Monday, January 7, 2008

Absentee Ballot Requests Pour In From Palm Beach Democrats

Though they've been snubbed by their party's presidential candidates, Palm Beach County Democrats seem to be more fired up about Florida's Jan. 29 primary than local Republicans. One indicator: Democratic absentee ballot requests outnumber Republican requests by more than a 2-to-1 margin in the county.......more

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Atheists Are Moral, Too

The role of religion in politics and government has been a major point of contention between social conservatives who prefer more religion in public policy, and liberals who want to maintain church-state separation. This issue was addressed in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's "Dueling Columnists: Religion in Government". Here's an atheist's perspective........here
"I believe in a President whose religious views are his own private affair, neither imposed by him upon the nation or imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office.".......John F. Kennedy

Saturday, January 5, 2008

Florida ACLU For Impeachment

The Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida urges the National ACLU Board of Directors to call for the convening of hearings by the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives to determine whether to recommend Articles of Impeachment against President George Bush, and Vice President Richard Cheney to the House.......here

Dr. Maya Angelou At USF

Monday, January 14, 2008 7:00 PM, As Part Of MLK Celebration
Tickets on sale now at Sun Dome Ticket Office or by calling (813) 974-3002

Friday, January 4, 2008

Howard Dean's 528,468-Mile Journey

What started as a groundbreaking but controversial bid to set up Democratic Party offices in every state, even red ones, has been completed, and party boss Howard Dean has the frequent-flier miles to prove it........here

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Obama and Edwards In Iowa

Progressives Unite in Iowa
Obama, an Illinois senator bidding to make U.S. history as the first black president, won the first Democratic test on the road to the White House with a comeback triumph over New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who were in a tight battle for second........here
A year ago, the pundits and beltway Democrats said this race was a forgone conclusion.

Close Guantánamo Tampa Protest

January 11, 2008, is the six-year anniversary of the first arrival of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay. We are calling on everyone opposed to torture and indefinite detention to WEAR ORANGE to symbolize their sadness and disgust with the national shame that is Guantánamo Bay........here
Contact: rcolbert@mail.usf.edu

Confused In Largo, Florida

calvarychapel.com

No More Sexual Conduct With Animals In Florida

Bestiality isn't a crime right now in Florida. So a St. Petersburg lawmaker has filed a bill for this year's legislative session that would make it a first-degree felony for people to have sex with animals. Rep. Frank Peterman, D-St. Petersburg, crafted the bill to prevent anyone from knowingly committing bestiality, knowingly causing or aiding another person to have sex with an animal, or knowingly permitting sex with an animal at a property under his control........here
The Netherlands

Fake Grouper, Not At The Columbia Restaurant

At many restaurants around Florida, the specialty of the house is a slab of grouper, blackened, grilled, stuffed or encrusted with pecans, sometimes on a roll, maybe with a slice of Bermuda onion. But not at Richard Gonzmart's place.......here

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

John Edwards - Time for Truth

Barack Obama - One Voice

Olivia's Kiss: Chapter 2

Cigarettes taste best right after a hit, so I took a smoke break on the balcony and looked out over Boston. The rush gone, I felt like taking a nap.........more

E-Mail From Howard Dean

The Democratic Party has never been healthier. Just look at the vigorous presidential primary we've got on our hands. Right now, every one of the Democratic campaigns is working around the clock to become our nominee, and any of them would be a great choice. But when the dust settles and people like you pick our nominee, the real challenge will begin.

This time, though, it won't be a debate of ideas with fellow Democrats. It will be against a Republican machine eager to redeem its losses in 2006, fighting to extend George Bush's policies for another four years. We've all seen the way they run campaigns, so we have to be unified and ready. We know that the Republicans are going to come at us with every scam they think up to suppress the vote. In the past, they've abused robocalls that hide their true identity, jammed the phones Democrats used for getting out the vote, and purged voters from the voter rolls. We need to be united in order to stop them.

