President Lincoln endorsed Mark the Cab Driver's candidacy today!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Mark the Cab Driver
citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--This afternoon, on the eve of Gainesville city elections, President Abraham Lincoln traveled to Gainesville to endorse the candidacy of Mark Venzke, known to Chocolate Cab fans the world over as Mark the Cab Driver. Mark is running for Gainesville City Commissioner at large seat two.
In pronouncing his endorsement, President Lincoln said, "It is my pleasure to commend to all Gainesville voters this fine candidate who has come to my attention as a rising star in Gainesville politics. From my conversations with him, I have come to know that he has the heart and acumen to be a fine public servant. Candidate Venzke shows much promise as an elected leader. He has my confidence. I hope that the voters of Gainesville will elect him to the office of city commissioner tomorrow."
President Lincoln and Mark shake hands after having established a warm and mutually respectful relationship during their brief time together.
Passing motorists and pedestrians were clearly struck to see the president and Mark displaying hand-held campaign signs for people to see at the busy intersection of West University Avenue and West 13th Street during the afternoon rush hour.
Before leaving, President Lincoln said, "I look forward to watching candidate Venzke's political career unfold and will make my counsel available to him as he may see the need for it."
The Chocolate Cab Internet site visits soared to 125 today!
Monday, March 10, 2014
Mark the Cab Driver
citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--As excitement spreads about the Venzke candidacy and voters search the Internet for information about Mark the Cab Driver's candidacy, visits to the Chocolate Cab Internet site reached 125 today--almost four times the average, daily number of visits.
"This is great," Mark said. "To my recollection, that is an all-time high. We're driving hard for the finish line, continuing to make contact with the voters every day, and they are obviously hungry for information about my candidacy."
After a rigorous campaign season that included ten candidate fora and meet and greets and a one debate, the Gainesville city election takes place tomorrow.
Mark invites Chocolate Cab fans to his Post-election Celebration at The Jam music venue after the polls close tomorrow evening where Mark and supporters will watch election results as the staff members of the Alachua County Supervisor Of Elections Office post them on the Internet site of the Office. The gathering will from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Jam is located at 817 West University Avenue in Gainesville. As The Jam is a concert and jam session venue, Mark encourages supporters who may have them to bring musical instruments and their singing voices. He also asks that those who can do so bring a little something to add to the potluck table.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Mark the Cab Driver
citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--As excitement spreads about the Venzke candidacy and voters search the Internet for information about Mark the Cab Driver's candidacy, visits to the Chocolate Cab Internet site reached 125 today--almost four times the average, daily number of visits.
"This is great," Mark said. "To my recollection, that is an all-time high. We're driving hard for the finish line, continuing to make contact with the voters every day, and they are obviously hungry for information about my candidacy."
After a rigorous campaign season that included ten candidate fora and meet and greets and a one debate, the Gainesville city election takes place tomorrow.
Mark invites Chocolate Cab fans to his Post-election Celebration at The Jam music venue after the polls close tomorrow evening where Mark and supporters will watch election results as the staff members of the Alachua County Supervisor Of Elections Office post them on the Internet site of the Office. The gathering will from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Jam is located at 817 West University Avenue in Gainesville. As The Jam is a concert and jam session venue, Mark encourages supporters who may have them to bring musical instruments and their singing voices. He also asks that those who can do so bring a little something to add to the potluck table.
Chocolate Cab site traffic doubles as Mark the Cab Driver's election approaches!
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Mark the Cab Driver
citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--For the last six days, an average of 58 visitors per day--nearly double the usual number of daily visitors--have visited the Chocolate Cab site as voters have been seeking information about Mark the Cab Driver, a candidate for Gainesville city commissioner. Site traffic peaked at 78 on February 25.
This is Mark's third, consecutive run for a seat on the City Commission. Last year he ran for mayor, an official who sits on the City Commission and heads it.
As a week of early voting begins tomorrow morning, Mark has attended all but one of the ten candidate fora, debates and meet and greets that various organizations have sponsored. Tomorrow evening will be the sixth and final candidate forum. Mark has also been conducting face-to-face conversations with voters in what he calls Meet and Greets on the Street wherein he has talked with voters on the streets of downtown Gainesville. He has additionally engaged in several campaign sign holdings on major intersections in Gainesville.
"Voters have shared with me their concerns and ideas, and I have presented to them my governance objectives [platform planks] for more than a month. Attendees of some of the candidate fora--including some former and current city leaders--have told me that my statements have been particularly fitting and strong.
"Sure, we could have used more exposure, but we have made great use of the opportunities that we have had.
"With continuing perseverance, can place me in office to provide the ethical, dedicated, thoughtful, cooperative and strong leadership that I offer the citizens of Gainesville. I shall keep campaigning until the polls close on the evening of Tuesday, March 11."
Chocolate Cab fans can follow the campaign at: http://www.Facebook.com/VoteForVenzke Mark encourages fans to "like" and "share" the page.
Campaign supporters in and near Gainesville can join Mark in the final campaign push of the theme, "All In For Venzke," by contacting him at 352-328-5615 or at [email protected].
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Mark the Cab Driver
citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--For the last six days, an average of 58 visitors per day--nearly double the usual number of daily visitors--have visited the Chocolate Cab site as voters have been seeking information about Mark the Cab Driver, a candidate for Gainesville city commissioner. Site traffic peaked at 78 on February 25.
This is Mark's third, consecutive run for a seat on the City Commission. Last year he ran for mayor, an official who sits on the City Commission and heads it.
As a week of early voting begins tomorrow morning, Mark has attended all but one of the ten candidate fora, debates and meet and greets that various organizations have sponsored. Tomorrow evening will be the sixth and final candidate forum. Mark has also been conducting face-to-face conversations with voters in what he calls Meet and Greets on the Street wherein he has talked with voters on the streets of downtown Gainesville. He has additionally engaged in several campaign sign holdings on major intersections in Gainesville.
"Voters have shared with me their concerns and ideas, and I have presented to them my governance objectives [platform planks] for more than a month. Attendees of some of the candidate fora--including some former and current city leaders--have told me that my statements have been particularly fitting and strong.
"Sure, we could have used more exposure, but we have made great use of the opportunities that we have had.
"With continuing perseverance, can place me in office to provide the ethical, dedicated, thoughtful, cooperative and strong leadership that I offer the citizens of Gainesville. I shall keep campaigning until the polls close on the evening of Tuesday, March 11."
Chocolate Cab fans can follow the campaign at: http://www.Facebook.com/VoteForVenzke Mark encourages fans to "like" and "share" the page.
Campaign supporters in and near Gainesville can join Mark in the final campaign push of the theme, "All In For Venzke," by contacting him at 352-328-5615 or at [email protected].
View a brief television interview of Mark about his candidacy for Gainesville city commissioner that aired on January 29, 2014.
Mark the Cab Driver is running again for Gainesville city commissioner!
Friday, January 24, 2014
Mark the Cab Driver
citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--Mark Venzke, known to devoted Chocolate Cab fans as Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, filed again today to run for Gainesville city commissioner.
Mark ran for city commissioner of Gainesville in the spring of 2012 and for mayor of Gainesville in the spring of 2013, but he won neither race.
For more than three years, Mark has been a regular attender of Gainesville City Commission meetings where he frequently comments before the commission on city business. From that involvement, he is quite familiar with circumstances, opportunities and challenges in the city. Mark intends to continue to work for:
The Mark Venzke For Gainesville City Commission Campaign will soon publish an Internet site and Facebook page and will announce the launches of them here, on the home page of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Mark welcomes the support of all of his Chocolate Cab fans, and he welcomes the votes of all Gainesville voters. Gainesville and Florida law allow candidates for Gainesville elective offices to accept monetary and in kind contributions from anyone living anywhere. Mark encourages all of his fans in Gainesville to register to vote by Friday, February 7 and to vote early, vote by absentee ballot or vote on election day in the city election on or before March 11. He also encourages his fans to volunteer for his campaign and to display campaign yard signs on their properties, which they will be soon able to obtain from the Campaign.
"Help me to bring creative, practical, responsible and fair governance to Gainesville by supporting my candidacy and by voting for me," Mark said after filing to run.
Friday, January 24, 2014
Mark the Cab Driver
citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--Mark Venzke, known to devoted Chocolate Cab fans as Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, filed again today to run for Gainesville city commissioner.
Mark ran for city commissioner of Gainesville in the spring of 2012 and for mayor of Gainesville in the spring of 2013, but he won neither race.
For more than three years, Mark has been a regular attender of Gainesville City Commission meetings where he frequently comments before the commission on city business. From that involvement, he is quite familiar with circumstances, opportunities and challenges in the city. Mark intends to continue to work for:
- a fully responsible energy policy--one that is economically and environmentally responsible
- full-spectrum, collaborative human and economic development
- decent accommodation and economic empowerment of destitute and struggling people
The Mark Venzke For Gainesville City Commission Campaign will soon publish an Internet site and Facebook page and will announce the launches of them here, on the home page of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Mark welcomes the support of all of his Chocolate Cab fans, and he welcomes the votes of all Gainesville voters. Gainesville and Florida law allow candidates for Gainesville elective offices to accept monetary and in kind contributions from anyone living anywhere. Mark encourages all of his fans in Gainesville to register to vote by Friday, February 7 and to vote early, vote by absentee ballot or vote on election day in the city election on or before March 11. He also encourages his fans to volunteer for his campaign and to display campaign yard signs on their properties, which they will be soon able to obtain from the Campaign.
"Help me to bring creative, practical, responsible and fair governance to Gainesville by supporting my candidacy and by voting for me," Mark said after filing to run.
MADD Virgin Drinks offers a line of alcohol-free beverages.
MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the most active and effective organization working to prevent impaired driving and to help those adversely affected by it, now offers a line of non-alcohol beverages, MADD Virgin Drinks. Those beverages include a sparkling grape juice (champagne substitute), two fine grape juices (wine substitutes), a non-alcohol margarita, a non-alcohol mojito and, coming soon, a non-alcohol lager. Ten percent of the income from the sales of the beverages goes to MADD.
Assure that the designated driver, the "DD," in your group has alcohol-free beverages to drink. Have MADD Virgin Drinks for him or her to enjoy.
If the manager of your favorite serving establishment does not yet offer MADD Virgin Drinks ask him or her to do so. When you go to a party, take some MADD Virgin Drinks beverages with you.
Oh, if you have no safe driver for your trip home, call a cab. ;)
You and your local retailer and your local serving establishment can learn about MADD Virgin Drinks and order them at:
http://www.MADDVirginDrinks.com
MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the most active and effective organization working to prevent impaired driving and to help those adversely affected by it, now offers a line of non-alcohol beverages, MADD Virgin Drinks. Those beverages include a sparkling grape juice (champagne substitute), two fine grape juices (wine substitutes), a non-alcohol margarita, a non-alcohol mojito and, coming soon, a non-alcohol lager. Ten percent of the income from the sales of the beverages goes to MADD.
Assure that the designated driver, the "DD," in your group has alcohol-free beverages to drink. Have MADD Virgin Drinks for him or her to enjoy.
If the manager of your favorite serving establishment does not yet offer MADD Virgin Drinks ask him or her to do so. When you go to a party, take some MADD Virgin Drinks beverages with you.
Oh, if you have no safe driver for your trip home, call a cab. ;)
You and your local retailer and your local serving establishment can learn about MADD Virgin Drinks and order them at:
http://www.MADDVirginDrinks.com
89-year-old cab driver serves Nashua, New Hampshire
November 17, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--"Aunt Dottie," an employee of SK Taxi in Nashua, has been driving for twenty-six years. She owns her cab, uses no GPS navigation device or cell phone and works 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. According to the owner of the company, she "never" misses a day of work.
You can view a human interest news story about Nashua's most-requested cab driver from television station WMNU at:
http://screen.yahoo.com/popular/cabbie-aunt-dottie-driving-strong-232536104.html
You can read an article on Huffington Post about her at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/aunt-dottie-cab-driver_n_4274355.html
November 17, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--"Aunt Dottie," an employee of SK Taxi in Nashua, has been driving for twenty-six years. She owns her cab, uses no GPS navigation device or cell phone and works 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. According to the owner of the company, she "never" misses a day of work.
You can view a human interest news story about Nashua's most-requested cab driver from television station WMNU at:
http://screen.yahoo.com/popular/cabbie-aunt-dottie-driving-strong-232536104.html
You can read an article on Huffington Post about her at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/aunt-dottie-cab-driver_n_4274355.html
TaxiJam!
October 13, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
TaxiJam offers music videos from the intimate confines of taxis, from the earthy streets and from the lofty conveyance of the Table Mountain cable car in and around Capetown, South Africa. How cool is that?!
"Taxijam was borne out of the love of a spontaneous performance - the fleeting moment when you hear a resonant chord in a crowded subway station, or a pitch perfect note from a passing taxi - we believe that music doesn't always have to be performed on a stage, or in front of an audience......"
Start with these music videos:
Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu, aka Juluka
http://www.Vimeo.com/27713018
Brian Wilson and Beach Boys band members
"Roll Around Heaven" and "California Girls"
http://www.Taxijam.co.za/videos/mumford-and-sons-a-black-cab-session
The Brothers Streep
http://www.Vimeo.com/36893110
Yvonne Chaka Chaka
(protest music from the apartheid liberation years)
http://www.Vimeo.com/68048075
Freshlyground
http://www.Vimeo.com/28008376
from the Table Mountain cable car
Chocolate Cab sends its love halfway 'round the world to TaxiJam and all of the artists who perform for the site! We love your music! Keep the music videos coming!
You can view and listen to all of the music videos of TaxiJam on the TaxiJam Internet site at http://www.TaxiJam.co.za. You can also search for them on the video Internet site, Vimeo, at http.www.Vimeo.com.
October 13, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
TaxiJam offers music videos from the intimate confines of taxis, from the earthy streets and from the lofty conveyance of the Table Mountain cable car in and around Capetown, South Africa. How cool is that?!
"Taxijam was borne out of the love of a spontaneous performance - the fleeting moment when you hear a resonant chord in a crowded subway station, or a pitch perfect note from a passing taxi - we believe that music doesn't always have to be performed on a stage, or in front of an audience......"
Start with these music videos:
Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu, aka Juluka
http://www.Vimeo.com/27713018
Brian Wilson and Beach Boys band members
"Roll Around Heaven" and "California Girls"
http://www.Taxijam.co.za/videos/mumford-and-sons-a-black-cab-session
The Brothers Streep
http://www.Vimeo.com/36893110
Yvonne Chaka Chaka
(protest music from the apartheid liberation years)
http://www.Vimeo.com/68048075
Freshlyground
http://www.Vimeo.com/28008376
from the Table Mountain cable car
Chocolate Cab sends its love halfway 'round the world to TaxiJam and all of the artists who perform for the site! We love your music! Keep the music videos coming!
You can view and listen to all of the music videos of TaxiJam on the TaxiJam Internet site at http://www.TaxiJam.co.za. You can also search for them on the video Internet site, Vimeo, at http.www.Vimeo.com.
Chocolate Cab introduces the "cab humor" section of the Chocolate Cab Internet site
October 12, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Today, Chocolate Cab introduces the new "cab humor" section of the Chocolate Cab Internet site. In this section, Mark the Cab Driver will post humorous videos of cab-related pranks and humorous incidents. If you find or make a humorous cab-related video, send it to Mark, and he may post it in this new section. Enjoy! :D
October 12, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Today, Chocolate Cab introduces the new "cab humor" section of the Chocolate Cab Internet site. In this section, Mark the Cab Driver will post humorous videos of cab-related pranks and humorous incidents. If you find or make a humorous cab-related video, send it to Mark, and he may post it in this new section. Enjoy! :D
Cabs around the world bear a message that people can not ignore
September 3, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Berkeley, California, U. S. A.--After having raised nearly a quarter million dollars, the Berkeley-based organization, Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth--of which Mark the Cab Driver, an architectural and engineering designer and draftsman, is a member--has been conducting a world-wide outdoor advertising campaign to raise awareness of the inaccuracies of the official reports of the incidents of 9/11 and to build demand for a thorough and proper investigation of those events.
As the twelfth anniversary of those incidents approaches, the organization is presenting that message on stationary and mobile billboards, on subway train displays, on transit bus displays, on street kiosks and on taxi tops in major cities throughout the world.
The tag line of the campaign, "Did you know a 3rd tower fell on 9/11?," refers to the symmetrical collapse of building seven of the World Trade Center complex--a forty-seven-storey skyscraper--after having sustained minor damage and after having had small fires at one end of the building--before the first tower, the north tower, fell. For an exploration of the destruction of building seven see the video, Architects & Engineers--Solving the Mystery Of WTC7, produced by Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth.
"I am proud that cab drivers throughout the world are bearing signs on their cabs that challenge viewers to carefully examine all of the events of 9/11 and the substantial body of evidence for the causes of those events," Mark the Cab Driver said.
Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth is a non-partisan association of 2008 architects and engineers dedicated to (1) researching, compiling and disseminating scientific evidence relative to the collapses of the three World Trade Center skyscrapers (2) advocating for an unfettered, open, thorough and subpoena-power-enabled investigation of the destruction of the towers and (3) supporting others in their pursuit of justice for the destruction of the towers.
Information about the campaign is at ReThink911.org.
