Tampa Taxi Shots

Stay out of Rocky Creek

2012-02-09T07:20:00.001-05:00

I was at Waters and Anderson when I got a call for Rocky Creek mobile home park. That is not always good news.

The park os mostly elderly and sick people (I am not far behind them). That means the fare will not go very far. They mostly go to the store around the corner. Today, that was not the problem.

I could not find "Archstone." All of the streets in here are named after rocks and gems. The photo above is the street "pebble."

It then dawned on me that I was in the wrong place. There is a new apartments on Hillsborough called Rocky Creek. I think the only reason they named it that was to screw with me.

I finally got to the right place, but was way late.

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Rock creek Mobile home park

2012-02-09T06:17:00.001-05:00

I was in the Rocky Creek mobile home park yesterday, and took this photo on Pebble dr. I certain long time cab driver used to live here.

I had gotten the call for Rocky Creek but I was in the wrong place. It seems there is a new apartment complex nearby with the same name. Threw me for a loop.

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A long time cab driver

2012-02-07T17:48:00.001-05:00

This may be one of the few pictures Richard. He has been a United Cab driver in Tampa for almost twenty years.

Richard is very educated and once was a teacher. But like many, he became marginalized by society, and started driving a taxi.

He is from Wisconson and not seen his family in years (like me).

People just really don't want to have much to do with you when just drive a hack.

Anyway, this image is one of the only ones of him.

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Raining in Tampa this morning

2012-02-07T11:14:00.000-05:00

With this rain perhaps a cold front will follow it, and lower the temps in Florida.

In order to get outside, we need to be comfortable, and have the bugs at bay. I saw insect larva hatching Sunday on standing water. That is something you would only see in summer months.

My team and I have an outing set for this weekend. There should be clear skys.

My understanding is that it is mild throughout most of North America right now.

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Running the AC in February

2012-02-06T15:19:00.001-05:00

You could fell the humidity as steped outside this morning. It felt like July. I was really looking forward to some cooler weather when you can roll the window down. The tourist in Tampa are loving but locals are ready for a change. High of 82 today. That is hot man.

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A new tool to use

2012-02-05T21:14:00.001-05:00

In todays world, people want live time updates. Since I am in my cab most of the day, I have come up with a way that will allow this Tampa cab driver to keep people informed.

Its not just photos and text, there is also video. My new Android phone will let me so much more then jusy waiting to go home and load.

Consider that I np lo.ger have my AT&T wireless service, this seemed like tje logical choice.

Stay tuned for soe good stuff in the future.

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A new day in Tampa Bay

2012-01-28T12:42:00.000-05:00

I am wearing my pirate finest in honor if the new coach Shirano who is going to make the NFC walk the plank! Errrrrrr

UFO seen over Tampa

2012-01-27T08:29:00.000-05:00

I am looking skyward. It must be a UFO. Perhaps, I am just bored out of my f@&# mind.

Camping last week

2012-01-26T11:53:00.000-05:00

Just trying to stay warm on our camping trip in the Green Swamp last week. I was with a paranormal group called Enigmatic Anomalies. We did not find Bigfoot but we had a great time.

It could be the end for me

2011-12-28T16:04:00.000-05:00

I was told today by the taxi company I work for that they may possibly fire me as soon as tomorrow. That is because I owe them a tremendous amount of money. They say they don't want to, but the end may be near if I can't fork over serious money ($1,000). I am basically screwed.

None of this is really my fault. The economy has been horrific for the last four years. It is very difficult to pay high lease payments to your company plus gas and still be able to make something for yourself. I have been struggling badly. On most days now you wait about two hours to get a five dollar fare. I can't make it on that.

The company relies on refugees from third world countries who have a high degree of tolerance for poverty. They are willing to work 16 hour days, 7 days a week, holidays and weekends for scant wages. They think they are in high cotton. They are unaware they are in a bad situation.

I cannot do what these guys do. I really need someone to help me, but there is nobody in my life that can. I will miss this. I do remember the good times and the good people that used to populate this.

When the economy went bad, I had to move into a motel. I have to pay these people every week, or I move out. Simple as that. If I lose my job, I will be homeless.

My main concern is where to store my digital photography equipment, TV, stereo and computer. I would like to hold on to that stuff. The rest of my stuff (books, clothes and items I have collected over the years I can throw away).

I really don't know how to live on the streets. I do have a sleeping bag and my sister in law sent me some nice comforters. They will come in handy. I have a backpack, so I can carry some gear around.

Other then that, that's about it. The story of my life, 55 years old and I end up on the streets.

I do have my blogs and my successful YouTube channel. I got a check once from Goggle for advertisements. Perhaps, I one of my blogs gets big enough, I could get out of my homelessness. I can go to the library to edit my blogs. So there may be some long-term hope. There is a mission on Kennedy blvd where I can get a hot meal every day.

Wish me luck

Merry Christmas To All

2011-12-23T16:02:00.001-05:00

I would like to extend a Merry Christmas to everyone who sees this blog and those who don't. The seasons, for me, are a time to reflect on my blessings, and imagine what is possible with my life.

All of us have gone through hard knocks. We just need to know there is a cosmic order that will somehow be with us during it all. Merry Christmas to all and a happy new year.

From the "Somebody up there likes me" category: At the United Cab Christmas dinner today I won the door prize. They said it was a gift certificate. it turned out that it was a $250 Visa card. How about that. Maybe somebody up there likes me after all. You could not have known that from the last few years.

Gandy Bob in his Yellow Cab of Tampa

2011-12-18T18:11:00.002-05:00

Many long term drivers may know Bob. He used to work only days and only in the Gandy area of Tampa. He switched to nights when the economy went bad in 2008; he has stayed on nights since. He showed up last night at the Britton Plazza stand as he was waiting for an airport call (Yellow cab got much of our business when our management fucked up last year in thier very shitty atempt to install this nuew dispatch system that drove most drivers to poverty and desperation).
Bob says he pays more in stand dues but he believes he has a better chance of making money where he is at. If it works, stay with it. He was fired from United Cab when he had too many wrecks. He always seems to be in a good mood...kind of a take it go lucky guy.

Paul the shop foreman

2011-12-16T14:44:00.000-05:00

Paul in his office

Paul is our shop foreman. Paul was with United Cab of Tampa a few years back, then went off to Alaska to hunt big game. He is a crack mechanic and a very nice guy. He is married with three children. Not only does he make out taxi's run good, he has some good stories to tell about Alaska.

In his office is a trophy of a a moose. Not too bad. They are very large animals and not for the faint of heart to hunt. I have heard that many first time hunters are afraid to shoot one because they think all they will do is piss it off. They may be right. Sarah Palin shot one when she was a girl with her father.

On the wall next to the mount are photos of the hunt. Alaska is a sportsman's paradise with fishing, hunting and camping unlike anything you will find in Florida.

Our boss, Mr. Rob Searcy is a deer hunter but even he will go up to Alabama and Georgia to hunt. I like to camp and hike, so the big game part of Florida does not interest me.

Pedro Says Hi To Larry, and hard times in the Tampa Taxi business

2011-12-15T14:17:00.001-05:00

Pedro in the taxi cab

Pedro was a long time special for the now retired cab driver from Tampa Larry. I picked up Pedro the other day and he asked about Larry, and how he was doing. I had a nice chat with him on the way to his job that he still has after many years. I hope Larry sees this post and the cell phone photo of him. It was almost like old times, but not really.

The taxi business in Tampa the last few years have been very tough. I am not going to lie. I have a good day every now and then. But most of them are crap. I am hanging by a thread in all aspects of my life and may be facing homelessness. That is something I am trying to avoid.

With no vacation in five years, or a day off in three, I beaten and almost on the ground. I owe the company over $1,000 and that is the point they are letting the drivers go that owe that much.

It is just before Christmas and that would be a shitty time of year to get thrown to the curb. We are only days away from the good time of the year, and my life depends on this. I mean my life. I am too old to be walking down the street with just my clothes on my back knowing that I could be making money, but it was taken from me.

I am very much at the end of my rope. I have no clue what will happen to me. Oh well, I guess the sun will rise and shine and I will come up with something. It could be for the best. At least I am alive and breathing. There is something to be said for that.

Tampa Taxi Shots goes deep into Green Swamp to find Skunk Ape

2011-12-12T16:54:00.002-05:00

In the forbidden zone

The forbidden zone is the watershed area for both the Withlacoochee River and the Hillsborough River. I actually believe I found the demarcation point for both rivers. That is where this image above was taken. I was in the forbidden zone and it was one hour before sunset and I was alone. I was miles from nowhere and there were no cyber-bullies, posters, commenter's on blogs that use the work "Bigfoot" or "Sasquatch" in their handles even though they have never been in the woods but want to rip me for taking risk.

Looking into the Forbidden Zone from the camp

Before sunset, I could hear tree breaks coming from this area when I was back at camp (about 200 feet away). I was able to forge a trail along the river bank and find an area of cypress knees and a fallen tree that if you could, you would find your way directly into the forbidden zone. Do you think that stopped me. No. I put a camera and went back to camp and let it run. There are growls recorded and I will release them soon.

I am alone at this campsite in the Green Swamp

Keep in mind this is the very area a hiker in this Green Swamp tract vanished a few years ago and his body was never found. Subsequently, the area was closed to the public and it has remained that way since.

I am still here in Tampa for now

2011-12-11T16:52:00.001-05:00

Things have been a little hard right now. Business has not been the best for this time of year. The cruise industry has saved us on the weekend. Other then that, we would be screwed. I can not stress how bad the economy is here in Tampa Florida. All I can do is hang in and hope for the best.

I just got my cell phone re-connected after a month. I have to make decisions about where I will spend my money. The cell phone is a low priority. My internet connection means more too me.

Tampa Economy and tourism on the rise...I hope

2011-12-03T14:50:00.001-05:00

The economy in Tampa seems to be making a comeback, at least the tourist economy. There has been an improvement that is noticeable. Events and conventions seemed to be lined up well into the spring. These are all good signals. In 2008 when the economy collapsed there was no hope. There were no good days; all days were bad. Hope was gone; the suffering was on. I mean that. The tourist economy reached a flat line and it was going to take years to recover.

Weekends are now rocking and rolling. The expansion of the cruise industry has been a benefit for us. Tourist are now calling United Cab from many hotels for rides to the port. This is something they were not doing in the last three years. Multiple trips on Saturday and Sunday can be expected.

Now that our GPS dispatch system is working well, we are getting our regular riders back. The business people that use us to go to the airport in the early mornings are coming back. They had left us last year. Now, when they call for a cab, one shows up.

I talk to people that work in the hotels and they say advance bookings are way up and they are full through March. Major conventions are booking now through the Republican National Convention in August 2012.
I am knocking on wood becasue I may now get my life back and stop living like life was on hold.

Tampa Epoch newspaper is helping the homeless

2011-11-15T17:54:00.001-05:00

A street newspaper in Tampa

"This is a noteworthy time for the Tampa community." - proclaims the publisher of Tampa Epoch.

A new Newspaper is now being circulated in Tampa by the homeless community. The newspaper has a unique business arrangement with them. They get to keep the profits off the street sales and the publisher keeps the profits off the advertising. This is a legal (ethical and moral) way for homeless people to make an income, without panhandling.

The publisher of the newspaper is Bill Sharpe. I have not been able to interview him yet, but I would believe that his main concern is first amendment rights. The homeless have been marginalized by local politicians who have made it illegal for people to express their right to free speech. They said that holding a sign informing others of your plight was a crime. It is free speech; It is protected by the Constitution.

Now, homeless (and formally homeless) can get around what Bob Buckhorn wants, and still find a way to make a living - the only way they can right now with an unemployment rate close to Great Depression levels.

The newspaper I bought today was from a vendor at the 'Occupy Tampa' sight. I felt the dollar was worth it and in twelve pages it had more content then the Tampa Tribune (which will soon be out of business). I support this effort and wish them well. The vendor seemed very happy to make a sell and I was happy for him to provide a service to me.

