Category: Media Watch

* “One of the things we’ve learned is that we can’t deliver fundamental social and cultural transformation to this part of the world. Our ability to influence the position or status of women in the Arab or Muslim world is limited.”–Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

* “It’s not Mecca. It’s Mecca-hattan.”–Sami Angawi, architect and hajj researcher, on the development that dominates the minarets and entries to the Kaaba at Mecca.

* “The conflict between Israel and Palestine can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law. … Sweden will therefore recognize the state of Palestine.”–Stefan Lofven, prime minister of Sweden.

* “To say Iran doesn’t practice terrorism is like saying Derek Jeter never played shortstop for the New York Yankees.”–Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

* “The Secret Service let an armed ex-convict ride on the same elevator as President Obama. No word yet on which NFL player it was.”–Conan O’Brien.

* “Yes, I think he wants to be president.”–George W. Bush, on brother Jeb’s interest in running for president in 2016.

* “These ceilings I’m describing don’t just keep down women, they hold back entire economies and countries, because no country can truly thrive by denying the contributions of half of its people.”–Hillary Clinton.

* “Eyewitness identification can be a powerful tool. However, the malleable nature of human visual perception, memory and confidence; the imperfect ability to recognize individuals; and policies governing law enforcement procedures can result in mistaken identifications with significant consequences.”–National Academy of Sciences report.

* “Teaching biology without evolution would be like teaching chemistry without molocules, or physics without mass and energy.”–David P. Barash, author and evolutionary biologist at the University of Washington.

* “Ultimately, I think we’ll crack the age code and we’ll hack aging. And if we do, not only will health care be transformed, but humanity. At that point we’ll have unlocked human capacity.”–Radiologist-investor Joon Yan.

* “The real war on coal is natural gas. Because of new technologies, we are now extracting at a rate that is unbelievable.”–President Barack Obama.

* “Judicial campaign cash is burning a hole in the Constitution. You cannot pour millions of dollars into our courtrooms without having an effect.”–Bert Brandenburg, executive director of Justice at Stake, a research and advocacy group that promotes judicial independence.

* “The story here is that these guys have been spending a ton of money. But the only guy who’s seeing any movement here is Charlie Crist.”–Scott Tranter, an analyst for Optimus, a Washington-based, Republican data-analysis firm.

* “What we have is a dog fight, with an incumbent governor who is stuck in the polls after out-spending his opponent 2:1, the same governor who won in 2010 in perfect storm conditions that do not apply to this year.”–Charlie Crist adviser Steve Schale.

* “We are not just building a building. We are building an entire district. This is something the rest of the country will take notice of, and it will attract new people here.”–Jac Sperling, Jeff Vinik’s top development executive, on Vinik’s vision to remake a neighborhood.

* “We believe that a major medical school in the heart of downtown would be a great positive for the Tampa Bay community and the University of South Florida.”–Jim Shimberg, chief operating officer of Vinik’s Strategic Property Partners.

* “The message we are looking to send to the Rays and Major League Baseball is that Hillsborough County is ready.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan, on his proposal to designate the Tampa Sports Authority as the lead agency to deal with the Rays in the event that the city of St. Petersburg allows the team to look outside Pinellas County for a new home.

* “There’s a direct correlation between this referendum and the economic health of our outer regions. We have to do a better job of explaining to residents that they themselves might not use these new routes but the products and those who visit will.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe on the implications of a county transportation referendum in 2016.

* “There’s been a cultural and political shift.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner, on the commission unanimously approving an expanded human rights ordinance and voting to set a public hearing on a proposed domestic partnership registry.

* “The first year of the new assessment (Florida Standards Assessment) must be a true baseline year. That means holding students harmless from adverse consequences of test performance and using the results to field test the system and improve the assessments.”–MaryEllen Elia, superintendent of Hillsborough County public schools.

* “Tampa has become our home, and we’re thrilled that our commitment to the growth of the LabTech product and our commitment to the local economy can go hand-in-hand.”–Matt Nachtrab, CEO of the Tampa-based IT company, on the announcement that LabTech is adding 100 jobs at its Tampa corporate headquarters.

* “I think it sort of raises the profile of solar. If a utility is willing to invest in solar, then obviously the numbers work, both on a municipal scale and on a commercial scale.”–Solar Energy Management CEO Scott McIntyre, on TIA and TECO teaming up to build the largest solar energy installation in the Tampa Bay region.