Information about Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth is available at AE911truth.org. One can follow the education and advocacy work of the organization on Facebook. The latest version of the documentary movie that Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth has produced that presents the most powerful evidence and testimony about the the collapses of both towers and building seven is available at 9/11: Explosive Evidence--Experts Speak Out.
September 3, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Berkeley, California, U. S. A.--After having raised nearly a quarter million dollars, the Berkeley-based organization, Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth--of which Mark the Cab Driver, an architectural and engineering designer and draftsman, is a member--has been conducting a world-wide outdoor advertising campaign to raise awareness of the inaccuracies of the official reports of the incidents of 9/11 and to build demand for a thorough and proper investigation of those events.
As the twelfth anniversary of those incidents approaches, the organization is presenting that message on stationary and mobile billboards, on subway train displays, on transit bus displays, on street kiosks and on taxi tops in major cities throughout the world.
The tag line of the campaign, "Did you know a 3rd tower fell on 9/11?," refers to the symmetrical collapse of building seven of the World Trade Center complex--a forty-seven-storey skyscraper--after having sustained minor damage and after having had small fires at one end of the building--before the first tower, the north tower, fell. For an exploration of the destruction of building seven see the video, Architects & Engineers--Solving the Mystery Of WTC7, produced by Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth.
"I am proud that cab drivers throughout the world are bearing signs on their cabs that challenge viewers to carefully examine all of the events of 9/11 and the substantial body of evidence for the causes of those events," Mark the Cab Driver said.
Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth is a non-partisan association of 2008 architects and engineers dedicated to (1) researching, compiling and disseminating scientific evidence relative to the collapses of the three World Trade Center skyscrapers (2) advocating for an unfettered, open, thorough and subpoena-power-enabled investigation of the destruction of the towers and (3) supporting others in their pursuit of justice for the destruction of the towers.
Information about the campaign is at ReThink911.org.
Information about Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth is available at AE911truth.org. One can follow the education and advocacy work of the organization on Facebook. The latest version of the documentary movie that Architects & Engineers For 9/11 Truth has produced that presents the most powerful evidence and testimony about the the collapses of both towers and building seven is available at 9/11: Explosive Evidence--Experts Speak Out.
Mark the Cab Driver establishes alternate address for the Internet site for his former campaign for mayor
July 8, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--Mark the Cab Driver established an alternate address for the Internet site of his former campaign for mayor of Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.
Since he has been unable to re-establish accessibility to the site through the original addresses--MarkForMayor.us and MarkForMayor.weebly.com--he established a new address while he continues to work to re-establish the accessibility through the original addresses.
The new address is:
www.MarkForMayor2.weebly.com
"I figure that my ongoing, pointed issue advocacy and political activism may have prompted someone somewhere to disrupt accessibility to my site. I must be doing some things right."
July 8, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--Mark the Cab Driver established an alternate address for the Internet site of his former campaign for mayor of Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.
Since he has been unable to re-establish accessibility to the site through the original addresses--MarkForMayor.us and MarkForMayor.weebly.com--he established a new address while he continues to work to re-establish the accessibility through the original addresses.
The new address is:
www.MarkForMayor2.weebly.com
"I figure that my ongoing, pointed issue advocacy and political activism may have prompted someone somewhere to disrupt accessibility to my site. I must be doing some things right."
Mark the Cab Driver's Internet site for his former campaign for mayor is temporarily offline
July 6, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--The Internet site of Mark the Cab Driver's former campaign for mayor of Gainesville, Florida, United States Of America is temporarily offline apparently due to a misunderstanding by the information technology technician who established the domain, MarkForMayor.us, as a campaign contribution.
The site, that has been accessible at two addresses, MarkForMayor.us and MarkForMayor.weebly.com, is now unavailable at both addresses.
The site, while for a candidacy campaign that ended with the general election on March 19, 2013--more than three and one-half months ago--has continued to attract considerable attention and traffic. For the twenty-one days preceding June 27, 2013, the average number of daily visitors was 32.43. From June 27, 2013 to July 2, 2013, the average number of daily visitors dropped to 5.83. Then, from July 3--the day before Independence Day, the average number of daily visitors dropped to 0.
Mark the Cab Driver has been working to resolve the matter and will continue to do so until the site is again available on the Internet.
Additionally, Mark the Cab Driver's e-mail account, [email protected], that he uses for issue advocacy and political activism has been functioning very irregularly for the last month. Many functions of the account have been working poorly or not at all during that time. On some days, the account has been completely unavailable to Mark.
Mark is very concerned about the pervasiveness of surveillance of citizens of the United States Of America and of foreign diplomats and political leaders that courageous and patriotic whistle blowers and investigative journalists have revealed in recent weeks and he is very concerned about the possibilities that elements of the intelligence, military, homeland security and law enforcement agencies of the United States Of America may disrupt the communications, advocacy activities, relationships and lives of those who the operatives in those agencies monitor.
Mark the Cab Driver urges all Chocolate Cab fans to support the lawful and non-violent restoration of the protections of all of the Constitution of the United States Of America, including and especially the fourth amendment that declares unequivically:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Mark encourages all Chocolate Cab fans advocate for restoration of fourth amendment rights including adding their efforts to the thousands of members of the organization, Restore the 4th, at:
https://www.Facebook.com/RestoreTheFourth?fref=ts
People can see Mark--wearing a bicycle helmet--participating in the public demonstration calling for the restoration of fourth amendment rights in Gainesville, Florida, United States Of America on Independence Day in local online media sites at the following, three addresses:
Restore the Fourth: Gainesville
http://www.WCJB.com/local-news/2013/07/restore-fourth-gainesville
Group uses their freedom on Independence Day to fight
http://www.MyGTN.tv/story/22766153/group-uses-their-rights-on-independence-day-to-fight
Restore the fourth
http://www.Gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Dato=20130704&Kategori=MULTIMEDIA0301&Lopenr=704009997&Ref=PH&pl=1
Voters eliminate Mark the Cab Driver in the Gainesville general election
Mark will be the guest on a radio talk show tomorrow
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Gainesville, Florida voters eliminated Mark the Cab Driver in the 2013 Gainesville general election yesterday.
Since voters gave no candidate at least fifty percent of the votes cast, the top, two vote getters, incumbent mayor, Craig Lowe, and former city commissioner and conservative polito-tainment radio show co-host, Ed Braddy, will compete for the mayor's office in runoff election on April 16, 2013. Undecided and independent voters surged to those two, front running candidates, Lowe, a Democrat, and Braddy, a Republican, to try to prevent the other from being elected.
"In the process of voting for the lesser of evils, voters lost the chance for quality, balanced leadership from me or fellow candidate, Peter Johnson in the mayoral race and from Alfredo Espinosa in the district four commissioner race.
"I shall continue to be engaged in local, national and international governance matters and will likely run again for public office. I shall also continue working on starting the first, electric-powered taxi service in Gainesville," Mark told reporters after the election.
Tomorrow, Mark the Cab Driver will be the guest of radio talk show host Kyle Rothenberg on The Conversation radio show. The show will air from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST (8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. GMT). The two will recap the election and the issues that face the citizens and city leaders of Gainesville. The Conversation airs on WUFT FM the National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate of the University Of Florida at 89.1 FM and streamed live around the world on the Internet at:
http://www.WUFT.org/stream-player
Mark encourages Chocolate Cab fans around the world to share their thoughts with him by e-mail about his interview if they listen to it at:
[email protected]
For additional news and information about the campaign, view the Mark For Mayor Campaign Internet site at:
MarkForMayor.us
Mark will be the guest on a radio talk show tomorrow
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Gainesville, Florida voters eliminated Mark the Cab Driver in the 2013 Gainesville general election yesterday.
Since voters gave no candidate at least fifty percent of the votes cast, the top, two vote getters, incumbent mayor, Craig Lowe, and former city commissioner and conservative polito-tainment radio show co-host, Ed Braddy, will compete for the mayor's office in runoff election on April 16, 2013. Undecided and independent voters surged to those two, front running candidates, Lowe, a Democrat, and Braddy, a Republican, to try to prevent the other from being elected.
"In the process of voting for the lesser of evils, voters lost the chance for quality, balanced leadership from me or fellow candidate, Peter Johnson in the mayoral race and from Alfredo Espinosa in the district four commissioner race.
"I shall continue to be engaged in local, national and international governance matters and will likely run again for public office. I shall also continue working on starting the first, electric-powered taxi service in Gainesville," Mark told reporters after the election.
Tomorrow, Mark the Cab Driver will be the guest of radio talk show host Kyle Rothenberg on The Conversation radio show. The show will air from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST (8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. GMT). The two will recap the election and the issues that face the citizens and city leaders of Gainesville. The Conversation airs on WUFT FM the National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate of the University Of Florida at 89.1 FM and streamed live around the world on the Internet at:
http://www.WUFT.org/stream-player
Mark encourages Chocolate Cab fans around the world to share their thoughts with him by e-mail about his interview if they listen to it at:
[email protected]
For additional news and information about the campaign, view the Mark For Mayor Campaign Internet site at:
MarkForMayor.us
Vintage Detroit Electric car company is being revived
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A.-- A contemporary group of auto industry pioneers is reviving the Detroit Electric car company name.
The executives say that they will introduce a sports car in August 2013 and will introduce general purpose vehicles in 2014.
Read about the new company and the sport car at:
Startup revives Detroit Electric brand, vows Tesla-like sports car this year
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/start-revives-detroit-electric-brand-vows-tesla-sports-151922455.html
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Detroit, Michigan, U. S. A.-- A contemporary group of auto industry pioneers is reviving the Detroit Electric car company name.
The executives say that they will introduce a sports car in August 2013 and will introduce general purpose vehicles in 2014.
Read about the new company and the sport car at:
Startup revives Detroit Electric brand, vows Tesla-like sports car this year
http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motoramic/start-revives-detroit-electric-brand-vows-tesla-sports-151922455.html
Mark is "out of the box" in the last two weeks of the campaign!
Mark delivers in candidate fora
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Mark the Cab driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- With only two weeks left in the campaign, Mark the Cab Driver is "out of the box." He has hit the streets and is taking his campaign to the people.
"Engaging passing motorists on street corners with my campaign sign, visiting voters in their workplaces and talking to people on the streets has been invigorating," Mark said. "I have been gratified, encouraged and energized by the occasional enthusiastic voter--most of them total strangers to me--who I have been seeing around the city," he said.
Besides keeping a busy schedule of campaign events and activities, Mark will continue engaging voters throughout the city for the remainder of the campaign.
In the first four candidate fora, Mark has had strong performances that have garnered compliments and praise from audience members--including some civic leaders and influential citizens. "Thoughtful and confident are the words that I hear most from audience members," Mark said. "I feel like I have had good answers to questions and have had a strong presence," he continued.
Traffic on the Mark For Mayor Internet site has been steadily increasing.
Four strong supporters have tendered their endorsements of Mark's candidacy. They appear on the "endorsements" page of the campaign Internet site.
Mark cast his ballot by absentee voting yesterday.
For additional news and information about the campaign, navigate to the Mark For Mayor campaign Internet site at:
MarkForMayor.us
Mark delivers in candidate fora
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Mark the Cab driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- With only two weeks left in the campaign, Mark the Cab Driver is "out of the box." He has hit the streets and is taking his campaign to the people.
"Engaging passing motorists on street corners with my campaign sign, visiting voters in their workplaces and talking to people on the streets has been invigorating," Mark said. "I have been gratified, encouraged and energized by the occasional enthusiastic voter--most of them total strangers to me--who I have been seeing around the city," he said.
Besides keeping a busy schedule of campaign events and activities, Mark will continue engaging voters throughout the city for the remainder of the campaign.
In the first four candidate fora, Mark has had strong performances that have garnered compliments and praise from audience members--including some civic leaders and influential citizens. "Thoughtful and confident are the words that I hear most from audience members," Mark said. "I feel like I have had good answers to questions and have had a strong presence," he continued.
Traffic on the Mark For Mayor Internet site has been steadily increasing.
Four strong supporters have tendered their endorsements of Mark's candidacy. They appear on the "endorsements" page of the campaign Internet site.
Mark cast his ballot by absentee voting yesterday.
For additional news and information about the campaign, navigate to the Mark For Mayor campaign Internet site at:
MarkForMayor.us
The Mark For Mayor campaign proceeds well
January 25, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- With twenty-two days left in his campaign for mayor of Gainesville, Florida, Mark the Cab Driver, host of Chocolate Cab, reports that his campaign is proceeding well.
Mark has participated in all three of the six scheduled candidate fora, submitting articles about his candidacy to local publications, completing and submitting questionaires from local organizations and has been occasionally campaigning in public settings.
"I have been very pleased with my showings in the candidate fora," Mark said. "I feel like I have responded intelligently to moderators' questions and like I have shown good poise," he continued.
Mark said that numerous attendees of the fora have told him that they have appreciated his positions on issues and that the felt that he projected confidence.
The campaign got new business cards over this past weekend about which people have been very complimentary.
Read about the all of the recent campaign activity on the Mark For Mayor Internet site at:
MarkForMayor.us
January 25, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- With twenty-two days left in his campaign for mayor of Gainesville, Florida, Mark the Cab Driver, host of Chocolate Cab, reports that his campaign is proceeding well.
Mark has participated in all three of the six scheduled candidate fora, submitting articles about his candidacy to local publications, completing and submitting questionaires from local organizations and has been occasionally campaigning in public settings.
"I have been very pleased with my showings in the candidate fora," Mark said. "I feel like I have responded intelligently to moderators' questions and like I have shown good poise," he continued.
Mark said that numerous attendees of the fora have told him that they have appreciated his positions on issues and that the felt that he projected confidence.
The campaign got new business cards over this past weekend about which people have been very complimentary.
Read about the all of the recent campaign activity on the Mark For Mayor Internet site at:
MarkForMayor.us
This site gets the first visitor from the Australian continent!
February 20, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Today a visitor from Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia became the first visitor from that nation continent. Welcome!
February 20, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Today a visitor from Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia became the first visitor from that nation continent. Welcome!
Mobile applications are connecting non-cab drivers with passengers
February 4, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- New mobile applications are enabling drivers of private vehicles and people needing rides to connect with each other. The fast-growing, for-profit ride-arranging services are available in a number of large, North American cities.
Lyft, Sidecar and Uber online services have all started during the last year. Two of them screen service users, both drivers and passengers, to increase safety. One of them utilizes a rating system to allow service users to grade each other to maintain quality of service.
Public transportation regulatory agencies have been scrutinizing and in some cases fining the ride-arranging services for violations of existing regulations. While functioning as cab service operators, the drivers of the ride-arranging services do not pay cab license fees and costly, commercial, cab insurance premiums. However, most regulatory agencies are committed to embracing new technologies to provide benefits to consumers of transportation services and are working to adapt regulations to protect the public while allowing the new services to operate.
Mark said, "When returning to service, Chocolate Cab and most of the other cabs in the contemplated fleet of my future company will be electric powered, and they will have safe, courteous, informative, well groomed and professional drivers. The cabs will be safety-inspected, accurately metered, clean and comfortable. My company will offer around-the-clock service. While online ride-arranging services could and should take market share in the years ahead, all of the positive qualities of my future company will allow it to compete with the ride-arranging services. In fact, in addition to receiving calls directly from customers, my company will likely become a ride-arranging service user, or the drivers of my company will become service users." Mark continued, "For the benefit of the cab-riding public and for the operators and drivers of high-quality cab services, I am pleased to know that the days of the crude, rude drivers, of dirty and overcharging cabs and of arrogant and dishonest cab company operators are numbered. They will have to "clean up their acts," become high-quality services, or deservedly perish like the dinosaurs."
Read additional information about the new ride-arranging services at:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130203/WIRE/130209907/1082?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar
February 4, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- New mobile applications are enabling drivers of private vehicles and people needing rides to connect with each other. The fast-growing, for-profit ride-arranging services are available in a number of large, North American cities.
Lyft, Sidecar and Uber online services have all started during the last year. Two of them screen service users, both drivers and passengers, to increase safety. One of them utilizes a rating system to allow service users to grade each other to maintain quality of service.
Public transportation regulatory agencies have been scrutinizing and in some cases fining the ride-arranging services for violations of existing regulations. While functioning as cab service operators, the drivers of the ride-arranging services do not pay cab license fees and costly, commercial, cab insurance premiums. However, most regulatory agencies are committed to embracing new technologies to provide benefits to consumers of transportation services and are working to adapt regulations to protect the public while allowing the new services to operate.
Mark said, "When returning to service, Chocolate Cab and most of the other cabs in the contemplated fleet of my future company will be electric powered, and they will have safe, courteous, informative, well groomed and professional drivers. The cabs will be safety-inspected, accurately metered, clean and comfortable. My company will offer around-the-clock service. While online ride-arranging services could and should take market share in the years ahead, all of the positive qualities of my future company will allow it to compete with the ride-arranging services. In fact, in addition to receiving calls directly from customers, my company will likely become a ride-arranging service user, or the drivers of my company will become service users." Mark continued, "For the benefit of the cab-riding public and for the operators and drivers of high-quality cab services, I am pleased to know that the days of the crude, rude drivers, of dirty and overcharging cabs and of arrogant and dishonest cab company operators are numbered. They will have to "clean up their acts," become high-quality services, or deservedly perish like the dinosaurs."
