And who, while decrying the dictatorial splinter in the collective cornea of yet another palm-tree-lined nation doing us no harm, all the while ignoring the beam lodged in their own myopic eye; and who, to this day, and despite mounting evidence to the contrary, tell the citizenry that promoting freedom is what they've been doing all this time.......here
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
"Spreading Democracy" on This Day of Fidel Castro's Retirement
And who, while decrying the dictatorial splinter in the collective cornea of yet another palm-tree-lined nation doing us no harm, all the while ignoring the beam lodged in their own myopic eye; and who, to this day, and despite mounting evidence to the contrary, tell the citizenry that promoting freedom is what they've been doing all this time.......here
Time to Retire America's Failed Cuba Policy
This is the event that fifty years of U.S. policy was designed to stopFidel Castro has announced his retirement. He will be replaced in a peaceful succession, without the violent upheaval that U.S. policy makers have been predicting since the 1960s.
Now that Fidel Castro has announced his retirement, it's time to retire our Cold War era Cuba policy..........It failed........here
Freedom In Cuba?
Representatives of the students of the University of Ciencias Informa'ticas (UCI) interrogated the president of the Cuban parliament, Ricardo Alarcón, on the policies of the government.In Spanish
The United States Embargo On The Cuban People
The United States embargo against Cuba is an economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed on Cuba on February 7, 1962. The embargo was enacted after Cuba expropriated the properties of United States citizens and corporations (notably those that belonged to the United Fruit Company and the ITT)........WikipediaThe only candidate I see who is even close to ending the embargo is Barack Obama. He has stated that he favors a loosening of the travel ban so that Cuban Americans can visit family; he also wants fewer restrictions on remittances. Further, he is the only candidate who believes we should be in dialogue with governments that have been determined enemies.......here
Mario Diaz-Balart - Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - Lincoln Diaz-Balart - Mel Martinez
46 YEARS - END THE GODDAMN EMBARGO
Creationism in Florida
The southern racists refused to allow desegregation, despite the fact that they were (a) wrong and (b) breaking the law of the land. Having failed, their children and grandchildren are fighting to impose another evil on children - not racism, but ignorance. Like creationism, racism was once a fashionable pseudoscience. It’s still there, it has just gone out of fashion. The sooner people discard both lies, the better........here
No Sympathy For Florida and Michigan
It isn’t up to Howard Dean. As Chair of the DNC, he has to follow the rules, and the rules for the primary elections were adopted way back in August of 2006. State Parties violated the rules, knowing in advance exactly what they were doing and what the consequences would be. Just because a great injustice has happened in Florida and Michigan, it doesn’t mean we should abandon the process and the rules – that would be a greater injustice........here
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Foreclosure Express Driving Into Florida
The bus tours that have motored across foreclosure-littered neighborhoods of California, Nevada and other slumping states are pulling into the Treasure Coast and Palm Beach County. Two local real estate firms in Port St. Lucie and Tequesta are planning their first tours of bank-owned properties Saturday........hereTampa Bay Online Engages In Censorship
Tampa Bay Online, which is somehow partnered or owned by The Tampa Tribune and WFLA News Channel 8 has decided to remove reader comments en masse. On February 10, the website posted a story about a group of people protesting Scientologists. A day or 2 later there were over 100 comments, most not favorable to Scientology but none that used profanity or otherwise violated the website's Terms Of Service........here
Who Signed The GOP Anti Gay Petition?
The names of thousands of Floridians are turning up online, for signing a petition supporting a gay marriage ban in the state. Those who posted the names call it a public service; but we found many others who call it an invasion of privacy........hereEarth First Conference In West Palm Beach
Alaina is an activist from the native St'at'imc people of British Columbia, fighting to keep her ancestors' land from being lost to ski resorts and the 2010 Winter Olympics. Ron Huber is trying to protect the livelihood of Maine's lobstermen from the invasion of "resort wannabes," 23 years after he squatted in treetops to stop loggers in Oregon. Both were in the wilds of northwest Palm Beach County on Friday, part of an international gathering of Earth First! activists who came to trade tales, talk tactics and express solidarity with their imprisoned allies........here
The Godfather Backs McCain
John McCain picked up former President George H.W. Bush's support on Monday, a critical blessing by a pillar of the Republican establishment......hereFour More Years!
