Breast cancer awareness campaigns can do a better job supporting women who’ve received a stage 4 diagnosis, instead of focusing only on early detection and ‘beating cancer.’
Florida & Beyond, and All Opinions
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 29, 2021
The Deviaun Antriel Toler trial on child abuse charges is in its fifth day, City Repertory Theatre’s production of “Urinetown” enters its final weekend, Paul Krugman on the GOP’s cowards.
Climate Change: What Big Oil Knew and When It Knew It
The oil industry’s own words show companies knew about the climate change risk fossil fuels posed long before most of the rest of the world. Here’s what corporate documents from the past six decades show.
DeSantis Administration Sues Biden and Federal Agencies Over Vaccine Mandate
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody announced the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. district court in Tampa against several defendants, including President Joe Biden, NASA, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, the federal Office of Management and Budget and the federal General Services Administration.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 28, 2021
The Flagler Beach City Commission meets, Louis Menand on the Invention of George Orwell, the Keith Johansen and Deviaun Toler trials enter their fourth day, and Palm Coast’s beautification committee meets.
Fall Colors Aren’t What They Used To Be. Blame Climate Change.
Warming has caused a delay in peak colors for much of the East, ranging from a few days in Pennsylvania to as much as two weeks in New England. It’s not yet known whether this delay is making fall colors less intense or shorter-lasting.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Katherine Ann Porter’s “The Cracked Looking-Glass,” the trials of Keith Johansen Deviaun Toler enter their mid phase.
Glasgow Climate Summit: What to Watch For
Glasgow sits proudly on the banks of the river Clyde, once the heart of Scotland’s industrial glory and now a launchpad for its green energy transition. It’s a fitting host for the United Nations’ climate conference, COP26, where world leaders will be discussing how their countries will reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Opening arguments in both the Keith Johansen and Deviaun Toler trials at 9 a.m., Flagler Beach’s July 4 committee meets, and Stetson University’s “New Sounds” series in concert, with a few words from Bertrand Russell.
What’s Behind ADHD
ADHD affects more than 6 million U.S. children. People who have ADHD develop symptoms by age 12, and it usually continues into adolescence and young adulthood. The condition can affect people throughout their whole life.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 25, 2021
All eyes on the courthouse as the week begins with jury selection in a pair of high-profile trials–Keith Johansen on a charge of first degree murder in the death of Brandi Celenza, his wife, in 2018, and Deviaun Antriel Toler on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated child abuse.
Remember When Parents Were Fine With Sweeping Vaccine Mandates?
By James Colgrove The ongoing battles over Covid-19 vaccination in the U.S. are likely to get more heated when the Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use of a vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, expected later this fall. California has announced it will require the vaccine for elementary school attendance once it receives full FDA […]
Are Wind Turbines About to Whirl Off Florida’s Shore?
The Biden administration is turning its back on offshore drilling rigs such as Deepwater Horizon. Instead, it’s planning for wind farms along the entire coastline. When it comes to wind, though, Florida is known more for its balmy breezes than any steady gusts that would make wind turbines an energetic proposition.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 24, 2021
The African American Cultural Society is celebrating its 30th Anniversary at 4 p.m. with a plated dinner in the society’s recently renovated Founders Gallery. City Repertory Theatre’s production of “Urinetown” has a matinee.
Time to Stop Worrying About Children’s Screen Time? Not So Fast.
We still need to be wary of health consequences, despite the absence of strong links between screen time and children’s health. The researchers–the study involved almost 12,000 nine-to-ten-year-olds from 24 diverse sites across the United States–suggested screen time was not a direct cause of depression or anxiety and was linked to improved peer relations, but their findings came with caveats.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 23, 2021
“Urinetown” at City Repertory Theatre, the Stetson Symphonic Band in concert, Richard Flanagan’s unknown terrorist on people’s love of the Devil.
Trump Wants His National Archives Papers Censored. Laws May Not Let Him.
At the center of the current conflict between Trump and the congressional committee is the status of presidential papers: Are they public or private? If they’re in the National Archives, they’re not necessarily private. Ex-presidents do not have the ability as former presidents to assert blanket executive privilege.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 22, 2021
Unemployment figures are released this morning, “Urinetown” at City Repertory Theatre, a discussion of domestic violence on WNZF’s Free For All Fridays, Bach at the Jacksonville Symphony, and the vanished Student Pledge Against Gun Violence, and a little touch of Caligula.
The Founders Didn’t Believe Your Sacred Freedom Means You Can Do Whatever the Hell You Want
The founders agreed on one principle: They were unrelenting on the notion that circumstances often emerge that require public officials to pass acts that abridge individual freedoms. Even George Washington forced his troops to be vaccinated.
