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*News Sarasota's CNS News Ticker 24/7*...    No Charges to Be Filed Against Cheney  (CNSNews.com) - There will be no charges filed against Vice President Dick Cheney regarding the accidental shooting of his hunting companion, Texas lawyer Harry Whittington, the Kenedy County Sheriff's Department said Thursday.  Read News on the Web   Justice Department Ordered to Surrender Wiretapping Documents   (CNSNews.com) - The Justice Department has up to 20 days to respond to requests by a civil liberties group for documents regarding the president's domestic wiretapping program, a federal judge ruled on Thursday.  Read News on the Web   Al Qaeda's Zarqawi Gets Third Jordanian Death Sentence  Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - A Jordanian court on Wednesday sentenced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to death in absentia for plotting to set off a cloud of toxic gases at various sites in Jordan, including the U.S. Embassy.  Full Story   Abu Ghraib Images Spark Debate  (CNSNews.com) - A decision by an Australian television network to release more images of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison has set off a debate over the willingness of many media organizations to carry the gruesome pictures when they chose not to publish controversial cartoons depicting Mohammed.  Full Story   Vox Populi: You're Welcome … to Leave the Country, Sheehan  (CNSNews.com) - Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's suggestion that President Bush is 10 times worse than Osama bin Laden prompted readers to suggest Sheehan buy a one-way ticket out of the country.  Read Letters to the Editor   US Lawmakers Lean on Hamas  (CNSNews.com) - Democrats and Republicans found something to agree on Thursday, when the House passed a concurrent resolution saying that the United States should not provide direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority if Hamas continues to call for the destruction of Israel.  Full Story   US Lawmakers Question Foreign Management of US Ports  (CNSNews.com) - Both Republicans and Democrats are urging the U.S. government to take a closer look at a deal that would turn over management of major U.S. ports to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates.  Full Story   Bill Would Separate FEMA from DHS  (CNSNews.com) - A Republican congressman Wednesday introduced a measure that calls for the separation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency from the Department of Homeland Security.  Full Story   Sidebar: Two Centuries of Disaster Response  (CNSNews.com) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency, its former director and its parent agency - the Department of Homeland Security -- have been roundly booed for their response to Hurricane Katrina. It doesn't take long to damage a reputation that was developed over more than two centuries.  Read today's Fact-O-Rama   Tax Relief Is Essential, Sen. Frist Says  (CNSNews.com) - "Retaining low capital-gains and dividend rates is absolutely vital to economic growth," Sen. Bill Frist wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Times on Thursday.  Read News on the Web   'Black History' Paintings Removed Over Religious Content  (CNSNews.com) - Officials in Deltona, Fla., have removed several paintings from a Black History Month display because of their religious content, press reports said. One of the artworks showed a person wearing an "I Love Jesus" cap.  Read News on the Web   Outdoor Smoking Ban in California City Takes Effect Next Month  (CNSNews.com) - An outdoor smoking ban is set to take effect in March in a California city that has outlawed smoking in all outdoor places, including sidewalks and streets, except for small outdoor "smoker outposts."  Full Story   One Year Later, Kyoto-Enthusiasts Struggle to Meet Targets  (CNSNews.com) - Europe's top environment official marked the one-year anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol on Thursday by accusing the U.S. of not doing enough to combat climate change - even though many of the treaty's most enthusiastic supporters have done significantly worse than America in dealing with "greenhouse gas" emissions.  Full Story   Hamas 'Diplomat' Has Ties to Iran and Syria Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Russia expects a Hamas delegation to visit Moscow, at the end of February or in early March, the Russian news agency Tass reported on Thursday.  Full Story   Iran Has 'Bought' Russia and China Vetoes, Senator Says  (CNSNews.com) - With growing concern about Iran's uranium enrichment program and its presumed plans to produce nuclear weapons, experts gathered in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to discuss Chinese and Russian interests in the program.  Full Story   Rice Wants Congress to Fund Democracy Initiative in Iran  (CNSNews.com) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wants to apply both internal and external pressure on Iran, and on Wednesday, she asked Congress to fund a program in which the United States would "engage" directly with the Iranian people, the Boston Globe reported.  Read News on the Web   Blair Holds Off Party Rebels on Terror-Linked Legislation  London (CNSNews.com) - Defying predictions of a catastrophic meltdown, the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair came through this week with two key victories on anti-terrorism legislation.  Full Story   Other CNSNews.com Headlines: US to Pressure China on Internet Control 'Able Danger' Identified 9/11 Hijacker 13 Times PETA Urges Cheney to 'Put His Guns Down' US Pressed to Provide Peacekeepers for Darfur Intelligence Summit to Air 'Saddam's WMD Tapes'  Bruised Dems Want to Keep the Focus on Cheney Secret Saddam WMD Tapes Subject of ABC Nightline Special   End of ticker feed

