Tampa Bay Driverless Cars

Tampa became one step closer to driverless vehicles on Florida highways.

The Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority (THEA) voted to develop a survey on implementing autonomous vehicle technology in Hillsborough County. The study is a collaborative effort between the THEA and the University of South Florida Center for Urban Transportation Research.

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Ybor City

 

 Lazy Afternoon

Kevin Beckner Is Making Progress

The Tampa politician brings some much-needed sanity to the Hillsborough County Commission. Beckner at a victory party celebrating the repeal of Hillsborough gay pride ban at Hamburger Mary’s in Ybor City.

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Tampa Bay Homeless

 The city is one step closer to enacting a new set of restrictions on homeless people.
Council members discussed two proposed ordinances that would add more restrictions to an existing six-day-a-week ban on roadside panhandling. The first would ban panhandling near downtown, Ybor City, banks, ATMs, sidewalk cafes and transit stops in an effort to stop people from begging in places others can't easily leave. The second would prohibit people from storing their property in public, urinating in public, and sleeping or camping in parks, on sidewalks or in public rights of way.
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thankfully we have  Mary Mulhern who said the city must first increase its shelter offerings before passing an ordinance like this. Courts have ruled that cities must ensure there are adequate alternatives before banning behaviors — such as sleeping on sidewalks — that are closely associated with homelessness. She was the only council member to vote against both proposed ordinances.

Elvis Sighting In Tampa

Met him on a HART bus.He has gone green and says he has lost a lot of weight since he started riding the bus. He is looking for gigs. Call him at 813.850.3085

Local Right-Wing Reacts

 "I believe the Supreme Court made a serious mistake today when it overstepped its important, but limited role." U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla

"It impacted federal law, not state law. In 2008, Florida voters amended our constitution and said that we are a traditional marriage state — marriage is between a man and a woman. As the governor of this state, I'll uphold the law of the land, and that's the law of our state." Florida Gov. Rick Scott

"Today's Defense of Marriage Act ruling flies in the face of common sense, tradition, reason and morality." Bishop Aubrey Shines of Glory to Glory Ministries in Tampa

"America, and Florida specifically, will continue the debate and advance the truths about why marriage is between a man and a woman and why it matters for children, civil society, and the common good of society." John Stemberger, Florida Family Policy Council

"Courts at every level are definning the social fabric of America" Terry Kemple, Local Bigot
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Turanchik Bay Lines

High-speed ferry backers to hold community meetings. The group, fronted by former Hillsborough commissioner Ed Turanchik, a lawyer with the Akerman Senterfitt firm, holds its first meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Dickman Community College Center at Hillsborough Community College's South Shore campus. The address is 551 24th St NE in Ruskin. The second meeting takes places at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hilton Tampa Downtown in the Buccaneer B Room. The address is 211 N Tampa St.

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Florida Gas Drilling

It is just another sunny day in sunny Florida, but on this quiet day, two men ring your doorbell. You answer, of course, and find out that these men are from Total Safety, Inc., a company contracted by the independent oil company Dan A. Hughes Company, from Beeville, Texas. They ask you to provide your contact information and any other emergency contact info, just in case disaster strikes at the drill site operating barely 1000 feet from your house. For most of the citizens of Naples, Florida, this is the first they have ever heard of drilling, in their neighborhood.

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D iscrimination At Hands On Children’s Museum in Jacksonville

Is very specific about who gets a “family membership,” specifying that a family must include one mom and one dad. Karen Lee-Duffell’s family has had a membership there for three years, but when an employee noticed she had a same-sex partner, she was told she’d have to pay more to renew this year. As far as the museum’s staff is concerned, Lee-Duffell and her partner do not constitute a family.

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The Museum denies discrimination against renewing couple's membership.
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Learn How To Swim Miami

By century's end, rising sea levels will turn the nation's urban fantasyland into an American Atlantis. But long before the city is completely underwater, chaos will begin.

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You guys might also want to learn how to scuba dive. You might try Sea Dwellers Dive Center just down the road. I use them all the time.

Clean Out Rep. Jodie Laubenberg R

During a debate in the Texas House of Representatives, Rep. Jodie Laubenberg explains that rape kits will "clean out" a rape victim "basically like a D and C." D and C stand for dilation and curettage. It is an abortion procedure. It is not similar to a rape kit. Wow! Put an R at the end of his name and these people would elect Charles Manson.

Sit-In At Marco Rubio's 0ffice In Tampa

The LGBT rights group GetEQUAL--best known for its sometimes confrontational protests of Don't Ask, Don't Tell--today staged a sit-in at Florida Senator Marco Rubio's office in Tampa.