Read additional information about the new ride-arranging services at:
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130203/WIRE/130209907/1082?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar
Mark the Cab Driver officially qualifies as a candidate for mayor!
February 1, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Today, the last day for candidates to qualify to run for public offices in the 2013 Gainesville general election, Mark the Cab Driver qualified to run for mayor.
Five other candidates also qualified before the deadline. Like the other candidates, Mark had previously filed to run for office. His and their qualifications simply marked their submissions of the last of the forms necessary in the two-step process to have their names appear on the ballot on election day, March 19, 2013.
Mark said, "With the launch last Friday night of the Internet site of our campaign and with my having officially qualified as a candidate, our campaign is fully underway. Our campaign has been attracting great, motivated supporters. I encourage chocolate cab fans to review our new site at MarkForMayor.us. If they like what they see--that includes my commitment to work to assure honest cab services in Gainesville--I ask for their support."
February 1, 2013
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Today, the last day for candidates to qualify to run for public offices in the 2013 Gainesville general election, Mark the Cab Driver qualified to run for mayor.
Five other candidates also qualified before the deadline. Like the other candidates, Mark had previously filed to run for office. His and their qualifications simply marked their submissions of the last of the forms necessary in the two-step process to have their names appear on the ballot on election day, March 19, 2013.
Mark said, "With the launch last Friday night of the Internet site of our campaign and with my having officially qualified as a candidate, our campaign is fully underway. Our campaign has been attracting great, motivated supporters. I encourage chocolate cab fans to review our new site at MarkForMayor.us. If they like what they see--that includes my commitment to work to assure honest cab services in Gainesville--I ask for their support."
The Chocolate Cab site received a record 145 visits!
December 18, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Yesterday, the Chocolate Cab Internet site received a record 145 visitors after Mark the Cab Driver sent a Chocolate Cab e-mail dispatch to his extensive list of Chocolate Cab fans in which he announced his candidacy for mayor of Gainesville. In his dispatch, he provided a link to the site encouraging fans to read the detailed article about his candidacy.
"I am hoping that the servers will be able to handle the surge in traffic," Mark said tongue in cheek.
Read the article that attracted the record number of visitors below.
December 18, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Yesterday, the Chocolate Cab Internet site received a record 145 visitors after Mark the Cab Driver sent a Chocolate Cab e-mail dispatch to his extensive list of Chocolate Cab fans in which he announced his candidacy for mayor of Gainesville. In his dispatch, he provided a link to the site encouraging fans to read the detailed article about his candidacy.
"I am hoping that the servers will be able to handle the surge in traffic," Mark said tongue in cheek.
Read the article that attracted the record number of visitors below.
Mark the Cab Driver declares his candidacy for mayor of Gainesville!
Mark receiving election materials from Alachua County Supervisor Of Elections, Pam Carpenter
December 14, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Mark the Cab Driver announced today his candidacy for mayor of Gainesville.
In a move widely anticipated among his associates, Mark took the step that he described as likely in his concession speech after voters eliminated him for the seat of Gainesville city commissioner at large seat one in the January 31, 2012 election. In that speech, he said,
"This entire campaign has been a predominantly positive experience for me. I feel like I was born for campaigning...I would not be surprised if I were to run for public office again."
(Many Chocolate Cab fans may be unaware that Mark ran for city commissioner in January. He was so busy attending to the many demands of the campaign, that he never had the time to write and post an article on this Internet site or to send an e-mailing to his loyal Chocolate Cab fans. Any fans who would like to catch up on Mark's last campaign can still visit his former campaign Internet site at:
Mark Venzke For Gainesville City Commissioner
VoteForVenzke.yolasite.com
Mark has kept that site current with content since that election. Starting at the top of the center column of the home page, Mark lists his many political involvements and political educational activities in which he has engaged since that election to prepare himself to run again for local public office.)
The election for mayor and for city commissioner for district four will occur on March 19, 2013. If needed, a runoff election would occur on April 16, 2013.
Current fellow candidates for mayor in the non-partisan race include incumbent, Craig Lowe; Peter Lars Johnson; Donald E. Shepherd, Senior and Edward Earl Young.
Since the January election in which he was a candidate, Mark has continued to keep informed of political matters and has remained politically engaged. He has participated in City Of Gainesville and County Of Alachua citizens' training sessions; attended lectures by eminent political academics, journalists, authors, commenters and opinion leaders at the University Of Florida; attended meetings of the City commission and of boards and committees of the City and contributed his thoughts and comments to the commission, boards and committees through oral and written communications.
Additionally, Mark has been working to organize his neighbors into a neighborhood association in his Near South Neighborhood that is located immediately southeast of downtown for the past seventeen months. In that time, Mark and his neighbors have drastically reduced crime and nuisances.
Mark's governance objectives include:
Many politically engaged citizens including Mark think the current and recent past city commissions--that includes and that have included the current mayor--have focused on positive matters and have avoided negative matters. Those citizens think that the commissions have also been unresponsive to informed and well framed comments and questions by citizens about critical interests of the City and citizens of the City. Those citizens think that that avoidance of challenging issues and lack of responsiveness to serious concerns has resulted in poor public policies in a number of areas. They think that uncritical and uncreative thought and actions have resulted in:
The campaign committee, Mark Venzke For Gainesville Mayor, will formally launch the campaign on New Year's Eve at a place and time that the committee will soon announce. The campaign committee will launch the Internet site for the campaign and distribute campaign materials at that event. Even before that launch, the campaign committee welcomes endorsements, offers to display and distribute campaign materials and offers of labor and financial support.
"I welcome the support of all Chocolate Cab fans to help me gain the mayor's office, so I could work to improve the quality of life and vitality of Gainesville," Mark said. "Be registered and be ready to vote in March," Mark continued.
University students, who comprise the bulk of Mark's Chocolate Cab fans, can register to vote in Alachua County and vote for him in March. They may do that in person, by mail or through the Internet by navigating to:
Register To Vote
http://www.votealachua.com/index.php?id=4&spanish=N
Journalists and voters can contact the campaign at:
Mark Venzke For Gainesville Mayor
35 Southeast 5th Avenue
Gainesvillle, Florida 32601-6709
[email protected]
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.-- Mark the Cab Driver announced today his candidacy for mayor of Gainesville.
In a move widely anticipated among his associates, Mark took the step that he described as likely in his concession speech after voters eliminated him for the seat of Gainesville city commissioner at large seat one in the January 31, 2012 election. In that speech, he said,
"This entire campaign has been a predominantly positive experience for me. I feel like I was born for campaigning...I would not be surprised if I were to run for public office again."
(Many Chocolate Cab fans may be unaware that Mark ran for city commissioner in January. He was so busy attending to the many demands of the campaign, that he never had the time to write and post an article on this Internet site or to send an e-mailing to his loyal Chocolate Cab fans. Any fans who would like to catch up on Mark's last campaign can still visit his former campaign Internet site at:
Mark Venzke For Gainesville City Commissioner
VoteForVenzke.yolasite.com
Mark has kept that site current with content since that election. Starting at the top of the center column of the home page, Mark lists his many political involvements and political educational activities in which he has engaged since that election to prepare himself to run again for local public office.)
The election for mayor and for city commissioner for district four will occur on March 19, 2013. If needed, a runoff election would occur on April 16, 2013.
Current fellow candidates for mayor in the non-partisan race include incumbent, Craig Lowe; Peter Lars Johnson; Donald E. Shepherd, Senior and Edward Earl Young.
Since the January election in which he was a candidate, Mark has continued to keep informed of political matters and has remained politically engaged. He has participated in City Of Gainesville and County Of Alachua citizens' training sessions; attended lectures by eminent political academics, journalists, authors, commenters and opinion leaders at the University Of Florida; attended meetings of the City commission and of boards and committees of the City and contributed his thoughts and comments to the commission, boards and committees through oral and written communications.
Additionally, Mark has been working to organize his neighbors into a neighborhood association in his Near South Neighborhood that is located immediately southeast of downtown for the past seventeen months. In that time, Mark and his neighbors have drastically reduced crime and nuisances.
Mark's governance objectives include:
- a forward-looking energy policy for the City Of Gainesville and for the publicly owned utility of the City Of Gainesville, Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU)
- openness and responsiveness to citizens by commissioners, managers and staff members of the City Of Gainesville and the entities of the City
- critical and creative public policy formulation and implementation
Many politically engaged citizens including Mark think the current and recent past city commissions--that includes and that have included the current mayor--have focused on positive matters and have avoided negative matters. Those citizens think that the commissions have also been unresponsive to informed and well framed comments and questions by citizens about critical interests of the City and citizens of the City. Those citizens think that that avoidance of challenging issues and lack of responsiveness to serious concerns has resulted in poor public policies in a number of areas. They think that uncritical and uncreative thought and actions have resulted in:
- a very disadvantageous power purchase agreement for biomass-produced electricity
- an unnecessarily slow deployment of highly advantageous private and public renewable energy systems
- a very deficient remediation of the former Biezers-Cabbot Superfund site
- under-redeveloped, low-quality-of-life neighborhoods
- a degraded street system
- an unsafe and underdeveloped bicycle route system
- deficient, simple, safe and healthy mostly private-sector accommodations and services for homeless persons
The campaign committee, Mark Venzke For Gainesville Mayor, will formally launch the campaign on New Year's Eve at a place and time that the committee will soon announce. The campaign committee will launch the Internet site for the campaign and distribute campaign materials at that event. Even before that launch, the campaign committee welcomes endorsements, offers to display and distribute campaign materials and offers of labor and financial support.
"I welcome the support of all Chocolate Cab fans to help me gain the mayor's office, so I could work to improve the quality of life and vitality of Gainesville," Mark said. "Be registered and be ready to vote in March," Mark continued.
University students, who comprise the bulk of Mark's Chocolate Cab fans, can register to vote in Alachua County and vote for him in March. They may do that in person, by mail or through the Internet by navigating to:
Register To Vote
http://www.votealachua.com/index.php?id=4&spanish=N
Journalists and voters can contact the campaign at:
Mark Venzke For Gainesville Mayor
35 Southeast 5th Avenue
Gainesvillle, Florida 32601-6709
[email protected]
Robber shot a cab driver in Tampa
December 19, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Tampa, Florida, U. S. A.--A robber shot Tampa cab driver, Annuel Delicieux, early Tuesday morning after he gave the robber all of his money.
Mr. Delicieux is in serious but stable condition with shotgun wounds in a Tampa hospital.
"I ask all Chocolate Cab fans and my brother and sister cab drivers to pray, intention or visualize according to their spiritualities for a quick recovery with minimal disability and disfigurement for Mr. Delicieux and for swift, sure and fitting punishment for his attacker," said Mark the Cab Driver.
You can read further about this senseless crime at:
Cab driver shot during robbery in Tampa, police say
http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2012/dec/18/2/cab-driver-shot-during-robbery-in-tampa-police-say-ar-585143
December 19, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Tampa, Florida, U. S. A.--A robber shot Tampa cab driver, Annuel Delicieux, early Tuesday morning after he gave the robber all of his money.
Mr. Delicieux is in serious but stable condition with shotgun wounds in a Tampa hospital.
"I ask all Chocolate Cab fans and my brother and sister cab drivers to pray, intention or visualize according to their spiritualities for a quick recovery with minimal disability and disfigurement for Mr. Delicieux and for swift, sure and fitting punishment for his attacker," said Mark the Cab Driver.
You can read further about this senseless crime at:
Cab driver shot during robbery in Tampa, police say
http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2012/dec/18/2/cab-driver-shot-during-robbery-in-tampa-police-say-ar-585143
Chocolate Cab welcomes the first site visitors from southern Eurasia and the Russian Federation
December 4, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- On December 2, a visitor from Krasnodar, Krasnodar, Russian Federation visited the Chocolate Cab Internet site. The following day, a visitor from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan visited the site. Those were the two eastern-most visitors to date. Welcome, western and southern Eurasian visitors!
Additionally, on December 2, the Chocolate Cab site received a record-tying forty-five visitors.
With those visits, visitors from two of the six continents, North America and Eurasia have visited the site.
"Wait a minute," you may be saying, "are there not seven continents?" Well, that depends on whom you ask. The traditional, Western reckoning of seven continents is based more on convention and cultural bias than on geography or geology. Other reckonings of the number of continents place the number at four, five and six. Based on the general shapes of the land masses and the extents of the underlying, tectonic plates of the earth, the "editorial board" of News From Chocolate Cab places the number at six. See the great article on continents on Wikipedia to decide for yourself the number of continents.
December 4, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- On December 2, a visitor from Krasnodar, Krasnodar, Russian Federation visited the Chocolate Cab Internet site. The following day, a visitor from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan visited the site. Those were the two eastern-most visitors to date. Welcome, western and southern Eurasian visitors!
Additionally, on December 2, the Chocolate Cab site received a record-tying forty-five visitors.
With those visits, visitors from two of the six continents, North America and Eurasia have visited the site.
"Wait a minute," you may be saying, "are there not seven continents?" Well, that depends on whom you ask. The traditional, Western reckoning of seven continents is based more on convention and cultural bias than on geography or geology. Other reckonings of the number of continents place the number at four, five and six. Based on the general shapes of the land masses and the extents of the underlying, tectonic plates of the earth, the "editorial board" of News From Chocolate Cab places the number at six. See the great article on continents on Wikipedia to decide for yourself the number of continents.
errata
December 4, 2012
News From Chocolate Cab mistakenly reported on November 24 that seventy-five visitors visited the Internet site of Chocolate Cab on the United States holiday, Thanksgiving, on November 22, 2012. The actual number of visitors was forty-five--still a record number of site visitors to the recollection of Mark the Cab Driver. He apologizes for the error.
December 4, 2012
News From Chocolate Cab mistakenly reported on November 24 that seventy-five visitors visited the Internet site of Chocolate Cab on the United States holiday, Thanksgiving, on November 22, 2012. The actual number of visitors was forty-five--still a record number of site visitors to the recollection of Mark the Cab Driver. He apologizes for the error.
The Chocolate Cab Internet site got a record number of visits on Thanksgiving!
November 24, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--The world famous, Chocolate Cab Internet site received a record seventy-five visits on Thanksgiving.
"I am not sure what the previous record was, but I do not think it was close to seventy-five," said Mark the Cab Driver in an exclusive interview for News From Chocolate Cab.
"This record shows the broad and increasing renown of the Chocolate Cab property and the affection with which Chocolate Cab fans hold it. As the Chocolate Cab Internet site
visitors charting globe graphically shows, people from eight countries have visited the site since October 26 of this year."
Mark has noticed a general increase in site traffic since he added the "chocolate news" page. However, he attributes the spike in Thanksgiving visits to his having posted his poem, "Give Thanks," his holiday gift to his Chocolate Cab fans, on the home page two days before Thanksgiving and by his having announced that posting on the Chocolate Cab Facebook page.
Encouraged by the overwhelming response to his poem, Mark is considering writing and posting a Christmas poem for Chocolate Cab fans.
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--The world famous, Chocolate Cab Internet site received a record seventy-five visits on Thanksgiving.
"I am not sure what the previous record was, but I do not think it was close to seventy-five," said Mark the Cab Driver in an exclusive interview for News From Chocolate Cab.
"This record shows the broad and increasing renown of the Chocolate Cab property and the affection with which Chocolate Cab fans hold it. As the Chocolate Cab Internet site
visitors charting globe graphically shows, people from eight countries have visited the site since October 26 of this year."
Mark has noticed a general increase in site traffic since he added the "chocolate news" page. However, he attributes the spike in Thanksgiving visits to his having posted his poem, "Give Thanks," his holiday gift to his Chocolate Cab fans, on the home page two days before Thanksgiving and by his having announced that posting on the Chocolate Cab Facebook page.
Encouraged by the overwhelming response to his poem, Mark is considering writing and posting a Christmas poem for Chocolate Cab fans.
Hershey commits to 100% certified chocolate by 2020
November 23, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Hershey, Pennsylvania, U. S. A.--Hershey, the largest producer of chocolate confections in the United States, announced on October 3, 2012 that it intends to purchase all of the cocoa that it uses from a supply chain that would be certified by independent auditing entities as socially and environmentally responsible. Human rights, environmental, labor and agricultural certifying entities would be involved.
"For one of the heavy hitters in Big Chocolate and the last to adopt responsible social and environmental policies, this is huge," said Mark the Cab Driver. "Smarting from a near public relations disaster during the Superbowl last year and smarting from a genuine public relations disaster in this past April, the company may have decided to kick corporate responsibility into high gear," Mark continued. Mark refers to an eleventh-hour agreement between Big Chocolate and a coalition of labor rights organizations to pull their advertisement that exposed the complicity of Big Chocolate in child labor practices in West Africa just before it was to air during the Superbowl. Mark further refers to the severe criticism that the company received for excluding an HIV-positive young man from the Hershey school in April.
The CSR In the News page (corporate social responsibility) of the corporate responsibility section of the Heshey Internet site lists an impressive array of already adopted and progressive initiatives and goals that the company states that it is aggressively pursuing for increasing corporate responsibility.
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Hershey, Pennsylvania, U. S. A.--Hershey, the largest producer of chocolate confections in the United States, announced on October 3, 2012 that it intends to purchase all of the cocoa that it uses from a supply chain that would be certified by independent auditing entities as socially and environmentally responsible. Human rights, environmental, labor and agricultural certifying entities would be involved.
