12/31/2001
Gov. Jeb says education hasn't really been cut. ("If that is a cut, I am living in a Kafka novel") But the $300 million the Legislature cut from the schools is just the start of a bad, bad educational funding crunch.
Question of the Day -- Whose novel is Jeb living in?
a/ Franz Kafka
b/ Joseph Heller
c/ Lewis Carroll
d/ Kurt Vonnegut
e/ Jackie Collins
Question of the Day -- Whose novel is Jeb living in?
a/ Franz Kafka
b/ Joseph Heller
c/ Lewis Carroll
d/ Kurt Vonnegut
e/ Jackie Collins
12/29/2001
How did I miss this? Citrus: Mayor banishes Satan from the town of Inglis, Fla.
As the Mayor of Inglis, duly elected by the citizens of this town, and appointed by God to this position of leadership, I proclaim victory over Satan -- Carolyn Risher, Mayor/ Sally McCranie, Town Clerk
It's on official city letterhead; he must obey.
As the Mayor of Inglis, duly elected by the citizens of this town, and appointed by God to this position of leadership, I proclaim victory over Satan -- Carolyn Risher, Mayor/ Sally McCranie, Town Clerk
It's on official city letterhead; he must obey.
12/27/2001
I was saddened to learn only this week of death of Cathie Katz. She was a remarkable nature writer from Melbourne Beach who starts out writing about no-see-ums, crab grass and cricket-frogs and somehow ends up with human nature, life, the universe and everything.
She exuded a love of life and enthusiam for the natural world to everyone she met and beamed when she shared any new discovery.
Her book, Nature a Day at Time, was published last year by Sierra Club Books. She was working on a second book, Beaches and Beyond when she died of cancer at 52 on Nov. 22.
She exuded a love of life and enthusiam for the natural world to everyone she met and beamed when she shared any new discovery.
Her book, Nature a Day at Time, was published last year by Sierra Club Books. She was working on a second book, Beaches and Beyond when she died of cancer at 52 on Nov. 22.
12/20/2001
12/19/2001
Union Products has long been the leading manufacturer of the classic Florida yard flamingo. My late buddy John Carter used to lament that this icon of Florida comes from Leominster, Mass.
But the folks at Union have altered their noble product. They have removed the name of the bird's venerable designer from its tailfeather. Don Featherstone designed the bird in 1957 and until recently his signature could be seen on every one. No more.
The Annals of Improbable Research and The Museum of Bad Art call for a consumer boycott of this degraded product.
Look for the Featherstone Label!
(and thank you, Blather for pointing this out to the world.
But the folks at Union have altered their noble product. They have removed the name of the bird's venerable designer from its tailfeather. Don Featherstone designed the bird in 1957 and until recently his signature could be seen on every one. No more.
The Annals of Improbable Research and The Museum of Bad Art call for a consumer boycott of this degraded product.
Look for the Featherstone Label!
(and thank you, Blather for pointing this out to the world.
12/18/2001
The Florida Museum of Governance and Political History? You gotta be kidding. No, it actually exists, at least on paper. Hope they had an eBay bid for the Palm Beach voting machines.
Another Disney-as-distopia work. Excerpt from Cory Doctorow's novel Down and Out in The Magic Kingdom. Read it before the lawyers close it down. From a co-blogger of my favorite blog boingboing: a directory of wonderful things.
12/17/2001
Nobody ever does follow-up. The fight over restoring the Kissimmee River was a statewide, even national issue. Now it's showing every sign of working and this the only mention I've seen in a major newspaper. ("Property rights" group opposing the project talks of disbanding.)
12/15/2001
A Daytona Beach museum director is forced out over an Afghanistan photo show and "liberal bias." An outrageous example of the way some have lately used top-down patriotism to suppress free speech and academic freedom.
Editorial and another column
Sentinel Story and editorial
Another columnist weighs in.
Other examples around the country
And still more examples around the country
Editorial and another column
Sentinel Story and editorial
Another columnist weighs in.
Other examples around the country
And still more examples around the country
12/11/2001
The need to make every shuttle flight "a first" has gone beyond parody but "the nation's first wartime space launch"? Testy copy editors rightly object.
A newly published lightning map confirms Florida's place as The Lightning State. Central Africa boasts more storms, but they can't touch us in shark-attacks.
12/10/2001
Shock! Horror! The claim by Gov. Bush that he has increased school spending is actually utterly bogus. In the real world, you need to factor inflation.
Remember the the guy who had the bright idea of sending out 25,000 postcards with an offer to assure delivery of your tax refund and estimate it for $9.95 to $17.95? And 100s of dupes fell for it? Well, he was caught and convicted. A fascinating look at the the scam and scamster at PalmBeachPost.com Small World Dept. -- he's brother of the "Mayflower Madam."
12/04/2001
Current situation: Trust us, we're the government.
12/03/2001
In a one-and-half party system, the dwinding number of columnists who still care about what's going on in Tallahassee are left coving intra-Republican fights. And the parties involved are scary.
