Almost half of violent hate crimes with LGBTQ victims involved an attacker who was a close friend, family member, partner or former partner, and victims were more likely to have physical and psychological symptoms as a result of the attack.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
Acceding to DeSantis, Florida Supreme Court Impanels Grand Jury to Investigate Vaccines
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday approved a request by Gov. Ron DeSantis to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate alleged wrongdoing related to Covid-19 vaccines.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 22, 2022
Preparing for the coldest spell of the year, a look back at the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, the St. Matthew Passion in full, and Grand Guignol.
DeSantis Stokes Culture Wars at the Expense of Bright Schools and Free Speech
The culture war battles being waged in Florida are not only doing lasting damage to the public education system but to the basic constitutional rights of all Floridians. Freedom of speech protects the right to freedom of conscience, debate ideas and question authority.
Teddy Roosevelt’s Failed Bull Moose Campaign May Portend the Future Of GOP and Donald Trump
Theodore Roosevelt campaigned to regain the office from his successor, William Howard Taft. He divided the Republican Party and ensured the victory of Democrat Woodrow Wilson in the presidential election of 1912.
Florida Ranks Poorly in Social Capital, Personal Freedom and Governance in Milken Center Report
Florida ranks 31st in overall prosperity according to the American Dream Prosperity Index (ADPI), 47th in social capital and 37th in personal freedoms, significantly lower marks than Gov. Ron DeSantis has been giving himself.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, December 21, 2022
The Atlantic Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State’s open discussion, chess club at the library, Heinrich Boll, Lewis Mumford’s Roaring Traffic’s Boom.
2022’s US Climate Disasters
The year 2022 will be remembered across the U.S. for its devastating flooding, storms and hurricanes – and also for its extreme heat waves and droughts, including one so severe it briefly shut down traffic on the Mississippi River.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 20, 2022
The school board talks about the potential availability of Narcan in schools, the future of the Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club and the possibility of arming civilian staffers, and how the American really loves nothing but his automobile.
What the Criminal Referral of Trump Means
The House committee recommended that the Justice Department pursue four main charges against Trump – obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to make a false statement and inciting or assisting an insurrection. Here’s what it all means.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 19, 2022
The dedication of the new Sheriff’s Operations Center, the Legislative Delegation meeting, the County Commission meets, Larry David may or may not have a fetish, Donald Trump’s trading cards, Leonid Brezhnev’s birthday.
Henry Kissinger’s Deadly Legacy
Kissinger espoused a narrow perspective of the national interest, known as “realpolitik,” centered on maximizing the economic and military power of the United States. This power- and transactionalist-oriented approach to foreign policy produced a series of destructive outcomes. They ranged from fomenting coups that put in place murderous dictatorships, killing unarmed civilians, and alienating potential allies.
To Combat Gun Violence, Artist Mykael Ash Turns Ammunition Into Art
Mykael Ash is turning ammunition into art. Ash, who lives in East St. Louis, Illinois, frequently walks through parts of the city where bullet shells aren’t hard to find. The shell casings represent a cycle of inequality, Ash says, and the art he makes with it serves as a call to action.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 18, 2022
Today it’s all about France and Argentina, plus Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, and how U.S. House members in 1983 tried to bring the World Cup to the United States.
A Primer on the World Cup Final
Penalties, if it comes to that, are unbearably tense. If you’d rather avert your eyes from the on-pitch drama at that point, then here are three of the best World Cup articles from The Conversation to take your mind off those tense moments–or to prepare for the show.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, December 17, 2022
An artificial intelligence special, Florida Democrats ask themselves: Where do we go from here? at the Palm Coast Community Center, the World Cup’s useless third-place game.
Trump-Era Law Used to Restrict Immigration Is Nearing Its End Despite GOP Warnings Of Looming Crisis At Southern Border
Officially called Title 42 of the U.S. Code, the little-known law was established initially in 1944 to prevent the spread of influenza and allow authorities to bar entry to foreigners deemed to be at risk of spreading the disease. Donald Trump invoked the law in 2020. It’s set to expire at the end of the year.
Sen. Marco Rubio Wants TikTok Banned. His Bill Has Bi-Partisan Support.
Two years after former President Donald Trump called for a ban on TikTok, Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio this week introduced legislation that would impose a national ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform that has become immensely popular with young Americans.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, December 16, 2022
The 2023 economic outlook, Florida-friendly landscaping, Honky Tonk Angel, at City Repertory Theatre, chess as a boxing match, put down that burger, or else watch your world disappear.
