9/29/2003
HotLiberty.com
Another Fla. blog heard from -- HotLiberty.com is a Libertarian themed blog with a very cool layout and a hot little Ms. Liberty. Out of W. Palm Beach. Definitely worth checking out.
Hiaasen on Hoeveler
Hiaasen's take on the Hoeveler removal is almost disappointingly evenhanded and hopeful, perhaps too hopeful, about what the new judge will do.
There are times when judges need to be leaders, times to forcefully articulate the difference between right and wrong. Hoeveler spoke for millions of Floridians by insisting that cities and farms must stop using precious public waters as their private latrines.
There are times when judges need to be leaders, times to forcefully articulate the difference between right and wrong. Hoeveler spoke for millions of Floridians by insisting that cities and farms must stop using precious public waters as their private latrines.
9/28/2003
Discourse.net
Another Florida-based blog heard from -- Discourse.net "On the fringes of the public sphere."
Law 'n' politics from Michael Froomkin of Univ. of Miami Law School. Been up about a week.
Law 'n' politics from Michael Froomkin of Univ. of Miami Law School. Been up about a week.
Another good blog has done gone down
Water war!
NY Times runs a good piece on the upcoming Florida water wars. (Look at it while it's still on-line for free.)
In it, Gov. Jeb does what he always does when he defends an unpopular policy choice. He pretends critics are stuck in the past and not willing to consider "bold ideas." (Remember the attempted Florida library closing, voucher and Medi-mal debates?) And he pretends that any attempt to analyze the proposal is an attempt to squelch debate. And I always thought you needed two sides to have a debate.
Both responses are automatic and can be made without defending the unpopular idea.
+ A thoughtful response by The Tallahassee Democrat (Marred only by the ending -- "pls run with mugshot of Lawson in top half and Argenziano in lower half of edit...mal." Somebody wasn't watching the Web site coding.)
+ Good column in the Sarasota Herald -Trib -- Reject statewide water agency
+ Old pro Bill Cotterell tells you what this Council of 100 is.
+ Ft. Myers News-Press: Water wars bad idea for Florida
+ Media roundup via audubonofflorida.org
+ The Council of 100 water report in pdf.
In it, Gov. Jeb does what he always does when he defends an unpopular policy choice. He pretends critics are stuck in the past and not willing to consider "bold ideas." (Remember the attempted Florida library closing, voucher and Medi-mal debates?) And he pretends that any attempt to analyze the proposal is an attempt to squelch debate. And I always thought you needed two sides to have a debate.
Both responses are automatic and can be made without defending the unpopular idea.
+ A thoughtful response by The Tallahassee Democrat (Marred only by the ending -- "pls run with mugshot of Lawson in top half and Argenziano in lower half of edit...mal." Somebody wasn't watching the Web site coding.)
+ Good column in the Sarasota Herald -Trib -- Reject statewide water agency
+ Old pro Bill Cotterell tells you what this Council of 100 is.
+ Ft. Myers News-Press: Water wars bad idea for Florida
+ Media roundup via audubonofflorida.org
+ The Council of 100 water report in pdf.
Dump Horne
The Palm Beach Post asks What does Horne do for public education?
Public schools using public money get micro-managed. Private schools using public money get a pass.
Public schools using public money get micro-managed. Private schools using public money get a pass.
State pension fund's financial geniuses strike again
Florida's pension fund has made some puzzling decisions.
Remember when it kept buying Enron stock even as the company was going under and lost more than $300 million? (Hiassen column from last year reprinted here.)
Now, it's investing in Edison Schools Inc. Edison went private last summer after its share price, which peaked at $37 a share, traded between 14 cents and $2.50 a share. (Herald version here.)
The St. Pete Times asks the obvious question -- Pardon the sarcasm, but was there no Enron stock left to buy?
