Nope.

I'll take End Of The World for $500, Alex.

Email from Dan Gelber

It’s no wonder that Floridians are losing faith in their government. More public officials in Florida are charged with corruption than in any other state.

We have a state government that operates largely in the shadows; a campaign finance system that gives special interests way too much power; and too many of our public institutions seem totally beholden to everyone but everyday citizens. I spent the better part of a decade fighting corruption in Florida as a federal prosecutor, so I have seen this malignancy up close. There will always be those that find a way to skirt the law or engage in sleezy behavior, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t adopt measures intended to bring greater accountability and oversight to the operations of government.

Earlier this month, I introduced a series of measures that if adopted by the legislature, would go a long way toward that goal.

But - I can't do it without you. Help me lobby my colleagues by demanding reform!

As you can see below, many opinion makers in the state agree with me, but getting my colleagues in the legislature to make life tougher on themselves won't be so easy. We need to keep the pressure on:

"Corruption in Florida has become too prevalent in recent weeks for political leaders to ignore"
- St. Pete Times, 11/5/2009

"If there isn't enough outrage right now to justify strengthening anti-corruption laws, then when?"
- The Miami New Times, 11/6/2009

“A former federal prosecutor [Gelber] running for attorney general as a reformer...
- Tallahassee Democrat, 11/9/2009

“Mr. Gelber's reasoning makes sense...Floridians have a right to more transparency and better oversight at the SBA. It's their money, after all.”
- Orlando Sentinel, 11/17/2009

To help demonstrate to my colleagues that Floridians simply will not accept the way our government mistreats taxpayer dollars, I have launched an official petition.

Join me in demanding reform. Please sign my petition right now and help spread the word!

You can read more about the specifics of my reforms here. I'll keep you updated as this fight develops.

Thanks for all you do,

Dan Gelber

I should probably consider doing this

While I was out buying computer mouses, I stopped to pick up other cat-related necessities in bulk too. Except that I remembered the cat litter and catnip, but forgot the cat food, a fact of which I was forcefully reminded as soon as I walked in the door.

I never make a second trip for anything, being a real cheapskate and not wishing to give any more of my hard-earned $$ to the oil companies than I have to, but somehow I don't think I was going to get away with making the kittehz skip their supper and breakfast the next morning.

The cats always help themselves to the dog's food, no matter how much of their own they've got, but let one square centimeter of the bottom of the cat food bowl show, and unending world famine is about to strike.

Mousers

Here at chez hipparchia computer mouses are a favored prey:



but the predator/prey ratio is closer to this:



So I stopped at the store on the way home and bought the cheapest [$9.99] mouse in the store... the lighted [way cool blue] scroll wheel will be a help finding the mouse in a dark room [should I ever need that feature] but the eerie blue glow it's casting on the monitor screen is annoying.

I've just discovered a whole new [to me] YouTube genre

kittens vs ferrets

I'm not sure we can blame ferrets for *all* the ills of the world...

So, I brought the stuff in off the porch

in preparation for possible-hurricane Ida, and somebody posts it on the internet.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

virtual tour of the boardwalk

Do want. Still.

I originally posted this lolcat almost one year ago and I'm still in love with the whole idea [except for all the gewgaws sitting around on all the horizontal surfaces]. Even more so now that I've learned about the whole-house tour.

My crew have been moonlighting again

and this time they brought friendz.

When I win the lottery

I am going to buy myself a new car. Not just any car, it's got to have a heated drivers seat. Until then I will just have to content myself with green-eyed jealousy of some burdz on the internets.

Once more unto the breach, single payer advocates, once more

Wednesday, Oct 15, is Lobby Your Representative Day

If you are in Washington DC and can join Leadership Conference for Guaranteed Health Care in their lobbying efforts in support of Weiner's substitute single payer amendment and Kucinich's state single payer amendment, do so.

House lobby day – Wednesday, October 14th

* Lobby for Weiner HR676 substitute single-payer amendment votes
* Lobby for protection of Kucinich state single-payer option amendment

We’ll have two sessions of lobbying effort – one early and one later in the day as we may catch more Members as they finish their floor work. Meet your fellow LCGHC members and friends in the Rayburn House Office Building cafeteria at 10 a.m. on Wednesday if you’d like to help lobby Congressional members from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and if you’d like to come in the afternoon, meeting in the Rayburn HOB cafeteria at 2 p.m. to hear reports from the morning crew and get marching orders for the afternoon lobby efforts

If you can't get to DC, drop by your Rep's office in your town, always assuming your representative cares enough about you to have an office near you [need talking points? or handouts?] and as always, call call call!

x-post at corrente, fdl, dkos