People struggle to express tolerance for different moral values – for instance, about sexual orientation, helping the poor, being a stay-at-home mother and so on. In study after study, people are less willing to help, share with, date, be roommates with and even work for people who have different moral values. Even children and adolescents express more willingness to shun and punish moral transgressors than people who do something personally obnoxious or offensive but not immoral.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
University of Michigan President Santa Ono Is the Sole Finalist to Become President of the University of Florida
Santa Ono, who has led the University of Michigan since 2022, is the sole finalist to become president of the University of Florida, UF announced Sunday. A presidential-search committee recommended that the UF Board of Trustees approve Ono after a search that began last year following the abrupt resignation of former President Ben Sasse. Kent Fuchs, a former UF president, has served as interim president.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, May 5, 2025
The Flagler County Commission holds a workshop to decide the fate of its beach-management plan, the Beverly Beach Town Commission meets, press freedom again falls in the United States.
Rising Electricity Demand Could Bring Three Mile Island Back to Life
Three Mile Island was the site in 1979 of a partial meltdown at the plant’s Unit 2 reactor. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission calls this event “the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant operating history,” although only small amounts of radiation were released, and no health effects on plant workers or the public were detected. Unit 1 was not affected by the accident. University of Michigan nuclear engineering professor Todd Allen explains what restarting Unit 1 will involve, and why some other shuttered nuclear plants may also get new leases on life.
Religious Charter Schools’ Fate May Hinge on Justice Roberts
The Supreme Court on Wednesday was divided over a Catholic virtual charter school’s bid to become the country’s first religious charter school. With Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused from the case, the outcome appeared to hinge on the vote of Chief Justice John Roberts, who asked probing questions of both sides but did not make his position clear.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, May 4, 2025
Bringing back the décrotteurs, RockabillieWillie At City Repertory Theatre, Paws for Music: Benefit for Community Cats of Palm Coast, the unending corruptions of Napoleon and his family.
Social Security Could Run Short on Funds Within a Decade
Under current law, when the trust fund is empty, Social Security can pay benefits only from dedicated tax revenues, which would, by that point, cover only about 79% of promised benefits. Another way to say this is that when that trust fund is depleted, the people who rely on Social Security for some or the bulk of their income would see a sudden 21% cut in their monthly checks in 2036.
A Gutted Education Department Is Rolling Back Civil Rights and Targeting Transgender Students
The Education Department is being radically reshaped away from education, fairness and equity toward a more prosecutorial arm of the federal government as it negates civil rights investigations and ramps up investigations targeting transgender students and schools that apply more event-handed treatment of students and athletes. Civil rights offices are closed. Workers are fired. Investigating discrimination in schools is practically “impossible.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, May 3, 2025
RockabillieWillie At City Repertory Theatre, Arbor Day in Palm Coast’s Central Park at Town Center, The Flagler Beach All Stars hold their monthly beach clean-up, the end of an era and time’s dark matter.
Jesse Helms’s Children: The Renewed Push To Defund PBS and NPR
The Republican Party’s long-standing goal of ending federal funding for NPR, the nation’s public radio network, and PBS, its television counterpart, may be near. Across the country, 1,500 independent stations affiliated with NPR and PBS air shows such as “Morning Edition,” “Marketplace,” “PBS NewsHour,” “Frontline” and “Nova.” Some 43 million people tune into public radio every week, and over 130 million watch PBS every year, according to the networks.
Florida Lawmakers Raise New Barriers to Citizens’ Ballot Initiatives
With Democrats calling the changes an “assault on the very spirit of Florida’s democracy,” the Republican-controlled Legislature on Friday finalized a plan that will impose additional hurdles on the ballot-initiative process and heighten penalties for wrongdoing. Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed lawmakers to crack down on the process after highly contentious and expensive battles over proposals last year that sought to place abortion rights in the state Constitution and allow recreational marijuana for adults.
Jeffrey Hutchinson Killed for the 1998 Murders of His Girlfriend’s Three Children
After the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeals, Jeffrey Hutchinson was executed Thursday night at Florida State Prison for the 1998 murders of his girlfriend’s three children in Okaloosa County, according to the state Department of Corrections.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, May 2, 2025
RockabillieWillie At City Repertory Theatre, Sneaker Ball Gala at the Community Center, Bunnell’s State of the City, First Friday Garden Walks at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, Rex Stout on getting up in the morning.