The Edison buyout raises a host of uncomfortable policy questions for the state Board of Administration, which oversees the pension fund, and the irritation to retired public school teachers may be the least among them. Edison is largely failing as a for-profit alternative in the public school market, which means not only that any investment in its future carries considerable risk but that the buyout puts the state in the odd position of using teachers' pensions (nearly half the pension members are teachers) to prop up their adversary.
+ Josh Marshall comments:
So, you start a company to privatize education and take on the teachers unions. Your company fails miserably both in terms of the market and academic success. Then after you've hollowed the company out to cover your other bad debts friendly pols come along to bail you out with a couple hundred million from the teachers' (and other public employees') pension fund. I love symmetry.
+ Also see Reason: Hit & Run -- Crony Capitalism in the Classroom (Thanks, Tim)
Remember when it kept buying Enron stock even as the company was going under and lost more than $300 million? (Hiassen column from last year reprinted here.)
Now, it's investing in Edison Schools Inc. Edison went private last summer after its share price, which peaked at $37 a share, traded between 14 cents and $2.50 a share. (Herald version here.)
The St. Pete Times asks the obvious question -- Pardon the sarcasm, but was there no Enron stock left to buy?
The Edison buyout raises a host of uncomfortable policy questions for the state Board of Administration, which oversees the pension fund, and the irritation to retired public school teachers may be the least among them. Edison is largely failing as a for-profit alternative in the public school market, which means not only that any investment in its future carries considerable risk but that the buyout puts the state in the odd position of using teachers' pensions (nearly half the pension members are teachers) to prop up their adversary.
+ Josh Marshall comments:
So, you start a company to privatize education and take on the teachers unions. Your company fails miserably both in terms of the market and academic success. Then after you've hollowed the company out to cover your other bad debts friendly pols come along to bail you out with a couple hundred million from the teachers' (and other public employees') pension fund. I love symmetry.
+ Also see Reason: Hit & Run -- Crony Capitalism in the Classroom (Thanks, Tim)
9/26/2003
Hoeveler removal roundup (cont.)
A little more editorial reaction to Judge Hoeveler's removal from the Everglades case.
+ Sarasota Herald Tribune -- sad turn of events for the 81-year-old Hoeveler. And his removal is a setback for the Everglades and Florida. Hoeveler's replacement, Judge Federico Moreno, will need awhile to get up to speed. Big Sugar and its lawyers won't mind the delay.
+ I had missed Sun-Sentinel columnist Michael Mayo's piece on this yesterday -- Let me get this straight. It's OK for Big Sugar to rewrite the rule book on the Everglades cleanup midgame, using its money and influence in Tallahassee's corridors to get what it wants. But it's not OK for a revered federal judge who's been overseeing the process to blow his whistle and call horse spit when he sees it?
+ And me, of course.
+ Sarasota Herald Tribune -- sad turn of events for the 81-year-old Hoeveler. And his removal is a setback for the Everglades and Florida. Hoeveler's replacement, Judge Federico Moreno, will need awhile to get up to speed. Big Sugar and its lawyers won't mind the delay.
+ I had missed Sun-Sentinel columnist Michael Mayo's piece on this yesterday -- Let me get this straight. It's OK for Big Sugar to rewrite the rule book on the Everglades cleanup midgame, using its money and influence in Tallahassee's corridors to get what it wants. But it's not OK for a revered federal judge who's been overseeing the process to blow his whistle and call horse spit when he sees it?
+ And me, of course.
LIZARDS IN THE NEWS
9/25/2003
Voucher criminal probe
More Palm Beach Post coverage of the fraud-plagued voucher program. Now the state launches a criminal probe. Question: Have things finally gotten bad enough to reform the program? Remember, this is the Florida Legislature we're talking about.
Editorial roundup on 'Glades judge
Editorial Boards are divided on over Big Sugar's successful move to kick a respected jurist off the case. And there are some surprises.
+ The Herald always avoids criticism of Jeb Bush. So now that he is Big Sugar's New Best Friend will it also feel a need to cheer-on Everglades pollutors? Signs point to "yes."