Stand up and show our candidates, our opponents, and the country just how strong the Democratic Party is by joining me in a pledge to support the Democratic candidate for President in 2008 - no matter who wins. When we have a nominee, they'll know that thousands of Democrats from across the country are united - even if they may not have supported them in the primary. Pledge........here

Off Rob Lorei's Bookshelf

The Shock Doctrine
Naomi Klein

The Shock Doctrine retells the story of the most dominant ideology of our time, Milton Friedman’s free market economic revolution. In contrast to the popular myth of this movement’s peaceful global victory, Klein shows how it has exploited moments of shock and extreme violence in order to implement its economic policies in so many parts of the world from Latin America and Eastern Europe to South Africa, Russia, and Iraq........here

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Corbett Kroehler 2008

Congress Florida’s Eighth District

Dave Bruderly 2008

Florida's Sixth District

Larry Byrnes 2008

Florida's 14th Congressional District

Michael van Hoek 2008

U.S. Congress, Florida District 9
www.mikeforuscongress.com

Kevin Beckner 2008

Hillsborough County Commission District 6

Lee Nelson 2008

Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections

Carl Zimmermann 2008

Florida House District 48

Wengay "Newt" Newton 2008

St. Petersburg City Council District 7

Jack Killingsworth 2008

Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections

Brian Moore 2008

President

Charlie Justice 2008

Florida Senate District 16

Samm Simpson 2008

US Congress District 10

Jadell Kerr 2008

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMISSIONER
www.jadellkerr.com/

Monday, December 31, 2007

Tampa Cab Companies To Boycott International Mall

AFFORDABLE CAB...ADDIS CAB....AMERICAB....NORTHWEST CAB....NORTHEAST ZONE CAB...VICTORY CAB...KARENS AIRPORT SERVICE...FREEDOM CAB....FRIENDLY CAB...OLDSMAR CAB...REDTOP CAB....

These are all very bad people.They are predators.You many not even be safe in their cabs! Don't use them.

Call...813-253-2424 We will come in get you....and your family will be safe.......TIM FASANO

Kate's Jeans Dilemma

What is it about denim, spandex, and sweatshop labor that makes finding the right pair of jeans so difficult? It's a topic tackled by Oprah, countless websites, Saturday Night Live, and my friends.......here

Florida Holliday Lights Extravaganza!

Choctawhatchee High School

Adam Nystrom remembers being taunted by classmates in middle school for needing so many special-education courses. "They'd say, 'Oh, that's the retard class,' and everybody would laugh," recalls Adam, who suffers from a learning disorder that impedes reading ability. "I wouldn't really say anything because there isn't anything funny about it.".......more
"Even though I am just a truck driver, I am proud of what I do and what I have become," he says. "I believe deep down inside that I have succeeded already."

Mindy McCready Coming Home

"I'm so happy to be out, I'm the happiest girl in the world right now.".........Mindy McCready

Florida Family Arrested Over Baggy Pants

Several members of a Palm Beach County, Florida family were taken into custody by police last week after they protested the arrest of one of their members over the issue of baggy pants. The family claims they were arrested by close to two dozen deputies because they were upset with the 20-year-old's arrest.......here
The family says in addition to number of police, there were K-9 units and a police helicopter used in the incident.

Yo Quero Taco Bell With Mucho Queso

Plant City, Florida

Sunday, December 30, 2007

This Day in History

Jose Rizal (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896)
Was a Filipino polymath, nationalist and the most prominent advocate for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is considered a national hero and the anniversary of Rizal's death is commemorated as a Philippine holiday called Rizal Day. Rizal's 1896 military trial and execution made him a martyr of the Philippine Revolution........here

The 20 Funniest Political Videos of 2007

here

American Muslim Youth Speak Out

Year 2 For The People's Governor

It was typical Charlie Crist. The 51-year-old first-year governor prefers cajolery to confrontation, a sunny smile to sweeping condemnations. His centrist policies and corny aphorisms -- calling Floridians "the boss," and himself "the people's governor" -- are delivered with warm sincerity. But as Crist enters his second year in office, he's finding that sincerity may not be enough -- and his personal warmth is being met by increasingly icy responses......here

There Are Rumblings On The Republican Right Wing

Loxahatchee Rock Miners And Palm Beach County Politicians

Loxahatchee rock miner Enrique Tomeu looks more comfortable in a hard hat than a tuxedo. "All I am is a hardworking guy who has busted his butt all his life," he says humbly. But in 2005, he schmoozed at the highest levels of the Republican elite - at George W. Bush's second inauguration, a $42 million cavalcade of power brunches, candlelight dinners and nine inaugural balls. To attend the four-day fete, Tomeu contributed $50,000 to Bush's inaugural committee, more than most Palm Beach County families earn in a year......more

Dave Barry's Year-End Review

It was a year that strode boldly into the stall of human events and took a wide stance astride the porcelain bowl of history. In short, 2007 was a year of deep gloom, pierced occasionally by rays of even deeper gloom. Oh, sure, there were a few bright spots.......more

