Sunday, May 25, 2008

Phoenix Probe Lands Safely On Mars

A small science probe blazed through the salmon-colored skies of Mars on Sunday, touching down on a frozen desert at the planet's north pole to search for water and assess conditions for sustaining life.........here

A Sunny Thing Happened Today at the Forum

It seemed, to me, like clouds parting and light pouring down instead of rain; like tears evaporating from the warm apples of a child's now-smiling face when despair is supplanted by thoughts of good things to come.......here

Obama, Howard Dean Speak Up Against Attacks On Immigrants

On Thursday in Florida Barack Obama accused Rush Limbaugh and Lou Dobbs of causing a rise in hate crimes against Hispanics. This was Rush's home territory, and it hurt his feelings.........here

Joe Garcia: Our Troops

Saturday, May 24, 2008

IS 318: Hell, No, We Won't Take Another Test!

More than 160 students in six different classes at Intermediate School 318 in the South Bronx - virtually the entire eighth grade - refused to take last Wednesday’s three-hour practice exam for next month’s statewide social studies test.........here
“He was pulled because he was inappropriate with the kids. He was giving them
messages that were inappropriate.”........David Cantor
“My students know they are welcome in my class to have open discussions. I teach them
critical thinking.”..........Douglas Avella

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Chopped Sirloin
With Cottage Cheese And Squash
$7.50 At.......Stefano Greek Italian 8904 N 56th St Temple Terrace

Tampa Locavore

No. 1: Caladesi Island State Park

Dr. Beach describes Caladesi Island State Park as a "well-kept secret. Surrounded by a lush state park, few people in Tampa seem to know its whereabouts."......here

Tomato Pickers Win Victory With Burger King

BKC has agreed to pay an additional net penny per pound for Florida tomatoes to increase wages for the Florida farm workers who harvest tomatoes. To encourage grower participation in this increased wage program, BKC will also fund incremental payroll taxes and administrative costs incurred by the growers as a result of their farmworkers' increased wages, or a total of 1.5 cents per pound of tomatoes...........here

Newsome High School Students At Obama Rally

Essie Mae Reed, Is A Tampa Treasure

That's how U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, described her recently when Castor stood on the floor of the House of Representatives to honor the community activist as a champion of the poor. Reed's legacy now is part of the Congressional Record.........here

Barack in Sunrise, Florida

It was still dark outside on Friday when the Young family got in line for an afternoon event in a 20,000-seat arena.... So what is it about Democrat Barack Obama, a first-term U.S. senator from Illinois, whose Florida supporters filled two NHL arenas in three days this week?........here

Streets Of Tampa

Where Was Hillary During The 2000 Florida Recount?

Now that Hillary Clinton (D) is shamelessly evoking the 2000 Florida Recount in her desperate effort to lay claim to the Florida delegation -- and the fact that Kevin Spacey's film on the recount called 'Recount' is being shown on HBO this Sunday night -- it seems like a good time to share a story with you.......here

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Yo Ho Hoedown In Ybor City

If you happen to be in Ybor City this weekend, expect to see cowboy hats. Expect to hear music involving trucks and hound dogs. And expect the unexpected..........here

Civil War Sloop Found In Hillsborough River

Billy Ray Morris hovered in the water above his prize, the submerged hull of what may be the Kate Dale, a Civil War blockade runner.........here

Florida Voters And Obama's Tampa Speech

The crowd in the forum yesterday was like nothing I have seen since I moved to Florida from California a number of years ago. At one point, looking around, I turned to my companion and said, "It looks like Los Angeles in here. Only, more friendly." It did: people of every age and race, not just sharing space but talking to one another, sharing their stories of where they lived and worked, how they came to know Obama's campaign, and what they liked about his policies......here

Brian Moore To Speak In Tampa

Socialist Party USA presidential nominee, Brian Moore, will speak on "How America Can Change from Capitalism to Socialism" on Wednesday, June 4, 2008, from 12 noon to 2 PM, at the John F. Germany Library in downtown Tampa, 900 North Ashley Drive, Tampa........here

Miami Republicans Act Of Political Cowardice

Miami's three Cuban-American Republicans in Congress have scrapped plans to participate in a series of debates with their Democratic challengers. The South Florida AFL-CIO, which in recent years has hosted debates for mayoral and gubernatorial races, planned three debates next week for the nationally watched contests. But the Republicans said this week that they're not going.........here

The Jan Kaminis Platt Trail

America'a first overhead bicycle path. From bedroom community of Brandon to Tampa.

JOE GARCIA RESPONSE TO BUSH SPEECH ON CUBA

“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

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Far Right Wins in Florida, Loses in Indiana

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

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Tasajo
With Moro and Yuca
$5.95 At.......Rosa's Market 4209 W.Martin Luther King Blvd Tampa

Al Gore: We can change the conversation

Howard Dean On Senator Kennedy

"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

Barack Obama Takes on McCain in Tampa, Florida

Streets Of Tampa


Obama Rocks Tampa Bay

Mary Tiler More Of Fort Lauderdale

I paint tiles and then I hide them or just leave them in random places where they're likely to be found.........here

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Tampa's Economy Falls To Last Place

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

The South Florida Trifecta

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

Joe Garcia: Welcome To S. Florida, Sen. McCain

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

Two Local Women Have Opened Up Their Hearts

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

Florida Going Solar

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

Monday, May 19, 2008

Sting Operation Busts 78 Year Old Florida Man

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

Tennessee's Republican Party: "Lay off my wife"

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

McCain's YouTube Problem Just Became a Nightmare

Sun-Sentinel Washington Bureau Chief William E. Gibson

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

WMNF’s 27th Annual Tropical Heatwave

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.........here
more
Photo By Wade Tatangelo

Solidarity for Dr Lemur

Sunday, May 18, 2008

75,000 Gather For Obama In Oregon

"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.........here
In Tampa At The St. Pete Times Forum Wednesday, May 21st, Doors Open: 10:30 a.m.
Tix

Miami's Famous 'Coppertone' Sign

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

Wackenhut Gets The Finger In Miami

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

Lunch At The Columbia In Ybor City

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