+ The Sentinel loves Jeb, too, but will criticize his worst excesses. It is outraged. Big Sugar's success in judge-shopping is a big loss for the Everglades.
+ Ft Myers News-Press: Judge's removal a mistake/Reprimand all that's needed for talking out of turn.
+ Lakeland Ledger: Life for Big Sugar just became much sweeter. It has gotten rid of what it believed to be a sourpuss judge.
+ The Palm Beach Post chooses to neither approve or disapprove, but worries instead about the next step. The Everglades has lost its long-time guardian. As soon as possible, it needs another one who is just as vigilant.
+ The Sun-Sentinel takes the same tact as The Herald wringing its collective hands and owning that Hoeveler may have been right in what he said, but he was wrong to say it. Any suggestion of whether polluting the Everglades is a bad thing, or maybe even a good thing, is avoided.
+More robust is The Tampa Tribune's editorial, An Everglades Champion Is Dumped The judge simply stated the obvious - the legislation undermined his ruling. The matter was relevant to the public, since the legislation was being debated at the time.
+ The Herald always avoids criticism of Jeb Bush. So now that he is Big Sugar's New Best Friend will it also feel a need to cheer-on Everglades pollutors? Signs point to "yes."
+ The Sentinel loves Jeb, too, but will criticize his worst excesses. It is outraged. Big Sugar's success in judge-shopping is a big loss for the Everglades.
+ Ft Myers News-Press: Judge's removal a mistake/Reprimand all that's needed for talking out of turn.
+ Lakeland Ledger: Life for Big Sugar just became much sweeter. It has gotten rid of what it believed to be a sourpuss judge.
+ The Palm Beach Post chooses to neither approve or disapprove, but worries instead about the next step. The Everglades has lost its long-time guardian. As soon as possible, it needs another one who is just as vigilant.
+ The Sun-Sentinel takes the same tact as The Herald wringing its collective hands and owning that Hoeveler may have been right in what he said, but he was wrong to say it. Any suggestion of whether polluting the Everglades is a bad thing, or maybe even a good thing, is avoided.
+More robust is The Tampa Tribune's editorial, An Everglades Champion Is Dumped The judge simply stated the obvious - the legislation undermined his ruling. The matter was relevant to the public, since the legislation was being debated at the time.
9/24/2003
The voucher stories
The Post has collected its superb reporting on voucher mismanagement all on one page.
Big sugar wins again
Return with us to The FlaBlog Vault of Memory� and recall what papers said last summer about Big Sugar's plan to dump a respected judge from the Everglades case. Well, it worked. He's dumped. (Here's The Post's version.)
He sued his own mamma
Is it just me? or is refering to the hard-right, Clinton-obsesssed, conspiracy smelling, lawsuit-happy, attack machine Judicial Watch as "a watchdog group" giving it undeserved credibility?
+ As the leader of the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, Larry Klayman once sued his mother.
+ Conservative watchdog Larry Klayman launched his campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida Tuesday, saying he intends to be Hillary Clinton's "worst nightmare."
+ Conservative watchdog Larry Klayman launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday and immediately drew the fire of a fellow Republican opponent who called his candidacy "at best, bizarre."
+ As the leader of the conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, Larry Klayman once sued his mother.
+ Conservative watchdog Larry Klayman launched his campaign for a U.S. Senate seat in Florida Tuesday, saying he intends to be Hillary Clinton's "worst nightmare."
+ Conservative watchdog Larry Klayman launched his campaign for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday and immediately drew the fire of a fellow Republican opponent who called his candidacy "at best, bizarre."
Gary Robinson died hungry
The New Yorker posts the classic Trillin profile of Herald crime-writing legend Edna Buchanan.
(Bless you, Romenesko.)
(Bless you, Romenesko.)
9/23/2003
Block that metaphor!
Orlando Sentinel --
Politics may help Gov. Bush reel in bonanza of jobs.
