The Everglades are are home to a dying breed, and they're not on any official endangered species list. While many would claim that the 'Glades would be environmentally better off once the breed is gone, Keith Price, Don Onstad and Charlie Erwin might beg to differ. "We are the protectors of the Everglades," Charlie Erwin said in a Miami Herald article ("Iconic airboats won’t be part of Everglades culture for much longer").
The three men are among the last of the private airboaters operating in the Everglades National Park. Officials in the park are trying to phase out the airboats, allowing those remaining to be grandfathered in. Once those airboaters are gone, though, others will not be allowed to take their place, if officials have their way.
To read the entire article, click here.
Friday, December 27, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
Fiftieth Anniversary
Quick, what were you doing when you heard the news?
If you're asking What news?, you're probably under 55 years old. Today, November 22, is the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas.
Those of us old enough can attest that it had the same effect on us as the 9/11 attacks of 2001 had on us--and those born in the interim--all those years ago.
I was in school, getting ready to head home. As a "walker", I had to wait with the other walkers until the buses left with the bus kids. This was a yin/yang type situation: the bus kids got to leave a few minutes before the walkers, but the walkers usually managed to get home before the bus kids. We also got to do stuff for our respective teachers, such as running the day's roll to the office, clapping the dust off the erasers (way cool when you're 6 or 7 and the teacher has given you this responsibility).
The bus kids had were in the process of boarding their rides as I ran the roll to the office for my fifth grade teacher. Another walker, heading back to her classroom from the office, tears on her horrified face, sobbed, "The president's been shot." No way, I thought, unable to fathom such a horrible deed. I knew Lincoln had been assasinated almost a century earlier. But Kennedy? Who would do such a thing?
I had to announce myself several times to the office staff, as students were to physically hand the day's roll to one of the secretaries. Everyone in the office, secretaries, principal, teachers, were listening to a radio in stunned silence.
At home, minutes after leaving school, I found my mom with the TV on, something she rarely watched during the day. She had tears in her eyes and her voice was shaky as she told me the news.
The television stayed on the rest of the day. In a move that was unprecidented for the time, the networks broke from their daily schedules to bring updates on the assasination.
The remainder of the day went by in a numbing blur, the same numbing blur that most of us remember all too well during the days following the 9/11 attacks. Most of us were in shock, wanting this to be a horrible nightmare.
Since JFK's assasination, many things have changed--46 years worth of change. The only JFK sibling left alive is his sister Jean Ann Kennedy. (Note: Jean Ann Kennedy Smith is still alive now, four years after this was originally written.)
It is our duty, whether in memory of that fateful November day in 1963 or the September morning in 2001, to try to make this world a better place for all of us.
If not for the memory of the past, then do it for the future.
Note:This is an updated version of a blog I wrote on November 22, 2009. That version can be seen here.
If you're asking What news?, you're probably under 55 years old. Today, November 22, is the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Texas.
Those of us old enough can attest that it had the same effect on us as the 9/11 attacks of 2001 had on us--and those born in the interim--all those years ago.
I was in school, getting ready to head home. As a "walker", I had to wait with the other walkers until the buses left with the bus kids. This was a yin/yang type situation: the bus kids got to leave a few minutes before the walkers, but the walkers usually managed to get home before the bus kids. We also got to do stuff for our respective teachers, such as running the day's roll to the office, clapping the dust off the erasers (way cool when you're 6 or 7 and the teacher has given you this responsibility).
The bus kids had were in the process of boarding their rides as I ran the roll to the office for my fifth grade teacher. Another walker, heading back to her classroom from the office, tears on her horrified face, sobbed, "The president's been shot." No way, I thought, unable to fathom such a horrible deed. I knew Lincoln had been assasinated almost a century earlier. But Kennedy? Who would do such a thing?
I had to announce myself several times to the office staff, as students were to physically hand the day's roll to one of the secretaries. Everyone in the office, secretaries, principal, teachers, were listening to a radio in stunned silence.
At home, minutes after leaving school, I found my mom with the TV on, something she rarely watched during the day. She had tears in her eyes and her voice was shaky as she told me the news.
The television stayed on the rest of the day. In a move that was unprecidented for the time, the networks broke from their daily schedules to bring updates on the assasination.
The remainder of the day went by in a numbing blur, the same numbing blur that most of us remember all too well during the days following the 9/11 attacks. Most of us were in shock, wanting this to be a horrible nightmare.
Since JFK's assasination, many things have changed--46 years worth of change. The only JFK sibling left alive is his sister Jean Ann Kennedy. (Note: Jean Ann Kennedy Smith is still alive now, four years after this was originally written.)
It is our duty, whether in memory of that fateful November day in 1963 or the September morning in 2001, to try to make this world a better place for all of us.
If not for the memory of the past, then do it for the future.
Note:This is an updated version of a blog I wrote on November 22, 2009. That version can be seen here.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Va. state Sen. Creigh Deeds Stabbed, Police Suspect Dead Son
Virginia state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath)was stabbed multiple times in what police are investigating as "an attempted murder and suicide," the Washington Post reports. Sen. Deeds' son, Gus Deeds, 24, apparently stabbed the senator, then shot himself Tuesday morning.
Gus Deeds had undergone a psychiatric evaluation Monday, but had not been admitted to a hospital, as there had been no available bed.
To read the entire Washington Post article, click here.