Street newspapers work well for the homeless and there are over 100 world-wide. They provide employment for the unemployed (something Obama has been promising for years). They provide information to the public that they will not get anywhere else. The main thing is they financially help people. Tampa Epoch is sort of a stimulus plan.

Way to go Bill Sharpe. You are one guy that is trying to make a difference by helping people that others have giving up on.

Taxi Business Good Right Now For United Cab Of Tampa

2011-11-06T14:52:00.001-05:00

The Westshore Marriott Tampa

For the first time in years I have spent a weekend without the wheels of my taxi stopping (I have been able to get my internet back up). There are some reasons for this.

I think the tourism that has been lacking since the economic collapse in 2008 is now coming back. I also believe that the new computer dispatch system we use makes us more efficient then any other cab company in Tampa. I have told people to call 911 and then call us, and we will get there first. That is good.

If things continue like this, I should be able to get my life back in order. I am so far behind. I hope it is not just a good weekend. Hell, like I said, I have not seen one of them in years. The Super Bowl was good in 2009, but you would expect that.

I am also working the hotels more because that is where the people who have money and credit cards are staying. You can work the old ladies at the grocery stores, or work people who may really be going somewhere.

Tampa Taxi Shots Has A YouTube Channel

2011-11-05T17:21:00.000-04:00

Tune in everyday and see the new videos of the Tampa Taxi driver Tim Fasano as he shows you Tampa Bay in the only way a cab driver can. You have no idea what you have been missing. Tim goes all over the place to give you first hand insight on what is really going on in Tampa. Check it out.

You can find the site at: http://www.youtube.com/tampataxishots

My internet connection has been down for the last few days. That is why I have not been able to post much. I am back up and running. I hope I can keep it up this time.

The Storm Before The Calm

2011-10-29T13:23:00.001-04:00

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.

Taxi Stand Hyde Park is full of surprises

2011-10-27T19:45:00.000-04:00

The Hyde Park taxi stand

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

Occupy Tampa Protesters Are Being Harassed by Tampa Police

2011-10-23T12:58:00.001-04:00

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.

A Nature Trail Near Tampa

2011-10-22T18:14:00.000-04:00

A butterfly garden on a nature trail

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.

Is Occupy Tampa Over?

2011-10-20T17:31:00.002-04:00

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.

My New Ride

2011-10-19T20:12:00.000-04:00

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.

Pam Callahan Nature Trail Is Closed because of toxic hazards

2011-10-15T15:39:00.000-04:00

Pam Callahan Memorial park Town & Country

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.

Lingerie Model Shot At Nudist Resort Pasco County Florida

2011-10-11T20:40:00.002-04:00

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).

"Occupy Tampa" Protesters Invade Tampa...Not Really

2011-10-07T16:45:00.000-04:00

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.

Heavy Rain Before The Atlanta vs Tampa Bay Game

2011-09-25T18:34:00.001-04:00

This road is under water. My fare was one block away. I cold not get them

This was bad. The rain came down in buckets two hours before the Atlanta game. This is the time when we count on to make money. I was getting calls but I could not get down many of the streets because the water was up in peoples yards. There was no way I was going to flood out my car. If you do, you just bought yourself a car as far as the taxi company is concerned.

The company uses Ford Crown Victoria's. They are a model that takes on water because the air intake is down low. I would not take the risk and went home.

I am still waiting for next Monday Night. We just may have a sell out so the game will be broadcast on local TV. That is the best time to drive a taxi.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers May Sell Out The Monday Night Colt Game

2011-09-24T22:33:00.000-04:00

The best situation for a Tampa taxi driver is a sold out stadium. You simply get more action. More people go to the games and more people go to the sports bars to watch on television because the games are not blacked out. Cab drivers can make more money. That is what it is all about.

I also believe the more any product is put in front of a possible customer base, the more tickets they will sell in the future. Success feeds on itself. The best thing about the Buccaneers going to London this season, is that game counts as a home game and it will be telecast. The things you have to do to avoid a blackout.

Personally, I think the blackout rule is arcane and was invented in a time when most televisions were in black and white and people used rabbit ears to see only three channels. Today, with alternative media and internet, people can pick up streaming video of the blacked out game, and any other game they want to watch. There is just to much competition now for the NFL. They need to reconsider what they are doing and become more creative and developing fan bases.

"Might the Tampa Bay community stain of blacked out Bucs games come to an end in 10 days when the Colts come here to face the Bucs on Monday Night Football?
Rick Stroud, of the St. Pete Times, apparently is hearing that good things are on the horizon, so he Twittered this morning.
@NFL Stroud - With a good week of ticket sales, Bucs Oct. 3 Monday Night Football game vs. the Colts will most likely be a sellout and televised locally
As Joe has written, there’s something dreadfully wrong if a “football town” with a good team can’t sell out a Monday Night Football game early in the NFL season. That might happen here, and Joe expects this will come down to 11th-hour sales. But Team Glazer really would be missing the boat if it didn’t do whatever needs to be done to make sure Monday Night Football is available for the many hundreds of thousands of locals who will sit home and watch it.
Joe’s desperately hoping it gets done by any means."

via www.joebucsfan.com

I was wondering how long this blackout would last. That would be nice on a national televised game, that we could sell out so the announcers will stop talking about how poor Tampa Bay sports fans are.

$1.89 in gas..poor customer service for United Cab of Tampa

2011-09-22T19:37:00.001-04:00

I hope my first fare does not go very far; I have very little gas in the tank. I used dimes and pennies too buy gas this morning (my quarters are gone). After going three days without my blood pressure meds, a driver lent me the $4 to get it. I owe my company over $600 and my landlord $1,200 (he is ready to put me on the streets). I have been waiting two hours this morning but there are no calls. Every day they sign up more and more refuges from turd world countries to drive cab. "Yes we can." "Hope and change?" Life is so good right now.

I ran into 'Big Mike' today. He is a long time cab driver of over twenty years. He is not making a living. He tells me all of the old guys are not making a living. In fact, most of the taxi drivers in Tampa OWE money to the company. By rights, if the company just let the ones go, there would be a balance point of the correct number needed to sustain his market. The owner of this company does not see it this way.

He has not read the newspapers or watched cable news. He has no clue that he cannot expand and flourish in the economy. The tactic he is using is foolish, and in the long run he will have a weaker company for it. He should let his GOOD men make money, so that when things get better, he can hire the number he wants.We will have a larger customer base by then, and he will be richer becasue ot it.

He wants it now...there is no now...that may finally be sinking in.

If the 'Big Crash' hits. It will all sink. Those leases that are charged to drivers will have to come down, or the number of drivers will have to come down. Sorry, but that is an economic reallity.

Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'sullivan Nude In Florida During Tarzan Movies

2011-09-20T19:56:00.000-04:00

Most people don't know that the outdoor scenes in the Tarzan movies were filmed in Florida. North of Tampa is the Silver River where in 1932 the first Tarzan movie starring Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'sullivan as Tarzan and Jane was filmed. Florida was a natural setting because the jungle terrain is similar to that found in Africa. Plus, the nice climate allows the actors to wear skimpy outfits.

The weather was great and the watter was warm (at the time of filming alligators were an endangered species - today those waters are infested with gators) and in one scene they both swam naked in the Silver River. Unfortunately, the year this move was filmed was when they came out with the motion picture rating code and the nude scenes had to be cut. The current DVD release has the scenes added in.

Believe me, if I had Johnny's body, I would go naked too. I'm straight; don't worry. I was his age once.

Pasco County Florida to this day is the nudist capital of the United States. Many naturalist come to the Tampa area to enjoy the lifestyle you can experience here. In fact, Florida is the tourist capital of the world. It is not just Micky Mouse.

Tampa Slut Walk Is Off The Mark

2011-09-18T15:00:00.000-04:00

College Sluts In Downtown Tampa

The issue of 'date rape' on college campus has always been an issue. The issue of fashion is not the point. Fashion was conservative in the 1950's and women were still raped on dates. It has much to do with the women's behavior. If you are out with a man and drinking and giving him major green lights, don't be surprised if he tries to make a move. No means no, and that is where it should end but don't try to blame it on alcohol the next day, and say you were raped when it may have been very consensual at the time.

A sexual predator belongs in jail. If a man is told no, that should be the end of it. In most cases, it is the end. Just don't get on your high horse and think showing all your body parts, combined with poor behavior, will not get a reaction out of a man.

The feminist movement of a generation ago never intended for women to show themselves as meat on display at a butcher shot. Personally, I think young college girls need to show less flesh and approach men on a different level. They just might get more respect.

This issue is not just on men. Women have come along way. They need to not let the way they dress and behave ruin this.

Tampa SlutWalk brings attention to victims of sexual assault - St. Petersburg Times: "Dressed in fishnet panty hose and short-shorts, Ale Martinez wanted to make a statement.
"The way I dress is not a yes," she read from the front of her T-shirt.
The Florida State University student joined hundreds in downtown Tampa Saturday for the SlutWalk, a protest to raise awareness of the treatment of sexual assault victims.
"No matter what I look like, I'm not asking for it," Martinez, 19, said. A victim of sexual assault, she hoped to help others by participating in the walk.
Men and women, young and old, marched through Joe Chillura Courthouse Square Park, some wearing homemade T-shirts, others in skimpy outfits, and many holding signs denouncing victim blaming. At the end of the walk, sexual assault victims shared their stories and offered inspiration to others."
'via Blog this'

Is Gerald McCoy A Bust In Tampa Bay?

2011-09-15T16:49:00.002-04:00

Gerald McCoy was the 3rd overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was projected to be a starter at defensive tackle from the fist game of the season. His performance has been less then what a top pick should produce.

That really is the problem. He has been OK. That is great for a walk on, unrestricted free agent or a 5th round pick. McCoy was one of the top picks and shows no real muscle in the middle. Season one was cut short by a bicep injury. He is healthy now and complaining about how hot it was by the third play of the Lions game last Sunday.

We have seen this before in Tampa with Eric Curry and Gains Adams. They were top picks with no upper body strength. Guys that cannot bench press can't move anyone out of the way. McCoy may just be too weak for this type of job.

I say, by the end of the year if he is not a dominating presence in the NFL, get rid of him. I know that sounds cruel. Life is cruel.

A Stripper, Greyhound Bus, And A Cabbie Cop

2011-09-12T17:08:00.000-04:00

Heading down the interstate towards downtown, she starts talking on her cell phone. She seems to be arguing more then anything. I have often noticed that people who live marginal lives seem to exhibit a lot of frustration, and of course, poor communication skills. Even after many years of driving a hack, I find it amazing how much people will talk about their personal lives in front of a total stranger. I guess that is the point. We are invisible. We don’t really exist. We are nobody to them.
We pull up to the Greyhound Bus station and there is nowhere to park. There never is anywhere to park. The front spots are reserved for taxis and they are always taken. The bus station is located on Cass Street. That used to be a cable car street back in the day. It also has train tracks running down the middle headed for the dock area. I am left with now choice. I park next to the first out taxi and pop the trunk.
This is the point when the fare will usually pay you, or get out and help unload the luggage. She did none of this. She took off and went inside the bus terminal. That left me with the task of unloading her stuff onto the sidewalk. Much of the stuff was in boxes and many items were loose. She had hair dryers, makeup cases, and all kinds of junk. It took several trips back and forth to do this.
She still had not come out. I now had to go find her. That meant I had to leave my taxi in the street and all her shit on the curb. I was not comfortable with this and was wondering why I need to do all this just to make a living. You would think driving a cab would just be taking people were they want to go, and that would be it. This job is not for everyone.
I find her not at the ticket counter but at the pay lockers that most bus stations have. She was yanking more shit out of there. Come on, this is getting ridiculous. She turns around and gives me twelve dollars. She was not aware that the meter continues to run as I continue to do more work. I will let it run all day as long as I am engaged in the ride. The meter had twelve bucks on it when she got out - but not now. That did not even cover the load time on the front end. This ride had now become a pain in the ass.
I started walking back to the front door too get here stuff and I saw him. It was one of the ‘cabbie cops’ from the Hillsborough County Transportation Commission. He was looking for the driver of the taxi that was double-parked out front. That would be me.
He demanded to see my hack permit and my drivers’ license and started yelling at me about leaving my cab on the street and blocking traffic. I tried to explain to him the circumstances but he would have nothing to do with it. The fact that there was no room to park meant noting to him. I asked him if he wants customers unconvinced by parking on the side of the building (which would now block bus access) and having the fare schlep their stuff. He said he had a better idea.
He said to park on the railroad tracks in the middle of the street. There was no way I was going to ask him the obvious question about what would happen if a train came by.
He went back to his ‘squad car.’ That is what gets me, the only people they police are the taxi guys, but they wear Rambo gear and carry side arms Is that really necessary? I swear to God, the only reason they exist is to shake down cab drivers who just trying to make a living.
He came back over to me and had me sign my $75 ticket, which gave me two weeks to pay. The TPC prides it self as not taking any tax payer money to survive, they do it all on the fees they charge drivers. This was just a fucked up way for them to raise money off my back.
While all of this was going on, the chick had finally gotten her stuff off the sidewalk. I got back into the taxi and there was now way over twenty bucks on the meter. Big deal now. I now had a long way to go to make up for this stupid ticket.