But it's going to take a special session, and other stuff -- hey! let's have an abortion fight while we're at it! -- are guaranteed to be added.
But you don't "reel in" bonanzas any more than you hope to strike a trout.
Politics may help Gov. Bush reel in bonanza of jobs.
But it's going to take a special session, and other stuff -- hey! let's have an abortion fight while we're at it! -- are guaranteed to be added.
But you don't "reel in" bonanzas any more than you hope to strike a trout.
9/21/2003
Re-animaniacs
Ignoring students, as usual
Community colleges are being starved by the education governor yet the money to help is waiting to be appropriated.
Across community college campuses in Florida, 35,000 students have been turned away this fall in what can only be described as a modern educational disgrace.
Clearly, more classroom photo opportunties with the governor are needed right away.
Across community college campuses in Florida, 35,000 students have been turned away this fall in what can only be described as a modern educational disgrace.
Clearly, more classroom photo opportunties with the governor are needed right away.
Post digs up more on voucher program
So far, The Palm Beach Post pretty much has the corporate tax voucher story to itself. The latest installment is very interesting. It discloses how 97 percent of the vouchers go to organizations controlled by two men.
Meanwhile participation in the program drops off.
Bold prediction: The Senate will accept toothless "reforms" recommended by education secretary Jim Horne and refuse to look into the program further.
Meanwhile participation in the program drops off.
Bold prediction: The Senate will accept toothless "reforms" recommended by education secretary Jim Horne and refuse to look into the program further.
A different kind of place
9/20/2003
HOA Nazis strike again
Last week I wrote about a homeowners' association's war against a poor guy in Jupiter who just wanted to fly the flag. The mail, surprisingly enough, was only 3-2 in the guy's favor. A number of people said if you sign up for a HOA, you get whatever's coming to you.
But this was hardly an isolated case. There're mailbox battles out there, too, and a move to rein-in out-of-control home owners' associations.
But this was hardly an isolated case. There're mailbox battles out there, too, and a move to rein-in out-of-control home owners' associations.
9/19/2003
Pointing out the obvious
Ron Littlepage commits heresy in the tilts-so-far-right-it-falls-over Times-Union and points out that reports suggest Jeb Bush is not the education governor he makes himself out to be. (Florida Politics reads the Times-Union so normal people don't have to!)
9/18/2003
Boomlet
Where did all these kids come from?
Florida grew by 146,575 kids from 2000 to 2002. That's enough children to fill the Pinellas and Hernando county school systems, with kids to spare.
Florida grew by 146,575 kids from 2000 to 2002. That's enough children to fill the Pinellas and Hernando county school systems, with kids to spare.
Zooma-zooma
When you need to be at a lot of party fund-raisers, there's no way you can poke along in the air or drive a car. So the state is buying Jeb Bush a 6-seat, 5.3 million twin-engine jet. How could he posibly run for president if we don't?
9/17/2003
A plate too far
The Lakeland Ledger is amused that legislators and the governor have finally found a specialty tag they don't like. Heh, heh.
9/16/2003
Good news/ bad news
Let's talk about mixed feelings about a new campaign tactic.
It thanks lawmakers who stood up for the Bright Futures scholarship program. That's good.
But it's done to benefit powerful development interests. That's bad.
But it encourages legislators to stand up to the Johnnie Byrd's one-man rule of the House. That's good.
But in a way designed to disguise who's doing it and that's designed to circumvent campaign spending and disclosure laws. That's bad.
It helps kids in college. That's good.
It is ultimately designed to help land-rapists. That's bad.
It thanks lawmakers who stood up for the Bright Futures scholarship program. That's good.
But it's done to benefit powerful development interests. That's bad.
But it encourages legislators to stand up to the Johnnie Byrd's one-man rule of the House. That's good.
But in a way designed to disguise who's doing it and that's designed to circumvent campaign spending and disclosure laws. That's bad.
