June 23, 2021

My experience at a Florida public university.

I’m a very proud graduate of the University of Florida. I went later in life after being afforded the opportunity by angels, my mother and father. The offer was made in my thirties and was generous to the point that I only had to concentrate on school.

I went to an excellent local community college. I’m going to keep this part brief. I was never familiar with any of the staff holding a left leaning ideology outside of a Spanish teacher. Of course there were more than that but only one was open about it. I was familiar with a number of them being right wingers. Interestingly enough, my accounting teacher who was all too proud to tell us she was a libertarian, was probably the best instructor I’ve ever had. She was a professor at Princeton before she and her husband retired and moved here. She still wanted to teach. We get lucky like that around here simply because of our location.

Then I was accepted into the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida. The professors were overall conservative. One of my economics professors was an economics advisor to the W administration. But the overall tilt was pretty conservative. As were most of the students.

My Business Law and Ethics professor was a different story. He was extremely proud of his arrest record. Big time leftist with a penchant for getting arrested at protests. He said he was too old for that stuff anymore but I think if I asked him to lay in the road outside to protests the universities use of fertilizer he would have been the first one out the door. How about this for a welcome to class? “Close your eyes if you are squeamish. We are about to watch a mink get electrocuted. Don’t want to mess it’s fur up with blood.”

But the tilt was clear and it was to the right.

The Hare Krishna’s would set up in the middle of the University and feed students for free, one day per week. On occasion the Young Republicans Club would set up right next to them with a bbq truck.

In the free speech zone bigotry was a daily theme.

What happened to Chris Leak is something I’ll never forget. He was booed regularly as he brought us a National Championship. The racial aspect was a big topic on campus. It wasn’t discussed much outside of that.

Who was on the sidelines? Our good white Christian with Bible verse under his eyes. Every rich white Bull Gator was trying to force the coach to make him a starter. So were most alumni with any clout. I want to be fair to Tebow. At a very young age he was amazing. Tebow only promoted the fact that Leak was number one and that’s right where he should be. While we did use Tebow that year he was Leaks biggest fan.

Some Imams came to give a lecture one evening. Additional police had to get them in as a group dressed in Israeli military uniforms showed up.

Don’t taze me bro!

I watched people from all political spectrums give talks. UF brings in some interesting people. I went to a lecture from Sandra Day O’Connor one night and Ron Jeremy a couple of weeks later.

My long ass point. UF is not some enclave of liberalism. Not even close.

I’m sure the experience is different for students at other UF Colleges. But that’s the point. They are places of diversity.

Fuck DeSantis. We have some issues at our universities and this ain’t one of them.

Lastly, I hope I have given you a grammatical error or two so you can grumble “educated Florida Man” under your breath, before laughing.

June 23, 2021

Fun topic. What should be required reading before posting to a political discussion board?

https://catalogue.pearsoned.ca/educator/product/Ethics-Applied-Edition-20/9780536018670.page

Applied Ethics would be my choice. Interestingly enough, this simple book has had a profound impact on me. While it might seem very basic to many of you, it isn't even close. I have yet to see an op that garners more then ten responses where at least one of them is not a blatant fallacy. Political discussion boards would be turned upside down if people were educated on fallacies and other unethical debating tactics. Such a book also delves into easy ways to spot statistics and facts that are being used in an unethical manner.

Of course the TOS is the only thing one should really be required to read. This is just for fun.

June 23, 2021

China condemns latest U.S. warship transit of Taiwan Strait

TAIPEI, June 23 (Reuters) - China condemned the United States on Wednesday as the region's greatest security "risk creator" after a U.S. warship again sailed through the sensitive waterway that separates Taiwan from China.

The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur conducted a "routine Taiwan Strait transit" on Tuesday in accordance with international law.

"The ship's transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said their forces monitored the vessel throughout its passage and warned it.

Reuters

June 22, 2021

2005. Daryl Jones: Rosewood Compensation

Ten-year-old Benea Ousley, wearing her Easter dress and a gold-and-white ribbon in her hair, stood on the old Capitol steps Friday and recited a poem about the Rosewood massacre.

The poem spoke of how violence, sudden and permanent, wiped out the tiny Levy County town where her grandmother was born. It ended: "Yes we stand strong, proud and free. For we are the Rosewood family."

Family members gazed at Benea with tears in their eyes. A measure of justice, delayed for 71 years, had come at last.

State senators gave final passage Friday to the most emotional and dramatic claims bill ever to reach the Legislature. If Gov. Lawton Chiles signs the bill, as expected, Florida will compensate survivors of the Rosewood massacre and lift the cloud on a shameful episode in state history.

Tampa Bay Times

Daryl Jones Wikipedia

June 21, 2021

I'm going to make the Covid / Flu comparison...

No, not the one where it’s claimed the flu as we know it is just as bad as Covid.

I remember talking to people about herd immunity and we all thought it was a possibility. We aren’t even going to come close. The world population won’t even come close.

I’m seeing preventative measures that will look very similar to the flu, as we know it.

Annual vaccine. A board will make an educated guess about which strains will be bad that year.

That’s going to be the long game.

Unfortunately Covid 19 is more harmful.

Flame away. Even if I’m spot on here I’ve done something in the last week to earn your scorn. 😁

June 20, 2021

Far too many of our representatives are not taking the threat to their lives seriously enough.

The positions they are currently putting themselves in is unacceptable, in my opinion.

I know that we will soon be losing a congressperson. Right wingers have been all frothed up and our representatives are putting themselves out there with very little protection.

On days like today my fear is even greater. These groups on the right are organized. Today, a lot of our people were publicly accessible at the same time.

I know we are about to lose one of ours to right wing extremism. I view it as a given considering the access our elected representatives are giving to them. My greater fear is losing multiple at the same time on a day like today.

When I hear about one of our representatives being assassinated at a public event the last thing I will be is shocked. No one should be. The cake has been baked.

June 16, 2021

I love Florida. This town accidentally sold their water tower.

'Sometimes we make a mistake': Florida town accidentally sells water tower for $55,000

Brooksville City Council made the mistake when businessman Bobby Read approached them in April about buying a small business and garage under the tower, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

After the $55,000 purchase, Read got the parcel he wanted for a personal training studio and unexpectedly, the city’s water tower.

USA Today

June 16, 2021

"Be true to what you said on paper."

We have not realized this truth. Our fight is righteous. Our enemies are strong. We are stronger and we keep proving it.

Bless everyone entrenched in this battle. May the victims of this battle never be forgotten.

Two and a half minute video of Kings final speech.

“I’ve seen the mountaintop.”

https://m.

June 16, 2021

Hillary Clinton

If you want to listen to something very optimistic that doesn’t sugar coat things please listen to her podcast. I have recommended it here before. I have zero affiliation with it.

It’s a serious show that hits on areas of great concern all while discussing a path forward.

It will take many of your fears and ease them as she focuses on the people fixing the problems and all of the hard work being done by great people. There are also a lot of laughs and endearing moments. The interviews are great.

Just listening to Clinton’s optimism and how she is lifting others is refreshing. She has had billions of dollars spent trashing her over the decades yet she is strong, unwavering, and maintains a heart filled with joy and optimism.

Search “You And Me Both With Hillary Clinton”.

It’s inspirational. It’s real.