The Florida Civility Project

Off their website:
The Republican Party of Florida invites all Floridians to join together and work toward common sense solutions through friendly debate and discussion, while avoiding negative attacks and the politics of personal destruction.
On August 22:
The Republican Party of Florida has fired off a bunch of releases recently referring to Democratic Chairwoman Allison Tant as TANT RANT. Yesterday, the state GOP sent releases referring to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida as "Debbie Dunce."

Florida's Backdoor Tax Increases

Sen. Jeff Brandes filed SB 144 to repeal Florida’s red light traffic laws.

“We have had red light cameras in Florida for over three years. They were initially sold as safety devices, but I have come to firmly believe that they are now being used as backdoor tax increases,” stated Brandes. “We have seen municipalities that have installed these devices shorten yellow light times and set arbitrary standards on right turn on red violations. I believe cities will continue to install these devices if left unchecked.”

Earlier this year, WTSP Channel 10 reporter Noah Pransky reported that the state had quietly reduced the minimum number of seconds for yellow light intervals — specifically for those that were equipped with red light cameras. The result? Citation rates spiked by almost 40 percent in municipalities that have the cameras......more>

Ybor Paparazzi

 Meet Agent Bauer he works at La France in Ybor.

more

Firehouse Cultural Center In Ruskin

Local  treasure Mariella Smith has launched a new website for the Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin. Their ribbon cutting is on Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 10:00 a.m. It looks like a cool place, they offer quality programming with a focus on a full spectrum of the arts, and on education for all ages. Check it out here

Vote No On Military Force In Syria

Call your member of Congress now and tell them to vote 'No' on an Authorization to Use Military Force in Syria? Here are the numbers to call: 
Senator Marco RubioPhone: (202) 224-3041
Senator Bill NelsonPhone: (202) 224-5274
Representative Kathy CastorPhone: (202) 225-3376

Report your call here

A Bad Month For South Florida Mayors

An FBI sting operation on Aug. 6 nabbed the mayors of Sweetwater and Miami Lakes for taking suitcases and envelopes stuffed with cash. the two mayors, Manuel Maroño, of Sweetwater and Michael Pizzi, of Miami Lakes, not only took bribes in exchange for helping businesses apply for federal grants, but they plotted together to siphon off a share of the grant money for themselves. Steven Bateman, mayor of Homestead, was arrested Wednesday on charges that he secretly took a $125 per hour consulting position with a health care company that was doing business with the city.

here

Ybor Paparazzi

Local comic Will Ejay with friends at The Improv.

Rubio Raising Money For Right Wing Extremist Ken Cuccinelli

Sen.  Marco Rubio will appear at a fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli, according to an invite. Tickets start at $50 for a luncheon and boom to $25,000 for chair status and a table for 10.....more>

Who is Ken Cuccinelli? Check him out here. Nice company Rubio keeps.

Hometown Hero Laci Carnes

Tampa Bay Area Peace GroupsTo Protest

Peace activists plan to gather from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Saturday at S Dale Mabry Highway and Gandy Boulevard in Tampa to protest possible U.S. military intervention in Syria.......more

Hard to believe we are having to do this again so soon.

"Raytheon's stock is up 20% in the last 60 days. It seems that nobody wants US intervention in Syria except the military-industrial complex. I oppose US military intervention in Syria. Join me."....more

Rally At Kathy Castor's Office In Tampa

Bypass Boehner Day of Action

MoveOn and other progressive groups have committed to supporting a discharge petition for comprehensive immigration reform. We hope you will join us in urging FL Representative Kathy Castor to be true to her bipartisan convictions by standing against partisan stalling on immigration reform.

Rep. Kathy Castor's Office, 4144 N Armenia Avenue in Tampa

 Thursday, September 5th, 12:00 PM

info 

Countryside High Principal Gary Schlereth

A local school district won't let cheerleaders wear their uniforms to class because they're too sexy.  principal Schlereth said "The district instituted a stricter dress code this year and the short skirts and sleeveless tops don't make the cut." Principal Kevin Hendrick at Northeast High added "The skirts were just too short.".......more

Tampa Demands: Hands off Syria

Over 100 protesters gathered Aug. 31, to demand no military attack on Syria by the U.S. Members of the Syrian American community as well as many others assembled at a busy intersection in South Tampa waving signs at motorists who went by......more>

I could not make it!