Gus Deeds had undergone a psychiatric evaluation Monday, but had not been admitted to a hospital, as there had been no available bed.
To read the entire Washington Post article, click here.
Friday, November 1, 2013
With Food Stamp Reduction, Jacksonville, Fla. Church Helps With Food
On Jacksonville, Florida's Westside sits New Mount Zion Baptist Church. Here, once a week, more than 700 people line up, many arriving while it is still dark out, many from south Georgia or the beach areas of Florida. They gather to collect food for their next meal, The Florida Times-Union reports.
Many of the people served fill boxes, bags, carts - anything - with enough food to last until the next food giveaway or until their next food stamp allotment kicks in.
Several people interviewed by The Florida Times-Union expressed concern with the impending reduction in food stamps slated to begin this month.
To read the entire article, click here.
Many of the people served fill boxes, bags, carts - anything - with enough food to last until the next food giveaway or until their next food stamp allotment kicks in.
Several people interviewed by The Florida Times-Union expressed concern with the impending reduction in food stamps slated to begin this month.
To read the entire article, click here.
Friday, September 20, 2013
House Approves Cut In Food Stamp Spending - How Did Your Elected Officials Vote?
In a vote that will adversely affect those relying on food stamps, House Republicans approved "a sweeping overhaul to the nation's food stamp program." The cuts would take $39 billion from the program, thus cutting aid to approximately 4 million people over the next few years, The Washington Post reports.
House Majority Leader Eric I. Cantor (R-Va.) orchestrated strategy to separate funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, of food stamps, from the farm bill. While Cantor acknowledged that many food stamp recipients need assistance, the cuts are required because many people "choose to abuse the system," adding "...[I]t's wrong for hard-working middle-class Americans to pay for that."
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) stated that the stiffer work requirements would mean "you can no longer sit on your couch...and expect the federal tax payer to feed you."
The House voted 217 to 210.
So, who voted for and against the food stamp bill? Click here for The Washington Post's article on how the vote went.
Unhappy with how your representative voted? Call his or her office, make your voice heard, and remember to vote...
House Majority Leader Eric I. Cantor (R-Va.) orchestrated strategy to separate funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, of food stamps, from the farm bill. While Cantor acknowledged that many food stamp recipients need assistance, the cuts are required because many people "choose to abuse the system," adding "...[I]t's wrong for hard-working middle-class Americans to pay for that."
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) stated that the stiffer work requirements would mean "you can no longer sit on your couch...and expect the federal tax payer to feed you."
The House voted 217 to 210.
So, who voted for and against the food stamp bill? Click here for The Washington Post's article on how the vote went.
Unhappy with how your representative voted? Call his or her office, make your voice heard, and remember to vote...
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Bay of Pigs' Secret History
How long does information need to remain classified? Sometimes, the answer is fairly obvious: If attacked, we don't necessarily want the attacker to know when, where, and what kind of retaliatory measures will occur. Other times, the information may remained classified beyond its necessity.
In an article first printed in the Washington Post and then reprinted in the Miami Herald, George Will writes that the CIA is holding "only a small amount of still-classified information" dealing with the Bay of Pigs. As with so many events, the 1961 invasion influenced several subsequent events. According to Will, the Bay of Pigs led to the U.S. deepening its involvement in Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis, as well as making "a cameo appearance in the Watergate shambles..."
Meanwhile, fifty-two years after the invasion, the CIA is still holds still-classified information on the Bay of Pigs, while the National Security Archive argues that there is "no important government interest is served" by keeping the information classified.
To read the article in its entirety, click here.
In an article first printed in the Washington Post and then reprinted in the Miami Herald, George Will writes that the CIA is holding "only a small amount of still-classified information" dealing with the Bay of Pigs. As with so many events, the 1961 invasion influenced several subsequent events. According to Will, the Bay of Pigs led to the U.S. deepening its involvement in Vietnam, the Cuban Missile Crisis, as well as making "a cameo appearance in the Watergate shambles..."
Meanwhile, fifty-two years after the invasion, the CIA is still holds still-classified information on the Bay of Pigs, while the National Security Archive argues that there is "no important government interest is served" by keeping the information classified.
To read the article in its entirety, click here.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Could Your Shampoo Be Putting Your Health At Risk?
Do you know what's in your shampoo? Unless you have a degree in biochemistry, you might have no clue what the ingredients listed on your shampoo bottle really are, or how dangerous they might be. An independent study sponsored by the Center for Environmental Health claimed that the carcinogenic chemical cocamide DEA was found in 98 shampoo products, the Palm Beach Post reports. Among the shampoos listed were several name-brand shampoos, products listed as "organic," as well as shampoos marketed for children.
To read the complete article, click here. To ready the Center for Environmental Health article, which includes a list of the products containing cocamide DEA, click here.
To read the complete article, click here. To ready the Center for Environmental Health article, which includes a list of the products containing cocamide DEA, click here.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Florida Football Players Tackle Animal Abuse
When one hears the words football players, it's too easy to think of the stereotypical massive men crashing into one another. Add animals to the mix, and many of us think of the stories of dog fighting operations. But a group of high school football palyers are working to change the public's perception of athletes and animals, according to the Ocala Star Banner.
The Humane Society of Marion County's new campaign to fight animal abuse is using the idea that "Only a punk would hurt a dog or cat," and it has many area high school football players helping out. The Humane Society plans to have billboards advocating its anti-abuse message, with photos of the players cuddling kittens and puppies.