Democrats' Stealth Presidential-Primary Campaign In Florida

When Bill Clinton appeared in Winter Park recently to raise money for his wife's presidential campaign, he slipped into town behind the tinted windows of a sport utility vehicle. When he left two hours later, he pulled out with a quick wave to onlookers, leaving reporters cooling their heels on the curb........here

Saturday, December 29, 2007

The Woman Who Knew Too Much

Florida's Unspoiled Charms

The Lower Florida Keys is a roughly 36-mile stretch of Florida islands between Marathon and Key West......here

Thursday, December 27, 2007

3,900 And Counting

The Plant City Strawberry

Florida strawberry growers, almost all within 30 miles of Plant City, planted a record 8,320 acres this year after a sixth consecutive record sales year of $273 million. Those figures represent a 14 percent increase from $239 million in sales in the 2005-06 season and an 11 percent increase in the 7,500 acres planted last season, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture......here

House Members Spent $20.3M On Flock

House members spent $20.3 million in tax money last year to send constituents what's often the government equivalent of junk mail - meeting announcements, tips on car care and job interviews, surveys on public policy and just plain bragging..........here

Central Florida Pakistanis Uneasy

Less than a month ago, Pakistanis living in Central Florida were protesting President Pervez Musharraf's declaration of emergency rule. Now, they're wondering what the latest turn of events -- the assassination of opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto -- means for their homeland, and the United States........here

Monday, December 24, 2007

Max Lesnik At Home In Cuba And Florida

He fled Cuba in 1961, but still calls Fidel Castro his friend. He can't stand communism, but bitterly opposes the U.S. embargo. He lives in Miami, but travels regularly to Havana, even appearing on state-run television. Max Lesnik always has an opinion, and often makes someone mad — no matter which side of the Florida Straits he's on.........here, Interview with Amy Goodman........here
End The Embargo On The Cuban People

Buddhist Community Grows In Homestead

Between the alligator-infested Florida Everglades and the craziness of Miami Beach lies a peaceful center surrounded by tomato and fruit farms.Wat Buddharangsi, a Thai Buddhist temple, is unexpectedly found on five-acres in the rural town of Homestead, a short drive from Miami.........here

Happy Holidays From The Lawrenceburg Indiana Police

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Free Ingrid Betancourt

A video delivered by her kidnappers shows her sitting in a jungle clearing on a roughhewn bench, legs crossed, hands motionless on her right knee over shapeless dungarees. Her chestnut hair drops over a shoulder to her waist. She has been a prisoner of the FARC for nearly six years since venturing into rebel territory while campaigning for the presidency, and this is the first proof that she is alive to surface since a 2003 video.......here
Betancourt children in release plea

Conquering the Spirit of Debt

It's Bizarre In Florida

Florida, well-known for its theme parks and beaches, has another - more dubious - distinction, a tendency toward bizarre news and 2007 was no exception. There was the battle over former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith's body, the city manager who was fired after he became a she, and the love triangle involving the female astronaut who drove 1 609km, allegedly using diapers to save time, to confront a romantic rival........here

North American Union

Controlling the scared and the lazy is simple.

Bruce Gagnon - Swords into Plowshares

Bruce Gagnon, Coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space will be speaking at 7:00 P.M. Friday evening, January 4th.
Unitarian Universalist Church, 2470 Nursery Road in Clearwater, Florida
Bruce is an expert on the rise of the Military Industrial Complex, the on going space weapons program and the urgent need to transition our "war economy" into a new paradigm of productivity and peace. There is no charge. Donations will be taken. Canned goods accepted.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Tent City In Suburbia

Between railroad tracks and beneath the roar of departing planes sits “tent city”, a terminus for homeless people. It is not, as might be expected, in a blighted city centre, but in the once-booming suburbia of southern California. The unraveling of the region known as the Inland Empire reads like a 21st century version of The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck’s novel about families driven from their lands by the Great Depression........here

Friday, December 21, 2007

Florida Identifies 272 Impaired Waterbodies For Cleanup

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, has identified five groups of waterbodies that are impaired and in need of water monitoring, cleanup and restoration. In the latest round of evaluating impairments in the surface waters of Florida, DEP Deputy Secretary Mimi Drew signed a final order on December 12 targeting 272 impaired waters for cleanup in the Everglades, Indian River Lagoon, Perdido, Springs Coast and Upper East Coast Basins........here