Charlie Crist inaugurated as Florida’s governor

An optimistic Charlie Crist was sworn in as the 44^th governor of Florida on January 2 in Tallahassee. In his inaugural 19-minute inaugural speech on the steps of the Old Capitol, Crist vowed to bring a new era of bipartisanship to the Florida Legislature; one that searches for new conclusions and new ideas.  Most importantly, the new governor pledged the full resources of his office to work with the Legislature to address the insurance crisis. A special meeting to address this crisis is scheduled to be held within the next two weeks. He also made a vow to ask voters to amend the state Constitution to cut property taxes. 

Crist’s inaugural day began with a breakfast at Florida A&M University where prayers were offered by a priest, a rabbi and a minister. Next there was an inaugural parade from the Capitol to the governor’s mansion. The governor rode on the back of an inconspicuous convertible. He opened up the mansion to a free tour for the public, and a low-key festival was held, and special activities for the children.

Traditionally, a grand inaugural ball would have been held on Tuesday night, but Crist earlier cancelled this, claiming it would have been too great an expense in light of the suffering being incurred by Florida resident because of the high property insurance and taxes.

Presidents pay homage to Gerald Ford

President George Bush, and former presidents, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton, paid homage at the state funeral of the late President Gerald Ford held at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday. Ford, the 38^th president of the United States died on December 27, after a series of illnesses.

The current and former presidents, and their wives, led an assembly of national and foreign dignitaries that were assembled to pay tribute to Ford, the only U.S. president to be appointed to the post. He was appointed by a predecessor, Richard Nixon to breach a nation that was fractured from the Watergate scandal was forced Nixon to resign office. Shortly, after Ford became president he pardoned Nixon, an act that created some controversy, but which Ford defended as an act to further heal the country and allow him to attend to matters of state. It is ironic that Ford had no ambition to be president, as he had his eye on being speaker of the House of Representatives, but circumstances pushed him to first being vice-president, then president.

In his eulogy President George W. Bush said that throughout the political turmoil left by Watergate, growing inflation and the war in Viet Nam, Gerald Ford “was a rock of stability.” Bush continued, “He brought grace to a moment of great doubt. In a short time the gentleman from Grand Rapids proved that behind the affability was firm resolve.”

Ford’s body was interred at a private burial at the Ford Museum at Grand Rapids, Michigan last Thursday.

Saddam Hussein executed among insults and taunts

The ousted president of Iraq, found guilty by an Iraqi court of murdering hundreds of his own people, and sentenced to death was executed in the early hours of Saturday, December 30 in Iraq. Saddam appeared for his execution nattily dressed in a long, black over coat, his hair freshly dyed and groomed, his beard trimmed and, according to reports his shoe shined.

Through photographs carried on television around the world, one was able to witness a calm Saddam, being lead to the gallows, with a black mask, which he refused to have put over his head, and a thick yellow noose around his neck.

When Hussein stood on the platform waiting it for it to open up, taking him to his death, he said “Ya Allah” a prayer to his God. But, reports from witnesses are that, suddenly, the room erupted to Shiite religious chants, as the Shiite Muslims in the audience apparently sought revenge on the former president, a Sunni by insulting Saddam.

Following his execution upset Sunnis protested Saddam’s death. Most were outraged by the hurried execution of their former leader just four days after an appeals court upheld his death sentence.

Saddam was buried privately in his hometown of Ouja, near the northern Iraqi City of Tikrit.

AT&T purchases Bellsouth

Last week the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved AT&T’s buyout of Bellsouth for the amount of $86 million. Reports by the Associated Press are that the buyout will offer attractive con cessions for consumers.

These include: DSL to new customers for 30 months – Bellsouth’s cheapest DSL plan is now $25 a month; free broadcast modem to those who replace AT&T or Bellsouth dial-up service with DSL; DSL service without local phone service; a plan to sell wireless broadband licenses held by Bellsouth. The latter plan is intended to open up competition in providing broadband to the home, a market that now has only two main competitors in each area: the phone company and the cable company.

It is also reported that cell-phone carrier Sprint Nextel has announced plans to build a competing wireless network.