Hey Florida I think your drought is about to end

[malaise]

literally and figuratively.
http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm1/caribbeansatellite_large.html?from=hurricane_welcome

You may have to thank me as I drove through your state last Friday.
We drove from Miami to Kissimmee on Friday and checked in at one of the many massive time share set ups. On Sunday we drove to Gainsville and back and celebrated until early Monday morning.

My observations:
1. UF has a really cool graduation which is 'graduate friendly'.
2. The guest speaker was Kate DiCamillo and they intrduced her female significant other. It sure surprised one of our family friends who has lived in Florida for over 20 years.
3. I did not see a single Bush sticker anywhere on the road or in parking lots.
4. People are so pissed with Bushco and his war that they're speaking about it in public. I overheard discussions at the graduation, and in the supermarket. People were also cursing gas prices. We went to gas stations three times (different cars) and stopped at a truck stop once.
5. We had about 50 guests from several states and Canada. Everyone is terrified for their kids and the kids are worried. Not one person supports Bush including the once rabid Reaganite conservative aunt in law.
6. People have seen through Bushco's lies.
7. Every one of the adults watches Olbermann
8. Some of the youngsters understand the system very well. They are as conscious as our generation - Ipod and all. They are way more politically saavy and curious than generation X.
9. We drove on 27 and then 75 to Gainsville and I was amazed at the Southern type estates/plantations. I saw one with three crosses on the lawn. I did enjoy watching the beautiful horses in Ocala.
10. I had no idea there was so much crime in Orlando.

As I sat in the airport after a fabulous family and friends weekend reunion, it dawned on me that I haven't seen DU family member Jeanette from Florida posting for ages.

Enjoy the rain when it comes.

[Ganja Ninja]

1. If you think they're pissed now wait until we get hit with a ...

hurricane and no help comes from the feds. If that happens anywhere in the US this summer and the response is Katrina like you can bury the GOP.

[malaise]

2. The real GOP problem

is if a hurricane hits more than one state within hours/days/weeks. The national guard scandal will not go away and it is scandalous to deprive states of their own protection.

[bdamomma]

8. and no National Guard available will this get us angry enough

to get this criminals out of office.

[Lorien]

3. I lived in Kissimmee years ago and now reside in Orlando

I'm looking forward to the rain. Today the smoke is so thick here in downtown Orlando from fires in Georgia, our state and Texas that I feel like I've already smoked a pack of unfiltered Camels this morning! Even the cat's eyes are red and watering.As long as our trees don't get damaged from high winds then the storm is more than welcome.

Yeah, Orlando is actually a blue area, as is Miami. Florida gets more "Southern" and red the further North you go. The area I live in (a historic district) has a large gay population, so * is far from popular here. But even the uber wealthy in Winter Park have been stripping the "W" stickers from their SUVs in recent months. :-)

There's a lot of unemployment in Orlando, and the population is younger here than in much of the rest of the state, so I suppose that's a couple of reasons why our crime rate is higher. It was safer before * got into office, but then again, wasn't every place?

[trumad]

4. Oviedo here---

Plus--- Gov. Christ aint no Jeb that's for sure.

[malaise]

6. Thanks for that

One of the friends in our group spoke about the youth crime in Orlando.

[madfloridian]

5. Central Florida here....

sort of in the dark ages here still with all the fundamentalist churches around. Church central for those who believe Bush was chosen by God.

I just saw on CNN that they had drained a whole lot of Lake Okeechobee. I had no idea they had done that. It was because of the hurricanes. Now the fish hatcheries and docks are exposed and the reporter was standing where it used to be lake with a huge dock behind him over a story high.

And we can not go outdoors for the smoke today. Gasping.

[malaise]

7. Where in Central Florida?

Tampa?