New Florida election rule called "Kafkaesque"
A recent court ruling means processing errors by local election officials can be cause to reject new voters. A little-noticed federal appeals court ruling this week could lead to thousands of Floridians showing up to vote in November only to be told their names are not on voter lists. "It really penalizes voters through no fault of their own," said Ion Sancho, election supervisor for Leon County, Florida, where Tallahassee the state capital is located. "It strikes me as absolutely Kafkaesque." . . . MORE

Vote Byerly, Roy in August 26 primary election
We have 2 candidates running for re-election whose service exemplifies what it means to be a public servant. These crucial races will be on the primary ballot on August 26. Both County Commissioner Mike Byerly and School Board member Eileen Roy have served us well and deserve our support for re-election. During his eight years on the Commission, Mike has been the consistent friend of the environment. . . . MORE

Florida farm workers wring concessions from Burger King
The dusty calles (streets) and campos (fields) in Immokalee, Florida are abuzz with the news of a fresh victory over a fast food giant: Miami-headquartered Burger King. Those farmworkers/campesinos who remain in Immokalee--the tomato season there ended in April--will probably get their news through the low-powered radio station, Radio Conciencia, a project of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). There is every reason to believe that through informal networks, migrant tomato pickers, now following tomatoes up the east coast, will hear of their victory. . . . MORE

A boss is still a boss
In the May/June Iguana, Kevin Bond makes a good case for buying local. Research by Civic Economics--an economic analysis and strategic planning consultancy--has documented the tangible economic benefits of buying local in a variety of communities throughout the U.S. Dollars spent with locally-owned businesses tend to circulate through our economy longer than, for instance, shopping at Wal-Mart, which sends a hefty cut of each customer's dollar to its shareholders' pockets elsewhere. Moreover, smaller, non-chain restaurants are able to utilize more flexible menus which allow for a wider selection of in-season and locally grown food. Economic arguments aside however, as someone who has spent the better part of their life working for the "mom and pop" establishments Mr. Bond extols, I feel the need to refine his argument. . . . MORE

Private health insurance companies:--regulate them or eradicate them?
On June 19th, twenty of us from Gainesville, Florida traveled to Jacksonville to protest Blue Cross Blue Shield, my health insurance company. The effort was part of a nationwide protest of insurance companies, led by the coalition Healthcare NOW: Cigna in Philadelphia, Aetna in Hartford, Humana in Louisville, and many more. The biggest demonstration occurred in San Francisco, outside the meeting of "America's Health Insurance Plans," the insurance lobbying group dedicated to blocking health care reform. Malinda Markowitz, a leader in the National Nurses Organizing Committee, explained the protest: "These insurance companies... profit by denying care to our patients--not by providing it. The American people are ready for guaranteed healthcare, through great bills like Rep. John Conyers' HR 676, and we will no longer let insurers and politicians block progress." . . . MORE

Global Article 9 campaign to abolish war launched in Japan
ARTICLE 9: JAPANESE CONSTITUTION: Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. (2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized. . . . MORE

Union asks why UF holds $80 million slush fund during cuts
Graduate Assistants United responded to the budget cuts and layoffs at UF: May 19--Graduate Assistants United, the union of graduate assistants at UF, has serious doubts about the nature of the current UF budget crisis. While it is true the state gave the University of Florida a smaller budget than in years past, our research indicates that UF has considerable assets on hand they could use to ease the cuts. . . . MORE

Death of a Gator Nation
May 14, 2008 is the day "my" GATOR NATION died! Quietly and without warning, input, or knowledge, the University of Florida, as we have known it for more than 100 years, ceased to exist. I shook my head as I walked across the campus, recollecting the pride I knew President Abraham Lincoln felt when he signed the Morrill Act of 1862 creating institutions of higher learning "of the people, by the people, and for the people." This Land Grant College Act assured that higher education would always be available to people of all social classes.
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Loving them to death
Can a human raise a baby monkey just as well as a monkey can? Ask Tessa and BamBam. This spring, Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary in Gainesville Florida was scrambling to save the lives of these two young capuchin monkeys. Each faced a different threat, bound with a common thread. Each was purchased and raised as a "surrogate child" by a human family. The sale of non-human primates as surrogate children is a booming business, with hundreds of people each year literally buying into the lie. The exotic animal breeder pockets the profit, an infant monkey is torn screaming from her natural mother's arms, and another human "monk mom" has a cute, hairy baby to bathe and diaper and dress up. . . . MORE

Florida Sheriff distributes terroristic t-shirts
St. Augustine People for Peace and Justice wrote the following letter to the Sheriff of St Johns County about his distribution of t-shirts advocating the shooting of anti-war protesters. According to Glenda Allen, the group has encountered other problems with the sheriff's department in the recent past. . . . MORE