The Case of Tiffany Louise Sessions - Missing: 2/9/89

 

At this moment is 11/25/2020 when I am writing this entry, and it's been 31 years, a little bit over 31 years since the disappearance of Tiffany Louise Sessions - much of the reason I been writing cold cases as Tiffany is because of an old interest when I was a working journalist that I wanted to help family close a chapter in their lives with the departure of a loved one.

I been reading the resources of her case for over 3 months, at least the public ones but I haven't try to request any police information on documents because there was enough coverage over the years about Tiffany's disappearance and honestly they say a lot. I am probably going to be writing more about the case within the next couple of weeks, because everything that leads and the scene of her "vanishing" is still standing up in Gainesville.

We have to set our timeframe to 1989, Gainesville wasn't fully developed yet there, still isn't because of the zoning laws regards the city but back then the complex that Tiffany was living with her roommate is still there, and comparing photos from the decade of the 80's and early 90's the area of her vanishing hasn't changed that much, even walking it it's essentially stuck in time minus a few new projects over the last 30 years.

On 1989 early 1990's Casablanca East Condominiums are hasn't changed, it was mostly on the east side and Williston Road wasn't as developed, but had houses around that you could walk and still see your neighbors around, the problem is the witness reports couldn't identify her whenever she was possibly abducted, and there is no information on the public records if she had notes about people blackmailing her or she was suspicious about being followed by anyone.

Reports say she left her personal belongings on the house, she mentioned she was going for her daily night walk to her roommate but after she never came back the alarms where sound; witness mentioned that a woman with the physical description of Tiffany was seen going in a car with some unidentified individuals but is a lose tie, now if we focus on Paul Eugene Rowles the convicted serial killer who kept a book of where he committed the murders it match with the disappearance of Tiffany as his second victim and that he was working as a construction worker in one of the projects not far away from her residence.

Assuming Paul also roamed the area on his car, he probably studied Tiffany habits before aiming at her, same with the area in case he need it to dispose a body, Paul died in 2013 and I believe the police is correct and he is the main suspect, the problem is none of the neighbors could confirm the car as well the people inside, and there is difficulty to see any cars that Paul owned versus to whatever the testimony of the witness said. I don't think Tiffany left her life because there were family issues or she had any other issues, her background itself seem stable enough and she was career oriented.

The main point is to know how far away within the roads of 1989 Paul Eugene Rowles took Tiffany away, and if he knew exactly where alligators sat or in what reserve he could dispose her body without leaving any evidence especially because Gainesville is not a big city per se, but it had plenty of places to dispose a body and leave no trace.

There is Millhopper's, Micanopy, Waldo, the north side of Gainesville on MLK which is still roughly undeveloped, and around all of these places there are gators on the waters, I don't think at this moment there is a body that can be recovered because is long gone, same as the belongings of Tiffany they could had been dropped, stole by people who were cleaning the road and found a Rolex but who knows? The case still doesn't connect with the evidence or testimonies at least what is found on the public records.  

Five Foot Fire Starter Cosplay Interview and the Art of Creating Cosplays

Cosplay is an art, not only getting into character but also creating an ever lasting impression; one of the first cosplayers I saw around 10 years thanks to the wonders of the Internet I met her on Metrocon without even knowing it, I met Justine or as she is known 5Foot_Fire_Starter_Cosplay, I met the person who cosplayed as Midna from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and she was cosplaying as Princess Bubblegum along with her boyfriend who had a cosplay inspired in a steam-punk postapocalyptic Finn the Human at MegaCon 2018. 

That first reaction where you see someone who creates a positive impression on you, as a con-goer Justine had it on me, because on that short time I was assisting to the conventions I never saw an approach that imprinted a personal sense of fashion and style towards the creation of the character and execution. 

5Foot_Fire_Starter_Cosplay

The 2017 – 2018 Florida convention season was my first year assisting fully at the cons, and it was a magical experience, not only I met amazing illustrators but also the cosplayers, cosplayers truly are the essence of any con, they can bring magic to kids and adult by their creation and Justine the same person who inspired me to celebrate the work of the cosplayer gave me a moment of her time to interview her. 

If you want to know more about Justine, below are links to her Facebook and Instagram pages: 

• Facebook: Five Foot Fire Starter Cosplay
• Instagram: Five Foot Fire Starter Cosplay

1. What event influenced you to started cosplaying? 

Well it wasn’t an event but I’ve had plenty of influence throughout my life and the push in the right direction started when I was very young, like 5 or 6 maybe even younger, it was one morning before school, and my mom and I would have music or tv on in the background while we were getting ready and my mom had been flipping through channels, and she found what would be the first influence to push me in the right direction to cosplay culture. 

What she had found that morning was Sailor Moon, now this is going to show my age a bit, before Sailor Moon aired in the afternoon on the old Toonami block on cartoon network (along with DBZ and Godzilla)in the late 90’s it actually aired super early week day mornings on either PBS or another channel that aired cartoons super early on weekdays, but that morning my mom came into my room and proceeded to flip through the channels of my tiny tv (it was also one of those tv with the VCR attached) and she kept saying that I needed to check out this show that she found and that I would probably love it and loved it I did and it was the day that I became fully interested in anime, japan and all other things nerdy and geeky. 