Read the complete story here.
The Humane Society of Marion County's new campaign to fight animal abuse is using the idea that "Only a punk would hurt a dog or cat," and it has many area high school football players helping out. The Humane Society plans to have billboards advocating its anti-abuse message, with photos of the players cuddling kittens and puppies.
Read the complete story here.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Ongoing Interest In Dozier School
As Florida state Attorney General Pam Bondi's office continues the push to allow archeologists to dig up additional gravesites at the Arthur G. Dozier School For Boys in Marianna, family members whose sons and brothers died at the now-closed campus have been allowing their cheeks to be swabbed for DNA in the hopes of identifying relatives' remains among the graves.
In 2009, the St. Petersburg Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) several articles about the Dozier School For Boys and the hellacious abuse carried out on the juveniles entrusted to the facility. (See note at the end of this blog.)
In May, the Times reported that University of South Florida researchers would "request a permit...to exhume bodies from more than 50 unmarked graves" at the facility. UFS archeology students helped to uncover the graves.
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson has also been instrumental to bringing the torture of juveniles to light. He is quoted in a March 27 Times article as saying, "...[T]here are a lot of questions we want answers to [regarding Dozier School]."
I hope the answers come. I wish they could bring peace and closure.
Note: When my mother, younger siblings and I moved to Florida in 1971, my brother was an energetic 10-year-old. While he was a handful, constantly grounded for minor infractions (something most of us have had to be while growing up), he didn't act out or get into serious trouble until after a stint at the Dozier School. His main reason for being there? He was simply a hyperactive 10-year-old boy who had recently moved half-way across the country, leaving friends and some extended family back in New York. Would he have had the myriad of problems and anti-social behavior he exhibited after coming home from Dozier, and continuing until his death at age 46 in 2007, had he not gone to Arthur G. Dozier School For Boys? I'd like to think not, as when he came back, his entire demeanor had changed. We'd see occasional glimpses of the sweet Greg periodically, but the demons he encountered while in Marianna were hard to unload. This article from the Tampa Bay Times tells how Greg was not the only one there for minor infractions...or none at all.
In 2009, the St. Petersburg Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) several articles about the Dozier School For Boys and the hellacious abuse carried out on the juveniles entrusted to the facility. (See note at the end of this blog.)
In May, the Times reported that University of South Florida researchers would "request a permit...to exhume bodies from more than 50 unmarked graves" at the facility. UFS archeology students helped to uncover the graves.
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson has also been instrumental to bringing the torture of juveniles to light. He is quoted in a March 27 Times article as saying, "...[T]here are a lot of questions we want answers to [regarding Dozier School]."
I hope the answers come. I wish they could bring peace and closure.
Note: When my mother, younger siblings and I moved to Florida in 1971, my brother was an energetic 10-year-old. While he was a handful, constantly grounded for minor infractions (something most of us have had to be while growing up), he didn't act out or get into serious trouble until after a stint at the Dozier School. His main reason for being there? He was simply a hyperactive 10-year-old boy who had recently moved half-way across the country, leaving friends and some extended family back in New York. Would he have had the myriad of problems and anti-social behavior he exhibited after coming home from Dozier, and continuing until his death at age 46 in 2007, had he not gone to Arthur G. Dozier School For Boys? I'd like to think not, as when he came back, his entire demeanor had changed. We'd see occasional glimpses of the sweet Greg periodically, but the demons he encountered while in Marianna were hard to unload. This article from the Tampa Bay Times tells how Greg was not the only one there for minor infractions...or none at all.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
DOD: Military Sexual Assaults Increase
The number of reported sexual assaults involving military service members increased during the 2012 fiscal year over the previous year. According to the 2012 Annual Report of Sexual Assault in the Military, "there were a total of 3,374 reports of sexual assault involving service members as victims or subjects" in fiscal year 2012, an increase of 182 reports from the fiscal year before, according to a Department of Defense news release. The same information from the DoD can be found here.
While that number may be enough to anger many, it is by no means the worst part. According to a New York Times article, the estimated number is closer to 26,000 assaults, up from 19,000 in 2010. A Tampa Bay Times editorial also states that the "Defense Department estimates that 26,000" service members were sexually assaulted last year, then goes on to state that many "[v]ictims don't come forward out of fear of retribution or because they think the military is unlikely to prosecute under its current system..." (This is also seen in civilian life as well.)
Representative C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla) stated in an email that he found the survey number (26,000) "very disturbing," along with a link to a recent column he had in Friday's edition of the Tampa Bay Times. In his column, Young states, "Clearly the funds we are investing in this program are not helping to solve this deplorable problem. That is why I asked the leadership of the secretary of defense's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office...to...brief the members of our subcommittee on defense to tell us what is wrong with this program and the military culture and what we can do to fix it."
Meanwhile, a Yahoo News article ("House panel seeks to curb military sexual assaults") states that a House panel plans to "approve a series of revisions to longstanding military law." Once approved, these revisions would "be folded into the Armed Services Committee's broader defense police bill for the 2014 fiscal year." The Senate Armed Services Committee is also working on measures to address sexual assault issues over the next month.