Howard Dean On Counting Florida's Votes
DNC Chairman Howard Dean responded to NAACP head Julian Bond's call to seat the FL and MI delegations by, well, saying pretty much nothing. Looks like the DNC and FDP strategy/plan is to cross their fingers that a nominee emerges soon......here
Tampa Pirate Rebel Radio
Click here to listen to our new station. Right now there is more music than commentary, over the next couple days that will change some.
"Justice Without Borders" At Cafe Bohemia
Amnesty International, in conjunction with St. Pete for Peace, presents "Justice Without Borders", a documentary film that explores the global movement seeking justice and accountability for the most grave human rights abuses.Wednesday, Feb. 20. 8:00pm - Cafe Bohemia, 937 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Evolutionary Awareness in Florida Seems to be Abysmal
Once again, Floridians disappoint. A poll conducted by St. Petersburg Times indicates that an alarming 51% of people in Florida think that creationism/intelligent design should be the only thing taught in the classroom. Another 18% think that both creationism and evolution should be taught in class. Only 22% of people in Florida think that Evolution only should be taught in science classes.........here
DNC Not Backing Down On FL And MI Delegates
Clinton's operatives want DNC chairman Howard Dean to come up with a resolution, but Dean is staying out of the fight for now........here"It‘s time for us to shut up and listen to the voters, and that‘s what I‘m going to do".......Howard Dean
McCain's advice Miami-bred
Close aides to McCain caution that it's too early to talk about who will be their campaign's Latin American affairs advisors and that an official team has yet to be put together. But when pressed for names of who have been briefing him recently, they mention Florida's Cuban-American Sen. Mel Martinez and Cuban-American congress members Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros Lehtinen......hereUPHILL BATTLE
Because of his steadfast support for the Iraq War and his foreign policy views molded during the Cold War, McCain would face an uphill battle to convince the world that he represents change and would bring a breath of fresh air to Washington.
That is likely to be McCain's biggest problem, abroad and at home.
Because of his steadfast support for the Iraq War and his foreign policy views molded during the Cold War, McCain would face an uphill battle to convince the world that he represents change and would bring a breath of fresh air to Washington.
That is likely to be McCain's biggest problem, abroad and at home.
Barring a terrorist scare that would put his national security credentials at center stage,
it's hard to see how he could overcome it.
Orlando, Florida Postcard Art
Pictured here are images of celery fields, a fountain in Lake Ivanhoe, the 1892 Orange County courthouse, downtown Orlando, a wig wam village, and a Brahma bull. This is located in a park in downtown Orlando called Heritage Square, beside the History Center........here
The Fairy Godmothers Of Fort Myers, Florida
This program is Only for girls with financial hardships. It is designed to help girls who, without our help, will not be able to attend their Junior or Senior Proms........here
Charlie Crist Veep-O-Meter
With all the chatter nationally about Gov. Charlie Crist maybe getting tapped as John McCain's running mate, how could we resist? This week the Buzz debuts our exclusive Charlie Crist Veep-O-Meter, which tracks his vice presidential prospects.It's way too early in the process for St. Petersburg's first governor to start measuring drapes at Dick Cheney's place, but our Veep-O-Meter starts out bullish since Mike Huckabee no longer serves as an amiable McCain ally against Mitt Romney but more like a pesky pain in McCain's petard.......here
Tampa's Trolley Runs On Shaky Finances
Five years after it started rumbling down the tracks, Tampa's streetcar is running out of time.The next few months will be crucial in deciding whether it moves forward -- or takes a big step backward........here
Tempering Florida's Summers Of Protests
On the evening of June 19, 1964, at the height of the civil rights protest in St. Augustine, J. B. Stoner, an ardent racist and Ku Klux Klan leader, stood on the stage of a park gazebo in the heart of old St. Augustine -- where slaves were once formally sold -- speaking to hundreds of hate-filled Klansmen. "The way to white supremacy," he said, "is to rid Congress of those who voted for the civil rights bill and get that ni---r-loving Lyndon Johnson out of Washington."......here I think the enduring story of the Civil Rights Movement is the uncommon courage of the demonstrators.
