Editor:

Last year, while the present economic crises forced cuts to government funding of essential services, the Florida taxpayers had to fund $280 million in new prison bed construction. Annual operating cost is in addition to that figure.

Editor:

What do US Military and GM Employee Retirees have in common? Go to http://overthehillcarpeople.com - Click on GM's New 2009 Health Care Plan and then go to http://mrgrg-ms.org . Tampa Tribune GM article at http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/apr/17/floridas-gm-retirees-fear-benefit-cuts .

In spite of ourselves
We'll end up a' sittin' on a rainbow
Against all odds
Honey, we're the big door prize
We're gonna spite our noses
Right off of our faces
There won't be nothin' but big old hearts

--Dancin' in our eyes. --John Prine

By Randall Grantham, Community Columnist

As a gun-toting, card-carrying member of the NRA, I am deeply distressed by the rash of senseless shootings this country has witnessed in the past few weeks. There seems to be no reason for these shootings. And my heart goes out to the surviving family members of the victims.

By Randall Grantham, Columnist

Won’t you text me with your master plan
You're loud and clear but I don't understand
I'm a digital explorer in analog roam
And everybody's on the phone
--Jimmy Buffett--Everybody’s on the Phone

By Randall Grantham, Community Columnist

You see it takes foldin’ money to get the deal done
Foldin’ money to have a little fun
Foldin’ money to pay a few bills
Take a girl dancin’, cure a couple ills
Foldin’ money, you need a little stash
Some greenback dollars and cold hard cash
Save it for a rainy day or throw away a little bit, son
It takes foldin’ money…to get the deal done.
--Radney Foster - Folding Money