"For one of the heavy hitters in Big Chocolate and the last to adopt responsible social and environmental policies, this is huge," said Mark the Cab Driver. "Smarting from a near public relations disaster during the Superbowl last year and smarting from a genuine public relations disaster in this past April, the company may have decided to kick corporate responsibility into high gear," Mark continued. Mark refers to an eleventh-hour agreement between Big Chocolate and a coalition of labor rights organizations to pull their advertisement that exposed the complicity of Big Chocolate in child labor practices in West Africa just before it was to air during the Superbowl. Mark further refers to the severe criticism that the company received for excluding an HIV-positive young man from the Hershey school in April.
The CSR In the News page (corporate social responsibility) of the corporate responsibility section of the Heshey Internet site lists an impressive array of already adopted and progressive initiatives and goals that the company states that it is aggressively pursuing for increasing corporate responsibility.
Cadbury has developed a heat-tolerant chocolate
November 23, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom--Cadbury, the second largest chocolate confection manufacturer in the world, announced that it has developed a heat-tolerant chocolate.
The new chocolate has the same taste and texture as conventional chocolate but melts at 40 degrees celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit)--6.2 degrees celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than conventional chocolate.
Cadbury filed for an international patent on the new chocolate on April 25, 2012. The company produces the new chocolate by double refining the chocolate conch. That process reduces the sizes of the sugar molecules which reduces their interstitial spaces which excludes some of the fat that coats the sugar molecules and creates a more continuous, more solid sugar matrix.
Mark the Cab Driver said, "This new chocolate will reduce the deformation and surface frosting of Chocolate Cab chocolate rewards from the summer, Florida heat. This is a good development except that I shall have fewer chocolates that I shall be forced to eat to keep them from being wasted."
You can read about the new chocolate at:
http://www.confectionerynews.com/Processing-Packaging/Cadbury-develops-temperature-tolerant-chocolate?
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom--Cadbury, the second largest chocolate confection manufacturer in the world, announced that it has developed a heat-tolerant chocolate.
The new chocolate has the same taste and texture as conventional chocolate but melts at 40 degrees celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit)--6.2 degrees celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than conventional chocolate.
Cadbury filed for an international patent on the new chocolate on April 25, 2012. The company produces the new chocolate by double refining the chocolate conch. That process reduces the sizes of the sugar molecules which reduces their interstitial spaces which excludes some of the fat that coats the sugar molecules and creates a more continuous, more solid sugar matrix.
Mark the Cab Driver said, "This new chocolate will reduce the deformation and surface frosting of Chocolate Cab chocolate rewards from the summer, Florida heat. This is a good development except that I shall have fewer chocolates that I shall be forced to eat to keep them from being wasted."
You can read about the new chocolate at:
http://www.confectionerynews.com/Processing-Packaging/Cadbury-develops-temperature-tolerant-chocolate?
A chocolate train scupture became the largest chocolate structure in the world
November 20, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Brussels, Belgium--A sculpture of a train composed entirely of chocolate now holds the Guinness world record as the longest chocolate structure.
Andrew Faruggia, a chocolate artist from Malta, sculpted the train that is now on display in a Brussels train station. Mr. Faruggia created the train and a playable piano for the Belgian Chocolate festival that is now occurring in Brussels.
Representatives of the Guinness Book Of World Records declared the sculpture a record. Mr. Faruggia used 2,832 pounds of chocolate for the 111-foot-long sculpture.
The highly detailed train that he modeled after antique to modern rolling stock took the artist 784 hours to sculpt.
You can view a video of the train sculpture at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCmdWuZAOz8
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Brussels, Belgium--A sculpture of a train composed entirely of chocolate now holds the Guinness world record as the longest chocolate structure.
Andrew Faruggia, a chocolate artist from Malta, sculpted the train that is now on display in a Brussels train station. Mr. Faruggia created the train and a playable piano for the Belgian Chocolate festival that is now occurring in Brussels.
Representatives of the Guinness Book Of World Records declared the sculpture a record. Mr. Faruggia used 2,832 pounds of chocolate for the 111-foot-long sculpture.
The highly detailed train that he modeled after antique to modern rolling stock took the artist 784 hours to sculpt.
You can view a video of the train sculpture at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCmdWuZAOz8
Two new retail chocolate establishments will open in Gainesville
November 20, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--A new chocolate shop and a new chocolate kiosk will be opening in Gainesville in the coming weeks.
Both establishments will be known as Drenched In Chocolate. The shop, which will be located in Millhopper Shoping Center, will open on about December 7; the kiosk, which will be located in Oaks Mall, will open between November 25 and December 1. The grand opening of the shop will be on December 16.
Kay Owens has been making chocolates for twenty-five years. Her chocolates will sell for between $.99 and $1.50 each.
November 20, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--A new chocolate shop and a new chocolate kiosk will be opening in Gainesville in the coming weeks.
Both establishments will be known as Drenched In Chocolate. The shop, which will be located in Millhopper Shoping Center, will open on about December 7; the kiosk, which will be located in Oaks Mall, will open between November 25 and December 1. The grand opening of the shop will be on December 16.
Kay Owens has been making chocolates for twenty-five years. Her chocolates will sell for between $.99 and $1.50 each.
A Washington D. C.-area company seeks to become the first to offer all-electric cab service
October 26, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Arlington, Virginia, U. S. A.--A new cab company in the Washington D. C. metropolitan area, The Electric Vehicle Taxicab Company, or EV Taxi, is seeking to become the first all-electric cab company in the United States.
The owner of the company, Malik Khattak, is seeking permission from the Arlington County Commissioners to add forty cabs to those already permitted to operate in the area, so he could start his business. He proposes to offer Internet access in his Nissan Leaf cabs and equip them with iPads in the back seat with which passengers would be able to search for attractions, surf the Internet, watch music videos, listen to music and pay by credit card for their rides.
Mark the Cab Driver stated, "Mister Khattak appears poised to beat me to the punch. I have been seeking to start the first electric cab company in the United States, but Mister Khattak's efforts appear to be more advanced than mine. Still, I intend to start and run an honest, high-quality, mostly-electric cab company here that will become the new home of Chocolate Cab."
Read an article about the proposed electric cab company at:
http://WashingtonExaminer.com/arlington-may-host-first-all-electric-cab-company/article/2511168#.UIrfXmOa-j7
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Arlington, Virginia, U. S. A.--A new cab company in the Washington D. C. metropolitan area, The Electric Vehicle Taxicab Company, or EV Taxi, is seeking to become the first all-electric cab company in the United States.
The owner of the company, Malik Khattak, is seeking permission from the Arlington County Commissioners to add forty cabs to those already permitted to operate in the area, so he could start his business. He proposes to offer Internet access in his Nissan Leaf cabs and equip them with iPads in the back seat with which passengers would be able to search for attractions, surf the Internet, watch music videos, listen to music and pay by credit card for their rides.
Mark the Cab Driver stated, "Mister Khattak appears poised to beat me to the punch. I have been seeking to start the first electric cab company in the United States, but Mister Khattak's efforts appear to be more advanced than mine. Still, I intend to start and run an honest, high-quality, mostly-electric cab company here that will become the new home of Chocolate Cab."
Read an article about the proposed electric cab company at:
http://WashingtonExaminer.com/arlington-may-host-first-all-electric-cab-company/article/2511168#.UIrfXmOa-j7
Chemists engineer delicious, low-fat chocolates
October 26, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Coventry, Great Britain--In August of this year, Warwick University chemists announced that they devised a method to replaced half of the fats in chocolate with emulsified fruit sugars. The resulting confections have the same texture as conventional chocolate and have longer shelf lives. The new chocolates assume some of the tastes of the constituent fruit juices, but a completely chocolate-flavored version could be made by substituting water and ascorbic acid for the fruit juice.
Doctor Stephan Bonn, who lead the development of the fat-reducing technique stated, “We’ve found a way to maintain all of those things that make chocolate ‘chocolatey’ but with fruit juice instead of fat."
After chocolate manufacturers adopt the new recipe, chocolate lovers will be able eat twice as much chocolate as they used to eat without increasing their fat intakes.
See an article from the Warwick University Press Office at:
http://www2.Warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/fruity_science_halves
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Coventry, Great Britain--In August of this year, Warwick University chemists announced that they devised a method to replaced half of the fats in chocolate with emulsified fruit sugars. The resulting confections have the same texture as conventional chocolate and have longer shelf lives. The new chocolates assume some of the tastes of the constituent fruit juices, but a completely chocolate-flavored version could be made by substituting water and ascorbic acid for the fruit juice.
Doctor Stephan Bonn, who lead the development of the fat-reducing technique stated, “We’ve found a way to maintain all of those things that make chocolate ‘chocolatey’ but with fruit juice instead of fat."
After chocolate manufacturers adopt the new recipe, chocolate lovers will be able eat twice as much chocolate as they used to eat without increasing their fat intakes.
See an article from the Warwick University Press Office at:
http://www2.Warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/fruity_science_halves
The Chocolate Cab Internet site now offers continuous news and information about Chocolate
October 26, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--The Chocolate Cab Internet site now carries a continuously updated feed of news and information about chocolate from around the world. The feed is on the "chocolate news" page of the site. A link to the page appears in the "news" drop down menu.
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--The Chocolate Cab Internet site now carries a continuously updated feed of news and information about chocolate from around the world. The feed is on the "chocolate news" page of the site. A link to the page appears in the "news" drop down menu.
Chocolate boosts numbers of Nobel Prize winners
October 10, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Waltham, Massachusetts, U. S. A.--The New England Journal Of Medicine reported today the results of a study that found a strong correlation between nations' consumption of chocolate and the numbers of Nobel Prizes that citizens of those countries have won.
Published in the "Notes" section of the Journal, the study--though conducted with scientific rigor and reported in scholarly detail--does not carry the weight of peer reviewed studies that appear elsewhere in the publication.
The author of the study, Doctor Franz Messerli, of Saint Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and of Columbia University in New York postulates that the consumption of chocolate by nations' citizens increases their cognitive functions. Writes Doctor Messerli:
"There was a close, significant linear correlation (r=0.791, P<0.0001) between chocolate consumption per capita and the number of Nobel laureates per 10 million persons in a total of 23 countries...The slope of the regression line allows us to estimate that it would take about 0.4 kg of chocolate per capita per year to increase the number of Nobel laureates in a given country by 1."
In response to this study, Mark the Cab Driver stated, "This study and the previous studies cited in it and elsewhere in the scientific literature have built a substantial body of evidence that affirms the cognition-enhancing property of chocolate in humans. Upon resumption of Chocolate Cab info-choco-tainment service, I shall apply my efforts to diligently advancing the frontiers of science by conducting a study comparable to Doctor Messerli's study that will examine the relationship between the intelligence of passengers of Chocolate Cab and the intelligence of passengers of other, non-chocolate-dispensing cabs. Such research is essential in the scientific method to determine whether the observed phenomena reported by Dr. Messerli and other researchers can be confirmed by yet another researcher. If the results of my study will parallel the results of other researchers, I will have confirmed what I have previously hypothesized based on anecdotal evidence: Chocolate Cab passengers are the smartest cab passengers in Gainesville, Florida. Upon completion of my research, I, too, shall submit my study to the New England Journal Of Medicine."
Doctor Messerli's article in the Journal appears here:
http://www.NEJM.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMon1211064
Doctor Messerli's article in the Journal appears here:
http://www.NEJM.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMon1211064
Mark and fellow team members earned third place in a local business-forming event
Monday, October 1, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--Mark joined the Silicon Sandbar innovation community during a recent business-forming event in downtown Gainesville at which he and fellow team members tied for third place for their promising, new business. Over the weekend of September 28 to 30, the first Gainesville Startup Weekend occurred in various spaces in Sun Center East and in the Hippodrome Theater in downtown Gainesville.
In the image above, Mark is seen pitching a business concept for an Internet-based collaboration and advocacy tool on the first night of Gainesville Startup Weekend.
The multi-discipline team on which Mark worked formed a new company called Nurses Report. The company will maintain an Internet site of the same name on which nurses--those who best know and can best describe physicians and their work--will provide anonymous and authenticated reviews of physicians. Mark co-developed the marketing plan for the business and performed administrative functions.
The Nurses Report team tied for third place so won a variety of prizes.
For additional information about the event, see the article about it in the "NEWS" section in the middle column of the home page of Mark's former political campaign Internet site here.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--Mark joined the Silicon Sandbar innovation community during a recent business-forming event in downtown Gainesville at which he and fellow team members tied for third place for their promising, new business. Over the weekend of September 28 to 30, the first Gainesville Startup Weekend occurred in various spaces in Sun Center East and in the Hippodrome Theater in downtown Gainesville.
In the image above, Mark is seen pitching a business concept for an Internet-based collaboration and advocacy tool on the first night of Gainesville Startup Weekend.
The multi-discipline team on which Mark worked formed a new company called Nurses Report. The company will maintain an Internet site of the same name on which nurses--those who best know and can best describe physicians and their work--will provide anonymous and authenticated reviews of physicians. Mark co-developed the marketing plan for the business and performed administrative functions.
The Nurses Report team tied for third place so won a variety of prizes.
For additional information about the event, see the article about it in the "NEWS" section in the middle column of the home page of Mark's former political campaign Internet site here.
Nationwide, Labor Day- holiday, impaired-driving campaign seeks to reduce fatalities and injuries
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Washington D. C., U. S. A. -- The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration is leading a nation-wide campaign that starts tomorrow, August 17 and ends on September 3 to reduce fatalities, injuries and property damage that impaired drivers cause throughout the Labor Day holiday. All state law enforcement agencies and most local law enforcement agencies are participating in intensified efforts to identify and to remove from public roads impaired drivers.
Realize that over the Labor Day weekend of 2010, thirty-six percent of traffic deaths--147 deaths--involved impaired drivers.
Throughout this 2012 Labor Day holiday and always, do not take a chance. Do not be afraid to avoid intoxicants. If you use them, use only legal ones. If you think that you might become impaired, make advance arrangements.
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Washington D. C., U. S. A. -- The National Traffic Highway Safety Administration is leading a nation-wide campaign that starts tomorrow, August 17 and ends on September 3 to reduce fatalities, injuries and property damage that impaired drivers cause throughout the Labor Day holiday. All state law enforcement agencies and most local law enforcement agencies are participating in intensified efforts to identify and to remove from public roads impaired drivers.
Realize that over the Labor Day weekend of 2010, thirty-six percent of traffic deaths--147 deaths--involved impaired drivers.
Throughout this 2012 Labor Day holiday and always, do not take a chance. Do not be afraid to avoid intoxicants. If you use them, use only legal ones. If you think that you might become impaired, make advance arrangements.
- Utilize a "DD," a designated driver.
- Stay the night at the event site.
- Sleep in your vehicle.
- Call a friend or family member.
- Ride public transit.
- Walk
- Call a cab.
Listen to the hot, new single, "Call Me a Cab!"
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Dig this, Chocolate Cab fan:
Sara G, former Miss World Canada and emerging recording artist, has a message for you and your partying friends. Listen to her thirty-second public service announcement for Mothers Against Drunk Driving by clicking here.
If you like the "vibe" of her public service announcement, download her entire song, "Call Me A Cab" from iTunes for $.99 and her label will donate $.29 to Mothers Against Drunk Driving!
"Call Me A Cab"
http://itunes.apple.com/album/call-me-a-cab-single/id490142705
Ask your favorite club or bar to play the full song shortly before closing time! Ask the hosts of parties to play the song shortly before the ends of those events!
Play the PSA on your station, channel, Internet site, social networking page or blog and include the link for the full song download! You can find additional PSA versions at: http://www.madd.org/blog/2012/july/recording-artist-sara-g.html.
Chocolate Cab has a new telephone number
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Mark Venzke, citizen journalist
As reflected throughout this site, the new telephone number for Chocolate Cab is 352-575-5258.
Mark regrets having to have gotten an new telephone number, but it was necessary to get a substantially lower monthly cell phone service charge.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Mark Venzke, citizen journalist
As reflected throughout this site, the new telephone number for Chocolate Cab is 352-575-5258.
Mark regrets having to have gotten an new telephone number, but it was necessary to get a substantially lower monthly cell phone service charge.
ChargePoint Network offers access to electric vehicle charging stations
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
ChargePoint Network is the largest network of independently owned and multi-manufacturer electric vehicle charging stations in the world.
Electric vehicle owners can download and install to their smart devices and computers the mobile application of ChargePoint. That application allows users to:
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
ChargePoint Network is the largest network of independently owned and multi-manufacturer electric vehicle charging stations in the world.
Electric vehicle owners can download and install to their smart devices and computers the mobile application of ChargePoint. That application allows users to:
- locate charging stations by geographic and electricity price search terms
- map trips by routes that allow access to charging stations (How cool is that?!)
- reserve charging sessions at charging stations
- get directions to charging stations
- monitor charging progress
- receive notices of interruptions to charging sessions
- receive notices of completion of charging sessions
- pay for electricity by ChargePoint card or any debit or credit card
- track the consumption of electricity by vehicles and manage billing for charging sessions
This information technology has earned many prestigious awards including on June 20, 2012 inclusion in the Sustainia100 list of innovative, scaleable, ready and available sustainabilty solutions promelgated by the Rio+20 Earth Summit. Said former (Republican) California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Honorary Chair of Sustainia, "...we have what it takes to create fun and attractive societies without destroying our planet."