It helps kids in college. That's good.
It is ultimately designed to help land-rapists. That's bad.
9/15/2003
Not fade away
In the state's last -- on some would say ongoing -- fiscal crisis, nobody had more of a right o say "I told you so" than John McKay. Well, he's still around and plugging tax reform much to the consternation of the Jebbites and his other fellow Republicans.
9/14/2003
Dump Horne
The Palm Beach Post makes the argument.
The list of mistakes by Florida Education Commissioner Jim Horne keeps growing toward career-ending proportions. Incompetence and ideological blindness have dominated the list. The new entry is unethical behavior.
The list of mistakes by Florida Education Commissioner Jim Horne keeps growing toward career-ending proportions. Incompetence and ideological blindness have dominated the list. The new entry is unethical behavior.
9/13/2003
Manipulated palms
The old 1970s SX-70s really were wonderful cameras. They have heft and elegance. They feel substantial in your hand. I found a used one for about $20 last week and love it. Particularly the ability to manipulate the images while they're still developing. Here's a scene from The Loop.
More voucher program problems
The Palm Beach Post continues its remarkable series of stories on abuse in the state's vouchers-for-private-schools program. This time its about how days after a charter school was closed down for financial mismanagement, the school's operator started a private school that eventually received corporate tax-credit vouchers.
And who was doing its accounting? DuVal, Horne and Co. Horne, that name's familiar ... Oh, yes, he's Jeb's secretary of education and in charge of the vopucher program.
Horne said he did not have anything to do with the charter school side of the business, but documents show he and his partner, Stephen DuVal, called or appeared before the school district on behalf of the school.
School district documents also showed that Empowering Young Minds: bounced dozens of checks at its bank, incurring fees of $1,458; failed to properly pay federal payroll taxes, incurring penalties and interest of more than $21,000; put only 40 percent of its tax money into classroom instruction, while the county's non-charter public schools were spending 58 percent of their money in the classroom; failed to provide fingerprints for all of its teachers and hired teachers who were not certified to teach, both of which are required by law; and had on its board two directors who had been convicted of misdemeanor fraud charges for writing worthless checks, one of whom is now on the Beyond the Basics Academy board.
And who was doing its accounting? DuVal, Horne and Co. Horne, that name's familiar ... Oh, yes, he's Jeb's secretary of education and in charge of the vopucher program.
Horne said he did not have anything to do with the charter school side of the business, but documents show he and his partner, Stephen DuVal, called or appeared before the school district on behalf of the school.
School district documents also showed that Empowering Young Minds: bounced dozens of checks at its bank, incurring fees of $1,458; failed to properly pay federal payroll taxes, incurring penalties and interest of more than $21,000; put only 40 percent of its tax money into classroom instruction, while the county's non-charter public schools were spending 58 percent of their money in the classroom; failed to provide fingerprints for all of its teachers and hired teachers who were not certified to teach, both of which are required by law; and had on its board two directors who had been convicted of misdemeanor fraud charges for writing worthless checks, one of whom is now on the Beyond the Basics Academy board.
9/12/2003
Tag!
Wise-Guy Metro Columnist Frank Cerabino createsan all-purpose car-plate based spam mailing for the benefit of House Speaker Byrd.
Schools won't see lottery payoff
The deadline is up and a big Florida lottery prize goes unclaimed. You might be thinking: well, Florida schools will certainly be able to use that money. Wrong. it goes right back into the Florida Lottery budget. Ad executives won this drawing.
(The Ledger makes a similar point.)
(The Ledger makes a similar point.)
9/11/2003
No special session ... awww
Looks like there won't be a fall special session after all.
It is my opinion that none of the issues mentioned rise to the level of urgency necessary to call a special session during our regularly scheduled committee week -- Jim King.