Mohamed Atta Had A Hack License From United Cab OF Tampa And A Commercial Pilots License

2011-09-08T19:08:00.000-04:00

Mohamed Atta once had a hack license issued by the Hillsborough County Transportation Commission. Atta never came back to pick it up. He had applied to work at United Cab of Tampa, but never showed up for work either.

My research shows he was living in the Tampa area for some time while taking flying lessons in Venice Florida and Jones aviation in Sarasota.

Most people were told that he only had a few hours on a simulator and was not interested in knowing how to land. This is not true.

The owner of Huffman Aviation in Venice said Mohamed Atta and a friend walked in the front door one day in late 2000 and wanted to know about getting pilots license and how much that would cast. They were told the cost was $18,000 with $1,000 down and $1.000 a week for the entire 18 week course. They paid with a check drawn on First Union Bank.

All did not go smooth as their first instructor found them arrogant and hard to teach. They switched instructors and were able to finish the course and Atta earned his "Temporary Airman's license" with a score of 90 of a 122 possible points during a five hour exam.. This allowed him to rent out planes on his own which he did on many occasions.

Proof Mohamed Atta Know how to land and take off in an airplane

Atta did not stop at this, he went on December 21, 2000 he earned a full instrument ratting and a COMMERCIAL PILOTS LICENSE. ("airplane multiengine land/ instrument airplane/ private pilot privileges/ airplane single engine land"). (Source) He earned these credentials in a rather short period of time.

I believe he was running out of money and It was during this period that he applied for a hack license in Tampa. The TPC still has his license on file. It is unknown what his intentions were about driving a cab, considering he had goals of altering world history for ever. He flew planes to Miami from Venice and from Jones aviation to Tampa. He knew how to take off and land. Skills that he really would not put to much use.

It was from Tampa where he flew American Airlines to Spain to meet with representatives from Iraq.

Tampa Taxi Shots

2011-08-31T19:20:00.002-04:00

This blog is my parallel blog to the popular Tampa Taxi Shots. I am just trying to get Google to pick up my feeds so I can start getting some traffic. It should be coming soon.

Taxi Repair Job

2011-08-20T18:30:00.000-04:00

The taxi I am driving has over 300,000 miles on it. The shop changes the oil every month as specified by the the owners manual. These cars will run for almost eternity. They do, however, start to use oil. That is what is happening with my cab.

The fare I picked up said they could smell oil burning. After I dropped them off, I checked the oil and I could see I needed at least one quart. Considering the oil had been changed last week, that meant I was burning oil. In the sixteen years I have been with United Cab of Tampa, I have never had a new car.

I see other drivers get a new car every year and I wonder why they treat me any kind of way. I need to ask Paul Hinton That. I would like to have a new taxi by the Fall time of the year.

You can see a taxi with its hood up at an Advance Auto Parts store on Dale Mabry is not good advertising for the cab company. We need to build up riders who have confidence in the ability of us to get them to where they are going.

Tampa Hack Blog

2011-08-18T18:44:00.000-04:00

Just to let people know that this shadow blog that I have been keeping since 2007 is called Tampa Hack. This blog shadows Tampa Taxi shots with other thoughts and concepts not covered on my main blog. There are many people who will be coming in for the 2012 Republican Convention and they may want to read this blog to see what is going on in Tampa Florida.

Taxi Riders Like The New United Cab Dispatch Features

2011-08-12T22:17:00.003-04:00

United Cab of Tampa has some new features on our high-tech dispatch system that people are really digging. When people call for a taxi they will receive a text message letting them know the cab number of the unit that is on its way. It even lets them know how far away it is (1.2 miles for example). As the taxi get closer, the customer gets another message telling them to come outside their taxi is turning onto their block. When the driver is on site, it will automatically do the call out for the driver. The customers like this; they like it a lot. In fact, if they have an 'I Phone' they can download a software that post a map of the city on their phone and allows them to follow the progress of the taxi in REAL TIME. Now how cool is that!

Just tonight, for example, on every call in the Hyde Park area I got, the fares were waiting outside as I arrived. They were waving at me. My hope is this will help increase our call count and customer loyalty. In the long run it should have a positive affect on the money we are making.

Now, when customers call Yellow Cab, they will think they have called "dial a prayer." They dial and pray they show up. After all, the customer has no information about if a Yellow Cab is actually on its way or not. This feature will be very effective in building up not only our club and party business, but in increasing our airport business that should feature prominently in taxi drivers portfolio.

United Cab is the only company anyone should call in Tampa. So when those Republicans come to Tampa next year, I hope they all use our service. They will have perfect information about how they will be served.

Don't Leave Your Cell Phone In The Taxi

2011-08-11T16:55:00.002-04:00

This photo demonstrates that there is no excuse for losing your cell phone in a public taxi cab. I was out on Clearwater beach recently and they were having a bikini contest at Sheppard's Beach Resort and I thought I would check it out.

I could not believe all the semi-nude women that were walking around, and all of them had cell phones! This young lady in a black string bikini had a unique way of holding on to her phone (note the front of her bikini bottom).

The reason I mention this is that people often lose their phones in the taxi cabs. That creates a problem for the driver because we have to waste time returning the phone and people don't always give us a tip, so, we lose a fare. All cab drivers have this problem with phones. If we do return a phone, please understand that we have just missed a call and take care of us.

Now people, you can see there is no excuse for not having your phone on your person when you exit the taxi cab. Just leave some plastic gloves so we can handle it!

A New Taxi Driver

2011-08-09T19:59:00.000-04:00

I pulled up along this new driver today. He was reading a readers digest and waiting for a call. I don't know about this guy. He had some strange ides about working the same hours every day and having a plan, or system, and sticking with it. I don't know about that.

He will learn soon that you can't work this like a business. You have to work the bars at night and sleep in your cab or you have no chance of making money. Larry thinks you can have a better plan.

Anyway, I hope Larry has good luck along the way. He just might last a couple of days or so.

A Good Weekend For Tampa Taxi Drivers

2011-08-07T17:00:00.000-04:00

This weekend has been good for United Cab drivers. It does come as sort of a surprise with it being August and such. I know its the first of the month but I think something else is going on. The new dispatch system installed by United Cab seems to be improving our business.

The primary feature is text messaging to the customer. United Cab customers receive a text message after they hang up notifying them that a cab has been asigined, the number of the taxi, and the distance the taxi is currently at. When the taxi is within a mile, the customer will get another text telling them to come outside because the taxis arrival is eminent.

Most of the customers that I talk to really like this feature and say that is the reason they are calling United now instead of Yellow. That is the reason I think our call count is going up, we are giving the service that our customers want.

Tim And Tom's Big Adventure (History Making Baseball Game)

2011-07-18T18:30:00.006-04:00

It was not the baseball history I wanted to see but I was glad to just be in the stadium after what happened Saturday. Tom called his customer about the bogus tickets we used Saturday to try and get into the Whitney Bank Club at Tropicana field. His customer is a business man, and had forgot that he had forwarded those tickets to an associate. He felt bad about what happened, and forwarded new tickets for the Sunday game for us. Cool! We were on our way. This game was the Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN; It was an eight o'clock start and I figured it would end about eleven.

The view from the Whitney Bank Club

We parked in the same lot we had Saturday, and were very happy to find out our $175 tickets were good! We were in...How Cool Is That! You enter the Whitney Bank Club through a private entrance where the staff begin waiting on you hand and foot. After the elevator ride up to the club, our tickets were scanned again and we found a good table by a window with a great panoramic view of the field.

Me watching the game

We feasted on prime rib, jerk chicken breast, vegetables (we eat healthy), scallops and much more. They even had Chicago style hot dogs which we ate during the game while we washed all of this down with boatloads of beer...All of this is free if you have a tickets. I can't tell you how wonderful the food was, and how many trips we took to the carving station. We were indeed in hog heaven. We were not, however, prepared for what we were about to see during the game.

The starting pitchers Josh Becket and Jeff Neiman pitched eight lights out innings and left the game with the score tied at 0-0. Tampa had their chances with many long shots that almost went out for home runs. Boston had left 14 men on base at the end of nine innings. By rights, they could have easily won this game. It was by watching this, that I saw how good a defensive team the Rays are. They don't miss a beat. Sam Fauld ran down many long shots with terrific speed, and Johnny Damon got two hits and plays at a high level for a 37 years old dude; Even Longoria got a nice hit to break his streak (he is coming back from injury). Neither team gave an inch and the game went extra innings. It seemed that nobody was going to score. The Red Sox loaded the bases twice, but hit into double plays both times. The Rays could not get a man passed second base the whole night.

Tom on our private balcony

The highlights of the evening were when a Boston fan ran out into the outfield and was chased by security who tackled him and beat his ass, and when Joe Madden got ejected from the game (defending a player that was attacked by a chowder head player who broke a bat).. We finally left about 1:00 a.m. and went home. I found out in the morning that Boston finally won after 16 innings. This was the longest game in Ray's franchise history. Most of the people were gone before it ended. Of course, many people have to go to jobs on Monday morning and who would have expected this game to go on for almost six hours. What was strange was watching Alex Cobb getting in some pitching practice in the bull pin after midnight. A very strange experience.

One thing I noticed was that the majority of the crowd were Tampa Bay Ray fans. Years ago in a Boston series, that would not be the case. I am glad to see the trend is turning. Friends of mine know my opinion on this. If you are going to live in the Tampa Bay area, support our teams. If not, go back too where you came from. Its as simple as that.

I am going to miss this place as I head back to the 'cheap seats' were taxi driver should be at anyway. A hot dog still taste good there. However, if you can swing it, the experience you will have at the Whitney Bank Club is well worth. it. Just having privacy was worth it for me.

Tim And Tom's Big Adventure (Born Yesterday)

2011-07-16T18:02:00.003-04:00

There is nothing like getting free tickets to a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game. These are not just tickets, but Boston Redsox vsTampa Bay Rays tickets. In fact, they are too the Whitney Bank Club high price seating. This is where the fat cats and the bigwigs go to watch a game. These $175 tickets include free buffet style food and free booze. There is prime rib, shrimp, lasagna, and everything you could dream of. The wait staff serves your every need, and we Tom and I had tickets.

My best taxi driver friend Tom Castros took a high-roller to the airport this morning and they businessman said he had the tickets, but his plans had changed and he wanted to just give Tom the tickets for the $25 fare. Tom took them in a heartbeat and called me on my cellphone. I said "hell ya! Lets go!" The game was set for a 4:15 start and we were both hungry. Free drink and food...I'm all over it! We would soon be surrounded by beautiful women and the rich and powerful in the Tampa Bay area. Wait till they get a hold of us.

Since we are cab drivers, we know how to get within two blocks from the stadium without ever encountering traffic. I am not exaggerating on this. Most people are on the interstate and it is gridlock. We know a parking lot that charges only $10 to park, and you are in the shadow of Tropicania field. How cool is that? We walked right up to the stadium and got someone to take are picture. We were on our way and breaking all the rules We felt like Thelma and Louise. This was going to be awesome.

