Darryl Rouson's Bong Bill

Efforts to legalize medical marijuana have gotten a lot of attention in Tallahassee this year. But that hasn’t slowed down a bill to ban bongs and other devices used to consume pot and other mind-bending substances. That bill is garnering overwhelming approval in the Florida Senate. Democratic Representative Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg is the sponsor of the bill. 

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What a waste of time, i make bongs out of empty beer cans, and this coming from a Democrat.

Who Will Run Against Ken Hagan

Ken Hagan hasn't attracted any opposition yet as he seeks a final term on the board in 2014 before having to leave due to term limits. But he's raising money like he expects not to walk through unopposed. Hagan, a Republican, has brought in $49,175 from 150 donors in his first quarter of campaigning. That's not quite don't-bother-getting-in-this-race money, but it's a decent showing for just more than a month of raising money.

Not surprising for an unabashed pro-development commissioner, much of the money comes from people in the construction or real estate business.

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We Need To Thank Those Who Listened

We need to thank those who listened. Can you call Representative Kathy Castor and thank her for signing the Grayson-Takano letter vowing to vote against any cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits?
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Darden Rice for St. Pete City Council

Walk to get petitions for Darden Rice!
She is holding a petition drive on April 13. She needs 500 signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Saturday, April 13, 2013 9:00 AM
Pinera Bread
1908 4th Street North, Saint Petersburg
info
Via Pushing Rope

Florida: Teachers From Hell

Florida has the scariest schoolteachers in the United States

Stories about teachers who allegedly do terrible things to students seem to be entirely too common across the country these days. In some ways, it’s not fair to pick on Florida. In other ways, it’s totally fair because tales of teachers behaving badly seem to come from the state continuously.
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Pic thanks to Sun Sentinel

Stogie Recommends

The Descendants
The Descendants is a 2011 American drama film directed by Alexander Payne. The screenplay by Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash is based on the novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings. The film stars George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard and Robert Forster, and was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in the United States on November 18, 2011
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Republicans Call for Tougher Sanctions on Beyoncé

Arguing that their recent trip to Cuba had made them “America’s No. 1 national-security threat,” a group of Republican lawmakers today called for tougher sanctions on the entertainers Beyoncé and Jay-Z. “We must send a strong message to Beyoncé and Jay-Z that the United States of America will not tolerate this kind of provocation,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Florida), who blamed President Obama for “permitting the crisis to escalate dangerously.” “While the President has allowed himself to be distracted by North Korea, Beyoncé and Jay-Z were engaged in threatening activities right in our own hemisphere,” he said, charging the President with being “soft on Beyoncé.” Echoing his sentiments, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen called for the “toughest economic sanctions possible to isolate the growing threat posed by Beyoncé and Jay-Z.”
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White House spokesman Jay Carney cautioned that they would probably have little to no effect: “Right now, Jay-Z and Beyoncé have more money than the U.S. government does.”

Condolence To The Castors

RIP
Donald F. Castor, a former Hillsborough County judge
and father of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, died Tuesday at age 81.
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Deborah's Kiss-Off, Chick-fil-A Strawberry Milkshake

Take that homobigoted CEO, Dan Cathy ye mean-spirited, hate-group-supporting, Old-Testament-misquoting promotors of obesity and diabetes.

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WMNF Tropical Heatwave Beer Launch Party

What a fun night to get you ready for WMNF's 32nd Annual Tropical Heatwave! The Independent Bar and Cafe' in Tampa will have live music by Alexander and the Grapes, Tropical Heatwave Beer Specials, prizes and more! And, there's no cover charge! Come meet other WMNF fans and raise a toast to Tropical Heatwave!

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Che Must Be Rolling In His Grave

Cuba Turning Over Florida Couple and Children
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Remember The Hakkens!

.Trinity Cafe of Tampa Feeding the Hungry and Homeless

Kevin Beckner Wants To Hear from Residents

Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, District 6, Countywide, is hosting office hours in the community one Wednesday every month in locations around the county. These events provide residents the opportunity to meet with the commissioner, one-on-one, to share ideas and voice concerns without having to travel to County Center in downtown Tampa. No appointment is necessary, and residents are seen on a first-come, first-served basis.

