Happy Monday, Feb. 18

Okay, here's why I disappeared last week. I started writing my master's thesis and originally was going to take Mon-Wed off just to get a good start on it. But it was going so well that I ended up taking the rest of the week off -- and e-mailed the finished draft off to my thesis committee yesterday afternoon. So I am One Happy Puppy.

In case you have the slightest interest, not that you should, the title of my thesis is, "Electoral Abuse in the Late Roman Republic." (My M.A. is in ancient history.) The Romans had a Republic for 500 years before they traded it in for another 500 years of emperors. They had annual elections, checks and balances and a form of term limits, too.

My thesis is on the idea that the collapse of the Republic was preceded by an increasing pattern of abuse of the elections through delay, rule-bending, religious obstruction, violence, bribery and so forth, which devalued the meaning of free elections and made it easier to give them up. In fact, they gave them up while denying that they had done so.

Not that this has any modern relevance or anything. So, what's going on otherwise? Did they get that stadium thing figured out? Do I understand correctly that while I was gone the Board of Education  agreed to label gravitation as "just a theory"?

Comments

[20/20]

Outstanding! Congratulations and welcome back.

“increasing pattern of abuse of the elections through delay, rule-bending, religious obstruction, violence, bribery and so forth,”

It borders on the surreal.

[Jim Johnson]

The Legislature repealed the law of gravity, but left the user fee intact.

[Chris Jenkins]

Gravity wasn't actually repealed, it was replaced with "Grambling", by which the attractice power of casinos will hold people to the earth.

[Jonny Anonny]

Welcome back, Howard. Fantastic thesis subject, by the way.

I'm afraid you picked a terrible time to take off, though. If you want the latest political news, my recommendation is you check in with Vice President Crist's office.

the board of education is voting whether your thesis is a theory.

Welcome back to the United States of America - we are thrilled that your boat didn't fall over the edge of the world.

[Jim Johnson]

That Hillsborough deputy certainly thought gravity was repealed. Where she erred was not knowing that new laws dont take effect until 1 July.

I had to “repeal gravity” once… apparently the person in charge of pealing it the first time didn’t do a good job.

[Boo Boo]

"abuse of the elections through delay, rule-bending, religious obstruction, violence, bribery and so forth"

Come on where on earth would you ever get such an idea?

PS: There is no such thing as gravity to earth sucks so we all stay in place.

[guy]

Howard it seemed like you were gone for month's.
The latest rumors on the street, say's that If
B. Obama gets gyped by the Florida and Michigan votes to Hillary, he is joining NY city Mayor Mike Bloomberg and they are running on their own independent ticket.
How about that Howard???
You heard it here first.

[SP Scott]

Welcome Back, Howard!!

Congratulations on finishing your thesis. And it's very much to the point of what's happening today.

Benjamin Franklin is reported to have said "Gentlmen, you have your republic, if you can keep it."

In the past month we have watched "Cleopatra" and "Anne of a Thousand Days", both with Richard Burton. Aside from the fact that Burton was a magnificent actor, both movies show how history keeps repeating. And we never learn, do we?

It's all about money and power--and how both are the ultimate aphrodiacs.

[Larry]

Welcome back Howard. We really missed you; and congratulations on getting your graduate thesis completed. Catchy topic, too.

[justme]

Just glad it was nothing serious. Major congratulations Howard, I bet you are glad to have that done & over with. Interesting topic you chose but then why would we be surprised? hmmmm
Now that you are back, time to get back to work young man... So what is your take on the resignation of Fidel Castro?

[Ken Weiss]

Looks like the hoteliers are taking a lesson from the Romans. Using taxpayer money to educate us residents to permit taller denser buildings on the beach. Are you going to take a stand on this abuse?

[20/20]

Ken,

The density increased was a self-made emergency created by the local political structure to appease their owners; the development industry. While speculation taxation (aka: highest-n-best use) was pushing mom-n-pop motels and hotels to close up shop and sell to condo developers, local politicians sat idly by and let it happen, with full knowledge of where it was heading. We now have loads of empty condo’s and no hotel rooms.

Although experts were warning of the loss in rooms, and mom-n-pops were begging for tax relief in any form – our local politicians did nothing.

Now – shock and awe – “we don’t have enough hotel rooms for our tourists, oh my Heavens, how did this happen? … never mind how it happened, we must do something fast!” Hence the urgent process to increase in density at nearly 5-fold. What was once a beautiful beach drive will soon become yet another Florida concrete canyon.

Mission Accomplished!

[Bland]

My family had a small hotel on the beach in the sixties. The wise county leaders were about to "reduce" the density on all properties so everyone hurried up and sold properties to built condominiums.

Now our wise county leaders want to "increase" the density so we can build large hotels on the beach.

Unfortunately, there is not enough room on Gulf Boulevard to increase the traffic volume capacity.

What brilliant county leaders we have....

[Bland]

My family had a small hotel on the beach in the sixties. The wise county leaders were about to "reduce" the density on all properties so everyone hurried up and sold properties to built condominiums.

Now our wise county leaders want to "increase" the density so we can build large hotels on the beach.

Unfortunately, there is not enough room on Gulf Boulevard to increase the traffic volume capacity.

What brilliant county leaders we have....

Next comes the taxpayer-funded elevated monorail to deal with the "Oh my gosh, we don't have enough room on Gulf Boulevard to increase the traffic volume capacity."... syndrome.

Is this the whiners convention?

[Jim Johnson]

I think Howard made a guest appearance and skeedaddled.

[Kathleen Ford]

Congratulations!
We have so many real societal issues (including the integrity of the voting process) that need to be addressed that it is real frustrating that we have to direct our attention here locally to fending off corporate welfare daddies raiding the public trough. The Rays' arrogant owners' blatantly deceitful mischaracterizations of the Trop redevelopment proposal and new stadium are unconscionable.