Tampa Taxi Shots

Many people in Tampa have had a drink at The Hub Bar downtown Tampa. Many even remember its old location on Zack st. The Hub always drew an eclectic crowd and these people fit that mode. From the cool, run down, loft apartment, and the way they dressed, it had hipster written all over it. Not wannabe hipsters, for they had been at this fir a while. In fact, they even remembered Rocky, the ex boxer, who used to hang around. I asked them if they knew a big guy named Larry. They said he was a good guy but he hasn't been around much anymore. Anyway, when leaving I noticed a Yellow Cab pulled up and it looked like it might make a cool picture. You can see the Tampa Theatre in the background.

The sunrise on the camping trip They say as you get older, the less you like change. I would also add uncertainty into the mix and has much to do with why I dread Saturdays. Its going to be long, and at my age, I would really like to have leisure time. You know, on the weekends when 'normal' people are out doing things and spending time with friends and family. I spend time with shoppers, drunks, angry people who call me raciest. Well, you get the picture. This is just not what I envisioned for myself. Unfortunately, the aspects if this business and the persistently bad economic situation in the Tampa Bay area, has left me between a rock and a hard place. I just don't have the energy to go for the long hauls anymore while loving every second of it. I would once bound out of bed and look forward to the day. Not so much anymore. The economy has taken; the taxi overloards have taken; the gast compaies have taken; life is taking its place in line looking over the shoul...

Running the A/C this time of year pisses me off. I sound like I'm complaining because I am. Eight months if heat has worn me down. Every single day is 83 degrees. Please, can we have some cool. This is downtown and you can see the blue skies which mean we are under a Bermuda High. Damn!

Hanging from my rearview mirror is a subtle reminder of why you must pay the fare. Shrunken heads are on display. Please, don't make me add to the collection.

This road is taken me to the camp for the Bigfoot expedition in the Green Swamp. George and I will be using an experimental form of infrared, full spectrum, night optics. If it works, it will have one man at a distance and the other at the tree line in total darkness but being able to see everything.

These two cats have been hanging around United Cab for years. A retired mechanic comes by every morning to feed them. You should see them come running when they see his car! Its chow time baby. The cats are feral. In fact, they are very friendly and really should have a home.

Things really drop off after a major holiday. The Bugs are on the road. However, there should be two cruise ships in today and that should help.

This news truck was parked at the SweetBay early this morning on Swann in Hyde Park . I guess people buying Turkey is the story of the day. The other one may be the winter storms that are causing flight cancellations and could adversely affect our taxi business today.

I got hit from behind foe the second time this year. I was sitting at a red light and the person behind me thought the light had turned green. I was not hurt and only superficial damage to the car. It dud take me out of the loop for a while.

A plague was put up friday honoring JFK in Gaslight Park. The city wants to make November 18 JFK day. They get my vote. The plaque was put up at the moment the shots rang out 50 years ago. I just noticed a mistake...It was Al Lang stadium, not Lopez. Did you know C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley both died on that day? Talk about conspiracy theories! Related articles Aldous Huxley, C.S. Lewis, JFK John F. Kennedy, C.S Lewis, Aldous Huxley: A dinner party with a difference.. Nation, Tampa mark 50th anniversary of JFK's death CS Lewis: The Belfast boy whose death was overshadowed by JFK November 22, 1963: JFK, CS Lewis, and Aldous Huxley, Rest in Peace CS Lewis: In the shadow of JFK's death...

At the exact moment they were playing the bells in Deally Plazas, I was struck from behind. Wam! I'm ok. Just don't know what this means.

I was seven years old when JFK was assassinated. Clearly too young for it to have had any real impact in my life. Like all who were alive then, I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. My brother and I were in second grade at Mt Carmel elementary school in Newport News Virginia. A radio was being played over the intercom and they said the President and the Texas governor had been shot. The school let us go home, and our mother picked us up. The frontline of death that day was felt when we got home and found our riverine turtle dead. Perhaps it was the chlorine water in his little tank that did him in. Anyway, TV was now on wall to wall coverage that would last for days. I've always believed the geniuses of 24 he cable news was born then. Millions were watching. I remember playing in a refrigerator box from the unit that had been delivered that week when someone started yelling "Oswald beens shot." Oswald went from nobody to household name overnight. You can...