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Barker's View for September 20, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way… Volusia County Council Last year, the Volusia County Council and the City of Ormond Beach were caught flatfooted after their respective staffs had preliminary meetings with Belvedere…

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Barker's View for September 13, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way… First Step Shelter Board Once again, the “Fun Coast” resonated this week with the exasperated groans of Volusia County taxpayers expressing their utter disgust with the wholly…

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Barker's View for September 6, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way… “S.R. A-1-A Resiliency Strike Team” Before we start this hayride, please know I didn’t conjure up that name.    I couldn’t pull something like that out of my backside if I…

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Barker's View for August 30, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way… Florida Department of Environmental Destruction “Now, of course, having failed in every attempt to subdue the Glades by frontal attack, we are slowly killing it off by tapping the…

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Barker's View for August 23, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way. Volusia County Voters “Politics is the art of controlling your environment.” –Dr. Hunter S. Thompson To the ~20% of Volusia County voters who cast your sacred vote during the…

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Barker's View for August 16, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way. First Step Shelter Board When it comes to managing crisis and protecting the public’s confidence – most people can understand and forgive what they see themselves doing – that prism…

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Barker's View for August 9, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way. Volusia County Council Let’s start this week’s vituperations on a positive note! Kudos to the majority of our elected representatives on the Volusia County Council who, for one brief…

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Barker's View for August 2, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way. ERAU Chairman Mori Hosseini, Boeing, and Aura Aero Inc. Big news at our Harvard of the Sky last week when it was announced Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will host French…

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Barker's View for July 26, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who – in my cynical opinion – either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way this week here on Florida’s fabled “Fun Coast.” First Step Shelter Board In an excellent follow-up this week by Eileen Zaffiro-Kean writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, we…

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Barker's View for July 19, 2024

Hi, kids! You’ll notice some changes to this week’s column…  Even before the unthinkable events of last weekend, I did some naval-gazing, thinking long and hard about the future of this alternative opinion blog in an age where even local political divisions have digressed from ideological disagreements and conflicting ideas to a blood feud between rival gangs – all fostered and funded by dark…

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Angles & Assholes: An Introspective

A long time ago, God sat down in a dark corner of his heavenly workshop.  Spread out before him was an assortment of mislabeled pieces and broken parts that he put in a cocktail shaker, shook passionately, then poured out the prototypical Holly Hill cop.  In exchange for giving him a special place to love and care for his whole life through – the Good Lord’s comprise was that when the officer’s…

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An Opportunity to Serve

For the past eight-years I’ve written this alternative opinion blog, neither always right or always wrong, just one man’s jaded opinion on the news and newsmakers of the day.  Since its inception, I have never asked for a subscription fee from the thousands who view this blogsite each month or sought advertising revenue.  I always felt accepting renumeration would cheapen the message.  Besides,…

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Angels & Assholes for May 24, 2024

Hi, kids!  It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way. Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was: Asshole           Volusia County Council I’m often asked what device I…

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Angels & Assholes for May 17, 2024

Hi, kids!  It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way. Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was: Angel               The Chief Tomokie Preservation Group When I was a…

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Angels & Assholes for May 10, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way. Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was: Asshole           Deltona City Government   Last week, on the very…

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Angels & Assholes for May 3, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way. Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was: Angel               City of Daytona Beach In response to a resurgence…

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Angels & Assholes for April 26, 2024

Hi, kids! It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the newsmakers of the day – the winners and losers – who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life, or detracted from it, in some significant way. Let’s look at who tried to screw us – and who tried to save us – during the week that was: Asshole           Volusia County School Board Given the cascade of…