How Probation Fuels Mass Incarceration
On any given day, 1.9 million people are incarcerated in more than 6,000 federal, state and local facilities. Another 3.7 million remain under what scholars call “correctional control” through probation or parole supervision. That means one out of every 60 Americans is entangled in the system — one of the highest rates globally. Yet despite its vast reach, the criminal justice system often fails at its most basic goal: preventing people from being rearrested, reconvicted or reincarcerated.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, May 1, 2025
The Palm Coast City Council holds a special meeting to review the findings of the investigation of Mayor Mike Norris that found him to have violated the city charter, Eugène Pottier and his Internationale, the true Labor Day.
Politically Motivated Deportations from the Chinese Exclusion Act to Pro-Palestinian Activists
The recent deportation orders targeting foreign students in the U.S. have prompted a heated debate about the legality of these actions, especially as many individuals were facing removal because of their pro-Palestinian advocacy. The current removal orders targeting student activists echo America’s long and lamentable past of jailing and expelling immigrants because of their race or what they say or believe – or all three.
Attorney General Flouts Federal Judge’s Order Suspending Florida Immigration Law, and May Face Sanctions
Attorney General James Uthmeier could face contempt sanctions over a letter he sent to Florida law enforcement agencies labeling as illegitimate a court order suspending a state immigration law that led to the arrest of a U.S. citizen. In an order issued late Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams wrote that Uthmeier will have to prove that he shouldn’t face legal consequences over his greenlighting of arrests under the law, which she had temporarily blocked as likely unconstitutional.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, April 30, 2025
The US Supreme Court justices hear arguments in a Catholic charter school case that could open the gates for public funding to go directly to religious schools, Separation Chat, Open Discussion, weaponry bazaars.
Mark Carney and Canada’s Game-Changing Election
Canada’s 2025 federal election will be remembered as a game-changer. Liberal Leader Mark Carney pulled off a dramatic reversal of political fortunes after convincing voters he was the best candidate to fight annexation threats from the United States. Canadians gave the Liberals their fourth mandate since 2015, although the race against the Conservatives was much closer than polls predicted. Nonetheless, only four months ago, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had a 25-point lead in public opinion polls and a fairly secure path to victory.
Florida Will Use Tax Dollars to Sue Its Own Public Schools on Behalf of Parents
Attorney General James Uthmeier said his office is “putting our money where our mouth is” in announcing a state-funded legal team dedicated to enforcing parents-rights laws. Addressing a crowd of fourth graders at Jacksonville Classical Academy Tuesday, Uthmeier said his office is “making sure that we’re walking the walk and setting examples” in enforcing laws related to gender transition, library materials, school surveys, and other topics that have dominated legislative, judicial, and executive conversations in recent years.
Florida House Sets Up Panel to Weigh Cuts or Elimination of Most Property Taxes
A special House committee will begin hearings this week to consider possible alternatives for asking Florida voters to cut property taxes. House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, on Tuesday announced the creation of a select committee to look at potential property-tax changes that could go before voters in November 2026. The full House would take up the issue at the start of the 2026 legislative session in January.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Flagler Airport Terminal Groundbreaking at 10 a.m., Random Acts of Insanity at Cinematique Theater, when a judge calls an inmate “sane and competent” for a state-sponsored killing.
Trump Dictates Press Coverage. His Model: Hungary’s Viktor Orbán
In his first 100 days, Trump asserted new control over the press, starting with those who cover him daily. In February 2025, his administration barred The Associated Press from the Oval Office for using “Gulf of Mexico” rather than adopting the president’s newly named “Gulf of America.”
Florida Lawmakers Look to Increase Tax-Dollar Shift to Charter Schools
Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature is moving forward with a series of proposals that would help charter schools, while Democrats argue the measures would chip away at traditional public schools. At least five bills have passed the House or the Senate that could help lead to more charter schools, bolster charter school facilities and, at least in some cases, ensure charter schools get a cut of local tax dollars.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, April 28, 2025
Bunnell Mayor Catherine Robinson delivers the Bunnell State of the City Address, Ta-Nehisi Coates on our imagined traditions, The Economist on the best places to live, 12 states dependent on international migrations.