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A New Bill In Florida Would Make ‘Revenge Porn’ A Felony

A new bill in Florida would make it a felony to publish online nude photos or videos of a person without his or her permission and with his or her identifying information. That's a step in the right direction towards slowing the proliferation of the exceedingly icky "revenge porn" Internet sewage spill.
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Pic thanks to local porn star Brandon Areana.

Strip Club King: The Story of Joe Redner .

He dropped out of school in the 10th grade. He has been arrested 150 times. He earned his GED in jail at the age of 40. And he has run for local public office 8 times. Take a journey into the life and career of the man who came from poverty, got into the strip club business, ended up owning the most notorious strip club in the world, the Mons Venus, and then continued to build a real estate empire, became a multi-millionaire and a 1st Amendment freedom fighter. Described as the Larry Flynt of the South, Joe Redner is the classic American- Dream story come true. He has been called a pimp, patriot, intellectual, self- promoter, humanitarian, hypocrite, publicity hound, pig, exploiter, criminal, narcissist, hero and genius.

Happy Wedding Anniversary

Beyonce and Jay-Z tour Old Havana to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.
The Miami Cuban Mafia was enraged over the trip and sent a letter to the Treasury Department official responsible for policing the embargo to demand to be told who approved the travel and for what purpose.
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Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (La Señora) raised the issue of the Carters' visit with the Obama administration, denouncing it as having provided sustenance to the "murderous" Castro regime.

They Say Tomato, I Say Morons

In case you aren't up to speed, the state House passed a bill on Thursday that allows parents to petition for a variety of overhauls if a local school is struggling. Yes, your state lawmakers are at it again. What's so bad about that, you ask? In theory, not a thing. Except every major parent group hates it. In California it has turned into an educational war zone. So if we can skip all of the minor details and skirmishes, the real issue is this legislation potentially allows public schools to be handed over to for-profit charter companies.
"I've never heard of making a profit being a bad thing, this is the United States of America.'' 
 Rep. George Moraitis R-Fort Lauderdale.
He's nailed his geography, but Moraitis might have an economics issue. Those profits he is so gleefully pushing toward out-of-state charter companies are supplied by your tax dollars. Tax dollars originally earmarked for your child's education, books, lunches and so on.
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I Adore Anne Hathaway

Don't you just hate her? Hell hath no fury like a Hathahater
Is Anne Hathaway really deserving of all this venom? So why does the perky and supremely talented actress inspire such froth? Hathaway could simply be a victim of what the British call 'tall poppy syndrome' - the bloom that pokes above the others is the first to get cut.
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Four People Dead On I95 Over A Traffic Infraction

The Miami Herald reports that an Opa-locka police officer initially attempted to pull over the SUV for a traffic infraction. The SUV's driver suffered two broken legs in the crash. He faces four counts of vehicular homicide. Opa-locka City Manager David Chiverton told the newspaper that the officer, Cpl. Sergio Perez, "cut off the pursuit and did not follow northbound the wrong way" when the SUV's driver drove into southbound traffic.

The Opa-locka Police Department prohibits officers from continuing a chase that goes against the flow of traffic. The department also only allows pursuits in the case of serious felonies such as murder, rape and robberies.

In a recording of a radio dispatch, Perez tells dispatchers that the SUV had driven into opposing traffic.
This guy is all over the road," Perez says in the recording. "Now he's going against traffic on I-95.
 We're going northbound in the southbound lanes."
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Pic thanks to New Times
Why isn't Mr. Perez being charged with vehicular homicide?

My Name Is Joe Redner, And I Am Not For Sale

Good news on the local election front (unless you happen to be a candidate):

Joe Redner is seriously considering another run for office. So bring it on. We can only hope the city's best-known rabble-rouser, nose-thumber and kicker of shins will revive that campaign ad of him wrapped in the American flag with the slogan: My Name Is JOE REDNER, and I am NOT for sale.

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Robert Reich on Chained CPI

Happy Brithday Annette Taddeo-Goldstein

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Contribute

We Will Fight You Every Step Of The Way

"President Obama, when it comes to cutting Social Security, Medicaid or Medicare benefits... we are prepared to fight you every step of the way"

Democracy for America

"You can't call yourself a Democrat and support Social Security benefit cuts. The President is proposing to steal thousands of dollars from grandparents and veterans by cutting cost of living adjustments, and any congressional Democrat who votes for such a plan
should be ready for a primary challenge. " 

Progressive Change Campaign Committee

"Just as we fought and defeated President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security, we will mobilize and stop this attempt to diminish the vital guarantee of Social Security. MoveOn's 8 million members will not stand by and watch a Democratic President chip away at one of the most successful government programs of all time. Every member of Congress -- Democrat or Republican -- who votes for this proposal should expect to be held accountable."

