Paradigm Shifting, part deux

So last November I complained about a tank of gas costing me less than $70.00. Ah, the folly of youth. That same tank now costs me almost $90.00. At Sam's club. Sheee-yit, mang. So the Tundra is officially for sale. If y'all know anyone who is interested in a very gently used 2001 Tundra SR5 with lots of the bells and whistles (sorry, no leather), lemme know. Gotta unload this albatross, y'know?

Same song, different year

I wrote almost exactly a year ago about my Rice Owls being eliminated from the 2007 College World Series after a couple of early wins. No such luck this year, though. Two losses and out. Ugh. But, hey, we can console ourselves with the fact that they've made the CWS 3 years in a row now, right? And that they won the whole thing in 2003? And, uh, um, aw screw it. I want a beer. Frackin' Owls...

Got a foghorn and a drum and a Hamer that's rockin' and a cord and a pedal and a life that'll do for now...

Some things just feel like home. I put on this record tonight, and even 20+ years down the road it still makes my spine tingle. If you haven't listened in a while, give it a go again. You won't be sorry.

Good Ideas Abound (not so much here, tho)

Poking around the Florida Tax Watch website looking for the still-elusive report on its analysis of Escambia County's tax and spending practices (I'm equally giddy and apprehensive about the results of that report), I came across their "Notable Practices" report (.pdf warning), which seems like a great resource.

I haven't read the whole thing yet, but it looks like a collection of really good ideas that it would make sense for us to consider here.

Perhaps not surprisingly, there is only one "notable practice" from the Pensacola/Escambia County area, involving "urban infilling," which is described in the report as

us[ing] an urban infill implementation grant and funds from other programs to acquire 12 lots, construct seven homes, and pay for 1,700 overtime hours that were worked by police officers patrolling the urban infill and redevelopment area.

The report states that "[t]hese activities helped encourage private developers to build housing in this area." I'm not sure what project this refers to, but it sounds neato.

Maybe some of our local nabobs should read through some of the ideas coming from other areas in the state? Maybe? Anyone? Bueller?

Hello, TaxWatch? Hi, it's me, Patrick...

I've been sort of half-heartedly following the budgeting process for Escambia County (see Rick Outzen's blog items about the budget here). What I'm really eager to see is this year's TaxWatch report on Escambia County, but for some reason it's been delayed.

Back on February 4th, Florida Tax Watch indicated in a press release (.pdf warning) that the report would be out at the end of March. I sent an e-mail recently, inquiring about the status of the report, and received a reply from Kaye Kendrick, Senior VP for Research, stating that they are "still continuing to work out a few details," and that, although there is no official release date, I should "check back with [TaxWatch] during the second week of June."

Hopefully it will come in time to be considered in the budgeting process.

Sometimes you gotta wonder...

I haven't commented about the whole "Rustygate" thing before, but I've been thinking about it quite a bit. Rick Outzen has talked about it a lot, and the PNJ even picked up the story (finally). I don't necessarily share Rick Outzen's apparent view that anything sinister or underhanded occurred, but I certainly DO agree that the City Council (particularly Mike DeSorbo) screwed this thing up, and how.

I mean really.

How can city council-persons in THIS CITY, who have seen things like all but one of the county commission dismissed, sunshine law violations galore, etc., etc., etc., not understand the suspicion with which EVERY action they take will be viewed? In the atmosphere that prevails in Pensacola these days, WHY THE HELL would anyone agree to bag the whole attorney-selection process that was advertised and underway, all of a sudden, with no real notice to anyone, and just say "Ah, what the hell, let's just hire that guy, and to hell with everyone else who applied, qualified or not." WTF are they thinking? How can DeSorbo NOT think that he's gonna get his ass chewed for doing that? Does he just not care? Or does he really not know? Either way, it speaks poorly of him. I learned a long time ago that I never wanted to be in the position of being belived either incompetent or evil, 'cause neither one is good. One good thing was that MY city council-person, Jewel Cannada-Wynn, had enough sense to vote against this boneheaded idea. Good on her.

While I don't always share Rick Outzen's fervor for "regime change," I'm starting to warm up to the idea. We definitely need some new blood, if only to help assuage the public perception that things are mired in the "Good Ol' Boy" network of old. We need to identify some promising independent new local folks to take city council, county commission, ECUA and School Board posts. Sometimes change is good. Seriously.

Stop. Really. Just stop. Don't make me pass a law...

I'm all for the democratic process. I fully believe in the value and necessity of intelligent debate when we're passing laws that affect all of us. But, c'mon, aren't there a few things that can just be DONE, without the hassle and delay of the legislative process? I am speaking, this time, of making it illegal to f*ck your dog, m'kay?

Does anybody think this would be a bad law to pass? Would anybody argue against it? Apparently, it is still legal in Florida (and about 19 other states). And, inexplicably, it is happening.

Since 2001, there have been at least a dozen documented cases in Florida.

[shudder]

Sen. Nan Rich (D-Sunrise) introduced a bill this spring making such shenanigans illegal. The bill died in the Judiciary Committee.

Whiskey.
Tango.
Foxtrot.

Can't we just agree on this one? Can't the Governor just issue an executive order making this illegal? I'll even write it for him: "Dear Florida. DON'T F*CK YOUR DOG. If you do, we'll put you in jail. That is all."

Gads.