100 Years of Art Deco
On 28 April 1925, the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts opened in Paris. It was a landmark event in the evolution of art, architecture and design, and aroused great interest both for the works on display and for their impact.
Florida House Votes to Scrap Work Limits for Older Teens But Ban STI Treatment Without Parental Consent
Although older teens could work unlimited hours, they wouldn’t be able to get treatment for sexually transmitted infections on their own under two bills the Florida House approved Friday. House lawmakers voted on party lines both to require parental consent for health care providers to treat minors with STIs and to let 16- and 17-year-olds work full-time hours during the school year without their parents’ permission.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Clay Jones on why the president hires only morons, when Ronald Reagan pined for the time when war was “civilized,” before he joked about nuking the Soviet Union.
How Florida Went from Swing State to Solid Republican
Florida has undergone a dramatic political transformation over the past decade from a swing state to Republican stronghold. In 2012, there were almost 1.5 million more registered Democratic voters than Republicans in Florida. In 2020, Democrats’ advantage dropped to about 97,000. And by September 2024, there were almost 1 million more registered Republicans than Democrats.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Philomena Cunk on the meaning of life, Gamble Jam, Coffee With Commissioner Scott Spradley (assuming he’s not too jet-lagged), a few lines from Percy’s Moviegoer.
The Government Is Repurposing Your Data To Spy On You
Data that people provide to U.S. government agencies for public services such as tax filing, health care enrollment, unemployment assistance and education support is increasingly being redirected toward surveillance and law enforcement.
House Panel Drops Investigation of Casey DeSantis Charity That Funneled $10 Million to Political Committees
After weeks of investigation, a state House leader said Thursday his panel is halting a probe into a foundation linked to First Lady Casey DeSantis’ signature economic-assistance program, Hope Florida. Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican who chairs the House Health Care Budget Subcommittee, spent weeks scrutinizing the foundation’s receipt of $10 million as part of a $67 million legal settlement that Centene, Florida’s largest Medicaid managed-care company, reached last fall with the Agency for Health Care Administration, then redistributing the $10 million to two anti-pot political committees.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, April 25, 2025
Council member Theresa Pontieri and two prospective city managers on Free For All Fridays, Acoustic Jam Circle At The Community Center In The Hammock, the discovery of life on another planet 120 light years away, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing on what makes man valuable.
Social Media Before Bedtime Wreaks Havoc on Our Sleep
Poor sleep isn’t just about feeling tired − it’s linked to worsened mental health, emotion regulation, memory, academic performance and even increased risk for chronic illness and early mortality. At the same time, social media is nearly universal among young adults, with 84% using at least one platform daily. While research has long focused on screen time as the culprit for poor sleep, growing evidence suggests that how often people check social media − and how emotionally engaged they are − matters even more than how long they spend online.
With House and Senate Split on Size of Tax Cuts, Florida Legislature Goes Into Overtime
With the Senate and House unable to reach agreement on tax cuts and spending, lawmakers will not finish negotiations on a new state budget in time to end the legislative session as scheduled next week. The House has proposed a tax package (HB 7033) totaling about $5 billion, with the cuts largely stemming from a plan to permanently reduce the state’s sales-tax rate from 6 percent to 5.25 percent. The Senate proposed a $1.83 billion tax-cut package (SB 7034) that includes eliminating sales taxes on clothing and shoes that cost $75 or less.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, April 24, 2025
Robert Reich on Tariffs, The Flagler Beach City Commission meets and hears about its latest audit, Model Yacht Club Races at the Pond in Palm Coast’s Central Park, a few words about nuts from Richard Powers.
Relatively Low Fluoride Levels May Affect Intelligence in Children
A new study found that relatively low exposure to fluoride during the foetal stage (as a result of the mother’s exposure to fluoride) or in the child’s early years may affect their intelligence.
