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SRQ DAILY Nov 30, 2015

Monday Business Edition

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Monday Business Edition

"Maybe someday, we'll have a really smart president - maybe come January."

- Donald Trump, presidential candidate
 

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[Politics]  Thousands Gather For Trump Extravaganza
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Classical music played out of loudspeakers as a helicopter bearing the surname of its occupant touched down behind Robarts Arena on Saturday. With the pomp and circumstance of royalty, Donald Trump returned to Sarasota, not to accept a Statesman of the Year award from local Republicans but to ask for voters in his ongoing campaign for president. “This is a special place,” Trump said of Sarasota, the place where his Florida campaign team is headquartered.

With a crowd so large Trump had to give separate speeches to those on bleachers outside the area and those in more comfortable seating inside, the candidate let local children take helicopter rides while he took the stage. With the microphone, though, he delivered more sharp attacks than friendlier gestures. By the time the event was done, he had stated America’s military leadership needed to be replaced with people who “knew how to fight,” that President Barack Obama provided “weak leadership," that Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton “should be in jail.” But during this primary season visit to the Sunshine State, he directed some his harshest words toward Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, another contender for the Republican nomination. “I’m leading in Florida against a sitting senator,” Trump reminded the crowd. “Rubio doesn’t even go in to vote. He has the worst voting record in the Senate. He is supposed to be representing you.” He tossed barbs at former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush as well, a man he said is starting to act tough but needs to actually “be tough.”

Outside Robarts, a giant elephant had the name Trump written on its side, along with the campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.” At such a large and rowdy event, perhaps it was no surprise his supporters with circus roots would make the other grand entrance of the day. Theresa Hill, a Sarasotan with connections in the circus going back three generations, arranged the pachyderm’s arrival just the night before, less than 30 minutes after calling the Trump campaign to see if they were interested. She turned to Franklin Murray, a colleague from Central Florida, who said he respected Trump for self-funding his campaign. “He’s not interested in this job to cutting the best deals for himself,” Murray said. Sarasota circus personality Kay Rosaire, founder of Big Cat Habitat, shared the sentiment, and the group of circus animal lovers spoke of what they consider a long-lost United States, one where you could keep animals as you wished with no fear of animal rights protesters showing up at the door. That Trump came to town as protesters picketed a Petland down Fruitville Road made the message that much more poignant. 

But of course, Trump drew dissenters as well. A line of picketers lined Fruitville in front of Robarts to criticize the candidate himself. Andy Starostecki, who once served as scoutmaster to Trump Florida campaign chair Joe Gruters, said he disagreed with the “crude and xenophic attitude Trump seems to exhibit.” Joshua Wolff, a junior attending Pine View School, went a step further, comparing Trump’s rhetoric to fascism. The grandchild of a Mexican immigrant, he found the demonizing of the people of Mexico to be shameful and dangerous. “There is a preponderance of fear, and to see him rising in the polls and becoming popular demonstrates a growing crisis,” Wolff said. Inside the arena, one protester ended up being escorted out by security. 

As far as policy, Trump in his speech critiqued political action committees, citing a scandal involving a PAC backing opponent Ben Carson and saying his own campaign wouldn’t be involved with such a “scam.” He touted a view in favor of the Second Amendment, and said recent attacks in Paris wouldn’t have been so successful if such rights existed in France; “If you had a couple of guns in the room held by the good guys, you would have had a totally different story,” he said. And he doubled down on controversial statements about immigration, repeating a claim the Mexican government was sending criminals here so the United States would pay the cost to bring them to justice. “Mexico doesn’t treat us with respect,” he said. “It’s not going to be that way anymore.”

Trump visited briefly with supporters outside before once again flying off in his private helicopter. But after tapping Republican Party of Sarasota chairman Gruters as his Florida chair, it seems likely he will return again before the Florida presidential primary on March 15. And if he does become the Republican nominee, the general election is less than a year away, on Nov. 8. And while many are predicting the frontrunner will face greater obstacles the closer the time comes for actual votes, it’s clear voters by the thousands are anxious to gather and see first-hand a bit of this political circus. 

Photos by Evan Sigmund: (top) Donald Trump speaks at Robarts Arena; (above) An elephant from Central Florida advertises Trump's campaign message.

[Retail]  Florida Retailers Expect Boost

The Florida Retail Federation predicts a successful holiday season for Sunshine State stores this year. An official holiday shopping forecast released in mid-November predicts a 4.5-percent increase in sales for Florida retailers, which would outpace the 3.5 percent expected national increase. 

Graphic by Florida Retail Federation

[PINC]  Singing Scientists?

Scientists often have the reputation for being humorless, so Marc Abrahams has made it a mission to celebrate research that has intrinsic comic value on top of its scientific worth. The Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony, decided by an Improbable Research editorial board, is organized by Abrahams and held each year at Harvard, but you can hear Abrahams speak Dec. 10 at PINC Sarasota as a guest lecturer, where he will discuss the awards, and maybe even the science mini-operas he writes that premiere at the ceremony each year.

Some scientists are very concerned with their work being taken seriously. Why are you attracted to research that seems inherently funny?  I like being surprised—seeing something so unexpected that it makes me laugh, and then makes me think about it. 

What impact does laughing have on the attention people pay to research and how they regard the findings?  If you see something so funny that you’re laughing about it, you are paying attention to it. Most scientific reports—hey, most reports about anything other than science, too—get almost no attention from anyone. When people start paying attention to something, then maybe they will think about that thing, and maybe find out a little more about it, and then make their own decision about whether that thing is good or bad. 

Does one need a solid grounding in science or in opera to enjoy a science mini-opera?  Nope! You just have to have ears that work. And if you also have eyes that work, all the better! 

Learn more about PINC here

[Opening]  Munda Interiors Leases Downtown Space

Munda Interiors has recently leased a 2,300-square-foot retail space on Main Street in Sarasota. The transaction was handled by Linda Emery, an advisor with the downtown office of Sperry Van Ness Commercial Advisory Group. 

Sperry Van Ness Commercial Advisory Group

[Recognition]  Dean Named Athlete of Year

Pine View High School sophomore,Clark Dean, a member of Sarasota Crew who trains regularly at Nathan Benderson Park, was recognized for his athletic excellence and leadership both on and off the water with the USRowing 2015 Fan’s Choice Junior Athlete-of-the-Year award. He was honored Nov. 19 at USRowing’s Golden Oars dinner in New York City.  

Nathan Benderson Park

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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