* “This is about psychopathic terrorists that are trying to kill us and we do have to realize that, whether we like it or not, they have already declared war on us.”–British Prime Minister David Cameron.

* “When you see a list of the countries fighting ISIS, remember, it’s not a coalition of the willing. It’s a coalition of the partners our government is willing to divulge.”–William Saletan, Slate.

* “With its 400,000-man army, 1,000 planes, 3,600 tanks, 3,000 artillery pieces and self-propelled guns, the Turks, the largest military power in the Middle East, could make hash of the Islamic State.”–Pat Buchanan, Creators Syndicate.

* “There is no Plan B because there is no Planet B.”–United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, on the global fight against climate change.

* “As a responsible major developing country, China will make an even greater effort to address climate change and take on international responsibilities that are commensurate with our national conditions.”–Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.

* “Overlooked amid the excitement over Alibaba’s blockbuster IPO on the New York Stock Exchange last week was one of the reasons for the company’s smashing debut: The Chinese market it dominates is all but blocked for Silicon Valley rivals like Google, Facebook and Twitter.”–Michelle Quinn, San Jose Mercury News.

* “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.”–Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes.

* “This much is clear: The task of the next Republican (presidential) nominee is not only to motivate his or her party but to transform its appeal.”–Michael Gerson, Washington Post.

* “How do we win? We defend the values that are American values. We stand for life. We stand for marriage. We stand for Israel.”–Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

* “Given how far apart the two parties are on almost every major issue–climate change, health care, inequality, the long-term deficit, immigration and same-sex marriage, for starters–the odds that major legislation will become law in the next two years are scant.”–David Leonhardt, New York Times.

* “I have loved the Department of Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the Civil Rights Movement how the department can–and must–always be a force for that which is right.”–Attorney General Eric Holder Jr., in announcing his resignation.

* “Attorney General Eric Holder … has efforts and achievements to be proud of but will probably be remembered above all for something he didn’t do: prosecute top executives for their role in the 2008 financial crisis.”–Bloomberg View.

* “Though sexism gives men higher pay, greater opportunities and more options, it also diminishes their importance as parents and lessens society’s concern for them as crime victims.”–Leonard Pitts, Miami Herald.

* “I think he has the skills, and it’s not all about money, but money is the big thing.”–Allan Bense, FSU board of trustees chairman, on the selection of Republican state Sen. John Thrasher as FSU’s next president.

* “They wasted the academic candidates’ time, they wasted the time of all of the faculty, students and staff who attended the meetings and forums, they wasted taxpayer money, and in the process gave the university a permanent black eye.”–Jennifer M. Proffitt, president of the FSU chapter of United Faculty of Florida, on the presidential-selection process.

* “The debates are mission critical.”–Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Adrian Wyllie.

* “When you run for office, you’re not expected to be a scientist, but you are expected to be able to converse with experts in a field and figure out what’s best for the people you represent.”–NextGen Climate Action Committee’s Tom Steyer.

* “Of the 30 major population centers in America, Tampa Bay is the only one that doesn’t have mass transit. I think it’s about time we caught up with the rest of the country.”–Republican State Sen. Jack Latvala, in announcing his support for Greenlight Pinellas.

* “There’s lots of indicators out there that you’re going the wrong way, but obviously in Tampa there’s a problem.”–Kris Carson, Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman.

* “I support gay marriage.”–Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

* “Cities that invest in themselves in transformative ways are creating buzz.”–William Hearn, of corporate site-selector CBRE in Atlanta, in town recently for a tour of Tampa Bay’s best assets.

* “This has the potential to be a billion-dollar development.”–Tod Leiweke, Jeff Vinik’s top lieutenant, on plans to build a massive entertainment, office, residential and retail district around the Amalie Arena.

* “There’s going to come a point in time here where Major League Baseball and the Rays say enough’s enough, and consider relocating outside of Tampa Bay. We’re going to reach a point where we’re past the point of no return.”–Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan.

* “I think testing has metastasized.” —Candy Olson, Hillsborough County school board member.

* “The arts are who we are in a community. We need to do more.”–St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman.

* “Seventy would be the new 50.”–Rays manager Joe Maddon, 60, saying he hopes to manage 10 more seasons.

