place to go when you are hungry and at the park or riding around just a block east of there inThornton Park. I recommend the Orange Blossom beer on draft and the "half rack of St; Louis Ribs". My 2nd favorite is their Taco Salad in a crunchy shell with a lot of pulled pork, cheese, sour cream in it. The baked beans and coleslaw make a good sides choice and if you really like calamari, I can recommend it too. Hamburger lovers cannot go wrong with the various choices offered there too.

We were just there for lunch today after spending time over at the Orlando and Florida Heart Day Rally at the Lake Eola band shell. They had quite a nice turnout there this morning, despite the heat and humidity.

Representative Alan Grayson made a surprise appearance and he really shocked me by stating to the audience that he opposes any cuts in Medicare compensation to doctors for treatments in their offices. Beginning January 1, 2010, CMS Medicare will be curtailing compensation to Cardiologists by as much as 30 percent, for many diagnostics and treatments they perform in their Cardiology centers. This could very well cause many to greatly cut services they perform now, cut staff, do without a lot of tests and forget about purchasing new equipment and hiring new doctors to join their practices here. Patients may end up forced to be put on waiting lists to go to hospitals at higher costs for tests and procedures currently done in office today. We all need to be writing to our representatives, senators and to the Secretary of Health to voice our opposition to these Medicare cuts. Mailed letters are always better than Email.

Florida Heart Day Rally planned at Lake Eola

Dave Ballentine — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:30:49 -0400

Next Friday, August 21st, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Band Shell on the west end of Lake Eola, there will be a special gathering of Orlando Cardiologists and anyone interested in learning more about the very serious impact a National Health Insurance system could have upon them self and their loved ones to meet and be more informed about the potential impact on your heart health care should the President's proposed government health care become signed into law. More details as they are known.

It is my understanding that Orlando's cardiologists are all closing their offices on that day to attend and participate with their staff. Anyone who currently is a patient or knows a patient should plan upon attending and learn the facts. Transportation is available for those needing it by advanced notice.

To learn more, and to RSVP and /or learn about available transportation, go to:

http://www.orlandoheart.com/FloridaHeartDayRallyRSVP.htm

Bus transportation will be provided from off-site parking locations…call 407-650-1352 for information on remote parking locations.

Be respectful and polite, whatever your position on this very important issue is. Shouting, yelling, or chanting as well as sign waving only plays into the hands of those who want to portray those of us who are rightfully upset and want to ask questions and receive answers.
When you "act out" we all lose credibility and the media will focus on just that and not the message. This is far too important an issue to allow anyone to disrupt others by their boorishness.

A Friendly Plea to Dog Owners Everywhere

Dave Ballentine — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 08:52:22 -0400

My observation of most dog owners who file past our house daily is two fold: One: the dog is taking themfor a walk, not the other way around, with the dog being the dominant animal of the pair, pulling, lunging, and revealing the hapless owner's total lack of any control over the situation, and, Two: the owners obviously don't want any poo or pee on their lawns and/ or plants so they conveniently take them around the block to deposit same on someone else's lawns and / or plants.

I am somewhat happy to see owners equipped with plastic bags and "pooper scooper's" and using them, albeit they are in the vast minority. The thing though that irks me just almost as much as if they hadn't bent over to pick up the "Rudy Lumps" before leaving, is that if my garbage cart is out front as it is on Monday and Thursday, they will walk over to it and drop the bag of "chocolate surprises" into my cart and leave. Unfortunately, most times by this time, it had been emptied by the City, and now every time anyone goes to the cart till the next emptying, they get a nose full from the package at the bottom. If you are going to pick up after your pooch, please, will you just take it back to YOUR home and dispose of it yourself?

The "Grand Prize" though goes to owners of dogs who drop a log right in the middle of the public sidewalk and just walk off and leave it. I've seen this more than I care to remember. These people should have someone tackle them and rub their faces in it.

I equate dog owners leaving their smelly dog droppings in my garbage cart with the dolts that change their baby's diaper in a parking lot and drop the dirty diaper out on the ground and drive off because "they don't want the smell in their car".

Second Saturday at OCLS

Joyce Wiatroski — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 06:28:56 -0400

Second Saturdays roll around very quickly. The Friends of the Orange County Library have a treat in store this month with New York Times best selling author,Wendy Chant, stopping by to discuss her revolutionary lifestyle plan, Crack the Fat-Loss Code.

Lifestyle changes are what's necessary if we want to be vibrant, healthy, and filled with energy instead of the nation of overweight, sick folks we currently seem to be. Most of the debilitating, deadly diseases we see today are lifestyle related. Changing our eating and seating habits will go a long way toward making us healthier human beings.

Health care reform is headline news. But those headlines are really about sick-care reform. The reform we need as a nation, is a lifestyle change that gets us back to eating real food,and moving around more. We sit and eat too much. Slim, active people need much less medical intervention.

For many, having help to find a way to lose weight and learn more about how the body actually processes food are the first steps toward regaining slim bodies,clear minds and vibrant health. Here's an opportunity to learn the author's advice for releasing stored fat while boosting metabolism.

Losing weight and keeping it off is the first step to putting "more life in your years, and may very well put more years in your life." I wish I could offer attribution for that quote, it's been one of my favorite retorts when teased about my vegan lifestyle.

Fret not, Wendy Chant isn't advocating a raw food, vegan lifestyle. She's meeting most people where they are, offering a simple routine of "macro-patterning" which can be a good first step for many. Check it out!

Saturday, August 8, 10 a.m. Albertson Room