To learn about the ChargePoint Network here:
www.ChargePoint.net
If you are an electric or hybrid vehicle owner or expect to be one, download and install the mobile application today.
You can download the ChargePoint mobile application here:
www.ChargePoint.net/mobile-apps.php
Remember: The installation of vehicle charging stations will drive the sales of electric and hybrid vehicles just as the sales of those vehicles will drive the installation of charging stations. Also, increasing sales of electric and hybrid vehicles will drive down prices of them.
Encourage your apartment owner, your employer, your area businesses, your area parking facility owners, your area shopping center owners, your civic leaders, your church leaders and others to install electric vehicle charging stations. Here, in the southeast United States, direct them to NovaCharge, our regional distributor for Coulomb Technologies electric vehicle charging stations at:
www.NovaCharge.net
Let us move quickly to clean, economical and responsible energy and transportation technologies!
To learn about the ChargePoint Network here:
www.ChargePoint.net
If you are an electric or hybrid vehicle owner or expect to be one, download and install the mobile application today.
You can download the ChargePoint mobile application here:
www.ChargePoint.net/mobile-apps.php
Remember: The installation of vehicle charging stations will drive the sales of electric and hybrid vehicles just as the sales of those vehicles will drive the installation of charging stations. Also, increasing sales of electric and hybrid vehicles will drive down prices of them.
Encourage your apartment owner, your employer, your area businesses, your area parking facility owners, your area shopping center owners, your civic leaders, your church leaders and others to install electric vehicle charging stations. Here, in the southeast United States, direct them to NovaCharge, our regional distributor for Coulomb Technologies electric vehicle charging stations at:
www.NovaCharge.net
Let us move quickly to clean, economical and responsible energy and transportation technologies!
Parents sell their drunk-driving daughter's BMW
Monday, May 28, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
"Springfield," U. S. A. -- The parents of a minor girl cited for DUI are selling her pristine BMW on Craig's List to pay for her legal bills.
The parents are quite disparaging of their daughter and vow to use some of the money raised from the sale of the car to "...buy her a shiny pink bicycle with a horn until she gets her act and her life in order...."
The advertisement appears in the "best-of-craigslist" section that shows an often-updated collection of humorous and bizarre advertisements. You can read the entire advertisement at:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sgf/3034986061.html
Monday, May 28, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
"Springfield," U. S. A. -- The parents of a minor girl cited for DUI are selling her pristine BMW on Craig's List to pay for her legal bills.
The parents are quite disparaging of their daughter and vow to use some of the money raised from the sale of the car to "...buy her a shiny pink bicycle with a horn until she gets her act and her life in order...."
The advertisement appears in the "best-of-craigslist" section that shows an often-updated collection of humorous and bizarre advertisements. You can read the entire advertisement at:
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sgf/3034986061.html
Chocolate Cab gets a new telephone number
Monday, May 14, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- Chocolate Cab got a new telephone number today. The new telephone number is:
352-575-6184
Please change the telephone number in any directory or directories in which you have it listed or add the number to any directory or directories in which you would like to find it in the future.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- Chocolate Cab got a new telephone number today. The new telephone number is:
352-575-6184
Please change the telephone number in any directory or directories in which you have it listed or add the number to any directory or directories in which you would like to find it in the future.
Chocolate scarcity is possible by 2020
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, FL, U. S. A. -- Scientific American reported today that soaring world-wide demand for cocoa products and emerging problems in cocao tree cultivation are threatening a shortage in cocoa products.
Increasing prosperity in developing parts of the world is providing increasing numbers of people with the disposable income to purchase chocolate products. Additionally, the caprices of climate change have upset growing conditions in the narrow, equatorial band in which the temperamental cocao trees grow.
The online version of the February issue of Scientific American has only a summary of the article. However, an article in the Los Angeles Times provides a few details from the full, original article that do not appear in the online Scientific American summary.
The reader comments below the summary and the article are worth reading, especially the comments below the summary entitled "The Dark Side of Chocolate." Note that after years of the unfulfilled promises of Big Chocolate to eliminate oppressive child labor from the supply chains of the member companies, Hersheys disgorged $10 billion to combat the practice shortly after a CNN documentary about it and just before an advocacy organization was to run an advertisement about the practice during the 2012 Superbowl. Big of Hersheys to do that, would not you say?
Save the chocolate bars! Reduce your contributions to climate change!
Save the children! Buy fair-trade chocolate!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, FL, U. S. A. -- Scientific American reported today that soaring world-wide demand for cocoa products and emerging problems in cocao tree cultivation are threatening a shortage in cocoa products.
Increasing prosperity in developing parts of the world is providing increasing numbers of people with the disposable income to purchase chocolate products. Additionally, the caprices of climate change have upset growing conditions in the narrow, equatorial band in which the temperamental cocao trees grow.
The online version of the February issue of Scientific American has only a summary of the article. However, an article in the Los Angeles Times provides a few details from the full, original article that do not appear in the online Scientific American summary.
The reader comments below the summary and the article are worth reading, especially the comments below the summary entitled "The Dark Side of Chocolate." Note that after years of the unfulfilled promises of Big Chocolate to eliminate oppressive child labor from the supply chains of the member companies, Hersheys disgorged $10 billion to combat the practice shortly after a CNN documentary about it and just before an advocacy organization was to run an advertisement about the practice during the 2012 Superbowl. Big of Hersheys to do that, would not you say?
Save the chocolate bars! Reduce your contributions to climate change!
Save the children! Buy fair-trade chocolate!
App tests sobriety
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, FL, U. S. A. -- A new application for I-phones, Breathaleyes, allows users to determine an approximation of their blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The application uses the integral cameras of I-phones to capture and analyze the amount of involuntary, horizontal eye movements, or horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN), that increases with increased levels of blood alcohol.
The effective range of the application is 0.02% - 0.17% (+/- .02%) BAC. To reduce legal liability exposure for the company, the application is programed to always indicate a blood alcohol level of more than .00--even when the subject has ingested no alcohol. Reviews on the Breathaleyes page of the I-phone application Internet site of the application have been poor, indicating that immediately successive readings of the same subject have varied widely.
The application costs $US .99 and is available on the Breathaleyes page of the I-phone application Internet site.
The publisher, Breathaleyes, issued the second release of the application on January 25, 2012. An application for android smart phones is forthcoming.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, FL, U. S. A. -- A new application for I-phones, Breathaleyes, allows users to determine an approximation of their blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The application uses the integral cameras of I-phones to capture and analyze the amount of involuntary, horizontal eye movements, or horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN), that increases with increased levels of blood alcohol.
The effective range of the application is 0.02% - 0.17% (+/- .02%) BAC. To reduce legal liability exposure for the company, the application is programed to always indicate a blood alcohol level of more than .00--even when the subject has ingested no alcohol. Reviews on the Breathaleyes page of the I-phone application Internet site of the application have been poor, indicating that immediately successive readings of the same subject have varied widely.
The application costs $US .99 and is available on the Breathaleyes page of the I-phone application Internet site.
The publisher, Breathaleyes, issued the second release of the application on January 25, 2012. An application for android smart phones is forthcoming.
Group promotes sober tailgating
Friday, September 30, 2011, 1240
Jenna Bittner, Alligator Contributing Writer
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- UF Ambassadors of Civility and Ethics is changing your typical Saturday gameday routine.
As an effort to provide gameday attendees with a new method for tailgating, the Ambassadors will be hosting its first "Alternative Tailgating" event, with free food and games, on the Plaza of the Americas on Saturday at 11 a.m.
According to Aldreka Everett, marketing chairwoman of the UF Ambassadors of Civility and Ethics, people who attend gameday festivities tend to get out of control while under the influence. The ambassadors hope to provide a sober environment for people to see a different side of tailgating.
"We believe that the practice of tailgating can be just as enjoyable and fun for everyone without alcohol consumption," Everett said.
The UF Ambassadors of Civility and Ethics is a student-based organization that provides the Student Body with information from the Dean of Students Office regarding the conduct code and their rights as students, Everett said.
Laura Matthews, assistant director of student conduct and conflict
resolution, says every once in a while a student is found in violation of school
conduct on gameday. This event will hopefully provide a positive tailgating
atmosphere and show students what proper gameday conduct should entail.
For the rest of the story, see
the article, "Group promotes sober tailgating," in the online edition of the Independent Florida Alligator.
Friday, September 30, 2011, 1240
Jenna Bittner, Alligator Contributing Writer
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- UF Ambassadors of Civility and Ethics is changing your typical Saturday gameday routine.
As an effort to provide gameday attendees with a new method for tailgating, the Ambassadors will be hosting its first "Alternative Tailgating" event, with free food and games, on the Plaza of the Americas on Saturday at 11 a.m.
According to Aldreka Everett, marketing chairwoman of the UF Ambassadors of Civility and Ethics, people who attend gameday festivities tend to get out of control while under the influence. The ambassadors hope to provide a sober environment for people to see a different side of tailgating.
"We believe that the practice of tailgating can be just as enjoyable and fun for everyone without alcohol consumption," Everett said.
The UF Ambassadors of Civility and Ethics is a student-based organization that provides the Student Body with information from the Dean of Students Office regarding the conduct code and their rights as students, Everett said.
Laura Matthews, assistant director of student conduct and conflict
resolution, says every once in a while a student is found in violation of school
conduct on gameday. This event will hopefully provide a positive tailgating
atmosphere and show students what proper gameday conduct should entail.
For the rest of the story, see
the article, "Group promotes sober tailgating," in the online edition of the Independent Florida Alligator.
Chocolate Cab debuts on YouTube
Tuesday September 13, 2011, 18:04
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- In an unplanned, very informal exhibition of Chocolate Cab Quiz, Mark the Cab Driver gave Rob Castellucci, the co-founder of the Internet abode-mate-finding Internet site, RoomSync, and his staff a taste of the quiz game in their office on this past Friday night.
RoomSync enables people find compatible abode mates by using information about them that they post on the social networking site, Facebook. RoomSync is one of several "dot coms" (that includes ChocolateCab.com!) that now populate what is fast becoming the Silicon Valley of the eastern United States, Gainesville, Florida. Well, alright, the Silicon Valley of Florida. The office of RoomSync is located in the Sun Center in downtown Gainesville (less than three blocks north of the intergalactic headquarters of Chocolate Cab).
Unknown to Mark, Nik Kundra, the brother of Anjali Kundra, Vice President of Client Relations for RoomSync, shot a video of the exhibition from Mark's right flank. Nik then uploaded the video to YouTube.
"It was an out-of-cab experience. Very transcendent, enlightening and transformative," said Mark after the exhibition. "Actually, it was just a fun extra-cab spin through Chocolate Cab Quiz," he continued.
You can use the following link to navigate to the video:
Chocolate Cab trivia at RoomSync http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7kwg8fKNlg
Tuesday September 13, 2011, 18:04
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- In an unplanned, very informal exhibition of Chocolate Cab Quiz, Mark the Cab Driver gave Rob Castellucci, the co-founder of the Internet abode-mate-finding Internet site, RoomSync, and his staff a taste of the quiz game in their office on this past Friday night.
RoomSync enables people find compatible abode mates by using information about them that they post on the social networking site, Facebook. RoomSync is one of several "dot coms" (that includes ChocolateCab.com!) that now populate what is fast becoming the Silicon Valley of the eastern United States, Gainesville, Florida. Well, alright, the Silicon Valley of Florida. The office of RoomSync is located in the Sun Center in downtown Gainesville (less than three blocks north of the intergalactic headquarters of Chocolate Cab).
Unknown to Mark, Nik Kundra, the brother of Anjali Kundra, Vice President of Client Relations for RoomSync, shot a video of the exhibition from Mark's right flank. Nik then uploaded the video to YouTube.
"It was an out-of-cab experience. Very transcendent, enlightening and transformative," said Mark after the exhibition. "Actually, it was just a fun extra-cab spin through Chocolate Cab Quiz," he continued.
You can use the following link to navigate to the video:
Chocolate Cab trivia at RoomSync http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7kwg8fKNlg
Mark the Cab Driver is no longer assisting
Best Trip Transportation Services
Tuesday September 13, 2011, 10:43
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, is no longer teaming with Jose Sosa, owner of Best Trip Transportation Services, to provide shuttle bus services from north-central to south Florida, including rides among abodes, motels, food and drink establishments and the Ben Hill Griffin football stadium on University Of Florida football home game days and nights.
In an e-mail message that Mark received from Mr. Sosa this morning that provided no explanation for the change and no explanation of what services Best Trip Transportation will continue to offer, Mr. Sosa informed Mark of his decision to work without Mark's assistance.
Mark welcomes inquiries from those of integrity and means for collaborations and capitalization to deliver best-available-technology cab and shuttle services in the north-central Florida market. (Since Runways Transportation Company recently went out of business, an opportunity currently exists to provide transportation services between Gainesville and major airports from north to south Florida.)
Best Trip Transportation Services
Tuesday September 13, 2011, 10:43
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, is no longer teaming with Jose Sosa, owner of Best Trip Transportation Services, to provide shuttle bus services from north-central to south Florida, including rides among abodes, motels, food and drink establishments and the Ben Hill Griffin football stadium on University Of Florida football home game days and nights.
In an e-mail message that Mark received from Mr. Sosa this morning that provided no explanation for the change and no explanation of what services Best Trip Transportation will continue to offer, Mr. Sosa informed Mark of his decision to work without Mark's assistance.
Mark welcomes inquiries from those of integrity and means for collaborations and capitalization to deliver best-available-technology cab and shuttle services in the north-central Florida market. (Since Runways Transportation Company recently went out of business, an opportunity currently exists to provide transportation services between Gainesville and major airports from north to south Florida.)
Best Trip Transportation Services now offers University Of Florida football game day transportation
Friday September 10, 2011, 00:14
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, is teaming with Jose Sosa, owner of Best Trip Transportation Services, to provide rides among abodes, motels, food and drink establishments and the Ben Hill Griffin football stadium on University Of Florida football home game days and nights. Mark is serving as reservation agent, so you can call him at his cell phone number, 352-575-5823, to get a ride on home game days and nights.
Unfortunately, Mark will not be offering Chocolate Cab Quiz on these game-day trips. However, prospects for resuming full Chocolate Cab service soon appear promising.
For additional information, see the article near the top of the home page of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Friday September 10, 2011, 00:14
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, is teaming with Jose Sosa, owner of Best Trip Transportation Services, to provide rides among abodes, motels, food and drink establishments and the Ben Hill Griffin football stadium on University Of Florida football home game days and nights. Mark is serving as reservation agent, so you can call him at his cell phone number, 352-575-5823, to get a ride on home game days and nights.
Unfortunately, Mark will not be offering Chocolate Cab Quiz on these game-day trips. However, prospects for resuming full Chocolate Cab service soon appear promising.
For additional information, see the article near the top of the home page of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
FIRED!
Saturday August 13, 2011, 22:18
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – On Friday, July 1, 2011, Teodoro Neira, the owner of Gator Cab Company fired Mark the Cab Driver because he refused to drive a cab that was equipped with a meter that was over-charging passengers. The following day, Mr. Neira fired Mark's colleague, Roger, for the same reason. Three weeks before those firings, Kevin, one of Mark and Roger's colleagues quit working for Gator Taxicab Company because of many grievances including the grievance of having to drive the cab that was equipped with the overcharging meter.
In addition to mis-assessing cab fares, the defective meter, #142553, had no state-required seal or state-required inspection sticker from the Florida Bureau Of Weights and Measures.
Because of the firing, Chocolate Cab service has been suspended for the past six weeks. "I appreciate all of the calls from Chocolate Cab fans that I have received over the past six weeks. To be unable to provide rides for my customers has been very frustrating. I have been telling them to call me again soon as I have been hoping to find another cab company for which to drive or a venture capitalist to finance the starting of a new, high-quality cab service," Mark said. "I have also appreciated their expressions of support upon hearing the reason for the suspension of Chocolate Cab service," Mark offered.
In the course of the telephone conversation in which Mr. Neira fired Mark, Mr. Neira told Mark, "There is nothing wrong with the meter," "The government minister [the inspector for the Bureau Of Weights and Measures] told me that he would check it [the meter] [at the usual time] in October." After Mark stated that he and the other drivers noted that the meter had been assessing $1.50 per minute while standing instead of $.50 per minute as the lettering on the exterior of the cab and as the text on the rate card inside the cab stated, Mr. Neira angrily told Mark, "You don't know anything about anything!"
Mark said, "This is very unfortunate for me, for Gator Cab Company and for the cab riding public. I lost work, Gator Cab company, in the course of three weeks, lost three of the best drivers in Gainesville and the cab riding public was being over-charged. In fact, as late as four days ago, cab thirty-three, the one that I had driven and that had the defective meter, was still on the road with an un-stickered meter--probably the same one that was in it when I last drove it!" Additionally, according to Chris, one of Mark, Roger and Kevin's colleagues, who himself quit working for Gator Cab about two weeks ago for a long history of serious problems, told Mark yesterday days ago that when he quit, the meter in cab thirty-three still had no state-required seal.
