The political buzz around Florida is the possibility of a do-over primary. The Democratic National Committee last year ruled that Michigan and Florida delegates elected in the January 29, 2008 primary would not be seated at the convention because the primary date violated the rules of the DNC. Now, with the race “too close to call” some are crying, “Foul!” and want Michigan and Florida to count. So the party of enfranchisement is trying to figure out how to dis-disenfranchise the 1.7 million voters in Florida 1and I don’t know how many in Michigan whose vote didn’t count.The cost of another primary is estimated to be $17 to $25 million dollars. 2Some have whittled the estimated price down to $6 million by conducting a mail-in primary The DNC says they don’t have enough money to pay. 3Read that, “Correct our mistake.” And Florida’s governor Charlie Crist will sign a bill OKaying the primary as long as the State doesn’t have to pay. Who do you think should pay for the do-over?
Endowed Bathroom
From the Campus Ministry Update February 2008 by The Ivy Jungle:
Endowed Bathroom: A venture capitalist has given $25,000 to the University of Colorado to endow a bathroom. The lavatory in the business school will have a sign outside it featuring the inspiring quote: “The best ideas often come at inconvenient times. Don’t ever close your mind to them.” (Inside Higher Ed January 29, 2008)
Old Friends Come to Visit
Mauri and Dee Rice, Terry and Jerry Crawford
Friday we were blessed to have a visit from some long-time friends from Indianapolis. Mauri and Dee Rice come to central Florida each winter for about three months. Jerry and Terry Crawford are down for about a week.
Mauri, Jerry, and I played golf while Mrs. Major, Dee, and Terry visited. Fortunately, I didn’t embarrass myself. Neither did Mauri or Jerry.
Later we went to dinner at one of the local clubs, El Santiago. It specializes in fish with a Caribbean flavor. Yummy.
All in all it was a fun afternoon and evening. Friends are great! These are no exception.
Green Done Up Brown
When somebody did something very well, my mom said, “They did it up brown.” At the time I didn’t know where the phrase came from, but I now suspect it had cooking roots.
Anyway, The Villages, announced a trash recycling program that they’ve been working on for three years. Three years, you say? This required careful coordination with several trash companies and two of the three affected local county governments. They have also coordinated with local merchants like Publix, Wal-Mart, Lowes, Ace Hardware, and Home Depot, to make sure there will be enough supply of the required trash bags. 1That they’ve all sold out is not The Villages fault
Here’s the plan:Homeowners collect recyclables into 13 gallon clear drawstring trash bags. Pretty much everything that is recyclable is eligible: plastic, newspaper, magazines, phone books, aluminum and steel cans, glass, etc. (See the reprint on the left) Then they leave the recycling bags at curbside on one of the two “trash pickup days” each week. Simple as that. No sorting. On top of that it’s only $1.47 per month added to the trash bill and the first month, March, is free.
Some folks are complaining about the $1.47 and that the system’s too complex. I guess there’s no pleasing some folks. For me, it’s a painless way to be a little bit green…and do it up brown.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | That they’ve all sold out is not The Villages fault |
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Mrs. Major Wimps Out
Mrs. Major has bad knees. She’s been taking cortisone shots every three months in them for almost a year in order to reduce the pain she constantly feels. Convinced that she was ready for surgery, she went to see the surgeon to set up the surgery…hoping to have both knees done within the next three months. He talked her out of it. He told her it was her decision, but when she pressed him for his opinion, he said, “Wait.” So she’s waiting.
With the shots she can make it from the car to the store, or the golf cart to the swimming pool, but forget about a day at the mall or the museum or the gardens. We recently went on a cruise and just the walking on the ship was painful. She’s going to tough it out until she can’t stand it.
One of the reasons she decided to wait is the doctor told her she’s too young to have the surgery. 😀