Ten Big Issues in Florida’s Just-Enacted Insurance Overhaul
Florida lawmakers this week held a special session and passed a 105-page bill aimed at stabilizing the state’s troubled property-insurance system. The bill (SB 2-A) deals with numerous issues, including lawsuits, the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and critical reinsurance coverage. Here are 10 key issues that lawmakers addressed.
Getting Critical: Mississippi and Other Major Rivers Are At Record Lows
In 2022, water levels in some of the world’s largest rivers, including the Rhine in Europe and the Yangtze in China, fell to historically low levels. The Mississippi River fell so low in Memphis, Tennessee, in mid-October that barges were unable to float, requiring dredging and special water releases from upstream reservoirs to keep channels navigable. Earth scientists see this year’s dramatic plunge in water levels as a preview of a climate-altered future.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 15, 2022
Press freedom and a dismal 2022, the ILA Working Group that handles the joint agreement between the school board, the county and Flagler’s municipalities regarding school concurrency, meets, storytime at the Flagler Beach Public Library.
Florida GOP and Insurance Companies Won Big ‘Bailout’ in This Week’s Special Session
The Florida Legislature’s special session on insurance reform ended Thursday with final passage to a bill extending a $1 billion subsidy to insurance companies but doing little to decrease premiums any time soon or provide relief for ordinary homeowners.
Fusion Ignition Explained and Why Benefits Are a Long Way Off
The cost of a fusion power plant needs to go well below the US$3.5 billion of the National Ignition Facility. These steps will require significant investment from both the federal government and private industry.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, December 14, 2022
Hurricane Nicole Information Forum in Flagler Beach, Weekly Chess Club for Teens at the Flagler County Public Library, Jimmy Kimmel’s answer to Elon Musk.
Florida Senate Approves $100 Million in Beach Erosion Aid, Part of $750 Million Disaster Relief Bill
The bill includes $100 million for beach-erosion recovery, an amount certain to help boost Flagler County’s prospects for tapping many of those millions as it faces vast challenges on 18 miles of its eroded coast.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 13, 2022
The Palm Coast City Council votes on a new restaurant tenant at Palm Harbor Golf Club, Planation bay rezoning, Clair Metz at Tiger Bay, a day for fusion, Scott McClanahan’s Crapalachia.
One Third of the Food We Buy Is Wasted, Hurting Climate and Wallets
U.S. consumers waste a lot of food year-round – about one-third of all purchased food. That’s equivalent to 1,250 calories per person per day, or US$1,500 worth of groceries for a four-person household each year, an estimate that doesn’t include recent food price inflation.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 12, 2022
The Bunnell City Commission meets, the World Cup is off, the Library of America’s W.E.B. DuBois volume, its editors, and Reconstruction: Voices from America’s First Great Struggle for Equality.
Could Video Streaming be As Bad for the Environment as Driving a Car?
We are used to thinking that going digital means going green. But driving a small car to the movie theatre with a friend may have lower carbon emissions than streaming the same movie alone at home.
Drag Shows Are Now A Right-Wing Target Amid Rising Extremism
Propagating hate and violence against queer people, lawmakers and right-wing figures are misrepresenting what happens at all-ages drag performances, including literacy events. This is occurring in the wake of a spate of legislative bills targeting LGBTQ people.
Major DeSantis Donor and Board of Governors Member Kent Stermon, Under Investigation, Takes His Own Life
Kent Stermon, a Jacksonville-area businessman and member of the state university system’s Board of Governors, was found dead in an apparent suicide. Stermon was president and chief operating officer of Total Military Management.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, December 11, 2022
Tree of Lights at the Flagler Playhouse, Fantasy of Lights continues, the Kyoto Protocols and other climate change failures, the possibilities of overcoming racism through soccer.
Young People’s Turneout Was Near Record in Mid-Terms. Trend or Exception?
Young people’s estimated 27% turnout rate in 2022 marks a near-record for an age group that has historically participated at lower rates in midterm elections. Whether this is a long-term trend or not will depend on whether communities and political groups implement the changes that research suggests can lead to sustained increases in youth voter turnout.
