Good morning from Orlando, Florida. The place where you can take Rover to a outdoor restaurant, but you cannot feed a homeless person in a city park.

As I have my breakfast this morning, I am reading the Orlando Sentinel online. The top story concerns the efforts of Mayor Buddy Dyer to bring a state-of-the-art performing arts center, a new arena for the Orlando Magic, and improvements to the Citrus Bowl, to Orlando. Yesterday, Mayor Dyer proposed the idea to the Orange County Commissioners, putting up $350 million and land for the deal. Only problem is, the total costs of the projects would cost over 1.1 billion.

Now, I am not that great on math, but I am looking at a difference of $650-$700 million dollars. The county commissioners were trying to figure out where the difference would come from. Mayor Dyer was rather vague on the answers.

The crime rate is on the rise in Orlando. Traffic congestion continues to get worse. Many of the jobs available in the Central Florida area do not pay a living wage, and affordable housing is a major problem. Many people are having a hard time paying rent for an apartment.

And the mayor's major concern is to put money into a stadium that gets little use, a performing arts center that few will be able to afford to go to, and a arena for a team owned by a billionaire who can well afford to build his own arena.

Is there something wrong here?

Just who's "buddy" is he.

Now if you excuse me, I am going to make a donation to the non-profit group that feeds the homeless. Please don't tell anyone. I don't want the police knocking on my door because I didn't want to see someone go hungry.

It's Friday. Such a wonderful day in the neighborhood. How about five fun facts for this Friday?

1.) My favorite baseball team, the Cleveland Indians, are in fourth place in the American League Central.

2.) My second favorite baseball team, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, are in last place (fifth) in the American League East.

This is getting depressing. Let's switch gears.

3.) The Sports Illustrated 2006 College Football Preview issue is on newsstands, and Ohio State is ranked Number 1!

4.) Week 2 of the NFL Preseason is this weekend. NFL Kickoff is just a few weeks away!

And last but not least,

5.)Snakes on a Plane!

Have a great weekend, and I'll shout out at ya' later.

Many years ago, if you were in a grocery store, chances were that Muzac would be playing over the intercom system. It was the same Muzac you would hear at a bank or doctor's office. Instrumental versions of popular songs. It was something you would not be listening to at home.

Over the years, many offices now have a local radio station playing over the intercom system. Some businesses even have a service they subscribe to that plays popular music of today, rather than what we would refer to as "elevator music".

The grocery store I shop at has a service, and it plays 80s music! Great!

So here I am, shopping at the grocery store, and "All Around The World" by Lisa Stansfield comes on. I love this woman's voice. And this is one of my favorite 80s songs.

So here I am, grooving to Lisa Stansfield, and all of the sudden, the song cuts off.

"Price check on Aisle Four! Price check on Aisle Four!"

AAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!

I am listening to a great song, and it gets interrupted because some dumb son-of-a-bitch picked up an item with no price tag.

I guess some things never change.

Thank goodness I have her CD.

Greetings from the City of Orlando. The city where it is legal to take your dog to an outside restaurant, but it is illegal to feed a homeless person in a city park.

I am taking it easy this Monday evening. I worked the weekend at the theme park, and I went into work at my full-time job today. On Mondays, I usually kick back and take it easy. This consists of having after dinner drinks and a cigar out on the patio while I watch the world go by.

I usually have a few beers, or a cocktail. For dinner tonight, I had spaghetti with veal parmesan with a red sauce I made. For something different, I wanted to have a good Italian red wine with my meal. So I went down to the ABC Fine Wine and Spirits store and asked the salesperson what he would recommend. He suggested a Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico from 2003. I do not know know a lot about wine, but I like a good red wine on occasion. This is good, so the next time you are out shopping for a red wine, I suggest you try this one. I am not much on white wine, but I have a recipe for a shrimp scampi that calls for a dry white wine. Only then will I buy a white wine.

The ABC used to be a package store and lounge throughout Florida in the earlier days. It would sell beer, wine, and spirits. In the back would be a lounge. The size if the lounge depended on the location and size of the store. When I moved to Orlando in 1981, the ABC Lounge in Casselberry was very large, complete with a rotating bar in the middle. There was a dance floor with a disco ball above and a deejay would play the most popular songs of the day. I remember every time I would go in there on a Friday or Saturday night, the place would be packed with singles and couples out on the town for a night of dancing. And every time I would go in there, I would always hear "Super Freak" from Rick James. Do you remember that one?

"They say that girl's really kinky..."

Sometime after the president of ABC Liquors passed away, his son took over operations and eventually phased out the lounge business and concentrated on the package business. It is now an upscale food and wine store, with a larger selection of wines, cordials, liquors, and beer. Plus a walk in humidor stocked with cigars as the aroma of cedar dominates the humidor, invigorating your sense of smell as you look over the inventory.

"That girl's a Super Freak..."

I talked to an old friend the other day, and we talked about how all the places we went to in our wilder days are gone. The ABC lounges. Calico Jacks, which were known for their chicken wings and oysters. Townsend's, Bungalow Bill's, Park Avenue. A few places remain, such as Mills Avenue Liquors on Mills Avenue (State Road 17-92) in Orlando. The place is also known as Wally's. It has a package store on one side, and a lounge on the other. Naked women adorn the nicotine stained wallpaper that has been there since who knows how long. And the bartender at the time was a rude woman that could pass for Roseanne's twin sister. At least the drinks were cheap.

Crazy days.

There is a part of me that misses those days. But there is a part of me that does not. I will go out on occasion, but most of the time, I am usually home. My friends miss those days. Then again, they are all married, too. They have no idea what it is like out there now. The clubs have changed, the music has changed, and we have changed. Time to move on. Back then, it was beer and more beer. Now, I find myself pairing wine with a meal and trying to figure out what would be a good cigar for after dinner. And the music is still good. And no Rick James.

"Temptations sing!"