Florida Surgeon General says Vaccines Should be a Choice. But What’s his Advice?

Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo has said they would remove requirements that schoolkids get vaccinated. 

But Ladapo has refused to say whether kids should be vaccinated at all.

Florida's Ban on Openly Carrying Guns is Unconstitutional, Appeals Court Rules

In a major decision, a state appeals court Wednesday ruled that Florida’s ban on openly carrying guns is unconstitutional.

A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal, pointing to U.S. Supreme Court rulings on Second Amendment issues, said the open-carry ban is incompatible with the nation’s “historical tradition of firearm regulation.”

“No historical tradition supports Florida’s open carry ban,” Judge Stephanie Ray wrote in a 20-page opinion joined by Judges Lori Rowe and M. Kemmerly Thomas. “To the contrary, history confirms that the right to bear arms in public necessarily includes the right to do so openly. That is not to say that open carry is absolute or immune from reasonable regulation. But what the state may not do is extinguish the right altogether for ordinary, law-abiding, adult citizens.”

The ruling came in a challenge filed by Stanley Victor McDaniels, who was convicted of openly carrying a gun on the Fourth of July in 2022 in Pensacola. It also came after years of legislative debate about potentially repealing the open-carry ban — a position supported this week by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Florida Plans to Eliminate Vaccine Mandates

by Brenda Baletti, Ph.D.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo [pictured here] announced today plans to eliminate all vaccine mandates in the state, including for children to attend school.

“The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the governor, is going to be working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida,” Ladapo said at a press conference in Tampa, hosted by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Florida would be the first state to completely drop all mandated vaccinations.

Ladapo said every immunization requirement “is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery.”

“Who am I as a government? Or anyone else? Or who am I as a man standing here now to tell you what you should put in your body?” he asked.

Ladapo said some vaccines are mandated by the Florida Department of Health, but those requirements “are going to be gone.”

“We are going to work with the governor and law makers to get rid of the rest,” he added.

Traditional Values Must Be Brought Back

Traditional values are being sidelined internationally and must be brought back to the center of the global agenda, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

Speaking at the expanded session of the gathering on Monday, the Russian leader stressed that the SCO’s strength lies in its traditional “respect for historical events, cultural values, and civilizational diversity.” He added that these principles form the basis for cooperation in science and education, healthcare, and sports.

Putin noted that in the cultural sphere, Moscow is organizing the Intervision song contest, to be held in Moscow on September 20. Portrayed as an alternative to Eurovision, from which Russia has been excluded due to tensions with the EU over the Ukraine conflict, Intervision is expected to feature performers from Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Florida Man Exits Bed in Middle of Night for Car Break-in Alert. Then He Goes after Crook — Still Wearing Superhero Pajamas.

Police in Cape Coral, Florida, said officers responded just after 2 a.m. Wednesday to a burglary in progress at a home in the southeast part of the city. Kyle Myvett told detectives he had gone to bed when his home security cameras alerted him to someone breaking into his vehicle, police said.  

Presumably without a second to spare, Myvett never bothered to change out of his pajamas before going into superhero mode.

Yup, he was still dressed in his Batman PJs when he ventured outside to investigate — and observed the suspect rummaging through his truck, police said.

What 17 Years of Dog Sitting has Taught Me about Animals — and People

https://www.msn.com/en-au/pets-and-animals/pets/what-17-years-of-dog-sitting-has-taught-me-about-animals-and-people/ar-AA1KmVxU

By Anne Rodgers

My first pet sitting job fell in my lap when my neighbors Chuck and Betty came looking for dog care. They owned a zesty Shih Tzu named Dusty and didn’t mind paying someone to give her personal attention and several walks a day when they were out of town.

While they were away, their home’s AC broke down, so I installed a giant oscillating fan in the living room to survive the sweltering afternoons. On an impulse, I scooped Dusty up and stood in front of the fan, swaying gently. I wasn’t sure if she’d enjoy the direct breeze, but she didn’t squirm.

I set her down after a bit, but half an hour later she was back, standing at my feet, looking up hopefully. I repeated our cooling off routine, and from then on, she let me know whenever she needed a repeat of our refreshing drill.

DeSantis Names State Sen. Jay Collins as Lieutenant Governor

Florida is now the only state in the country to have military veterans as both governor and lieutenant governor.

After roughly six months, Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis finally decided on his next lieutenant governor: state Sen. Jarrid “Jay” Collins [pictured here].

The governor said on Aug. 12 in Tampa that he considered two things when making his decision. First, the person had to be “strong on policy,” with a “record of delivering big conservative results.” Second, the person had to be “somebody that’s going to run towards the fire,” not sit on the fence or fear criticism.

“It’s about performance and record and deeds, and Jay, on that measure, has amassed a stellar record, and I believe he will continue to be an outstanding leader in the state of Florida,” DeSantis said.

The new lieutenant governor, who was sworn into office in a ceremony at the Tampa Green Beret Association’s Team House in Tampa, affirmed that his mission was to continue to “keep Florida free” and build on what DeSantis, a Republican, has done to preserve the quality of life and foster growth.

Florida Becomes Second State to Ban Fluoride in Public Drinking Water

By Brenda Baletti

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis today said he will sign a bill banning the addition of fluoride to public drinking water, making Florida the second state to end the practice. The ban will take effect July 1.

Senate Bill 700, known as the “Florida Farm Bill,” passed the state House last week 88-27, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. The bill prevents “the use of certain additives in a water system.”

In a press conference, DeSantis said Florida is ending fluoridation because, “When you do this in the water supply, you’re taking away a choice of someone who may not want to have overexposure to fluoride.”

He said research shows the chemical has serious negative health consequences for children and pregnant women.

“We don’t want local governments unilaterally injecting a chemical into the water supply and exposing people to potentially harmful side effects,” he added.

He also said people can add fluoride to their water at home if they want to.

DeSantis was joined at the press conference by Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo.

‘Painful Truths’: Florida Grand Jury Finds ‘Profound and Serious’ Issues With Vaccine Development and Safety in U.S.

By Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D.  (pictured right)*

Gov. Ron DeSantis convened the grand jury in December 2022 to investigate “any and all wrongdoing” concerning COVID-19 vaccines. Jury members reviewed documents and interviewed witnesses involved in the COVID-19 production process.

“While we did not find criminal activity,” they wrote in their 140-page report, “we did find a pattern of deceptive and obfuscatory behavior on the part of sponsors and regulators that often straddled the line between ethical and unethical conduct.”