King saw what was coming -- a fight over abortion laws, repeal of the class-size amendment, demands for voucher reform, some favors for special interests that are accomplished far easier under the cover of a busy regular session... this was going to be messy and unproductive for everyone except House Speaker Byrd who would milk it to promote his run for US Senate. Uh, uh. Bad for everyone but Byrd and nobody's in the mood to do him favors.
Meanwhile, go to The Vault of Memory� and look up last month's bold prediction.
It is my opinion that none of the issues mentioned rise to the level of urgency necessary to call a special session during our regularly scheduled committee week -- Jim King.
King saw what was coming -- a fight over abortion laws, repeal of the class-size amendment, demands for voucher reform, some favors for special interests that are accomplished far easier under the cover of a busy regular session... this was going to be messy and unproductive for everyone except House Speaker Byrd who would milk it to promote his run for US Senate. Uh, uh. Bad for everyone but Byrd and nobody's in the mood to do him favors.
Meanwhile, go to The Vault of Memory� and look up last month's bold prediction.
9/10/2003
More voucher series reaction
More reaction to the groundbreaking Palm Beach Post series on the misuse of state school voucher money. The Gainesville Sun editorializes that Florida legislators have a responsibility to provide some accounting of the successes and failures of voucher schools.
Two main points --
1) Without strong oversight, it's too easy for the wrong people to tap into the state treasury for their own benefit.
2) The immediate danger is that Bush and Horne will try to rush their modest reforms through the Legislature in a special session in October, and then block a more comprehensive review next spring.
(Via Fla. Politics)
Two main points --
1) Without strong oversight, it's too easy for the wrong people to tap into the state treasury for their own benefit.
2) The immediate danger is that Bush and Horne will try to rush their modest reforms through the Legislature in a special session in October, and then block a more comprehensive review next spring.
(Via Fla. Politics)
Picky baggage people
You mean you can't fly with a .357 Magnum handgun, a .44-caliber handgun, a bow and arrow, and two knives? What kind of country are we turning into?
The Tanners' carry-on luggage contained ammunition, two pocket knives and a can of pepper spray used by hunters to fight off bear attacks.
Because you never know what you might encounter during those long waits at Hatfield.
For Tanner, an avid hunter whose office walls are graced with game heads, this was pretty normal vacation packing. But times have changed just lately and telling the guys at the machine it's OK because you're the head of the goddamn prosecutor's office just doesn't cut the you the slack it used to.
"He didn't know he had to declare the weapons for checked bags that he wasn't carrying on the plane," (First Assistant State Attorney David) Smith said after meeting in private with Tanner, 64, and his wife while they were waiting to board a new flight. "Certainly, there were no handguns in his carry-on bags." Oh, then it must be OK.
The Tanners' carry-on luggage contained ammunition, two pocket knives and a can of pepper spray used by hunters to fight off bear attacks.
Because you never know what you might encounter during those long waits at Hatfield.
For Tanner, an avid hunter whose office walls are graced with game heads, this was pretty normal vacation packing. But times have changed just lately and telling the guys at the machine it's OK because you're the head of the goddamn prosecutor's office just doesn't cut the you the slack it used to.
"He didn't know he had to declare the weapons for checked bags that he wasn't carrying on the plane," (First Assistant State Attorney David) Smith said after meeting in private with Tanner, 64, and his wife while they were waiting to board a new flight. "Certainly, there were no handguns in his carry-on bags." Oh, then it must be OK.
9/07/2003
Another strange eBay-related car story
Around the country law enforcement agencies are finding ever more self-indulgent and silly ways to spend confiscated drug money.
Here in Volusia County it's the continuing saga of the Mayberry car.
Here in Volusia County it's the continuing saga of the Mayberry car.
The voucher guy
The Palm Beach continues its excellent series on the state Dept. of Ed's refusal to police the voucher program.
A feature -- Horne a man on a mission starts off as a profile but toward the end, under the sub-hed "Led push for vouchers," there's a nice rundown the secretary's recent mendacity.