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Brew Benefit in Ybor City

You are invited to Brew Benefit in Ybor City, Sunday, June 30th from 2-5pm.
This benefit is for WMNF and Meals on Wheels.
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Commissioners Pay Millions Of Dollars For 375 Jobs

Commissioners voted unanimously (Shame on you Mr. Beckner) to give Amazon.com millions of dollars in corporate welfare for 375 jobs. TheCommissioners were enthusiastic about the vote. Chairman Ken Hagan called it a "grand slam" A grand slam for who?

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Support Same-Sex Marriage In Florida

A group that supports same-sex marriage in Florida said Wednesday that it isn't confident an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling will nullify the state's gay marriage ban and is starting a public opinion campaign while waiting for the court to decide. The idea is to build public support for gay marriage in Florida and eventually overturn the state's ban regardless of the Supreme Court's rulings.

more, Get Engaged

Jeff Jewett GOP Voter Fraud Whistle-Blower

Last year, Jeff Jewett was the field coordinator for a private vendor used by the Republican Party of Florida in Jacksonville. He discovered that one of his employees turned in seven bogus forms. He fired the employee, contacted elections officials and turned in the counterfeit forms. Yet, he was never interviewed. Such a lack of initiative is baffling for an investigation into a crime that Gov. Rick Scott and Republican lawmakers had made a top priority in prosecuting and preventing. Ironically, the only widespread incidents of voter registration fraud in last year's elections involved Republicans.

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Immigration Wall of Shame

Jeb Bush: Immigrants are 'more fertile
Exposing bigoted language in the fight for immigration justice.
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March With The ACLU In Temple Terrace

Tampa: Temple Terrace July 4th Parade

Thursday, July 4, 2013 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm -Greco Middle School

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.Marco Rubio: It Should Be Legal to Fire People for Being Gay

Stogie Recommends

Moonrise Kingdom a 2012 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Wes Anderson, written by Anderson and Roman Coppola, and starring an ensemble cast.Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman. The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.

The Right Eat Their Own

Not long ago Marco Rubio was the darling of the tea party, the lovefest is over.
Allen West Threatens To Challenge Marco Rubio In 2016 Primary.

Tampa Has Strippers And It's Probably Dolly Parton's Fault

In the mid-'60s, a gentleman named Bobby Rodriguez purchased a country bar in Tampa called The Deep South. The bar was a rough-and-tumble place where up-and-coming country stars often performed. The bar wasn't that profitable so Bobby decided to make some changes. First off, he attempted to tone down the fighting in the place. With that problem solved but the bar still not making much money, Rodriguez turned his sights on the entertainment. He went to the books and realized that one of the best nights they had in terms of the crowd was the night they had Dolly Parton on stage. Rodriguez realized the majority of her fans were men, and that they were not listening to her talents but rather gawking at them. Pacheco said Rodriguez figured he could toss any beautiful woman on stage, dress her scantily, have her dance and pay her a fraction of what he paid talented musicians, and the same men who came to see Dolly Parton would pay to see the unknown beauty.

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Mi Familia Vota, Florida

Senator Marco Rubio's Tampa Office, 3802 Spectrum Boulevard, Suite 106

Come join members of Mi Familia Vota, Florida, clergy members, allies, and MoveOn, as we participate in a vigil at Senator Rubio's office Wednesday at 12 p.m. to ask that he see the error of his ways regarding increased militarization, accepting campaign funds from GEO, an arm of ICE, and also adding English proficiency before undocumented Americans may be legal permanent residents. That's way before they would be eligible for citizenship. We will pray for him to do the right thing. Bring some signs, and we will pray together for the good of all Aspiring Americans. Can you join us in Tampa on Wednesday?

Click below for more details and to RSVP
here

Publix: Stop Funding Rght-Wng Llobbyists

Publix Super Markets is giving money it earns from our business to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC has supported voter suppression laws, legislation to roll back renewable energy and other environmental initiatives, so-called "right to work" legislation that really means the right to work for less than a living wage, and other legislation that hurts the vast majority of Publix customers. This makes a mockery of Publix "Greenwise" products and their collection of food for the poor.

 Liz Horne, a MoveOn member in Gainesville started a petition.

Tampa Street Preachers

Downtown

J.R.R. Tolkien Would be Arrested Under Florida Law

We can thank our very own Darryl Rouson from St. Pete for all this.