Tim and Tom outside Topicania Field

We walked up to the gate with our expensive, high baller tickets and proudly gave them to the ticket people. The lady scanned my ticket with a light and said, "I'm sorry sir; something is wrong with your ticket" I could not believe that. She did point out that we needed to go to gate 6 and perhaps everything would be all right. Tom and I headed over there. We could not believe that had happened and felt we would be fine over at gate six. Wrong. Now this was something out of a "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode.

Sir...There is a problem

Security said that the tickets had been 'forwarded' yesterday to another party. In short, these tickets were no good. There was nothing we could do. Its bad enough to get beat out of a fare, but to go through all this and get your hopes up so high is just cruel. David Shields was pitching and I really wanted to see how good he would be against this powerful Boston batting lineup.

It was very hot and we just wanted to get to some kind of air condition. We had no water because we were going to get that in the club suite. When we went back to the parking lot, the guy asked us why we were leaving so early. We told him that we had been ripped off and he was good enough to give us a refund of the $10 parking fee. At least something went right.

On the ride home Tom's friend called and said that he has a special who gave him tickets to Sunday's night baseball game between the RedSox and the Rays and he could not go. He wanted to know if we wanted to use the tickets. We told him yes. He then said they were not just tickets - they were to the Whitney Bank Club and they were $175 which included free food and booze. Great! I can't wait for tomorrow night.

Obamavilles And The Starch Diet For Poor Taxi Drivers

2011-07-15T20:40:00.003-04:00

A Shanty Town Under Obama's Rule

Am I the only one that is tired of working everyday for 10 hours with no time off and needing to work weekends to make money? All you can do during the week is pay the lease, and buy some pasta for yourself...who can afford meat?

Many of Tampa's Taxi drivers are functionally homeless. They have personal clothes and grooming items stored in the trunks of their taxi cabs or they live day to day out of a motel. Many just have nowhere to live and they gather at the pavilion in the holding area at the airport (where the taxi cab drivers wait during the day) and spread out their sleeping bags and sleep. When the floor gets to hard for them, they sleep in the back seat of the taxi.

This is reminiscent of the Depression era when people would sleep in 'Hooversvilles' or shanty towns. Those people had no jobs. So why are these men willing to work 120 hours a week to live like this? I have no idea. You can do nothing in this country and be homeless.

I am getting fat, however. Why is that? I thought you were poor? I am but when you are poor in America you gain weight. The poor people in America are the fattest in the world. Did you know that? Poor people can only buy potato's, pasta, rice and beans..the starch diet. That will make you fat. I long for meat and fresh vegetables. Tonight, I will use kidney beans in my pasta for some variety. I do have some black pepper.

Mike, you are right. I did rant the other day. I just don't how the owners of these taxi companies can be millionaires while the drivers have nothing and live like worms during the Depression while living in 'Obamavilles.' That is if the police don't run you off in the middle of the night trying to create the illusion that there are no homeless people in the Tampa Bay area. I guess it is the economy stupid. Does Obama get your vote again? Is there anyway out of this jam in the near future?

Not Much Going On In The Tampa Taxi Business - Except Corruption

2011-07-13T20:42:00.003-04:00

74 miles in 12 hours

Taxi drivers need to drive over 100 miles a day to have a chance of making money. Lately, I am lucky to get 50-70 miles. I have never heard of that before. When you are only getting about 5-7 calls in a twelve hour period, you don't have much chance of making a living. The HCPTC had a meeting the other day about the state of the economy...Big deal. Stop letting the companies put on so many Goddamn drivers, and let some very poor people make a living. That would be the best thing you could do.

We don't have the money to give mortgages to people with no collateral loans like Michael J. Mosses (Owner of start up cab company who made his money off of ALF's like what Govenor Scott did) when he gave a $83,000 mortgage to Keven White as a mortgage (White was arrested by the FBI on corruption charges for receiving bribes from tow companies..I predict White will roll over big time to avoid prison).

What I hope is that the hobo drivers that think they have a job, need to go get a $7 an hour gig and they will be better off. They can then move out of their motel rooms and homeless shelters or stop sleeping in the back seat of the cabs.

Why does everyone want to be in the transportation business in Tampa? Why not open some other business and stop sucking the blood out of immigrants from third world countries. It sucks now, I now have nothing to lose.

"Life Is A Highway" Tammy's Birthday Party

2011-07-10T14:29:00.002-04:00

Life is a highway and Tammy has enjoyed her tenure in the Tampa Bay area as a veteran taxi driver. She had her 50th birthday party at Hillsborough River State Park and it was quite an event. There was a DJ, a sit down dinner, door prizes, and lots of her friends from over the years to add to the festivities. The A/C was not working well in the pavilion she had rented, other then that, it was a good evening. I thought I had the 'guess how many pennies in the jar' contest won but someone else was dead on. I still think it was rigged..LOL. When the party was over, we went over to the campsites and settled in for an all night party with a keg and more contest. Its too bad that I was the only taxi driver that showed up. I have always believed most cab drivers have no social life; I think I am right.

The Dance Floor

Tammy with the DJ at the party

If you missed the party, then you missed "Tammy Trivia" and all the door prizes and some wonderful southern cooking. I liked the event and was glad she invited me. I brought my tent and sleeping bag and set up home on the River Edge campsite. It was a little warm, but the bugs were ok and it was not too bad.

A photo of Tammy and Jack that was on display

Its hard to get cab drivers to take a day off. They should try it more often; they just might like it. See the campfire party below.

Republican Convention Coming To Tampa August 2012 - What Tampa Offers

2011-07-09T14:00:00.000-04:00

A popular tourist destination

The Republican convention is coming to Tampa next year. I have a few thoughts on the matter. First, I wonder if the city will do an 'operation shakedown' to get rid of all the street corner sign fliers. The sight of unemployed panhandlers with orange vest on will be something the city may not want delegates to see, but it does underscore a real problem with the current administrations ability to create jobs. So I say, let them see it and have it on the cable news. Second, will the delegates actually use the taxi cabs. I am sure they will have Mears bus service and limos working the hotels, along with the transportation services. This is why we need a strong cab commission to protect our interest. I am sure the delegates will be using the taxi to go out on the town, however.

Bill O'Rilley says he has never been to a strip club. Do you believe that? Maybe. He did write a novel with a cunningligus scene in it. He missed the mark (clit). It was as if he had never eaten a girl out before. Don't take my word for it, you can buy the book on Amazon. However, Tampa is known for many things and that is tourist love to come here. .

Tampa is known for beautiful beaches, great golf courses, penetrating defense, Ybor city, gaybor...and strip clubs! I bet they are mobbed. With Bill Buckhorn now the mayor; I wonder if he will install the ten foot rule again and start locking up all the Republican delegates that get to close to a naked lady.

I believe it will be busy, but don't hang your hat on it. You will make a few bucks but don't drive for the next year making no money hoping to make a killing next summer. There were drivers that made no money for six months in late 2008 just so they could have a good 4 days during the Super Bowl when it was in Tampa. Don't do that too yourselves guys. You will just be able to pay your bills that week and that's about it.

"Searching For Bigfoot" Comes To Florida

2011-07-08T18:18:00.003-04:00

Saga Magazine 1973

I recently got the opportunity to work with Tom Biscardi - the worlds self-proclaimed best Bigfoot hunter - in the Green Swamp of central Florida. (Many of you may remember in 2008 when those two law enforcement officers in Georgia claimed to have a Bigfoot in a freezer and swindled Biscardi out of $50,000 for something that turned out to be a monkey suit frozen in ice). Tom has been looking for Bigfoot since he was a young man and I remember an old Saga Magazine article about him when I was a teenager. He is still at it, and has collected important DNA that is currently being analyzed to prove that an unknown primate exist on the North American continent.

Tom caught up with me at a meeting point at the north end of the Green Swamp which is part of Richloam track of the Withlacoochee State Forest, and I took him to an area that has been known as a Bigfoot active area for some time. Tom travels with his research team and a trailer full of all kinds of high tech gadgets such as thermal night vision cameras, sound microphones, and computer imaging radar. He does not play around. We went miles deep into the swamp looking for evidence of animal tracks that could be where the big guy is hanging out looking for a food source. We found such an area near a prairie with high grass and pigs running around and clear deer tracks. This is where we decided to do our 'night operation.'

Tom doing an introduction for his upcoming movie about Bigfoot

Tom and I checking out the target area

About one hour before sunset we set out into the swamp and that is when Mitch saw something moving in the Palmettos and went searching. Since we had already set up the camera traps in the area where the thing was headed, our search yielded a possible print. We believe it was because it was in the area where we saw the movement.

A possible skunk ape footprint we found after we saw movement

One of the cool things about digital technology is the development of all kinds of high-tech gear. Tom has a thermal imaging camera which is used by the United States Military to see in the dark. We used this camera, and others, to peer into the dark in the Green Swamp to see what we could find. We did see several coyotes move across the plain, but on this night, no Bigfoot. That is how this kind of research goes. It is a waiting game, I did have a lot of fun and this was unlike anything I had ever done.

A night optics camera that can see in the dark

United Cab Lot Full Of Taxi Cabs - Casey Anthony Moving To Tampa?

2011-07-07T18:30:00.002-04:00

I went by the United Cab shop this afternoon to shop my cab #597 because I find it impossible to believe that I am not getting bids based on position. There must be something wrong with my cab and I was going to shop it. I know how to drive a cab; I have been driving one for 16 years and know all the 'hot spots' to sit and wait for a call. Youngbloods cannot beat me at this game. That is why I think I must have a software issue with my taxi. I came across something on the lot that I did not expect when I was looking for a new cab to check out. The lot was overflowing with taxi cabs and all of them were dirty, and had no gas in the tanks.

That tells me that drivers have been quiting because they are not making any money. That is lost revenue for the company and they have done this to themselves. The economy is very bad and this company has never figured out that they could not go on an expansion campaign during the worst economy since the Great Depression. Historians will refer to this period in American History as the "Great Recession" and I could see clear evidence of that on the taxi lot today. Guys are suffering and giving this up. I could hardly find a place to park my taxi! I have never seen it like this.

I worked this morning from 5 to 8 and never got a call. In 16 years of driving I did not think that was possible. I was considering shopping my taxi under false conditions just to get a cab that had some gas in it until I got a little call that allowed me to 5bucks in the tank (enough for one run).

I will let you know tomorrow if it was just my computer. Who knows, if I make money with my new cab that seems to have a good functioning BlackBerry dispatch system, then I will be singing a different tune and loving life. I hope so; I need to be loving life.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I always thought (for some reason) that the Casey Anthony murder trial was just a local Central Florida issue. It has been all over the local news, and involved people that live in Florida. The jury was picked from the Tampa Bay Area and they only had to go to Orlando (87 miles from Tampa). However, it seems the entire country has been following this case and all of the major cable news outlets. Today, I heard that Vivid entertainment withdrew the offer they had for Casey of one million dollars to do a pornographic film. Vivid succumbed to public outrage, and withdrew the offer. I guess even the porn industry has standards. I suggest she move to the Tampa Bay area where the jury pool was picked. At least she has 12 friends she can lean on. There are jobs at day care centers where she can work. I understand she has real maternal instincts. She can even get a job at Untied Cab as a dispatcher! How cool would that be?

Things Are Very Bad Right Now

2011-07-06T16:53:00.001-04:00

Its not only slow; its very hot in the Florida sun

What is going on now in the taxi business in Tampa is not just having "a bad day." Most drivers are getting somewhere between two to five calls a day. That's it. "Don't worry, it will be better tomorrow." a customer told me. I am worried. Each day is just the same. For example, this morning I came out at Five a.m. and did not get a call until Nine. There has never been a time when a driver during the morning hours would not get a call for over 4 hours.

The new dispatch system is inherently unfair. If you are not close to a call, it will not give you one, nor will it even send you a f*****g bid. Without the bid, I cannot make any money. Paul Hinton says I simply need to park my cab where the calls are going to come out. How in the hell do I do that? The calls could come out from anywhere. I have no psychic abilities, so I guess I am screwed.