While that number may be enough to anger many, it is by no means the worst part. According to a New York Times article, the estimated number is closer to 26,000 assaults, up from 19,000 in 2010. A Tampa Bay Times editorial also states that the "Defense Department estimates that 26,000" service members were sexually assaulted last year, then goes on to state that many "[v]ictims don't come forward out of fear of retribution or because they think the military is unlikely to prosecute under its current system..." (This is also seen in civilian life as well.)
Representative C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla) stated in an email that he found the survey number (26,000) "very disturbing," along with a link to a recent column he had in Friday's edition of the Tampa Bay Times. In his column, Young states, "Clearly the funds we are investing in this program are not helping to solve this deplorable problem. That is why I asked the leadership of the secretary of defense's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office...to...brief the members of our subcommittee on defense to tell us what is wrong with this program and the military culture and what we can do to fix it."
Meanwhile, a Yahoo News article ("House panel seeks to curb military sexual assaults") states that a House panel plans to "approve a series of revisions to longstanding military law." Once approved, these revisions would "be folded into the Armed Services Committee's broader defense police bill for the 2014 fiscal year." The Senate Armed Services Committee is also working on measures to address sexual assault issues over the next month.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Happiness Is Not Having These Women As Mom
Most of us who lived through our teenage years can remember thinking we had the worst (or meanest) parents. We did what we wanted to do (read: something we were told not to do), and suddenly, we'd find ourselves grounded for the rest of our lives (read: a week, a month, or until next Tuesday afternoon). If our parents were really mean, they'd inform us in front of our friends that we were grounded. How could they be so unfair?
It could have been worse. In honor of Mother's Day, I present to you Florida's Six Worst Moms, according to the New Times Broward-Palm Beach. The wrong colored bike for Christmas when you were 9, or didn't let you have that extra piece of toast? Number one on the list "let her 9-year-old eat some crack on Christmas morning." (At least she called paramedics once the child started convulsing.)
Read about this mom (and the other five) here, while being glad you were only grounded. And if you're able to, you might want to call mom and thank her for not making the list! Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
It could have been worse. In honor of Mother's Day, I present to you Florida's Six Worst Moms, according to the New Times Broward-Palm Beach. The wrong colored bike for Christmas when you were 9, or didn't let you have that extra piece of toast? Number one on the list "let her 9-year-old eat some crack on Christmas morning." (At least she called paramedics once the child started convulsing.)
Read about this mom (and the other five) here, while being glad you were only grounded. And if you're able to, you might want to call mom and thank her for not making the list! Happy Mother's Day, Mom!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Kindergardener Helps Raise Money For Cancer Victim
Keilee Winters looks like your typical kindergardener. When she sets up lemonade stands with her friend, Sharon Green, the 5-year-old Port Orange (Fla.) Elementary School student seems like any other child who has done so to earn a little extra spending money. But Keilee is doing this for something other than candy or trinket change: she's doing it to help make a difference in others' lives, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
When Keilee learned that a neighbor knew of a younger child diagnosed with cancer, Keilee jumped into action. She rounded up Sharon and the two set up a lemonade stand in the hopes of raising money for something to help the younger child smile. The lemonade stand brought in $200, which the girls used to buy 2-year-old Mandy a gift that she could take to the hospital with her.
Keilee's mom, Cori, brought her to a toy store to pick up presents for Mandy, then used the rest of the money for a gas card so that Mandy's parents could drive back and forth to be with their child.
Keilee has since sold more lemonade and raised over $500 for a cancer fundraiser.
For The Daytona Beach News-Journal's complete story, click here.
When Keilee learned that a neighbor knew of a younger child diagnosed with cancer, Keilee jumped into action. She rounded up Sharon and the two set up a lemonade stand in the hopes of raising money for something to help the younger child smile. The lemonade stand brought in $200, which the girls used to buy 2-year-old Mandy a gift that she could take to the hospital with her.
Keilee's mom, Cori, brought her to a toy store to pick up presents for Mandy, then used the rest of the money for a gas card so that Mandy's parents could drive back and forth to be with their child.
Keilee has since sold more lemonade and raised over $500 for a cancer fundraiser.
For The Daytona Beach News-Journal's complete story, click here.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Florida's Unemployment Comp System Biased, Feds Claim
The U.S. Department of Labor has accused Florida's unemployment compensation system of violating the civil rights of unemployed individuals, beginning in 2011. According to the DOL, Florida makes it difficult for the disabled and those who speak Spanish or Creole to file for unemployment benefits, according to an article in The Miami Herald.
Florida ranks the lowest in the percentage of eligible people receiving unemployement benefits. The state stands to lose millions in federal aid if the system is not fixed.
To read more, click here.
Florida ranks the lowest in the percentage of eligible people receiving unemployement benefits. The state stands to lose millions in federal aid if the system is not fixed.
To read more, click here.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Captured!
Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, was captured shortly before 8:45 this evening, bringing a massive manhunt to an end, according to The Boston Globe. The other suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, Dzhokhar's older brother, died during an overnight shootout with police.
The younger Tsarnaev was found in a boat behind a house in Waterford, Mass., a Boston suburb, after being warned that he might be there.
As police and fire vehicles filed out, lights flashing, bull horns blaring, with the suspect in custody, they were cheered by throngs of citizens lining the sides of the street.
CNN reports that immediately after the arrest, Boston police tweeted, "CAPTURED!"
As President Barack Obama addressed the nation this evening, he stated, "They failed, because as Americans, we refused to be terrorized."
