On my way back to my office from making a run to purchase new networking equipment, I saw comedian and AT&T spokesperson Scott Thompson (better known as Carrot Top) driving. He was chatting on a mobile while coming from the direction of where his company office and home are located. I have heard of instances of people seeing him out and about, some of whom claim he was present at local gay nightlife establishments. On whether or not that is true, I have no opinion. Regardless, that is the end of my celebrity sighting story and likely the highlight of this otherwise very busy, but boring day.

In a somewhat surprising, yet pleasing victory I personally had no say in today, residents of Orange County in a vote of 54% to 46% rejected a measure to increase the sales tax in that county from 6.5% to 7.0% in order to raise revenue for improved transportation in the central Florida area.

While the tax increase seems small compared to the benefits of widening and improving local roads among other projects, the merits of these projects is skin deep. The plan called Mobility 20/20 was spearheaded by the County Chairman and endorsed by nearly every public official in Orange County along with lots of local companies and organisations with hefty bank accounts. That right there should raise some red flags.

I live in Seminole County which lies directly to the north of Orange County and Orlando where a similar tax increase was approved by the voters, including myself, twice. The improvements to our community have been greatly successful and this area is better because of it. The difference, you ask? The Orange County plan called for several specific measures to reduce congestion, widen roads and implement other traffic relief solutions. Aside from those few specific items, the remainder of the money was to be allocated to projects with more lofty, less specific goals.

For example, $400 million of the collected revenue would be allocated to the ever present idea of the installation of a light rail system in central Florida. Part of the existing plan for this rail network shows a reasonable path through what used to be existing rail lines. The only trouble is that those rail lines were torn out years ago and replaced with a County-wide walking and biking trail for pedestrians. Additionally, after having already spent $45 million dollars in planning a light rail system, no one has been able to come forth and specifically introduce a cost-effective plan that encompasses the entire project from speculation to public use. Until such a time as actual ideas come forth that has half a chance in hell of succeeding, it is not the business of our elected officials to collect and spend money needlessly.

Similarly an additional $300 million dollars was to be devoted to "dealing with the freight trains that run through Winter Park and Orlando." Unless we invent transporters or something similar, rail travel for cargo is inevitable. What are you going to do with $300 million dollars? Tell the train companies they can no longer run through our area because they cause too much traffic? Get real. The pro-tax campaigners also were sure to point out in every advert that new walking trails, sidewalks and other pedestrian and bike traffic lanes and paths would be created with this money. Of course, how much and specific projects were never outlined. How convenient.

Another major issue I have with this tax is that like bills running their course through the United States Congress, a coat-tail riding provision has been included that is unacceptable. The plan was to build several new lanes along the stretch of Interstate-4 that would be paid for by the Florida Turnpike Authority, but would also be toll roads. When the Greeneway Expressway (SR 417) was constructed around the perimeter of central Florida, it was said that its presence would help alleviate the traffic on I-4. Unfortunately the powers that be placed the tolls on SR 417 so high that the I-4 bottlenecks remain while it is driven lightly. At one toll booth alone there is a $1.50 charge. Some local proponents of this tax have stated they feel the tolls are justifiable to help alleviate traffic. I would agree with that if the actual result was less traffic. Converting part of a public highway system maintained by the Federal government is not the way to solve these problems. Aside from I-4 every other major highway in central Florida is a toll road and I do not see any improvement yet, with the exception of the expansions currently in progress. Those should continue as planned with the funds from the Federal government.

If the local government wishes to come up with a plan to help alleviate traffic then they need to design a full and complete plan, one with no ambiguity. Show the voters and tax payers exactly where every cent of the collected funds will be spent. Until these public officials can take some accountability into where and how they spend public moneys then they do not deserve to collect them. It is time some public officials stepped up to the plate and decided that accountability and responsibility were more important to them then winning an election. If you do you job the right way and treat the public with the respect they deserve, you will find you do not have to campaign much to get re-elected.

Well my weekend trip with Chris to Clermont was quite wonderful. A look at the local radar Saturday morning revealed some large pockets of showers and thunderstorms were going to roll through central Florida around the time we would be en route to Clermont. The speed and direction of the storms, however, seemed to indicate we would drive through them on the way there, but that by the time we arrived they would be gone completely. Fortunately, I was correct and the weather was rather nice the entire time.

After a breakfast stop at Dan's Restaurant, we made our way to Clermont and first hit the Citrus Tower. It was as much a pleasure to visit as it had been for me during my visit earlier in the week whilst taking pictures for work. Chris enjoyed it very much as well, which really made me happy. We stayed up on the observation level for some time peering out at the view, stopping to drop some coins down a chute that allows you listen to them as they make their way all the way down to the first floor.

We continued to the historic downtown area and to the fishing pier at Lake Minneola. After enjoying that for a while, we moved on to the Lakeridge Winery for the tour and tasting. After browsing through the shop for a bit, the tour began with a fifteen-minute video highlighting the history of wine making in Florida and of the Lakeridge Winery specifically. I found this video very interesting and learned a lot about wine I had not known previously. After the video, a guide took everyone through the production area of the winery detailing the various functions of the equipment and providing information on their output.

Presently they produce 100,000 gallons (379,000 litres) of wine every season. Even with that output, they are still running out prematurely so they have added another production line that doubles their output. Their product line includes ten varieties ranging from dry to sweet and while they do hold a distribution license, the Lakeridge Winery does not sell its product in but very few, select retail stores. The rest of their business comes exclusively from on-site sale and direct shipping.

After trying their varieties of wine through the tasting, Chris and I both went back to the shop and made some purchases. I got a bottle of the Cuvée Noir Reserve and Muscadine Chablis while he elected to get three of his favourites. I am very much looking forward to enjoying my wine.