Talking to Paul Hinton and Eddie Munster (the computer guy) has proved useless. They don't even know what the algorithms are set at or the parameters of how it will give out a call. Paul just says that one day he will call the main office and find that out. Great! That will do me a lot of good while I STARVE!

The only reason I have not left United Cab to go to Yellow Cab is that I am in the Lighthouse program for the blind school children. After that, I am on my way to a company that will put me to work and provide me with business. I am ready to work and I need to work. With my years of experience, I will be an asset to any company that wants a quality driver, not just someone that can fog a mirror.

Tampa Taxi Shots Now On Blogger

2011-07-05T20:53:00.000-04:00

This is a decision that I have taken much time to consider. I am now publishing my popular blog Tampa Taxi Shots on the free service Blogger. My Typepad blog is now being attacked every day by hackers and span comments. I find it hard to keep pace with this and try and block and remove all comments. I do not have this problem with Blogger which is by Google. I have a ton of archives on my Typepad site, so I guess I will have to maintain it because it is a body of work that I am very proud of. Sorry for this transition period but I feel it is necessary and the time is right for this move. I have a lot of work to do, and I am ready to get going.

Tampa Bay Lightning Are Hot And So Is The Weather (Dispatchers On The Outs)

2011-05-21T16:50:00.000-04:00

Tim Of United Taxi

A game six was guaranteed today by a 5-3 victory by the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Boston Bruins. That is fantastic for two major reasons. One, I am a Tampa pro sports fan. Two, these games are bringing money into town. Three hours leading up to the face off, all I did was take people to the St. Pete Times Forum. The Boston fans are great (so is their money). They must have thought it was strange going to a hockey match in this heat at a stadium lined by palm trees.

Not only did the Lightning win, they took it to the Bruins. The series now moves up north for a game five. This series may very well go down to the wire. As a driver that was here when the Stanley Cup was here in 2004, I know how good that event can be. Go Lightning!

All of our dispatchers are now gone back to driving taxi. With the new computer system the radio is being handled by the girls that are phone operators. I can work an entire day now without the radio even being on. That is good for my stress level because I don't have to listen to the attitude and arguing that was going on. Quality is important.

Tampa Bay Lightning - In My Financial Interest

2011-05-19T21:03:00.001-04:00

I picked up a newspaper reporter today who was from Boston and down here covering the match between the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning. We had a great conversation and he told me he had lived all his life in Boston but was a rare journalist nowadays - he was impartial and objective. I agree.

ESPN is very biased against our Tampa Bay Rays and all they want to report on is how few people show up for games, and not how great our pitching is and batting. This guy has the right attitude.

He asked me If I follow hockey. "Not really," I told him but it is an economic fact that a long playoff run in NHL hockey will put money in a Tampa Bay taxi drivers pocket. I made $150 today and it has been a long time since I did that....The series is tied at 1-1 with Tampa at home ice tonight. GO LIGHTNING!!

Tampa At Night And Back Up And Running

2011-05-13T15:31:00.000-04:00

I have had a tough week. The change of weather and the drop off in business has not been good. I ran into Big Mike the other day at the shop. He still thinks night taxi driving is the way to go but he does admit there are many Yellow cabs out in the So-Ho area and camping out at the Hyde Park Cafe and McDinttons. You have to pick your shots and be ready to roll on calls The new computer GPS dispatch will give you the mileage of any call you bid on. This is good. However, the best part is you can actually get to the call because of light traffic at night. Did you know that the Florida Highway Patrol estimates that 60% of the drivers on the road on a Saturday night have alcohol in their system. Man, I would not have thought that.

There May Be A Meter Raise For Taxis In Tampa

2011-05-06T15:15:00.000-04:00

United Cab Taxi Meter

Paul Hinton told me today that there was a meeting with the Transportation Commission Of Hillsborough County and they are considering a raise on the drop from $2.00 to $3.00. I think this is necessary so that the taxi drivers who have to buy their own gas can make a living. This small amount could be the difference of being able to run the cabs or park them. There is a breaking or tipping point and we are almost there. I am glad that the companies are recognizing this.

There will not be a raise on the per mile charge or the waiting time. I believe on the drop is the right way to go.

The Economic Reality Of Taxi Driving In Tampa Florida

2011-04-20T15:36:00.000-04:00

Taxi Drivers in the holding area at Tampa International Airport

The St. Petersburg Times ran an article about the state of taxi cab companies and drivers in Hillsborough County. They quoted me (Tim Fasano) in the article because of this blog. I believe the article hit hard on some very real aspects of the current state of cab driving.

Jack Nicas went all over Tampa talking with taxi drivers and cab company owners. He went to the holding area at the airport, the major hotels downtown, the club party areas on the weekends and he saw first hand what goes on in our work. This is what he saw at Tampa International Airport.

"For hours under the sun in a lot near Tampa International Airport, a harsh course in economics plays out.
Dozens of taxicabs snake into a queue. Men shout and engines start. The line barely budges.
Rene Jeune is up front now, having waited two hours for one customer. Farther back, Jean Bourdeau watches birds fight. He has just $25 in his pocket for five hours of work.
A few men play cards. Others read. Some doze off.
All tell a similar tale: They work 80-hour weeks, yet take home what a waiter earns in tips — about $200 to $300. Some are said to be homeless, sleeping in their cabs and living for their next fare.
This is the taxi business in Hillsborough County." via www.tampabay.com

Unlike waiters, many taxi cab drivers are barely able to survive. This was not the case before the recession. The economy was good then. That is why I stayed with it for so many years. When the Great Recession hit OUR EXPENSES REMAINED THE SAME AND EVEN WENT UP!

There is no other way to say it-United Cab use to have a call count of over 2,000 on weekdays, and over 3,000 on weekends. There are days now when we don't crack 700, and with 262 cabs, you figure that out.

We need the meter to be raised so we can recoup what we have lost. In other business (even transportation) they pass the cost off to the customer. However, with taxi leasing companies, the driver is the customer and we bare all burdens and cost.

You would think that a cab company would want all of its drivers to prosper and be successful. I believe that if they marketed the company to increase the base line of customers over time. The drivers and the company would all share in a cash party. However, when accountants run companies, their shortsightedness becomes contagious, and whatever visionary may be at the helm, he will shortly be converted by a spreadsheet.

"In 1967, the manager of the only cab company in town told the Tampa Taxicab Commission his drivers made about $112 per week. Adjusted for inflation, that's $742 in today's dollars.
Drivers were employees then, with health insurance, vacations and bonuses, city records show. But in 1975, the Yellow Cab Co. jumped on a national trend and made its drivers independent contractors. The agreement cost cabbies their benefits but let them keep whatever they made.
At the time, Yellow Cab manager Nick Cambas told the Tampa Times: "This should be the answer to those squawking about the little man not having a chance to make it in business."
Thirty-six years later, the little man still awaits his chance.
Drivers today say the system leaves them poor and at risk. Their predicament is compounded by a lack of choices: Two companies control 87 percent of the county's permits.

via www.tampabay.com

Adjusted earnings have not followed the taxi cab drivers nationwide that work on a lease system. All the major cities (except Las Vegas) use a lease system. Most of their drivers struggle to make a subsistence living. I can deal with being poor but as I get older, it would be nice to have some health insurance or Workman's compensation. If I am injured in a car accident today, I have no coverage. I have no pension or retirement. I have nothing, and I am one of the better drivers with over sixteen years experience.

I thought Obamacare would cover me but it will only cover the employees of the cab company. They call that "a prohibited cost" so they will pass that on to the drivers and raise our leases again forcing us to work 16 hours a day 7 days a week. With the price of gas, where is the tipping point?

When the economy collapsed a few years ago, drivers say they shouldered the burden. Their customers vanished, but the companies prospered. With unemployment rising, more people decided to give taxi driving a try, which meant more revenue for the companies.
"There was no concession on their part," said Tim Fasano, a United Cab driver who blogs about the industry. "Times have never been better for them. They have more drivers than before the recession and they're getting higher leases now."
Yellow and United managers say lease prices increased because they invested in better dispatching technology.
They also dispute drivers' claims of poverty-line earnings and say their business model is not as profitable as depicted. Their overhead and risk is high, they say. Searcy says Gulf Coast can't fill all its cabs and is "barely paying our bills." Yellow Cab co-owner Louie Minardi said Yellow isn't far behind.
But the most recent statement of income for either company on file with the commission show Yellow Cab reported $451,211 in profits for the first half of 2006.
The company filed for bankruptcy just four years earlier.
via www.tampabay.com

One thing that I will never understand and my experience in life still leaves me with no reference point to make a judgement, is why do so many grown men continue to work under these circumstances? I am one of them but I truly believed that over half these guys would quit when the recession took hold. That does not seem to be the case. They know how many hours they will have to work and that kids at MacDonald's make more money. Are they just a collection of little boys?

Many of them do come from third world countries so they have adapted to poverty and seem to have a real tolerance for it. They just keep driving every waking minute of their lives. Many have died and they still keep going. I will never understand that.

I do want this stated for the record: The old manager of United Cab was fired a few months ago and Rob Searcy and Paul Hinton took over. They have a completely different management style. They are very accessible and Paul keeps his door open at all times so any driver can walk in and state whats on his mind without any fear of reprisal. That could not have happened under the old regime. These new managers are what I call "drivers managers." I have not seen moral this high in years. The new GPS dispatch system has been a blessing. I know many drivers have had issues. I have not. I can't wait to the Fall time of the year because I just may be able to go on the Camping/fishing trip I have wanted too for years.

Late Night With Coast-To-Coast Radio

2011-04-07T14:15:00.001-04:00

The other night on Coast-To-Coast radio with George Norry, he had three distinguished Bigfoot researchers on his show who discussed the latest evidence and theories. People that know me are aware that I have a real interest in Bigfoot. I look for the Florida version of the big guy called the Skunk Ape. This is supposed to be a smaller, and harrier version.

Coast-To-Coast is the perfect show to listen to late night when you are driving a taxi. The night air can really pull you into experience.

Dr. Jeff Meldrum discussed what I have suspected by my research, that the creature is not really human like. He may live almost by instinct. He said there is no evidence that they use tools or build permanent shelters, which would put them more in the area of gorillas. However, there is considerable evidence that they build structures. I have found a habitat that they slept in for at least one night.

Silver Star Mountain Bigfoot

Founder of the center for Bigfoot studies Daniel Perez editor of the Bigfoot Times said it was the rarity of the creature that makes it seem so illusive. He believes the best evidence for Sasquatch is the Patterson/Gimlim film taken in 1967. He also believes the Silver Star Mountain photos taken in 2005 by a backpacker are of an actual Bigfoot.

Loren Coleman rounded out the show by talking about his latest book. I understand he has been in Florida researching a book about the history of sea serpents and lake monsters in the Sunshine State.

These discussions were beyond fascination. Noory has on the top field researchers in all forms of crypto and UFO kind of stuff.

So if you get into my taxi late night, I just might have the radio tuned into Coast-To-Coast

Lost In The Travel Section

2011-03-26T15:47:00.000-04:00

The same thing as a Sunday morning with a cup of Joe?