"With all of the justified criticism that University Of Florida students have leveled against some cab drivers and some cab company owners, with all of the investigative reporting of cab industry abuses that have appeared in local newspapers and with all of the scrutiny to which the industry has been subject by the University Of Florida student government, the Gainesville City Commission and the University Of Florida police department, I still find hard to believe that a cab company owner would engage in blatant fraud and fire drivers who refused to participate in that fraud," Mark said.
To reduce the likelihood that a driver would overcharge a person, Mark recommends that he or she never board a cab that has a meter that lacks a seal or current certification sticker from the Florida Department Of Weights and Measures on it. The state meter inspector adheres the sticker to the front and top of the meter, so people can see the sticker by looking through the windshield of the cab before boarding it. The seal is a loop of thin, steel cable that a compressed ball of lead permanently closes. The loop of the seal passes through holes in tabs on the meter and the meter mounting base. The seal makes impossible replacement of the meter--with a possibly over-charging one--between inspections without cutting seal.
Until Chocolate Cab resumes service, Mark recommends that the cab riding public call the following drivers for cab rides:
DAYS
- Barry Gatorland Cab Company 352-359-7142
- Ellen Gainesville Cab Company 352-222-8294
- Lynette Gainesville Cab Company 352-514-5084
- anyone Safety Cab Company 352-372-1444
NIGHTS
- James Gainesville Cab Company 352-792-2526
- Vito Gainesville Cab Company 352-538-3982
- Pete Gainesville Cab Company 352-278-8294
- anyone Safety Cab Company 352-372-1444
Mark asks Chocolate Cab fans to be patient and watch for e-mail news dispatches and stories in the News From Chocolate Cab section of the Chocolate Cab Internet site for announcements about resumption of service. He also asks Chocolate Cab fans to inform him of any reliable minivan that he could rent to own and could convert into a cab.
Mark the Cab Driver offers rewards for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of his attacker
Thursday, July 21, 2011, 3:31 p.m.
Mark the Cab Driver, citizen journalist
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--- Mark the Cab Driver announced today that he will pay thirty dollars U. S. and two pounds of chocolate to anyone who provides to him information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a man who attacked Mark on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at Saint Francis House social service center in Gainesville, Florida.
Details about that attack are available in the news dispatch immediately previous to this one that is archived in the "News From Chocolate Cab" section of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Mark's attacker is a medium-light-complected black man. He is about forty-two years old. He is of slightly thinner-than-average build. He is 5'-9” tall and weighs 165 pounds. He has 1 1/2” long hair that is typically discheveled. He has a full, untrimmed beard that is 1/2” long. He has no hair on his upper cheeks, so his beard covers his intermediate and lower cheeks and his neck.
At the time of the attack, he wore a white T-shirt, khaki-colored long pants and black athletic shoes.
One week almost to the hour after the attack, Mark's attacker briefly visited Saint Francis House. Mark sighted him two blocks east of Saint Francis House. At the time of that sighting, Mark's attacker was wearing a red, sleeveless basketball jersey that had black trim on the shoulders and on the sides from the sleeves to the waist. He wore black, knee-length basketball shorts and black athletic shoes with red shoe laces.
See the photo images of the attacker in the attachments to this e-mail dispatch. Mark took the first photo image on the morning of the attack. Mark took the second image from the stopped video from the surveillance system of Saint Francis House. The video was from one week after the attack.
Two people have stated that his first name is Gregory. One person said that he frequents the Porter neighborhood of Gainesville where he has been seen smoking crack cocaine. One person said that he sent a threatening letter to a Saint Francis House staff member in the wake of the attack. Because he appears rather fit and occasionally wears basketball attire, he may play basketball at local, public basketball courts. Because he punched Mark unusually hard for a man of his stature, he may have been a member of a boxing club.
Persons with information about Mark's attacker can find contact Mark at 352-575-5823 or at [email protected].
Mark the Cab Driver offers rewards for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of his attacker
Thursday, July 21, 2011, 3:31 p.m.
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--- Mark the Cab Driver announced today that he will pay thirty dollars U. S. and two pounds of chocolate to anyone who provides to him information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a man who attacked Mark on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at Saint Francis House social service center in Gainesville, Florida. Details about that attack are available in the news dispatch immediately previous to this one that is archived in the "News From Chocolate Cab" section of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Mark's attacker is a medium-light-complected black man. He is about forty-two years old. He is of slightly thinner-than-average build. He is 5'-9” tall and weighs 165 pounds. He has 1 1/2” long hair that is typically discheveled. He has a full, untrimmed beard that is 1/2” long. He has no hair on his upper cheeks, so his beard covers his intermediate and lower cheeks and his neck. At the time of the attack, he wore a white T-shirt, khaki-colored long pants and black athletic shoes. One week almost to the hour after the attack, Mark's attacker briefly visited Saint Francis House. Mark sighted him two blocks east of Saint Francis House. At the time of that sighting, Mark's attacker was wearing a red, sleeveless basketball jersey that had black trim on the shoulders and on the sides from the sleeves to the waist. He wore black, knee-length basketball shorts and black athletic shoes with red shoe laces. See the photo images of the attacker in the attachments to this e-mail message. Mark took the first photo image on the morning of the attack. Mark took the second image from the stopped video from the surveillance system of Saint Francis House. The video was from one week after the attack. Two people have stated that his first name is Gregory. One person said that he frequents the Porter neighborhood of Gainesville where he has been seen smoking crack cocaine. One person said that he sent a threatening letter to a Saint Francis House staff member in the wake of the attack. Because he appears rather fit and occasionally wears basketball attire, he may play basketball at local, public basketball courts. Because he punched Mark unusually hard for a man of his stature, he may have been a member of a boxing club.
Persons with information about Mark's attacker can find contact Mark at 352-575-5823 or at [email protected].
Thursday, July 21, 2011, 3:31 p.m.
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--- Mark the Cab Driver announced today that he will pay thirty dollars U. S. and two pounds of chocolate to anyone who provides to him information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a man who attacked Mark on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at Saint Francis House social service center in Gainesville, Florida. Details about that attack are available in the news dispatch immediately previous to this one that is archived in the "News From Chocolate Cab" section of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Mark's attacker is a medium-light-complected black man. He is about forty-two years old. He is of slightly thinner-than-average build. He is 5'-9” tall and weighs 165 pounds. He has 1 1/2” long hair that is typically discheveled. He has a full, untrimmed beard that is 1/2” long. He has no hair on his upper cheeks, so his beard covers his intermediate and lower cheeks and his neck. At the time of the attack, he wore a white T-shirt, khaki-colored long pants and black athletic shoes. One week almost to the hour after the attack, Mark's attacker briefly visited Saint Francis House. Mark sighted him two blocks east of Saint Francis House. At the time of that sighting, Mark's attacker was wearing a red, sleeveless basketball jersey that had black trim on the shoulders and on the sides from the sleeves to the waist. He wore black, knee-length basketball shorts and black athletic shoes with red shoe laces. See the photo images of the attacker in the attachments to this e-mail message. Mark took the first photo image on the morning of the attack. Mark took the second image from the stopped video from the surveillance system of Saint Francis House. The video was from one week after the attack. Two people have stated that his first name is Gregory. One person said that he frequents the Porter neighborhood of Gainesville where he has been seen smoking crack cocaine. One person said that he sent a threatening letter to a Saint Francis House staff member in the wake of the attack. Because he appears rather fit and occasionally wears basketball attire, he may play basketball at local, public basketball courts. Because he punched Mark unusually hard for a man of his stature, he may have been a member of a boxing club.
Persons with information about Mark's attacker can find contact Mark at 352-575-5823 or at [email protected].
Man attacked and injured Mark the Cab Driver while off duty
Police and Mark are seeking the attacker
Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 15:27
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--On Wednesday, June 29 at 11:30 a.m., a man struck Mark the Cab Driver once with an elbow and repeatedly with his fists and fled the scene of the attack. Mark sustained numerous bruises and a cut under his left eye that required surgical adhesive to close. A physical examination and readings of diagnostic images by staff members in the emergency room of North Florida Regional Medical Center found no broken bones or internal bleeding.
The man attacked Mark twice in Saint Francis House social service center at 413 South Main Street, just south of downtown Gainesville. Mark often eats brunches at the center to conserve his cash from his very limited income for other needs.
The man attacked Mark the Cab Driver for the first time when he was in the food line and for the second time when he was in the dining hall. After Mark had waited in the food line for about twenty minutes and when he was near the front of the line, a man who Mark had not seen during the time he had waited in line appeared beside Mark and announced to Mark that the man belonged before Mark. After no one who had been standing in line confirmed that the man had been in the line, Mark told him that Mark had not seen him and, thus, implied that the man had no rightful place before Mark. When the man attempted to enter the line before Mark, Mark placed his body, back toward the man, in the man's path. When the man attempted to pass around Mark, leaned against Mark and shoved him, Mark maintained his position as a basketball player would maintain his position under a basket. Eventually, the man slipped around Mark, and Mark quietly waited in line. Shortly after that incident, the man stepped from the line to talk to his peers. When he again attempted to enter the line before Mark, Mark again resisted his movement in the same manner that he had done previously. After unsuccessfully attempting to force his way into line before Mark, the man struck with an elbow Mark in his back. The peers of the man convinced him to cease his attempts to enter the line before Mark and to cease his attack of Mark.
After Mark received his tray of food, he took a seat in the area where he always tries to sit—at one of the tables closest to the large dining hall monitors' window and within the field of view of the dining hall security camera. Directly thereafter, Mark's attacker seated himself across the table from Mark and one seat to Mark's right. After eating for about five minutes, Mark used his cell phone camera to take a photo image of his attacker, but the man shielded his face. Mark told his attacker, “Let's try another one” and proceeded to attempt to take another photo image. The man rose from his seat, knocked Mark's cell phone from his hand and ran around the table. Before Mark could fully rise, his attacker punched Mark just below his left eye, sending his glasses across the floor. Thinking that police officers, a judge and the Saint Francis House staff members would regard him equally at fault and that he might suffer legal sanctions and facilities access sanctions were he to engage the man in a fight, Mark attempted to leave the dining room. However, the man punched Mark three or four additional times in the head before bystanders convinced him to cease his attack.
Saint Francis House director, Kent Vann, and maintenance and security manager, Lee, emerged from their offices in the administrative area after the attack had ended. Mark said that he had been attacked and that someone should call the police three times. Kent and Lee did not move. Mark then said, "Okay, I'll call the police" and retrieved his cell phone and called police. Kent said that he could view the attack on the video surveillance system and returned to his office. The attacker then exited the dining area through the north dining room door and exited the building through the front entrance. Neither Kent nor Lee discouraged or inhibited the attacker from leaving. Lee then joined Kent in the administrative office area. Lee emerged after a few minutes and said that the attack could not be seen in the surveillance video because the dining area camera was mis-directed. "Had someone planned the attack in advance? Mark asks. Lee again returned to the administrative area and again returned to the dining area. That time he said that the attack was not recorded because an evidence technician from Gainesville Police Department had installed hardware on the surveillance system to try to extract data for the murder of a frequent client of Saint Francis House. He said that installation prevented the recording of the attack.
Fifty-two minutes after Mark placed his call to the Gainesville Police Department dispatcher, Officer Zaragoza of the Gainesville Police Department arrived in the dining hall of Saint Francis House.
Of the forty or so diners who were in the dining area during the attack four (or about ten percent) of them offered to give an account of the incident to Officer Zaragoza. Two willing witnesses were friends of Mark and two were acquaintances of Mark. All the other diners indicated that they had not seen anything. One diner claimed to Officer Zaragoza that Mark started "it." He and his friend had taunted Mark in the line and encouraged Mark's attacker to confront Mark. Another diner later attempted to persuade a witness to recant her testimony and to intimidate her. Fortunately, she would not be persuaded or intimidated.
Officer Zaragoza took statements from Mark and witnesses. He provided to Mark the case number of the incident.
One paid staff member of Saint Francis House and two volunteers who were staffing the service counter and monitor's station in the lobby of Saint Francis House that has a large window overlooking the dining area told Mark after the attack that they had not seen anything.
Mark never retaliated or fought which places him on moral and legal high ground. Mark and the police are looking for the attacker. A police officer told Mark that were his assailant to be apprehended, police would charge him with simple battery, which is a misdemeanor. He would not say what class of misdemeanor the charge would be.
Mark is standing tall and going anywhere he wants to go anytime he wants to go there. Mark has even been patrolling his neighborhood on foot at night reporting to police illegal behavior and genuinely suspicious behavior to rid the historically high-crime neighborhood of personal and property crimes. Mark's attacker returned to the neighborhood in which Saint Francis House is located once since the attack. He is now attempting to avoid being seen or captured by police. After having been captured, Mark's attacker would face significant jail time. “Who came out on top? Who 'won' in that incident?” Mark asks.
In six years of cumulative use of the Saint Francis House facilities, Mark has been battered two additional times. Both of those incidents involved women shoving Mark. In the first instance, a woman incessantly insulted Mark after he impeded her attempts to enter the line before him. She claimed that Mark hit her--which he never did. She shoved Mark and fell into a corner feigning having been struck. Her boyfriend later that day accosted Mark and swung at him on Southeast 4th Place south of Saint Francis House but missed Mark. Saint Francis House director, Kent Vann, banished Mark from using the facilities for six months. In the second instance, a woman, a long-time sex worker, repeatedly shoved Mark to try to take a place before him in the food line. Mark immediately placed his arms above his head, so his posture and actions would make obvious to bystanders that Mark was not doing anything to her. Nothing happened after that incident.
Mark's attack and countless other conflicts and acts of intimidation and violence toward users of Saint Francis House facilities for at least the past decade could have been prevented had simple, inexpensive, common-sense precautions and procedures been in place--measures that Mark has repeatedly suggested to the staff members of Saint Francis House. Were two cameras to be installed in the dining queue area and were a staff member or sturdy volunteer to monitor the food line and referee disputes, arguments and batteries would disappear there. Were one or two staff members to monitor the dining area at all times, arguments and batteries would disappear there. Those incidents halted almost completely in the Salvation Army dining area after staff members implemented Mark's suggestion that two people--staff members and/or residents--monitor the dining area. Were the surveillance video system of Saint Francis House to have the capability of outputting digital files and prints of video segments and still images, breakers of the rules of Saint Francis House perpetrators of crimes could be identified and appropriately sanctioned.
Mark sighted his most recent attacker in the company of an associate almost one week to the hour after the attack at the intersection of Southeast 4th Place and Southeast 2nd Street in Gainesville at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6. Both walked east-southeast across the Gainesville Regional Utilities parking lot while Mark talked to the Gainesville Police Department dispatcher on his cell phone until the attacker and his associate disappeared from Mark's sight. Mark got in his van and searched for his attacker in the area toward which he walked while keeping the dispatcher apprised of his locations and directions of travel. Mark never saw him again. The first response that Mark received from the Gainesville Police Department was a telephone call from a patrol officer twelve hours after he reported his sighting of his attacker.
Mark has since been told by a Gainesville police officer that for a police officer to arrest the Mark's attacker, he or she would need an arrest warrant. To get an arrest warrant, Mark would need to sign a sworn complaint. To prepare the sworn complaint for Mark's signature, a police officer would need the name of the attacker. Mark does not yet have the name of his attacker because none of the forty diners in the Saint Francis House dining area would give it to the investigating officer or to Mark and because staff members of Saint Francis House have not offered it to him from the lists of diners that the staff of the center makes each day that they serve meals.
Today, the cut under Mark's left eye has healed leaving a one-inch-long pink scar line. Also, most Mark's bruises have healed and he only occasionally feels slight pain in the back of his head.
"I shall not rest until my attacker is arrested and prosecuted," said Mark.
Police and Mark are seeking the attacker
Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 15:27
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A.--On Wednesday, June 29 at 11:30 a.m., a man struck Mark the Cab Driver once with an elbow and repeatedly with his fists and fled the scene of the attack. Mark sustained numerous bruises and a cut under his left eye that required surgical adhesive to close. A physical examination and readings of diagnostic images by staff members in the emergency room of North Florida Regional Medical Center found no broken bones or internal bleeding.
The man attacked Mark twice in Saint Francis House social service center at 413 South Main Street, just south of downtown Gainesville. Mark often eats brunches at the center to conserve his cash from his very limited income for other needs.
The man attacked Mark the Cab Driver for the first time when he was in the food line and for the second time when he was in the dining hall. After Mark had waited in the food line for about twenty minutes and when he was near the front of the line, a man who Mark had not seen during the time he had waited in line appeared beside Mark and announced to Mark that the man belonged before Mark. After no one who had been standing in line confirmed that the man had been in the line, Mark told him that Mark had not seen him and, thus, implied that the man had no rightful place before Mark. When the man attempted to enter the line before Mark, Mark placed his body, back toward the man, in the man's path. When the man attempted to pass around Mark, leaned against Mark and shoved him, Mark maintained his position as a basketball player would maintain his position under a basket. Eventually, the man slipped around Mark, and Mark quietly waited in line. Shortly after that incident, the man stepped from the line to talk to his peers. When he again attempted to enter the line before Mark, Mark again resisted his movement in the same manner that he had done previously. After unsuccessfully attempting to force his way into line before Mark, the man struck with an elbow Mark in his back. The peers of the man convinced him to cease his attempts to enter the line before Mark and to cease his attack of Mark.
