Officially sick of the freezes

January 7th, 2010 by Pat

UPDATE FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. 8 — Oh, yeah. Now it even looks like snow out there, though that won’t happen before very late tonight/wee hours Saturday. I don’t really mind snow, though what we’re likely to get is the icy kind, not the pretty fluffy kind – and only in flurries – not sticking to the ground.

It’s sleet and freezing rain I hate. I hope we don’t get ice on the roads.

UPDATE 6:30 P.M. — And now, the National Weather Services we could get some snow and sleet late Friday night and Saturday. What, are we up north or something?

PREVIOUSLY ENTERED — Yes, I am now officially sick of it. Worrying about the water pipes at my house freezing up. Feeling too cold to get wet in the shower (brrrr). Watching the blue light on my thermostat indicating the heat strip is running, trying to keep the house warm enough — a boon to the power company and a boost to my electric bill.

Just too cold, as Jeff Davis' thermometer in Cassadaga proved Wednesday a.m.

Just too cold, as Jeff Davis' thermometer in Cassadaga proved Wednesday a.m.

I don’t mind cool weather this time of year. I like Central Florida because we do get some change of seasons. But we’re supposed to get just a day or two of really cold weather, then it should go away. We especially shouldn’t get hard freezes.

Don’t blame me for the weather forecast. Writing the weather story in today’s paper gave me a headache, because the forecast kept changing, and forecast highs and lows vary depend on which source you use. I prefer to stick with the National Weather Service. Most of the other weather services just take it and put their own spin on it.

The good news is, it’s not supposed to freeze tonight. Now it looks like there could be brief freezing temperatures Monday night, for which I reported freeze relief.

Sigh.

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No. 1 source of consumer complaints? Telephone solicitation

December 30th, 2009 by Pat

The Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services just released the 10 most common consumer complaints received from Florida residents, and not surprisingly, unwanted sales calls topped the list — again.

telephoneJust say no:

There’s a simple remedy to the problem of telephone solicitation — DON’T BUY STUFF OVER THE PHONE. DON’T SET APPOINTMENTS FOR SALES CALLS. DON’T AGREE TO ANYTHING PROPOSED BY A STRANGER ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE.

It’s that easy. If people would wise up and refuse to talk to people who call them out of the blue, the boiler rooms would shrivel up and blow away. Now, there’s an attractive image.

Here’s the full  press release:

BRONSON ANNOUNCES TOP 10 COMPLAINTS FOR 2009

TALLAHASSEE — Unwanted telephone sales calls continue to be the top gripe for Florida residents, with more than 6,500 complaints filed with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in 2009.  Commissioner Charles H. Bronson has released the top 10 list of complaints and the state’s “Do Not Call law continues to generate the most activity.  In fact, there were 1,500 more written complaints filed by people on the “Do Not Call” list than in 2008.
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A better season for the environment

December 23rd, 2009 by Pat

While we may not live in the best of all possible worlds, this year is ending pretty well for the West Volusia environment and the people who care about it. Consider:

The Volusia Growth Management Commission backpedaled from its backpedaling on rules changes — a decided victory for West Volusians worried about over-development. The commission had been poised to pull its own teeth of any authority it has to to say “no” to developers. They acted in response to all you wonderful citizens showing up at their meetings to voice your concerns.

The Department of Community Affairs has turned into a real watchdog. DCA is actually saying “no” to bogus land-use changes that would allow development in the middle of delicate ecosystems and let conservation lands be paved over. Way to go! I hope DCA is able to keep it up. Knowing our Legislature and the forces of development, it may not.

While the County Council appears determined to stay on its path of pushing development for big interests, a lot of city commissions and councils have woken up and smelled the coffee. It seems like they’re starting to realize the mess unbridled growth has brought. They are also looking to work together on water-supply issues, and giving at least slightly more than token attention to conservation programs.

Hometown Democracy will be on the ballot in 2010.

We have a president who understands concerns about global warming, air pollution and water pollution are not just silly or made up .

We have a cadre of dedicated individuals and groups who care and are working hard to protect our resources and the environment. Thank you: Riverkeeper, Volusia Soil & Water people, Eric West, Greg Gimbert, Putnam Environmental Council, Volusia-Flagler Sierra Club, Betty O’Laughlin, League of Women Voters, Bill Flowers, and so many more people ..

From The Book of Common Prayer, Holy Eucharist Prayer C:

God of all power, Ruler of the Universe, you are worthy of glory and praise .

Glory to you forever and ever.

At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.

By your will they were created and have their being.

scutum_hires

From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation. But we turned against you, and betrayed your trust, and we turned against one another.

Have mercy, Lord, for we are sinners in your sight.

Again and again, you called us to return. Through prophets and sages you revealed your righteous Law. And in the fullness o f time you sent your only Son, born of a woman, to fulfill your Law, to open for us the way of freedom and peace.

As we await the coming of the Christ child, let us turn back and earn the trust of God, who created the universe and all the glory around us, from galaxies down to the smallest electron. It is all his, and we are his trustees.

