Interstate4Jamming

• HERE IS WHERE I STAND NOW

  HERE IS WHERE I STAND NOW
  
  First, let me once again thank everyone who visits this spot for dropping by, and let you know that I sincerely appreciate your patience with my recent absecnces from this space.
  
  Apparantly, the hard drive on my computer went south a couple [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2007, 10:25am EDT
  

• WILL HE, OR WON'T HE? THE ANSWER ...

  WILL HE, OR WON'T HE? THE ANSWER IS...
  
  Congratulations to former Vice President Al Gore on being a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with the United Nations Intergovernmential Panel on Climate Change for their work over at least the past two decades to educate' [...]
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  Posted: October 13, 2007, 10:09am EDT
  

• MY FRIEND "SMITTY"Last month, Winter ...

  MY FRIEND "SMITTY"
  
  Last month, Winter Haven and Polk County lost a truly remarkable human being in former postmaster, city commissioner, and mayor Robert "Smitty" Smith when he passed away. Closer to home, I lost a good friend.
  
  "Smitty" gave his all for family, especially his wife of [...]
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  Posted: October 03, 2007, 1:31pm EDT
  

• I'LL BE BACK SOON, OR, WOULD ANYONE ...

  I'LL BE BACK SOON, OR, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO DONATE A COMPUTER?
  
  Apoligies to everyone again for my absence. I've been working six day weeks for the past month-plus, restricting my access to the Lakeland Public Library's computer centre while my own computer's hard drive has apparantly gone south [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2007, 10:24am EDT
  by Robert C.

• ADVICE FOR JANUARY 29: LEAVE THE DEMOCRATIC ...

  ADVICE FOR JANUARY 29: LEAVE THE DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL PART OF THE BALLOT BLANK!!!
  
  So, the train wreck has taken it's next step. The battle between the Florida Democratic Party and National Democratic Committee has gone forward like a virtual game of chicken following last weekend's expected announcement [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2007, 6:03pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• FLORIDA DEMOCRATS READY TO FIGHT FOR IT'S CONVENTI...

  Number of comments: 1
  FLORIDA DEMOCRATS READY TO FIGHT FOR IT'S CONVENTION DELEGATION
  
  As everyone knows by now, the decision by Florida's legislature to change the date of our presidential preference primary to January 29 is in violation of rules agreed upon by both major political parties to protect the status of Iowa [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2007, 7:08pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• THIS SUNDAY ON THE CHAT SHOWS ABC / This Week wit...

  THIS SUNDAY ON THE CHAT SHOWS
  
  ABC / This Week with George Stephanopoulos: U.S. Senators Jim Webb (D - VA) and John Cornyn (R - TX) will appear to discuss Iraq, President Bush's troop surge, and his strategy in the Middle Eastern nation. The' [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2007, 5:52pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• WANNA KNOW WHERE (OR IF) YOUR FAVOURITE PRESIDENTI...

  WANNA KNOW WHERE (OR IF) YOUR FAVOURITE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WILL BE IN FLORIDA???
  
  Click here to access the newly updated Florida Presidential Candidate Appearance Calender! [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2007, 5:44pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• A SAD DAY FOR AREA TRADITIONAL JAZZ FANS A touch ...

  A SAD DAY FOR AREA TRADITIONAL JAZZ FANS
  
  A touch of the cultural panorama of Lakeland and Polk County has apparantly been lost...for now, at least.
  
  The Child of the Sun Jazz Festival is the victim of cost cutting measures being taken by it's host and' [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2007, 3:40pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• WHO DID THIS??? CAN YOU HELP ME FIND OUT? Last n...

  Number of comments: 2
  WHO DID THIS??? CAN YOU HELP ME FIND OUT?
  
  Last night after 9:00 I was lying in bed, halfway paying attention to the TV still on, when an advertisment came on. It ended before I could get my reading glasses on to clearly identify the sponsor.
  
  The ad [...]
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  Posted: August 23, 2007, 5:04am EDT
  by Robert C.

• A SONG FOR THE BUSH/CHENEY/ROVE ERA I usually hav...