After Mark received his tray of food, he took a seat in the area where he always tries to sit—at one of the tables closest to the large dining hall monitors' window and within the field of view of the dining hall security camera. Directly thereafter, Mark's attacker seated himself across the table from Mark and one seat to Mark's right. After eating for about five minutes, Mark used his cell phone camera to take a photo image of his attacker, but the man shielded his face. Mark told his attacker, “Let's try another one” and proceeded to attempt to take another photo image. The man rose from his seat, knocked Mark's cell phone from his hand and ran around the table. Before Mark could fully rise, his attacker punched Mark just below his left eye, sending his glasses across the floor. Thinking that police officers, a judge and the Saint Francis House staff members would regard him equally at fault and that he might suffer legal sanctions and facilities access sanctions were he to engage the man in a fight, Mark attempted to leave the dining room. However, the man punched Mark three or four additional times in the head before bystanders convinced him to cease his attack.
Saint Francis House director, Kent Vann, and maintenance and security manager, Lee, emerged from their offices in the administrative area after the attack had ended. Mark said that he had been attacked and that someone should call the police three times. Kent and Lee did not move. Mark then said, "Okay, I'll call the police" and retrieved his cell phone and called police. Kent said that he could view the attack on the video surveillance system and returned to his office. The attacker then exited the dining area through the north dining room door and exited the building through the front entrance. Neither Kent nor Lee discouraged or inhibited the attacker from leaving. Lee then joined Kent in the administrative office area. Lee emerged after a few minutes and said that the attack could not be seen in the surveillance video because the dining area camera was mis-directed. "Had someone planned the attack in advance? Mark asks. Lee again returned to the administrative area and again returned to the dining area. That time he said that the attack was not recorded because an evidence technician from Gainesville Police Department had installed hardware on the surveillance system to try to extract data for the murder of a frequent client of Saint Francis House. He said that installation prevented the recording of the attack.
Fifty-two minutes after Mark placed his call to the Gainesville Police Department dispatcher, Officer Zaragoza of the Gainesville Police Department arrived in the dining hall of Saint Francis House.
Of the forty or so diners who were in the dining area during the attack four (or about ten percent) of them offered to give an account of the incident to Officer Zaragoza. Two willing witnesses were friends of Mark and two were acquaintances of Mark. All the other diners indicated that they had not seen anything. One diner claimed to Officer Zaragoza that Mark started "it." He and his friend had taunted Mark in the line and encouraged Mark's attacker to confront Mark. Another diner later attempted to persuade a witness to recant her testimony and to intimidate her. Fortunately, she would not be persuaded or intimidated.
Officer Zaragoza took statements from Mark and witnesses. He provided to Mark the case number of the incident.
One paid staff member of Saint Francis House and two volunteers who were staffing the service counter and monitor's station in the lobby of Saint Francis House that has a large window overlooking the dining area told Mark after the attack that they had not seen anything.
Mark never retaliated or fought which places him on moral and legal high ground. Mark and the police are looking for the attacker. A police officer told Mark that were his assailant to be apprehended, police would charge him with simple battery, which is a misdemeanor. He would not say what class of misdemeanor the charge would be.
Mark is standing tall and going anywhere he wants to go anytime he wants to go there. Mark has even been patrolling his neighborhood on foot at night reporting to police illegal behavior and genuinely suspicious behavior to rid the historically high-crime neighborhood of personal and property crimes. Mark's attacker returned to the neighborhood in which Saint Francis House is located once since the attack. He is now attempting to avoid being seen or captured by police. After having been captured, Mark's attacker would face significant jail time. “Who came out on top? Who 'won' in that incident?” Mark asks.
In six years of cumulative use of the Saint Francis House facilities, Mark has been battered two additional times. Both of those incidents involved women shoving Mark. In the first instance, a woman incessantly insulted Mark after he impeded her attempts to enter the line before him. She claimed that Mark hit her--which he never did. She shoved Mark and fell into a corner feigning having been struck. Her boyfriend later that day accosted Mark and swung at him on Southeast 4th Place south of Saint Francis House but missed Mark. Saint Francis House director, Kent Vann, banished Mark from using the facilities for six months. In the second instance, a woman, a long-time sex worker, repeatedly shoved Mark to try to take a place before him in the food line. Mark immediately placed his arms above his head, so his posture and actions would make obvious to bystanders that Mark was not doing anything to her. Nothing happened after that incident.
Mark's attack and countless other conflicts and acts of intimidation and violence toward users of Saint Francis House facilities for at least the past decade could have been prevented had simple, inexpensive, common-sense precautions and procedures been in place--measures that Mark has repeatedly suggested to the staff members of Saint Francis House. Were two cameras to be installed in the dining queue area and were a staff member or sturdy volunteer to monitor the food line and referee disputes, arguments and batteries would disappear there. Were one or two staff members to monitor the dining area at all times, arguments and batteries would disappear there. Those incidents halted almost completely in the Salvation Army dining area after staff members implemented Mark's suggestion that two people--staff members and/or residents--monitor the dining area. Were the surveillance video system of Saint Francis House to have the capability of outputting digital files and prints of video segments and still images, breakers of the rules of Saint Francis House perpetrators of crimes could be identified and appropriately sanctioned.
Mark sighted his most recent attacker in the company of an associate almost one week to the hour after the attack at the intersection of Southeast 4th Place and Southeast 2nd Street in Gainesville at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6. Both walked east-southeast across the Gainesville Regional Utilities parking lot while Mark talked to the Gainesville Police Department dispatcher on his cell phone until the attacker and his associate disappeared from Mark's sight. Mark got in his van and searched for his attacker in the area toward which he walked while keeping the dispatcher apprised of his locations and directions of travel. Mark never saw him again. The first response that Mark received from the Gainesville Police Department was a telephone call from a patrol officer twelve hours after he reported his sighting of his attacker.
Mark has since been told by a Gainesville police officer that for a police officer to arrest the Mark's attacker, he or she would need an arrest warrant. To get an arrest warrant, Mark would need to sign a sworn complaint. To prepare the sworn complaint for Mark's signature, a police officer would need the name of the attacker. Mark does not yet have the name of his attacker because none of the forty diners in the Saint Francis House dining area would give it to the investigating officer or to Mark and because staff members of Saint Francis House have not offered it to him from the lists of diners that the staff of the center makes each day that they serve meals.
Today, the cut under Mark's left eye has healed leaving a one-inch-long pink scar line. Also, most Mark's bruises have healed and he only occasionally feels slight pain in the back of his head.
"I shall not rest until my attacker is arrested and prosecuted," said Mark.
Dark chocolates become the prizes of Chocolate Cab Quiz
Thursday, June 6, 2011, 20:01
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver, the host of Chocolate Cab, announced today that he upgraded the chocolates that he awards to passenger-contestants for correct answers in Chocolate Cab Quiz, the rolling quiz game that passenger-contestants in his cab may play. Mark did this to offer his passenger-contestants more healthful prizes than he had been offering.
The chocolates that he formerly used were Hershey's miniatures, a variety pack of Milk Chocolate, Krackel and Mr. Goodbar.
The chocolates that he currently uses are Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate Assortment Miniatures, a variety pack that includes Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate, Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate With Crisp Rice and Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate With Peanuts. These are dark chocolate equivalents of the chocolates that he formerly used.
That chocolate has positive health effects is commonly known. The article on chocolate on the Internet site, Wikipedia, states:
“Scientific evidence suggests that dark chocolate can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and also reduce blood pressure in both overweight and normal adults...studies have shown that dark chocolate can lower cholesterol levels in adults.”
“It has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. “
“Other possible effects under basic research include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoreal activities.”
The components of chocolate solids produce those beneficial health effects. The higher the concentration of chocolate solids, the darker the chocolate appears. Thus, the darker chocolate is, the more positive health effects it produces.
Thursday, June 6, 2011, 20:01
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver, the host of Chocolate Cab, announced today that he upgraded the chocolates that he awards to passenger-contestants for correct answers in Chocolate Cab Quiz, the rolling quiz game that passenger-contestants in his cab may play. Mark did this to offer his passenger-contestants more healthful prizes than he had been offering.
The chocolates that he formerly used were Hershey's miniatures, a variety pack of Milk Chocolate, Krackel and Mr. Goodbar.
The chocolates that he currently uses are Hershey's Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate Assortment Miniatures, a variety pack that includes Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate, Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate With Crisp Rice and Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate With Peanuts. These are dark chocolate equivalents of the chocolates that he formerly used.
That chocolate has positive health effects is commonly known. The article on chocolate on the Internet site, Wikipedia, states:
“Scientific evidence suggests that dark chocolate can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and also reduce blood pressure in both overweight and normal adults...studies have shown that dark chocolate can lower cholesterol levels in adults.”
“It has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. “
“Other possible effects under basic research include anticancer, brain stimulator, cough preventor and antidiarrhoreal activities.”
The components of chocolate solids produce those beneficial health effects. The higher the concentration of chocolate solids, the darker the chocolate appears. Thus, the darker chocolate is, the more positive health effects it produces.
Mark the Cab Driver marks one year of cab driving
Friday, May 27, 2011, 00:38
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver celebrated one year of of safe, courteous and professional service as a cab driver last evening at Karma Cream Ice Cream Cafe in Gainesville. He also celebrated the one hundred eleventh day of Chocolate Cab.
Mark and his friend, Bob, consumed brownies that Payel, the co-owner of the Karma Cream, made while they watched online music videos of songs that refer to taxis. (Conclusion: All of the popular songs from the past forty years that have mentioned taxis have been about breakups in relationships or about painful departures. Clearly a song about Chocolate Cab is needed, Mark thinks.)
In reviewing the past year, Mark is thankful for his many appreciative customers and for the progress of Chocolate Cab. He notes enthusiastic responses from customers, repeated news media coverage, growing community recognition, a Chocolate Cab Internet domain, an attractive and steadily developing Internet site, regular news dispatches from Chocolate Cab, substantial and growing Internet site traffic and status as the first and only carbon-neutral cab in Gainesville.
While proud of the development of Chocolate Cab to date, Mark is looking to future. "I am planning many exciting, new developments for Chocolate Cab during my next year," Mark said. "Look for a "Mark's picks" section and an e-commerce section on the Internet site. Also look for a growing and diverse body of Chocolate Cab Quiz question sets and some appearances at some public events. Keep watching the Chocolate Cab Internet site and keep riding Chocolate Cab any time you need a ride and some chocolate," he concluded.
Friday, May 27, 2011, 00:38
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver celebrated one year of of safe, courteous and professional service as a cab driver last evening at Karma Cream Ice Cream Cafe in Gainesville. He also celebrated the one hundred eleventh day of Chocolate Cab.
Mark and his friend, Bob, consumed brownies that Payel, the co-owner of the Karma Cream, made while they watched online music videos of songs that refer to taxis. (Conclusion: All of the popular songs from the past forty years that have mentioned taxis have been about breakups in relationships or about painful departures. Clearly a song about Chocolate Cab is needed, Mark thinks.)
In reviewing the past year, Mark is thankful for his many appreciative customers and for the progress of Chocolate Cab. He notes enthusiastic responses from customers, repeated news media coverage, growing community recognition, a Chocolate Cab Internet domain, an attractive and steadily developing Internet site, regular news dispatches from Chocolate Cab, substantial and growing Internet site traffic and status as the first and only carbon-neutral cab in Gainesville.
While proud of the development of Chocolate Cab to date, Mark is looking to future. "I am planning many exciting, new developments for Chocolate Cab during my next year," Mark said. "Look for a "Mark's picks" section and an e-commerce section on the Internet site. Also look for a growing and diverse body of Chocolate Cab Quiz question sets and some appearances at some public events. Keep watching the Chocolate Cab Internet site and keep riding Chocolate Cab any time you need a ride and some chocolate," he concluded.
North-central Florida gets a taste of Chocolate Cab on the radio
Tuesday, May 19, 2011, 19:57
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Radio listeners throughout north-central Florida got a taste of Chocolate Cab yesterday morning when Mark the Cab Driver, the operator of Chocolate Cab, was a guest on the Storm and Chris In the Morning show.
Besides describing the Chocolate Cab experience and the enthusiastic reactions of his passengers to the rolling quiz game, Mark involved the hosts in a short round of Chocolate Cab Quiz. Storm Roberts did remarkably well on the quiz since he is a subscriber to Harpers magazine and an avid reader of the the regular feature of that magazine, "Harpers Index," the source of the question set that Mark used on air and the source of many of the question sets that he uses on the streets.
While on the show, the hosts provided to Mark the opportunity to make a major announcement on the air about Chocolate Cab. With a dramatic drumroll provided by Storm, Mark announced publicly for the first time that, as of Earth Day 2011, Chocolate Cab had made history by having become the first and only carbon-neutral cab in Gainesville and, perhaps, in all of Florida. Mark explained that he had paid for measures that will prevent the release of greenhouse gases--mostly carbon-containing gases--in the same amounts that his cab will emit during his shifts during the coming year. Additionally, he said that those measures will reduce other health- and property-damaging air pollutants and will reduce the electric bills of people in north-central Florida. As conscientious and environmentally concerned community members themselves, Storm and Chris were very pleased to provide the venue for that announcement.
Mark received an unexpected surprise after the show. For the high entertainment value of Chocolate Cab, for the environmental friendliness of it and for the geniality and the public-safety-promoting activities of Mark the Cab Driver, the hosts conferred upon Chocolate Cab the honor of being the official cab of the Storm and Chris In the Morning show. That distinction is now noted on the new "distinctions" page of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Mark also announced his on-going search for a mascot for Chocolate Cab--a male chocolate Labrador retriever to assume the stage name of Bruno the Chocolate Cab Lab.
Mark made the additional announcement that, until the end of May, he would take a dollar off the fares of any of his passengers who would tell him that they would have heard him on the Storm and Chris In the Morning show and that he would give to them a chocolate in addition to any other chocolates that they would have won in Chocolate Cab Quiz.
Anyone who was unable to hear Mark the Cab Driver on the program can listen to audio clips of the three segments in which Mark appeared by clicking on the clip symbols in the posting for the session on Storm and Chris's Blog.
Tuesday, May 19, 2011, 19:57
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Radio listeners throughout north-central Florida got a taste of Chocolate Cab yesterday morning when Mark the Cab Driver, the operator of Chocolate Cab, was a guest on the Storm and Chris In the Morning show.
Besides describing the Chocolate Cab experience and the enthusiastic reactions of his passengers to the rolling quiz game, Mark involved the hosts in a short round of Chocolate Cab Quiz. Storm Roberts did remarkably well on the quiz since he is a subscriber to Harpers magazine and an avid reader of the the regular feature of that magazine, "Harpers Index," the source of the question set that Mark used on air and the source of many of the question sets that he uses on the streets.
While on the show, the hosts provided to Mark the opportunity to make a major announcement on the air about Chocolate Cab. With a dramatic drumroll provided by Storm, Mark announced publicly for the first time that, as of Earth Day 2011, Chocolate Cab had made history by having become the first and only carbon-neutral cab in Gainesville and, perhaps, in all of Florida. Mark explained that he had paid for measures that will prevent the release of greenhouse gases--mostly carbon-containing gases--in the same amounts that his cab will emit during his shifts during the coming year. Additionally, he said that those measures will reduce other health- and property-damaging air pollutants and will reduce the electric bills of people in north-central Florida. As conscientious and environmentally concerned community members themselves, Storm and Chris were very pleased to provide the venue for that announcement.
Mark received an unexpected surprise after the show. For the high entertainment value of Chocolate Cab, for the environmental friendliness of it and for the geniality and the public-safety-promoting activities of Mark the Cab Driver, the hosts conferred upon Chocolate Cab the honor of being the official cab of the Storm and Chris In the Morning show. That distinction is now noted on the new "distinctions" page of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
Mark also announced his on-going search for a mascot for Chocolate Cab--a male chocolate Labrador retriever to assume the stage name of Bruno the Chocolate Cab Lab.
Mark made the additional announcement that, until the end of May, he would take a dollar off the fares of any of his passengers who would tell him that they would have heard him on the Storm and Chris In the Morning show and that he would give to them a chocolate in addition to any other chocolates that they would have won in Chocolate Cab Quiz.
Anyone who was unable to hear Mark the Cab Driver on the program can listen to audio clips of the three segments in which Mark appeared by clicking on the clip symbols in the posting for the session on Storm and Chris's Blog.
WKTK radio broadcasts the Storm and Chris In the Morning show weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time at 98.5 on the FM dial. People outside the broadcast area of north-central Florida can listen to the show as the station streams it live on the Internet at:
http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/entercom/player/?id=WKTK
http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/entercom/player/?id=WKTK
Chocolate Cab just became a "dot com"
Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 19:36
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Yesterday, Chocolate Cab acquired the domain, www.ChocolateCab.com, and promptly made it the new address of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
The new address of the Internet site of Chocolate Cab is more intuitive, is easier to remember, is easier to enter into browsers and is easier to share with others than the old address.
Those who navigate to the old address of Chocolate Cab–www.ChocolateCab.weebly.com–will be able to continue to reach the site.
