Sunday, May 5, 2013

Culture Of Corruption: Florida Republicans

$51 Billion Failure
State lawmakers refused to accept $51 billion in federal money to provide health care to 1 million uninsured Floridians, and that leaves a permanent stain on the 2013 Florida Legislature.
here
Other Highlights
DEATH PENALTY (FAILED): Repeals Florida's death penalty for capital cases. (HB 4005)
DEATH PENALTY (PASSED): Limits the legal arguments used by inmates sentenced to death and awaiting execution in an effort to accelerate the death penalty process. (HB 7083)
RED LIGHT CAMERAS (FAILED): Reduces fines and gives people more time to pay them. (SB 1342)
WETLANDS (PASSED): Modifies a series of wetlands-related rules and ratifies the governor and Cabinet's approval of 30-year leases of public lands in the Everglades to sugar companies. (HB 999)
SPRINGS (FAILED): Requires water management district to identify certain springs for protection.
CELLPHONE PRIVACY (FAILED): Requires police to obtain a search warrant before seizing a personal electronic device during an arrest. (SB 846/HB 797)
FRACKING (FAILED): Companies must disclose what chemicals they use when they explore for oil and gas using an extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. (HB 743)
GUN CONTROL (FAILED): Mandates that only licensed dealers can sell guns at gun shows.
 DOCS VS. GLOCKS (FAILED): Repeals the 2011 "docs vs. glocks" law that banned doctors from asking patients about guns. (SB 314/HB 4017)
STAND YOUR GROUND (FAILED): Repeals controversial Stand Your Ground law, which provides immunity to people who use deadly force in self-defense. (SB 622/HB 4009)
STAND YOUR GROUND (FAILED): Limits Stand Your Ground law, clarifying that does not apply when innocent bystanders are hurt or killed. (SB 362/HB 123)
DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS (FAILED): Sets up a domestic registry; allows basic rights primarily related to health care, visitation and property for unmarried couples. (SB 196/HB 259)
SICK LEAVE (PASSED): Bans local governments from requiring employers to provide sick-leave benefits for their workers. Does not affect "living wage" ordinances. (SB 726/HB 655)
MEDICAL MARIJUANA (FAILED): Legalizes use of marijuana for medical reasons. (SB 1250/HB 1139)
IMMIGRANT TUITION (FAILED): Extends in-state tuition to the U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants. (SB 180/HB 7051)
WELFARE BENEFITS (PASSED): Prevents people from using welfare benefits at certain "adult entertainment" establishments, casinos or in a liquor store. (SB 1048/HB 701) Gun stores ok.
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John Romano's quick review of their 2013 performance.
here
Daniel Lemon, of Seminole said it best in his letter to The Times:
For results, eject party in power
This editorial asks, Why don't lawmakers care? That question is answered on the front page of Perspective. They care for the show and the dough. They do not care for the citizens and voters of Florida. It would be interesting to find out if the people mentioned in the editorial vote, and if so, for which party.The solution to the problems with state government is very simple. For several decades state government has been controlled by the Republican Party, and the quality of life for the average Floridian has deteriorated. We have historical experience to know the results of Republican control of state government. If we want change, we must vote to remove control from the Republicans. As long as our state government is bought and paid for by special interests, lobbyists and big business, then we will continue to ask pointless questions and receive illogical answers.
here

Standing-Up-For-Squirrels Crist

Hillsborough County government can be progressive, at least when it comes to cats. This week commissioners approved a smart plan to reduce the terrible number of animals killed at the county shelter yearly. Well, except Commissioner Standing-Up-For-Squirrels Crist who said he was "leading the cause for the squirrels and the birds … who will lose their lives as a result of this decision." Crist apparently did not buy the argument that feral cats are already out there. And by the way, what do you think of "Leading the Cause for Squirrels" as a campaign slogan?
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TIA Restores Seasonal Flights To Holguin, Cuba

Three months after the flights were suspended, Tampa International Airport announced Thursday it would host new seasonal flights to Holguin, Cuba. Starting next month, ABC Charters will fly once a week to the east Cuban beach town, about 500 miles from Havana.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Florida Should End Death Penalty


We Are Starting To Look Like Texas
Florida's fast track death penalty bill is blood-thirsty form of justice. This is one that will make all those red-blooded, blood-thirsty Floridians stand up and cheer: Florida is trying to speed up executions. Yep. We can’t fry ‘em anymore because those liberals made us get rid of Ol Sparky, but we sure can put the needle in ‘em quicker.
here
We should follow Maryland's lead and  abolishes the death penalty. Florida has the shameful distinction of leading the nation in the number of wrongful convictions to death row, with 24 exonerations.
Tell Rick Scott: Veto Florida House’s shameful bill to "speed up" death penalty

Looking Good Ireland

Nearly a month after her legs were severed in a lawnmower accident, Ireland Nugent left Tampa General Hospital just before noon Saturday and headed home to Palm Harbor.
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Get well little lady!

