Gators Rule - In a convincing 85-74 -romp over a talented Ohio State basketball team, the Florida Gators again proved to the Buckeyes that Gators Rule.
NCAA Basketball Champions, the Florida Gators.
Imagine, it was only about five years ago that many of the Florida fans wanted to oust the basketball coach for not winning enough games. Coach Donovan may now be the most recruited basketball coach in America. Kentucky wants him... as well as every other major college basketball college.
Return for a three-peat?
No, these Gators will playing in the NBA next year.
GO GATORS.
The Insurance Crisis -The smoke is finally settling in Tallahassee and insurance premium rate reduction ideas of Gov. Charlie Crist has been reviewed by large insurance companies such as Allstate, State Farm, etc., and premium rates have increased.
More insurance policy cancellations and homeowner premium rate hikes.
Citizens Insurance Company, our taxpayer-owner insurer of last resort, is the only real insurance homeowner market in the state. (Small take-out insurers excluded.) Imagine, the biggest homeowner insurance market in Florida is taxpayer-owned. That means we common citizens are at risk when the insurer runs out of money if a hurricane hits a major section of Florida.
Why is Citizens' insurance risky?
It is simple. Citizens Insurance Company does not spread risk among several states, like most large insurers. Rather, Citizens insurance only spreads risk in Florida...and that means if Florida has hurricane problems-we Florida taxpayers are the only source for a bail-out.
Allstate and other large insurers do not want to mix good homeowner risks from other states with suspect Florida homeowner business. They feel they might spend good money for bad. Thus, their solution is to avoid writing Florida homeowner business. The result is an insurance crisis in Florida.
Still a problem.
Gov. Charlie Crist has not solved the Florida homeowner insurance crisis except to pass more risk to Citizens Insurance Company (taxpayers.)
Long-term solutions?
Charlie Crist once had it right, if property insurers want to write business in Florida, they must take a share of the homeowners market. If they do not want to accept those terms, then they could leave Florida. There would be insurers who would insure in Florida. Small insurance subsidiaries to act as Florida insurers for large insurers? No problem, but large insurers must provide an insurance outlet in Florida - even if it is through a smaller subsidiary insurer.
Politics.
When you examine what the attorney general did in Mississippi to force large insurers to pay millions of dollars in questionable claims, you wonder why Florida is not tough on the same large insurers. Especially when you observe the competitive reinsurance fund now available to Florida insurers.
The Movies - Every now and then some of us take a chance and go to see a movie at the theatres in Largo.
The first thing that strikes you is the number of young people just hanging-around in front of the movie theatre. Young kids, boys and girls, with nothing to do. Not a good mix when you think about all the bad things that could happen to these young people who are "hanging" with some older teenagers.
Nevertheless, if you can get beyond the price of popcorn and beverages, you may find a good movie to watch.
How about 300! Four Stars (out of five.)
This movie brings the historic battle of Termopalae to life.
Yes, it not fully accurate, then again, what movie is fully accurate? However, the movie does bring enough action to offer some insight into one of history's most epic battles. The Spartan 300 soldiers versus Xerxes tens of thousands of Persian soldiers at a narrow mountain pass called Thermopalae. This is where the term "fight like a Spartan" originated by Greek historians.
On the other hand, there is the movie called Bridge To Terabithia. Four Stars. A real tearjerker. The ending of this movie takes your wind away, an "Alfred Hitchcock" surprise ending.
Democrats Add Billions Of Dollars Of Pork To Iraq War Bill - Now that Democrats are in charge of Congress, it should come as no surprise to voters that the House Democrats, led by San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi, have enticed house Republicans to vote for the Iraq War Bill by adding billions of taxpayer funds to funnel money to "pork" projects.
Republicans have mixed feelings about the Iraq War Bill proposed by House Democrats, but were being enticed to vote for the Bill to obtain taxpayer funds for their election district. Some Republicans have stated they would support the Iraq Bill, most Republicans, however, have rejected the offer.
Politics as usual in Washington.
This is the type of thing American voters disliked about Republicans in the last election. Now that Democrats are in charge of Congress, abuse of taxpayer funds has not changed. It is politics as usual in Washington.
Federal funds for votes? Yes, says Nancy Pelosi. Pork-barrell politics, as usual.
U.K. Soldiers Held By Iran - Prime MInister Tony Blair is not making much headway in trying to force the Iranian government to release U.K. soldiers held hostage in an Iranian jail.
The toothless United Nations has already sanctioned Iran over nuclear bomb activities and now the Iranians captured U.K. soldiers in international waters and the U.N. merely offered another threatening letter of reprimand. Let's face it, the Iranians are not afraid of the U.N. or England. They might be afraid of the U.S., but Democrats in Congress have shown military weakness and the Iranians sense the US weakness.
The result?
Terrorists have come out of hiding in Iran due to observed weakness by the U.S. and the U.K. (And the rest of the world.) Radical Muslims have put fear into many world nations.
In England, Tony Blair has many problems, including campaign finance problems, and may not confront the Iranian problem like he might have a couple of years ago. In the U.S., Democrats in Congress, like Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.) have reflected a desire to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq and allow Iranian terrorists to recapture Iraq. The war in Iraq would be lost and terrorists might soon threaten the U.S. (like they are doing to England, who is currently cowering in fear of Iranian radical leaders.)
More terrorism in America?
We shall soon see where liberal "Californian" military diplomacy will lead America.
Pete Rose Admits To Betting - Cincinnati Reds baseball great Pete Rose recently admitted to betting on the Reds while he was coach. "Bet on them every night," said Rose.
Of course, this gambling activity got Pete Rose banned from baseball and the Hall of Fame. (Rose is baseball's all-time best hitter.)
Pete Rose is 65-years-old and said he has forgotten the idea of getting into the Hall of Fame.
Probably a good idea since baseball is not likely to approve Pete Rose for many years to come, if ever.
Interestingly, Pete Rose believes home-run hitter Mark McGwire should be admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. McGwire had also been "blackballed" from the Hall of Fame due to alleged steroid use while a baseball player.
Betting on baseball while a coach?
"Yes," said an older Pete Rose, "every night."
