Look in the mirror

So, voters, who you gonna blame?

Who you gonna blame when Collier County closes its Vanderbilt Beach and East Naples branches because the county has lost millions of dollars due to supposed tax relief?

It will happen.

Who you gonna blame when your neighbors and friends lose their jobs in the libraries and in other county departments because the county has lost millions of dollars due to supposed tax relief?

It will happen.

Who you gonna blame when EMTs can't get to your medical emergency in a timely fashion because of loss of personnel because the county has lost millions in dollars due to supposed tax relief?

It will happen.

Who you gonna blame when sheriff's deputies can't get out to your home break-in because the county has lost millions of dollars due to supposed tax relief?

It will happen.

Who you gonna complain to when there aren't enough deputies and Naples police officers to enforce the speed limit and stop red light runners because the county has lost millions of dollars due to supposed tax relief?

It will happen.

And do you think all that you have given up in the name of tax relief is worth the $200 or $300 you MAY save in property taxes?

Who you gonna blame?

Blame the 65 percent of you stupid enough to vote for that pretend tax relief bill. Local governments now have two choices: raise taxes (fat chance!) or cut essential services.

You voted for it; you have no right to complain when the county and the city are forced to cut a lot of services you consider essential.

By the way, I voted against the bill. And I'm losing services, too. Thanks.

And so it goes.

NO way

Want police department layoffs?
Then vote YES.
Want library layoffs?
Then vote YES.
Want public works layoffs?
Then vote YES.
Want library closings?
Then vote YES.

Want the level of public services drastically cut if not curtailed altogether?
Then vote YES.
Want county and city tax increases?
Then vote YES.
Me, I'm voting NO.

Can't figure out why any rational person would vote yes.
But what do I know?

And so it goes.

He said it

I was forced to listen to most of Thursday night's Republican debate. (I work with a few Republicans who can't get enough candidate worship and live on perceived positions and exaggerated beliefs projected on their favorite - this week - candidate).


Most of the debate was pure bullcrap, which is the case with just about every debate this campaign season.

But late in the program, there was this question and answer:

Russert: But why not tell the voters of Florida and across the country how much of your own wealth you're spending, so they can make a judgment and factor that into their own decision?

Romney: Well, I'm not concerned about the voters. I'm much more concerned about the other guys on this stage.

Let's repeat that for emphasis:

Romney: Well, I'm not concerned about the voters.

I don't think he can say it any plainer than that.

Then why should the voters care about Mitt?

And so it goes.

It's a flipping miracle!

Florida Gulf Coast University's athletic department and administration never ceases to amaze me.

There, it seems, is no lengths they won't go to in order to keep their old boy network intact.

Last fall, while her team was busy winning the A-Sun conference championship in the school's first year in the conference and in Division I, the administrators alleged that something inappropriate might (MIGHT) be happening and suspended coach Jaye Flood. Their evidence: A bad evaluation by her superiors. Remarkably, the first bad evaluation she'd ever had. While she was getting a bad evaluation by her supervisors (sorry, superiors is an inappropriate term here), she was busy being named A-Sun Coach of the year by her peers. Same time. Different groups, different evaluations.

Surprising how two groups of people can look at the same situation and see totally different things? (At the same time, the school was busy chasing off three other female coaches. What a coincidence!)

So, last Friday, Flood filed a federal lawsuit against the university for its actions. And Tuesday, shockingly, the university suddenly found 'evidence' that Flood may have had an inappropriate relationship with a student. Please note the use of the word may, because even the university can't prove it. But they found it MAY have happened.

So they fired her. Four days after she filed her federal lawsuit.

What a coincidence! Four days.

Meanwhile, findings fron the university's own investigation revealed the following:

1. Complaint by volleyball coach Jaye Flood about Title IX violations in the athletics department.

Findings: No evidence of discrimination between the sexes in FGCU athletics

Actions: None

2. Complaint by Flood saying she was retaliated against for voicing Title IX concerns.

Findings: No conclusive information to support retaliation allegation, but Flood shouldn’t have received a poor performance evaluation

Actions: Flood’s evaluation will be voided, and she will receive a $1,000 bonus and a 1-percent pay increase. Also, athletics director Carl McAloose and associate athletics director Kathy Peterson will receive a letter of reprimand for writing the evaluation.

3. Complaint by former women’s golf coach Holly Vaughn about Title IX violations in athletics.

Findings: No evidence of discrimination between the sexes in FGCU athletics.