Don’t Vote for Just One: Ranked Choice Voting Is Gaining Ground
Ranked choice voting has seen steady success in recent years. Proponents of the voting method argue it leads to better representation of voters’ viewpoints and more collegial campaigning while eliminating the need for costly runoff elections. Opponents say it’s too complicated for the average voter to understand.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, December 10, 2022
France and England and Portugal and Morocco go at it, Gamble Jam at Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area, The Saturday Flagler Beach Farmers Market, Nell Scovell, James Reston on a new dawn, but that was in 1960.
Don’t Say Fraud? Joe Harding Has Resigned, But Effects of His ‘Parental Rights’ Law Live On
The Florida House of Representatives is down a member following the resignation of former Rep. Joe Harding following his federal indictment on fraud charges. Harding sponsored the “Parental Rights in Education” or “Don’t Say Gay” bill from the 2022 session that became law in July.
Sinema out, Warnock in, GOP House. Now What? Gridlock Won’t Be the Biggest Problem.
Divided government – including during the upcoming legislative session – will not produce greatly different legislative results than unified government, because unified government isn’t very productive in the first place: It’s really hard to get things done even when the same party controls both chambers and the presidency.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, December 9, 2022
The Sound of Christmas, a free concert at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Brittney Griner, Oliver North’s arms-dealing with Iranian terrorists, Tree of Lights at the Playhouse.
If You Read This, You May Never Want to Be Near a Flushing Toilet Again
Every time you flush a toilet, it releases plumes of tiny water droplets into the air around you. These droplets, called aerosol plumes, can spread pathogens from human waste and expose people in public restrooms to contagious diseases. Here’s the visual proof.
State Panel Developing Guidelines on Book Bans for School Librarians May Be at an Impasse
A new law that intensifies scrutiny of school library books requires school boards to adopt procedures that provide for the “regular removal or discontinuance” of books from media centers based on factors such as alignment with state academic standards. The panel designated to develop the training playbook for librarians is mired in disagreement, with a Jan. 1 deadline looming.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, December 8, 2022
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Steve Solomon’s Home for the Holidays at the Auditorium, Evenings at Whitney Lecture Series, philosophy in one lecture.
The Joys of Hegel?
There has been much excitement at the discovery of a treasure trove of notes from the lectures of the great German idealist philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. Before rejoicing we should ask: why does Hegel have this tricky reputation? And is it reasonable to expect that this new set of lecture notes will finally shed light on what can seem so obscure about his thinking?
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: December 7, 2022
Code enforcement, Flagler County Republican Club’s Christmas Dance Party, The Atlantic Chapter of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State’s discussion group, adding more faces to Rushmore.
‘Independent State Legislature Doctrine’ Could Reverse 200 Years of Democratic Progress
In a case to be heard Wednesday, Moore v. Harper, the U.S. Supreme Court could decide that state legislatures have control over congressional elections, including the ability to draw voting districts for partisan political advantage, unconstrained by state law or state constitutions.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Medical examiner interviews in St. Augustine, the Palm Coast City Council and the School Board meet, the death of Kirstie Alley, John Wayne rails against everything.
A Judge Is Relying on a New Supreme Court Decision to Keep Guns in Abusers’ Hands
A judge in Texas struck down the federal law that prohibits access to guns for people subject to domestic violence protection orders, based on a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling. He argued that disarming domestic abusers violates the Second Amendment because those types of laws didn’t exist at the founding of the country.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, December 5, 2022
The Flagler County Commission holds a pair of meetings, at 9 and 1, the Beverly Beach Town Commission meets in the evening, felony court is off, Brazil tries to rival France for World Cup entertainment as we do not dream of Jeannie and Tony Hurwitz pays Stone Mountain a visit.
GOP’s Election Afterparty: Owning the Libs, No Matter the Cost
True, the U.S. Senate is still in the hands of the godless Democrats who want to destroy America, but the House of Representatives now belongs to Republicans, the party of God, AK-47s, F-150s (and not the electric kind, either), manliness, Merry Christmas, and our lord and savior Donald Trump.
Pit Bull Attacks: A South African Case Study
Pit bulls have been in the news in South Africa after a series of deadly attacks on humans by the dogs. There have been revenge attacks on the dogs and politicians have called for their ban – tapping into a history of dogs being used by their white owners to intimidate and attack black South Africans. A racist incident then made the news when a dog lover responded with fury to the call for a ban.