We may not see clouds like this until May 2012..I hope
The tropical system that is hanging around Florida should soon be out of here and leave nothing but great weather for the next several months. That, will also mean, money for the taxi drivers of Tampa. Things should be picking up this Saturday night with the Guavaween festival and parade. This used to be a real money maker for taxi drivers. In recent years it experienced a slump, as they took away aspects that people wanted
They are getting back to the more adult part of this festival that allowed the even to grow to over 100,000 people. When they tried to put a lid on bad behaviour, attendance dropped to 10,000. Go figure.
I will be out until the wee hours of the night. I really need the money. You have no idea.
We don't have taxi stands anymore but many of the drivers still sit on the old Hyde Park 21 stand. The stand is at a city park that is centrally located for getting calls. There is shade, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, and some cool wildlife. The retention pond behind the chain link fence is now the home of many migratory and wading birds. Richard says they eat frogs, which are plentafull in the lake.
A wading bird
This pond has formed its own eco-system and I would not be surprised if there were now fish in it. Every time I stop by, I see different birds. They know there is food in there and they are patient enough to wait it out. There is something else that is going on out there as well.
You can see the "Obamaville" thru the fence line
A 'hobo camp' has been set up behind the pump house. These guys are not hurting anyone and they don't bother people for money. The camp is along the railroad line where it is open and provides them with some security. They have collected some mattresses and and a sofa. Hell, at least they don't have the rent I have. I guess you call this an 'Obamaville.'
You can see the discarded furniture that makes up this camp
I stopped by the Occupy Tampa movement downtown at Curtis Hixon Park. I wanted to talk to the demonstrators and find out some of their views. Where they a bunch of liberals hanging out in the park? Where they a bunch of unemployed college students who voted for Obama in 2008, and now, can’t find a job? Speaking of Obama, why do none of the signs across America not mention Obama? I wanted to find this out for myself.
Notice the red tape on the sidewalk
I found a parking space (Sunday the only day you can do that) and walked over. I met a group of people who had set up a make shift open air office and logistical center on the sidewalk in front of the park. The people seemed friendly and easy to talk to.
I noticed the amount of food, sandwiches, and bottle water they had. They said many people come by all day long and give them supplies. Without that, they would not be able to camp out. I asked them if they needed anything and blankets was something they could really use. The last few nights have been cold. That was not their primary concern, however. It was the Tampa police.
They told me they were clearly the victims of police intimidation tactics. The police were making up the rules as they went along. There were clearly maked boundries on the sidewalk where they must sleep. The protestors don’t like sleeping there because they are afraid a car might jump the curb at night and kill someone. They have had a beer bottle thrown at them which hit a girl. They want to be able to sleep further back on the grass, but for some reason, the cops won’t let them. Someone does not want them there.
Most of the people had an individual story of being under employed or out of work. Many had large student loan debt and were finding it hard to make payments on a seven dollar an hour job. They were frustrated with an economic system they felt was corrupt with the deck stacked for the privileged.
Nick with a hot coffee donated by the publc
I talked with this young man Nick, who after college found himself delivering pizzas. His belief was that the pizza company was raising the price of delivery (which cut into his tips) to cover the cost of insurance that Obamacare was requiring him to pay. Nick believed all companies would only pass the cost of doing business onto the customers, so nobody benefits. He clearly did not have good things to say about Obama. That surprised me. They 'End the Fed' signs they had are from the Ron Paul Alex Jones playbook.
some of the signs they are using
I asked him why none of the signs mentioned Obama. Another guy interrupted by saying the ‘illuminati’ runs people’s lives. Nick and others were Ron Paul supporters and he believed that was true nationwide. Obama has been marginalized by other forces, and is a non-player at this point. Interesting.
Nick, and others, are followers of Alex Jones and his website Prison Planet. This was not what I expected.
I took advantage of the first cold front of the season that made its way into central Florida by going out on a nature trail that I have not been able to access for months because of the bugs and the heat index. I do nature photography and I saw a Monarch butterfly. These insects are not easy to photograph because they will not just stop and pose for you. I had my camera on a tight macro setting and waited for the butterfly to make its way onto a flower and took many stills to make sure I got the one I wanted. Most of the time butterfly shooting fails.
This morning after sunrise I noticed about fifty 'Occupy Tampa' protesters standing around with blankets wrapped around them. These protesters had slept in the park all night and they were cold. The first major cold front of the season came in last night and the temps dropped into the mid 50's.
