2011 Fri. Jan 14

Lunch here, then we went to see the movie “The King’s Speech”. It was very good, with two possible Oscar nominations, in our opinion. You wouldn’t think they could make such a good movie about stuttering. We had an early supper at Panera Bread, a new one for us on the route to the theater. Back at the resort I took a short bike ride and Linda a short walk. I saw an eagle flying over the pond at the resort entrance. It landed in a very tall pine tree on the shore of the lake. I saw one last year at the same place. Of course, I didn’t have my camera with me.


FL WEATHER: High today 67, very sunny, feels good. Low tonight 46. Some frost north of here. Forecasting 71 tomorrow, 77 next Tuesday with possible showers.

FL NEWS: Backers of high-speed rail deride critical report:
Supporters of the planned high-speed train between Orlando and Tampa are firing back at the authors of a study critical of the $2.7 billion project, saying the report contained "half-truths and outright falsities." And, train backers say, Florida transit officials already have proposed and intend to enforce strong contract language that would protect taxpayers against cost overruns or spending money on operation and maintenance costs. Florida already has been awarded $2.4 billion in grants from the federal government that would pay for 90 percent of the projected construction costs. The state has promised to pitch in the rest, or $280 million. But Senate President Mike Haridopolos, who voted for that expenditure in 2009, now says Florida cannot afford to spend any tax dollars on high-speed rail. New Gov. Rick Scott has withheld his support. The train is a key component of President Obama’s plan to build a national network of high-speed trains akin to the interstate system. Supporters were upset by the study and maintain that Poole [author of the critical report] is little more than an agent of road builders and auto interests who can be counted on to present "ambiguously formulated fears" casting trains in the worst light possible. Ross Capon, president of the pro-transit nonprofit National Association of Railroad Passengers, called Poole and his co-author Wendell Cox "hired guns."