This was posted today on the Media Research Center (also known as timeswatch). If you've never visited the site, you might want to give it a try. It's one of the most perceptive media critics going. As the name timeswatch indicates, the Old Grey Lady up in the Big Apple comes in for a fair amount -- and very fair -- criticism, but the site will occasionally venture into broadcast outlets.

The states 12th public university, Florida Polytechnic University, will take on life this summer over the objections of some legislators, students and officials in the Lakeland area. Gov. Rick Scott signed HB 1994 on Friday, creating the independent school by splitting off the 14-year-old branch campus from the University of South Florida. In a statement with the signing, Scott declared the school will be "vital to our economy in the years to come."

Gov. Rick Scott on Friday used his weekly address to praise the state budget he signed this week as promoting Florida's economy by investing in its public education system. "During my time as governor, I have spoken with Floridians across the state. I quickly learned that the two issues that they care about the most are jobs and education. These two issues go hand in hand. Employers want to locate in states that have quality educational systems," Scott said.

Gil Kerlikowske, the nations drug czar, is scheduled to address the first meeting of the states new Task Force on Prescription Drug Abuse and Newborns on Tuesday in the state Capitol Cabinet meeting room. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday that Kerlikowske, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, would be a special guest at the inaugural meeting of the task force.

The auto insurance reform package that was one of Gov. Rick Scotts three major issues in the regular legislative session was among the bills reaching his desk Friday. Scott and Florida CFO Jeff Atwater have repeatedly said fraud involving personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance has cost Floridians $1 billion a year in higher premiums. HB 119 was approved by the Legislature on the final day of the regular session, March 9.

The watchdog group Florida TaxWatch issued a news release today announcing April 20 as Tax Independence Day, meaning the average Florida taxpayer had to work 110 days out of 366 just to satisfy tax obligations. (Forgive a small digression but did you forget 2012 is a leap year? I had.)

The TEA Party of Florida endorsed Republican Connie Mack for U.S. Senate on Friday. The only tea organization registered as a political party in Florida lauded Mack, saying, "Connie was 'TEA Party' before there was a TEA Party." Party Chairman John Long praised the Naples congressman on several fronts, including "his notable fiscal defections from his own Republican leadership in the Florida and U.S. House, and his Penny Plan, which, more than any other plan, balances the budget faster and restores our economic freedom."

The states unemployment number continued to decline, falling to 9.0 percent, according to figures released Friday. The latest figures estimate that 836,000 Floridians were jobless last month, down from 869,000 in February, when the statewide unemployment mark was 9.4 percent, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity. The monthly total is 1.7 percent lower than where the state was a year ago. The 0.4 percent drop was the largest one-month decline since Oct. 1992. More to come.

U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, used the two-year anniversary of the fatal Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico to call for a review of energy policies that require us to drill in the first place. Two years ago today, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded, leading to the largest oil spill in U.S. history, Hastings stated in a release. This catastrophic explosion left 11 men dead in addition to unleashing 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

A licensed massage therapist in Miami, a physicians assistant and 14 massage clinic patients have been charged with insurance fraud and grand theft, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced Friday. Judith Gonzalez, 39, owner of Flamingo Health Corp. in Miami, allegedly billed insurance companies nearly $250,000 in fraudulent insurance claims and coached patients on how to commit personal injury protection fraud, Atwaters office reported.

A number of Floridians and businesses in the state will get a large chunk of the $64 million found through errors in the claims process used for the Deepwater Horizon disaster, according to numbers released by the Department of Justice. About 4,450 Floridians stand to collectively receive $37.7 million, according to the results of an audit of the claims process urged by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and other attorneys general from states along the Gulf of Mexico.

Is the Florida Supreme Court's decision on Fair Districts for sale? That's the question some are asking in light of reports that three justices received $500 contributions from the law firm with a familial connection to the chairwoman of the Fair Districts Now campaign. SaintPetersblog.com reported Thursday that Justices Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince each got a maximum allowable donation of $500 from the firm of Freidin & Dobrinsky. Partner Phillip Freidin is the husband of Fair Districts chairwoman Ellen Freidin.

Here are the top Florida Senate fundraisers through March 31, 2012: Denise Grimsley (R) SD 21 $749,381 Lizbeth Benacquisto (R) SD 30 $512,844 Joe Negron (R) SD 32 $473,300 Don Gaetz (R) SD 01 $472,260 Jack Latvala (R) SD 20 $441,622

Gov. Rick Scott announced the appointment of Tampa resident Jennifer Gabbard to the Hillsborough County Court on Thursday. As a prosecutor for 14 years, Jennifer has gained valuable experience with the county court system, Scott stated in a release. During that time, she has handled a wide variety of cases and gained a reputation as a tough, fair and able prosecutor. I am confident she will continue to further the rule of law from the bench. Gabbard replaces Judge Nick Nazaretian who has been appointed to the 13th Judicial Circuit Court

Gov. Rick Scott received and quickly signed HB 227 on Thursday, an effort by Attorney General Pam Bondi to establish a task force focused on prescription drug abuse --specifically, its impact on newborns. The bill, announced in October, would create a 10-member statewide task force, with Bondi as chairwoman, that would examine the emerging problem of neonatal withdrawal syndrome as it pertains to prescription drugs.