Fundraising Reception In Honor Of Mary Mulhern

Candidate for Hillsborough County Commission, Dist. 7 (county-wide)
Wednesday, June 26th, 2013 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The Home of Mark Anderson & Keith Bucklew
3110 W. Agawan St. Tampa
Cocktails and Appetizers will be served
Suggested Contribution Levels: $50-$100 (Supporter), $250 (Host)
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Prospective Juror, Potential Voter

On the third day of jury selection f o r State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman

Potential juror No. 2 moved to the area four months ago and could tell you everything that happened on The Real Housewives of New Jersey , her favorite show, but not much about the shooting. 'What is your source of news?' the state attorney asked. 'It's … nothing,' she said.
Potential juror No. 3 Do you subscribe or have an opportunity to read the Orlando Sentinel  ,' the lawyers asked. 'I do subscribe,' No. 3 said, 'but it's mainly for the coupons.'

Potential juror No. 4 The first African-American said he doesn't 'do newspapers' and watches Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly on Fox News. He says he objected to the Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson 'saber rattling' and to Rep. Wilson, D-Fla., who said Martin had been 'hunted down like a rabid dog.'
Potential juror No. 5 let the court know she had three dogs, four cats, a couple of lizards, a crow and ferrets (or did she say parrots?), gets the newspaper, but does not read it. She uses it to line the cage. 'The only time I see them is when I put them down on the floor,' she said. 'It's media. I'm not a big fan.' 'How do you get news?' the state attorney asked. 'I don't,' she said. 'I let my hus­band deal with it.'
Potential juror No. 13 Gets all her news from church.
And Potential juror No.19 Gets his/hers from Facebook.
'The jury system puts a ban upon intelligence and honesty, and a premium upon ignorance, stupidity and
perjury,' wrote Mark Twain in Roughing It . 'I wish to so alter it as to put a premium on intelligence and
character, and close the jury box against idiots, blacklegs, and people who do not read newspapers.'
opefully these folks are part of the 50% who don't vote.
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Florida Summer BreakSpot

Saw this on the side of a HART bus.

•WHAT? Free food and fun all summer long

•WHO? Kids and teens 18 and under

•WHERE? At a location near you!

Through the Summer BreakSpot, free, healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks are available to anyone 18 and under all summer long!

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In November, We'll Remember

On June 4, 2013 Governor Rick Scott vetoed a commonsense bill that would have let over 100,000 legal immigrants, known as DREAMers, obtain driver's licenses. The bill passed the Florida legislature 151-2. Floridians will remember Scott's failure to embrace bipartisan solutions and impose his rigid ideology on our state.

WMNFs Americana/Roots Festival

Saturday Jun 29 4:00PM - Skipper's Smokehouse Tampa

More Hillsborough County Corporate Welfare

The state and Hillsborough County are poised to reward an out-of-state corporate giant that has avoided collecting Florida sales tax for more than a decade by offering it millions in tax incentives to finally hire Floridians and contribute to the state's economy. Gov. Rick Scott tried to sell his tentative agreement with Amazon on Thursday as another sign that he is improving Florida's economy. Don't be fooled. Amazon is once again getting just what it wants — access to the Florida market at less cost than competitors who have been here for decades.
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Buy Local!

Tea Party Senators Kick Off Ralph Reed's God Fest

Marco Rubio revisited his campaign theme of American exceptionalism. He used a biblical passage from Matthew chapter 5 to encourage activists to keep bringing their faith into their political activism, especially, he said, at a time when people are told they should silence their faith. Rand Paul of Kentucky told activists that there is a worldwide “war on Christianity” that is being waged not only by “liberal elites” but also by American taxpayers through the country’s financial support of countries that persecute Christians. “American taxpayer dollars are being used to enable a war on Christianity in the Middle East.”
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Visit my post Republicans And Jesus.

Support Democracy - One Pint At A Time

Drinking Liberally Brandon
Every Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm
Square 1 Burgers, 2042 Badlands Dr in Brandon
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Big-Box Opponents Demand Written Answers

Certified letters were sent to all seven Hillsborough County Commissioners by representatives of CAN-DO, under whose auspices residents are fighting a proposed big-box retail and apartment complex development off Bloomingdale Avenue.
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Allen West Blames Progressive Socialist Policies

Former Rep. Allen West and Tea Party favorite who once said President Obama wants Americans to be his slaves, invoked D.C. in his speech at today's Faith and Freedom Coalition conference to make an offensive point about progressive social policies. When discussing President Obama's social policies, West, a Republican who represented Florida for one term, told the predominately white crowd, according to the National Journal:
Some of you maybe will leave this beautiful hotel where you're having this conference and go into some of the black neighborhoods here in Washington, D.C., and see the decimation of progressive socialist policies that have broken down the family unit in what used to be the strongest family community that this great country ever knew.
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Hispanic Politicians In Tampa Fight Back

