Esquire Shuns The Diaz-Balart Brothers

Esquire got into the political endorsement game in its recent issue, and some incumbents in Congress who are seeking re-election perhaps wished the magazine hadn''t. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Alcee Hastings were among the eight members of the Florida Congressional Delegation who failed to win the magazine's endorsement.
The Diaz-Balart brothers drew the editors' ire for failing to move beyond their apparent political reason for being: Fidel Castro........here

What kind of impact the men's magazine endorsement will have is anybody's guess.
The Diaz Balart brothers are in tight races and could be swept out of office in a landslide Democratic vote.

Casa Obama Debate Watch Party

Hosted by Hispanics for Obama

8:30 pm
3303 W. Columbus Drive (Across from La Teresita)
Tampa

Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida

Home to 3 of World's Top 50 Steel Roller Coasters

Hang on to your hats! If you visit Busch Gardens in Tampa, you have the chance to ride three of the Top 50 steel roller coasters in the entire world, as judged by the Golden Ticket Awards.For 2008, the three Busch Gardens Tampa rides included in the Golden Ticket's Top 50 are Montu (10th place), Shei'Kra (19th), and Kumba (27th)..........here

How The Real-Estate Market Could Turn Florida For Obama

Driving central Florida's foreclosure road is to see economic anxiety made concrete: miles and miles of concrete. Along the Interstate 4 corridor, aquatically named housing developments (Bays, Beaches, Points, Isles, Vistas) pile up, one twisting cul-de-sac after another bristling with "For Sale" signs........here

Florida Bellwether Counties Bode Well For Obama

This race could be over early on Election Night if current trends continue, and you really only have to look at one region to know where the contest stands: Tampa Bay.........here

Buddy Johnson Using Voter Education Funds To Bankroll His Election

Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections, Buddy Johnson, is running a series of public service announcements to educate voters for the upcoming election. Johnson's opponent, Phyllis Busansky, says she believes the announcements are unethical at the very least and it could be illegal........here

Redemption For Zachary Sharples

The Tampa Bay Rays' playoff run turned into a hair-raising experience for a 12-year-old fan who got in trouble for adopting the team's signature playoff hairstyle -- and then wound up on the field with his major-league heroes........here

Tampa Tribune's Voting Challenge

Today's Page One has a large graphic that is part game, part cynical reminder that every vote counts and if you do not follow the rules exactly, your vote may very well not count...........here

Empty Chair Charlie's First Priority?

Gov. Charlie Crist says he's not quietly jumping off the John McCain bandwagon now that he appears to be losing ground in the all-important swing state of Florida........here

New Tampa Bay Food Blog: Dining Review Tampa

Welcome to Dining Review Tampa! Our guide to the best restaurants around Tampa Bay.......here

A Day In The Life Of Carlos Miller

here

Recruiting Republicans To Run As Dems. Not A Good Idea

Wealthy businessman Tim Mahoney, a self-described "fundamental Christian,"

Was recruited by the DCCC to run against then-Congressman Mark Foley in Florida's 16th District. According to The Palm Beach Post, Mahoney switched his registration from Republican to Democrat in July of 2005........here

Best Blog To Take A Crap To: Babalu

Babalu, as it stands today, is nothing more than a right wing rag that has regrettably lost any semblance to the proud and unique blog that it used to be and the important part it once played in the blogosphere.........here

Barack Obama Campaign in Sun City Center

Ian Bassin, Policy Director for the Barack Obama campaign in Florida, will join seniors at Kings Point for a discussion on protecting retirement security. Also at the event will be Larry Polivka, Director of the Florida Policy Center on Aging. Tuesday, October 14, 2:00 p.m.

Kings Point Clubhouse
2020 Clubhouse Road
Sun City Center

Florida Report Card

Confederate Flag Near I-4 To Get Bigger

The controversial Confederate flag flown near I-4 and I-75 will come down Sunday afternoon according to organizers of the Confederate Memorial Park. The 30 by 50 foot Confederate Battle Flag will be replaced by another larger Confederate Battle Flag. The new flag measures 30 by 60 feet........here

Gaybor Coalition is a driving force in Tampa’s Ybor City

Tampa PBS Affiliate WEDU Bows To Protect Incumbency

WEDU in this most important election of our lifetime in 2008 has chosen to (protect incumbency) by filtering with MAXIMUM "SPIN" TO POTENTIALLY "PROTECT" at least 3 congressional incumbents by preventing the public from seeing or hearing from the challengers to Bay Area Congressional INCUMBENTS in any meaningful way.......here

Porky Brian Blair

Brian Blair is an absolute idiot. He is a money whore, who is bought and paid for by big real estate and developers. This douche bag actually tried to dismantle the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission. It’s time to kick this morally bankrupt politician out of office.

