FL Hate Crimes Down, But Ballot Measure Could Prompt An Increase
The state of Florida’s 2006 hate crimes report is out and I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is hate crimes in Florida fell to their lowest levels since 1998. Residents reported 259 hate crimes to law enforcement last year; the average since the 1990 federal law began mandating hate…
City Ready to Sweep the Homeless Out of Downtown
Jim Shanklin, who fought the city of St. Petersburg for four years over the 10-foot hedge in his yard, sends me this missive questioning why citizens have to worry about code enforcement, but city officials can turn a blind eye to the trash collecting around City Hall due to the homeless sleeping there at nights.…
Get Ready for The Hold Steady
A rowdy roots-rock outfit led by one of the most expressive singers and gifted lyricists of his generation, the Springsteenian Craig Finn leads his band The Hold Steady through an impassioned reading of “Killer Parties†in this audience video clip from a packed Philly show last October, which finds jubilant concertgoers peacefully rejoicing alongside the…
Tampa Bay Blues Fest schedule
Just got a press release — via the U.S. Mail!, on real paper — announcing the lineup for the Tampa Bay Blues Festival. It's a roll-call of familiar names and a few surprises (as usual). No time for commentary right now, but here's the facts: Friday, April 11 12:30-2 p.m. — Billy Gibson 2:30-4 p.m.…
Veterans for Peace members pass out phone cards at VA’s
Just in case you thought those anti-war types only like to protest against the Iraq War, Jay Alexander from Tampa’s monthly Vigil for Peace sent me these photos as proof of what some demonstrators do to support the troops. Over the holidays, Alexander and other volunteers passed out 700 phone cards to veterans at Bay…
New Bartlett Park Group’s First Foray Into Neighborhood
The Buena Vista Neighborhood Association isn’t wasting any time to work on their improvements to St. Pete's Bartlett Park neighborhood and for city recognition. Resident Scott Swift forwarded me information on the new association’s latest clean-up and petition drive this last weekend: We picked 10 full bags of garbage on 13th Avenue and went door…
Butchering the National Anthem
There was quite a bit of chatter in my living room about 15 minutes before the BCS Championship Game kicked off last night. Suddenly, the TV caught my attention: A swarthy John Waters look-alike — with spiked, shoe-polish black hair — was butchering the National Anthem. I’ve seen a lot of games, and I’ve seen…
Eating Local
Many of my friends have told me that one of their food resolutions for the new year is to try and source more local food. Heading to the farm stands and farmer's markets (or paying close attention to supermarket labels) is an admirable goal, but taking it the next step can be tough. Next week,…
NH Dispatches, Day Three — drunkenness, what women really find hot and a baseball bat
From our alt-brethren at The Weekly Dig: Day Three – 'We've been drinking since we got here …' dispatches from one pathetic presidential primary by Chris Faraone I promised to bring you in the back rooms and bar booths where locals, staffers, volunteers and journalists dance the pre-primary tango. We’ve been drinking since we got…
Underwater by 2012?
Until a few weeks ago, I did not have global warming high on my list of worldly concerns. I believed it was a legitimate problem, but figured it wouldn’t have that much of an effect on me. I didn’t really care if my grave was covered by land or a few feet of water on…
NH Dispatches, Day Two
From our alt-brethren at The Weekly Dig: Day Two – Pissing in America’s Stream of Consciousness dispatches from one pathetic presidential primary by Chris Faraone I’ve been a Dennis Kucinich fan since 2003, when I was abducted by aliens who coerced me to accept a leading role in his last hapless presidential bid. In addition…
Dispatches from New Hampshire, Day One
It's The Boys on the Bus, 2007 — the boys being a team from Boston's notorious alt-weekly, The Weekly Dig. Living in the state of Romney, they've had lots of time to build up antipathy toward him, but they don't like any of the other candidates much either. That's what makes their dispatches from the…
Diamond in the Rough
This is a simple position that most anyone with their private parts intact and functioning can accomplish. The male begins this move while lying on his back with a pillow propped under his head. The woman is then instructed to lower her “yoni†down upon his erect manhood while facing him. With the woman’s hands…
FROM THE ROAD … with Alfie (New Year’s Eve in Austin)
I lined up the perfect double date for New Years, but this was before my brother decided to fall in love. Instead of getting sauced in downtown Austin he wanted to spend the evening with his new girlfriend's parents. Luckily I am such a charming fellow that our dates didn't mind going out with just…
The Purple Party at St. Pete’s Palm Bay Club
Zos shows us her purple in downtown St. Pete.