"This is a blatant slap in the face to my constituents in District 62 and the Hispanic community," state Rep. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, said at the news conference Tuesday.
Tampa City Council Chairman Charlie Miranda and Hillsborough County School Board member Susan Valdes were also present.
The bill, HB 235, would have allowed some children of undocumented immigrants who are not U.S. citizens to
get a Florida driver's license through President Barack Obama's "Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals" policy,
which was instituted last year. HB 235 passed unanimously in the state Senate and 115-2 in the House.
nore, And here, Sign Petition here

Let's Give The Panhandle To Georgia And Alabama

Did rejection of Medicaid expansion help House Republicans?
In the first referendum since House Republicans bypassed more than $50 billion in federal aid for health care, Mike Hill, a 55-year-old tea party Republican insurance agent, won 57.9 percent of the vote in a Northwest Florida district that has an economy dominated by hospitals as well as the military -- which is weathering a sequester deal rife with budget cuts forced by congressional Republicans. Hill’s Democratic opponent, labor-union leader Jeremy Lau, mustered 42.1 percent of the vote in a special election held after Rep. Clay Ford died in March. Lau, a 40-year-old aircraft mechanic for L-3 Com Vertex Aerospace, a military contractor at Pensacola Naval Station, had made Medicaid expansion his No. 1 issue.
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Put an R at the end of your name and some folks will vote for you no matter what.

Taylor Chapman Of Fort Lauderdale

 Taylor Chapman  filmed and shared a video over the weekend of her screaming racist insults at Dunkin’ Donuts workers in Fort Lauderdale over a request for free food that was not immediately granted. The woman, identified by The Smoking Gun as 27-year-old Taylor Chapman, visited the eatery a night prior and demanded to have her meal price refunded when her cashier was slow to hand over a receipt. Another associate asked her to return the next morning and speak with a manager, which supposedly led to the confrontation seen on the video.
 “This shit’s about to go live, bitch!” Chapman screams at a female employee. “Right on Facebook, ’cause I already posted what your dumb ass did last night, so I hope you’re happy with your little fucking sand n—er self… I’m about to nuke your whole fucking planet from Mars. You think ya’ll are tough, big fat Arabs bombin’ the trade center? I’ll show you tough.”
She also called the employee “a complete cunt sand n—er whore,” and shouted: “I just want my bacon crispy and my people to be nice.” Chapman is even heard on the video wishing the footage gets “a million fucking hits,” which is likely a low estimate of the views it will get thanks to all the media attention since Monday.
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Just Say No To Rays Stadium In Tampa

Corporate Welfare For MLB, Billionaire Owners and multi millionaire Players!
Leaders split on using downtown Tampa tax for Rays ballpark. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn's staff caused a stir 18 months ago when they said the city might be able to generate $100 million for a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium from downtown property taxes. That could go a long way toward helping to pay for a potential $500 million or $600 million ballpark.

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As i mention in my post on Feb. 8th, Remember what happened in Arlington, Texas.

2013 Florida Middle Class Champions

Thank Florida's Middle Class Champions
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Who Is Running The Asylum?

Right-Wing Media Plead With Rubio To "Walk Away" From Senate Immigration Reform Bill

Ingraham: Rubio Will "Rue The Day That He Became The Gang Of Eight's Poodle" Unless He Walks Away From Immigration Reform.
Bill Kristol: Rubio Should Walk Away From Immigration Reform.
Michelle Malkin: "Why Doesn't Rubio Form A Gang Of One And Dare Washington" To Pass Stricter Immigration Security.
Breitbart.com: Rubio Should "Put The Security Of Our Nation First" And Vote No On Immigration Reform.
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Florida Right-Wing Blogger Running For Congress

Conservative blogger Jorge Bonilla from the right-wing Florida blog the Shark Tank announced that he is a Republican candidate for the U.S. Congress in Florida. He will be facing off with Congressman
Alan Grayson, in Florida’ 9th Congressional District.
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Stormsian

What ever The Times is paying Sue Carlton it is not enough.
One day down the road, the silver-haired grandmas and grandpas of Hillsborough County may gather the children close to tell the tale of Ronda Storms and all she once wrought. How she had a heart of fire and brimstone and also the hearts of not a few like-minded voters. And how one day in 2005, in less than two minutes at a Hillsborough County Commission meeting, she used her powers to sway, or maybe in some cases to cow, the board into voting to send a message across the land.