Actions: none

4. Complaint by Vaughn saying she was retaliated against for voicing Title IX concerns.

Findings: No conclusive information to support retaliation allegation, but Vaughn shouldn’t have received a poor performance evaluation.

Actions: Vaughn’s evaluation will be voided. Also, athletics director Carl McAloose and associate athletics director Kathy Peterson will receive a letter of reprimand for writing the evaluation.

5. Allegation that Flood had inappropriate sexual contact on a volleyball road trip:

Findings: No information to substantiate allegation, which did not involve a student

Actions: None

6. Allegation that Flood had an inappropriate physical altercation with one of her players during a practice:

Findings: While the shirt-grabbing happened, it did not rise to a level to warrant disciplinary action, and the student-athlete was not offended by the incident.

Actions: None

7. Allegation that Flood had an inappropriate relationship with a student and abused her position:

Findings: Flood violated the following University Regulations: conduct unbecoming a public employee in having an inappropriate relationship with a student-athlete; abuse of position for inappropriate use of student’s time while working as volleyball team manager; and sexual harassment.

Actions: Flood will be terminated as volleyball coach

In no sentence there do I see any evidence of proof that Flood did anything wrong. I see allegations. Convenient allegations. I see no proof. No evidence. He said she said stuff. Can't prove it but it must be true...right?

In a number of places I see evidence that the University administration was at fault. In fact, reprimands were handed down.

Flood wasn't reprimanded.

She was fired.

If you read this closely, you will see the real reason she was fired:

SHE WAS FOUND TO BE GAY.

Didn't know that was a firing offense. Not in 2008.

But it is for the Good Old Boy Club that is FGCU.

Here's news GOBC: There are a lot of gays in college sports. Probably quite a few at FGCU. Both women and men.

Always have been. Always will be. You're not gonna stop that by firing an award-winning coach. You gonna try to run all of them off, too?

Is it the fact that she's gay that bothers you so much? Or that she's gay and successful?

You know, it's funny, it often turns out that the people complaining the loudest about things like gays and gay rights turn out to have the most to hide. Wonder who will turn out to be FGCU's Sen. Larry Craig? Wonder if there's more than one? Remember the phrase: Methinks he doeth protest too much.'

Don't know about you, but I'm of a mind to decide whether an institution like FGCU deserves my or anyone else's support. Financial or any other way.

Something's wrong at FGCU, and it sure ain't Jaye Flood.

And so it goes.

Lies, damned lies and Bushisms

Here's something I'll bet you won't hear on Rush or Fox or any of the other Bush networks: George's tax cuts really didn't help turn the economy around.
We've been told for years how Bush's cuts had sparked the economy.
It's a myth. Nothing George did made any difference. Except, of course, to his rich friends. Which is what it's all about anyway, isn't it? Kinda the 'trickle into my own pockets' theory of the economy.

Or to put it another way, it was just another Bush lie. A get rich quick scheme.

But we've come to expect that by now.

Or we should have.

And so it goes.

Who won?

Couple quick observations from this week's Iowa Caucus:

Big winners: Obama, naturally.

And John McCain.

Obama, because he beat the other two legitimate Democratic contenders, albeit in a pretty close race. And, although I hate to say it, it's still a big deal when an African American scores that big in the hidebound, hay-kicking Midwest. Big win.

Edwards looks to be getting a little traction, too. May be interesting.

John McCain. Sure, Mike 'flat earth society' Huckabee won. But his fundamentalist claptrap won't resonate much beyond the rural Bible belt area.

Big losers: Romney, Hillary, Guiliani, Slow Fred and all the other minors.

Romney lost because he outspent the Pentagon and still couldn't rally support. It's a BIG hit (although he may do better in New Hampshire because it's New England and he's sort of a favorite son.) Still, I think he discovered a pretty face and deep pockets can't overcome a lifetime of flip-flopping.

Hillary expected to finish AT LEAST second. She NEEDED to finish AT LEAST second. For Hillary, third is not a good thing. By nine percentage points. Look like she's suddenly representing the establishment that every candidate's running against.

Guiliani didn't campaign much but since he's running a nationwide campaign, he still should score more than 3 percent. Even Ron Paul did better. And he's a fruitcake.

Slow Fred Thompson didn't do much, didn't try hard and continued his campaign platform of 'well, maybe... or not.... uh, where's my script again...?'

That leaves McCain; a sort of conservative with pretty good name recognition and a better than average reputation. While not campaigning hard, he still racked up 13 percent, which kept his campaign alive while the candidates move out of the hayseed belt.

This is shaping up to be an interesting campaign. Fun for a change.

And so it goes.