The weather forecast is sort of giving us a hint that this will be a pretty good week, at least into Thursday and Friday. Temperatures could touch 60 or at least into the upper 50s into Wednesday when they'll fall just a bit, but remain above the 52 degree average for this week. Rain or showers could be here Thursday and continue into Friday.
About an hour and a half after this picture was taken, the leaves had been vacuumed up. About two hours after this pictures was taken, more leaves had fallen.
I'd be a little disappointed if it rained on Friday for that date a half century ago was just a delightful day. I really remember it well.
I spent much of this past weekend thinking about what I'd write today and decided that I'd keep it simple, as usual, and leave Tuesday's election out of it. After all, I said what I've wanted to say and I've already cast my ballot. Unlike a recent gubernatorial candidate, I don't want to recall my ballot and get a second chance. Win or lose, I'm comfortable with the way I've voted.
But the weekend sure did bombard us with advertisements on Questions 1, 2, and 3 on the state ballot and I changed my mind. There was a plentiful amount of money spent. Possibly unfortunately for me, I think the huge amount of money, mostly out of state money and much of it from one person, spent to pass the repeal of the voter registration requirement and the huge amount of money spent on the two gambling questions urging passage were infinitely more effective than the money spent on the other side of those questions.
Perhaps the best campaign was waged by the "yes" on questions two and three groups. The campaigns stayed on task and were calm and effective. The "no" on question one group was very close to ineffectiveness. Shucks, I don't even think that group had a clue what the question was. They did make a change during the weekend, but it may have been too late. I had a hard time understanding what the "ethics election" was all about. The question was simple: Do we want to allow election day voter registration or not. I'm not sure just how one way or the other would be more ethical.
My stand on gambling has been solidly etched and I would have cast my vote as I did regardless of the advertising campaigns. But the "no" people have repeatedly and consistently told us that we could lose 25 million dollars in education funding if the voters allow two new racinos and a casino, three new gambling establishments. Huh? They also tell us that there are no specific educational provisions if voters pass the new gambling places. Well, gee! If there's no provision for new gambling to provide money for K-12 education that we could lose, what is it in current law or practice that would be eliminated by the gambling passage? I'm afraid that argument just makes no sense to me and leaves me cold.
I said in an earlier post that a basic message philosophy is sticking to message and saying it often enough begins to make people believe it, whether it is absolutely true or full of lies or not. One side has advertised by that philosophy and the other has simply confused us. None of the advertising campaigns, however, did or could have affected the way I voted. My mind had been made up way back when the initiative campaigns began.
Enough of all that. I truly do hope that if you haven't already done so, you will take a few minutes Tuesday to visit your polling place and cast your votes according to your own beliefs. The more people who vote give more credibility to an outcome and it is our civic duty to vote. Don't take the attitude that "My one vote won't count" or that "My spouses vote and mine will just cancel each other out" be your feeling. Every single vote counts and is important. Not only does your one vote count for winners and losers, the more of them cast gives credibility to the outcome. After all, which is better, a person or cause winning by 51% or more of all registered voters, or by winning 51% of only 50 percent of those registered? Vote on Tuesday!
Taking a picture with my camera in the sun is impossible as the viewing screen is totally washed out. Twice Sunday I just pointed it generally in the direction of Gator Golden. Usually when I try that, I get half a dog or nothing.
Gator
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