What Stogie Had For Lunch

Meet Loaf

With Black Beans And Rice

$5.95..........At Rosa's, On MLK Just West Of Lois

How Much Was Your Last Value Meal? Eat Local

Buy American

Palm Harbor, Florida

Alex Sink: A Fresh Start for Florida

Carollwood Baby For Sale

Brand New, Hardly Used

The craigslist.com ad posted Friday night featured an 18-month-old little girl, for sale. The mother wrote she didn't have time to take care of the child, so she wanted to find her a good family
and would even sign a bill of sale........here

Congratulations Orlando

Orlando Magic
Eastern Conference Champs

Rhino PA.C. "Meet the Candidates" In St. Pete

here

Political Whore Wayne Garcia, Wins Top SPJ Award

Congratulations

Because Creative Loafing Political Editor Wayne Garcia would be far too modest to tell you himself, I’m reporting that this here blog, “The Political Whore,” won first place in the category of Blog-Affiliated last night in the Sunshine State Awards...........here

The House On Egmont Key

George Howell and former County Commissioner Jan Platt are trying to stave off demolition for 30 days to find a way to restore and maintain the house. Howell said he has contacted U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, and Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean for help.........here

Give The Tampa Bay Pilots Association 5 More Acres

GW And Bill Are Brothers

Bush joked about how much time his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and Clinton spend together. He said his mother, Barbara Bush, "said President Clinton and Father share the stage so much, he's like a son to her."............more
"So brother, it's good to see you.".......GW

The Green Party Of Florida

Friends Of Stogie

At The Firehouse In Temple Terrace

Pythons in the Everglades

There could be a bounty on the head -- and frighteningly long body -- of the Burmese python, serpent scourge of the Everglades..........more

Bill Maxwell Retires

One of the St. Petersburg Times' sharpest minds and most fearless columnists
is heading for a new challenge..........here

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Assorted Chinese

$6.29...........At China First, 2811 E Fowler Ave, Tampa

How Much Was Your Last Value Meal?....Eat Local

MLK And Dale Mabry

Under Surveillance

Help Support The Tampa Theatre

Support one of the coolest theatres not only in Tampa, but across the whole United States this week by purchasing just about anything at Barnes and Noble..........here

The Osprey Family Of Palm Coast, Florida

Last week during the heavy and prolonged rains in Palm Coast Florida, an osprey nest with two chicks was completely destroyed. The osprey family was obviously distraught and hung around the nest location trying to survive...........here

No Cow Tipping

Smart Cow In Tampa

here

The Rebirth Of Kiley Gardens In Downtown Tampa

Kiley Gardens, the hotly contested riverfront park nestled between Kennedy Boulevard and the new Tampa Museum of Art off of Ashley Street, will be saved after all. Well, most of it will be saved........more

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Pork Chops
With Black Beans And Rice And Tamale
$6.99.......At Airport Variety Store, 4600 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater

Eat Local

Steve Kornell - Open, Honest and Trustworthy

Draft Annette Taddeo for Florida’s CFO

Last week, 2008 congressional challenger Annette Taddeo suggested she might be interested in a possible run for CFO. This would be a very good idea. If you already know about Annette and agree, go sign the petition and encourage her to jump into the race.........here

Friends Of Stogie

At The Tally Ho In Tampa

Virtual Town Hall Set For Hillsborough Budget Hearings

And It Was Commissioner Al Higginbotham's Idea
Hillsborough residents who don't like the way county government spends their tax dollars will soon have a way to question commissioners' budget decisions directly. Upcoming budget meetings will be the first "virtual town hall" events, during which residents can comment or ask questions via e-mails or by phone..........more

Why We Need Florida Hometown Democracy

As if the past dirty deeds and developer-driven agendas of many of our Hillsborough County commissioners wasn’t proof enough (yes, we mean you Team Sprawl) now the Florida Legislature has shown you exactly why we need Florida Hometown Democracy (FHD). FHD is a citizen-driven initiative that would allow voters to make growth decisions instead of leaving it in the greased and dirty hands of politicians. To help make the case for FHD, there is this year’s legislative session........more

Florida Hometown Democracy

Meetings On The Friendship Trail

Folks, many of you used the now-closed Friendship Trail and want the trail re-opened. Well, you'll get your chance to talk at two important public meetings to held by the Friendship Trailbridge Oversight Committee -- a public panel made up of county commissioners and staff members from both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties..........here

Downtown Tampa, Done In Legos

here

USS Vandenberg Is Sunk Off Key West

Ileana And Mario Protest Something Che Related

If something Che Guevara-related happens in America and Miami Cubans don't make a fuss about it,
did it even actually happen?............here
Lincoln Was Busy

Only $15 Million To Fix Friendship Trail Bridge

A St. Pete Times story says it will cost $15 million -- not $30 million as originally thought -- to repair the Friendship Trail Bridge so that its life would be extended by 10 years........here
We Spend About $255 Million Per Day On The Iraq War.