An article in the Tampa Tribune said that these protesters were being harassed by the police at night by being awaken and told to get off the sidewalk. I will be there in the morning and see if that is true. I will get that on video and put it on YouTube if it happens.
Ground zero for the 'Occupy Tampa' protest
Do you see anyone?
When I went back to Curtis Hixon park in the afternoon, there were only about ten people standing around and no protest going on at Gaslight Park. Is this movement dying on the vine? There was nothing going on and I did not bother to park and go over. I was wanting to interview some of the protesters like they are doing in many of the major cities. Now I feel like Tampa is not holding their own. Come on Tampa, lets get with the program.
It could be the weather.
As I was leaving downtown this afternoon, I saw a truck leaving ahead of me with "Occupy Tampa' painted on the back of it. I guess they were going home and would not be sleeping in the park tonight when the temps will be very cold.
This van will make me money during the upcoming 'tourist season' in Florida. I can handle large amounts of luggage. And it gets twice the gas millage as that Ford Crown Victoria I was in that was blowing smoke and needed a ring job. This van is conferable and all the gadgets are in front of you. Plus, you are ridding up high and have a better view of the road. That should make things more safe.
One of the best things about this is you don't have to pick up old people. They don't go far and they are slow. Just like me.
I have enjoyed the Pam Callahan nature trail for years. I never knew that it was once part of an old Army Corp. bombing range and that there were toxic chemical in the ground. That may explain why I got very sick the last time I went when I took these photographs.
Between 1940 and 1947 it was part of the Drew Field bombing range. According to the Army corps of engineers the surface water and soil sediment now pose a "human health and ecological risk." In fact, test show there may be unexploded ordinance in the park! I never knew that while I was enjoying a very peaceful fall day on the hiking tail.
The trial head in on Memorial Highway but it is not easy to see. Many people live and commute for years and never know it is there. I have never seen anyone else out there.
You have to park on the side of the road and there is a gate that is locked but you can easily go around it. This seemed to be a maintained trail. It looked freshly mowed. The trail goes strait into the wet lands that are along the bay. One thing you notice is after only a few hundred feet off the main road, you think you are in the middle of nowhere. There is an apartment complex to the right and a major airport nearby, but you still have that isolated feel.degrees, a very nice day. I took a lot of pictures on the 0.7 mile hike out to a plaque the memorializes the lady that the trail is named after. It is posted on a large granite rock and points out that she spearheaded a grass roots efforts to save this part of Tampa from the land developers. She was able to "Fight city hall." Unfortunately she passed away in 1993 and did not live to see this trail named in her honor. I could look around from the end of the trail and still could not believe how close I was to civilization.
Taxi parked at the trail head
I noticed fiddler crabs on the path (I am glad I had on hiking boots). I also saw a hawk swoop down, but I did not have my camera ready to take his photo. There are several side trails that expose hardwood pine areas. I got some photos of some interesting flora. I have no real idea what it is. I am sure there is poison ivy out there. so be careful.
If you are driving by and have some time. This is a real peaceful hike. Just watch out for the fiddler crabs!
I have made a new photo album of this shoot. You can go below and see the images of the trail.
This is a video of model I shot a couple years ago at a Pasco County nudist camp. After all, Pasco county is a hotbed of Bigfoot activity and also a hotbed of naked bodies. I put this up to break the monotony of serious Bigfoot research. I could not show you more because YouTube would not allow that (you know what I mean).
The protesters began to show up after the lunch hour. I thought they would be out all day; I thought they would be camping in Gaslight Park. I hear the police will not let them, so they have to leave and return the next day. No problem, this means they can drink in the bars all night.
Most of them seem to be coming from the University of Tampa. Could it be they are just young, bored and looking for a little excitement? They should be studying finance so they can become part of that 1% they are railing about.
Hippy protesters seen from the taxi downtown Tampa
I picked up a fair that wanted to go downtown Tampa and see the protesters. At the time we were there, we really had to look hard to see them. I think for this demonstration to work, they will have to really "Occupy" the downtown area but that would mean they cannot drink, screw and order pizza. Protesting comes with sacrifice.
The movement is new and perhaps it will work, with time. I am already making some money off of this event, so that is cool. I shot a video and put in up on Youtube. You can see it here.