* “Not only is it not necessary, we don’t want them. We won’t allow them. Full stop.”–Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, in ruling out the stationing of troops from America or other nations in Iraq.

* “They (ISIS) will only be defeated or destroyed once they’re rejected by the populations in which they hide. … And, therefore, the way forward seems to me to run clearly through a coalition of Arab and Muslim partners and not through the ownership of the United States in this issue.”–Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

* “Say this for Russian President Vladimir Putin: He has ended NATO’s decades-old existential crisis.”–Bloomberg View.

* “The past is never dead. It isn’t even past.”–William Faulkner.

* “Our American partners realize Liberia cannot defeat Ebola alone.”–Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

* “We have chosen unity over division.”–Alistair Darling, head of the No campaign, on Scotland’s vote to remain part of the UK.

* “When the world is threatened, when the world needs help, it calls on America. Even the countries that complain about America, when they need help, who do they call? They call us, and then America calls on you.”–President Barack Obama, in his speech to troops at MacDill Air Force Base.

* “Not being as bad as someone else is hardly the same as being good. Obama can rise far above Bush and still fall short. … You’re judged by how well you respond to the unique circumstances of your time and place–by your ability to clean up the mess, not whether you made it.”–Frank Bruni, New York Times.

* “This is totally and wholly unacceptable. … How safe is the president if this can happen?”–Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee, commenting on the armed intruder who hopped the White House fence and made it inside before being apprehended.

* “We call on all of the NFL’s sponsors to take a stand against domestic violence by withdrawing their support for the NFL until (Commissioner Roger) Goodell is out of office.”–Nita Chaudhary, a founder of UltraViolet, a women’s rights advocacy group.

* “This is about pot clinics potentially opening all over the state and children being able to get cards for medical marijuana for simply having a stubbed toe.”–Attorney General Pam Bondi.

* “You’re seeing a very pronounced shift toward voting by mail like you’ve never seen before.”–Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley.

* “There’s no getting around that a lot of the jobs we’ve added in the past five years are in leisure/hospitality and in the retail trade, and they tend to pay lower wages.”–Mark Vitner, senior economist with Wells Fargo, on median household income in Tampa Bay statistically lower than it was in 2010.

* “With Greenlight Pinellas and MyRide/MyRoads in Polk on the ballot this November, we have a historic window of opportunity in Tampa Bay to accomplish a real transformation in how we get around our communities. Allowing that window to close would be a mistake that would jeopardize our economic future.”–Stuart Rogel, president and CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership.

* “I know that there are some efforts to create a bold transit vision here in the area, and you have to come together as a community to get that done.”–U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx.

* “Developing a modern multi-modal transportation system for public use is the single most significant action that a local government can take to reduce the effects of carbon pollution. Of course, the high-speed ferry by itself is not going to save planet Earth, but it’s a very important first step toward creating a viable transportation system here in Hillsborough County.”–Tampa Bay Sierra Club President Chairman Kent Bailey.

* “We’ve had our eye on Tampa for a while. … It’s doing particularly well right now coming out of the recession. That’s a good, stable economic base, and we see the momentum coming back into downtown.”–Conor McNally, chief development officer for Carter & Associates, an Atlanta-based real estate developer with plans to turn downtown’s “Grant block” into a 23-story, residential tower.

* “What’s really, really cool is that finally, I think our authenticity is becoming a driver.”–Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada, on the role a new branding campaign has had on a record year for county bed tax collections.

* “Neither of us can do anything about the past, but we can do something about the future.”–Tampa General Hospital CEO Jim Burkhart, in emphasizing the collaboration necessary between TGH and the USF medical school.

* “It’s not something I would subscribe to. First of all, it’s a horrible optic. And the chances of needing it are very, very small. That’s just me.”–John Newman, Hillsborough’s school police chief, commenting on the Pinellas County School District’s discount purchase of 28 M-16 assault rifles from the federal government.

* “Hospitals need it to provide the best care, and our companies need it to attract the best and brightest people they can get.”–Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Bob Rohrlack, speaking to the Hillsborough County Commission on behalf of a domestic partnership registry.

Let’s hear it for Dolphin Tale 2, filmed mostly in Clearwater.

It was box office runner-up–$16.6 million on 3,656 screens, in its debut week. Granted, it was not met with consensus rave reviews, but it was met with consensus appreciation of “heart-in-the-right-place family fare,” animal-rights emphasis, wholesomeness, hope and impressive photography as well as a first-class cast.