Let us take care of this good Earth and our little part of it.

Amen.

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Season’s Greetings

December 21st, 2009 by Pat

Merry Christmas or other holiday of your choice from me and Molly McGuire (the best dog in the whole wide world (TM).
Pat and Molly ready for parade

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DeLand does it right

December 10th, 2009 by Pat

Monday evening, I covered the DeLand City Commission meeting. It was a little off my usual beat.

Let me tell you, the civility, courtesy and professionalism I saw were a breath of fresh air. Maybe some of the local city councils/commissions could take a field trip to DeLand on a first or third Monday, and see how it should be done.

Commissioners were businesslike at DeLand. They made pretty short work of a long agenda. Personal agendas didn’t rule. Even when they disagreed, they were civil.

Hats off to Mayor Bob Apgar and Commissioners Willie Bright, Leigh Matusick, Phil Martin and Charles Paiva, and City Manager Michael Pleus and Assistant City Manager Dale Arrington.

Of course, this doesn’t mean they get free passes for the future. I’ll be ready to poke a stick when they make wrong decisions. The panhandling ordinance was a good decision.

I can be a soft touch. But, as one who likes to sit at Abbey with friends and sip my Diet Cokes, I’ve seen the increase in panhandling, with the attendant made-up stories, demands for money, bad attitude when it isn’t forthcoming, and employees concerned for their own safety and the peace of their establishment. I’ve also been approached in city parking lots when I was getting in or out of my car and vulnerable to crime.

Good job, City Commission.

Now, you need to get to work on (and with local churches and service organizations) to provide services to the homeless. We desperately need a homeless shelter in or near DeLand. Even a few social workers assisting the homeless would be good. The Agape Clubhouse can’t do it all.

***

Here, DeLand City Manager Michael Pleus rolls up his sleeves, dons an apron, serves pancakes and gives an occasional hug during the Veterans Day pancake breakfast at Mainstreet Grill. And the proceeds went to a good cause. Thanks to Susan Macon for the photo:

Michael Pleus, Pat

Pleus puts the "serve" in service

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Tiger Woods: the neverending story

December 10th, 2009 by Pat

Tiger is in hiding. That doesn’t stop the stories.

Now, the mistress count is up to nine or 10. The talking heads this morning were speculating that Tiger may have an addiction to sex. That’s in addition to the alleged addictions to pain killers and sleep aids.

The Miami Herald reports that sponsors are leaving Tiger like rats from a drowning ship. It’s understandable. Does Gillette want to be “the razor used by philandering, SUV-crashing, drug-craving sex fiends?”

The saga is so sad. I’m one of those who admired Tiger.

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Speaking of awful … the Tiger Woods soap

December 7th, 2009 by Pat

Thanks to friend Jerry Hale, who sent me this. It is just awful, but sadly funny at the same time:

Tiger Woods

The whole Tiger Woods thing has been a little bit of Central Florida insanity. The Highway Patrol was deluged with media requests from all over the country – I think their information officers had near breakdowns.

I still feel some sympathy for Tiger. It’s easier to feel more for his wife, when TV broadcasters start talking about “Tiger Woods’ alleged first mistress.” Good grief.

The women strike back

Mrs. Woods wasn’t the only one to strike back (wonder if she used his favorite golf club?).

We had our own woman striking back right here in DeLand, according to the police log:

When A female, 26, observed her husband, 30, kissing another woman at a bar she slapped him several times. When the two returned home together, the fight continued and she hit him in the head with a can of soup. The female was arrested.

We wonder what kind of soup it was. Would Campbell’s chunky hurt worse than, say, cream of chicken?

That reminds me of a grocery store shoplifting case years ago, back when I worked for a police deparment. Store managers spotted a couple of shoplifters pushing a buggy full of stuff out the door without the customary stop at the register. They took after the miscreants, who fled in their vehicle, leaving the buggy of goods behind. The store staff grabbed canned soup out of the buggy and hurled the cans at the vamoosing car.

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Living in interesting times

December 7th, 2009 by Pat

It’s still the same blog. I changed the name on it from “This means war.”  I’m not an advocate of war, but stand against war.

But anyhow. We do live in interesting times. Some of the interesting stuff is even good. Some of it’s just interesting. A lot of it is plain awful.

We’ll talk about all the categories of interesting.

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Pythons coming atcha?

November 2nd, 2009 by Pat
Photo by Roy Wood, National Park Service, courtesy USGS

Photo by Roy Wood, National Park Service, courtesy USGS

In South Florida, the Burmese python hunt began in earnest in August.
Trapping efforts have been largely futile. At last count, fewer than 40 were captured.

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I knew I didn’t like styrofoam

September 23rd, 2009 by Pat

This in from Michele Moen, over at Soil and Water – some good reasons to discontinue the use of styrofoam. She’s asking the County Council to ban use of styrofoam cups at county meetings and workshops, and ” perhaps one day follow the 28 counties and 90 cities who have already banned this harmful product.”

VSWCD.RESOLUTION.FOAM.09

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