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Today’s headlines
Verizon slams MCI for 'slamming'
It may be a sign of things to come: Verizon sent a letter last week to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities complaining that MCI had switched more than 850 Verizon customers to an MCI local calling plan without their knowledge.

Profitable insurer singing the health care blues
BlueCross BlueShield of Florida has been plenty vocal lately about its burden of the rising cost of health care. The insurer is sending letters to its members in the Tampa Bay area, telling them they won't be able to use seven BayCare hospitals after Sept. 30 because the hospitals are demanding too much in reimbursements.

State's bargain colleges get nod from Kiplinger's
Want good academics at a cut-rate price? Check out the offerings close to home. Two of Florida's public institutions of higher learning rank among the top 10 "baccalaureate bargains" in the country, according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance. New College in Sarasota came in seventh and the University of Florida ninth on the magazine's list of the 100 best values in public colleges.

PatientUpdates.org came from first-hand experience
Bill Watson found out firsthand about dealing with stress when a relative is in the hospital and everyone's clamoring for information.

Buffetthead attitudes appeal at all latitudes
Tampa businessman Bob Miles is quickly turning his fascination with billionaire Warren Buffett into a cottage industry.

Profile: Hal Piper
NEW POSITION: Director, office services, Advantis Real Estate Services, Tampa

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