Tampa Palm Trees Dying From Disease

The Republic Of Ybor

Bench in Ybor City

Tampa Bay's New Leaders Council

Tampa Bay has a new community resource for progressive leaders wanting to play a role in shaping the future — the New Leaders Council.......more>

Tell Congress: Don't Attack Syria

Florida Rep. Alan Grayson says he'll work to convince other House members to vote against the U.S. attacking Syria, and has started an online Petition.

Happy Labor Day

Need a ride in Ybor City?

Local Comic Will Ejay At The Improv Ybor

Justice For Oswaldo: Rosa Maria Paya

This brave young woman daughter of Oswaldo Paya, the Cuban dissident killed in a car accident in Cuba last year has been traveling the U.S. and Europe calling for an independent, international investigation into how her father died. Check her out here.

Florida Intimidation Of Palestine Solidarity

Ybor Paparazzi

 Ybor City Photographer

Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich

Miami New Times is bashing our Cuban because we like them with Salami and mayonnaise.

According to the City of Tampa, it, and not Miami, is the birthplace of the Cuban sandwich. It even went so far as to "officially rename" the sandwich, the "Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich." Considering the fact that in Tampa the sandwich's ingredients include salami and mayonnaise, Tampa can keep the name. That ain't no Cuban sandwich.

 Tampa should call its sandwich the "mixto" as it was originally called, because that is what it is -- a mix of cultural appetites resting between two slices of bread -- and stop trying to steal the title of "birthplace of the Cuban sandwich" from Miami, where it belongs.......more>

Amanda Murphy House District 36

Amanda Murphy in the race to replace Mike Fasano in House District 36. Murphy, a Raymond James financial advisor, is running in a special election on Oct. 15 to replace Fasano. Fasano resigned when he was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to replace county tax collector Mike Olson who died.

Check her out here

Conchs Hunting Mosquitoes With Drones

Local Bartenders: My Last Bloody Mary

 

 Meet Jill

She works at The Oasis Lounge on Dana Shores Drive, once a year I stop by to have the best Bloody Mary in Tampa. She is leaving us, moving away.

We will miss her.

Ybor City Hookah Lounge

Tampa Florida

Tampa Bay Workers Join Fast Food Strike

Feed Your Head

You are invited to Feed Your Head, a birthday party with the best in local flavor! Feed Your Head is the big celebration for two independent entities "serving" the community! Feed Your Head salutes WMNF's 34 years on the air and Ella's fourth year in business.

Feed Your Head at Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe5119 N. Nebraska Ave Tampa http://www.ellasfolkartcafe.com/

Monday, September 9th 6 - 10pm for more info here

Gainesville Protest Against U.S. Intervention

Protesters gathered on the corner of University and SW 13th Street outside of the University of Florida, Aug. 28, to demand no U.S. military intervention in Syria......more>

Ybor Paparazzi

The Ladies At The Ritz

Bill Zapf: The Rolling Comic

Saw him at The Improv in Ybor City. Very Funny.

Visit him here

Florida Fights Rising Sea Level

In Florida, sea level could rise 60 centimeters by 2060. The Florida Keys, especially vunerable because of their low altitude, are protecting themselves.

The Merchants Of Ybor

The spirits at La France on 7th ave.

A vintage clothing store. Pic not Photoshopped, looks like someone might want their clothes back. Visit them on Facebook, new website coming soon.

Tampeños Say No To Corporate Welfare

according to a survey they say tax dollars should go toward solving the homeless problem and improving transportation not building ball parks for MLB.  Don't listen to Mayor Bob and Ken Hagan, if Pam Iorio runs again Mayor Bob will be looking for a new job. And Hagan's political career is over. Read Mitch Perry's wonderful piece here 

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Bacon Burger with fries.

