TAMPA Whether the Lightning were winning the Stanley Cup or merely scrapping for all they were worth merely to make the playoffs, one thing remained a lucky constant over the past three seasons. ...more

December 15, 2007

Christmas is a week from Tuesday. Wow, that means just 10 shopping days left. One if you put things off til Christmas Eve. Considering the increase in the junk e-mail I've been getting, it looks like the 10-day count is just about right. By the way, is it my imagination or is the mailperson-delivered junk mail on the decline as e-mail usage increases? If you haven't already done so it's time to get out all those Christmas movies you have stored away on DVD and VHS. My favorite, I think, is the classic "The Bishop's Wife" with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven. Those are two guys that the word suave was coined for. The movie, in my opinion, is much better for the season than "It's a Wonderful Life." Getting back to e-mails, a friend of mine told me that when he returned from a week's vacation recently he had over 800 of them waiting to be opened. I told him I haven't received 800 messages since Al Gore invented the Internet. "Well," my friend then admitted, "half of them were checking to see how adequate one of my body parts was." Really now. ...more

December 15, 2007

Davin Joseph is pleased when a plan comes together. The Buccaneers guard has just returned from a community event that he inspired and that he along with his best friends — the Buccaneers offensive line — made happen. ...more

December 12, 2007

The $93-million Heritage Square at the Armory project, which seeks to convert the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory property into a mix that includes a hotel, restaurants, cafes, a museum and a day spa, continues to move agonizingly through the tedious land-use and zoning process. The other storyline is this: When the process is over, ironically, it still won't be the best use for that 10-acre site on North Howard near Interstate 275. ...more

December 8, 2007

Just after sunrise the day after Thanksgiving at Westfield Brandon mall, Leah Ciccone burst out of Sears into the parking lot, looked to the sky and shouted, "Oh my God, it's daylight!" ...more

December 1, 2007

Thanksgiving is a special day for giving thanks for the blessings we have received all year long. It is arguably one of the very few that has not gone completely commercial and a day that most will, after not praying or talking to God on a regular basis, at least thank Him for the the meal and blessings He has bestowed upon us. I am thankful for being able to get up this morning and walk outside and pick up this morning's Tampa Tribune and Highlands Today and read my column. And to the hundreds and hundreds who enjoy reading what I have written, I give you my thanks. I give thanks to God for giving me the good fortune to have such a wonderful wife for the past 25 years and five months. I'm thankful for our children and grandchildren and pray for their good health and happiness. I, and so should you, give Him thanks for our wonderful nation. We should pray that the United States will survive and win the war against terrorism, and regardless of who is going to be the presidential nominees, we will still have the best country on earth. ...more

November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving is not just a time to break bread and share warmth with family and friends. It is a time to honor the cook. ...more

November 22, 2007

The University of Florida's offense could get more explosive this week with the expected return of WR Percy Harvin. Meanwhile, the Gators' already shaky pass defense could get shakier if a sprained ankle keeps freshman CB Joe Haden from playing against Florida State. ...more

November 19, 2007

Victoria Lim spent her last day as News Channel 8's Senior Consumer Reporter Thursday. ...more

November 8, 2007

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden has been at the top and looked down at the rest of the college football world. He knows what it takes to win national titles, meaningful bowl games and road stops such as FSU's 27-17 victory at No. 2-ranked Boston College on Saturday. ...more

November 4, 2007