Current EventsThe Sunshine State

Property insurance reform in Florida

Alex Sink, our State Financial Officer, says the property insurance policies dropped by Nationwide this month is not a sign that insurance reform failing to live up to it’s promise. She says the State Farm move last month isn’t a sign either. “This is an opportunity for Floridians to shop around for a better policy.” So says Alex Sink. I voted for Alex Sink, and now…
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The Sunshine StateWellbeing

Corn, courtesy of the rain

It isn’t the desert, but we still get enough sun to boil the brain case. Exhibit A: our governor (separated at birth from George Hamilton?). Ah, but I didn’t start this entry intending to talk about the sun, or too-tan, Chain-gang Charlie. I wanted to talk about the rain. A busy day at work followed by a busy evening at home left my stomach (filled with antibiotics) ready for revolt.
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PoliticsThe Sunshine State

Nothing new to see here… just the silly way we elect a president

I’m quite the cynic this morning… The two party political system has been in Florida news a lot lately. The reason? Florida has entered the absurd race to hold one of the nation’s first presidential primaries. Florida’s decision to enter the fray is particularly silly, since the Florida date is decided by the Florida state legislature, and they’re only in session for…
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Current EventsThe Sunshine State

Is Charlie Crist a pinko?

So sayeth the Wall Street Journal (via the St Pete Times): It isn’t easy to put one of the more well governed states on the path to fiscal ruin in a mere three months, but it seems Florida Governor Charlie Crist is exceptional. His campaign to socialize Florida’s insurance market has placed the Sunshine State one big hurricane away from financial disaster….Mr. Crist and his…
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Current EventsThe Sunshine State

The Florida Problem

According to the March 6th, 2005 St. Pete Times, Florida ranked 47th among the 50 states in per pupil (education) spending. Keeping that in mind, consider a story I heard on the local public radio station this morning. They were discussing higher education funding, and they mentioned an interesting fact about the local, state university (the University of South Florida in Tampa). Apparently, they…
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PoliticsThe Sunshine State

Name your favorite tax

Go ahead. I’m waiting for it. Any time now. What? You don’t have one? I’m not surprised. Taxation has gotten a bum rap since ancient times. Studies have shown that people are into instant gratification. People will choose the lesser reward right away over a delayed, greater reward (up to a certain limit). So is it any wonder that we have little patience for paying taxes? The…
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The Sunshine StateTravel

One morning

My glaring weakness as an office bound civil servant is my penchant for daydreaming. Something catches my eye, stirs a memory, and away I go… off to lands far and wide. It can happen at home just as easily as at work. In fact, I just got back from a flight from the inner realm a little earlier this evening. The catalyst for tonight’s journey was a photograph I took on a weekend…
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PoliticsThe Sunshine StateWellbeing

Doesn’t anyone love me?

**Note: although money is discussed in this entry, it’s not primarily about money. There are few things in this world that I need which I don’t already have. By that measure I feel very fortunate. Chances are you don’t know me, but because of today’s political climate I’ll bet I could tell you one thing about me and you’d instantly think you did. I work for the…
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Current EventsPoliticsThe Sunshine State

Politics and scandal

As I’ve said before, I spent the formative years of my political leanings in a hot-bed of liberalism; a university campus. As a junior, I went to my first campaign rally – for Clinton/Gore in the fall of ’92. My first presidential election as an “adult” was that ’92 election. I watched the man I voted for become embroiled in a couple political scandals, most…
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