From there I didn’t hide away my interests and always found a way to express myself, when I was shy it was through drawing and then eventually it was through musical theater (it was this that really brought me out of my shell) and competitive dance (both in school and ballroom dancing outside of school) and both of those really pushed me into costume design and costume making ( some of my first costumes that I made from scratch were costumes for my ballroom competitions); the only downside of all this was proceeding to get bullied throughout school because of my interests and not having very many friends because of it and I really didn’t feel accepted until college and I felt at home during my time at Ringling College of Art and Design as almost everyone there was nerdy and geeky in some way. 

During my time in college I was also in my first serious/long term relationship and my boyfriend at that time was also a huge nerd/geek so we connected pretty well and within the first couple of months of dating he told me about the convention scene and he had been a part of it and had been going to cons like Metrocon and Jacon for a few years now. 

It was at that point that I thought to myself how sheltered my life had been and what rock had I been living under, it was then during late 2007 and my first year in college that I started preparing and making my own cosplays and cosplaying. 

2. What was your first con? Did you cosplay or went as a mere spectator? 

My first con was Jacon ’08 and yes I did cosplay, my cosplays weren’t the best as I didn’t have the skills that I do now, but I managed to throw together a Pikachu hoodie that I converted from a regular hoodie that I had and I designed my first cat girl OC and I also just wore one of my ballroom competition dresses that I made which everyone thought I was cosplaying as a character from WoW so I just went with it and everything worked out. 

3. What memories do you have of that first Con? 

Everything about my first con was amazing including the bad parts, I seriously wish Jacon was still around it was the perfect first convention and from what I heard and from my own experience nothing tops your first con. 

It wasn’t too big or too small, there was plenty to see and do and it kept me going for all three days, I wanted to buy everything in the vendors room and in artist ally, I felt at home and accepted, most people were super nice and friendly, there were so many people to talk to and as a dancer I especially like the nightly raves/after parties. 

My experience was mostly good and I will never forget it and in a strange way I loved how it also introduced me to the negative side of cons and cosplay, that being that there are some toxic people in the community that aren’t as accepting and who think themselves as elitists who believe not everyone should cosplay, you should only cosplay in your race, gender, size, etc., that you should only make your cosplays and never buy them and other ridiculous beliefs and I’m glad that the community is trying to put an end to people like this as going to conventions today I don’t see as many toxic people like I used to. 

4. How was the process of creating your first cosplay? 

I have two first’s, my first cosplay in general and then my first legit cosplay, my first cosplay ever was my original cat girl design, I don’t have any pictures of it but it was all white and it had an ero-lolita feel to the design. It wasn’t my best work though as I didn’t have the skills and knowledge that I do now as I pulled what I call “a project runway” and glued the entire costume together with fabric glue, I have since gone back and remade and redesigned my original cat girl cosplay 

My first legit cosplay was Midna in her imp form from Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and I chose her for my first legit cosplay because for one, the game just came out and the character was super popular and two, it was a cosplay that I’d be able to make look good without have a strong skill set; but of course had to be different and instead of using a body suit, I used a bikini that I altered and painted and did everything else in body paint, I also chose not to make her headdress as I was again trying to be different and not like everyone else that was cosplaying her at the time but I also suffer from terrible vision so unless I pick a cosplay that lets me wear my glasses I’m normally blind while in cosplay and at conventions and with her headdress covering one eye it would have limited my vision even more. 

Either way I chose my cosplays like I do currently, by popularity or by just by how much I like the character and design, and after I make that decision I proceed by looking up references, gather materials (I’m a budget cosplayer so I try to use what I have or recycle materials from thrift stores or I normally always know someone who is trying to get rid of sheets or curtains ) and when it comes to the making of the cosplay I normally already know what I’m doing or how I’m going to make something before I even start. 

5. How were the reactions of your first cosplay? 

I got tons of great reactions from my first cosplays, but the most important ones were for my original cat girl design as not only was it my first cosplay ever, but it was my first original character as well and everyone loved it, although you could also say who doesn’t like a cute cat girl cosplay. In general, besides loving the cosplay design itself most people were amazed and surprised that I chose to do an OC for my first as even most experienced cosplayer aren’t even brave enough to cosplay an OC in fear of others not understanding or liking it enough so that they won’t get attention. 

Overall, I say that if you love an OC, be brave and go for it as it you love it and if it’s something that you’re interested in then the final product will probably better than what you think, as in general, people that are really into something normally produce better results. Then when I thought that it couldn’t get any better than that, I’m pretty sure people lost their minds when I debuted Midna. I first wore Midna to my second convention (and said convention also no longer exists), but I of course wore her on Saturday, the main day of the con. I remember my college boyfriend and I waking up at 6 am that morning to get me ready, the body painting process took 6 hours so we were able to finally leave the hotel room just after noon and as soon as I exited the elevator I was met by a swarm of people who wanted pictures of me and I probably stood in place for about an hour straight before I was able to move again. Shortly after all that I was approached by con staff who also loved my cosplay and urged me to enter in the cosplay contest as they told me that the judges would love my work, so I built up the courage to enter. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t make it through the pre-judging as the room that they had it in was below freezing inside and it just got to a point that I couldn’t stay and wait in there any longer seeing as all the I was wearing was a bikini and body paint. All the praise I got for Midna greatly boosted my confidence and self-esteem as a cosplayer. 