GOP Embrace Terrorists In Little Havana

Governor Sarah Palin’s denunciations of Senator Barack Obama’s alleged links to former Weather Underground member and self-identified — but never convicted — bomber, William Ayers, make Cuban-American exile Max Lesnik’s 76 year-old body shiver in anger........here

Florida GOP Starts the Sliming and Fear-Mongering

I haven’t gotten mine yet, but someone was kind enough to send me a scan of a GOP mailer that is going to houses around here claiming that Democrats want to “surrender” to terrorism. This particular copy was sent right to the heart of FL-18, Annette Taddeo’s district..........here

The LiberalOasis Radio Show: Florida Again Edition

With special guest Kenneth Quinnell of the Florida Progressive Coalition.

Councilwoman Janice Miller Of Oldsmar

Is one of five finalists for the Florida League of Cities' Council Member of the Year -- one of 10 awards to be presented next month during the Florida Cities of Excellence Awards program..........here

Joseph Prudente Of Bayonet Point, Florida

Is in jail indefinitely for the failure to sod his grass. The good (and fully lawned) people of the

Beacon Woods Civic Association

secured the contempt order because Prudente is required to keep his lawn with a full and healthy display of grass.........here

James Dobson Focusing on Florida Families

The links between Florida’s proposed Amendment 2 and James Dobson’s Focus on the Family are exposed in an editorial in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Stephen Goldstein explains some of the problems with the initiative........here

Florida Has A Blue Tinge!

Sunshine State Democrats - mindful of the fiasco in 2000 which gave the Presidency to George W. Bush - are being urged daily to vote early or by absentee ballot to provide a huge cushion of Blue votes before November 4th........here

Dr. Dean Urges Early Voting

Dean was combining a visit home this weekend with a voter-registration rally and campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday in New Hampshire. The Federation of State and Provincial Professional Firefighters, which has endorsed Obama, invited Dean to stop in............here

Charlie Crist: When I have time to help, I'll try to do that

Bad news for John McCain is not difficult to come by these days, but perhaps the worst news is that Charlie Crist is shying away. Florida's Republican governor delivered his state for McCain in the primaries, but now looks for ways to avoid his party's presidential nominee.........here

Phyllis Busansky Waiting For Right Time

Headlines about Hillsborough Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson that highlight troubles with property taxes, polling places and election returns have been useful for Phyllis Busansky, his re-election challenger. They're the centerpiece of her campaign so far, dominating a direct mail piece and television ad launched last week...........here

300,000 Gallons Of Sewage In Sweetwater Creek

A pipeline that broke overnight has sent over 300,000 gallons of sewage spilling into Sweetwater Creek in the Town N Country area. Residents who live along the creek, which flows south towards the Courtney Campbell Causeway are being asked to avoid contact with the water or the area where the water flows into the bay for the next few days............here

Dr. Rex Curry On The Tampa Tribune

More layoffs and down-graded formatting are coming for the Tampa Tribune. Partial credit goes to Dr. Rex Curry in exposing the Tampa Tribune and two of its employees, Elaine Silvestrini and Daniel Ruth........here

Joe Garcia, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, And Al Jazeera

A new flyer looks to cast a wide enemies net around Democrat Joe Garcia. It's apparently not enough to link him solely with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez........here

End The Embargo On The Cuban People

Vote Joe Garcia

Sarah Gonzalez from Hialeah

Sarah Gonzalez from Hialeah for Vice PresidentBefore you give me any shit, it's a PARODY!

Female Rays Fans Getting Mohawks Too

That's right, for women out there who want to get in on the "Rayhawk" craze that is sweeping all of Tampa Bay in support of their Rays playoff run, there is a way to show their support...a little more discretely...and much to the joy of their significant others..........here

Tampa Papers Blast McCain

After Sarah Palin blitzed through the Tampa Bay region with her latest hatefest this week, both of our local dailies have wiped off the slime and come out with editorials blasting John McCain and his campaign.........here

The conservative-leaning Tampa Tribune derided McCain's campaign as "erratic," rejected Palin's hatemongering in Clearwater, and belittled McSame's failed attempts to explain to the American people how he actually plans to fix the mess that we're in.

What McCain/Palin Supporters in Tampa Discuss

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

They couldn't believe God would allow it. One woman even thought that God may be punishing the country by giving us Obama.

Free Gas From Florida GOP

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

Hurricane Ike Cats Need Homes

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
SPCA Tampa Bay

Hong Kong Willie On My Fox Tampa Bay

Rays Win the Title For Best Clubhouse Parties

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

South Florida, Tampa Bay, Orlando, And Jacksonville

13 Cities with Scary Housing Markets

The PMI Group rates 50 metro area’s for their risk of further housing price declines. Their recent ratings found that the following 13 area’s have greater than a 90 percent chance of seeing further price erosion............here

St.Pete Times Online Via Google

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

Where Was Wengay Newton?

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
Say No To Amendment 2

Exotic Cockroaches Entering Florida

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