It was a complete accident. I went down to my local Tampa Starbucks. Upon entering Starbucks, I immediately realized that the McCain/Palin folks were having a little meeting.........here
The Florida GOP chairman just sent out an e-mail trying to lure volunteers with free gas cards and a chance to meet John McCain or Sarah Palin. Volunteers must make a minimum of 500 phone calls, or knock on 100 doors to qualify. Additionally, any volunteer who makes 1000 phone calls will earn a $100 gas card...........here
Dozens of cats were brought to the SPCA of Tampa Bay from Galveston Island after Hurricane Ike. Many were injured, scared and terrified to be touched. But, thanks to the loving hands of more than 68 volunteers, the cats are being nursed back to health each day with care and compassion........here 
I’m rooting for these upstart Rays so I can see what they’ll introduce to their clubhouse party next. After clinching a spot in the playoffs, they drank beer out of a “male athletic supporter.” Last night, they took things to a new level, as they crushed a bottle of Patron (see photo above) on top of the always required bubbly and beer.............here
13 Cities with Scary Housing Markets
A treasure trove of history is now open to the public. The St. Petersburg Times has teamed up with Google to make its historical archives freely available online. The new database includes millions of Times articles dating backmore than 100 years...........here
Former City Council member John "Jay" Lasita asked the council to adopt a resolution Thursday against Amendment 2, the so-called gay marriage ban before voters this November. It didn't go over very well. Not one council member supported putting the resolution to a vote.........here
Several new cockroach species are entering Florida, warn Phil Koehler and Roberto Pereira, insect researchers with University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. They say exotic roaches such as the Turkestan cockroach hitchhike into the state on gear brought back by members of the armed forces returning from the Middle East........here
Sunday, October 12
It's time to get in shape! Mayor Iorio will be taking a fitness walk around Al Lopez Park on Saturday, October 18 beginning at 7:30 a.m. This free walk not only provides for ongoing public access to the Mayor, City officials, and City management, but also reinforces the City’s stance on building a healthy community.......here
Thu, Jan 29, 2009 At St. Pete Times Forum Tampa
Twelve-year-old Zachary Sharples, his father and his 4-year-old brother have had Rays Fever all season long. So with the team entering the ALCS against Boston on Friday, they all started the week by heading down to the barbershop to get Mohawks, the style preferred by many of the Rays players, fans and even manager, Joe Maddon. Unfortunately, Sharples' school, Lincoln Middle in Palmetto, doesn't quite share the same level of passion for the Rays............here
Bush will raise money Friday in Miami for imperiled members of his party -- but the Miami area's three Republican members of Congress, who face aggressive reelection challenges, won't be among the attendees...........here 
“Mario Diaz-Balart is so out of touch with the truth and reality that he thinks the Iraq War was started by Bill and Hillary Clinton,” said Andy Diaz, spokesman for Joe Garcia.........here
Havana Times 
The Dynamic Duo: 
October 9, 2008 U.S. Rep Nydia Velázquez and Academy Award-nominated actress Rosie Pérez will be campaigning in Tampa Bay on behalf of the Obama-Biden Campaign for Change.The Say No 2 Campaign, the bi-partisan group dedicated to defeating Florida's dangerous and deceptive Amendment 2, has just released a hard hitting new commercial. It highlights the numerous groups and newspapers that have come out against the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment, as well as the devastating effects it will have if passed.
Naugle- a fake Democrat who has campaigned for George Bush and endorsed Mike Huckabee for President- once again held a press conference surrounded by "religious" leaders and folks clutching their bibles. The only thing missing from his usual routine were the scary men in army fatigues threatening to take the war against gays "into the streets."........here
Former Florida State Sen. Helen Gordon Davis will be honored Oct. 16 at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Tampa hosted by the Centre for Women and the Displaced Homemakers Network........here
Tampa Bay area Democratic leaders expect record support for Sen. Barack Obama in November, and they want to seize on that enthusiasm as a way to get more local Democrats in office. They've begun an ambitious "Vote Local" campaign that uses targeted mailings and some of the same social-networking tools that have allowed national candidates to cash in on the power of the Internet...........here
A rising demand in China for turtles for food and medicine has led to the round-up of thousands of turtles from Florida's lakes, ponds and canals. Exporters are shipping up to 
"The power of people can make a huge difference in our success in dealing with climate change," said Nobel laureate Dr. Jean Brennan at the closing session of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's climate change summit on Friday...........here
