Opinions to go Online

The unique perspective and provocative opinions of Joe O’Neill

Archive for January, 2004

Byrd Droppings: Speaker Still In Race?

Speculation was rife that House Speaker Johnnie Byrd’s no-show at a recent U.S. Senate candidate forum in Tallahassee was a sign that the Plant City Republican might be dropping out of the race. Eight other candidates were there. Byrd’s explanation: He was busy finishing up Speaker work. Let’s give Byrd the benefit of the doubt. [...]

Manic Media's Cheap Shot On Dean

If Dr. Howard Dean doesn’t become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, there will be ample reasons to cite. But one of them shouldn’t be his “I Have a Scream” speech after his loss in the Iowa caucus to Sen. John Kerry. It was much ado about nothing more than throwing some rhetorical red meat to [...]

Manic Media’s Cheap Shot On Dean

If Dr. Howard Dean doesn’t become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, there will be ample reasons to cite. But one of them shouldn’t be his “I Have a Scream” speech after his loss in the Iowa caucus to Sen. John Kerry. It was much ado about nothing more than throwing some rhetorical red meat to [...]

Common (Political) Sense Deserts Clark

Is not Michael Moore as bad an endorsement as any candidate could want? He supports Gen. Wesley Clark. And Clarke hasn’t handled the albatross well. Imagine not strenuously disavowing — on the spot — Moore’s defaming reference to President Bush as a “deserter?”

No Deppth In Johnny's Pirate Role

I tend to pay as much attention to Oscar nominations as I do the NBA, but even this one jumped out at me. Best Actor: Johnny Depp, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Depp shuffled and slurred his way through the role as an (acknowledged) Keith Richards knock off. Keith Richards [...]

No Deppth In Johnny’s Pirate Role

I tend to pay as much attention to Oscar nominations as I do the NBA, but even this one jumped out at me. Best Actor: Johnny Depp, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Depp shuffled and slurred his way through the role as an (acknowledged) Keith Richards knock off. Keith Richards [...]

It Takes A Village Commitment

Tampa’s Old Hyde Park Village could define marketplace “resilience.” From the get-go. In the early 1980s, Canadian developer Amlea met considerable local resistance about shoe-horning a shopping village — with parking garages — into the upscale, history-steeped, South Tampa neighborhood. Town homes above boutique retail weren’t seen by all as the vanguard of “new urbanism.” [...]

Times' Ironic Take On Test

You could make a pretty good argument that Florida’s students don’t need any more standardized tests . But, still, there’s sentiment for adding another at the state university level. Well, here’s an intriguing argument advanced by the St. Petersburg Times as it took issue with such a proposed test. “How could one test fairly assess [...]

Times’ Ironic Take On Test

You could make a pretty good argument that Florida’s students don’t need any more standardized tests . But, still, there’s sentiment for adding another at the state university level. Well, here’s an intriguing argument advanced by the St. Petersburg Times as it took issue with such a proposed test. “How could one test fairly assess [...]

Civitas: Let The Process Play Out

In the best of all possible worlds, there would be no need for public housing. In the next best of all possible worlds, there would be enough public money to build, maintain and rebuild quality subsidized housing, and there would be residents who said, in effect, “Thanks for the helping hand, and now we’ll take [...]