   On the way to the airport I asked my fare if they were reading their emails on their cell phone. They said they were reading a book on an Amazon Kindle. They also said they could read the morning newspaper formated perfectly for the screen. I looked down at the newspaper I had bought out of a rack for 50 cents and wondered if I was Fred Flintstone for not being up with the latest gadgets. What price we are really paying for this new tech?
   The modern world looks no different from the one I grew up in as a little kid in the ‘60s. I see houses, cars, telephone poles, and electrical wires strung aloft in the neighborhoods; styles have changed, but that is just fashion. What I do see are brick and mortar retail stores beginning to vanish along with newspapers because people can simply go online to buy whatever they want, and get a better price. I know I buy almost every book from Amazon. They always have better price, and consistent delivery and essentially every title known to man.
   I am sort of angry at myself for doing it this way, but I still like to enjoy a Saturday afternoon at the local bookstore with a fresh cup of coffee while I browse and look for the books that I will eventually purchase somewhere else. I still find it very relaxing and there is something tactile about holding a physical book in your hand and thumbing thru it, instead of just reading a brief synopsis of it and a photo. I had no idea that people would start getting their news this way.
   Can you really find everything you want and need on a website? How can it be easier or more efficient to navigate than a newspaper with sections that proceed in a linear fashion? I do not know, but apparently, millions do.
   We will one day live in a world where people will have no idea what its like to curl up on an easy chair on a Sunday morning with that ubiquitous cup of fresh coffee and slowly read and spend time with yourself, without the time pressure you have been under the previous part of the week.
   Does that make us a better society?
   Does that improve our humanity?
   Are we robbing ourselves of a synergetic connection with the world while we are lost in the Travel Section? Once things are gone, they can never be experienced again.
   They say Britain’s undeniably most significant contribution to Western Civilization was afternoon tea. Is it just the caffeine or is it sitting down to drink tea that we enjoy. Relaxation and contemplation nuance the rewards of life and your humanity in many ways. That is how I feel about the vanishing of newspapers and perhaps books.

Changes To Tampa Taxi Shots And Bob Buckhorn Wins Tampa Mayor Race

2011-03-22T19:24:00.004-04:00

I have decided to use Blogger as my host for Tampa Taxi Shots. The software is just more attractive to me, and the options they offer are better than Typepad (which I have to pay for). Typepad does have some advantages, such as unlimited pages, and that's really about it. I still keep my account for timfasano.typepad.com because I have over 1,000 post since 2005 and that is a considerable amount of stuff that I do not want to lose by closing the account. For now, Tampa Taxi Shots will be hosted by Blogger. I will keep the typepad account to maintain my archives.

I voted for Bob Buckhorn today for mayor. I'm sorry, but a vote for Rose Ferlita would be like a vote for your Grandmother or Aunt Bee. My information of the Tampa mayor results tells me that Bob Buckhorn has won the Tampa Mayor race by a huge landslide, about 60% to 40% of the vote to Rose. Nobody saw this coming but it should have not been a surprise. Combining the votes of Dick Greco and Bob Buckhorn would crush Rose. It seems Tampa wants a responsible Mayor who knows how this is done.

The System Finally Seems To Be Working

2011-03-13T17:59:00.000-04:00

It was a very busy day today and all of my calls came off of the BlackBerry. I know some guys don't like this system, like Big Mike but it seems to be doing its job. I am not a stunt or junk driver. I just post up and roll. It only takes me a few minutes now to get a call. I can't wait till next holiday season to win back some of the cab business we lost last year. Life moves on, so will we.

Where Does The Tampa Taxi Business Go From Here?

2011-03-11T13:48:00.001-05:00

December 16th, 2010 The Taxi Strike

I am referring to the drivers, not the owners. The people that own the businesses are doing very well. The drivers have been struggling for the last four years as we have shouldered the load. What we need is a healthy economy to make real money, but none seems to be in sight. There is a glimmer of hope, however.

United Cab Of Tampa has finally got the digital dispatch system up and running. Today I received a software update and my rate 2 and rate 3 on the taxi meter for the minimum and flat rate airport zones. The system is working for me but I have heard many complaints from drivers. I stated before that this system will put the hood stretchers and the sandbaggers and the guys used to being fed out of business. Those seem to be the ones complaining.

Mr. Rob Searcy (seen in the video below at the taxi protest) was the one that implemented the new computer system. The old management would never have done that. I really believe in the long run good times will come back to the taxi business, only at United Cab, however. The other companies are to dysfunctional and not on the ball. United will rule the day and their drivers will make a ton. Just wait for a healthy economy.

Before I had met Rob Searcy I shot this YouTube video of him addressing the taxi drivers at the "strike" last December. I knew we were dealing with a strong man.

The Price Of Gas Could Kill The Taxi Business

2011-03-10T18:23:00.001-05:00

Gas In Tampa March 10, 2010

The price of gas is rising. We are dealing with unstable political regimes (or no regime) in North Africa and the Middle East. Unfortunately, drilling our own domestic oil which is plentiful, is not popular. There must be, and will be, a breaking point. That is when the people will demand action. In the meantime, I pay out the nose.

Most people I talk to have no idea that taxi drivers buy their own gas. They think the company supplies that for us. There may be a subsidy on the horizon.

The Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission will allow drivers to charge an additional dollar for the gas. I don't see that working out very well. How do you tell someone that has already given you a tip that they owe you one more dollar?

I understand many drivers are having trouble with the new computer dispatch system. I think in the long run it will be to our advantage. It is too bad that the drivers had to shoulder the load during the best months in Florida for the cab business. Maybe next year will be better.

United Cab Is Raising Leases On Taxi Drivers

2011-03-03T15:31:00.002-05:00

This was posted on the window at United Cab today

I would love to think that the recession is over; I would love to think that the events in the Middle East are not happening: I would love to think that the introduction of this new computer system has not destroyed our customer base. I would love to think that Lady Ga Ga is my girlfriend. Not so. Sometimes you have to deal with reality.

The reality is my expenses to run my little business are reaching the breaking point. Now that United Cab of Tampa is raising the lease they charge their independent contractors to run the taxis, now that gas may go to five dollars a gallon by summer, and now that our call count is at a historical low level for this time of year, the situation is becoming unmanageable. Like Carley Sheen says "you have to accept what you can't control."

It should be the good time of year to make money - it is not. I guess I am just an independent contractor with no control. Did you notice the 24 hour driver lease of $102 is PAYABLE BY 8 AM. Talk about hard ball.

I hope in the long run this makes me a better cab driver. This guy Rob Searcy is one tough guy. I do respect him. He told me that this new computer system should raise my production by over 30%. If that is true in the long run, I love this guy. None of this will mean anything because I will be making money. He will run this business and make money for the owners and drivers in the long term....I really hope. In that capacity, he is an awesome manager. I just wish he and Ft., Lauderdale would read the newspapers more often...Perhaps in six months I will be doing well and not care about any of this. Stay tuned.

Upper Hillsborough Preserve

2011-03-02T18:15:00.000-05:00

I hike for exercise. I love hiking. What I do is find an exotic area in Central Florida, load up my backpack with supplies, and hit the trail. Sunday I was in the Upper Hillsborough Tract of the Zephyrhills Nature Preserve. There is a long series of trails that would take days to complete with much effort. What is great is the area is closed to hunting which helps photographers because the wildlife moves in here to avoid being shot! Can you blame them! This video is when I was taking a break in this early heat in the year. Earlier, I had found a human type foot print (bare print) 300 feet off trail in a cypress swamp. Unless there are feral people or a Florida skunk ape in the area, I don't know what left that print. I do want to get a photo of that creature.

Rose Ferlita And Bob Buckhorn In Tampa Mayor Runoff

2011-03-01T21:26:00.008-05:00

Bob Buckhorn And Family at reception

Is Dick Greco now out of politics? Is Bob Buckhorn playing games with Christian values? Why am I getting Google searches for Rose Ferlita being gay? Does anyone really care? I don't. She is a good Italian girl and a Republican (She is a product of Tampa's Italian Camelot). Ferlita and Buckhorn will face each other in a Tampa Mayor runoff on March 23 2011. It is an important election, and that is what I care about. Tampa now belongs to a new generation, I think (Ferlita is 65 years old).

I was a Greco supporter, and voted for him. I believed in his old school message. He had experience, he is a business man, and he knows Tampa like nobodies business, but he was rejected by a new generation. I guess the world has changed, but I have not.

If you are new to Tampa did you know that Bob Buckhorn once prevented straight men from getting within 6 feet from a naked women by imposing a law in strip bars that prohibited that from happening. However, Buckhorn is having his campaign party tonight at JJ's in Ybor city - a sort of edgy, eclectic, gay kind of bar (Bay News 9 showed his supporters and it looked like a gay crowd). They were in a part of Ybor city called Gaybor. I am all in favor of that because of the increase in tourism and taxi rides this area has promoted. Gay people, as a demographic, are some of the best tippers you will find.

This may be the reason that Bob Buckhorn should be elected mayor. He appeased the religious right by going after Jew Redner and has brought tourism (and MONEY) to Tampa by supporting the growth of Gaybor. He has (for political reasons) had to do this under the radar. What this shows is that Buckhorn knows how the game is played. He is already making things happen for Tampa Florida.

I am getting Google searches about Rose Ferlita being gay. We have a gay Police Chief, why not a gay mayor? A gay fire chief, a gay cab driver, a gay dog catcher, a gay this, a gay that...Jesus Christ folks what the fuck is going on in this world. If you are straight, you are a freak?...NO..Straight people don't care anymore about sex orientation,. Can we move past this?

United Cab System May be A Piece Of Crap

2011-02-27T21:30:00.000-05:00

This is what "Big Mike" had to say..

yes mr. fasano this could be great;but what you don't understand is the lack of preparation for the driver and the inadequate software that this application offers.there is no continuous update of available fares with easy access;the foolish size of the zones;the danger of using the blackberry while driving;the endless rebooting or checking to see your check in position. yes I am not the only one experiencing be kicked out of my check in position.it is a shame the cheap ass company could not use a real computer set up instead of this bogus piece of crap. your good day as mine was are experience. when the inept have a chance to figure this out you will think differently. not to be able to get your check in call in the correct order is b.s.what the stupid system does is force drivers to sit on calls and not roam for fear of being out of position since it does not dispatch in order.this is why you are seeing cab drivers schooling like a group of sharks on a school of bait. no my dear friend the yellow computer is vastly superior and if they would use their true gps capabilities ,would even be better.think about this tim :drivers avoiding calls because of this pooling affect.you don't have to be a rocket scientist to take advantage of these faults.I actually thought you could see the deficiencies but i was wrong.good luck.and by the way how many times have you had to waist time rebooting, or the credit card machine doesn't work, or you loose your bluetooth connection. i could go on endlessly.yeah tim you stepped in s--t for a short period of time.the only thing good about the system if it truly works will be putting the hood stretchers out of business. it's up to the co. to discipline ha!ha!

Working Out The Bugs

2011-02-26T16:35:00.002-05:00

I can thank Shoe and the Blackberry for this wad of cash

Yes, there are a few bugs to work out but Ft. Lauderdale has their techs up here taking care of that. In the mean time, we have some of the best dispatchers found in the business. Shoe was at his best today as he took care of drivers problems and kept the orders flowing. It was a literal cash party today and the tires on my cab did not stop. This was like it was years ago before the recession took hold. I can't wait till tomorrow.

With this system you have perfect knowledge. You know were the calls are at when they hit the board. You do not have to sit ten minutes for a dispatcher to come back from a break, or fight against hood stretchers, or get beat by a cab that just showed up out of nowhere, or wait for six other cabs to leave a stand....you can go out and make your own way and to hell with anyone else.

Good time are here. There is no cab company in the Tampa Bay area that can provide the service we can. If you were a fuck up and got fired by United and are now trying to make it with some sorry ass cab company because you refuse to dig ditches or clean trash cans (work you are more suited for) you are now on the short end of the stick. Have a good life taxi losers.

An Open Letter To United Cab And Gulf Coast Transportation

2011-02-25T15:07:00.000-05:00

The BlackBerry At Night

United Cab of Tampa has spent the last ten weeks installing a digital dispatch system. It has text, voice and credit card applications. The GPS function gives directions and identifies the closest cab to the customer. This system went live Thursday afternoon.

Since then, I have had one of the best 24 hour periods I have ever had in the cab business. In short, this system MADE ME MONEY. It was made for real ‘cab drivers.’ A real cab driver is one who wants to hustle and be alert to money making possibilities.

This system is a masterpiece. Unfortunately, there are drivers that do not appreciate what Untied Cab has done. They are trying to get the company to go back to the ‘old way.’

Please do not listen to them. Change is difficult for some people. This system is not for stand sitters. Guys who will only park their buts on a stand and wait for the call to come to them are not for the modern taxi business. That’s right, I saw guys sitting on 21 today! Why?! There is no 21. We do not have stands anymore guys. These drivers will now have to use tactics and strategy to make money, so I don’t see them surviving.