  A SONG FOR THE BUSH/CHENEY/ROVE ERA
  
  I usually have my CD player with me to hear the latest news from NPR and some favourite music heading to and from work...a nice way to relax before and after the pressure of working in a call center answering strange questions and [...]
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  Posted: August 22, 2007, 5:58pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• OH, HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE...FALLEN??? IN SOME MINDS...

  OH, HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE...FALLEN??? IN SOME MINDS, A LEAST
  
  As the new school year begins across Polk County, prep football fans are wondering just how good the Dreadnaughts of Lakeland High School will be. When last season ended, the LHS crew had achieved it's second straight' [...]
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  Posted: August 22, 2007, 4:47pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• SOME FOLKS WILL SAY "AMEN!" TO THIS NEWS The new ...

  SOME FOLKS WILL SAY "AMEN!" TO THIS NEWS
  
  The new school year began Monday in Polk County --- a number of parents probably said "Amen!" to that --- with a new enrollment record being set. The Lakeland Ledger reported that 89,215 students reported for the first day of [...]
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  Posted: August 22, 2007, 4:43am EDT
  by Robert C.

• WINTER HAVEN LOSES A LEADER One of Winter Haven's...

  WINTER HAVEN LOSES A LEADER
  
  One of Winter Haven's best known and respected citizens, former mayor/commissioner Richard "Dick" Dantzler, passed away over the weekend after a long battle with the condition known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. He was 76.
  
  Dantzler, born and raised in Winter Haven, was' [...]
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  Posted: August 21, 2007, 4:26pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• THREAT TO U.S. COAST GREATLY DIMINISHED, BUT NO C...

  
  THREAT TO U.S. COAST GREATLY DIMINISHED, BUT NO CHANCES BEING TAKEN As you can see from the forecast track bubble above, the threat from Hurricane Dean to the U.S. coast is reduced greatly. It seems as though the combination of a mid-to-upper level system [...]
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  Posted: August 19, 2007, 6:59am EDT
  by Robert C.

• WELCOME HOME, SOLDIERS, WELCOME HOME One of my fa...

  Number of comments: 1
  WELCOME HOME, SOLDIERS, WELCOME HOME
  
  One of my favourite blogs across Florida is the Miami-based Bark Bark Woof Woof, created by "Mustang Bobby", who works for the Miami-Dade School District. He usually has something interesting to say or just pass along, and one of his posts Saturday afternoon [...]
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  Posted: August 19, 2007, 6:47am EDT
  by Robert C.

• CHECK OUT THE UPDATED POSTS! The list of upcoming...

  CHECK OUT THE UPDATED POSTS!
  
  The list of upcoming visits by the presidential candidates, both Republican and Democratic, has been updated with a few new events having been announced or confirmed. Click here to view.
  
  And the Sunday chat shows have announced their guests and topics. [...]
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  Posted: August 17, 2007, 7:57pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• THE LATEST FLORIDA POLL NUMBERS...NO GREAT SURPRIS...

  THE LATEST FLORIDA POLL NUMBERS...NO GREAT SURPRISES
  
  Strategic Vision has released the results of it's most recent poll of 1,200 likely Florida voters conducted August 10-12. The margin of error is plus/minus 3%. The numbers in parentheses next to their current percentages is the comparison upward or downward' [...]
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  Posted: August 17, 2007, 8:23am EDT
  by Robert C.

• THIS SUNDAY ON THE CHAT SHOWS This week I am plea...

  THIS SUNDAY ON THE CHAT SHOWS
  
  This week I am pleased to add another programme to the list, Flashpoint from Tampa Bay ABC affiliate WFTS. It is hosted by Brendan McLaughlin, who is one of the best television anchors in the market. It has been on for [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2007, 8:18pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• SHOULD DON IMUS GO BACK ON THE AIR? LET THE LISTE...

  Number of comments: 3
  SHOULD DON IMUS GO BACK ON THE AIR? LET THE LISTENERS DECIDE!
  
  Just over four months ago, national broadcast personality Don Imus was fired from his simulcast radio/cable morning show after he made, to say the least, insensitive remarks regarding the Rutgers University women's basketball team' [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2007, 6:49pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT A COUPLE OF UPDATES Jus...

  DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT A COUPLE OF UPDATES
  
  Just a little FYI: There are a couple of posts from earlier that have been updated.
  
  If you want to know where your favourite presidential candidate will be appearing in Florida, click here. Some changed information, as well' [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2007, 5:08am EDT
  by Robert C.

• PINELLAS AREA GOP RISING STAR BUSTED He was a ris...

  PINELLAS AREA GOP RISING STAR BUSTED
  
  He was a rising star on the Pinellas County Republican political scene, a Yale graduate, and an Eagle Scout. He narrowly lost a race for State House 52 last year, counting among his contributors the city's fire chief, and even then-Tampa Bay Devil' [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2007, 4:27am EDT
  by Robert C.

• LOCAL LEGISLATOR RETURNS TO POSITION OF INFLUENCE....

  LOCAL LEGISLATOR RETURNS TO POSITION OF INFLUENCE...SORT OF
  
  Earlier this year, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio (R - Coral Gables) punished Lakeland Republican Representative Dennis Ross by stripping him of his influential chairmanship of the Safety and Security Council after he bucked the majority GOP leadership [...]
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  Posted: August 15, 2007, 6:48pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• PLENTY OF PRESIDENTIAL WANNABEE NEWS ACROSS FLORID...

  PLENTY OF PRESIDENTIAL WANNABEE NEWS ACROSS FLORIDA TODAY
  
  Sorry we missed out on a couple of events that occured today which apparantly we didn't find out about until it was too late.
  
  In Winter Park, the presidential campaign of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani opened' [...]
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  Posted: August 15, 2007, 4:42pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD...OR CARED...THERE'S ONE...

  IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T HEARD...OR CARED...THERE'S ONE LESS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
  
  Former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson officially ended his Republican presidential campaign Sunday after finishing a distant sixth in the Ames, Iowa straw poll. He had said that it would take a first or second place finish in [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2007, 6:38pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• KEEP AN EYE OUT...THE TROPICS ARE BECOMING ACTIVE...

  
  KEEP AN EYE OUT...THE TROPICS ARE BECOMING ACTIVE
  To this point, the first half of the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season has been rather quiet. Only three named tropical storms, all of which meandered out to sea and were of no threat to the North American [...]
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  Posted: August 14, 2007, 4:23am EDT
  by Robert C.

• IF YOU RECIEVE THIS E-MAIL, IT'S ONLY AN URBAN MYT...

  IF YOU RECIEVE THIS E-MAIL, IT'S ONLY AN URBAN MYTH
  
  Dara Kam writes in today's Palm Beach Post that a number of Floridians have been receiving an e-mail warning them of sharply higher fines for such traffic violations as illegally driving in a car pool lane and [...]
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  Posted: August 13, 2007, 6:07pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• BACK RUNNING ON ALL CYLINDERS...FOR NOW First, le...

  BACK RUNNING ON ALL CYLINDERS...FOR NOW
  
  First, let me take a moment to thank all of you who have visited, supported, and linked to I4J for the past three-plus years (it's been that long already?), and hope that you will continue to do so as this blog continues to [...]
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  Posted: August 13, 2007, 4:56am EDT
  by Robert C.

• WHITE HOUSE S-O-B ROVE IS RESIGNING!!! The Wall S...

  Number of comments: 2
  WHITE HOUSE S-O-B ROVE IS RESIGNING!!!
  
  The Wall Street Journal is reporting this morning that White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove is resigning effective August 31. Rove told WSJ editorial page editor Paul Gigot that he will be returning to his home in the Texas [...]
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  Posted: August 13, 2007, 3:46am EDT
  by Robert C.

• NATIONAL GOP UNDERDOGS WIN AMES, IOWA STRAW POLL ...

  NATIONAL GOP UNDERDOGS WIN AMES, IOWA STRAW POLL
  
  Saturday marked another sign of tradition at the Iowa State Fair in Ames, the Republican straw poll. With six months before the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses, candidates who have done well at this event have used it for bragging rights and as [...]
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  Posted: August 12, 2007, 7:24am EDT
  by Robert C.

