John Hummel's Night at the Tampa Health Care Town Hall

I've seen the news lately, so I had an idea of how noisy these events are around the nation. When I arrived, some two hours before the event started at six, there were already 20 some odd people there.........here

Video: Right Wing Thugs In Ybor

Kendrick Meek Chats With Peter Schorsch

Congressman Meek would be in Tampa on Wednesday to open a new field office, sit for a taping with Bay News 9 and was open to an interview with me. Me, a blogger. A card-carrying member of the new media. I couldn't say 'Yes" quick enough...........here

Right Wingers Riot In Ybor City

Glenn Beck's Minions

Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor struggled to make herself heard and eventually cut her appearance short as dozens of people shouted "Tyranny! Tyranny! Tyranny!"........here

Who Would Have Thought People Could Get So Passionate About Protecting Insurance Company Profits?.........Out In Left Field

Stogie Sees Stupid People

Protect Cockroach Bay

A California developer wants to change our Comprehensive Plan to build a "multi-modal" cargo distribution center near Cockroach Bay. Unfortunately, the developer has persuaded the Ruskin Chamber to support this, in the name of "economic development." So unless we get a big turnout of opposition, the commissioners will be led to believe that citizens support this atrocity..........here

Only $20 Million To Fix The Friendship Trail Bridge

Hillsborough County commissioners agreed Wednesday to seek federal stimulus money to fortify the crumbling recreational span that has been closed since November........here

Cost Of The War In Iraq

Tampa Bay Gay Publisher: Big Mistake

Watermark publisher, Tom Dyer, counts missing the Ryan Skipper hate crime murder story the deepest regret of his publishing career. Watermark, a gay publication serving Tampa Bay and other metro Florida areas for 15 years, ran no stories on the Skipper case in 2007 even though it happened in nearby Polk County, between Tampa and Orlando..........here

St. Pete To Privatize Public Sidewalk

The City Council voted 7-1 Thursday to move forward with a controversial plan to privatize the sidewalk fronting BayWalk and improve security at downtown's struggling entertainment complex........here

Council member Wengay Newton cast the lone dissenting vote.

Casitas in the Night

Tampa Daily Photo

Kate Wants Our Vote

You know how I feel about voting. It is our civic duty to make our voices heard.

here

Great Job Democrats!

here

Pinellas GOP Posts Inflammatory Photo

Although the title of the picture is "Evil Clown," and the image bears some resemblance to The Joker of Batman lore, how can this picture not be construed as a racially-motivated attempt to literally paint Barack Obama in "whiteface"?........here

Olivia's Kiss: Chapter 23

Catherine Durkin Robinson

Florida's Offshore Oil Reserves

Some states aren't waiting around for a recovery to fall into their laps. Take Florida, for example. Recently, Florida lawmakers have made a gambit to develop their offshore oil reserves in an attempt to help ease them out of their economic troubles. A recently-filed bill is looking to open up leases for oil drillers off the coast of Florida..........here
One reader sounded particularly excited over the prospect: "Good for Florida. I spend about ten winter weeks there and enjoy sea-swimming on both coasts. I'll also be happy to sit in a beach chair and watch oil rigs through my binoculars. They are more interesting than windmills."

Robinson Preserve in Manatee County

here

Blue Dog Lori Edwards Of Florida

here
Doug Tudor - Democrat For Congress

Lakeland Rapper Goes To Prison For a Song

Authorities say a Lakeland man who used music to vent his frustrations with law enforcement will spend two years in prison for writing a threatening rap song. Antavio Johnson, 20, was charged with two counts of corruption by threat of a public servant after a Polk County gang detective found the song on a MySpace page..........here

Sunset Over Hillsborough Bay

Tampa Daily Photo

The ABCs of Residential Recycling in Tampa

If you’re like me, you need things to be simple. Complexity is a huge road block for me when it comes to consistency. So, when my family moved to Tampa, we were hoping getting involved with recycling was going to be easy. Thank goodness it was!.......here

Gilda Turns 50

Food Inc. At Tampa Theatre

here

Brian Blair Down For The Count

You might have thought pro-wrestler-turned-politician Brian Blair was, excuse the expression, down for the count. During his troubling tenure as a Hillsborough County commissioner, he made dubious news with his God-and-country pontificating when there was actual county business at hand, and later for his crybaby ways when he lost a re-election bid and promptly sued the winner..........here

Desalination Creates More Problems than Solutions in Tampa

If Aesop ever wrote a fable about water, he would surely write a story about the Tampa Bay on the Gulf of Mexico and its continuing struggle to resolve its water crisis.........here

What Stogie Had For Dinner

Pork Chops Athena

With Rice And Greek Salad

$9.99..........Central Park, 13418 Telecom Dr. In Temple Terrace

Solar-Powered Surveillance

In Tampa

Cigar City Beer

Via....My Tampa Life

Connie Mack Of Florida

If you live in Connie Mack’s district ask him to back up his assertions with facts. Mack is choosing tyranny over democracy. These are not the principles US citizens should expect from their elected representatives........here

Florida Dancers To Perform At Mt. Obama Dedication

Antigua’s highest peak, known by islanders as Boggy Peak, will change its name to Mount Obama on August 4th, Barack Obama’s birthday. Last year, after the island’s people wore Barack Obama hats, shirts and buttons to promote Obama’s presidential bid, Antigua’s prime minister, Winston Baldwin Spencer, had the idea of changing the peak’s name in honor of the newly-elected president. Now preparations are underway for next week’s ceremony..........here