The Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933, also known as the “Holodomor”, has rapidly become a central component of Ukrainian identity. Today, 55% of Ukrainians understand the Holodomor as an artificial famine orchestrated by the Soviet authorities and directed against Ukrainians, a view held by just 5% percent of Russians.
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
Borrowing Page from Trump, DeSantis Attacks Judge Who Doesn’t Rule His Way, Drawing Rebukes
Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative Republican leaders unloaded at U.S. District Judge Mark Walker after he struck down key portions of last year’s voter suppression law. James Gustafson Jr., president of the Tallahassee chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), wrote an opinion piece defending Walker against the attacks.
U.S. Senate Confirms Ketanji Brown Jackson, ‘America at Its Best,’ to Supreme Court
Ketanji Brown Jackson will make history by becoming the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, after Democratic and Republican senators voted Thursday to confirm her to the lifetime appointment. The 53-47 vote comes just six weeks after President Joe Biden announced his nomination.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, April 7, 2022
Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part 2, at Stetson University’s Second Stage Theatre, 4H and FFA Youth Livestock Show and Sale, Randy Jaye, a writer and historian, discusses his book “Perseverance” at the Democratic Club.
American Evangelicals See Putin as a Leader of Conservative Values. Ukraine War Is Testing the Myth.
In February 2022, evangelical leader Franklin Graham called on his followers to pray for Vladimir Putin to avoid war. The backlash was fast and direct. Graham had not solicited prayers for Ukraine, some observers commented. And he had rarely called on believers to pray for U.S. President Joe Biden. But white conservatives have been developing a political and emotional alliance with Russia for almost 20 years.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Judges election forum at the Hilton Garden Inn, Flagler County Fair’s 4H and FFA Youth Livestock Show, George Washington Carver Foundation Auction, Woodrow Wilson on entering World War I and the stupidity of applauding warfare.
Academic Freedom and Responsibility
“Academic freedom,” one university’s charter of freedoms reads, “is not a legal right, but rather a right or a privilege bestowed by an institution of higher learning. It might best be construed as an ethical right, insofar as it serves good ends: the advancement and dissemination of knowledge.”
DeSantis on Defensive After New York City Mayor Launches Campaign Against Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Law
Adams, a Democrat, invited Floridians to move to New York if they are in opposition to the recently signed legislation that critics say threatens LGBTQ people by prohibiting discussions on gender identity and sexual orientation in public school classrooms.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, April 5, 2022
The Palm Coast City Council takes up Mayor David Alfin’s proposal to quadruple council members’ salaries and considers an $8 million bank loan to pay for swales and other stormwater improvements, the school board meets, where the barbaric death penalty still prevails, Vonnegut on mother tongues.
Amazon, Starbucks and the Sparking of a New Union Movement
Inspired by pro-union sentiment in political movements, such as Bernie Sanders’ presidential bids, Black Lives Matter and the Democratic Socialists of America, young workers are spearheading the efforts for workplace reform rather than professional union organizers. Indeed, one would be hard pressed to find many experienced organizers among the recent successful campaigns.
College and University Faculty Across Florida Tell Their Students: Ignore ‘Viewpoint Diversity’ Survey
In a Monday letter to its members by email, the United Faculty of Florida claims that the survey is unconstitutional; that many of the questions are “leading in nature,” and the survey itself poses a threat to higher education campuses by potentially chilling speech on campus.
Judge Again Rules Against Muezzin-Like Prayer Before High School Game, But Decision May Have Short Life
In a long-running legal battle, a federal judge has rejected arguments that the Florida High School Athletic Association improperly prevented Christian schools from offering a prayer over a stadium loudspeaker before a 2015 state championship football game. But the decision may have a short life depending on a U.S. Supreme Court’s decision by the end of June on a a somewhat similar case.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, April 4, 2022
The Flagler County Commission talks 911, the Beverly Beach Town Commission meets, the Flagler County Fair’s 4H and FFA Youth Livestock Show and Sale, racist responses to the war in Ukraine, Elisabeth Leonskaja’s complete Mozart sonatas.
Criminal Justice Algorithms: Being Race-Neutral Doesn’t Mean Race-Blind
Justice is supposed to be “blind.” But is race blindness always the best way to achieve racial equality? An algorithm to predict recidivism among prison populations is underscoring that debate.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, April 3, 2022
Get set for the Carver Center auction starting tomorrow, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, the most expensive beer cities.
Where Are the World’s Nukes?