WMNF Film Series: Flow

Wednesday May 27, 7:00PM -- Tampa Pitcher Show

here

Lonnie Lea Napier Good Neighbor Award

The Hillsborough County Office of Neighborhood Relations is looking for nominees for the summer quarter 2009 Lonnie Lea Napier Good Neighbor Award. Individuals, neighborhood associations and community groups may make nominations to the Office of Neighborhood Relations
until close of business June 12.........here

The Truth about Florida SB 360

St. Petersburg Sued for Ordinances Targeting the Homeless

Three organizations just backed five homeless individuals in filing a class-action lawsuit against the City of St. Petersburg on behalf of all of the homeless people living in the city. The three organizations are the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, the Southern Legal Counsel, and Florida Institutional Legal Services..........here

Sen. Mike Bennett's Kool-Aid

Senator Mike Bennett-R who spawned SB 360. A bill that dismantles growth management.

The bill promotes growth in dense urban areas by removing the state required costs of transportation concurrency and the duplicative development of regional impact (DRI) process within those areas.

(Nimby translation: Developers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for more growth by having to pay for infrastructure; that is what you taxpayers are for.)..........more

Gov. Crist Phone: 850-488-4441 - Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Friends Of Stogie

At The Firehouse In Temple Terrace

St. Petersburg Landowners Sue Over Pinellas Trail

The owner of the City Wide Mini-Storage at 1942 Second Ave. S in St. Petersburg, Vito Farese, is suing the city because he feels it should have compensated him when the Pinellas Trail was put in............more

Miami: Stop Complaining and Get Off Your Ass

I typically don't like getting into politics, but when my friend Brad told me about the 100 Days of Obama event at Kafa Café in midtown Miami, I was more than happy to attend..........more

Stogie Recommends

Reservation Road

here

Last Chance To Ask Charlie To Veto SB 360

Now, more than ever, your voice needs to be heard by the Governor. Yesterday he signed HB 227 into law, which is the impact fee bill. Local governments have their hands tied for the next two years to increase or add any new impact fees to pay for new development.

If SB 360 gets signed by the Governor with this impact fee law enacted, our local governments will NOT be able to ask any more for transportation impact fees than we currently have. In effect, YOU will get taxed to make up for the infrastructure that developers should be paying for to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

SB 360 has been sitting on the Governor’s desk since 5/18. He has 15 days to sign the bill (becomes law), veto it (kills it), or do nothing which would automatically let the bill become law. You are not too late to help stop this awful bill.

Gov. Crist Phone: 850-488-4441
Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com

Rally For National Health Care In Tampa

Phenomenal advocate for single payer Dr. Greg Silver of Physicians For National Health Program will be providing his expertise as we speak with Sen. Nelson's people and the media.
Please Join Us If You Can, Even For A Little While
Thurs, 5-28 3-7pm

Sam Gibbons Federal Court House

801 N. Florida Ave, Tampa

Contact Michael D. Fox @ 727-320-4502 For More Info

Walmart Put A Bible In My Pants

This small bible turned up in the buttoned back pocket of some khakis I bought. My receipt shows two polo shirts, pants, chicken tenders and potato logs hot from the deli. Store manager Eric Hirons of (the Supercenter in New Port Richey) name and phone number appears as well.............here

Sanford Police Destroy House

Sanford police wanted to make a drug bust early Saturday morning. They didn't make an arrest but did accidentally burn down a house........here

It's Crist vs. Crist

Remember the Charlie Crist who in February happily shared a stage in Fort Myers with President Obama? Remember the Charlie Crist who loved the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus plan that only three of his fellow Republicans in Congress voted for? Remember That Charlie Crist?........here

Troy Tidwell The 'One Armed Man' Of Marianna

The White House Boys, now men in their 50s and 60s finally got a deposition with the man they accused of the intense beating that went on in the building they dubbed "The White House" on the campus of the Florida Industrial School for Boys in Mariana, Florida..........more