This system is a dream come true for me. It could be my way out of this recession and back to making a living. Its a slot machine rigged in my favor. Wow!

Thank you Mr. Rob searcy and Paul Hinton. You guys rock!

Tim Fasano
#597

New System Is Now LIve But The Rising Gas Prices Could Destroy Taxi Business

2011-02-24T15:13:00.002-05:00

What I paid this morning

At 10:37 am we went live in all of the United Cab zones. There is no turning back. Everything seemed to work well. Our service will improve, and we should gain more customers and the drivers will make more money. The only thing that could derail us, is the price of gas.

People may not know this but taxi drivers pay for their own gas. It comes right off the top. I don't know what the breaking point is, but five bucks a gallon could do the trick.

This is all a shame. Just when things are finally working out with the new system. We will get through this somehow. One of the things taxi drivers hope for are tips. Customers need to understand this and throw the driver a tip. To be blunt - we have many riders who do not tip us. They don't seem to understand that is what they should do. There are cultural reasons for this but the time has come that they snap out of this or there won't be any drivers left to pick them up. Even homeless people tip. Speaking of homeless...

I knocked on a door this morning and a dog I had seem up the street ran up to me wagging his tail. I think he was homeless. He had no money, so I sent him on his way. Who would take this guy in...The dog must be on drugs....GET AWAY!

I Take My Coffee Black

2011-02-23T13:35:00.001-05:00

The meter is running and the taxi is in park. Normally I’d be outside of a strip club or message parlor, this time it’s a book store. I’m waiting for my passenger to return.

The large poster declaring 20% - 40% off looms over my cab parked outside of Borders Books on N Dale Mabry. This well publicized sale has brought customers to this store in record amounts. The idling of my engine cuts through the conversations of happy patrons leaving with newly prized possessions.

It’s just after sunset. I’d normally be home drinking beer at this hour - a well ingrained habit since the economy fell apart like a two dollar watch. Habits are hard to change as you get older.

I turn the radio down as a motorist asks if I can move up a bit. In over fifteen years of coming to this store I’ve never seen it this busy. I guess I’m not the only one that read the newspaper article about the store closing. Then it hits me - Why does Tampa (whose economy is supposedly tied to tourism) have so many people that read books. We are not supposed to be Boston?

I think back over the last decade or so. I have spent a lot of time in Borders. Coffee, reading, chess, browsing, music, liberal lap toppers, this place had it all, a great way to kill a Sunday afternoon and relax. You could have a bit of a repose from the ‘real world’ as books took you to other places and experiences that you one day planed to get around too, one of these days.

The Seattle’s Best Café. Yes, that was the first thing you saw as you walked in the door. Get your espresso and stare at twenty thousand square feet of wonder, knowledge and entertainment. In the next couple of hours, you would walk out smarter and more at peace with yourself then when you walked in. All of this augmented by a fresh cup of Joe (I take my mine black).

Coffee in a book store is Popcorn at the movies. Would it not be a shame if one day all things are by Amazon or Kindle? To me it would be like going to a prostitute for love or eating steak with a balloon on your tongue. You would still get the same knowledge and nutrition - so what’s your problem?

I do think it is a problem.

In the future they say you will just take a pill for everything you need or pick you kids out of a test tube (I prefer the old fashion way).

I once met Jack Harris at a book signing here. I once saw happy kids at Harry Potter night with expressions on their faces not seen since the family trip to Disney World. Do we really want all this to just go away? It is just all about the discount? What ever happened to smelling the roses?

Anyway, my fare comes back to the taxi and tells me there were at least eighty people in line with all the cash registers ringing. You hear that Borders….You finally figured out how to get Amazons money. Perhaps there is hope for Western Civilization.

Gas Prices Are Rising

2011-02-22T15:23:00.002-05:00

Gas is going to rise to an historical high mark in the next few months. With the unrest in the Arab countries, and an American administration incapable of taking action that protects Americans interest, we are going to suffer as if we were put on a medieval rack. I could not emphasize this enough. Americans are being killed throughout the world and nobody fears us anymore. Is Obama up to this job? They use to blame George Bush for high gas prices. The News video below profiles a United Cab airport driver and how he is trying to make money during these tough times.

Get In - Get Confident!

2011-02-21T21:25:00.001-05:00

I went to SUPERCUTS in Tampa today. The commercial shows guys getting a new look and then going out and kicking some serious ass at MMF, a casino and extreme sports. I can't wait. You can see the before and after below.

AFTER

THE WILDMAN

A South Tampa Speed Trap

2011-02-20T16:18:00.001-05:00

What is the correct speed on Henderson Ave Tampa?

The correct speed to travel on Henderson Blvd is not clear. There are seven speed signs between Kennedy and Manhattan that post 40 MPH as the speed limit. There is, however, a sign facing southbound traffic at Church and Henderson that says 35 MPH. The sign facing the opposite direction says 40 MPH. The Tampa police are very much aware of that. That is why they set up radar on Saturday and Sunday mornings at Church and Henderson because they know people are confused about the actual speed. This is a real shame.

It seems the Tampa police have simply found a way to screw with people and raise revenue for the city. This kind of shit never happened when Dick Greco was Mayor. Hopefully, we will return to law abiding citizens not being shaken down by punk cops trying to raise their quota. MPO Tim McGinnes fits that description

South bound traffic at Henderson and Church see this sign

Tampa Mayor's Race: Tom Scott Insults Taxi Drivers

2011-02-18T14:59:00.000-05:00

I was taught by my parents the dignity of work. There is no job that is demeaning to any man. I wish the Tampa Mayor Candidate Tom Scott felt the same way. In his mind, there is work that is beneath him. I am a driver. I am proud to be a taxi driver. He seems to believe that only racist drive cabs, or something like that. The Tampa Tribune played into the comment Dick Greco made in Thursdays debate. I wonder what Scott thinks about dishwashers, bricklayers, construction workers, dog catchers, ditch diggers, electricians, garbage collectors and so forth. This attitude makes him unfit for office. I am a PROUD DRIVER for United Cab.

United Cab Of Tampa Computer Dispatch System Is Live

2011-02-17T14:47:00.000-05:00

We finally went live today. It has been a rough ten weeks, but things are shaping up fast. Around Noon today the new system was live in a few of the outer zones, and the new zones became effective immediately. I took to this new system like a fish being thrown into a lake. Wow! I think I am really going to score big with this. It will eliminate all of the bullshit from drivers, such as holding the mic and hood stretching, and dispatchers wasting time with problem drivers. The good drivers can now concentrate on just making money. coming out of a recession, that will be a welcome experience.

Samson In Washington DC (Former United Cab Driver)

2011-01-13T13:49:00.001-05:00

Samson was one of my best taxi buddies for about ten years. He was getting involved in video productions as a way to make money. He always encouraged me to pursue my passion for photography. He believed it was a direction that could lead away from taxi cab driving. I found this photo of Samson on his Facebook account when I accepted him as a friend. It seems things are going well for Samson. He left United Cab on September 1, 2009 and he has never come back. Good for him. He is having more fun now then sitting on stand 21 all day!

I am still pursuing my photography and now have a very successful YouTube channel with Google adds on them. I am working hard on alternative forms of income. Taxi driving now requires too many hours and pays very little.

Business Is Slow A United Cab With New System

2011-01-12T14:37:00.000-05:00

Since United Cab installed the new digital system with GPS, it has been a disaster. In the first two weeks we lost more customers then you could count. At least the call count can...it is way down. The system loses calls, misroutes calls, sends them out late, and in the first week blocked our phone lines so we lost customers. Now we are screwed. I cannot survive on three calls in an eight hour period. There is no way I can pay the lease and have any money left for me. I am considering going to Yellow Cab Of Tampa. At least they have the customers we lost.

The BlackBerry inside the taxi cab

New Management At United Cab Tampa Doing A Great Job So Far

2010-10-28T16:56:00.001-04:00

Paul and Rick on the 'back lot'

The new managers that Gulf Coast Transportation inc have put in place are doing a great job. One of the hallmarks of good management is to bring in and know that you have good people working for you, and not be up their ass all day.

The old shop manager Paul is back, Joe is back, Big Scott is back detailing the taxi cabs. Rick has been given more responsibility (this is Rick and Paul moving across the lot). You can tell by the overall demeanor and relaxed attitude of the employees that things are getting better.

I do not think it is a coincidence that things are turning the corner as soon as the very bad manager we had was fired.

The new team has modern ideas about everything from the new technologies to marketing. It will be great to get back to making money again. I have not been this excited about driving a cab in years. That is a fact. Life may be great again.

Urban Scare Tissue For Obama In Tampa

2010-10-27T19:23:00.001-04:00

The Great Stimulus Plan For Tampa

The day after the State Of the Union Address last January Barack Obama and Joe Biden came to Tampa., Obama mentioned in his speech, the night before, that a new high speed rail system was going to be built in Florida, and he wanted to come here and take the credit for this great project. It was part of the stimulus package and the train would go from Tampa to Orlando (eventually Miami too). He said it would employ 20,000 people over 4 years, and retain 800 workers to operate it after completion.

The photo here shows the land downtown Tampa that will be the terminal. It was taken two days ago. As you can see, 20,000 people are working hard. I think the reason the President is dropping in his poll numbers is because he does not get the urgency people feel when they are out of work. They need jobs, and they need them now.

Do you really think this train will ever be built. Was the President just wrong, or is he a lying sack of shit?

Things Are Getting Better

2010-10-22T18:21:00.001-04:00

CC Sabathia Bring it on!

Are things better off then they were two years ago? Yes. No doubt about it. In 2008 all hope was gone. It could not have been worse. We had no calls, we had no riders, we had no nothing.

Now, we have conferences, meetings, business travelers, conventions, tourist and so forth. I don't know if the President is the reason. However, if you are going to blame him when it is bad, you have to give him the credit when it is good.

I know many people are without a job but you would not know it by how much activity there is now in Tampa. I am coming out of my depression and I feel like living life again. My jaded cab driver friends say I am just getting used to misery. I don't think so. If you tossed a baseball my way - I would knock it out of the park! GO RANGERS!

MLB Playoffs Not Much Help For Taxi Drivers

2010-10-08T16:50:00.001-04:00

Most people seem to use their cars to go to Tropicania Field to watch the ALDS between the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays. It was hard to get near the stadium and people seemed only to want to go over to Central Ave to hit a sports bar. I guess they wanted to drown their sorrows about the Rays getting creamed by the Rangers. If this game had been at night, it might have had a different outcome.

Hanging In There

2010-09-09T14:49:00.000-04:00

The last few months have been very slow. The summer is the off time of year for this part of Florida, but with the economy, we are down. I will admit that it is not as bad as 2008 - 2009. There are signs of life. We actually have good days now; during those two years, there were no good days. I believe things are coming back - hence the urgency of the tea party to derail Obama's efforts. I did not vote for Obama but I will if things continue to improve. At least the guy has tried to do something. I can't wait for the weather to get cooler so I can go camping. That should be in November. See ya!

Tiny Tap Bar In Tampa Once Again On Top

2010-08-21T13:42:00.000-04:00

The TBT tabloid did a feature story on local bars. As a cab driver I always want to keep up with what the new trends are. Nothing has changed. The decades old drinking hole in south Tampa was once again the feature bar in the annual survey. They had photos of the barmaid and it was its lack of glitz in a sea of upscale restaurants and night clubs in South Tampa that keeps in front. It if for real people, not the pretentious assholes of south Tampa

Is Dontae Rashawn Morris A Runaway Slave?

2010-07-02T19:25:00.006-04:00

The Tampa black newspaper the Florida Sentinel Bulletin had an editorial today that hinted that Donae Rashawn Morris may be a runaway slave. The article was by "The Sole-Man Speaks" and his logic was that every city in the south, including Tampa, has an area of town that most white folks never go into. In Florida it is called the Black Bottom. The best of the best, and the worst of the worst will rise from these blighted neighborhoods. Unfortunately, it is usually the worst.