The younger Tsarnaev was found in a boat behind a house in Waterford, Mass., a Boston suburb, after being warned that he might be there.
As police and fire vehicles filed out, lights flashing, bull horns blaring, with the suspect in custody, they were cheered by throngs of citizens lining the sides of the street.
CNN reports that immediately after the arrest, Boston police tweeted, "CAPTURED!"
As President Barack Obama addressed the nation this evening, he stated, "They failed, because as Americans, we refused to be terrorized."
Boston Marathon Suspects - One Dead, Second Sought
One of the suspects in Monday's Boston Marathon bombings has been killed, and the second one is being sought in "an intense manhunt" this morning, according to The New York Times. Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, was killed after leading police on what the Times has described as a "wild chase...[following] the fatal shooting of a campus police officer."
A massive manhunt for the second suspect, Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, has "effectively shut down" the city of Watertown, Mass., as a door-to-door search for Tsarnaev is being conducted, according to ABC News.
According to WCVB, the killed police officer was an MIT Police officer. WCVB also reports that the suspect also attacked officers using "grenades, other explosives and gunfire."
At one point, ABC News producer Megan Chuchmach was reporting the news in Watertown. She was stopped by police and forced to the ground so that they could search her camera bag and equipment.
For more details, go to The New York Times, ABC News"> or WCVB.
A massive manhunt for the second suspect, Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, has "effectively shut down" the city of Watertown, Mass., as a door-to-door search for Tsarnaev is being conducted, according to ABC News.
According to WCVB, the killed police officer was an MIT Police officer. WCVB also reports that the suspect also attacked officers using "grenades, other explosives and gunfire."
At one point, ABC News producer Megan Chuchmach was reporting the news in Watertown. She was stopped by police and forced to the ground so that they could search her camera bag and equipment.
For more details, go to The New York Times, ABC News"> or WCVB.
Heir To Busch Brewing Family Resigns Lifetime NRA Membership
An heir to the Anheuser-Busch fortune has resigned his membership in protest to the NRA after the U.S. Senate voted to defeat background checks for guns. According to the New York Daily News, Adolphus Busch IV, a member of the Busch brewing family and heir to the Anheuser-Busch fortune, "terminated his ([lifetime] membership to the NRA" Thursday, after learning that the U.S. Senate had rejected expanded background checks. The push for expanded background checks was prompted in part by the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut in December, 2012.
According to both the New York Daily News and the Huffington Post, Busch sent "a forceful letter" (NYDaily News) to NRA President David Keene in which he wrote, "I fail to see how the NRA can disregard the overwhelming well of its members who see background checks as reasonable."
According to both articles, the resignation was first reported by KSDK.
The NRA had "vigorously opposed" expanded background checks for those wanting to purchase guns.
Read more at KSDK, the New York Daily News, and the Huffington Post
According to both the New York Daily News and the Huffington Post, Busch sent "a forceful letter" (NYDaily News) to NRA President David Keene in which he wrote, "I fail to see how the NRA can disregard the overwhelming well of its members who see background checks as reasonable."
According to both articles, the resignation was first reported by KSDK.
The NRA had "vigorously opposed" expanded background checks for those wanting to purchase guns.
Read more at KSDK, the New York Daily News, and the Huffington Post
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Man Arrested After Freeing Animals From Florida Attraction
When Steven Trew learned that the Everglades Wonder Gardens would be closing soon, the Bonita Springs man "broke into the zoo" Monday, then proceeded to set many of the animals free, The Daytona Beach (Fla.) News-Journal reported Monday. Fortunately, most of the animals remained on zoo property.
Employee Jack Wollman made the discovery Monday morning when he arrived for work. He called owner David Piper before investigating further. Upon finding Trew attempting to leave on a bike, Wollman held the suspect until Lee County Sheriff's deputies arrived.
While Piper planned to close Everglades Wonder Gardens later this month, he was in town to meet with potential buyers.
Read the complete article at http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20130415/APN/1304150939?p=1&tc=pg . Another article by The News-Press about the closing can be read at Everglades Wonder Gardens crocodiles get checkup from National Geographic TV host.
Employee Jack Wollman made the discovery Monday morning when he arrived for work. He called owner David Piper before investigating further. Upon finding Trew attempting to leave on a bike, Wollman held the suspect until Lee County Sheriff's deputies arrived.
While Piper planned to close Everglades Wonder Gardens later this month, he was in town to meet with potential buyers.
Read the complete article at http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20130415/APN/1304150939?p=1&tc=pg . Another article by The News-Press about the closing can be read at Everglades Wonder Gardens crocodiles get checkup from National Geographic TV host.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Boston Marathon Explosions leave 3 Dead, Over 130 Injured
Two explosions near the finish line of Monday's Boston Marathon killed "three and injured more than 130," according to Time Magazine (http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/04/15/boston-marathon-horror-twitter-erupts-with-word-of-explosions-at-the-finish-line/), while Boston's CBS affiliate, WBZ-TV, places the number of injured at over 140.
The explosions went off near the race's finish line at 2:50 p.m. as "thousands of runners were finishing the race," WBZ-TV went on to report. One of the dead was an 8-year-old boy.
Upon learning of the bombings, President Barack Obama issued a brief statement. "We will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable," President Obama said.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the bombings.
The explosions went off near the race's finish line at 2:50 p.m. as "thousands of runners were finishing the race," WBZ-TV went on to report. One of the dead was an 8-year-old boy.