People who have the site of Chocolate Cab bookmarked in their Internet browsers may want to change the target address to the new address to perpetuate the more simple address.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011, 19:36
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Yesterday, Chocolate Cab acquired the domain, www.ChocolateCab.com, and promptly made it the new address of the Chocolate Cab Internet site.
The new address of the Internet site of Chocolate Cab is more intuitive, is easier to remember, is easier to enter into browsers and is easier to share with others than the old address.
Those who navigate to the old address of Chocolate Cab–www.ChocolateCab.weebly.com–will be able to continue to reach the site.
People who have the site of Chocolate Cab bookmarked in their Internet browsers may want to change the target address to the new address to perpetuate the more simple address.
Mark the Cab Driver will be a guest on a morning radio show!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011, 12:22
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver will be a guest on the popular Storm and Chris In the Morning show on WKTK FM in Gainesville, Florida tomorrow morning!
Hosts Storm Roberts and Chris Wells invited Mark to share with them and their listeners a little bit about Chocolate Cab, some stories of late-night cab driving and a genuine Chocolate Cab Quiz. At 7:10 he will do that. At 7:40, he will participate in a regular feature of the show, "Take It From Me." That feature is an on-air version of the game that many may recognize as the ever-popular parlor game, the dictionary game. The hosts and Mark will present definitions–all but one contrived by the players–for an arcane or archaic English word. Call-in listeners will guess which of the definitions is correct.
WKTK broadcasts the Storm and Chris In the Morning show weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The Internet site of WKTK describes it as "Your #1 At Work Radio Station."
Tune your radio to WKTK at 98.5 on your FM tuner tomorrow morning between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.! If you will be outside the broadcast area (the Gainesville and Ocala region), you can listen to the show as the station streams it live on the Internet at:
http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/entercom/player/?id=WKTK
If you call during "Take It From Me," you may become an on-air contestant in the game. If you do, you may also take the opportunity to share your Chocolate Cab experience with the hosts and their listeners. You can reach the studio for "Take It From Me" at the following numbers:
You may want to call at about 6:55 a.m. or at about 7:25 a.m.
The Internet site of WKTK describes the station as follows:
"WKTK (98.5 FM) is a 100,000 watt heritage Adult Contemporary radios station targeting Adults and Women 25-54. The station reaches more than 13 counties in the Heart of Florida and can be heard from "coast to coast"...The station targets affluent, educated at-work listeners."
The music fare of the station could alternatively be described as adult pop, light rock or easy listening.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011, 12:22
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Mark the Cab Driver will be a guest on the popular Storm and Chris In the Morning show on WKTK FM in Gainesville, Florida tomorrow morning!
Hosts Storm Roberts and Chris Wells invited Mark to share with them and their listeners a little bit about Chocolate Cab, some stories of late-night cab driving and a genuine Chocolate Cab Quiz. At 7:10 he will do that. At 7:40, he will participate in a regular feature of the show, "Take It From Me." That feature is an on-air version of the game that many may recognize as the ever-popular parlor game, the dictionary game. The hosts and Mark will present definitions–all but one contrived by the players–for an arcane or archaic English word. Call-in listeners will guess which of the definitions is correct.
WKTK broadcasts the Storm and Chris In the Morning show weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The Internet site of WKTK describes it as "Your #1 At Work Radio Station."
Tune your radio to WKTK at 98.5 on your FM tuner tomorrow morning between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.! If you will be outside the broadcast area (the Gainesville and Ocala region), you can listen to the show as the station streams it live on the Internet at:
http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/entercom/player/?id=WKTK
If you call during "Take It From Me," you may become an on-air contestant in the game. If you do, you may also take the opportunity to share your Chocolate Cab experience with the hosts and their listeners. You can reach the studio for "Take It From Me" at the following numbers:
- Gainesville 352-376-7798
- Ocala 352-622-7798
- "everywhere" 800-882-7798
You may want to call at about 6:55 a.m. or at about 7:25 a.m.
The Internet site of WKTK describes the station as follows:
"WKTK (98.5 FM) is a 100,000 watt heritage Adult Contemporary radios station targeting Adults and Women 25-54. The station reaches more than 13 counties in the Heart of Florida and can be heard from "coast to coast"...The station targets affluent, educated at-work listeners."
The music fare of the station could alternatively be described as adult pop, light rock or easy listening.
Chocolate Cab is featured in entertainment magazine blog post
Monday, May 9, 2011, 22:21
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – A posting describing Chocolate Cab's current chocolate-for-grades offer appeared this afternoon on the official blog on the Internet site for the broadest-coverage entertainment, arts and leisure magazine in Gainesville, INsite.
With a monthly print circulation of 30,000 and a dynamic Internet site, INsite targets and reaches the socially active and affluent students of this city of more than 67,000 post-secondary students who attend the University Of Florida and Santa Fe College–the primary passenger-contestants of Chocolate Cab.
After such exposure, Chocolate Cab will be heavily laden with chocolate for this coming weekend. Bring your grades, IDs, diplomas, certificates, graduation caps and your diligently acquired knowledge, scholars!
The INsite blog entry is at http://www.insitegainesville.com/blog/2011/05/the-chocolate-cab-rides-on.
Monday, May 9, 2011, 22:21
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – A posting describing Chocolate Cab's current chocolate-for-grades offer appeared this afternoon on the official blog on the Internet site for the broadest-coverage entertainment, arts and leisure magazine in Gainesville, INsite.
With a monthly print circulation of 30,000 and a dynamic Internet site, INsite targets and reaches the socially active and affluent students of this city of more than 67,000 post-secondary students who attend the University Of Florida and Santa Fe College–the primary passenger-contestants of Chocolate Cab.
After such exposure, Chocolate Cab will be heavily laden with chocolate for this coming weekend. Bring your grades, IDs, diplomas, certificates, graduation caps and your diligently acquired knowledge, scholars!
The INsite blog entry is at http://www.insitegainesville.com/blog/2011/05/the-chocolate-cab-rides-on.
Chocolate Cab is now the number one search result on Yahoo!!
Friday, May 6, 2011, 09:37
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – The home page of Chocolate Cab is now the number one search result for the string, “Chocolate Cab” on the search engine Yahoo! Hitherto, Chocolate Cab did not appear in search results on Yahoo!
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – The home page of Chocolate Cab is now the number one search result for the string, “Chocolate Cab” on the search engine Yahoo! Hitherto, Chocolate Cab did not appear in search results on Yahoo!
Mark the Cab Driver is taking a break.
Thursday, May 5, 2011, 22:49
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Now that University Of Florida students have finished their spring term and now that most of them have left Gainesville, Mark the Cab Driver is also taking a break. He has been working on projects that he has been unable to complete for weeks or months. Mark expects to return to duty on Friday, May 13. (Yep, Friday the thirteenth.)
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – Now that University Of Florida students have finished their spring term and now that most of them have left Gainesville, Mark the Cab Driver is also taking a break. He has been working on projects that he has been unable to complete for weeks or months. Mark expects to return to duty on Friday, May 13. (Yep, Friday the thirteenth.)
Chocolate Cab offers chocolate for good grades
Saturday, 2011, April 30, 13:43
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. — You knew it all along. Rewards would ensue from diligent study. Well, the time has arrived to cash in on your hard work.
To reward and recognize his passengers who have achieved excellence in their chosen fields of study, Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, will give chocolates to them and will post photo images of them on the Chocolate Cab Internet site. The photo images will appear in the upcoming “passenger scholars” section.
Ride now and experience the sweet taste of success!
RULES
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. — You knew it all along. Rewards would ensue from diligent study. Well, the time has arrived to cash in on your hard work.
To reward and recognize his passengers who have achieved excellence in their chosen fields of study, Mark the Cab Driver, Host of Chocolate Cab, will give chocolates to them and will post photo images of them on the Chocolate Cab Internet site. The photo images will appear in the upcoming “passenger scholars” section.
Ride now and experience the sweet taste of success!
RULES
- A claimant must be a paying passenger of Chocolate Cab.
- A claimant must be or must have been an educational or training institution during a term or session that ended or that will have ended from 2011, April 1 to 2011, June 30. Institutions may range from preschool to graduate school. They may be public or private, secular or religious institutions. They may be home schools, charter schools, vocational schools, seminaries, special education schools or distance learning schools. (Heck, they may even be SCUBA diving and ballroom dancing schools!)
- A claimant must present his or her grade report or a facsimile of it to Mark for an institution and for the term as described above.
- A claimant must present a photo identification for himself or herself (or a note from his or her parent, guardian, Godparent, clergyperson or coach) that identifies him or her as the person named in his or her grade report. (Understandably, Mark does not want to reward a passenger for his or her high-achieving roommate's good academic performance!)
- Mark will confer chocolates on the claimant in a brief but fittingly dignified ceremony in Chocolate Cab according to the following:
- one chocolate for each academic or achievement grade of B or the equivalent of it (including the grade of pass in a pass or no-pass grading system)
- two chocolates for each academic or achievement grade of A or the equivalent of it
- four chocolates for each diploma, professional license or certificate
- five chocolates for each testament of excellence or honors distinction
- one chocolate for wearing a mortar board (graduation cap) for the photo image capture
Chocolate Cab is now the number one search result on Google!
2011, April 27, 14:46
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – The home page of Chocolate Cab is now the number one search result for the string, “Chocolate Cab” on the search engine Google! Hitherto, Chocolate Cab was the number three search result.
The home page of Chocolate Cab is also the number eight search result for the string "cab, 'Gainesville, Florida'" on Google.
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. – The home page of Chocolate Cab is now the number one search result for the string, “Chocolate Cab” on the search engine Google! Hitherto, Chocolate Cab was the number three search result.
The home page of Chocolate Cab is also the number eight search result for the string "cab, 'Gainesville, Florida'" on Google.
Chocolate Cab makes the local newspaper!
2011, April 19, 12:47
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- A great article and cartoon about Chocolate Cab appear on pages five and six of the April 19 issue of the Independent Florida Alligator, the student newspaper of the University of Florida.
In the wake of widespread criticisms and subsequent investigations of the highly questionable practices of some local cab drivers, the cartoonist appears to be contrasting those "sketchy drivers" with Mark the Cab Driver, the host of Chocolate Cab. She appears to also be suggesting a new get up for Mark, a Willy Wonka costume. Hmm, that might be a little uncomfortable for fourteen-hour shifts, especially in summer. Regardless, thanks for the suggestion, Carolyn!
Click here to read the article. Click here to see the cartoon.
Gainesville, Florida, U. S. A. -- A great article and cartoon about Chocolate Cab appear on pages five and six of the April 19 issue of the Independent Florida Alligator, the student newspaper of the University of Florida.
In the wake of widespread criticisms and subsequent investigations of the highly questionable practices of some local cab drivers, the cartoonist appears to be contrasting those "sketchy drivers" with Mark the Cab Driver, the host of Chocolate Cab. She appears to also be suggesting a new get up for Mark, a Willy Wonka costume. Hmm, that might be a little uncomfortable for fourteen-hour shifts, especially in summer. Regardless, thanks for the suggestion, Carolyn!
Click here to read the article. Click here to see the cartoon.
Chocolate Cab establishes Facebook page
Tuesday, April 13, 2011
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida -- Mark the Cab Driver, host of Chocolate Cab, announced today that Chocolate Cab has established a Facebook page. Mark established the page in response to suggestions from many riders and supporters of Chocolate Cab.
Passengers can now "like" Chocolate Cab and become "friends" of Chocolate Cab.
Mark will be announcing Chocolate Cab news on the page.
On the Chocolate Cab page, passengers can offer their comments and suggestions to Mark and let prospective passengers know about their experiences in Chocolate Cab.
Mark welcomes guidance from experienced Facebook users on how to fully exploit the potentials of Facebook.
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida -- Mark the Cab Driver, host of Chocolate Cab, announced today that Chocolate Cab has established a Facebook page. Mark established the page in response to suggestions from many riders and supporters of Chocolate Cab.
Passengers can now "like" Chocolate Cab and become "friends" of Chocolate Cab.
Mark will be announcing Chocolate Cab news on the page.
On the Chocolate Cab page, passengers can offer their comments and suggestions to Mark and let prospective passengers know about their experiences in Chocolate Cab.
Mark welcomes guidance from experienced Facebook users on how to fully exploit the potentials of Facebook.
Chocolate Cab announces mascot search
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida — Mark the Cab Driver, host of Chocolate Cab, announced today that he is seeking an attractive, friendly and gregarious mascot to represent Chocolate Cab on the Internet site of the cab and at special events.
"This is a great opportunity to advance a modeling or acting career," said Mark. "At the very least, it is a great opportunity to build poise and confidence in dealing with the public, which is valuable in any profession," he added.
The complete announcement and application information are posted on the home page of the Internet site of Chocolate Cab at:
http://ChocolateCab.weebly.com.
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida — Mark the Cab Driver, host of Chocolate Cab, announced today that he is seeking an attractive, friendly and gregarious mascot to represent Chocolate Cab on the Internet site of the cab and at special events.
"This is a great opportunity to advance a modeling or acting career," said Mark. "At the very least, it is a great opportunity to build poise and confidence in dealing with the public, which is valuable in any profession," he added.
The complete announcement and application information are posted on the home page of the Internet site of Chocolate Cab at:
http://ChocolateCab.weebly.com.
Chocolate Cab Internet site is enhanced
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida — The Internet site of Chocolate Cab has undergone some great improvements. The address for the site is http://ChocolateCab.weebly.com.
Added to the site are:
Chocolate Cab Quiz is now in its "beta 4.1" version.
Chocolate Cab is growing in renown as Mark often hears from people, "Oh, my roommate told me about Chocolate Cab" or "My friend texted me about Chocolate Cab."
Mark invites all residents of Gainesville and visitors to Gainesville to ride Chocolate Cab when they need a ride or just need a chocolate "fix." He encourages riders to bring their cameras to shoot photo images and videos that they can submit to him for consideration for posting on the Chocolate Cab site.
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida — The Internet site of Chocolate Cab has undergone some great improvements. The address for the site is http://ChocolateCab.weebly.com.
Added to the site are:
- a photo image of a winning contestant
- great quotes from Chocolate Cab fans
- an expanded fares page
Chocolate Cab Quiz is now in its "beta 4.1" version.
Chocolate Cab is growing in renown as Mark often hears from people, "Oh, my roommate told me about Chocolate Cab" or "My friend texted me about Chocolate Cab."
Mark invites all residents of Gainesville and visitors to Gainesville to ride Chocolate Cab when they need a ride or just need a chocolate "fix." He encourages riders to bring their cameras to shoot photo images and videos that they can submit to him for consideration for posting on the Chocolate Cab site.
Chocolate Cab goes live on the Internet!
Friday, February 25, 2011
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida — At 10:00 p.m. tonight, the Internet site of Chocolate Cab went live on the Internet. The address for the site is http://ChocolateCab.weebly.com.
Chocolate Cab is the cab in Gainesville, Florida that Mark the Cab Driver drives in which passengers can win chocolate for correct answers to questions.
Chocolate Cab Quiz "beta 1" has been offered in Mark's Cab for the past three weeks. Soon, Chocolate will have a premier event in downtown Gainesville to celebrate the beginning of official Chocolate Cab service.
The new Internet site is mobile-device friendly.
On the site, Internet users can find the hours of Chocolate Cab and can find contact information for Mark the Cab Driver. Customers can use the telephone number to schedule rides and can use the e-mail address to submit useful and entertaining information that Mark can use to develop questions for Chocolate Cab Quiz.
Soon the site will have pages that will provide fare information, announcements of promotions and events, sources of future questions (for those who want to "study" for Chocolate Cab Quiz!), a photo image of mascot, Bruno the Chocolate Cab Lab, and photo images and videos of contestants playing Chocolate Cab Quiz.
Mark invites all residents of Gainesville and visitors to Gainesville to ride Chocolate Cab when they need a ride or just need a chocolate "fix." He encourages riders to bring their cameras to shoot photo images and videos that they can submit to him for consideration for posting on the Chocolate Cab site.
Mark the Cab Driver
Gainesville, Florida — At 10:00 p.m. tonight, the Internet site of Chocolate Cab went live on the Internet. The address for the site is http://ChocolateCab.weebly.com.
Chocolate Cab is the cab in Gainesville, Florida that Mark the Cab Driver drives in which passengers can win chocolate for correct answers to questions.
Chocolate Cab Quiz "beta 1" has been offered in Mark's Cab for the past three weeks. Soon, Chocolate will have a premier event in downtown Gainesville to celebrate the beginning of official Chocolate Cab service.
The new Internet site is mobile-device friendly.
On the site, Internet users can find the hours of Chocolate Cab and can find contact information for Mark the Cab Driver. Customers can use the telephone number to schedule rides and can use the e-mail address to submit useful and entertaining information that Mark can use to develop questions for Chocolate Cab Quiz.
Soon the site will have pages that will provide fare information, announcements of promotions and events, sources of future questions (for those who want to "study" for Chocolate Cab Quiz!), a photo image of mascot, Bruno the Chocolate Cab Lab, and photo images and videos of contestants playing Chocolate Cab Quiz.
Mark invites all residents of Gainesville and visitors to Gainesville to ride Chocolate Cab when they need a ride or just need a chocolate "fix." He encourages riders to bring their cameras to shoot photo images and videos that they can submit to him for consideration for posting on the Chocolate Cab site.