From the Road with Alfie: New Year’s Eve in Austin
I lined up the perfect double date for New Years, but this was before my brother decided to fall in love. Instead of getting sauced in downtown Austin he wanted to spend the evening with his new girlfriend's parents. Luckily I am such a charming fellow that our dates didn't mind going out with just…
Soul Rebels bring the revelry in New Orleans
Clip of the Soul Rebels performing at Les Bon Temps Roule in New Orleans. 01/08 UPDATE: Soul Rebels to perform in Ybor City at WMNF's Tropical Heatwave May 17. It's 2:30 p.m. in New Orleans and I'm chomping on a gloriously huge muffuletta, the perfect antidote for a monster night in the Crescent City. My…
Iowa Caucus Results
The results are in and Barack Obama has “won†Iowa. Of course, as soon as I walked into a local caucus precinct tonight, I knew it. At the Des Moines precinct I attended, over 200 people showed up to support their favorite candidates, almost triple the amount in 2004; 130 of them were for Obama.…
CL Caucus Coverage: Obama-Rama
Here are two photos from an Obama rally I attended last night at my old high school in Des Moines. I'd put the number of attendees at a few hundred. This is the first time I’ve heard Obama speak in person and let me say — I was not impressed. The crowd didn’t seem impressed…
Huckabee TV
I'm usually a Letterman-over-Leno fan, but I have to say that in their first late-night faceoff since going back to work, Leno was the winner. Letterman's material was tired, and so was he, whereas Leno was definitely on top of his game. And Huckabee — well, it was clear why he's winning hearts, if not…
Creative Loafing On-Site Reporting in Iowa
I’m in Iowa this week visiting friends and family and let me tell you — the political ads and phone calls are as thick as the snow on the ground. You can’t even throw a snowball without hitting some campaign staffer. Two or three candidates come into town every day and more than a few…
Pictures of You?
Check out the pictures we have up on our MySpace Profile. And friend up while you're there! CLICK HERE!Â
FROM THE ROAD … with Alfie (Austin Adventure)
I felt 18 again the moment I arrived at my parents' house in Austin, Texas. While I raided the fridge, which only housed a fruit cake and a mysterious Christmas log, my parents grilled me about why I needed to borrow the car. "I'm going to a party," I said. "And yes there will be…
From the Road… with Alfie: Austin Adventure
I felt 18 again the moment I arrived at my parents' house in Austin, Texas. While I raided the fridge, which only housed a fruit cake and a mysterious Christmas log, my parents grilled me about why I needed to borrow the car. "I'm going to a party," I said. "And yes there will be…
Stalling Dawn, Poco, Chubby Checker
Plus Worldwide Zoo and Moses Mayfield
The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust!
A superb CD from Saul Williams, plus Luther Anderson’s Underground
You’ll Have Doubts
And that’s just what the playwright ordered.
Blow-Up Doll
The Dresden Dolls’ Amanda Palmer goes to extremes — and not just in her music.
The Big Bounce
Remembrance of bars past during a St. Pete night out.
Take a trip with Carmela
On her Americana Tourister.
Music: Big Hunks o’ Love
Sunday, January 6
Outtakes
CL‘s reviews of recent releases
Music: Songs for a Brighter Future
Wed., Jan. 9
The wine year in (p)review
Looking back while looking forward.
Upcoming Concerts
George Strait, Night Ranger and Keb’ Mo’. Plus Blue Man Group and Pat Metheny
Have there been any major developments in Thailand since 2006’s military coup?
Don’t Panic … your war questions answered
Poison Pen
Atonement ponders the words that wound.
Wine List
Got an upcoming or ongoing wine event? Send information to: The Wine List, 810 N. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33606, fax 813-739-4801 or e-mail brian.ries@creativeloafing.com. A&L FINE WINES WEEKLY TASTINGS A&L hosts weekly tastings on Friday nights (5-8 p.m.) and Saturday afternoons (1-4 p.m.). A&L Fine Wines, 35249 U.S. 19 N., Palm Harbor (727-781-4760 or…
Tiger Beat
Baywalk, Giuliani and Bhutto
On War
"War, like fear, also has a smell. And now we are starting to breathe its fetid odor in our lands."Subcomandante Marcos, a Zapatista leader, in a speech suggesting he believes military conflict with the Mexican government is imminent "Wars are to kill people and destroy things. We aren't doing that following our occupation. Granted we…
Teenagers in Love
One is a coming-of-age comedy that takes place on the last day of a 1976 Texas high school and follows the various rites of passage experienced by several freshmen and senior students. The other is a dramatic 1960s musical that re-imagines Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, with the star-crossed lovers coming from rival gangs in Manhattan's…
Classical Music: Herbig Takes the Reins
Monday, January 7
Music/Dance: Perc Up!
Tuesday, January 8
Recycle the Wave
Editors make what’s old cool again.
Stairway to seven
Seven stages of Zeppelin.
Mouthing off
Turning a need to share into foodie stardom.
A Neighborhood Fractures
Plus, the latest on bourbon giveaways and drug paraphernalia.
The View From Up There
The world looks wondrous in aerial photographs at FMoPA.
Theatre: Generation Gaps
Thursday, January 3
Film: Teenagers in Love
Friday, January 4 & Sunday, January 6
Politics At Sea
The world intrudes even when you’re trolling along at 7 knots.
Get the Kinks Out
And take a trip to Muswell Hill.
Casino Royale
From steaks to service, Council Oak gets the details right.
The Short List Year in Review
All the fun of 2007 with none of the nasty side effects.
All Dolled Up
With the Dresden Dolls in London.
Art: Young Surrealists
Saturday, January 5