6. How do you see the evolution from then to know on your art? 

As a cosplayer and seamstress who is completely self-taught, I am still evolving, in total I have been sewing since the early 2000’s and I’ve been cosplaying since ’07 and it amazes me that I can now tell people that I’ve now been cosplaying for 11years. When I started all those years ago, I was actually too timid to use my sewing machine so I just hand sewed and glued my costumes together and when I was finally brave enough to start using my sewing machine, I asked myself what the hell have I been doing, and I never looked back. 

Now my cosplays and costumes look professionally made or look as though they could be sold in a store as my work is much cleaner and is less likely to fall apart. I am currently trying to teach myself embroidery and would like to learn more skills in using leather. Over all I feel like I am at a half way point in my journey as I’m not the best but I’m far from the worst. 

7. Which is your favorite cosplay? And Why? 

I don’t have just one favorite cosplay, but I do have 4 cosplays that I would consider my favorites each for different reasons. My first favorite is my original Persephone design, this cosplay was my third original, but it was the first really elaborate cosplay that I made, and it took over a month to make. Second would be my Rosa Farrell cosplay from Final Fantasy 4, Rosa was my second really elaborate cosplay that I made and Final Fantasy 4 is one of my favorite games next to Final Fantasy 6 and Rosas design it more on the simpler side I took inspiration from multiple artists and styles to come up with the design of the cosplay. 

Lastly would be sans from Princess Mononoke and Princess Bubblegum from adventure time and I put these two together because these cosplays are redesigns by Hannah Alexander (I have made a total of 5 Hannah Alexander cosplays as I’m completely obsessed with her work) but I love wearing sans because I feel like a bad ass and with the armor, spear and being covered in blood splatter people at conventions go out of their way to avoid me and stay out of my way but I still get plenty of people who want a picture or I hear people say from a far how awesome my cosplay is because they are too timid to approach me and ask for a picture because I intimidate them. I also feel just as badass in Princess Bubblegum just more over the top and elegant like a princess and both cosplays are some of my most recent and best work. 

8. Do you get into the character you’re cosplaying? 

I will sometimes get into character, but it really depends on if I like or know that character or if I can even do the character justice. I have a background in acting and musical theater and because of that and how I was taught I feel that being able to do the character justice is really important so if I don’t think I can do the character justice I just wear the costume. This happens most of the time anyways as I’m more into the costuming part of cosplay; but if I like the character enough to the point that I know a lot about the character other than the costume and I feel like I can do them justice I will get into character. 

9. What has been to cosplay with your boyfriend? How has been the process of cosplaying as a duo? 

Cosplaying with my current boyfriend, Andrew, is perfect, what makes it perfect is that I am a shy extrovert that loves being out and about and around people but I have a very hard time going out and doing a lot of things on my own so I am so grateful to have someone to do the things I love with as my biggest fear is loneliness and I over all hate being alone. 

If I wasn’t with Andrew, I would have a hell of a time trying to go to conventions, unless, of course I have a good/close friend that I could go with; plus, doing couples cosplays are so much fun as for those few times I do get into character I then have someone to interact with and whether one of us has an elaborate cosplay or both we tend to be a beacon for attention even if we are cosplaying from different genres. 

Then with Andrew being an introvert, he wasn’t sure if he was going to like the attention or being in the spotlight but after I first got him to cosplay with me he ended up loving it and he always tells me that being at a convention not in cosplay isn’t the same any more. It’s also nice to always have a handler as well as I like to wear super elaborate cosplays with trains and capes that drag on the floor so I normally need help getting in and out of cosplays and I normally need help holding parts of may cosplay while out on the convention floor and like I said before, I suffer from terrible vision and sometimes I just need a pair of eyes, although it does irritate my boyfriend when while at a convention he’ll get all excited and tell me to look at something just to realize that I’m blind without my glasses and can’t see what he’s so excited about. 

As for the process, it definitely makes everything more time consuming as my work load is doubled because I make Andrews cosplays along with my own so there are times when I’m making 8 plus cosplays for one convention, for an example I will be making a total of 10 cosplays for Megacon 2019, that’s 5 for each of us, one for each of the 4 days and one for each of us for the main after party. I treat every other year as a down year where I don’t make that many cosplays and just switch my line ups from the year before, like what we wear for Megacon this year we will wear to Metrocon next year and we will most likely wear what I make for Metrocon this year to Megacon next year. 

But it’s not all bad as while I do all the sewing Andrew helps makes the props and helps with painting said props and armor, although I’m hoping to teach him how to sew seeing that I have two machines and hopefully he will be just as good a seamster as I am a seamstress. Like myself Andrew understands that although cosplay is fun it is not always comfortable or easy and just like myself he loves it over all but hates just a handful of things like having to wear a wig, large amounts of body paint and having to help me in and out of cosplay and help me with my cosplay while out on the con floor as I regularly hear him ask me why I can’t make more cosplays that are more simple. Overall Andrew and I love cosplay and love cosplaying together, we take the good with the bad and we both look to further our skill set and knowledge together. 

LGBTQA+ Importance and Visibility in Steven Universe

Ruby and Sapphire Cosplayers @Metrocon 

I been thinking for over a month what approach I can take writing this entry, and today I found the inspiration at Metro Con Tampa, which is an anime and video game convention but it also bring some really good cosplayers to town, as well fans of the seminal show of Rebecca Sugar "Steven Universe"

Today I finally saw with more clear eyes after last weekend at Metro Con in Tampa, Florida; the fans (at least the segment who aren't toxic) found a way to express themselves not only through what happens on the cartoon but socially.