Dontae Rashawn Morris was raised in Jacksonville Florida in the worst black bottom there is. He is now suspected of killing two Tampa police officers. The Sentinel cited the incident in Polk County a few years ago when a black man killed a white police officer, and when he was arrested he was shot 68 times by the cops to the point that his body was not recognizable as a human being. That was wrong, but I think it had more to do with the rage of the police and the actions of the suspect himself. Somehow he was innocent in the Sentinels mind.

They say that black fathers are cautioning their sons not to be out at night because they may be killed by the Tampa Police. Fist of all, 70% of all black boys do not have fathers active in their lives, and the police are only looking for Dontae Rashawn Morris. Are you people still slaves? Is that what you really want to be? The last I checked the President of the Untied States and the Attorney General were black. They seem to be doing fine living in this racist country. Are we still living in "Mississippi Burning?"

The Sentinel writes:

"...Dontae Morris is Black. The officers he reputedly shot are white. Not that it matters, but somewhere down the craggy, putrid road of American History, it matters, dearly"

The only thing putrid is Mr. Morris. Clean up your own acts before you start blaming this on the Tampa Police you bastards.

"Our condolences go out to the slain officers' families. Our sadness embraces the accused assailants's mother and father. Our heart breaks to consider that we HAVE STILL NOT OVERCOME."

What they mean is that they have not overcome the white man. I hope it is a black police officer that greases this piece of human shit.

.

PIctures Of The Gulf Oil Disaster

2010-06-16T13:31:00.008-04:00

When the Deepwater exploded 56 days ago, the world of everyone that lives along the Gulf Of Mexico was changed forever. BP has hired security guards to keep people out of places where the images are too disturbing and make them look worse than they already do. These images are what was going on while Barack Hussain Obama was going to fundraisers for Barbara Boxer and entertaining Paul McCartney at the White House (on day 9 he met with Bono of U2).

The flames shoot high into the sky..many men are dead

These shrimp boats are trying to catch shrimp in pools of oil. They have no choice. It is shrimp season, if they don't get a good catch, their families don't eat for the next year.

The dolphin are wondering what is wrong with the waters they call home

They Gulf Of Mexico is on fire like it is a war zone.

Former Obama supporters are now directing their rage at BP but it will soon fall on the president. He did seek the job that he thought was so easy.

If this don't break your heart, I don't know what would.

Guys in hazardous material suits are walking up to the beach...it looks like something out of the Andromida strain

There is no comment for this photo

People on the beach while the oil comes near.

These used to be beaches that brought money into the Gulf Region

No problem...while this was all going on Obama met with Bono of U2. I am sure 'God' has all the answers. This turtle below sure hopes so.

Cypress Point Park Tampa Contaminated By Oil Spill Or Sewage

2010-06-13T14:04:00.004-04:00

I understand that ships are taking advantage of the Gulf Coast Oil spill and they are dumping at sea, everything from bilge tanks to sewage. I have lived in Tampa for 33 years and I have never seen a Bay beach this contaminated. A coincidence? You be the judge.

Cypress Point Beach is a park that families come to on the weekend to relax and stay away from the large crowds at many of the other local beaches. People come here to eat lunch during the week. You have a nice panoramic view of Tampa Bay and the Gandy Bridge. It is a shame that it is in this condition.

Rob Green Sucks Because Of Poor Decision Making

2010-06-12T16:32:00.005-04:00

I only know American sports. And n our culture, you have 'go to' guys. If you are the manager of a football team and days before a World Cup match you don't know who your starting goalie will be, then there must be flaws in all your goalies. (An Italian manager should never work..just kidding..I'm a Fasano). American football or soccer has come a long way. Way to go guys. Mr. Green - that was just the breaks of that game. Sorry, but we will take it.

In our sports we have batters that strike out...kickers that miss easy goals...quarterbacks that miss wide open receivers...basketball players that miss easy shots...things happen. England may still win this tournament, but the world is on notice that the USA can dominate anything we want to. Sorry if that bothers you.

Free Green Taxi Cabs In Tampa Are Scab Bums

2010-05-27T13:16:00.003-04:00

If you go downtown on the weekends to party, you may have run into the guy above. His name is Tim Ireland. He runs a "free Cab" in Tampa Florida. The only question is - Why?

I don't know what you do for a living but if someone came along and told your boss they would do it for free, you might have a problem with that. If this person was just willing to work for tips when you have a mortgage and a family and responsibilities, you would actually be pissed. Many cab drivers in Tampa are.

The Hillsborough County Transportation Commission believes these free taxi cabs need to be taken off the streets. They really have never heard of such a thing. Who has? Working for free. Who is this Tim Ireland?

"The Green Go vehicles don't fit the legal definition of taxicabs, because they don't have meters. The closest definition they fit is limousines, but the commission has denied limo permits for vehicles that weren't considered sufficiently luxurious."

Tim Ireland of the Green free taxi is a scab. In this time of economic downturn, there is not enough business to support the taxi drivers that have been doing this for years, if not, decades. When somebody comes along and finds bums like Ireland to undercut taxi cabs (by law we must charge $2.25 a mile) He can give them a free ride. Why? Is he that desperate? How much can he make doing this? Most grown men would not do what this little, little, boy does. I guess he lives with his mommy and daddy. How else could he do this. He needs to go back to HCC with the rest of his nerdy friends and leave men alone who take the transportation business seriously.

2137 W MLK - Martin Luther King Tampa

2010-05-20T15:01:00.002-04:00

The Pain Management Center at 2137 MLK in Tampa Florida is a very popular destination for taxi drivers. Many drug addicts, dealers and crack heads are coming to Tampa to get long term prescription opium based narcotics and other drugs. They have found a loophole in the law, at the doctors have who are prescribing the drugs that can only be filled at certain pharmacies in the Tampa Bay Area.

Their days are numbered. The police and the DEA are forming sting operations that will soon take these assholes down. Get your drugs soon crackhead or you may not have the chance.

If you call for a cab from the Days Inn Stadium, I work that area, and I may be the one to pick you up to take you to 2137 w MLK. Howdy.

Republican Convention Coming To Tampa Summer 2012

2010-05-13T14:30:00.005-04:00

Many of the taxi drivers in Tampa were talking about the Republican Convention that will be here the last week of August 2012. That will be a very good thing. It will be like the Super Bowl but more. It last longer and has about as many people and they all have come to Florida to party.

We have much to offer from golf courses to beautiful beaches. At least, I hope they are beautiful. If the 'drill baby drill' mentality is still in vogue in 2012, the Florida beaches, which used to be white sandy treasures, will be black, murky, gunge. Sarah Palin will not like that.

I was hoping to go to the beach with her. Is this picture photoshoped? I don't know. Palin is not nude in this shot, but it don't take much imagination if you know what I mean. Nice rack!

If the Republicans put money in my pocket - they got my vote.

Rack 'um Dano'!

Intriguing Phenomena Blog

2010-05-09T13:24:00.002-04:00

I have a new blog that I am very excited about it is called Intriguing Phenomena. It will allow me to explore a subject of unexplained mysteries throughout the history of man. Everything from the Lost Continent of Atlantis, Bigfoot, UFO's to Zombies, urban myths and conspiracy theories. Nothing will be off limits.

Change For A Twenty

2010-05-07T13:30:00.005-04:00

It seems most customers will give you a twenty dollar bill no matter what the amount of the fare. The first two fares I had today went short, and they did not let me down. They gave me twenties for 5-6 dollar fares. Yikes! That wipes out all of my change (cab drivers do not begin their day with thousands of dollars on us). I went on my third fare.

He is going from Albany and North B to Howard and Mississippi (I could only spell this because of the jingle I learned in 5th grade). I ask him if he has exact change. He says no, he was going to give me a twenty. So we stop at the convenience store at Howard and Morrison. He goes inside, gets some cigs, and comes back. We are set.

When I get him to his house, he hands me a twenty dollar bill! What! We just went to the store. He was a little drunk and said just keep it. I was not trying to rip him off.

When he got out of the cab I looked at it and it was a 1928 twenty gold backed bill. You don't see many of them anymore. I'm not sure how many people have seen the gold backed $20 bill. All I've ever seen were images and the signature was of A.W. Mellon. Is that who I think it is?

I know the driver Joe down on Britton Plazza, he buys old currency. I might a little more than face value.

I have always understood that in time of economic downturn, you will find old currency and coins in circulation. People are desperate.

Race factors into evaluation of Gerhart - NFL Draft

2010-04-20T13:22:00.008-04:00

Toby Gerhart has a problem. He is one the highest rated running backs in the NFL Draft this year. He has power, strength, speed, durablity, everything you would want in a feature back. The problem is he is white. Thats right - a white guy. The fact that he was runner up in the Heisman Trophy contest means little to the NFL talent scouts. It still means enough that he may go in the second round, just like Mike Allstot did. I know John Gruden would not like this kid. Gruden disliked any white athlete. Would you call this reverse racism?

"When NFL scouts look at Gerhart, they see a 6-foot, 231-pound power back who ran for 1,871 yards and 27 touchdowns last season, getting edged out by Alabama’s Mark Ingram in the closest Heisman vote in history. When they look at Gerhart’s numbers from the NFL scouting combine, they see that he ran a 4.50-second 40-yard dash and registered a 38-inch vertical leap, both impressive numbers for a player his size." Yahoo Sports

Gerhart says that when many scouts came over to watch him work out at the combine, they were not aware that he was white. After seeing his skin color, they lost interest. What? Have any of them ever heard of John Riggins? He was one of the best feature backs ever and I believe he was a pale face. He was fast, strong, durable and aggressive just like this kid. To many disciples of Gruden out there if you ask me.

I know some team will give this kid a chance...I hope its the Bucs. Then we will have our Warren Sapp and Mike Allstot back. Now how cool is that!

Flooding In Tampa Bay

2010-04-19T13:11:00.004-04:00

I sort of had a strange 'accident' Sunday afternoon. It was raining cats and dogs and if you drive in Tampa you know that the roads flood like Noah's Ark. ( It is a problem I thought they had fixed with all the pipe they had been putting in for years). I had a call on north B street just north of Kennedy.

I picked up Orlando (my fathers name) he is a regular and goes to a restaurant on south Howard. In front of his house was a puddle of water. It did not look that deep. "Turn around don't drown" is the saying. It really did not look that deep. I drove through it and my car sank hard. I did not see the pot holes that lurked below. I was almost underwater!

The problem with that is that if you taxi cab takes water into its engine - you just bought it. United Cab has a 'no tolerance' policy on this matter. I also heard a very load bang sound. When I got to the stop sign at the end of the block, the car was knocking. I must have taken in some water. I have never don that is all these years of driving cab.

Later, when I was at the gas station, I filled up on premium thinking that would get rid of the knocking - no such luck. It was running rough man...very rough.

This morning it was a little better and by the end of the day, my taxi was running just fine. I think I burned the water out of it. It must have been just a little bit.

Tampa Bay Must Draft Ndamukong Suh

2010-04-17T17:45:00.003-04:00

Ndamukong Suh was tested scientifically by ESPN in all the important measures of speed, power and agility. The most important measure was the impact he had on crash test dummies that had more impact than an automobile accident...more like a freight train. If the Buccaneers don't draft this kid in the third spot, it will spell the doom for Raheem Morris as the head coach here. He should just resign or be fired on draft night.

Homeless Panhandling Is Now Widespread In Tampa

2010-04-14T14:17:00.004-04:00

I drive all over Tampa and see first hand the number of people that are at almost every major intersection in Tampa - Dale Mabry and Kennedy is very popular, along with Kennedy and Westshore and Columbus and Dale Mabry. This homeless guy lives out of his van with his Jack Russel dog and uses the dog as a marketing tool to get hits.

UFO Video Shot By Tampa Taxi

2010-03-14T19:49:00.004-04:00

I am not a big UFO guy but coming out of downtown, I saw this formation of white shining objects at a very high altitude. They did not seem to be moving in any direction, as the video shows, but were hovering and rising upwards. I do not know what they were.