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The Worst Charity In America

Is right here In Holiday
 Every year, Kids Wish Network raises millions of dollars in donations in the name of dying children and their families. Every year, it spends less than 3 cents on the dollar helping kids.
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Sign Posted for Bloomingdale Big-Box Meeting With Al Higginbotham

 Bloomingdale residents opposed to a big-box development in their community are making sure Bloomingdale Avenue residents know about the June 10 meeting with Hillsborough County Commissioner Al Higginbotham.
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Dress Code In Tampa

Amana Food Market Busch Blvd  In Tampa

UPS Teamsters In Tampa Bay Organize

 Around the country, 250,000 Teamsters are voting on a proposed 5-year contract between the Teamsters and United Parcel Service. Teamster President Hoffa and the contract negotiators are also urging members to vote yes. They have sent out three different letters to the 250,000 members, full of skewed information promoting this tentative agreement. In Tampa, workers have been active in getting the word out. At the beginning of contract negotiations, part-time Teamsters started wearing shirts around the building which said, “UPS part-time poverty”In the UPS Tampa building there are part-timers who have waited more than ten years for a full-time job and there are plenty still waiting for the opportunity.

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St. Pete Pride

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Green Party of Tampa

Our planning meetings are on the second Wednesday of every month.
This month’s meeting is on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 7:00pm at
Sacred Grounds Coffee House in Tampa. There has never been a better time to come to a planning meeting and introduce yourself to your fellow Greens!  

We’ll see you there!

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The Ever-Evolving GOP Arsenal

How Republicans Use Pot Law Enforcement To Disenfranchise African-Americans 
 There are many tactics in the ever-evolving Republican Party arsenal for keeping African-Americans and other minorities from voting in a post Jim Crow era. One of the least understood and most effective way of taking blacks off the voting rolls, especially in the South, has been to prevent felons from voting and then arresting every black man in site on marijuana charges.

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I am Bradley Manning

Visit them here

"The 'Storms' Behind Us Celebration

Andrea and Ronda!
Equality Florida and other rights groups are inviting people to the event getting called "Join Commissioner Beckner -- Pride is Back in Hillsborough"  a congratulatory party for local hero Commissioner Kevin Beckner, who helped make it happen. The event is from 4-6 p.m. Sunday at Hamburger Mary's Bar & Grille, 1600 E 7th Ave in Ybor City.

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A Tampa Bay Treasure: Hong Kong Willie

Watch 112: Hong Kong Willie on PBS. See more from WEDU Arts Plus.

A Tampa Bay arts & artifacts business transforms trash
and found objects.

Sen. Graham: FBI Holding Back On 9/11 Probe

Former Sen. Bob Graham has accused the FBI in court papers of having impeded a joint congressional inquiry into 9/11 by withholding information about a Florida connection to the al-Qaeda attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.The information includes a recently declassified FBI report that ties a Saudi family who once lived in Sarasota "to individuals associated with the terrorist attacks on 9/1 1/2001.

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Ronda This One Is For You

Kevin Beckner Rips Hillsborough County's Anti-Gay Pride Law. Before Board Repeals It.
Originally pushed through by hatemonger Ronda Storms in 2005. Back then, only Kathy Castor voted against it. She's now a beloved US Congresswoman, Ms. Srorms is home somewhere in Valrico. Celebrate! A vestige of Ronda's time eliminated with Drinking Liberally tonight 7pm, at Square 1 Burgers in Brandon

The Republican Brand

They eat their own
Cathie Adams, president of the Texas Eagle Forum (a religious right group), and former chairwoman of the Texas Republican party, said in a presentation at a Tea Party meeting that GOP anti-tax activist Grover Norquist is a secret Muslim because, among other things, he sports a beard.
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Reaching out to African-Americans
Republican Party doesn’t want black people to vote,” per Texas Tea Party.
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Reaching out to young people
A bill filed in the North Carolina General Assembly this week would remove the state income tax deduction for dependents who register at an address other than their parents.  In other words, parents of college kids would be punished with a new tax if their kids registered to vote at school – thus pressuring the kids not to register to vote.
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Reaching out to women
•Education troubles began when mothers started working.
•"Liberalized policies" encourage military sexual assault.
•"It's not sexist" for men to be dominant over women, "it's science.
•Hormones found in nature" drive men to sexual assault.
All of it came out of the mouths of prominent Republicans. In the last week.
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Reaching out to hispanics
Coulter: America has too many Latino, Mexican immigrants.
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Pic: ZZ Top a Kick-ass American rock band from Houston, Texas. They are not Muslim.