Nobody asked me, but -
. . . Belleair, as everybody knows, is a rich guys town, but you don't get rich by throwing the old do-re-mi away and not taking advantage of bargains. In a word to the wise, consider: Sheriff Jim Coats will police Belleair for half a million dollars less than a town police force would cost. It's no-brainer, hey?
. . . Who's in, who's out; who's up, who's down - in Largo, favored collateral assignments went to La Mayoress Pat Gerard (Pinellas Planning Council), while Commissioners Harriet Crozier and Gay Gentry sit, respectively, on the Metropolitan Planning Organization and PSTA boards (both have prestige). Out in the chill - Commissioners Mary Black, Andy Guyette, Rodney Woods and, surprisingly, Gigi Arntzen.
. . . Jim Driscoll plumping hard for a super-dooper library in Indian Rocks Beach, a venture way over the head of the little city, and far beyond its modest means. He's a former mayor - maybe he figures they will name it after him (if it ever comes to fruition).
. . . Our clever (and funny) friend notes - Fidel Castro is ill and has temporarily transferred his presidential power to his brother Raul. As soon as Raul found out he was taking over, he turned his raft around and went back to Havana.
. . . Reports are that five million elderly Americans have not signed up for their Medicare drug plan - a confused mess but these individuals will not be given any sort of extension. But 12 million jackanapes in this country illegally are going to be allowed to stay, protest, procreate (and have children who are mistakenly thought to be citizens), receive support money, attend schools, avoid paying income taxes, and so on. Something wrong with this picture?
. . . Somehow or other the mayor and the city manager just cannot come up with a plan to straighten out a very screwed up Clearwater Fire Department.
. . . If you're wondering why and how Largo's mayor, Pat Gerard, has earned the nickname "Giggles," check out her performance when wielding the gavel.
. . . Hezbollah is a gang of terrorists, right? President Bush has vowed all-out war for the elimination of terrorists, right? So why was the U.S. so urgently pushing for a cease-fire between Hezbollah and Israel? Seems to me Israel was pursuing American policy. I don't get it.
. . . And another thing - what is up with this no profiling of what may be likely bad characters in the airport screenings? Little old ladies and get this - soldiers, veterans of the Iraq war get big scrutiny, but the obvious types don't. Talk about carrying political correctness too far.
. . . Pinellas taxpayers, you ought to love this - cities in the county are fighting certain provisions in a revised county charter. Both sides are mounting publicity and legal campaigns. And you get to pay both ends of it - all the expenses come out of your tax dollars (dollars you are kissing good-bye).
. . . Come to think of it, we Americans are paying both sides of the nastiness in Iraq and Afghanistan. The other side gets paid out of oil dollars, which we "addicted" folks supply.
. . . Largo's Cultural Center has a big "do" coming up the end of September. It is a gala put on by Partners in Progress to raise money. And, heaven knows, money is needed. The Cultural Center, a white elephant if there ever was one, costs the city of Largo $10,000-plus a week. Yep, you read that correctly - Ten Thousand Simoleons a WEEK!
. . . Leave it to sensible Mary Black on the Largo City Commission. With the possibility of a new watchdog internal auditor looming, she very prudently suggested that budget money be earmarked for such. What she got in reply was a lot of stall tactics. It will be interesting to see where this idea goes.