Live by Night by Dennis Lehane

A novel set in Ybor City won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best novel.
here
Read Colette Bancroft, Times Book Editor's review.
here
Ben Affleck Eyes Dennis Lehane Novel ‘Live By Night’ As Next Directing Vehicle.
here
Visit Nr. Lehane website
here
Buy "Live By Night" at these local book stores.
Inkwell Books in Tampa or Haslam's Book Store in St Pete.

Local Views: Joe McColloch

Attack on public education
The narrow failure of the "parent trigger" bill in the state Senate should put all concerned parents and taxpayers in Florida on notice that the Republican ideologues who dominate the Legislature will stop at nothing to dismantle our system of public education and hand it over to special interests, most of whom help to bankroll these same legislative lackeys as well as their GOP apparatus.
With virtually no public support whatsoever, the House GOP fell all over themselves to embrace this blatant theft of taxpayer-funded assets while employing shamelessly fraudulent means — including a joke of a petition containing a mere handful of signatures, many of which were apparently bogus — to make their case that there was any public support for this hijack of our public education system. Only the courage of a few Republicans in the Senate kept this idiotic and dishonest effort from happening.
The shameful legacy of Jeb Bush, with his grandiose schemes to privatize as many of our state governmental functions as possible — and education most particularly — continues to afflict Florida and its taxpayers, much to our collective detriment.
Tampa Bay Times Letters to the Editor: Joe McColloch, Tampa
Locals who voted yes. John Legg, R-Trinity; Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby; Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg;
Tom Lee, R-Brandon; Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Local Censorship: Tampa May Day Rally

Where was our local media?
During a heavy Florida rainstorm, activists, undocumented immigrants and community members from the Tampa Bay area gathered under a pavilion in a local park. The different organizations and people united under a banner reading, “May Day: 11 million people need equal rights!”
It seems Tampa held a May Day Rally and not one of our local media outlets bother to tell us. I had to find it at Fight Back News.
Story here

Tampa Streets to Get Pedestrian, Cyclist Friendly Redesign

Mayor Bob Buckhorn announced today that four streets are set to get a pedestrian and cyclist friendly makeover with new installations of sidewalks and bike lanes or shared use pathways. The four streets to be redone are Palm Avenue, Willow Avenue, Bougainvillea Avenue, and Cypress Street.

Congratulations Mr. Sapp

Take a good look at the last No. 99

Thursday, May 2, 2013

'Parent Trigger' Bill Dies On Tie Vote

The chief advocate, former Gov. Jeb Bush, told reporters as late as February that he was confident the trigger would become law.
 Even though the bill was not the supported by the Florida Education Association and most Florida parent organizations, such as the Florida PTA. These bay area men still voted for it. Please remember them next time you go to the polls.
John Legg, R-Trinity; Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby; Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg; Tom Lee, R-Brandon;
Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton.

Hypocrisy Of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen


Here she is on CNN discussing why Cuba must remain on State Sponsor of Terrorism list.
This is a woman who is a member of the party that started a war that killed a million Iraqis,
4,488 Americans, 32,021 Wounded and gave safe haven to Luis Posada Carriles, the anti-Cuban terrorist jointly responsible for bombing a Cubana airliner, killing 73 people.
The Castro brothers might be alot of things but they are not mass murderers.
Help, end the war on the Cuban people, they are being held hostage by a small minority in South Florida.

Islamophobia In Florida

 Florida SB58, is rooted in the baseless and offensive idea that Muslim-Americans are plotting to impose Islamic law on U.S. courts, and that we need "anti-Sharia" protections to stop them. In reality, this discriminatory law is redundant, as the Constitution already prohibits U.S. courts from imposing religious law as civil law.
Tell your senator that you demand they stand up for American values and reject discrimination and intolerance!
Demand that your senator stands against intolerance and rejects this
Also after Abe Foxman, the ADL's (Ati-Defamation League) Drector OKs surveillance of American Muslims,   Liberal Democrat? Debbie Wasserman Schultz, attends his gala.
here

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Miami's Terrorism: Businesswoman Tired of being Victimized!

April 27, 2013 marked the one-year anniversary of the domestic terrorist attack.
Vivian Mannerud is one of Miami's most decent citizens and she is arguably South Florida's most respected businesswoman. She owned an airline -- Airline Brokers Company -- in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables. Her airline had all the legal licences to fly her eager passengers from Miami to Havana and back. She has lived in Miami long enough to know how dangerous it is for anyone or any business to remotely be involved in anything considered a positive for Cuba or for Cuban-Americans wanting to visit relatives on the island. And she is well aware that bombs -- car-bombs, house-bombs, and business-bombs -- are the weapons of choice for the Miami terrorists. She also believes it is time the authorities -- local, state, and/or federal -- protected and/or sought justice for honest citizens and legal businesses. Instead, she believes authorities are too afraid or merely unwilling to act.

Tampa Bay Homeless

Homeless Living In Tampa
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West Tampa's China 1

What Stogie Had For Lunch
Shrimp with lobster sauce
With fried rice, egg roll and drink
$6.00 at China 1, 1901 N Howard Ave, Tampa