Also is in Horne lobbied for 2 schools while senator is an account of how Horne's former accounting firm performed annual "independent" audits for two troubled charter schools while simultaneously lobbying on their behalf, a possible violation of state accounting regulations.
(Via the Republicans at Sayfie)
A feature -- Horne a man on a mission starts off as a profile but toward the end, under the sub-hed "Led push for vouchers," there's a nice rundown the secretary's recent mendacity.
Also is in Horne lobbied for 2 schools while senator is an account of how Horne's former accounting firm performed annual "independent" audits for two troubled charter schools while simultaneously lobbying on their behalf, a possible violation of state accounting regulations.
(Via the Republicans at Sayfie)
Nice try
Note to self: When being placed under arrest for DUI and drug possession flashing "an honorary deputy sheriff's badge" won't do as much good as one might think.
(Via Shattered Buddha)
(Via Shattered Buddha)
9/06/2003
Jeb vs. the Cabinet
First Jeb couldn't get along with the Senate. Now, says Lucy Morgan of the St. Pete Times, he is getting high-handed with the state Cabinet, notably Tom Gallagher.
I am no Gallagher fan, but he really does seem to be remarkably unappreciated for being A Stand-Up Guy and putting the party's interests ahead of his own in more than one election cycle.
She concludes -- A governor accustomed to getting his way could find it hard to get anything done if he doesn't learn to play well with others.
I am no Gallagher fan, but he really does seem to be remarkably unappreciated for being A Stand-Up Guy and putting the party's interests ahead of his own in more than one election cycle.
She concludes -- A governor accustomed to getting his way could find it hard to get anything done if he doesn't learn to play well with others.
9/05/2003
Rush Limbaugh is a big, fat mistake for ESPN
I've been meaning to add Workbench to the list of Select Florida Blogs� but the Jacksonville author's piece about why ESPN fumbled by hiring Rush Limbaugh has stirred me to action.
We're number 45! We're number 45!
The St. Pete Times points out again that despite all the blackboard photo ops by our education governor and members of the Legislature, we in Florida are bleeding our schools.
Fun Fact -- The reality is that Florida is cheap with education. As Griffiths noted, the state ranks 45th in per capita spending for public schools but 7th for prisons.
Fun Fact -- The reality is that Florida is cheap with education. As Griffiths noted, the state ranks 45th in per capita spending for public schools but 7th for prisons.
eBay fraud
An actual eBay fraud arrest. Sadly, the victim had to do most of her own investigative work. Fortunately, the scammer gave her his correct social security number. Apparently we are not talking about a master criminal here.
9/04/2003
Two quotes
What we have here is a failure to communicate
After hiring a politically connected rightwinger as counsel even though he's not even licensed to practice law in Florida, (see Tallahassee Dem editorial) ... after drawing flak for forcing DCF employees to undergo religious-right inspired "character training" at state expense ... after being criticized for trying to run a Republican political campaign while on the state payroll, Jerry Regier realizes there's a problem.
It's that he's not communicating his message effectively.
So the governor is lending him a "communications coach."
That should fix things!
(Via Fla. Politics.)
It's that he's not communicating his message effectively.
So the governor is lending him a "communications coach."
That should fix things!
(Via Fla. Politics.)
9/03/2003
My war against invasive species
9/02/2003
Hail and farewell!
Another good blog has done gone down. Timatollah sends a final transmission. He has a job. He has a life. He wants to leave 'em wanting more. It's been a great year and a season!
9/01/2003
Fla. Hometown Democracy
It's a busy, ultracheesy 90s-style Web design, but Florida Hometown Democracy has a Website up. This is the group promoting a constitutional amendment to restrict development by forcing local government to stick to the land-use plans. You change your land-use map to build a condo and the electorate has to approve the change. I think it will end up on the ballot.
Labor Day
The always worthwhile Florida Politics does a roundup of Labor Day editorials around the state and finds the opinion-page tradition of using the day for the concerns of working people and unions greatly diminished. No surprise there.