For Florida Lawmakers, No More Free Jeb Bush Burgers
A block from the white domes of Florida's state Capitol, suits and ringing cell phones dominated the brick patio of Andrew's Capital Grill & Bar, where patrons can order a "Jeb Bush" burger in the shade of broad umbrellas emblazoned with premium beer logos. But not all is well at the famous haven for Sunshine State lobbyists and lawmakers........here
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Carpenters Fans Try To Save Former Home
Owners of The Carpenters' former home aren't feeling on top of the world about the legions of fans who keep stopping by to pay tribute. The five-bedroom tract house, where siblings Karen and Richard Carpenter lived and penned some of their greatest hits, was featured on the cover of their 1973 hit album "Now & Then." It was also where an anorexic Karen Carpenter collapsed in 1983 before dying......hereOwners Manuel and Blanca Melendez Parra have apparently grown weary of the parade of fans paying homage.
The Relevant Church in Ybor City
A pastor has a new challenge for his parishioners. It involves sex - a subject that may be taboo in many congregations. The Relevant Church in Ybor City has issued a 30-day sex challenge.
Friend Says Tampa Cops Set Up Jessica Sierra
In a taped interview, a reported longtime friend of "American Idol" contestant Jessica Sierra claims that Sierra's arrest last December was a set up by Tampa police........here
Charlette Marshall-Jones
A Hillsborough County detention deputy who dumped a quadriplegic man from his wheelchair was arrested this morning on a charge of abuse of a disabled person. Charlette Marshall-Jones, 44, turned herself in to authorities and was booked into the Orient Road Jail at 5:19 a.m. before being released about an hour later on $3,500 bail, records show. A warrant for her arrest was announced last night by Sheriff David Gee.......hereState Opens Civil Rights Investigation
Hillary Clinton vs the DNC
In the end this shows a lack of integrity, it shows her manipulating and calculating ways, it shows her lack of character, and above all it shows that she is not ready to be president of the United States. Barack Obama may be even more to the left than Hillary, and he may not be ready to be president, but at least he has integrity and character. Two things that Hillary Clinton does not......here
An Antiwar Black President With An Arab-Sounding Name
Consider our present situation. Thanks to Iraq and water-boarding, Abu Ghraib and the "rendering" of terror suspects, we've achieved the moral status of a pariah nation. The seas are rising. The dollar is sinking. A growing proportion of Americans have no access to health care. Clinton can put forth all the policy proposals she likes--and many of them are admirable ones--but anyone can see that she's of the same generation and even one of the same families that got us into this checkmate situation in the first place. Whatever she does, the semiotics of her campaign boils down to two words--"same old."........here
Friday, February 15, 2008
David Gee And Brian Sterner
The Hillsborough County, Florida, sheriff on Wednesday offered a personal apology to a disabled man who was dumped onto the floor from his wheelchair while in deputies' custody.......here "I am personally embarrassed and shocked by the horrific treatment Mr. Sterner received,"...... Sheriff David Gee
Cohones Found In The House of Representatives
Still, basic human nature -- if nothing else -- dictates that having finally liberated themselves, however fleetingly, from the truly moronic rule of the Ted "Osama-is-Celebrating" Poes of the world, and having seen that -- as McJoan put it -- "the Democrats stood up to Bush, and the world didn't end," Democrats will crave more of the sweet taste of dignity and autonomy.......here
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Up and Running: Florida’s Largest Solar Array
Florida this week boosted its supply of renewable energy when its largest solar power array went online. The Sunshine Energy Solar Array was dedicated Monday by Gov. Charlie Crist and Florida Power & Light (FPL) officials. The facility is located on a former landfill in Sarasota County........here “The economic future of our state is linked to our maintaining its natural beauty, and this solar power facility is an excellent example that other communities can work to achieve,”......Charlie Crist
Worried Clinton Vows To Claim 'Phantom' Delegates
The Hillary Clinton campaign has served notice that it expects to claim delegates theoretically garnered in primary votes in Michigan and Florida even though the contests in both states were declared void by the Democratic leadership long before they were held.......here
Group Urges Florida To Reject State Funded Religion
Efforts to repeal a provision in the Florida Constitution that bars government funding of religious institutions should be rejected, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The Florida Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is considering two proposed constitutional amendments that would allow Florida to use public funds to support religious schools and other faith-based ministries.......here The efforts to amend the Florida Constitution are being led by former members of Gov. Jeb Bush's administration.
