Wealthy businessman Tim Mahoney, a self-described "fundamental Christian," 
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
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. 
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
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.......hereBrian 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.
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
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
With special guest Kenneth Quinnell of the Florida Progressive Coalition.
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
Is in jail indefinitely for the failure to sod his grass. The good (and fully lawned) people of the 
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 
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
13 Cities with Scary Housing Markets
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
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
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
Sunday, October 12
It's time to get in shape! Mayor Iorio will be taking a fitness walk around Al Lopez Park on Saturday, October 18 beginning at 7:30 a.m. This free walk not only provides for ongoing public access to the Mayor, City officials, and City management, but also reinforces the City’s stance on building a healthy community.......here
Thu, Jan 29, 2009 At St. Pete Times Forum Tampa
Twelve-year-old Zachary Sharples, his father and his 4-year-old brother have had Rays Fever all season long. So with the team entering the ALCS against Boston on Friday, they all started the week by heading down to the barbershop to get Mohawks, the style preferred by many of the Rays players, fans and even manager, Joe Maddon. Unfortunately, Sharples' school, Lincoln Middle in Palmetto, doesn't quite share the same level of passion for the Rays............here
Bush will raise money Friday in Miami for imperiled members of his party -- but the Miami area's three Republican members of Congress, who face aggressive reelection challenges, won't be among the attendees...........here 
“Mario Diaz-Balart is so out of touch with the truth and reality that he thinks the Iraq War was started by Bill and Hillary Clinton,” said Andy Diaz, spokesman for Joe Garcia.........here
Havana Times 
The Dynamic Duo: 
October 9, 2008 U.S. Rep Nydia Velázquez and Academy Award-nominated actress Rosie Pérez will be campaigning in Tampa Bay on behalf of the Obama-Biden Campaign for Change.The Say No 2 Campaign, the bi-partisan group dedicated to defeating Florida's dangerous and deceptive Amendment 2, has just released a hard hitting new commercial. It highlights the numerous groups and newspapers that have come out against the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment, as well as the devastating effects it will have if passed.
Naugle- a fake Democrat who has campaigned for George Bush and endorsed Mike Huckabee for President- once again held a press conference surrounded by "religious" leaders and folks clutching their bibles. The only thing missing from his usual routine were the scary men in army fatigues threatening to take the war against gays "into the streets."........here
Former Florida State Sen. Helen Gordon Davis will be honored Oct. 16 at a luncheon at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Tampa hosted by the Centre for Women and the Displaced Homemakers Network........here
Tampa Bay area Democratic leaders expect record support for Sen. Barack Obama in November, and they want to seize on that enthusiasm as a way to get more local Democrats in office. They've begun an ambitious "Vote Local" campaign that uses targeted mailings and some of the same social-networking tools that have allowed national candidates to cash in on the power of the Internet...........here
A rising demand in China for turtles for food and medicine has led to the round-up of thousands of turtles from Florida's lakes, ponds and canals. Exporters are shipping up to 
"The power of people can make a huge difference in our success in dealing with climate change," said Nobel laureate Dr. Jean Brennan at the closing session of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's climate change summit on Friday...........here
Just Imagine
Talks of turning Tampa Heights into the next Hyde Park date back to the early '90s, when city and real estate officials touted the historic neighborhood as the next fancy district.......here
Vote for Kevin wherever you live in the county on November 4th.
Last year I ran Richard's Run for Life in historic Ybor City in Tampa. It was a beautiful course on a Friday night... running down the brick roads in the middle of a historic, active scene. The race supports children's cancer research..........here
I figured the big news out of south Florida today was going to be about the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce debate that pitted the 3 ultra-reactionary rubber stamps, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen plus the notoriously crooked Diaz-Balart Brothers against Annette Taddeo, Joe Garcia and Raul Martinez........here
Room by room, a two-story, century-old brick boardinghouse at 1301 E. Columbus Ave. is outfitted with community donations designed to make homeless female veterans feel at home. Twin beds donated by Haverty's are covered with patchwork spreads sewn by Lady of the Lake Quilters...........here
Since Kathy Maloney lost her sales job in May, things haven't been easy. Maloney spent the morning on busy Dale Mabry Highway handing out her life's work on a piece of paper...........here
