Daily Loaf

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week:

Reconstructing a historic bat tower in Temple Terrace and how to build your own bat roost- Grant Rimbey investigates efforts in Temple Terrace to reconstruct an historic tower for bats, discusses a large community bat roost he designed for the Florida Bat Conservancy, and tells how you can purchase (or build) your own bat roost for your yard.

Summer Solstice: A brief history- Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, occurs this Sunday- June 21st. Here are a few facts you might not have known about it, from Linda Taylor.

Organics: How to eat well without breaking your budget- With the increase of demand over organic food in the last ten years you would think that a wide range of these products would be easily accessible. Here’s some some advice from Kelly Rothwell on purchasing healthy, organic food in this region without breaking your budget.
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Recently, I received an email from a local filmmaker, Arlen Slobodow of Public Media Productions, asking me to take a look at a 17-minute video he just completed on public health and the environmental consequences of air pollution in the Tampa Bay area.  Because I am such a supporter of local independent media production, things that inspire action for the public good, and combating big polluters, I thought I’d share it.  Also, be sure to check out my interview with the film’s writer/director/producer, Arlen Slobodow, in my next post.

Video after the jump
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Have you ever heard the Vietnam-era quote, “war is not healthy for children and other living things?” It is a staunchly obvious and painstakingly reasonable appeal that cuts to the ethical core and casualties of war.  I read an article this week that reminded me of it, but instead of war, the murderous culprit in this story is climate change.

A new report by the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) says that global warming already kills about 300,000 people a year.  If that projection is not startling enough– or if you have more of an economic mind, and are not much swayed by stacks of human figures—the report also says that climate change costs around $125 billion in economic losses annually.
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Fri-Sun. May 8-10. Exxxotica Miami. The largest adult event and expo on the east coast, featuring adult entertainers Jesse Jane, Stoya, Angelina Armani, Riley Steele, Jenna Haze, Ron Jeremy, Sasha Grey, Teagan Presley, Savanna Samson, Bree Olson, Kaydeb Kross, Sunny Leone, Eva Angelina, Alexis Texas, Joanna Angel, and Gina Lynn.

Fri. May 8. Clothing Optional Foam Party. Live Bands, DJ, Foam, a potluck dinner, a pool, hot tub, camping, and nudity. What more could you want? A music video will also be shot on location so bring some friends to fill out the crowd. 7pm. $10. The Riverboat Nudist Club. www.NaturallyNude.com.

Sat. May 9. Foot Party at the Quest. The Fabulous Mistress Diana and friends will be hosting a foot, show, and boot fetish play party. Bring all your fabulous fetish shoes, high heel spikes, your skit kicker boots and your cute little twinkle toes and join us for a stomping good time cleaning, licking, sucking, and worshiping Tampa Bays most fabulous feet. 10pm. $30. The Quest. 12517 66th St. N. Largo, FL 33773. Read the rest of this entry »

While they don’t run the streets, the Gang of Five Four do run our county. Known for their environmental attacks, sprawl creation and developer-friendly wide stance, the Gang of Five has recently controlled the Hillsborough County Commission. That is, until its weakest link was picked off Tuesday by a citizen army fighting for a respectable candidate.

Kevin Beckner has beaten the incumbent Brian Blair!

The gang of 5 consisted of Blair, Norman, White, Higginbotham and Hagan. The board itself has seven members so while it still seems as if the gang will have a majority, the message sent on election day is certain to get through to even the dullest members remaining. The power of an unhappy constituency can still be greater than the dollars of special interest. Beckner and his troops have proven that.

Two other gang members were up for re-election but Hagan had only a questionable write-in and the other, Al Higginbotham, had unknown Pete Gifford to contend with. Gifford had almost no campaign contributions only $4,340 to Higginbotham’s $160,000+ yet he still garnered 30% of the vote without doing much of anything. That should send the message that if someone campaigned in earnest that Higginbotham is vulnerable.

While the war on this gang will probably continue, I have a feeling Beckner’s win might just sway a few of the gang votes in the direction of the community instead of over-developers in the near future. It might also convince them to take citizens a little more seriously instead of just disregarding those citizens willing to get involved. Just a hunch.