At Florida Lanes on N. Florida ave.

Egyptians Demonstrate In Tampa

George Zimmerman A Right Wing Icon?

 Did anyone not expect Zimmerman to become a hero to the deeply racist right wing? He bagged himself a Negro and got away with it. It's a dream come true! That liberals and black people are disgusted is the icing on the cake......more>

The Mystery Of The St. Pete Chicken Solved

Local blogger Peter Schorsch was the guy in the chicken suit that kept showing up at political events that St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Kathleen Ford didn't attend. The chicken always held the same sign: "Kathleen Ford: Too chicken to debate Foster + Kriseman." Schorsch posed in a chicken suit in the announcement on Facebook and confessed: "You're damn right I was behind the chicken! Bye-bye Kathleen"......more>

No Corporate Welfare For Rays

A new poll of 584 registered voters in Tampa finds little support for using taxpayer money for a new stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays.  The poll, from StPetePolls.org and commissioned by St. Petersburg political blogger Peter Schorsch, asked whether taxpayer dollars should be used to help pay for a new Tampa Bay Rays baseball stadium in Tampa, 55.9 percent of respondents said no, 36.4 percent said yes and 7.8 percent were unsure.....more>

Don't let Mayor Bob fool you, remember Bush and the Rangers?

Financially, the Rangers deal was basically about real estate. By getting the city to build them a new stadium, Bush and his partners increased the team’s book value from $83 million to $138 million. This required convincing the city’s taxpayers that they would lose the team if they did not pay up for the stadium. To raise the $191 million it would cost to build the Ballpark at Arlington, residents were asked to add a half cent to what was already one of the nation’s highest sales tax rates. According to attorney Glenn Sodd, W.’s group helped egg along Arlington by leaking a story that Dallas was competing for the team and had offered to build them a stadium. “We found out that this was untrue..... more>

Bong Heaven

In Tampa, where is Rouson's bong police?

TAMPA FAST FOOD WORKERS STRIKE!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Corner of Fowler Ave and 15th Street in Tampa

info

Context Florida

  Peter Schorsch: Putting Florida in Context with the launch of ContextFlorida.com

A non-profit, online, statewide opinion network. Florida Voices editors Tom O’Hara and Rich Bard will run this publication, thereby bringing into the fold two experienced, trusted journalists to helm a site that is as much a paean to legacy media as it is to the new techniques and tools.

Check it out here

The Rum Runner

This has always been one of my favorite drinks. It has many names, Planter's Punch, Hurricanes etc. here it is called a Dunk Tank. Some of you are to young to remember Clearwater's famous Kapok Tree restaurant. It served it in a tall souvenir glass which you got to keep. I've had them all over the world and one of the best I've ever had is made right here in Tampa by Kristie at Florida Lanes on N. Florida ave.

Ed Narain For Florida

Ed Narain is a dedicated member of the Tampa community who has served in various community and civic roles over the last nineteen years. Ed is a former USF Student Body President and a member of College Leadership Florida. While a student leader, Ed was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the Florida Student Association Board and received the first USF Student Affairs Leadership Award.

check him out here

TasedTo Death In Miami

Eighteen-year-old Israel Hernandez-Llach was an award-winning artist in Miami, Florida – a painter, sculptor, photographer and graffiti artist. He was armed with nothing more than a can of spray paint, threatening nothing but the wall of an abandoned McDonalds, when the cops chased him down, tased him, and allegedly laughed and high-fived as he lay motionless and dying on the ground. This is not an isolated incident. The Miami Beach Police Department has an appalling record of using excessive force......more>