We came back in the late afternoon and just enjoyed the rest of the day. I was really happy to have been able to not only go out and do something different, something rather simple yet so enjoyable, but also to share it with someone who found an appreciation in it as well. I believe this trip will be the first of many as I plan to purchase a book that has various back road day trips to places around central Florida. Simple, inexpensive and incredibly enjoyable, I think I may have discovered something else I have been missing.

Footnote: Pictures from this trip are located here.

It was my mother's birthday Friday so I was looking at all the cards she got from her friends and co-workers and I thought of something amusing. See one of the cards she received was from her employer's outsourced employee benefits company. This reminded me of my last birthday when I received a birthday greeting card from of all places, my life insurance company. It really seems somewhat off to me to get a card from a partial organisation like that. I mean really all the card needed to say was, "thanks for not dying so we do not have to pay out to your beneficiary." Perhaps that is just the slight twinge of bitterness toward the "American dream" cum corporate monopoly.

In other news, Lou Perlman can suck my dick for laying my friend off. Actually, I take that back. I would not let that fat fuck near me with a ten-foot pole. I hope all three-hundred of his pending lawsuits work out just fine for him that prick.

Finally, to the middle-aged bearded man who cut me off in traffic today, yet honked and gave me the finger, go fuck yourself.

I am not in a bad mood. Seriously. Just fed up with a few things.

As part of my ongoing project at work taking pictures of various areas around Orlando, Monday marked my trek to the city of Clermont, approximately thirty minutes west of downtown (unless traffic is beastly, which is not unheard of on SR 50). Not having been to this region in more years than I can count, I was not really sure what to expect. When it was all said and done, I was actually disappointed to have to drive back into town from my expedition. Addendum: check out the photographs from this here.

As I started to get closer and closer to Clermont proper, I knew I had to stop and eat something immediately. I had fully planned on having lunch earlier before I left the location north of Orlando where I was taking some pictures for the same project, but that never happened. Clermont is one of the most uneven areas in the very flat State of Florida, containing some really nice flowing hills and valleys. Only in Tallahassee, the Capital, have I seen anything similar. As I came across one of the hills I saw the next intersection was Citrus Tower Boulevard. I had not been to the Citrus Tower in probably over ten years and I thought it would be a great spot to get some food and a very great view from the top for the benefit of my pictures and also for my own personal satisfaction. Yeah, I got a thing with towers if that is not already apparent.

The area is really quite picturesque. The level of development, both residential and commercial, is startling though. Coming into this I knew things were going to be very different from the way I remembered them being a decade ago, because if they had not this project would be a waste of time. Speaking of which, I will be uploading pictures from all my photo shoots in the near future, so check back for that soon.

I pulled into the Citrus Tower plaza, parked and went into the lobby. I had a craving for a hamburger and so was extremely pleased that the Mexican restaurant on premises, Santiago's, had one available. It was one of the best burgers I have had in a while. I asked to have cheese on it and they used the shredded mozzarella you would find on a taco or something similar. The way it melted and distributed about the meat was nothing short of glorious. I then proceeded to ascend the tower and admire the view, albeit littered with the signs of progress: new subdivisions, apartment complexes, shopping centres and huge chain carry-it-all stores. Long gone were the days of Clermont being a sleepy town on the edge of nothing; progress at its best and worst, simultaneously.

When I finally decided to leave the lookout and return to the ground, I had a very nice chat with the lady that runs the gift shop and also sells the admission to the observation deck. I told her that I had indeed been at the tower before in response to her enquiry and stated how I remembered there used to be a tour via golf cart through the adjacent citrus groves. She said when she started working there nine years ago, those golf carts were in the process of being sold. I chatted with her for a bit more about things changing, wished her well and got on my way to get the bulk of the photography done.

I found myself walking through historic downtown Clermont, a quiet yet personable stretch of road containing nifty little shops and restaurants, all just blocks away from the park and lake. I walked up and down this road and was immediately reminded why I occasionally yearn to live in a remote location where the sleepy valley town is the only thing close to civilization for miles and miles around. Of course my inability to function long-term in that situation prevents that from occurring, but I still do think about it now and then. During my several cross-country road trips as a child, filled with intrigue and a desire for adventure, I encountered such places and they always seemed so genuine.

I walked down to the park and out on to the fishing pier jetting out into Lake Minneola. After walking back through town stopping at the chamber of commerce and library looking for some printed materials to take with me, I got on my way back to Orlando. There was a cute flower and fruit stand operated by a very nice woman who chatted with me after watching me stop and take a picture of her establishment. I browsed for a minute and then hit the road.

This weekend I am taking my good friend Chris to Clermont to repeat the enjoyment I had and share it with someone else. Who says you need to be in a relationship to enjoy a cute little trip like this together? Hell that is what friends are for anyway. I am going to take him to the Citrus Tower, historic downtown, surrounding areas and then to the nearby Lakeridge Winery for a tour and tasting. It is going to be a fabulous time and I cannot wait for the weekend to come.

While most of the eastern coast and north-eastern United States get hammered by Hurricane Isabel (now downgraded to a Tropical Storm), the weather here in central Florida is nothing less than perfect. Today will be the third day in a row that conditions normally found starting mid-to-late October will be present here. Yes, the high temperature during the day is still around 90°F (32°C) but the morning and late night temperatures are from 65°F (18°C) to 76°F (24°C). It is a little more humid than it has been the last two nights, but it is still very comfortable. I have turned off the air conditioning and will be sleeping next to my large open window again tonight.

The local forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms resuming this upcoming Sunday, but I hope they are as isolated as our recent precipitation has been, especially with my on-going photography project for work.