The Worldly Philosophers, Vol.2, Number 1 January 20, 2008 THE Worldly Philosophers Club For Individualists Who Seek Worldly Wisdom

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FLORIDA:  A HAVEN By Mark Skousen A warm spring day, a shady tree, A wandering breeze, a soothing sea, A crescent moon, a white-capped wave, A flying banner in the sky Against the clouds just passing by. The land we live in, full of these, And yet unseen by human eye, For in this world of passing dreams Beauty itself just wanders by.  “Beauty,” by Betsy Pearl Collegeman Miami Beach, Florida Dear Worldly Philosophers, This January I am spending time at my home here in Florida, enjoying the warm weather and a short vacation.  Here there is balance in life – playing basketball with the faculty and staff at Rollins College (where I used to teach); playing golf with my son Todd and his friend; reading a history of the Civil War by Mary Chestnut; driving to the beach listening to Orson Scott Card’s classic science fiction novel, “Ender’s Game” or a new CD of pirate music called “Rogue’s Gallery.”  Or having lunch with some old friends, including Alex Green, editor of the Oxford Club Communique, or Diego Veitia, chairman of International Assets, a global institutional trading firm.  My wife and I have known “Don Diego,” as we call him, for many years.  When we were looking for a place to live after returning from the Bahamas, Diego arranged for me to teach at Rollins College in Winter Park.  He was gracious enough to let me and my family live in his home briefly while we searched for a new home.  When my book, “Economics on Trial” was published in 1991, he purchased several thousand copies and distributed them to his clients at International Assets.  Diego is a wealthy man and now spends more time away from Florida.  He is in many ways a worldly philosopher himself, enjoying a variety of interests—in sports, finance, geo-politics, and the arts (he’s a board member of the Teluride Film Festival).   “Friends and family, that’s what the good life is all about,” he said at lunch on Saturday along scenic Park Avenue.  The Lure of the Sunshine State The Sunshine State has always had a fascinating lure – a balmy vacation spot during winter; a relaxing haven for retirees; a place to discover beautiful beaches, colorful flowers and fauna, orange groves, and fish of all kinds.  Florida is full of God’s wonders:  The Everglades, the Keys, Miami Beach, Silver Springs, and the country’s biggest cypress tree.  (I like to take my family each year on a pilgrimage to “The Big Tree.”  It symbolizes a larger purpose in life.)  Florida is full of human history:  The Calusa, Timucua, Apalachee and Seminole Indian tribes; St. Augustine, America’s oldest city; Ponce de Leon and his search for the fountain of youth; the land speculation of the Roaring Twenties and the New Century; Cape Canaveral, the launching pad of NASA, America’s space program.  Florida is also known for sports and recreation—spring baseball, Florida basketball and football, and of course a vacation destination to DisneyWorld and Universal Studios.  On my bookshelf are two books about Florida:  “You Can Live Longer in Florida” is for retirees who want to enjoy the benefits of an ocean breeze, sunshine, warm climate, and a relaxed atmosphere.  The other is called “Florida Isn’t Heaven!”, a book that tries to discourage snowbirds with tales of hurricanes, humidity, crocodiles, water moccasins, insects, and crime, written tongue-in-cheek by an author who obviously loves Florida and doesn’t want more people to come.  Florida as a Financial Haven The Sunshine State is also a tax and financial haven.  It has no income tax, and its Constitutional amendment, “Save our Homes,” limits real estate tax increases to 3% a year.  Under Florida law, your home is exempt from bankruptcy laws.  Sales and other taxes are reasonable, and the cost of living is significantly less than where I live in New York.  No wonder Florida is one of the fastest growing states in the union.  Good living, AEIOU, Marcus Aurelius P. S.  My son Tim has created a most unusual poster for my upcoming conference FreedomFest, our annual gathering of worldly philosophers, July 9-12, 2008, in Las Vegas.  See more by going to our website.  I’m happy to announce that Diego Veitia will be joining us as a speaker and gold sponsor.  Already over 200 people have signed up.  We are expecting a crowd of over 88 speakers, 100 exhibits, and over 1,000 attendees.  Come join us for the greatest show on earth!  Call Tami Holland, our conference coordinator, at 1-866-266-5101.