The convention was the first place I could finally see it on my many LGBTQA+ enjoyed the show so much (including myself) and the importance of the themes it offer. Let's start that the show itself is set on a fantastical enviroment with aliens but also it follows topics as acceptance, happiness and finding your true authentic self.

The show itself can be compared to the pop culture status that Avatar: The Last Air Bender had 18 years ago, it's one of those rare shows that can reach to people easy because of the message it offers but also that it aims to the community which most of the time is ignored in the prime time television. At the convention I realized how critical how Rebecca's creation has been, especially in the last two years were the most vulnerable point of the LGBT being the Transgender, gender non conform, non binary parts of the community have their rights attacked over and over, and having a show that is inclusive gives a voice of reaffirmation to their identities but also having a space of self-expression without fear.

If we analyze the characters, much of the main characters that are the gems have no gender as their bodies are just a mere construction of light, like hard-holograms, they can modify their own bodies but they always go by their personal pronouns which are always she and live in a matriarch oriented society; each gem also have a peculiar ability to fuse and create a new form of life while the new form of life can act independent, the gems that compose the new creation need to be under constant harmony to keep the new one stable.

Gems such as Garnet (and by default Ruby and Sapphire) act on the spectrum that an emotional stable partnership can originate wonderful results into tow individuals, but also it shows that gender itself can be fluid, that we aren't bounded to our own preset notions about who we are an individuals.

We can see main characters are gender fluid, not only the main Gems but Steven himself, as he doesn't comfort with his boy attires but on ocassions he dress with women clothes (sure it can serve for comedic purposes depending on the view) but also when he and Connie fuse they become a different persona, a persona that is not referred by male or female pronouns but rather by neutral such as they or them, which I can't think of a television show on mainstream and less in a children's show.

Not only the show focus on the dynamics of who we are, but with who we relate to and who we love. Maybe the best example is with Pearl and Pink Diamond, is an unrequited love in which also mixes the different social status people have depending on where they were born and money. Pearl fall in love with Pink but Pink never reciprocate it, even if they were close enough to do a fusion, Rose never loved Pearl.as a potential partner but rather as a close friend.

The structure of the episodes is quite simple that a child can understand that the gems are complex beings, that use female pronouns but are agender, they can be aromantic or even express feelings; and the same episode structure can be enjoyed by adults because they are seeing the drama and epic elements that maybe a child can dismiss, albeit to a generation of children that are more vocal and there are parents who can be supportive of identity expression and sexuality, Steven Universe offers what other shows don't which is the ability to connect with their audience on a one on one and give them ideas on how to express their creativity in public spaces but in private, but overall the show gives a message of unity that we as a community we need.

The Grim Reality for the Florida Democrats in 2018

7/12/2017 --- The reality in Florida to the Democratic Party is that it looks grim at this moment, there are questions towards funds and strong candidates.

Right after the last year election, many individuals affiliated with the Democratic Party started to gather more often in the Pinellas County Democratic Meetings as well on several other branches such as the one in Orange County, they switched venues to accommodate more individuals.

Within Hillsborough County, activist have launches New Tampa (1) and Temple Terrace clubs, but still even if there has some form of re-emergence, the panorama for the 2018 mid-terms elections looks grim as the party unity within the State doesn't seem to have any cohesion towards their message and socio-economical interest that could secure them the control on the upper chambers of power.

We have to understand that the last democratic governor in Florida was 19 years ago who was Kenneth Hood Mackay who replaced Lawton Chiles when he died in 1998 (2) while serving his second term; after that we had Jeb Bush and ending with Rick Scott; for the last 19 years every single one of them has been Republican and Florida essentially shifted from a blue State to a red one.

The main principle on the recovery plan lays on the economical growth which has been stale, and mixed with the inequality between the property and rental costs, with the rise of the child care and competitive wages there is a stagnation on the cost of living, in which Floridians are struck hard; essentially on a emotional perception there is no "hope for growing up economically"

The problem in the stagnation is that the job creation is aimed to specialized jobs but not the ones related to tradesman which essentially that is the main composition of the middle  and the disparity between the wealth of the Floridians (3). Economic stability can play a big role in the perceptions of the voters, but if the candidates know how to exploit those perceptions they can win a power position beyond any lobby influence.

There is still an expectation of a Democratic turnout, but the key goes on registering voters, recruiting, organizing and building vote-mail system in which it will assist any future voter with mobility issues to exercise their democratic power. The grim reality that democrats are facing in Florida is that not only have to persuade the voters that haven't been able to attract in 19 years, there aren't a charismatic set of people who can lead.

At least optimist remains. 

References:

1. https://www.facebook.com/newtampadems/
2. https://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_florida.html
3. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article107857042.html

Because of Winn-Dixie and The Problematic Positioning the Retail Chain Has Found in Florida

Sometimes competency the main problem can be redefining the public perception of the supermarket, so it can compete on a more efficient way and differentiate itself from the competition.

That's the problem Winn-Dixie is facing; what to do,? how to attract customers,? and how to make people shot in the stores.?

The answer relies on the combination of lower prices, good customer services among all the employees and giving the customers good amount of food by profiting from the margins of the deli and the bakery items.