Fortunately, none of these weapons have been used in war since the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. But as recent events remind us, the risk of their use remains a frightening possibility.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, April 2, 2022
The Flagler Youth Orchestra’s top ensemble is in concert, First Saturday Creative Bazaar Arts and Craft Market in Palm Coast’s Town Center, Palm Coast’s traditional Blessing of the Fleet returns, the Malvinas-Falklands war, Ramadan begins.
The Supreme Court May Soon Shatter Another Church-State Wall in Schools and on the Field
Lower courts have mostly forbidden public school teachers from openly praying in the workplace, even if students are not involved. Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, a case from Washington state, scheduled for oral arguments on April 25, 2022, could usher in more religious activities by teachers and other staff in public schools.
Federal Judge Refuses to Block Surveys of Ideological Leanings on College and University Campuses
Surveys aimed at gauging “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” on college and university campuses are on track to go out to students and employees Monday, after a federal judge refused to block the state from distributing the questionnaires.
Fighting Anti-Trans Legislation Is Suicide Prevention
Anti-transgender legislation, demanding that the word “gay” isn’t whispered in classrooms, and punishing parents that dare to love their children wholly — none of these things is going to change who these kids are on the inside. The only thing these bigoted “solutions” do is make more kids depressed, tear families apart and kill children.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, April 1, 2022
Jamal “Jamie” Nejame, the former candidate for mayor in Flagler Beach, pleads out, it’s First Friday in Flagler Beach, don’t believe what you read in the Observer today, and it’s Autism Acceptance Month.
Federal Judge Strikes Down Florida’s New Limits on Voting Access, Calling It ‘Cynical Effort to Suppress Turnout’
A federal judge has stricken key voting restrictions that the Florida Legislature passed last year as unconstitutional, concluding that they make voting more difficult for everybody but “intentionally target” minorities and “unduly” burden disabled voters.
Biden’s Bet on Gas Prices: What You need To Know About the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Congress created the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 in response to a global oil crisis. Does it still serve a purpose, given that the U.S. exports more oil and other petroleum products than it imports?
“Don’t Say Gay” Law Draws Federal Lawsuit Three Days After DeSantis Signs It
Three days after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure, LGBTQ-advocacy groups, parents, students and a teacher filed a federal lawsuit Thursday challenging a new law that includes barring instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in early school grades.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, March 31, 2022
Charles Swindell, one of the more sadistic defendants on the year’s docket, is scheduled for a sentencing by Circuit Judge Terence Perkins, Cesar Chavez Day, Turgenev on Belinsky and art for art’s sake, and Oklahoma’s opening.
How Fast Can We Stop Earth from Warming?
Global warming doesn’t stop on a dime. If people everywhere stopped burning fossil fuels tomorrow, stored heat would still continue to warm the atmosphere. But where we once thought it would take 40 years or longer for global surface air temperature to peak once humans stopped heating up the planet, research now suggests temperature could peak in closer to 10 years.
State Senator Calls for Permanent Closure of Orlando’s FreeFall Ride After Teen’s Death
A teen’s fatal fall last week at an Orlando amusement park has sparked a senator to urge Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried to permanently shut down the Orlando FreeFall ride and “take swift action for the critical safety of others.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, March 30, 2022
The Department of Children and Families holds a job fair in Daytona Beach, with many openings. Manatee Appreciation Day, witness a barn-raising, and the idea of American origins.
DeSantis Wanted His Own Re-Districting Plan, so He Vetoes Legislature’s and Orders Special Session
DeSantis threatened the veto even before the Legislature ignored his demand that lawmakers follow his own plan for drawing new districts — a plan that diminishes Black voting power and would give the GOP 18 of the 28 seats to which Florida is entitled following the 2020 U.S. Census.
I No Longer Grade My Students’ Work. I Wish I’d Stopped Sooner.
The practice of grading, and ranking, students is so widespread as to seem necessary, even though many researchers say it is highly inequitable. Grades are demotivating, they don’t actually measure learning and they increase students’ stress.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, March 29, 2022
The Canadian Brass brings at the Flagler Auditorium, a status hearing in the case of Larry Caravallo, when Jupiter drowned the world in a nuclear holocaust, Pearl Bailey’s anniversary.
Prices Are Soaring because We Almost Literally Eat Oil
The food industry is especially sensitive to the price of energy, more so than any other sector because petroleum is such a key component of its supply chain at every step of the way, from planting and harvesting through processing and packaging.
DeSantis Signs ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill as Federal Officials Monitor Florida for ‘Civil Rights Violations’
The legislation disallows mention of sexual orientation and gender identity. It has drawn national condemnation, and the U.S. Department of Education warned that it will be watching for potential infringement of civil rights.
