There has never been any doubt in my mind that Miami (which is not Miami Beach) is the most retarded city on the East Coast. It is a cesspool of corruption and indifference, rogue cops and wacky priests, and nothing that ever oozes out of that city surprises me. The financially challenged Performing Arts Center not only swallowed more than its share of bond money, but the politicians further cemented its doom by not erecting the final building: the parking garage! A new football stadium was shoved down the throats of the citizens only to be followed two weeks later with a report that--yes, indeed--the city was in the grip of financial collapse. Half of the new condos in downtown are empty.

But some things--while not a surprise--can sadden. Sabbath Rescue was set up ten years ago by Robbie Coy on his farm out by The Everglades. He is being evicted under a law that zones the land for farming, but--while you can have as many farm animals as needed--only eight dogs or less can be on the property (a sort of reverse Mr. Clucky problem). He currently has 130 dogs that were abused or abandoned and has rescued and placed more than 2500 dogs over the decade, housing and caring for them and allowing the older dogs to live out their lives there. By law, the mayor of Dade County, Carlos Alvarez, could simply sign a paper grandfathering the needed license, but instead the city has placed a $5,000 lein on his farm. There is a frenzied effort to save the organization, the farm, and the dogs but, my money is on the underlying cause of the eviction, especially after 10 years; the head of the county's Humane Society only supported an extension on Coy's eviction, not much else. There something rotten here, but that comes with the territory of Miami.