Major league baseball has asked its players to stop tossing baseballs into the stands during games because they say fans fight over them and they get hurt. In fact the Florida Marlins said that's why they never hit any home runs. It's a safety issue.

When I left my parents' home when I was 19 I went to the University of Florida and within 24 hours was in the mental health department. And within 20 minutes I was being told by the director there that they didn't have what I needed there.

Of course there are critics who believe that no matter what we do the Florida dream is over. They claim that we must accept the idea that inevitably our future is one of high taxes and big government.

I taped my first series for PBS in 1982 at WJCT-TV in Jacksonville Florida. The show called 'Everyday Cooking with Jacques Pepin ' was about saving time and money in the kitchen - and it was a celebration of simple and unpretentious food.

We are stronger because we recognize that government isn't the sole answer to the most important questions and we welcome community and faith based organizations as partners to serve the needs of Florida families.

My job is to make sure that if you're a family in Florida your children can get a good education and you have the opportunity for a job. That's my job and that's what I think about every day.

When I walk up on that shore in Florida I want millions of those AARP sisters and brothers to look at me and say 'I'm going to go write that novel I thought it was too late to do. I'm going to go work in Africa on that farm that those people need help at. I'm going to adopt a child. It's not too late I can still live my dreams.'

Through the harsh design of fate Florida was dealt the unfortunate circumstances of bearing the brunt of not one but two hurricanes and it appears more dark clouds are poised to visit the Sunshine State.

To be clear climate change is a true 800 pound gorilla in the room. The effects of global warming threaten global environmental upheaval over the coming century. But for South Florida and the Everglades it could be our death knell if urgent action is not taken.

Florida has been really cool to us. This is our first big club tour and Pennywise has been really nice.