No Charges to Be Filed Against Cheney  (CNSNews.com) - There will be no charges filed against Vice President Dick Cheney regarding the accidental shooting of his hunting companion, Texas lawyer Harry Whittington, the Kenedy County Sheriff's Department said Thursday.  Read News on the Web   Justice Department Ordered to Surrender Wiretapping Documents   (CNSNews.com) - The Justice Department has up to 20 days to respond to requests by a civil liberties group for documents regarding the president's domestic wiretapping program, a federal judge ruled on Thursday.  Read News on the Web   Al Qaeda's Zarqawi Gets Third Jordanian Death Sentence  Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - A Jordanian court on Wednesday sentenced Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to death in absentia for plotting to set off a cloud of toxic gases at various sites in Jordan, including the U.S. Embassy.  Full Story   Abu Ghraib Images Spark Debate  (CNSNews.com) - A decision by an Australian television network to release more images of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison has set off a debate over the willingness of many media organizations to carry the gruesome pictures when they chose not to publish controversial cartoons depicting Mohammed.  Full Story   Vox Populi: You're Welcome … to Leave the Country, Sheehan  (CNSNews.com) - Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan's suggestion that President Bush is 10 times worse than Osama bin Laden prompted readers to suggest Sheehan buy a one-way ticket out of the country.  Read Letters to the Editor   US Lawmakers Lean on Hamas  (CNSNews.com) - Democrats and Republicans found something to agree on Thursday, when the House passed a concurrent resolution saying that the United States should not provide direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority if Hamas continues to call for the destruction of Israel.  Full Story   US Lawmakers Question Foreign Management of US Ports  (CNSNews.com) - Both Republicans and Democrats are urging the U.S. government to take a closer look at a deal that would turn over management of major U.S. ports to a company owned by the United Arab Emirates.  Full Story   Bill Would Separate FEMA from DHS  (CNSNews.com) - A Republican congressman Wednesday introduced a measure that calls for the separation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency from the Department of Homeland Security.  Full Story   Sidebar: Two Centuries of Disaster Response  (CNSNews.com) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency, its former director and its parent agency - the Department of Homeland Security -- have been roundly booed for their response to Hurricane Katrina. It doesn't take long to damage a reputation that was developed over more than two centuries.  Read today's Fact-O-Rama   Tax Relief Is Essential, Sen. Frist Says  (CNSNews.com) - "Retaining low capital-gains and dividend rates is absolutely vital to economic growth," Sen. Bill Frist wrote in an op-ed in the Washington Times on Thursday.  Read News on the Web   'Black History' Paintings Removed Over Religious Content  (CNSNews.com) - Officials in Deltona, Fla., have removed several paintings from a Black History Month display because of their religious content, press reports said. One of the artworks showed a person wearing an "I Love Jesus" cap.  Read News on the Web   Outdoor Smoking Ban in California City Takes Effect Next Month  (CNSNews.com) - An outdoor smoking ban is set to take effect in March in a California city that has outlawed smoking in all outdoor places, including sidewalks and streets, except for small outdoor "smoker outposts."  Full Story   One Year Later, Kyoto-Enthusiasts Struggle to Meet Targets  (CNSNews.com) - Europe's top environment official marked the one-year anniversary of the Kyoto Protocol on Thursday by accusing the U.S. of not doing enough to combat climate change - even though many of the treaty's most enthusiastic supporters have done significantly worse than America in dealing with "greenhouse gas" emissions.  Full Story   Hamas 'Diplomat' Has Ties to Iran and Syria Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Russia expects a Hamas delegation to visit Moscow, at the end of February or in early March, the Russian news agency Tass reported on Thursday.  Full Story   Iran Has 'Bought' Russia and China Vetoes, Senator Says  (CNSNews.com) - With growing concern about Iran's uranium enrichment program and its presumed plans to produce nuclear weapons, experts gathered in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to discuss Chinese and Russian interests in the program.  Full Story   Rice Wants Congress to Fund Democracy Initiative in Iran  (CNSNews.com) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice wants to apply both internal and external pressure on Iran, and on Wednesday, she asked Congress to fund a program in which the United States would "engage" directly with the Iranian people, the Boston Globe reported.  Read News on the Web   Blair Holds Off Party Rebels on Terror-Linked Legislation  London (CNSNews.com) - Defying predictions of a catastrophic meltdown, the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair came through this week with two key victories on anti-terrorism legislation.  Full Story   Other CNSNews.com Headlines: US to Pressure China on Internet Control 'Able Danger' Identified 9/11 Hijacker 13 Times PETA Urges Cheney to 'Put His Guns Down' US Pressed to Provide Peacekeepers for Darfur Intelligence Summit to Air 'Saddam's WMD Tapes'  Bruised Dems Want to Keep the Focus on Cheney Secret Saddam WMD Tapes Subject of ABC Nightline Special   End of ticker feed