Winn-Dixie is not Publix and less Walmart, is just another long line of supermarkets who try to position themselves in the Central Florida grounds and fail really badly, albeit it's not going to follow the step of Sweetbay but that doesn't mean the supermarket is not impervious to bankruptcy as with his "previous incarnations."

Price wise, the store is expensive and even with coupons is not necessarily friendly with the customers. People complain that other stores are expensive until they find themselves in Winn-Dixie without a Winn-Dixie card and paying full prices of every single item they buy, unless a cashier or manager inform them that they need a card in order to get the savings such as the BOGOS or the 2 for US$5 sales.

The image of the store never projects fluidity, as the aisles they don't follow an "organic" sequence, where you can find certain juices in one aisle, such as their private brand; then on another aisle you find more juices mixed with some other items, and then a few aisles ahead you find soda, and more aisles ahead you find water along some other shopping goods.

Is as the aisles were designed to confuse, or in a lesser case to convince the customers of buying more by getting them lost. On certain neighborhoods, the store maintenance doesn't look clean, and the aisles and bathrooms they look dirty, which that is an uninviting factor to the guests who shop there.

On a image level, the corporation is trying their best to match their competition by mimicking certain aspects of Publix in terms of an image outcome, but watching some of their employees not having a clean image the customers can get a negative perception that there isn't friendliness, or from a retail point of view a customer satisfaction perspective as well a lower volume and more discontinued items, which means people will go to the competition.

Winn-Dixie parent company Bi-Lo Holdings took over SweetBay stores last April, in a US$265 million deal, where they purchased 165 fives stores from Delhaize America. While there is some speculation that the interim move into re-branding the brand as it can compete with some more upbeat stores; as well to lower the item prices, it is a move that in what has gone in the of the year nothing has happened and the prices are still high as they were.

Not only with the prices as it was mentioned previously, but they have to restructure their external communication system in order to reach more customers, because right is failing to attract new people.

Why Equality Should Finally Be Recognized in Florida

http://equalmarriagefl.com/

Beyond marriage, this is an issue of human dignity that shouldn't be placed in the middle of a debate that has religious overtones. All men are created equal, yet the Constitution seems a document that was made to be adjusted to the some people, and not everyone that wants to improve their community.

It's not difficult to feel as you are a second class citizen everywhere, even if some jurisdiction of Florida had created laws to favor the LGTBQ population; but it shouldn't be laws to favor, there should be laws to show that are citizens are equal, not only here in Florida (hypothetically speaking) but everywhere.

The problem started when we became more oriented towards a theocracy, I am not attacking religion but America is not a Christian nation we are far away to be an homogenize society, as we are plural and not even on the Constitution of the United States says anything towards more support a national religion or any sect.

I guess we can blame the Red Scare of the 1950's as well the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that shocked different two different set of generations, due the proselytistic efforts of the different religious sect that found their way to place themselves not only in the masses imageries but as well into the secular world by inserting In God We trust everywhere.

But what God.? There are different interpretation of the concept and at the humanity is just humanity playing with divinity, only to find several excuses to discriminate whoever doesn't believe into what they believe or what the world should be.

Florida itself has an imagery towards the LGTBQ culture that goes as a tourist destination from inspiration in the audio-visual media, such as A Florida Enchantment one of the first films in modern history that represents (not in a realistic way) the concepts of bisexuality as well transgenderism into the American mainstream culture; up to Le Cage Aux Folles from 1996 where has been one of the first films that play on a more positive light same sex oriented relationship, as they can be functional and experience a set of similar problems.

The list can go and go, even from the sociohistory point of view towards how the Pride Parades tend to boost business and how the different gay villages which do the insertion of creative people, they can improve the local economies as well the neighborhoods. Miami Beach, Ybor City, Thornton Park just to name a few around.

Ybor is one unique case on how the insertion of a more diverse community, essentially has placed the location back on the map, little by little; as many people on the Central Florida region will remember that neighborhood had a decline after World War 2 and in between the beginning of the Cold War; but thanks to two factors which are the urban renewal program on the 1960's and a slow but steady influx of artists and bohemians started the revitalization of the area in the 1980's.

Now in the second decade of the second millennium, the recovery of the area as well the adjacent neighborhoods had started to recover the spaces as well.

There is no reason to debate, but a lot of reasons to finally say yes that humanity is not black and white but a multicultural rainbow. At the end we are just humans, and there shouldn't even be a list on why something positive for us should be given, is an innate right since we are a born. We are all created equal, but yet equality seems to be favored for a few self described righteous individuals who in a mix of faith and hate, they think the world is theirs.

Equality should recognized because we all want the best for our families, for our friends, for ourselves and for our communities, the same communities that we work towards everyday. Prejudice will be always be there, is a part of human race but also compassion and happiness; and beyond any divine reasons we are all made of flesh and bones, we are not Gods themselves, we are just humans and justify hate through something holy we are just showing the prejudice aspect that we justify as if the word of  a God of hate.