DeSantis Calls for Special Session to Block Covid Vaccine Mandates (But Not Disney’s)
Gov. Ron DeSantis called Thursday for a special legislative session next month to erect roadblocks against Covid-19 vaccination mandates being advanced by the White House. Democrats criticized DeSantis over his call for a special session, noting that the state’s economic rebound was bolstered by companies such as Disney, which is requiring employees to be vaccinated. Democrats also described DeSantis’ requested legislation as “anti-business.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 21, 2021
Frank Gromling talks about protecting the oceans to protect us, the origins of “for whom the bell tolls,” William Maxwell is “Over By the River.”
Cities Aren’t Adapting to Climate Change Quickly Enough
the pace of climate change is accelerating much more rapidly than urban areas are taking steps to adapt to it. Failure to adapt urban areas to climate change will put millions of people at risk.
6 School Boards’ Challenge to State Ban on Mask Mandates Goes Forward
The decision by Judge Brian Newman came a day before a hearing is scheduled to start in the challenge filed by the school boards in Miami-Dade, Broward, Orange, Duval, Alachua and Leon counties.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 20, 2021
David Szymanski, CEO of MedNexus, is the Flagler Tiger Bay Club keynote speaker today. The Palm Coast Planning Board meets, it’s the Think Pink Preview at the Flagler Auditorium, and the Stetson University Guitar Ensemble is in concert.
Trump Antidote: How Anti-Celebrity Politicians Can Thrive in a Starstruck World
Amid the Trumps and Johnsons of the world, can “traditional” politicians still compete for power? This is where the anti-celebrity politician comes in. Dressing and behaving inconspicuously, and ostensibly lacking media savviness, the anti-celebrity politician embodies the opposite qualities to celebrity stardom. He or she avoids the limelight, and flourishes when fatigue with celebrity figures sets in.
In a Shift, DeSantis Downplays Promotion of Covid Vaccines
DeSantis has appeared to undermine confidence in vaccines, not least by elevating Joseph Ladapo — who has been openly skeptical of the federal public health response to the virus — to the office of surgeon general, running the Florida Department of Health.
State School Board Is About to Revamp Civic Education, with Emphasis on ‘Patriotism’
Making changes that inject patriotism into the curriculum was a priority of top Republican lawmakers and Gov. Ron DeSantis during the legislative session that ended April 30. One rule would require students to understand America’s founding documents. A separate part of the proposal focuses on “upright citizens.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 19, 2021
The Palm Coast City Council will discuss the 90-some applications for city manager it received. The applications do not include Interim Manager Denis Bevan. It’s Food Truck Tuesday in Central Park.
When Students Attack Teachers
Interviews with 50 teachers from urban and suburban high schools who were threatened or attacked by a student suggest that in light of the constant threat of violence against schoolteachers, the adequacy of current security measures – or lack thereof – are ripe for review.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Monday, October 18, 2021
The annual meeting when the county commission discusses and considers approving its annual social services grants–to the Family Life Center, the Free Clinic, the Early Learning Coalition and SMA Healthcare.
Antarctica’s Ice Sheet Collapse Is Still Preventable. Barely.
In West Antarctica, the interior of the ice sheet sits atop bedrock that lies well below sea level. As the Southern Ocean warms, scientists are concerned the ice sheet will continue to retreat, potentially raising sea level by several meters.
The Freedom to Vote Act Is No ‘Compromise.’ It’s an Imperative.
The Freedom to Vote Act was introduced in the Senate as the successor to the For the People Act, which was shot down twice by Republican filibusters. The new act, which has the support of all 50 Democrats in the Senate, is sometimes described as a “compromise bill,” but let’s be clear: The bill is no compromise when it comes to essential protections for voting rights.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Sunday, October 17, 2021
Today is the United Nation’s annual International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Norm MacDonald’s birthday, Hawthorne’s passages from a relinquished work.
Bisexual Superman: A Subtext Finally, Happily Out of the Closet
Son of Kal-El will be out this November, and will feature Jon sharing a kiss with friend and online journalist Jay Nakamura. Apart from proving Superman has always had a thing for reporters, Jon expressing his sexuality is a watershed moment in the venerable franchise.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Saturday, October 16, 2021
Community Cats of Palm Coast celebrates the official Grand Opening of its adoption center and thrift store in the Alamo Business Center off U.S. 1, a few words about Noah Webster’s paradoxes, and a few lines from William Trevor.