Upon learning of the bombings, President Barack Obama issued a brief statement. "We will find out who did this and we will hold them accountable," President Obama said.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the bombings.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Multiple Explosions At Boston Marathon
There were multiple explosions today in Boston. The first two were at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, the third at the JFK Library. NBC reports 2 dead, at least 23 injured (as of 5:04 p.m. EDT).
According to a CNN tweet, Boston PD "is urging people to stay home and avoid large crowds." CNN's website also reports 2 dead, 28 injured ( http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/?on.cnn=1 ).
Will write more later...
According to a CNN tweet, Boston PD "is urging people to stay home and avoid large crowds." CNN's website also reports 2 dead, 28 injured ( http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/15/explosions-near-finish-of-boston-marathon/?on.cnn=1 ).
Will write more later...
Judge To Florida DEP: Issuing Permit Wrong
When the Florida Department of Environmental Protection decided to issue a permit for the Highlands Ranch Mitigation Bank in Clay County, Florida, Connie Bersok objected. Bersok, the DEP's top wetlands expert, warned that the "controversial project...would damage the environment" (Judge upholds suspended wetlands expert, blasts DEP for permitting controversial project, Tampa Bay Times).
The resulting loss of wetlands would have had an adverse effect on the environment, since the 300 acres are "considered vital to soaking up floodwaters and recharging the aquifer," according to St. Petersburg attorney Tom Reese. Bersok was suspended from her job because of her objection.
To read the Tampa Bay Times' article, go to http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/judge-upholds-suspended-wetlands-expert-blasts-dep-for-permitting/2114754
The resulting loss of wetlands would have had an adverse effect on the environment, since the 300 acres are "considered vital to soaking up floodwaters and recharging the aquifer," according to St. Petersburg attorney Tom Reese. Bersok was suspended from her job because of her objection.
To read the Tampa Bay Times' article, go to http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/judge-upholds-suspended-wetlands-expert-blasts-dep-for-permitting/2114754
Tuition Break For Undocumented Immigrants' Citizen Children
The Florida House has approved extending in-state college tuition to the citizen children of undocumented immigrants. However, U.S. citizens with undocumented parents were granted this right under a 2012 federal ruling.
To read more, go to the Tampa Bay Times article at http://blogs.tampabay.com/news/education/college/florida-house-okays-giving-citizen-children-of-undocumented-immigrants/2114940
To read more, go to the Tampa Bay Times article at http://blogs.tampabay.com/news/education/college/florida-house-okays-giving-citizen-children-of-undocumented-immigrants/2114940
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Worker's Rights in Florida
While most Florida workers are aware that Floria is a "Right To Work" state, many may not be completely aware of what that means.
According to the state website (http://MyFlorida.com), Article 1, Section 6 of the Florida Constitution states, "The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged on account of membership or non-membership in any labor union or labor organization. The right of employees, by and through a labor organization, to bargain collectively shall not be denied or abridged. Public employees shall not have the right to strike." (http://myflorida.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1065/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzY1OTYwNzA4L3NpZC9wTTQyRklubA%3D%3D).
So, while working Floridians may be allowed to work without joining a labor union, these same workers are not allowed to strike.
Another legality facing Florida workers deals with work and meal breaks. While many federal and state laws deal with working conditions, some things are not regulated by laws but by customs or agreements between companies and workers. According to the United States Department of Labor, the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) "does not require breaks or meal periods be given to workers." (http://www.dol.gov/whd/flsa/faq.htm) The FLSA does state, however, that some states may legislate these breaks, but that in states that don't legislate breaks, these breaks may be part of an agreement between employer and employee.
This is where Florida fits in. The state, in its wisdom to promote business (and, as many would point out, possibly exploit workers), has made absolutely no provisions or allowance for Florida workers to work or meal breaks, unless that worker is a minor. (http://myflorida.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/985/related/1/session/L2F2LzIvdGltZS8xMzY1OTYwOTg3L3NpZC9wTTQyRklubA%3D%3D)
Any Floridian wanting to contact Govenor Rick Scott or their legislators, check out the following links:
Govenor Rick Scott: http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the-governor/;
State Senate President Don Gaetz: http://www.flsenate.gov/Offices/President/Message;
House Speaker Will Weatherford: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/emailrepresentative.aspx?MemberId=4399&SessionId=73;
to find your Florida state senators: http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/;
to find your Florida representative: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/myrepresentative.aspx.
According to the state website (http://MyFlorida.com), Article 1, Section 6 of the Florida Constitution states, "The right of persons to work shall not be denied or abridged on account of membership or non-membership in any labor union or labor organization. The right of employees, by and through a labor organization, to bargain collectively shall not be denied or abridged. Public employees shall not have the right to strike." (http://myflorida.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1065/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xMzY1OTYwNzA4L3NpZC9wTTQyRklubA%3D%3D).
So, while working Floridians may be allowed to work without joining a labor union, these same workers are not allowed to strike.
Another legality facing Florida workers deals with work and meal breaks. While many federal and state laws deal with working conditions, some things are not regulated by laws but by customs or agreements between companies and workers. According to the United States Department of Labor, the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) "does not require breaks or meal periods be given to workers." (http://www.dol.gov/whd/flsa/faq.htm) The FLSA does state, however, that some states may legislate these breaks, but that in states that don't legislate breaks, these breaks may be part of an agreement between employer and employee.