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Yahoo! News: Top Stories U.N. Report Equates Gitmo to Torture (AP) Patriot Act Moves Closer to Renewal (AP) Russian Biathlete Expelled, Loses Medal (AP) President Satisfied With Cheney's Account (AP) Rice grilled over Iraq rebuilding (Reuters) XM Posts Wider 4Q Loss; Director Quits (AP) Some Smokers Pay More for Health Benefits (AP) Elton John Accepts Libel Settlement (AP) Powerball Jackpot Hits New Record (AP) Pedersen Blows by Rivals for Skeleton Gold (AP) Pressure over Guantanamo rises (Reuters) Entwistle pleads not guilty (Reuters) Iraq seethes after new abuse footage (Reuters) Haniyeh denies Hamas chose him as Palestinian PM (Reuters) Haiti names Preval president (Reuters) powered by feedroll

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USMC Benefit Fundraiser @ Cafe On The Bay, Longboat Key, 9 AM-2 PM Sunday Brunch Buffet And Cafe Le'Europe On St Armands Circle In Sarasota The Last Sunday Of Each Month. Come Out In The Morning Or Visit Again In The Afternoon From 5 to 9 PM At Either Of Our Restaurants. Come Out & Support Your Local Marines! Proceeds Directly Used To Benefit The 4th Assault Amphibian Vehicle Battalion Based In Tampa, Now On Duty In Iraq. Your Donation Will Directly Benefit Our Local Area Marines Serving In Iraq. A 'National Day for Restaurants' is now in the process of being created where portions of the day's sales would be donated to our Military Troops. If you'd like to become involved and help our Nations Warriors, contact Ken Parsons at Cafe On The Bay in Longboat Key, Florida.  News Sarasota stands behind our local Marines and ALL of Nations Military Troops. News Sarasota is proud to be a local supporter of this program. We Appreciate YOU & What You Do To Keep Our Country SAFE! God Bless ALL Of Our Military Troops!!!

'Matt Bruce'

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Latest Articles..

Government offices close for national holiday

SARASOTA COUNTY (THURSDAY, FEB. 16, 2006) - All Sarasota County government offices, including libraries, will be closed Monday, Feb. 20, to observe Presidents Day. Saras...

North Port lot auction bidders reminded of bank holiday

NORTH PORT (WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2006) - Bidders in the third session of the Internet auction of tax-delinquent lots are reminded that the session ends Monday, Feb. 2...

Commission meeting to be shown on Internet

SARASOTA (WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2006) - Due to a scheduling conflict with the Sarasota County Commission, the city of Sarasota City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Fe...

Clark Road lanes closed Wednesday afternoon for emergency water main repair

SARASOTA (WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2006) - Sarasota County Utilities workers have temporarily closed the eastbound outer and middle travel lanes on Clark Road between L...

Florida prepares for pandemic flu summit telecast

SARASOTA COUNTY (WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2006) - Community, business and health care organization leaders are invited to attend a local televised satellite broadcast of Flori...

All eight Siesta Key short-span bridges now open to traffic

SARASOTA (WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2006) - The $5 million construction project to replace eight short-span bridges on Siesta Key is nearing substantial completion, with...