Florida Sues Snapchat, Alleging Social Media Platform Is Not Blocking Minors
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit alleging that the operator of Snapchat is violating a high-profile 2024 law aimed at keeping children off some social-media platforms. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Santa Rosa County circuit court, came after a federal judge last month rejected a request by tech-industry groups for an injunction to block the law. In a federal-court filing Monday, attorneys for the state said Uthmeier “expects that additional investigations and enforcement actions will commence soon.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Jermaine Williams, who stabbed his wife to death in Bunnell last year, is in a pre-trial hearing, the River to Sea Transportation Planning Organization meets, Flagler Beach Commissioner Scott Spradley sends a few pictures from England.
Would Branson-Type Shows at the Kennedy Center Be Such a Bad Thing?
Rather than ridiculing the president’s taste, responses to the takeover would be better placed focusing on more fundamental questions about the role of the U.S. government in the nation’s artistic life. How can a national arts institution best reflect the country’s diverse range of people and interests? Prior to Trump, how well was the Kennedy Center doing at that?
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Stetson University’s 2025 Holocaust Memorial Lecture, the Palm Coast City Council will have a look at a proposed YMCA in Town center, it will discuss the Palm Harbor Golf Club, the city’s 10-year capital improvement plan, and other issues, the school board holds a pair of meetings.
How Pope Francis Mattered
Francis had served as pope for 12 eventful years, after being elected on March 13, 2013 after the surprise resignation of Benedict XVI. Prior to becoming pope, he was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, and was the first person from the Americas to be elected to the papacy. He was also the first pope to choose Francis as his name, thus honoring St. Francis of Assisi, a 13th-century mystic whose love for nature and the poor have inspired Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, April 21, 2025
The county commission in a pair of meetings today discusses replacing County Attorney Al Hadeed, who retires this summer, and further discusses its teetering beach management plan, the East Flagler Mosquito Control District Board meets, manufacturing an America crisis.
The Law Behind National Monuments’ Creation–and Elimination
One of the new administration’s early orders was for the Department of Interior to review all national monuments for potential oil and gas drilling and mining. At least two national monuments that President Joe Biden created in California are among the new administration’s targets. The avenue for many of these changes is rooted in one century-old law, the Antiquities Act of 1906, signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt.
New College Hides Russell Brand Sleaze Behind Free Speech
Florida attracts sleazeballs, creeps, and the criminally-inclined the way cookie crumbs attract roaches. It’s always been like this: Al Capone wintered in Miami Beach; Richard Nixon escaped to his Key Biscayne compound so he could hang out with his mob-affiliated pal Bebe Rebozo; Charles Ponzi made a name for himself for selling Florida swampland — impossible to build on— to unsuspecting Yankees. Russell Brand almost made it on the list.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, April 20, 2025
J.S. Bach’s dark vision on Easter Sunday, the complete St. John Passion, Palm Coast Farmers’ Market at European Village, Richard Taruskin revisits the cantatas.
The Threat of Deep-Sea Mining
Deep-sea mining can pose a danger to what lives above it, in the midwater ecosystem. If future deep-sea mining operations release sediment plumes into the water column, as proposed, the debris could interfere with animals’ feeding, disrupt food webs and alter animals’ behaviors.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, April 19, 2025
The North East Florida Jazz Association (NEFJA) Jazz Appreciation Concert, “Henry Flagler: Florida Visionary,” a Palm Coast Historical Society talk, ‘Sense and Sensibility’ at St. Augustine’s Limelight Theatre, Ayşegül Savaş’s “Marseille.”
Studying Hooters’ Servers
Declining sales, rising costs and a large debt burden of approximately US$300 million have threatened Hooters’ long-term outlook. A researcher looked into breastaurants and the toll they take on servers. Here are her findings.
Florida GOP Lawmaker to Randy Fine: “Proud To Have Voted Against Your Moronic Campus Carry Bill”
Miami Republican state Sen. Illeana Garcia, who joined with three Senate Democrats in a committee vote last month rejecting a proposal sponsored by then-GOP Sen. Randy Fine (SB 814) to allow concealed weapons on college and university campuses, says she has zero regrets for that vote. But few fellow-Republicans are willing to voice similar assurances even after the FSO shooting.