This is where Florida fits in. The state, in its wisdom to promote business (and, as many would point out, possibly exploit workers), has made absolutely no provisions or allowance for Florida workers to work or meal breaks, unless that worker is a minor. (http://myflorida.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/985/related/1/session/L2F2LzIvdGltZS8xMzY1OTYwOTg3L3NpZC9wTTQyRklubA%3D%3D)
Any Floridian wanting to contact Govenor Rick Scott or their legislators, check out the following links:
Govenor Rick Scott: http://www.flgov.com/contact-gov-scott/email-the-governor/;
State Senate President Don Gaetz: http://www.flsenate.gov/Offices/President/Message;
House Speaker Will Weatherford: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/emailrepresentative.aspx?MemberId=4399&SessionId=73;
to find your Florida state senators: http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/;
to find your Florida representative: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Representatives/myrepresentative.aspx.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Miami Beach Man Dies Over Slow Ambulance Response
A Miami Beach man died March 5 after an ambulance took 31 minutes to go the 2 miles from the fire station it was housed at to the man's home. The man's wife called 911 at 9:05 a.m.; the ambulance arrived 31 minutes from the nearby fire station, according to the Miami Herald.
The complete article may be found at http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/20/3297228/miami-beach-ambulance-takes-31.html#storylink=cpy or at Health News Florida (http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/fire-rescue-delayed-man-dies).
The complete article may be found at http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/20/3297228/miami-beach-ambulance-takes-31.html#storylink=cpy or at Health News Florida (http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/fire-rescue-delayed-man-dies).
Op-Ed: Michael Mayo about Gay Marriage
Michael Mayo, a columnist for the Sun Sentinel, made sense in his April 1 column for the paper. In it, he states that "If two consenting adults want to get married, they should be allowed to do so, no matter the race, creed, color, religion or gender/sexual orientation of the two parties." He then expands on that, in that he is not including marriage between people and animals or adults with children. He also states that he does not mean "three, four or seven" people.
There are many people who are offended by the thought of gays and lesbians marrying. There are still people who object to interracial marriages. But disallowing gay marriage - or any other rights offered to any other group of consenting adults - is keeping the entire GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered) community at what can be considered the 3/5ths rule. Prior to the Civil War, and even in years afterward, African-Americans were counted as 3/5ths of a person. Even after blacks were legally considered "whole" people, many whites still thought of them as 3/5 of a white. Now, it seems, those in the GLBT community are frequently considered as 3/5 of a heterosexual person.
This is wrong. Mayo points out that if a same-sex couple gets married in the state of New York, then moves to Florida, that couple is not afforded the same rights as a male-and-female married couple would. I personally know one same-sex couple who married in Connecticut, then moved back to Florida. They had hyphenated their last name so that, rather than being "Jane A" and "Susan B," they were legally "Jane A-B" and "Susan B-A." They went to change their driver's licenses to reflect that change and were told that they would have to go to court here in Florida and pay for each of them to have their names changed. Had they been John and Susan, it would have been a non-issue.
I digress. To read Michael Mayo's entire column on Gay marriage, please go to http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-04-01/news/sfl-mayo-gay-marriage-20130401_1_gay-marriage-2008-state-constitutional-amendment-straight-married-couple.
One last thing: If this were your brother, sister, son, daughter, or parent, you'd want that person to have full rights. Please keep that in mind.
There are many people who are offended by the thought of gays and lesbians marrying. There are still people who object to interracial marriages. But disallowing gay marriage - or any other rights offered to any other group of consenting adults - is keeping the entire GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered) community at what can be considered the 3/5ths rule. Prior to the Civil War, and even in years afterward, African-Americans were counted as 3/5ths of a person. Even after blacks were legally considered "whole" people, many whites still thought of them as 3/5 of a white. Now, it seems, those in the GLBT community are frequently considered as 3/5 of a heterosexual person.
This is wrong. Mayo points out that if a same-sex couple gets married in the state of New York, then moves to Florida, that couple is not afforded the same rights as a male-and-female married couple would. I personally know one same-sex couple who married in Connecticut, then moved back to Florida. They had hyphenated their last name so that, rather than being "Jane A" and "Susan B," they were legally "Jane A-B" and "Susan B-A." They went to change their driver's licenses to reflect that change and were told that they would have to go to court here in Florida and pay for each of them to have their names changed. Had they been John and Susan, it would have been a non-issue.
I digress. To read Michael Mayo's entire column on Gay marriage, please go to http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-04-01/news/sfl-mayo-gay-marriage-20130401_1_gay-marriage-2008-state-constitutional-amendment-straight-married-couple.
One last thing: If this were your brother, sister, son, daughter, or parent, you'd want that person to have full rights. Please keep that in mind.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Inauguration, part two
I am reposting something I originally posted on January 26, 2009 in my Journalistic Writings blog. I plan to post something later this week of today's second inauguration.
"I watched last Tuesday's historic inauguration of Barack Obama during a Visual Communications class. About ten minutes into class, the instructor asked if there were any questions.
"Yeah, can we watch the inauguration?" someone asked. It was the question on everyone's minds.
A computer hooked up to a projector came on so we could watch.
I've watched my share of inaugurations on television, been aware of others. When one has lived over five decades, one does notice a few things.