University Students and Faculty Members File Motion to Suspend Enactment of Law Requiring ‘Viewpoint Diversity’ Surveys
Opponents of a controversial 2021 law asked a federal judge this weekend to prevent the state from moving forward with surveys about “intellectual freedom and viewpoint diversity” on college and university campuses.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, March 28, 2022
Darius Watts pleads out for a home-invasion robbery in the P Section two years ago, the Bunnell City Commission meets for a brief agenda, Maureen Dowd tells us the definition of a woman.
Ousting Putin?
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine grinds on with no apparent solution through international diplomacy, some commentators are wondering if an end of the conflict could come from Vladimir Putin’s removal from power in Russia.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, March 27, 2022
“The Revolutionists” has its last performance at City Repertory Theatre this afternoon, celebrating Mstislav Rostopovich, one of the great cellists of the last century, the unsurprising truth about being born twice.
How the Census Overcounted Whites and Asians and Undercounted Blacks and Hispanics
The census missed counting 3.3% of Black Americans, 5.6% of American Indians or Alaskan Natives who live on reservations and 5% of people of Hispanic or Latino origin. This could mean missing about 1.4 million Black Americans; 49,000 American Indians or Alaskan Natives who live on reservations; and 3.3 million people of Hispanic or Latino origin.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, March 26, 2022
Tom Gargiulo memorial, QAnon convention, “The Revolutionists,” at City Repertory Theatre, John McWhorter on why ‘wokeness’ hurts Black communities.
If You’re a Coastal Home Buyer, You’re Ignoring Rising Risks
Waterfront homes are selling within days of going on the market, and the same story is playing out all along the South Florida coast at a time when scientific reports are warning about the rising risks of coastal flooding as the planet warms.
DeSantis Signs Bill Intensifying Scrutiny of School Library Books and Imposing 12-Year Limit on School Board Terms
Calling it a move toward “curriculum transparency,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill that will intensify scrutiny of school library books and instructional materials and impose 12-year term limits on school board members.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, March 25, 2022
“The Revolutionists” begins its final weekend at City Repertory Theatre, Assistant County Attorney Sean Moylan talks to Scenic A1A Pride, Bartok’s birthday, Mount Rushmore and a few words about till death do us part.
Climate Change and Why The South Is the New Tornado Alley
Statistically, another center of tornado activity in the Southeast, centered around Alabama, has emerged, along with a notable decrease in both the total number of tornadoes and days with tornadoes in the traditional Tornado Alley in the central plains.
State Environmental Agency Recycles Same Old Rule Harming Florida’s Springs
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection was ordered in 2016 to fix a rule that’s enabled natural springs to be harmed by the same nutrient pollution that’s been fueling algae blooms in the estuaries, and by all the people and businesses sucking water out of the aquifer to irrigate lawns and golf courses. The new rule is a near-replica of the old one.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, March 24, 2022
Flagler Beach commissioners at their meetings today will consider approving the site plan for the hotel planned in place of the Farmers’ Market, where a hotel used to rise until the 1970s,and they’ll discuss impact fees.
Is Another Covid Wave on the Way? Explaining the BA.2 Variant
BA.2 is considered to be more transmissible but not more virulant than BA.1. This means that while BA.2 can spread faster than BA.1, it might not make people sicker. Some scientists have called BA.2 a “stealth” variant because, unlike the BA.1 variant, it lacks a particular genetic signature that distinguishes it from the delta variant.
Scorning Transgender Swim-Race Victor, DeSantis Declares 2nd Place Finisher ‘Rightful Winner’
Gov. Ron DeSantis waded further into gender politics Tuesday, issuing a proclamation that said swimmer Emma Weyant from Sarasota is the nation’s best “female” in the 500-meter freestyle after she finished second last week to Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete at the NCAA championship.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Paul Renner is at Hammock Dunes in the monthly Tiger Bay lunch, but the event is sold out, Flagler Reads Together has its discussion on “The Personal Librarian,” on the extraordinary life of Belle da Costa Greene, Remembering Akira Kurosawa and his “Dersu Uzala.”
On Gun Sales and Gun Violence in Pandemic America
For several years, the demographic profile of gun owners in the United States has been broadening as women and members of underrepresented groups started purchasing firearms. People buy guns more for protection than for all other reasons put together.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, March 22, 2022
The Palm Coast City Council approves a $175,000-a-year contract with City Manager Denise Bevan and appoints a new councilman to the seat vacated by Victor Barbosa. The school board meets and discusses its library policy and the district’s dress code.