The Ridiculously Amendments of Florida Constitution and How Probably 2 Will Pass to make the Cut in 2014

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Tampa, Craiglist and Selling Marijuana around USF (Photos)

Tampa, Fl -- The problem with the cannabis and the traffic is taking new steps in Florida but in the Tampa area one dealer decided to face the public scrutiny and anonymously decided to post an add on Craiglist regarding the nature of his business. The laws in Tampa are strict where you can end up in jail for getting found in possession of small doses but dealing the product is a felony that the county will make the impossible to make the dealer and the producers to not see the sunlight again. The dealer in this case decided event to give his area around the University of South Florida which can give the authorities to expose an undercover operation in the university premises and the vicinity, but not only if an undercover operation or just a dealer are exposed the damage to the image of USF could be hard to fix, but the stupidity of the dealer to expose himself or herself on the Internet it is just amazing or in a lesser case they are cops who are trying to make a living by arresting some people who are trying to buy the product. Who knows.?

The LGTBQ Victories of Obama for his Second Term - The DOMA Wall

Glaad Image

Tampa, Fl -- It won't be the end of the world, it will be the beginning of fair treatment to the entire population but with every small victory and even if at the DOMA is completely overturned there are still paradigms to break down in the most closed-minded sectors of the population that still see any advance of social rights as a corrupted form of socialism because they don't know the correct definition and see every help, every advance to the population as a form of selling the country.

The main victory of Obama on a long term in terms of social progress will be the repeal of the DOMA which was signed by a Bill Clinton on 1996, showing that even if two people are from the same party they can have a juxtaposition on their beliefs about civil rights but slowly Obama has taken steps into overthrown one of the biggest mistakes that was vetoed by a fellow Democrat.

If it wasn't for DOMA there could be a federal victory regarding the recognition of benefits to spouses, one of those examples that could be turned into a memory are the recognition of benefits for the armed forced spouses who are not entitled because of DOMA on the benefits of their better halves but at the end the overturn of DOMA will be in the hands of the Supreme Court but in the meantime Obama can continue his work in landing benefits to all soldiers equally but the situation can turn complex for the President as the legislative body is composed by the opposition but if he aims towards a congressional law then his odds can turn for better as well the lives of many people.

Employment Non-Discrimination Act can be an issue and one of the failed attempts on the Romney campaign when the former candidate offered jobs to all Americans but the speech of Romney was only half way truth to the reality that many red States such as Florida are oriented regarding discrimination based on sexual orientation and is a common practice to fire someone for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender and the person who gets fired in question have little to no protection to claim back because of the States laws regarding discrimination. That could be one more crucial victories if it's achieved on a Federal Level as it can grant protection to many individuals who feel threaten by their employers because of any biased speech any employee can give against their persona. Is not fair that even 30% of the States offer some protection, people are still getting discriminated against their personas.

Overall there has to be a reform to the immigration laws, that probably could strike as one of the biggest achievements of the Obama administration if DOMA is overturn, yet so far had been a few winning cases of bi-national couples and it could be a major victory because families beyond the hetero-normative standard can improve the economy when the nucleus is kept together and they are offered protection from the government. If Obama can realize that beyond who the person is, what color of his skin, religion, gender identity, ethnicity, if he achieves a general protection and defends the constitution even further then he will be remembered as one of the greatest civil leaders and the first President of the United States who stood for the LGTBQ community.

Open Letter: The Populist Movements Around the Americas and an Unbalanced Check of Powers

The situation that scares me the most is not related to which man wins the Presidential Election of 2012, the situation that scares me the most are the focus of the political groups who will have a complete dominion over the politics of the country and will leave the balance of checks in a lose-lose situation as it has been in the last 3 terms. About 5 years ago when I was in school a professor who dictate Colombian Law 101 said that - Politics are cyclical and right now the phenomenon of the populist movements it is raising slowly on South America and  in the next ten years these ultra conservator but yet plutocratic movements are going to spread everywhere in the continent in different fashions and when the populist movement hit the United States then we are going to be screwed .-

At first I though he was referring to only Chavez and Fidel but as the years passed his words always kept striking my head and memories because what he said was right, populist movements come in different envelopes and in the case of the United States it goes with the face of the  Tea Party Caucus which at glance they look only a bunch of conservator who trash everything that is not on their side but when you inspect the rhetoric of the party are not different from the right-wing plutocratic ideas of Fidel and Chavez which they promote protection of the freedom but at the end they are just a group who tries to appropriate the wellness of a country by any-mean.

People identify socialism with a really biased concept of the pre-wall Soviet Union, people tend to speak out loud without even reading or identifying different sources and they speak without even analyzing their words, that's my worst fear as a communicator, a fear which encompass a mass that has no clue what they are saying because they cannot think beyond the interest of the formal and informal opinion leaders of their communities; the concept people have about socialism at least in the United States from what I've seen by mere observation is annexed mostly to communism but yet Americans in general they don't think of any concept or scenario beyond their territorial borders unless it is shown on the news.

