The Way I See ItBy cj pollickDowntown Clearwater Holiday Wreath Contest - Join the holiday fun and participate in the inaugural Downtown Development Board Holiday Wreath Decorating Contest. Cash prizes will be awarded. The wreaths will be a part of the city's Holiday Light Up Downtown festivities to be held on Cleveland Street on December 5th. Wreaths must be submitted in person on December 3rd between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Clearwater City Hall lobby. For more information call: Anne Fogarty-France at 562-4044. Holiday Season Boat Parades - Each year several of our local beach communities sponsor a boat parade. It is amazing how some people decorate their boat for this holiday extravaganza on the water. Don't miss the following boat parades:
Another New Bank For Belleair Bluffs - The corner property in Belleair Bluffs at Indian Rocks Road and West Bay Drive once housed a gas station, however, the land owner needed more rent and the gas station owner closed shop. The property was later sold to become a branch office of HOME BANC. This branch bank is expected to open for business the beginning of 2009. It is amazing to notice all the many banks with branch offices in Belleair Bluffs. There is a branch bank at just about every major business location-- Bank of America, Regions Bank, BB&T Bank, Sun Trust Bank, Wachovia Bank, Northern Trust Bank, etc. Looking for a bank servicing the Belleair area? Try driving to Belleair Bluffs--they are all there willing and waiting for your business. USF Football - What the heck has happened to USF football the past four weeks? The BULLS have lost the post-season playoff spot. (Maybe, if they are lucky, the St. Petersburg Bowl.) How are football commentators rating the BULLS progress this year? Coaching? Average. Defense? Average. (Weak pass defense.) Special teams? Average to below average. Offense? Average to below average. (Offensive line below average.) Fan support? Above average. Perhaps the BULLS need a coaching shot in the arm... or worse. They must win one of the two remaining conference games in order to earn a playoff spot. GO BULLS. Then, there is GATOR BALL, possibly the best football team in America--the Florida Gators. GO GATORS. Sen. Joe Lieberman Still A Democrat – More than once during the campaign trail Sen. Joe Lieberman said, “I’m a Democrat who ran as an Independent but I am supporting the Republican ticket.” When Sen. Obama won the Presidency, Democrats were outraged at Lieberman maintaining his status in the Democrat Caucus. “We want him out,” said more than one Democrat Senator. The days of Joe Lieberman as a Democrat appeared over. However, on Tuesday Democrat leaders allowed Lieberman to keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee. Bygones are bygones, said Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada. Interestingly, it was only yesterday when fellow Democrats needed the vote and support of Sen. Joe Lieberman to control Congress. Of course, that was two years ago and now Democrats do not need Lieberman’s support to maintain control in the US Congress. My how times have changed for that independent Democrat who supported the “Maverick” Republican, Sen. John McCain. It Is The Economy Stupid – Remember the phrase used by the Clintons and their paid political hatchet-men when beating on President Bush (Senior) during the (then) Presidential campaign? “It’s the economy, stupid.” Well, the worm does turn and now Democrats in charge of our good nation must address the statement, “It is the economy, stupid.” How will the Democrats in charge bail out just about every large bank, insurance company, credit card company and automobile maker in America? How many trillions of taxpayer funds will it take to “get things moving” according to the Democrats. Of course, many hard-working people wonder if they will ever elect someone to watch over their hard-earned tax funds being wasted in Washington. Bush and his Republican friends wasted money like drunken sailors and soon Obama and his Democrat friends will follow in those steps. Why? Simple, Congress runs America and they have their own agenda, regardless of Obama’s agenda. In fact, isn’t it ironic that most members in the Obama cabinet are old Clinton people and not new faces for change! No, it is likely that when Sen. Hillary Clinton gets the Sec. of State post, both she and Bill will usurp the national spotlight as if she was the President herself. After all, it would be her husband’s cabinet that would be running the country with a neophyte President. Deep recession? Yep, and perhaps getting worse. Just How Bad Is The Economy - Last night the Prime Minister of England stated the global economic meltdown began in America and has spread to most all of Europe. One opponent in the House of Commons, however, stated it was not just in America where the economic meltdown began, but bad economic decisions in Great Britain made England worse than all other European nations. Suffice that members of the House of Commons were pointing their fingers much like fingers are pointed in the US Congress to President Bush. How bad is the American economy? Consider these facts: US Steel will lay off another 2% of its workforce due to low metal prices, such as copper, etc. All large US automobile makers are in deep financial trouble and would go bankrupt without bailout funds from our government (taxpayers). General Electric is in financial trouble and needs government funds. Bank of America keeps buying companies but has lost 55% shareholder value in the last six months. Metropolitan, Prudential, Hartford, Genworth, Lincoln National, and a host of other large insurers are seeking government bailout funds by buying small, nearly worthless banks in order to qualify for federal bailout funds. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Carmax, BofA stock was sold by Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway. Ted Turner on television last week said the government should also think of the restaurant industry when looking to bailout companies. “They are in trouble.” How bad is the economy? Bad, and getting worse. Imagine. And, yes, we have been led into this position by some of the best financial minds from Harvard, Yale, University of Chicago, Princeton, Stanford, etc. |