In an age when movie fare too often traffics in comic books, video games, zombies, vampires and Adam Sandler, how refreshing to have a cute movie about a cause. How encouraging to have a movie that can boost tourism for all the right reasons: A well-done family movie that acts as a marketing machine for a local aquarium increasingly focused on enhancing its role as a rehab hospital for injured marine mammals.

And after Spring Breakers, Magic Mike, The Punisher and Cop and a Half, we deserved this.

* How is it that Dick Cheney, a man without a shred of credibility or conscience when it comes to U.S. involvement in the Middle East, is still making the inside-the-Beltway rounds? Not just pep-talking House Republicans on hawkish national defense priorities, but getting face time on media in addition to Fox? Seemingly, there is no limit to show-business “punditry”–or poor taste.

* Imagine, ISIL and Jill Kelley showing up in the same wire-service story. It happened when Retired Marine Gen. John Allen was named to coordinate the international coalition to battle ISIL. It was inevitably noted that Gen. Allen once exchanged emails with Tampa’s most notorious socialite.

* Remember when the “Miss America” contest was a big deal? Now, it’s as relevant as Bert Parks’ legacy and its economically-blindsided venue, Atlantic City, N.J.

Well, in case you missed it, there’s been another crowning, and it warranted a 1-sentence “Elsewhere” round-up item in Monday’s Tampa Bay Times. For the record, Miss New York, Kira Kazantsev, is Miss America 2015.

* Conventions are good for Tampa and are newsworthy enough to note. But anybody else not need to be privy to up-close-and-personal encounters with tattoo artists?

* Both local dailies prominently played the fall TV preview. It’s what you (still) do in mid-September. For the most part, skimming the list will be as close as I come to this season’s debuts. But there may be an exception.

How do you not watch Jane The Virgin? A young Mexican-American virgin is accidentally inseminated–ok, stuff happens–and it sure enough has major ripple effects with her family, boyfriend and others. No, you can’t make this up. But it’s what you get when you adapt Venezuelan TV novellas.

* Time magazine ran a full-page, color listing of America’s 12 most dangerous intersections, as determined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that tracks fatal accidents. Five of the deadly dozen were in Florida: Astor, Orlando, Kissimmee, Frostproof and Hialeah Gardens. FYI: The Orlando intersection is North Semoran Boulevard and Old Cheney Highway.

* “We will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are. That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL (Islamic State) in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: If you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”–President Barack Obama.

* “The big picture is that this is going to be a very long-term proposition, that American leadership is necessary, and that this (military campaign against ISIL) can’t turn into a U.S. vs. Sunni battle. It has to be us helping the Sunnis battle the Sunni extremists.”–Samuel R. Berger, national security adviser to President Bill Clinton.

* “This cannot and should not be principally America’s fight; but the fact is, America is the only country that can coordinate the coalition–provide the intelligence, logistics and accurate air strikes–needed to win.”–Fred Kaplan, author of The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War.

* “I owe America a global apology. Because John McCain, through all of this, John McCain should be our president.”–Sarah Palin.

* “Its real quarrel should be with globalization, rather than England.”–Gordon Brown, former English prime minister, on Scotland’s vote for independence from England.

* “There’s this myth that somehow she screwed up. It’s just that Barack Obama was a phenomenon. He just outhustled everyone. She knows that. I think she knew it then.”–Retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, referring to Hillary Clinton, who returned to the key caucus state to attend Harkin’s annual steak fry.

* “I’m back.”–Hillary Clinton, who finished third in the 2008 Iowa presidential primary to Barack Obama and John Edwards, on her recent return to Iowa.

* Isn’t this awesome? This is our step to the future, the exploration of establishing a presence in the solar system.”–Robert Cabana, Kennedy Space Center director, at the unveiling of the Orion capsule, NASA’s lofty follow-on to the now-retired space shuttle program.

* “We know without any doubt that our climate is changing and our weather is becoming more extreme due to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels. Time is not on our side, for sure.”–World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Michel Jarraud.

* “If we shift tax revenue to money collected from a carbon tax, we can slash income, payroll and corporate taxes, incentivize investment and hiring, and unleash our economic competitiveness. That is a strategy hawks and doves, greens and big oil could all support.”–Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times.

