Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

The review is in!

as you tick, tick, tick your way to the top of the first descent, the anticipation of the forthcoming 200 ft drop builds. from the landing at the peak you have the most magnificent view of the entire city in all directions. as the coaster prepares for its plunge, there is an abrupt stop for a couple of seconds (just enough time to ponder the rush) before you plummet at a ridiculous 90 degree angle towards the ground. as i tried to gather my thoughts (and my breath) we headed into another loop that prepared us for a second dive. this one, although not as high, proved to be a bit scarier. the fall sends you into a dark subterranean tunnel, and being that you lose sight of the track in front of you it makes you a little uneasy in your seat. but as you emerge from the tunnel you are pretty much home free in terms of “big scares”. the splash finale is cool. (still weirds me out that you would want to mix water and a metal coaster track, but i am no engineer) overall the ride is fast, furious and very smooth. definitely a must ride for all coaster fans.

-coaster fanatic

I’m ready to go!

I recently walked around the park next to the beer can building. Some people call the spot “Kiley Park” after the notable landscape architect who created it, Dan Kiley. The city calls it Nations Bank Park Plaza but it really has no name. Whatever you call the place, it is starting to deteriorate in huge portions. Trees have fallen over, and their roots are pushing the sidewalks around all katy-wumpus. One cannot walk around without watching every step. It no longer looks anything like this photograph. Bums still sleep on benches and in the amphitheater, but they are mostly harmless. It really needs some attention, but I don’t think anyone will be working on it anytime soon. The city has never really embraced this neat little spot. The inaction leads me to believe it will be canned along with the old Museum of Art. I wish the city would maintain it, if only because there is no other place like it. And now that the Vinoly-designed art museum is off the drawing board, now is the time to discuss the park. A few people feel the park is worth saving, including the Cultural Landscape Foundation. But there’s not much of an outcry, so…

Busch Gardens SheiKra opens to the public tomorrow. A friend of mine acquired a couple tickets to tonight’s preview event, so I hope to have his review soon. I’m psyched about it, and plan to ride it next month. Yesterday’s worldwide media blitz should bring visitors to Busch Gardens and Tampa from all over the place. This can only help the local economy. So, tonight, since you are already celebrating (hey, it’s the weekend!), you might as well drink a toast to the good folks at Anheuser-Busch with a cold Budweiser beer.

I’d also like to extend a welcome to all of you out-of-towners searching for information on the new roller coaster at Busch Gardens. Look at that previous link or see the unofficial guide to BG, or read the blog of a regular visitor to the park. If you want more information about Tampa, feel free to spend some time around this Tampa-centric blog or leave your questions in the comments!

Alteration, modification, variation, transformation, revolution, adjustment, conversion, revision, acclimatization, adaptation, reorganization, mutation, upheaval, innovation, modernization, reform, rejuvenation, or renovation. Details forthcoming.

Hundreds of citizens show up to fight Tampa General Hospital’s garage expansion plans. Of course, hundreds also supported TGH’s parkland swap deal, so the City Council ruled in favor of expanding the parking. Out in East Hillsborough, hundreds of citizens gathered to voice opposition to a bikini bar that may or may not open in Valrico.

I don’t think it really matters specifically what each of those people said. The impact and impression was made based on just the number of those who showed up. Here’s the deal: for whatever cause you may support, you must get a critical mass behind you. Intelligent letter writing, alternative ideas, and even proof of harm is not enough to evoke changes. If no one shows up, you will be ignored.

Tonight begins the 3rd annual Elvis Festival in downtown Tampa. Can’t you just picture these guys wandering around in Ybor City? Should be a sight to behold.

You may recall Mayor Pam Iorio brought up the need to improve public transportation in Tampa. Now County Commissioner Mark Sharpe wants to begin discussing Hillsborough County’s transportation issues. I’d link to it, but I cannot find a copy of his letter to the Tribune (published May 18) online. Without question, the subject of long-term local transportation needs to be addressed. And if you look at Sharpe’s letter, you’ll see this is really only the beginning of an undertaking (we hope it goes further!).

Assuming Sharpe is serious about addressing this need, and he really wants “community buy-in and broad… political support,” I have a suggestion. Get a website. If you want to promote this (or any) idea, you need to be a part of the new millennium, and add your voice to the internet. Sharpe (and Ronda Storms) campaigned and won without any type of VoteForMe.com, .net, or .org, but you can only find additional support if your voice is easily found on the web.

You’ll notice that very few of your elected officials use this cheap and effective communication. Look at all this dead space that was alive and kicking just six months ago: Brian Blair and Mel Martinez are still campaigning for seats they won. Ken Hagan also won, so he let his expire. The losers let their websites fade to nothing, or even worse, continue to campaign for past elections (except those who try, try again).

The only candidate to continue using her campaign website to stump for change is Betty Castor. She now is driving a campaign for fair redistricting in Florida. But even she let go of the BettyBlog.

Every elected official should maintain a personal website at their own expense to communicate with (or at least to) his constituents. It just makes sense to recycle their campaign space. If those candidates who were not elected truly want to help their community, they should use theirs too.

It’s interesting that yours truly and a host of other regular citizens do more to communicate with their neighbors than the people who work for us.

Or rather, you should look up to see things. Brett has created the menu along the top, so I can get rid of the “pages” nonsense on the sidebar to put more crap there!

The next goal is to get all sticks links on the left sidebar and all outside links on the right sidebar. And I gotta do that without screwing up the fantastic work already done by John and Brett.

Content needed: An “about” page, so the good people can learn everything they ever wanted to know about me and this site. A “contact” or news tips” page so the good people can send complaints, questions, and suggestions.

I think if those get finished, I’ll be ready to make the announcement “go check out my extreme makeover: webpage, and this blog is gone” over there, and welcome the masses (small masses, but masses nonetheless) to the new digs here.