There has to be a major update in the constitution as the law is to fragile regarding social and economical contemporary issues but overall there has to be a major revamp on how we educate younger generations in order that they can think beyond what families and social groups say about how life has to be. Probably the problem is radicalized on the binary component of the democratic process because of the tradition only two parties seem to have validance on what to say around the motherland but yet it can be used in order to favor any politic or amendment with a religious overtone in order to favor your image or personal interest. My fear with Romney is all that yet is not with Romney himself as with the people who wants him in the Office, my fear lies the noneducational literary aspects and lack of attention to research further about a man who is not different from the political scum of Venezuela, Cuba, Ecuador and the Middle East the only difference is he wears a tie and looks presentable but his rhetoric's' change every time he address his followers, is not a sign of evolution, is a sign of weakness as the man cannot keep his own ideas straight, he is not even representing on what I sense the Mormon community, as Mitt shows only his arrogance and lack of interest in the community at the moment he open his mouth, yet he keeps saying a five point plan to create 12 million jobs, there is one big problem with those 12 million jobs, they can't satisfy the demand for middle uneducated class who live by manual labor and yet of 300 million who live in the United States, the 47% are encompass in those numbers and creating 12 million jobs who are going to be full and part time is just an unrealistic expectation because the economy is cyclical and also in the States it is centralized on the bureaucratic rats of Wall-Street but it is more unrealistic that people who are supporting him think he is right and he is not, from all the intellectuals who are in more capacity in the GOP to be a Commander-In-Chief put Romney on the map, but it could be worse as Michelle Bachmann could be the one competing with Obama.

The Issue-less Senate Race of Florida

Mack-Nelson

Tampa, Fl -- It has not been a big year on a regional level in Florida regarding the U.S. Senate seat as it was when Marco Rubio rose to the fame on 2010 by defeating Kendrick Meek over a 49% victory. This year the battle between (R) Connie Mack IV and incumbent (D) Bill Nelson campaigns where expected to show a more intricate debate over Florida socio-economical issues as Florida being a key state and one of the majors battle states in politics but the race has only fallen for the two candidates in a rhetoric of attack adds that are even on Youtube and every trendy social media beside billboards around every major city sponsored by private founders, even on Facebook both campaigns seem to be shadowed by mockeries such Floridians against Bill Nelson which at the end don't say anything to juxtapose Nelson's politics on a realistic level beyond the mockery.

The problem with the average American voter is that beyond investigating the different realities and perpetuating the cliche that what happens beyond my yard I don't care digest everything what is shown in television or the Internet without assimilating the content on the different forms regarding what's happening in a stratus of economy and politics, always dividing their opinions in a binary (partisan) ways. The problem with the current campaigns of the Democrats and the Republicans are their rethorics, they are appealing to people's emotion more than ever without even considering what is really happening there in order to win. Mack and his backers of the Republican Party had focused their efforts so much in mock Bill Nelson and also Mack had appealed by a priori fallacy that if he wins, Romney wins but the issue is not appealing on the ad-faux logical fallacy if Romney, it's not a triumph of two men - Barack or Romney - or - Mack or Nelson - this as every other political decision has to lay on the people on not in an oligarchic system.

Yet Mack keeps perpetuating the imagery that America is attacked by external forces when the real enemies of the Democracy are in the divisions of both parties that started as one, because at the end they are talking to much about nothing. 

Obama Support Gay Marriage and Abortion

Republican Billboard at 6202 North Dale Mabry Highway Tampa, FL 33614

This billboard is only 1.5 miles away from my house, coming from work it got my attention because I thought I probably misread it,but what the caption says also the small prints are - OBAMA SUPPORTS GAY MARRIAGE & ABORTION (DO YOU) - VOTE REPUBLICAN - PAID BY THE REPUBLICAN UNION PAC, NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE www.RepublicanUnionPac.com

I got amazed and probably I passed three four times before having the chance of taking a photo of the billboard which is located 6202 North Dale Mabry Highway Tampa, FL 33614, if this is free expression then I can say that free expression is a bunch of non nonsensical words that people associate with being bullies, I can say I am not voting for the Republican Party in my life because people who ridicule women rights and civil rights they don't deserve the respect of any person on the face of the Earth because we as a collective we'd advanced a lot since the segregation days and since the Stonewall riots.

Duval County - Fl; A Decisive County For Obama to Win in Florida

Jacksonville - Fl

Tampa, Fl -- Is quite difficult to think about Duval County about one of the places that there is an enthusiasm for the Democratic party because historically this place has been Republican oriented albeit not necessarily strict as Hillsborough but yet Duval is extremely unpredictable with the voters trends because even if the orientation goes on the GOP doesn't mean they Grand Old Party will have a secure victory on Florida is they win voters on County Area.

There is a lot of contradiction in the area, if you drive to any part of the county you will find every stereotype imaginable, much as a starburst, from redneck Democrats, to amazing views and bridges as Chicago, inner city minnorities who will complain about crime, hipster Republicans drinking coffee at Starbucks and whatever you can imagine - yet it is one of the most misunderstood and under studied counties in Florida regarding political trends as well city management -. If we look the last two Republican mayors raised taxes and fees significantly, while the new Democratic mayor Alvin Brown has Tea Party activist hailing his fiscal conservationism, historically this county that Republican candidates win by 15% points can be nailed by a Democratic candidate much as the south part of the State.

On 2004, George W. defeated Kerry in Duval by a 62.000 votes margin, while previous candidate John McCain who is a former resident of Jacksonville barely went through the 10.000 votes, but do Obama has what it needs to conquer a predominantly red county?. Who knows?. From one side when he won on 2008 there was an enthusiasm because he was the first African American who conquered the hearts of people and motivated them to go out and vote, yet the other side of the problem rallies on the conformism of the people to not think beyond their bubble and complain for minimal details not even thinking that all the problems we have now are from the previous administration which was a Republican cabinet that lasted for almost a decade.