Gulf Stream Eyed As New Energy Source
Just 15 miles off Florida's coast, the world's most powerful sustained ocean current — the mighty Gulf Stream — rushes by at nearly 8.5 billion gallons per second. And it never stops. To scientists, it represents a tantalizing possibility: a new, plentiful and uninterrupted source of clean energy. Florida Atlantic University researchers say the current could someday be used to drive thousands of underwater turbines, produce as much energy as perhaps 10 nuclear plants and supply one-third of Florida's electricity.......here
Superdelegates
"The Democratic Party must be democratic. The superdelegates should let the voters decide between Clinton and Obama, then support the people's choice. Can you sign this petition to the superdelegates right away? Click here to add your name.
Bill Nelson's Total Disregard For The U. S. Constitution
The Senate overwhelming voted Tuesday evening to legalize President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program and grant amnesty to the phone companies that helped out with the domestic spying........hereDemocrats voting for the bill: Evan Bayh (D-IN), Tom Carper (D-DE), Robert Casey (D-PA), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Mary Landrieu (D-LA) Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Jim Webb (D-VA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Florida Is Looking For A Ned Lamont Or A Donna Edwards
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Congratulations, Donna Edwards!
Donna Edwards, the insurgent candidate from Fort Washington, has defeated the odds and unseated an eight-term incumbent Rep. Albert Wynn in the Democratic primary in Maryland's 4th Congressional District. Edwards' message of change in Congress and Washington resonated with voters who came out overwhelmingly to support her, due to an unprecedented collaborative effort between the netroots and the progressive movement.........hereDid Big Sugar Step On The Miami International Film Festival
If you expected that Amy Serrano’s film, “The Sugar Babies: The Plight of the Children of Agricultural Workers in the Sugar Industry of the Dominican Republic” would be exhibited at the upcoming Miami International Film Festival, you would be wrong........here
Crist Seeks 'An Army Of Conservationists'
Surrounded by dozens of Cub, Boy and Girl Scouts in the state Capitol, Gov. Charlie Crist unveiled a new Serve to Preserve scout award Wednesday that was created in partnership with the youth organizations. Troops can earn an award insignia by completing programs that seek to protect the natural environment.........here
Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Plant
The nation’s first, large scale seawater desalination plant is delivering drinking water to more than two and a half million residents of the Tampa Bay area. It’s a timely solution as continued drought is forecast across the south eastern United States........here
Former Pinellas County Nuclear Workers Suffer Fatal Diseases
Hundreds of area residents who worked at a 97-acre highly classified General Electric facility in Largo that once manufactured atomic and hydrogen bomb components today suffer from cancer and other disorders, affecting the lungs, skin and internal organs........here
Sharpton: Don't Seat Fla., Mich.
Seating delegates from Florida and Michigan at the Democratic National Convention would be a grave injustice, the Rev. Al Sharpton said Wednesday in a break with prominent civil rights leaders. "I firmly believe that changing the rules now, and seating delegates from Florida and Michigan at this point would not only violate the Democratic Party's rules of fairness, but also would be a grave injustice," Sharpton said in a letter to Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean........here
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Online Tool Pinpoints Sand For Florida Beach Restoration
Florida today debuted the first database in the country that identifies sand sources for beach restoration and nourishment projects. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, DEP, has compiled a comprehensive on-line tool for identifying suitable sand sources from Florida's coastal waters........here
Evolution Under Siege In Florida
As the Florida state board of education prepared to consider a final draft of a new set of state science standards, Floridians offered their opinions at a last-minute meeting held in Orlando on February 11, 2008. Over eighty speakers addressed the state commissioner of education.......more
Florida Prison Drunken Orgies
Softball, drunken orgies and a prison system run like the mafia. That's what Florida's former prison secretary says he inherited when he took over one of the nation's largest prison systems two years ago. In fact, on his first day on the job, James McDonough says he walked into his office -- the same one his predecessor used -- and there was crime scene tape preventing anyone from entering. "Corruption had gone to an extreme," McDonough said, saying it all began at the top. "They seemed to be drunk half the time and had orgies the other half, when they weren't taking money and beating each other up."........here Governor Jeb Bush has appointed me Secretary of the Department of Corrections. I am both honored and excited.........James Crosby
Ernesto And Barack
The right-wing noise machine has caught some volunteers for Barack Obama in Texas with a Cuban flag with Che Guevara on it, thus making a piece of dorm-room art from the 1960's the latest flash point in the campaign of the truly trivial talking points.........here
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