• IF YOU THINK IT'S HOT HERE... We're only catching...

  IF YOU THINK IT'S HOT HERE...
  
  We're only catching the edge of a truly scorching heat wave that is smothering much of the southeastern US. The high temperatures registered during the past two days at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport --- the city's official weather reporting station --- were [...]
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  Posted: August 12, 2007, 6:59am EDT
  by Robert C.

• BOB GRAHAM AGREES WITH ME! Back in mid-January, I...

  BOB GRAHAM AGREES WITH ME!
  
  Back in mid-January, I wrote a posting for this blog championing the idea of five regional presidential preference primaries (or caucuses, should individual states favour that idea), to eliminate the childish "frontloading" that we are seeing states do to make their event first [...]
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  Posted: August 11, 2007, 5:52pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• A WORD IN SUPPORT OF POLK COUNTY'S MASS TRANSIT A...

  A WORD IN SUPPORT OF POLK COUNTY'S MASS TRANSIT (UPDATED 08/13)
  
  A few weeks ago, during one of my absences, there was a letter to the editor in the Lakeland Ledger questioning the need for a local bus system. The writer claims that when he drove down Florida Avenue [...]
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  Posted: August 11, 2007, 5:13pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• LOCAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FILLED FOR PRESIDENTIAL...

  LOCAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS FILLED FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
  
  At least in a couple of cases, the presidential campaigns are beginning to announce individuals to head up their grass roots efforts in counties across the Sunshine State.
  
  Here in Polk County, the Rudy Giuliani campaign has named former local GOP [...]
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  Posted: August 11, 2007, 5:12am EDT
  by Robert C.

• THIS SUNDAY ON THE CHAT SHOWS ABC / This Week wit...

  THIS SUNDAY ON THE CHAT SHOWS
  
  ABC / This Week with George Stephanopoulos: Two presidential candidates, U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R - KS) and Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D - OH), will appear on the day before the Ames, Iowa straw poll, considered an important sign [...]
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  Posted: August 10, 2007, 7:33pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• FLORIDA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN CALENDAR Please kee...

  FLORIDA PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN CALENDAR (UPDATED 08/17)
  
  Please keep in mind that often, a candidate will make a quick in-and-out visit to a city for a private fundraising event or meeting with a group which would receive little or no advance warning. The events shown here are confirmed by the [...]
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  Posted: August 10, 2007, 5:16pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• I'M BACK UP...BUT FOR HOW LONG??? Somehow, somewa...

  I'M BACK UP...BUT FOR HOW LONG???
  
  Somehow, someway, my home PC is back up.
  
  After five weeks of failing to switch from the IBM logo into Windows, I just tried it this afternoon and the PC finally is working normally. This has happened several times before, anywhere from [...]
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  Posted: August 10, 2007, 5:07pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• RANDOM NOTES FOR THIS WEEK Unfortunately, since m...

  RANDOM NOTES FOR THIS WEEK
  
  Unfortunately, since my personal computer has basically seen it's final days, I am relegated to one hour a week on a computer at the local library. As a result, I will combine several subjects into one post to save time and effort.
  
  --- [...]
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  Posted: August 10, 2007, 8:08am EDT
  by Robert C.

• A CONSUMER AFFAIRS REPORTING PIONEER IS GONE It w...

  A CONSUMER AFFAIRS REPORTING PIONEER IS GONE
  
  It was very sad to hear earlier this week of the passing of one of America's earliest local television consumer affairs reporters/advocates. While you may not know his name, you may be familiar in a way of one of his earliest endeavors.
  [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2007, 9:04am EDT
  by Robert C.

• I'VE NOT FORGOTTEN...MY APOLIGIES Once again, my ...

  I'VE NOT FORGOTTEN...MY APOLIGIES
  
  Once again, my computer has gone on the fritz, and I have no idea when it will come around again...if it ever does. This post comes through the courtesy of the Lakeland Public Library, and hopefully very soon I will return to post here. Thanks [...]
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  Posted: July 13, 2007, 10:00am EDT
  by Robert C.

