“Apparently, cosmetic policy changes are not only limited to Havana, they are taking place in Washington, too. If George Bush were serious about effectuating change in Cuba he would immediately grant Cuban-Americans unrestricted family visitation and remittances rights. This is nothing more than political gamesmanship in an election year with the emotions of the Cuban people, which have already suffered through 50 years of a brutal regime and eight years of an incompetent administration.”......Joe Garcia
Every election season brings a new crop of political hopefuls from the radical right. So far this year, their win-loss record is a respectable 1-1........here
Tasajo
With Moro and Yuca
$5.95 At.......Rosa's Market 4209 W.Martin Luther King Blvd Tampa
"Senator Kennedy is a true American hero and a leader in the Democratic Party, having spent a lifetime standing up for the values of fairness, justice and equality. On behalf of the Democratic Party, we extend our prayers and well wishes to Senator Kennedy, his wife Vicky, and the entire Kennedy family.".........Howard Dean
I paint tiles and then I hide them or just leave them in random places where they're likely to be found.........here
Continued job losses helped propel the Tampa Bay area's economy to last place in a ranking of six Southern cities, according to a new report by the Tampa Bay Partnership........here
Will Democratic challengers in the three "Cuban" congressional districts of South Florida loosen the stranglehold that old-line anti-Castroism has had on presidential politics and Cuba policy? That's a question that can be answered only in the byzantine maze of Little Havana politics.......here
One of eve of John McCain's major speech on Latin American policy and trade in Miami, Joe Garcia, the former executive director of the Cuban American National Foundation and a candidate for Congress, held a conference call to deride the Republican hard-line stance on Cuba, and to warn that South Florida's robust Cuban-American community isn't the GOP bastion it once was........here
Today approximately 700,000 Russian orphans are living in government run facilities. If the children aren’t adopted as infants, their chances of finding a new family lessen as they grow older. Jan Temkiewicz of Marco Island and Liz Mossman of Naples are volunteers with the Hosts of Hope program that bring older Russian orphans to this country for an enriching travel experience........here
The “Sunshine State” is going to put some of that sunshine to use for something besides orange juice, tourism and melanoma. How about a little electricity? Or in the case of Florida Gulf Coast University, for a lot of electricity........here
A man who said he thought he was just helping a woman in need is accused of running an illegal taxi service. Miami-Dade County's Consumer Services Department has slapped Rosco O'Neil with $2,000 worth of fines. After O'Neil dropped off the woman,
Police Surrounded Him,
issued him two citations and impounded his minivan........here
The GOP, should I be the nominee, can say whatever they want to say about me, my track record," Obama said. "If they think that they're going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful because that I find unacceptable.........here
A South Florida Sun-Sentinel article quoted Sid Dinerstein, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party, saying, "This is a terrible thing," and adding, "I wish Obama would not pretend to care about the Jewish community." At no point did the article quote the Obama campaign or anyone besides Dinerstein on the issue of Obama's commitment to the Jewish community........here
The community radio station’s signature fundraiser, it featured six stages in and around the Cuban Club in Ybor City. About 30 mostly national and local bands, ranging from polka to post-rock acts, entertained the thousands of attendees.........heremorePhoto By Wade Tatangelo
"Wow! Wow! Wow!" Were his first words as he surveyed the multitude, which included people in kayaks and small pleasure craft on the river on an unseasonably hot day in Oregon.........hereIn Tampa At The St. Pete Times Forum Wednesday, May 21st, Doors Open: 10:30 a.m.
Tix
The Coppertone sign in downtown Miami is being removed after nearly 50 years. The landmark neon sign will get a face lift and will be put back near its original location.......here
On July 4th, 2007, a Wackenhut executive dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase filled with taxpayers’ dollars, sprinted through the streets of South Beach while being chased by a giant finger and several sets of eyes.......here
The original Columbia is located in Tampa in the historic Ybor City district, and since we just happened to jump off the plane during lunch hour, we thought we would take the kids for a visit......here
Along the sin-soaked streets of Ybor City, Scientologists compete against bull-horn-toting evangelical Christians and Jesus Christ look-a-likes for their latest converts. The church is led in part by the Revs. David and Esther Crownborn, a husband-and-wife team who sermonize in a theater at Muvico Centro Ybor.........here
Arkansas-based bluesman Michael Burks will celebrate the release of his new CD, Iron Man, with a live performance in Tampa on Friday, May 23, 8 p.m., at Skipper’s Smokehouse..........here
The Times let me write a column on the 13 mile trek from New Tampa to downtown I took last Friday in recognition of Bike to Work Week. It was the first time I had ever ridden to downtown. I thoroughly enjoyed most of the ride but as a whole it was sub-par.........here
“Apparently, cosmetic policy changes are not only limited to Havana, they are taking place in Washington, too. If George Bush were serious about effectuating change in Cuba he would immediately grant Cuban-Americans unrestricted family visitation and remittances rights. 