* “The narrative is: ‘We’re the murder capital.’ Not close.”–Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

* “There’s an old Cuban joke. ‘What is it that you need to do well in Cuba, to be happy? (Have) family abroad.'”–Graciella Cruz-Taura, Florida Atlantic University history professor.

* “I’m from the South. Whipping is … we do that all the time. Every black parent in the South is gonna be in jail under those circumstances. I think we have to be careful letting people dictate how they treat their children.”–Charles Barkley’s defense of Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings’ running back who was indicted for child abuse.

* “The biggest damage to diversity in law enforcement is not who’s in jail, it’s who’s putting them in jail.”–Phillip Atiba Goff, founder of the Center for Policing Equity at UCLA.

* “We are looking to hire minorities. We want to. And if they are qualified, please give us a call.”–St. Petersburg police Chief Tony Holloway.

* “The residential real estate market is still sluggish. There’s still a long way to go before normalcy is reached in Florida.”–State economist Amy Baker.

* “There’s lots of people that would like to play in the Florida market. This is what is so insidious about what the utilities are doing. We cannot let the monopoly utilities set the tone and the communication about what solar can and cannot do.”–Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy.

* “The vehicles are not taxicabs and, and there is no meter installed. It’s a new category of service that the regulators never wrote into their laws.”–Matthew Gore, Uber’s general manager for Florida.

* “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s not inexpensive, but I think it is worth doing.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, in revealing plans for a $20-million makeover for riverfront park improvements on the west side of the Hillsborough River.

* “He’s passionate about Tampa. He’s brought a vibrancy to downtown, and I think has a very strong business sense. We are really lucky to have him as mayor and I’m very supportive.”–Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Mark Sharpe, on the news that Mayor Bob Buckhorn had officially filed paperwork to seek a second term.

* “I think the last person he thinks about is him. … He is one of the unique players in this era. Hopefully, we see some guys like him in the future.”–Rays catcher Jose Molina on Derek Jeter.

Sometimes just chalking stuff up to “pop culture” isn’t enough. We do that with reality TV, comic-book movie sequels and Justin Bieber.

But nothing really prepares us for what’s hitting town–actually St. Petersburg–next month under the guise of an art exhibition. A new gallery–Cory Allen Contemporary Art–is planning a show that will feature Los Angeles “artist” Jeff Hamilton’s (aka XVALA) prints on canvas of recently hacked celebrity photos.

Here’s gallery owner Allen’s take. “We’re not trying to do anything illegal, not posting or sharing or leaking. It was all found on Google. We don’t condone hacking. We have a message … it’s a dialogue about stolen property and privacy … This is a commentary on who we are today.”

Call it the art of exploitation–and disingenuousness. It’s who at least some of us are today.

* “What we’re seeing around the world is a revolt of the weak. There are certain weak movements and nations, beset by internal contradictions, that can’t compete if they play by the normal rules of civilization. Therefore, they are conspiring to blow up the rule book.”–David Brooks, New York Times.

* “The world has proved to be a far more demanding place than it looked to this White House a few years ago.”–Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations.

* “Core coalition.”–Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s reference to the allies–Britain, France, Australia, Canada, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Poland and Denmark–joining a U.S. military effort against ISIS.

* “Before President Obama takes any action in Syria, he should force Congress to vote both to authorize and to set the limits of such action.”–Pat Buchanan, Creators Syndicate.

* “Putin is ‘unpredictable’ only to those unfamiliar with the 1930s.”–George Will, Washington Post.

* “Our allies are not fully allies: While the Saudi, Qatari and Kuwaiti governments are pro-American, wealthy Sunni individuals, mosques and charities in these countries are huge sources of funds, and fighters, for the Islamic State.”–Thomas Friedman, New York Times.

* “What I have learned as secretary of state and before that as a United States senator is that every problem in the world cannot be solved by the United States, but there is not a problem in the world that can be solved without the United States.”–Hillary Clinton.

* “If Scotland votes yes, the genie is out of the bottle.”–Leanne Wood, leader of Wale’s nationalist party Plaid Cymru, on the implications of a yes vote for Scottish independence from Britain later this month.

* “Recent events have left me able to draw only one conclusion: Islamism–the radical, imposter form of my religion–has declared war on Islam.”–Qanta Ahmed, author and associate professor of medicine at the State University of New York.

