What a filthy, disgusting business is war; always in the final analysis, the product of competing ideologies, its result is the slaughter of the innocents, the butchery of its young men, very young men, who rarely fully grasp an understanding of the dogmas for whom their lives are forfeit. ...more

December 2, 2008

Years ago I wrote an article about us going over to Iraq, that it would be one of the worst decisions we ever made. Now instead of coming home and protecting our borders, they want to spend three more years over there? ...more

November 30, 2008

The pirate attacks off Somalia are infuriating for many reasons. ...more

November 22, 2008

A man in a ski mask waved an American flag and a handgun on a freeway overpass for about three hours Monday morning, forcing a massive traffic shutdown before he surrendered. ...more

November 3, 2008

Tampa Electric Co. will begin an aerial inspection of its transmission system Tuesday, using low-flying helicopters to conduct the assessment. Rick Morera, a TECO spokesman, said the helicopters will be flying below 100 feet most of the time and will momentarily hover next to each transmission pole or tower during the inspection. ...more

October 27, 2008

Two people are in stable condition today after their catamaran overturned near Shell Island, authorities said. ...more

October 26, 2008

The Taliban beheaded their relatives and terrorized their villages. Now army airstrikes are killing the innocent, say refugees who fled fighting set off by a Pakistani military offensive against the Islamic extremists. ...more

October 24, 2008

Because of ubiquitous letters to the editor from his supporters, we are well aware of sheriff candidate Ron Grimming's impressive resume. The most recent letter urged us to research Mr. Grimming's background before making our decision on whom to vote for. Sure enough, a Google search verified that Mr. Grimming was indeed a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) official, headed up campus police forces, oversaw law enforcement schools and co-authored successful books on law enforcement. ...more

October 7, 2008

I have watched the political landscape very closely this year, especially the sheriff's race. I have a concern for candidate Ron Grimming. First of all, he has lived in our county only two years and at the helm of the FHP lasted only four years, 1993-1997. Referred to as the first outsider when hired for this job, Grimming had the opportunity to respond to a reporter with the St. Pete Times after leaving office in regards to the criticism of his leadership. This researcher-reporter mentioned Grimming's "innovative attempts to modernize the FHP and splintering its focus, his weakening performance and his alienating of command staff." The writer gave Mr. Grimming three opportunities to respond, but he preferred not to defend this record of bringing in helicopters, community policing squadrons, a car theft hotline, taking troopers off the road and putting them in special units, angering Florida sheriffs. ...more

September 27, 2008

Pakistan sought to reassure Washington on Friday that it remains an ally in fighting terrorism, but warned the United States to stay out of Pakistani territory while hunting militants along the volatile border with Afghanistan. ...more

September 27, 2008