The problem is not in Duval, but rather how close he can keep it because if the campaign can't keep closer than seven or eight percentage points from the Republican campaign it will become hard to make up for those votes around the State. One of the elemental keys are the votes of the African-Americans because it compose a body of 530.000 voters who develop a decisive point in the electoral race as well a key in the victory of Obama.    

Immigration - Latinos, The Hidden Majority in Red States. -

http://www.glittarazzi.com Latinos x Obama

(Tampa, Fl) -- There is a moment when a minority becomes one of the majority power groups in a country and it  can make the status-quo to tremble down. Immigration has played an important part in the economical and social development of the country to the point that deny the possibility to someone who is running away from the place he or she was born because any external causes it's unconstitutional as many people who are immigrants are the ones who go out and fight for their new homes. Latinos after the big exodus of the 60's and the 70's after the rise of the populist guerrillas in the different south and central american countries fled on their majority to North America and Canada in search of a new hope, the hope of freedom of expression.

The immigration reform can become a pivotal move into Obama getting reelected for a second term on the states that are well known for their wide different ethnic groups that are trying to find a legal way to stay in the country they call home; but, also the reform is going to give the people Obama is trying to convince to vote for him the power of the vote for upcoming elections in November and that doesn't mean they are going to vote for him but the tactic of formalizing the immigration status of thousand of people has generated a positive boost on the sectors he left behind since his second year. Hispanics were a pivotal sector in key states such as Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, North Carolina, Florida and Virginia in the 2008 elections, having a 2/3 of the Hispanic votes according to the exit polls.

According to a poll conducted on the  17 - 30, June of 2012 week by the Quinnipiac University showed that Obama's support in Florida went up sharply but there are still different sectors divided regarding about job creations as well performance with the economy. According to the poll in Florida voters say that Romney would do a better job with the economy on a 48:44 there is a schism on the decision as 49:44 that Obama would veil the economical interest of middle class.

Probably the reform on immigration can sharp the interest of the Hispanic population as it's been on the decline since the last election four years ago, according to a recent poll held by NBC News and the Wall-Street Journal which place a margin on a 57% over a 5.7% point margin of error.

While Romney's campaign hasn't done anything clear to clarify their position on immigration laws after the former Governor had a complete fiasco on his home State of Massachusetts, there's been a national debate regarding what are the policies of the former Governor if he is going to though the immigration laws for worse or he is going to lose them up if he gets elected to gain more adepts as well to boost the economy. Probably if we follow his last trends on immigration policies up to the Arizona Law, we can see a man who slowly is digging his own grave by blaming his own mistakes on Mr. Obama.

There is another point regarding Romney's speech against his contender, it is true Obama was extremely passive regarding many social issues on the last three years as well the double digit unemployment around the Latino population, but there is no doubt the strategic plan of Romney is being condemn to a failure because he is creating an oxymoron in desperation of his failed politics when he was a governor. Now he supports the idea of unifying family to not separate family units; to give green cards to military service as well green cards for those who are earning advance degrees in the United States; it is amazing how a man can contradict himself in order to win even if he has to betray his own beliefs.

Latino's can become a decisive point in the upcoming elections if they any of the candidates knows how to play their cards but right now at the moment even if the Latino population show an interest toward Obama over Romney, they still remain a low-turnout group.

Get Here, Capella Sample Get Here

Check this neat, short video, it's sung by Mike Beaver, a local bartender in a popular bar that is in New Port Richey, Florida. Enjoy.

A Colombian-American in Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay, Downtown View

It's been three years, five months so far and probably 8 days. I stop counting a while ago, it's probably a little bit more but I don't mind, I stop counting a while ago when I realize how lucky I am to have the chance to grow up and live in two different places that have one thing in common, the views of the Caribbean and the winds that go North to South are the same ones that washed my tears when I was younger.

I am from Cartagena, then I am from Colombia, also I am from Brandon, Florida; and, also I am from the United States. I am in between, the best way I can describe it, but overall I like to say I am a guy, with a sexy accent who has no nationalities but two places that he can call home. I am a Colombian, an American living in Tampa Bay but overall I am Gustavo, Gus or Gus-Gus for short, I am who I am.

Starting over with you life it ain't easy, specially being a foreigner, living outside where you grew up can be challenging; language is another factor as well certain attitudes of people toward individuals who don't share certain traits; names, a long non American can be a problem toward finding a job if you don't have the right credentials, it's a process that no one is really prepared for, it's a hell in the best way possible, but things get better, they get better eventually if you work hard. You know dear reader, the American Dream is not dead, it's probably dead in the heart of the people who gave up, but not in the hearts of the people who go outside and fight for their dreams and to see their communities better, that's the American Dream, to go out and fight for your beliefs.

Culturally, there are different factor as well basic differences, such one between Colombia and the States, people do respect more public spaces and you can walk on more space as driving is far more safer than driving in any street of Cartagena. How you deal with people it's another aspect; in Colombia is far more easy, people are more informal but use more honorific while in the States people are less informal but you have to be careful with personal space as well with vocabulary. Those small differences can be problematic if you are not careful or know the cultural ethic codes which they vary from region to region.

It's been quite a process, do I regret living it? No, I don't, even in the worse moments of my beginnings I realize how much wonderful the process was because I was learning and I'm still. 3 years ago I have to be honest, I barely spoke the language, or knew anything about being independent, but between tears and not tiaras, I learned how to become the man I always wanted to be before moving my from my grandparents house.