Water service restored after water main break

SARASOTA (WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2006) - Sarasota County Stormwater crews have repaired a broken water main at St. Armands Circle within the St. Armands Stormwater Im...

CPR courses offered by North Port Fire Rescue

NORTH PORT (WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2006) - The North Port Fire Rescue District has scheduled a cardiopulmonary resuuscitation (CPR) Heartsaver Certification / Recertifi...

AARP Income Tax aide e-file sites open

SARASOTA COUNTY (TUESDAY, FEB. 14, 2006) - Free tax aide for quick filing of federal earned income tax credit (EITC) began Feb. 1. Low to moderate income individua...

Corridor Advocacy Group to meet in Englewood Friday

ENGLEWOOD (MONDAY, FEB. 13, 2006) - The State Road 776 Corridor Advocacy Group will meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at Lemon Bay Park, 570 Bay Park Blvd., En...

County steps up to promote physical activity

SARASOTA COUNTY (MONDAY, FEB. 13, 2006) - Residents who have vowed to lose weight are encouraged to participate in the Sarasota County portion of the third annual stat...

History Center to join in first annual history week

SARASOTA COUNTY (FRIDAY, FEB. 10, 2006) - Sarasota residents and visitors can explore the history of the community during the first annual Sarasota History Week, spons...

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How Much Are YOU Willing To Spend To Get Elected??? ::: From the Newsbull Weblog of: Matt Bruce ::: Read & Respond @: http://www.newsbull.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=30297 Matt Bruce Managing Editor & Publisher, News Sarasota A Newsbull Contributing Columnist   SARASOTA, FL (NS) - How bad do YOU want to be elected to Public Office in Florida? I have sat back for several years now and attended many Political meetings where the sums of money being talked about for this Candidate and another have been mind boggling... Let me give you an example of this year in the 13th Congressional District. There are 2 men running a MILLION dollar campaign to try and gain the GOP Party nomination for Congress. This is a position that pays $150,000 per year plus the 'perks' that go along with the position. You know the Congressional seat currently occupied by Katharene Harris??? When I heard Candidate Tramm Hudson stand up in front of a roomful of people and say he already had raised $250,000 for his Congressional Campaign and wouldn't be surprised if his opponent, Millionaire Car Dealer Vern Buchanon, made this a MILLION dollar campaign for a Congressional seat, I almost choked. We haven't even gotten to the Primary Election yet... This is absolutely absurd and it led me to do some more grassroots investigation of elected offices down to the County level... What I've been able to find out would just blow the average voter away. Tens of thousands of dollars being spent just to get an elected office that might only pay the winner $15,000 to $25,000 per year... So, just WHAT drives these people, not always the best qualified candidates, to go out and get as much money as they can for a position that pays LESS, in many cases, then what the Candidate is already making in their profession... Shall we start with the word POWER??? That's the only thing that seems to make any sense. Sure they all have benefits when they get elected, but it's the 'power' they are looking for or that little title they get, "The Honorable"... I for one say it's about time we stopped this practice right here in Florida of 'unlimited amounts of money' being allowed to fund Political Campaigns. And I further submit to all of you that ALL Elected Public Offices be limited to '2' Terms only all across the board... A highly qualified candidate running for Public Office without a BIG bankroll, doesn't stand a chance of getting elected ANYWHERE... The big bucks that fuel Florida elections are still rolling in unchecked, despite talk of reform and attempts to control lobbying. Florida is one of just 13 states with no caps on how much can be given to political parties. Wonder if Senator John McCain would consider bringing some of his Campaign Finance reform THIS way??? For the 2006 election cycle, the Republican Party of Florida has reported 426 donations of $10,000 or more, a total of $8.1 million, according to an analysis of financial reports which you can find by doing a search on the internet. The Florida Democratic Party got 129 such donations, or $2.42 million... BOTH Political Parties are subscribing to this policy and it needs to be stopped... That core of big donors provided more than half the money raised by each party, making the thousands of smaller donations look tiny. The party contributions are not subject to the $500 limit that state law applies to individual candidates... Not a week doesn't go by that I get something in my mail from a Political Party or Candidate asking me for money, even when there's NO election taking place. This is ridiculous!!! Just think about what this Campaign finance case decision said. The U.S. Supreme Court noted in the 1976 case Buckley v. Valeo, because "to the extent that large contributions are given to secure a political quid pro quo [one thing in return for another] from current and potential office holders, the integrity of our system of