There were many historic aspects to this inauguration, though. Of course, there's the obvious: the first African-American to become elected president. Backing up to the election, it became clear early on that the Democratic nominee would be a first: either the first African-American or woman as a major party's nominee. That alone seemed to get many people's attention.
Then there is the number of people who flocked to Washington, D.C. to watch Obama's inauguration in person. According to The New York Times, "An estimated 1.8 million people watched the inauguration of Barack Obama in person, the most for any inauguration. At least that is what the mayor of Washington said; the Park Service, no longer in the head-counting business, won't contest that number."(1) (Referrenced footnotes at end of today's blog.)
According to The New York Times' article's multimedia segment, 44,000,000 people watched on their computers using live streaming web videos. This broke down to 26.9 million watching CNN, 9.1 million on MSNBC and 8.0 million on AP. (2)
These are record breaking numbers. This alone would indicate interest. I do know that those around me were excited. Almost everyone I spoke with over the days surrounding the 20th mentioned excitement, hope, a sense that our collective lives had taken a turn for the better. Yes, there are nay-sayers, but they seem to be in the minority.
When Obama was sworn in, those in the class room cheered. We watched President Obama's speech in its entirety. I mention this because the speech ended at 12:30, fifteen minutes after the class ended. Only one or two students left at the end of the class period; the rest of us watched, enraptured, at history taking place.
My oldest son, Jason, lives and works in Knoxville, Tennessee. He does phone tech support. He told me that an older African-American lady named Anne works there. Everyone calls her Ms. Annie. She works part-time; as a part-timer, she doesn't always get to sit in the same place. But she usually tries to sit next to Jason.
Tuesday morning, Jason managed to save a place for Ms. Annie so she could sit next to him. Just before the inauguration was to take place, Jason and Ms. Annie left their phones, along with several other employees, so they could watch Barack Obama sworn in.
"Tears just rolled down Ms. Annie's face," Jason later said. Ms. Annie told the small group watching the inauguration that her father had been beaten up years ago for not crossing the street fast enough to let several whites pass, that he'd been hurt several times because of his skin color. "She told us, 'And now, we have an African-American president.' I wish my daddy were alive to see this."
So do I, Ms. Annie. So do I.
(1) "Streaming Onto the Mall, and Into Laptops," by Brian Stelter and Noam Cohen, January 24, 2009; Week In Review; http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/weekinreview/25stelter.html?_r=1&scp=8&sq=inauguration,%202009&st=cse
(2) http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/01/25/weekinreview/20090125-stelter-graphic.html "
"I watched last Tuesday's historic inauguration of Barack Obama during a Visual Communications class. About ten minutes into class, the instructor asked if there were any questions.
"Yeah, can we watch the inauguration?" someone asked. It was the question on everyone's minds.
A computer hooked up to a projector came on so we could watch.
I've watched my share of inaugurations on television, been aware of others. When one has lived over five decades, one does notice a few things.
There were many historic aspects to this inauguration, though. Of course, there's the obvious: the first African-American to become elected president. Backing up to the election, it became clear early on that the Democratic nominee would be a first: either the first African-American or woman as a major party's nominee. That alone seemed to get many people's attention.
Then there is the number of people who flocked to Washington, D.C. to watch Obama's inauguration in person. According to The New York Times, "An estimated 1.8 million people watched the inauguration of Barack Obama in person, the most for any inauguration. At least that is what the mayor of Washington said; the Park Service, no longer in the head-counting business, won't contest that number."(1) (Referrenced footnotes at end of today's blog.)
According to The New York Times' article's multimedia segment, 44,000,000 people watched on their computers using live streaming web videos. This broke down to 26.9 million watching CNN, 9.1 million on MSNBC and 8.0 million on AP. (2)
These are record breaking numbers. This alone would indicate interest. I do know that those around me were excited. Almost everyone I spoke with over the days surrounding the 20th mentioned excitement, hope, a sense that our collective lives had taken a turn for the better. Yes, there are nay-sayers, but they seem to be in the minority.
When Obama was sworn in, those in the class room cheered. We watched President Obama's speech in its entirety. I mention this because the speech ended at 12:30, fifteen minutes after the class ended. Only one or two students left at the end of the class period; the rest of us watched, enraptured, at history taking place.
My oldest son, Jason, lives and works in Knoxville, Tennessee. He does phone tech support. He told me that an older African-American lady named Anne works there. Everyone calls her Ms. Annie. She works part-time; as a part-timer, she doesn't always get to sit in the same place. But she usually tries to sit next to Jason.
Tuesday morning, Jason managed to save a place for Ms. Annie so she could sit next to him. Just before the inauguration was to take place, Jason and Ms. Annie left their phones, along with several other employees, so they could watch Barack Obama sworn in.
"Tears just rolled down Ms. Annie's face," Jason later said. Ms. Annie told the small group watching the inauguration that her father had been beaten up years ago for not crossing the street fast enough to let several whites pass, that he'd been hurt several times because of his skin color. "She told us, 'And now, we have an African-American president.' I wish my daddy were alive to see this."
So do I, Ms. Annie. So do I.
(1) "Streaming Onto the Mall, and Into Laptops," by Brian Stelter and Noam Cohen, January 24, 2009; Week In Review; http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/weekinreview/25stelter.html?_r=1&scp=8&sq=inauguration,%202009&st=cse
(2) http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/01/25/weekinreview/20090125-stelter-graphic.html "
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