First Book and United Way of Tampa Bay Book Drive

With your help, First Book and United Way of Tampa Bay are providing new books to children from low-income families in the Bay area. Each brand new book costs only $2.00. If you donate $10, $20 or $100, you can be certain that the books will be first-quality, popular titles that are sure to interest many children........here

Ybor City's Batman Arrested

Far from Gotham's crime-infested alleys, 21-year-old Walsh Ian Nichols frequently patrols the nightclubs of Ybor City dressed as the Dark Knight. But Tampa police arrested Nichols Friday for violating a state law that forbids wearing a mask on a public right of way.........here

Tampa Downtown Market

The mission is to serve as a community-gathering place where local farmers, producers, and artisans can offer fresh agricultural and related products to generate a sense of local pride and further the economic development of Downtown Tampa............here

Pit Bulls Pounding the Pavement in Ybor City

On Saturday, October 18th, at 5 PM, a group will be meeting in Ybor City, in their Pit Bulls Pounding the Pavement event to promote awareness and responsible dog ownership.......here

The Interfaith Rally to Oppose Amendment 2

Standing on the Side of Love
Lowry Park - Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 4 p.m.
In addition to the many speakers scheduled for the rally,
there will be music by Faith Rivera and Harold Payne........rsvp

THE CRISIS ("LA CRISIS") ON TAMPA BAY

Located in Downtown Tampa, Ybor City neighborhood is a densely populated residential and commercial area. Sitting at the far end of a three-block-long business district filled with colorful Latino storefronts is a modest mobile phone franchise. Owner Rosario Lorenzo stands at the counter of the small store, surrounded by cellphones and PDAs, but no customers.........here

Esquire Shuns The Diaz-Balart Brothers

Esquire got into the political endorsement game in its recent issue, and some incumbents in Congress who are seeking re-election perhaps wished the magazine hadn''t. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart and Alcee Hastings were among the eight members of the Florida Congressional Delegation who failed to win the magazine's endorsement.
The Diaz-Balart brothers drew the editors' ire for failing to move beyond their apparent political reason for being: Fidel Castro........here

What kind of impact the men's magazine endorsement will have is anybody's guess.
The Diaz Balart brothers are in tight races and could be swept out of office in a landslide Democratic vote.

Casa Obama Debate Watch Party

Hosted by Hispanics for Obama

8:30 pm
3303 W. Columbus Drive (Across from La Teresita)
Tampa

Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida

Home to 3 of World's Top 50 Steel Roller Coasters

Hang on to your hats! If you visit Busch Gardens in Tampa, you have the chance to ride three of the Top 50 steel roller coasters in the entire world, as judged by the Golden Ticket Awards.For 2008, the three Busch Gardens Tampa rides included in the Golden Ticket's Top 50 are Montu (10th place), Shei'Kra (19th), and Kumba (27th)..........here

How The Real-Estate Market Could Turn Florida For Obama

Driving central Florida's foreclosure road is to see economic anxiety made concrete: miles and miles of concrete. Along the Interstate 4 corridor, aquatically named housing developments (Bays, Beaches, Points, Isles, Vistas) pile up, one twisting cul-de-sac after another bristling with "For Sale" signs........here

Florida Bellwether Counties Bode Well For Obama

This race could be over early on Election Night if current trends continue, and you really only have to look at one region to know where the contest stands: Tampa Bay.........here

Buddy Johnson Using Voter Education Funds To Bankroll His Election

Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections, Buddy Johnson, is running a series of public service announcements to educate voters for the upcoming election. Johnson's opponent, Phyllis Busansky, says she believes the announcements are unethical at the very least and it could be illegal........here

Redemption For Zachary Sharples

The Tampa Bay Rays' playoff run turned into a hair-raising experience for a 12-year-old fan who got in trouble for adopting the team's signature playoff hairstyle -- and then wound up on the field with his major-league heroes........here

Tampa Tribune's Voting Challenge

Today's Page One has a large graphic that is part game, part cynical reminder that every vote counts and if you do not follow the rules exactly, your vote may very well not count...........here

Empty Chair Charlie's First Priority?

Gov. Charlie Crist says he's not quietly jumping off the John McCain bandwagon now that he appears to be losing ground in the all-important swing state of Florida........here

New Tampa Bay Food Blog: Dining Review Tampa

Welcome to Dining Review Tampa! Our guide to the best restaurants around Tampa Bay.......here

A Day In The Life Of Carlos Miller

here

Recruiting Republicans To Run As Dems. Not A Good Idea

Wealthy businessman Tim Mahoney, a self-described "fundamental Christian,"

Was recruited by the DCCC to run against then-Congressman Mark Foley in Florida's 16th District. According to The Palm Beach Post, Mahoney switched his registration from Republican to Democrat in July of 2005........here

Best Blog To Take A Crap To: Babalu

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

Barack Obama Campaign in Sun City Center

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.

Kings Point Clubhouse
2020 Clubhouse Road
Sun City Center

Florida Report Card

Confederate Flag Near I-4 To Get Bigger

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

Gaybor Coalition is a driving force in Tampa’s Ybor City

Tampa PBS Affiliate WEDU Bows To Protect Incumbency

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.......here

Porky Brian Blair

Brian 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.

GOP Embrace Terrorists In Little Havana

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

Florida GOP Starts the Sliming and Fear-Mongering

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

The LiberalOasis Radio Show: Florida Again Edition

With special guest Kenneth Quinnell of the Florida Progressive Coalition.