* “Although we work through financial markets, our goal is to help Main Street, not Wall Street.”–Janet Yellen, Federal Reserve Board chairwoman.

* “The history of the Republican Party is marked by vacillation between its founding principle of opportunity and its domination by the wealthy elite.”–Heather Cox Richardson, author and Boston College history professor.

* “While civilians and politicians alike eagerly tout the advances being made in renewable energy, they routinely fail to appreciate how ongoing innovation in the oil and gas sector–in everything from better seismic techniques to digitally controlled drill bits–has resulted in faster and cheaper drilling, which, in turn, has turbocharged the growth in hydrocarbon production.”–Robert Bryce, author and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

* “There’s nothing more painful to me than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery–then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”–The Rev. Jesse Jackson.

* “Help me give Pam Bondi the job she really wants as an anchor on Fox News.”–Democratic attorney general candidate George Sheldon.

* “Broward keeps me up at night.”–Scott Arceneaux, executive director of the Florida Democratic Party.

* “The governor was elected as the state was recovering from the recession. That didn’t hurt.”–Sean Snaith, director of the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at UCF.

* “Gov. Scott is straddling this issue as best he can.”–University of Florida political science professor Daniel Smith, referring to Scott’s position on Common Core.

* “Just being a powerful politician is not enough.”–Jennifer Proffitt, Florida State University faculty union president, on FSU’s presidential search criteria.

* “We are deliberate but we still want to move fast. … I assure you that part of our plan brings a lot of people down to this area–living here, working here, playing here, eating here, shopping here. We want a lot of vibrant energy down here.”–Jeff Vinik, on plans for redeveloping the Channel District downtown.

* “You would never see on the streets of Tampa, under the same circumstances, what you saw on the national news over the past few weeks. That I can guarantee.”–Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor, comparing Tampa with Ferguson, Mo.

* “We really want to activate the marina. Our vision is … we want this to be the southern end of the boating community.”–Real estate investor Santosh Govindaraju of Convergent Capital Partners on the purchase of the Knights Point waterfront complex on Harbour Island.

* “We’ll take No. 1 in anything that’s positive.”–Mayor Bob Buckhorn, commenting on Wallethub.com’s ranking of Tampa as No. 1 for retirees.

* “This is a driver problem, not a road problem.”–Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Steve Gaskins, commenting on fatal, wrong-way I-275 crashes.

* “We hope you come to know who Amalie is and what Amalie has in this area.”–Amalie Oil CEO Harry Barkett at the announcement that the Tampa Bay Times Forum was being renamed the Amalie Arena.

* “These kids really do look like hell.”–New Port Richey Mayor Bob Marlowe, weighing in on whether the city should consider an ordinance combating the wearing of pants sagging below the waistline.

As noted earlier, Jennifer Carroll, the former lieutenant governor, has a predictably-timed book out. It’s called When You Get There. The promotional outtakes are enough to remind readers that this is no bliss-and-tell chronicle. Before she was ushered out of office over peripheral involvement in that veterans charity scam, she was a less-than-respected non-player in the Scott Administration.

In the writing process, she was as self-revealing as self-serving. To wit: “I was still wondering why he had chosen me. He never gave me a real answer to that question. I wasn’t one of the good old boys, and he was a millionaire with his own plane. Why me?”

Say what?

Why Jennifer Carroll? Well, for openers, how about an uber awkward, alabaster, outsider candidate seeking any and all campaign  help by putting an attractive, black, female, Navy-vet, PR-practitioner on the ticket? How’s that for obvious niche? How’s that for disingenuous cluelessness?

Imagine, a tell-all book not owning up to that blatantly evident, demographic strategy? Makes you wonder who was helping with the PR.

There was a time when candidate signs on front lawns meant it was the political season and people were participating. The down side: visual pollution. But, hey, we all know democracy can be untidy. The overriding point: it’s about being involved.

Now, it seems like further evidence of ubiquitous polarization.

I’d rather see a Public Notice sign than a literal, in-your-face reminder that a neighbor is an ideological counter–and that we’re societally worse off for his support of, say, Rick Scott or Pam Bondi. Makes it harder to small talk about the weather, the Rays and the Bucs when you’ve been viscerally reminded, yet again, of unhelpful views on high-speed rail, Medicaid expansion and same-sex marriage.