The Way I See ItBy cj pollickClearwater City Council Must Decide - Providing city police services beyond the scope of Pinellas County's Sheriff Department services is expensive. That is why most small towns in Pinellas County have switched city police services to the Sheriff's Department - cost savings while maintaining the same level of service. (Many local town policemen usually are offered the same or similar job duties under the Sheriff's Dept.) However, larger Pinellas County cities, such as Clearwater, have opted to keep their local police department (and expenses) rather than review what potential cost savings and services could be offered by the Sheriff's Dept. How do the numbers compared. Time will tell! Clearwater Super Boats Championship … Oct. 2nd-4th - Offshore power boat racing will take place off Clearwater Beach for the first time. Events are scheduled for three days at Pier 60 and Coachman Park. Clearwater Marine Aquarium - If you are thinking of a place to visit with your children or grandchildren, then consider visiting the Clearwater Marine Aquarium located at Island Estates, Clearwater Beach. Children will be amazed at the aquatic life at the Clearwater Aquarium and especially the story of Winter the bottlenose dolphin. Prices are reasonable at $11 an adult and $7.50 a child (seniors at $9.00.) Hours are M-F 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 9.a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sundays at 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. Try the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. Beyond The Time For Term Limits - Case in point, Sen. Robert Byrd, 91, of West Virginia, has been in "frail" health for a number of years. Can he be effective at the job he is being paid by the taxpayers to perform? Either we believe the job of congressman or senator is relevant or not! The time has come for term limits on these positions! Obama Backtracks On Promise To Change Washington - Recently President Obama, who promised to bring change to the way things were done in Washington, opted to play the same political games as his predecessors. What games? Obama became personally involved in who should run for political office in places like New York, Virginia, Illinois, Massachusetts, and a host of other states where Obama desires to hand-pick what people he would like to see in office. Of course, with the President's support, campaign money flows. More of the same old political games in Washington? Yes, not much has changed. Afganistan War Getting Worse -If you follow words recently spoken by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, then more US troops are immediately needed in Afghanistan or the war could be lost. Of course, with more US troops goes an additional federal cost to the military budget. How has President Obama reacted to this news? He is deciding whether to send more troops into Afghanistan (as suggested by Gen. McChrystal.) Taliban leader Mullah Omar, on the other hand, stated that all invaders in Afghanistan should realize they can't win the war and should immediately leave. Omar added that neither Alexander the Great nor the British Empire could defeat the people of Afghanistan (neither will America.) More US troops to defeat the terrorists in Afghanistan? President Obama will decide. Driving And Texting - Tampa DUI investigator recorded a driver weaving as he drove along the roads in Tampa. When stopped by the investigator, the male driver said he was not drinking, but was texting on his cell phone. The driver was not drinking, but was driving about the same as someone who was under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the DUI investigator. How risky is texting while driving? Studies have shown that a driver texting has a 23 times greater chance of being in an accident than someone who is not texting. Interestingly, 14 states have laws against texting while driving. Rep. Holder of Sarasota wants to pass legislation to make Florida the 15th state with laws against texting while driving. "I think it is a no-brainer," said Rep. Holder. Parents Say It Is OK - A 12-year-old boy is preparing to have a sex change operation. Yes, the boy's parents say it's fine with them to have the operation. The reason? The boy likes to dress like a girl, even at school, where teachers have asked everyone to treat the boy as a girl! This would be the second instance where a 12-year-old boy was allowed to have sex change medical treatment. The first one was with a young German boy who began taking hormone treatments at 12 and a sex change at age 16. (With parental support.) Should 12-year-old children be able to have this type of serious sex change operation before age 18? What if these boys later find it was a mistake and wish to have the operation reversed? Sen. Max Baucus Pushes His Plan - Even without fellow Democrat support, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) plans to push his healthcare plan through the Senate Finance Committee. The Baucus Healthcare Plan? 1. Is a $856 billion cost plan to the government.When Sen. Baucus went to talk about his plan to the media not one fellow Democrat went with him to show support of this type of federal healthcare plan. Not even Sen. Rockefeller of West Virginia supports the Baucus plan. With little Democrat support and no Republican support, it makes you wonder why Sen. Baucus of Montana continues to push his idea through the Senate Finance Committee. "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." - Margaret Thatcher |