• A TALE OF TWO FLORIDA SENATORS, OR, IF YOU THINK T...

  A TALE OF TWO FLORIDA SENATORS, OR, IF YOU THINK THE LBJ - RFK SCHISM WAS NASTY...
  
  Lakeland Ledger political writer Bill Rufty has an interesting piece this morning on the apparantly widening gulf between two Polk County state senators, Paula Dockery (R - Lakeland) and [...]
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  Posted: June 25, 2007, 6:15am EDT
  by Robert C.

• THE WORD GETS AROUND... It's always nice to get a...

  THE WORD GETS AROUND...
  
  It's always nice to get a mention here and there for an idea or other piece I've written here, and it's always appreciated.
  
  A while back, I was moved to write about an idea which would hopefully resolve the madness currently surrounding scheduling [...]
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  Posted: June 24, 2007, 6:59pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• HERE'S AN IDEA IF I WON THE LOTTERY... When I was...

  HERE'S AN IDEA IF I WON THE LOTTERY...
  
  When I was a kid growing up in rural South Mississippi during the 1960s, we didn't have many choices for entertainment besides the radio, the movie theatre or maybe a rare family outing to the beach at Gulfport or Biloxi (we [...]
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  Posted: June 24, 2007, 11:14am EDT
  by Robert C.

• ANOTHER NEW VOICE IN THE LOCAL BLOGOSPHERE More a...

  ANOTHER NEW VOICE IN THE LOCAL BLOGOSPHERE
  
  More and more people, from working Joes to presidential candidates, have realized that blogging is a way of having your voice and opinions communicated unedited. There are a growing number of elected officials that are coming aboard, and we can now count [...]
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  Posted: June 24, 2007, 7:27am EDT
  by Robert C.

• PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FLORIDA APPEARANCE CALENDA...

  PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES FLORIDA APPEARANCE CALENDAR
  
  This is as complete a list as I could put together using information from the various candidate's Web sites (at least, those that actually list upcoming events) and media sources. Of course, please remember that in some cases a campaign may not publicaly announce [...]
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  Posted: June 23, 2007, 7:27pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• THIS WEEK ON THE SUNDAY CHAT SHOWS ABC / This Wee...

  THIS WEEK ON THE SUNDAY CHAT SHOWS
  
  ABC / This Week with George Stephanopoulos: U.S. Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy (D - MA) will be the featured guest to discuss the controversial immigration reform comprimise, followed by the response by collegue Jeff Sessions (R - AL). [...]
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  Posted: June 22, 2007, 8:26pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• IT'S NOT TOO EARLY FOR THE LOCAL CANDIDATES, EITHE...

  IT'S NOT TOO EARLY FOR THE LOCAL CANDIDATES, EITHER!
  
  While much of the attention is being focused on the presidential candidates, we're seeing that a year-plus ahead is not too early for local politicos to begin qualifying for the ballot. Of course, most of those who have opened campaign [...]
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  Posted: June 20, 2007, 6:20am EDT
  by Robert C.

• OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF CH...

  OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE PEOPLE OF CHARLESTON TONIGHT
  
  It is always sad to hear of any first responder who gives his or her life in the line of duty, but the people of Charleston, South Carolina's grief is especially great following the death of nine [...]
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  Posted: June 19, 2007, 7:46pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• 2008'S VERSION OF WALLACE/PEROT/ANDERSON??? He w...

  2008'S VERSION OF WALLACE/PEROT/ANDERSON???
  
  He was first a Democrat, then switched to the GOP when he felt it would be an easier primary to win. Now, New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael P. Bloomberg has left the Republican Party to register as an Independent, further [...]
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  Posted: June 19, 2007, 7:28pm EDT
  by Robert C.

• THE CALENDAR HAS BEEN UPDATED Click here to check...

  THE CALENDAR HAS BEEN UPDATED
  
  Click here to check out the updated calendar of visits to Florida by the major party candidates for president.
  
  One thing I should mention here: There are several events which have been added, but the location was not announced, only noted [...]
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  Posted: June 16, 2007, 4:38pm EDT
  by Robert C.