Thank you, Veterans

For keeping my nation and my family free.

To the living and the dead heroes and for all who have served...thank you.

Been taking

some "Me" time. Will be back soon.

Swine Flu in Marion County

Yeah, we had a confirmed case right here.

The Marion County patient is a 17-year-old West Port High School student who stayed home after becoming ill, has recovered now, and was expected back at school on Monday, according to local officials.

Kid in school didn't feel well and stayed home. Went to doctor. Got better.

Ho Hum.

The Florida Budget

Okay, it's mostly over. All except the subsequent reality.

The fiscal year 2010 budget is pretty much a done deal.

BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS

$65 billion in state spending

A $28 per student increase in public school funding

An 8 percent increase in university and community college tuition

A 2 percent pay cut for state workers making more than $45,000 a year

$1-a-pack cigarette tax increase

$830 million in fee increases

$5 billion in federal stimulus money

A $120 million shift of state road-building funds to other programs

This will be an interesting year.

Glad I'm not a smoker.

Doing it the Chicago Way

Why does anyone act surprised that Lord Obama is acting as head thug of a criminal enterprise?

That's how he was taught in Chicago.

That's why he went to Chicago.

What I want to know is why any supposed conservative refused to vote for McCain...or worse, voted for Obama. You have lots to atone for. Hope you-and we-get the chance.

Just trying to help out a friend, officer.

Yep, we have prostitution in these parts, pilgrim. Just like in the big cities, bub.

But sometimes I think we're just like the off-off-off broadway tryouts for a new comedy play.

Cases in point...

Allen Ray Williams told his wife he was going to Home Depot. Instead, he went to the Marion County Jail.

Williams, 37, was arrested on a charge of soliciting prostitution Thursday in a reverse sting operation that also netted four other people.

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In Thursday’s “Reverse John” operation, Williams told agents all he did was stop and ask “a stupid question.” He said it was his first prostitution arrest.

“I did something stupid, and now I’m going to lose my wife and kids,” Williams said.

His wife, who didn’t want to be identified, told her husband when she showed up on scene, “Consider yourself divorced.”

Not very understanding of her.

But my favorite is...

But perhaps the oddest arrest was that of Armondo “Mondo” Brown and his friend Zella Nease Meaders.

Meaders told officials that Brown had not had sex in quite some time and she wanted to make sure his needs were met. She reportedly drove home, picked up Brown, who was drinking, and took him by the Golden Spur Motel where two women were hanging out by the corner.

Meaders said she gave the women $10 each and a bottle of Russian bottle.

What the two friends didn’t know was that the women were undercover law enforcement officials.

**********

Meaders told officials she felt bad for the prostitutes and wanted to get them off the street for 30 minutes because she used to do what they do.

She was charged with driving while license is suspended or revoked and solicitation of a prostitute.

Of course, if a playwright were to write something like this, he would be kicked out of publisher offices pretty damn quick.

Well, maybe not if the publisher was in my town.

Florida Legislature needs more time

You see, one legislative session is just not enough time, don't you know.

Well, it happened again. The regular session ended, but the most important item wasn't completed. So a special session is in order.

As expected, House leaders drew fire from some anti-tax groups last week when they agreed to back a $1-per-pack cigarette tax in order to pass a new state budget.

Americans for Tax Reform, a group headed by Grover Norquist, sent a letter to House members earlier in the week reminding them that they had "got it right" by opposing new taxes in their budget plan, opting instead to balance the $65 billion budget with deeper budget cuts.

But to break the budget deadlock, House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, announced the House would support the cigarette tax, which will raise about $900 million a year.

Cretul was asked how that decision meshed with his signing of the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge" with Norquist's group.

Cretul said he did not remember when he signed the pledge, but he added that leaders need the option to be flexible on the challenges they face.

"Responsible people at times may have to do something that might be different than the position that they staked out," Cretul said. "And to be so closed-minded, I don't think that's the right thing to do, and it doesn't serve the citizens of the state of Florida. I'm sure that Norquist will have a comment when I cast my vote. So be it."

It didn't take long. This appeared on the ATR's Web site shortly after Cretul's comments were reported:

"Judging from Florida House Speaker Cretul's quote, he seems to think that responsible people break promises they make to others sometimes (raising taxes)," wrote Nathan Pick, the ATR's state affairs manager. "Is this acceptable? Responsible legislators don't raise taxes on their constituents, especially when they can least afford it. Responsible people look to solve problems (cutting excessive spending), rather than looking to patch them with taxes on a declining source of revenue (cigarette taxes)."

Now, I'm a fan of Larry Cretul. But, Larry!?

Bikers on the run

Yep, on the run to help our military.

Bikers love to show off their motorcycles, and Scott and Bambi Lewis are no exception.

They were clearly disappointed their bike was "in the hospital" on a recent Monday when they met with Mary Harper at Operation Shoebox headquarters in Belleview to discuss Saturday's "Ride for the Troops" fundraiser to benefit U.S. combat servicemen and women deployed overseas.

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Bambi Lewis said the benefit run is one way the biker community can help make Operation Shoebox possible. She said they raised $6,000 last year and hope to raise even more this year. She said the run is not limited to motorcycles, and anyone can participate by driving a vehicle.

Good on ya!

Let's do the Time Warp again

I swear I feel at times like I've been sucked into a time warp...back to the 70s.

Swine flu and economic hard times.

Fears of recession and inflation...call it stagflation if you will.

Our nation is at war, but our leaders don't seem to know it.

Brave military sacrificing, and too damned many of us are concerned with crap.

A belligerent Russia, a bellicose Iran and Red Chinese gamesmanship.

I recall the Church Committee that would strip our nation of the needed intelligence to survive in this climate, and a socialist president and attorney general who are trying to do the same.

And Climate Change, whether Global Cooling or Global Warming.

Liberals in charge, and conservatives marginalized.

It would be nice to wake up to a world where at least the USA had leadership that appreciated patriotism, or at least knew what it was...and was not.

Getting older means you've seen the same crap come around at least once before.

Senility is looking less terrifying.