MoveOn

Sign Petition

The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association

I just heard of this association from a story in the Tampa Bay Times. I checked out their website.

It states The FRLA Political Action Committee (PAC) fights to ensure that business-friendly politicians are elected to office. After all, good policy begins with good policy makers.

Yet they are giving huge donations to the Rick Scott re-election campaign. I don't get it. Why would you give money to someone who is trying to hurt your product? After all when people loose their jobs or money gets tight the first thing families cut back on is what FRLA and it's members are selling.
Here is a list of members in Hillsborough and Pinellas.

There Are Principled Conservatives In Tallahassee

 Sen. Jeff Brandes:  bill, SB 864
When a Florida sheriff sternly accuses state legislators of protecting drug dealers and child pornographers, it has a way of getting people's attention. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri made that assertion in fighting a bill filed by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, dealing with police access to information stored on citizens' portable electronic devices such as cellphones and iPads. Brandes, citing the importance of a constitutional right to privacy, wants to change state law to require police to obtain a warrant from a judge before searching cell phone contents.
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"Why in the world would a police officer need to search your cellphone if you're driving on a suspended license?"....Jeff Brandes
 "Thank God there are principled conservatives in Tallahassee."....ACLU's Howard Simon
"We think it's another check on the power of the police, and it simply means that they first have to persuade a judge that there's a basis for a search.. Without this rule, it leaves the privacy of people in the hands of a patrolman."....Tim Lynch, Cato's criminal justice unit
Opponents include liberal Democrat Rep. Irv Slosberg of Boca Raton
Great job Mr. Brandes

Al Higginbotham: Have Recent Votes Hurt His Chances?

The County Commissioner from East Hillsborough is running for a countywide seat in 2014, but some are saying his stand on two recent controversial issues will hurt him in the long run.
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Three strikes and you are out. Higginbotham voted agains registry. His religion made him do it. Higginbotham voted for Bass Pro and against small business owners. The next big issue is whether Race Tack gasoline station should build a gas station on wetlands at Kings and Providence. Do you really think it is a good idea to put a gas station on wetlands?..Elizabeth Belcher
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Can anyone list for me the good things that Al Higginbotham has done for his district. I am having a hard time remembering when he has stood up for the citizens in District 4. I'd like to hear from the people in the district, not from the developers and the builders,and land use lawyers that have benefited.. Are there any small business people or citizens that he has supported with his votes.?..Grace McComas
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Higginbotham has a number of things that will hurt his chances for a countywide seat. He's had issues with telling the truth and/or supporting his constituency. Shall I name a few?
1) He lied when he said he was undecided about Bass Pro until the actual vote took place. Al campaigned hard for the Bass Pro deal. He openly lobbied with people in his district, and then had the gall to say he was undecided.
2) He lied about the fact that he was a partner in his wife's land development company and (which you can't do when you're a commissioner) then when he got caught he said he didn't know he was listed as a VP in her firm. Are you kidding?
3) He said he was never on the board of the Regent (high end catering hall that got built with taxpayer money and still is not a community center) and public records showed he was on that board.
4) He lied when he asked Vin Marchetti (land developer attorney) to select a Planning Commission appointee for him and then when he got caught he said he didn't have the time to do the research.
5) He recently sent gift baskets of strawberries to constituents but the interesting thing was that the strawberries were obtained from a grower in south Florida, not from his constituents in east Hillsborough.
6) He still thinks we should pay for the roads, schools, safety and water instead of developers, as they build new subdivisions. Most taxpayers believe that developers should pay for the impacts of what they build, but Al lets the land developers off the hook because he received over 60% of his contirbutions from those with a financial stake in land development in the 2012 election.
7) He once told a group of community leaders that average citizens were a special interest group, inferring that they were no better than any other special interest group.
Hopefully voters will learn more about the "real" Al when he runs for a countywide seat next year....George

Best Little Whorehouse in Tallahassee

Daniel Ruth: Sugar daddy kisses for Scott

Rick Scott has been a busy politician on the make, collecting an average of $50,000 a day, or $4.6 million in re-election campaign donations from deep-pocketed Republican sugar daddies.
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