representative democracy is undermined." Money sent directly to the political parties rather than candidates technically is meant only for "party building activities," but the law and the courts allow almost unlimited interpretations of that term... The parties end up funneling millions of dollars back to individual candidates as "in-kind donations" for such items as campaign staff, utilities, printing, office rent and consulting services... The impact a single individual, business or interest group can have with unlimited donations becomes clear with the size of the checks. Along with the large sums of money, comes the 'influence'... The Democratic Party got a $185,000 donation from the Victory 2006 political committee in Tallahassee, and Ginn Development Co. of Celebration gave $150,000 to the Republican Party... All told for the period, there were seven $100,000 checks and 27 for $50,000, some from Tampa area companies including Amscot Corp. and the Outback Steakhouse PAC. Statewide, Disney Worldwide Services, Jacksonville Greyhound Racing Inc., Florida Power & Light and other companies made donations of $50,000 or more... Wealthy individuals play a big role, too. Take Lawrence DeGeorge, of Jupiter. He gave the Republican Party $15,000 on Feb. 1, 2005, then $25,000 on April 8. In May he made donations of $100 and $5,000, then $100,000 on June 23 - matching the largest donation by an individual for the cycle... DeGeorge sent $100 on June 30, then $50,000 and $25,000 in September. On Oct. 12, he gave a final $50,000, bringing his yearly donations to the Republican Party of Florida to $270,200... Democrats have their big-money angels, too. Frank Brunckhorst, of Sarasota, of Boar's Head Provisions Co., gave the party $60,000 in April, and a trust associated with him added $100,000 in September... For example, gambling interests in Florida used 37 donations to give more than $481,000 to the Republican Party of Florida. The Democratic Party got three donations totaling just over $2,200. Anybody notice the new Indian Gaming Casino down in Hollywood, FL??? Most groups are giving money in the hopes of gaining some access to the Political system and gaining a favorable decision that would directly benefit THEM. It is widely accepted that big donors do get more access than average citizens... Some companies balance their donations. Tampa's TECO Energy Inc. gave $40,000 to the Democratic Party and $182,500 to the Republican Party... The Ginn Development Co., which made the $150,000 donation to the Republican Party, obviously sees things in the same way because they gave money to both Parties.... According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the only other states that do this are Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Virginia... The National Conference lists 23 states as limiting political party contributions from most or all sources and 14 states as limiting donations from corporations and labor unions but not other sources... Louisiana set a limit of $100,000 on individual, corporate or union contributions over a four-year period, and Vermont allows $2,000 per two-year election cycle... Wisconsin prohibits all corporate and union donations and limits individuals to $10,000 a year and political action committees to $6,000... And all of these huge donations are being given in the name of "Free Speech." I've heard people say that Political contributions amount to free speech. Oh really??? I would personally favor more disclosure for Section 527 political funds, named after their IRS code number. These tax-exempt funds, often created by unions, politicians or special interest groups, can be used to buy campaign ads on specific issues - such as gun control, abortion and tax policy... They have fewer disclosure requirements than other political organizations, and that means some of the big gifts made in the final stages of a campaign don't become public until after the election... What do YOU think would happen if more financial disclosure was required to tell us, the VOTERS, where the Political money was coming from??? Like her Republican counterpart, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman wouldn't endorse limits on big-money contributions... "Part of me wants to say sure, because we're behind in the money game, but the other part of me says no," Thurman said. "The answer is still no." Unfortunately this is the one issue where Republican and Democratic leaders agree, and that means there's going to be no economic campaign financing reform on the horizon. But there SHOULD be... This is the policy that is obviously being adheered to in Florida, and it's apparent that neither Political Party wants to slow down the unlimited flow of money... So now that you know how things are done in Florida, how big is YOUR wallet??? If you're planning on running for Public Office, how much do YOU want to spend to be an elected Official??? Somehow, I really think that BUYING your way into an elected position, is NOT what our Founding Father's had in mind for America... It's ALL about the MONEY and not much about the 'people' anymore in American politics... What do YOU think??? For Now, That's Just 'OUR' Opinion... Matt Bruce News Sarasota Newsbull.com America's Family Blog Forum http://www.newsbull.com

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