Florida Dems

Rep. Ricardo Rangel of Kissimmee; Sen. Joe Abruzzo of Wellington, Sen. Darren Soto of Orlando and Rep. Daphne Campbell of Miami did not bother to vote on whether to hold a special session on Stand Your Ground. A non-vote is the same as a “no” vote, so those four lawmakers, by not voting or having their votes recorded, joined seven other Democrats who voted against the special session. Those Democrats who did bother to let their constituents know that they were breaking with their party were: Rep. Mark Danish of Tampa; Rep. Katie Edwards of Plantation; Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda of Tallahassee, Rep. Michelle Rehwinkelof Orlando; Rep. Carl Zimmermann of Palm Harbor; Rep. Mike Clelland of Lake Mary, and Rep. Dwight Dudley of St. Petersburg. That meant that of the 58 Democrats in the Legislature, only 47 voted for a special session to repeal or change a 2005 law that has sparked some protests in the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting......more

Tampa Bay Cameros

Right Wing Bloggers’ Acting Like Nazis

A top House Democrat blasted conservative Internet bloggers for spreading lies and “manufactured controversies” about President Obama, equating their actions to Nazi propagandists......more>
Here is their latest, Obama Does Not Have Any White Dogs!

Nick Ruiz for Congress 2014: "Florida

“As a professor of philosophy and humanities, my commitment to the health, education and well-being of Americans dently progressive and Democratic constituency that is not being adequately represented by the Democratic Party as it stands today. Constituents on the Left are hungry for the real thing.  

What Stogie Had For Breakfast

French Toast with Blueberries.

$4.95 at 3 Coins Diner in Seminole Heights

How much was your last value meal?

John's Pass

 more at Tampa Colada

Democrat Allie Braswell To Challenge Florida CFO Jeff Atwater

Allie Braswell, a Sanford native is head of the central Florida Urban League. He said,

"I’m not a politician. But what we’re getting out of politician Jeff Atwater is a go-along to get-along style that is hurting Floridians. Under his watch, billions in no-bid contracts have been given away and people with insider connections are getting rich off taxpayer money. We need a leader who will help protect taxpayers by cracking down on huge contracts that politicians are handing over to their supporters and political allies. I’ll be a fiscal watchdog who will hold our government and politicians accountable and fight to shift the focus of our leaders away from helping their friends and back to attracting good jobs to Florida.".....more>

Dream Defenders: 31 Days 30 Nights

The Hillsborough County Republican Party

Is developing a ground game for the 2014 election cycle. Brian Swanson, the political director for the Republican Party of Florida who identified himself as the biggest Libertarian in the world said Scott has done a phenomenal job. 
"That's what a conservative governor can do with a phenomenal conservative legislature." What we have to do is look at what we can control and what we can do, and what we can do is organize. Organize early, get involved in your communities, bring new folks into the RNC, strengthen the party from inside. Our grassroots organization is very poor.  We want to bring more minority groups into our party." 
Good luck with that.  Then he blames us. We are the ones making them look like fools all over the country.  
"The left right now is declaring us as something we are completely not, they are saying the Republican party is made up of racists and evil people and that we hate minorities, and they're trying to brand us with that. We can't let them do that."
Swanson summed up his talk with the HCRP by insisting on the importance of the Tampa Bay region in the upcoming election........more>

What Stogie Had For Lunch

Carne con Papa with yellow rice and black beans.

$7.99 at The Cuban Sandwich Café on N. Florida ave in Tampa.

more

Protest In Ft. Lauderdale

Supporters of whistleblower Private First Class Bradley Manning gathered at the Federal Building in downtown Ft. Lauderdale for an emergency protest. They demanded a presidential pardon for the 25-year old whistleblower.......more

2014 Florida Progressive Candidates

U.S. CONGRESS

District 1: Jim Bryan (D)

 District 2: Gwen Graham (D)

 District 5: Corrine Brown (D)

District 6: David Cox (D), Andrew Scott (D)

District 7: Nick Ruiz III (D)

District 8: Gabriel Rothblatt (D), Corry Westbrook (D)

District 9: Alan Grayson (D)*, Michael McKenna (D) 

District 13: Jessica Ehrlich (D)

District 14: Kathy Castor (D)*

District 18: Patrick Murphy

District 19: April Freeman (D)

For more info visit Politics 1