Cold, hard, cash has always been "legal tender for all debts public and private" in the U.S.A. It says so right on the face of every dollar bill. That means it's accepted everywhere, right? Wrong. Next time you want to rent a car, don't offer to pay cash. It will probably be refused. Recently, I reserved a car with a major nationwide rental company, via the Internet. But when my husband and I went to pick up the vehicle, the local office of that company insisted we present a major credit card, which we did not have in hand at the time. Then they even refused cash on the barrelhead as an alternative. We use only debit cards; it keeps us from spending money we don't have. With virtually every other business in town, that makes us the very best, most-preferred, kind of customers, but not at this establishment. ...more

December 23, 2007

Tampa Bay is a latecomer to scouting and developing talent in Latin America. With its new academy, though, the team expects to start bringing up new players in a few years. "The Latin front should be the one that will push us up to be competitive, without any doubt," a team official says. DETAILS, Sports, Page 3 ...more

December 16, 2007

A long-missing Michelangelo sketch for the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, possibly his last design before his death, has been discovered in the basilica's offices, the Vatican newspaper said Thursday. ...more

December 7, 2007

Eighteen-year-old pro wakeboarder Phillip Soven, of Longwood, recently became the youngest rider to win the King of the Wake World Cup, which is one of the top wakeboarding series of the season. ...more

November 14, 2007

My Safe Florida Home inspectors consistently disagree about key inspection data, according to a state report released Wednesday. ...more

November 1, 2007

TAMPA - Tropical Storm Noel seems to have made it across Hispaniola and is struggling to reform its center offshore, the National Hurricane Center said. ...more

October 29, 2007

PLANT CITY - If there was any doubt that homebuilding is slowing down, here's the proof: Plant City issued one permit in the single-family home category in September. ...more

October 3, 2007

Zack Grossi appeared to be praying. On the floor of the Florida Orthopaedic Institute's Carrollwood office, Grossi rested his outstretched body on his forearms and elbows, with his hands clasped together in front. ...more

September 12, 2007