Clearwater Beach, Florida - There has been much talk about building new, highrise hotels on Clearwater Beach. In fact, many of the so-called approved hotel/condominium projects have cleared land in preparation for the building project.
Mike Cheezum has begun building his hotel project on land that once proudly held the Clearwater Beach Hotel. The Old Days Inn Hotel land on 1st Street has been cleared and is ready for construction of an enormous hotel project. Of course, it is currently still open land.
Then there is the hotel project planned for 3rd Street, once referred to as the Kimpton project (now Hyatt.) This property had also been cleared for development, but awaits kick-off construction.
Ready for hotel development on Clearwater Beach? Yes, citizens are anxious to see the final product.
Out Of Gas - Due to an electrical problem (they think), boaters who wanted to buy gas at Clearwater City Marina over Memorial weekend were informed to try another fuel dock. "Couldn't get the pump working," said fuel attendants, "they think it is an electrical problem."
It was stated that city staff would engage the problem (after the holiday) and hopefully have it fixed as soon as possible.
How much in fuel sales was lost to the fuel dock problem?
I'd say a full gas truck load," stated the fuel dock gas truck driver. How much in dollars? "Thousands of dollars," said the driver, "It was a busy weekend."
Back-up plan for pumping fuel when there is an electrical problem due to problematical electrical lines under city docks? Interesting dilemma, when you consider problems created by high tides at a city marina.
How Old Should One Be To Drive A Boat? - Most of us have occasionally noticed young people driving a small boat at a high speed. How old is young? There are times when I would guess the age of some boat drivers at 12 or 13 years old. This is young in my book.
In Key West, a 13-year-old driving a flats boat ran over a six-year-old snorkeling with his Dad. Killed the six-year-old, hit the Dad's boat and it sank. The young driver fled the scene and was later caught and arrested. Thirteen-years-old and in big trouble. Worse, imagine the horror of the Dad.
How old should one be to drive a boat?
Disgrace! - Wow, when our veterans are selling poppies for donations while millions of illegals are marching into our hospitals expecting FREE care there is a MAJOR PROBLEM!
Price Of Gas - The price of gas is costing the average American family about 10 percent of family income. Top 10 most expensive places for driving related to costs for a gallon of gasoline?
Notice where Florida ranks as one of the most expensive places for driving a car.
Home Depot Shareholders Unhappy - If there are success stories in the building and home supply business it probably includes the name of Home Depot.
However, and just because we buy many home products from Home Depot, it does not mean all is well with the company. For example, at the recent Home Depot annual meeting for stockholders, board of directors on the compensation committee did not show-up. Directors missed the annual stockholders meeting where people who had invested in the company could have asked questions and hoped for honest answers from directors.
When shareholders did ask about the high pay for the CEO hired in 2001 (compensated about $123.7 million), no answers were given. In fact, and even though Home Depot stock had reportedly dropped 9 percent in the same period of time, no answers were given to questioning shareholders.
Not good for top management. Board members of Home Depot were arrogant and reflected a we-don't-care-what-you-think attitude to investors.
Buy Home Depot stock?
You tell me. However, one thing is abundantly clear, investors are not pleased with large compensation plans for CEO's of large public companies. (Like the retirement package recently given to Exxon's CEO.)
Sexual Molestation - In Nebraska, Judge Kristine Cecava said Richard Thompson is too short for jail. At 5'1" Thompson "could not make it in prison" due to his conviction for child molestation, said Judge Cecava. Instead of jail, Thompson got 10 years of probation with counseling. In Nebraska you obviously could avoid jail time for sexual molestation if you are too short. Interesting problem, wouldn't you say?
Too old for sex charges? No, a man aged 79 recently plead guilty to a sex charge.
Too strange? Yes, in North Carolina a man was being released from jail for serving his time due to sexual battery. It seems as though the man will be released to become homeless . . . yet, the state expects him to be properly monitored.
Sexual predators in your neighborhood? One mother takes this matter seriously.
Look them up online and let your neighbors know where they are located. There is at least one mother in Tampa that looks for registered sexual predators online and if any are found in her neighborhood, she immediately alerts her neighbors. "I think most parents of children would want to know," said the young mother.