Do Unbiased Jurors Exist in Social Media Age Anymore?
It’s a fundamental question for this era: Is it possible to find unbiased citizens to serve on a jury in high-profile cases during an age of ubiquitous social media? The dilemma facing the Supreme Court is how prescriptive they want the voir dire process to be. It could issue an opinion requiring lower courts to ask jurors more penetrating questions about their exposure to media accounts in high-profile cases.
Leon County Judge Refuses to Block Florida Law Banning Vaccine Passports
The ruling by Circuit Judge Layne Smith was a victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has led efforts to prevent businesses from requiring customers to show proof they are vaccinated against Covid-19 — an issue that has become known as requiring vaccine passports.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Friday, October 15, 2021
A free half-day conference on domestic violence, open to everyone, is at the Palm Coast Campus of Daytona State College. Bob Snyder, Paul Renner, Travis Hutson on Free for All Friday, and Roxane Gay on the problematic Dave Chappell.
No, Immigrants Don’t Reduce Natives’ Wages
Nobel Prize winner David Card combined a clever technique with data generated by a unique historical event to credibly answer how large-scale immigration from a poor country affects the wages of native-born citizens. It doesn’t hurt those wages.
Covid’s Impact on Students’ Mental Health Termed ‘Widespread and Deeply Concerning’
The turbulent and stressful Covid-19 crisis has impacted mental health issues, including instances of suicidal thoughts among students who have had to deal with the trauma of trying to learn during the pandemic.
Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism: Just Another Day at the NFL
The NFL’s Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen arrogantly believed that their comments would not enter into the public domain. Truth be told, they had ample reason to believe such a possible reality. For more than a decade the NFL gave them free rein to engage in such perverted, hyper levels of toxic masculinity.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Thursday, October 14, 2021
Another road closure, this one on Palm Coast Parkway, for beautification, Carla Cline gets the Flagler Beach City Commission’s appreciation, and Peter Beinart on what went wrong for Democrats.
What’s Behind All Those Empty Shelves in Stores
There are four primary – and interrelated – reasons for the continuing supply chain crunch, which won’t be resolved by the holidays: soaring consumer demand, a labor shortage, a shipping container shortage, and clogged ports.
For Republicans, It’s Still the Trump Show
For good or ill, Trump in retirement is the same force of nature he was as president. Republican leaders tread lightly around him, conscious of polls that show him by far the first choice of self-identified Republicans for the nomination, even as they worry he’s alienated so many voting blocs that his top of the ticket presence would drag down-ballot candidates to defeat.
Florida Wildlife Commission Wants $7 Million to Deal With Record 1,000-Manatee Deaths in State’s Polluted Waters
The state is approaching 1,000 manatee deaths this year, from a population estimated around 8,800, with a large number of the deaths linked to poor water quality along the East Coast. The main cause of the deaths has been starvation, as seagrass beds that are prime foraging areas for manatees in the Indian River Lagoon have declined because of repeated algae blooms over the past decade.
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Wednesday, October 13, 2021
The Public Safety Coordinating Council meets, as does Flagler Beach’s July 4 committee. Circuit Judge Terence Perkins holds pre-trial hearings, Robin McDonald wonders why one Palm Coast council member gets to act like an ass to fellow council members and nothing is done about it, though anyone else would be thrown out of the room.
On Refugees, Joe Biden Should Emulate Canada: Go Big
The capacity of private American citizens to resettle refugees is large and untapped. It may even bridge the divide over immigration in the United States. Now is the time for Biden to ask the American people to invite homeless and war-ravaged Afghan refugees into their homes and their communities.
U.S. School Boards Association Asks Biden for Better Security at Meetings. Florida Association Says Count Us Out.
The Florida School Boards Association is refusing to pay membership dues to the National School Boards Association after the Washington, D.C.-based organization wrote in a letter to President Joe Biden’s administration that the country’s “public schools and its education leaders are under an immediate threat.”
The Daily Cartoon and Live Briefing: Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Bring your earplugs, Xanax and crackerjack: The Palm Coast City Council is in workshop starting at 9 a.m. at City Hall. The council will also discuss a proposal to annually write off 75 percent of Ground Up’s municipal property taxes for five years, as long as the company maintains 25 employees and spends the money on specified community related benefits.
We’re Finally Decreasing Child Poverty. Let’s Not Blow It.
Expanded Child Tax Credit payments led to “a notable drop in child poverty” after just the first month. The U.S. Census Bureau also found that after just one month, food insecurity among vulnerable families dropped significantly, and families receiving checks also had less difficulty paying for weekly expenses.