What is the Big Secret?
Louis E. Miller appeared before a U.S. House committee four months before he was hired to run Tampa International Airport. "I am pleased to be here today to discuss the issue of airport revenue diversion," Miller began his 1996 congressional testimony. Speaking on behalf of airport executives across the nation, Miller said they shared the…
Hard Chargers
No one has ever called J. Mascis verbose. Slacker, sure, a genius, yep … hell, during grunge's heyday, Spin put the meditative former Dinosaur Jr. frontman on its cover with the headline "J. Mascis is God." But the man is not a talker; during the course of our 15-minute-long interview, he let loose a slim…
Dining Guide
HILLSBOROUGH Tampa Carrollwood/Northwest Tampa Jasmine Thai Restaurant, 13248 N. Dale Mabry (813-968-1501). No doubt this is one of Tampa's best Thai eateries. The dominant Thai influence, Indian-Chinese, with an added emphasis on fresh herbs and spices such as cilantro, garlic, lemongrass, mint and chilies, make this a cuisine to savor; almost like no other. $$…
Coming Attractions
There's a new local organization whose mandate is to support original theatre projects concerning the Tampa Bay area. And it's in the process of commissioning a new musical about a Jazz Age St. Petersburg night club. The LiveArts Peninsula Foundation, with Diana Leavengood as general manager, is talking with an as-yet-unnamed local writer about a…
Grateful Spread
Watching BayWalk develop in downtown St. Petersburg has been like watching the scene in Alien wherein the tail-lashing larva explodes from the man's chest. It began with signs that something was about to happen. Then, suddenly, you could actually see the thing growing! People gasped! And then there was a lot of chest heaving and…
The Chemical Papers:
Every powerful story about fighting for truth and justice has its heroes. This story, a tale of the secrets and lies behind America's chemical industry, is no exception. Like Erin Brockovich, the paralegal-turned-movie icon who fought against toxic polluters in California, Elaine Ross was determined to uncover the truth. Ross wanted to know what had…
Planet Picks
Thursday 4.12 Juggernaut Got big dreams? Hunger for fame? Well fame's waitin' for ya at Mugs N Jugs, of all places, and it doesn't even require big boobs. From 6 to 11 p.m. each Thursday, Mugs holds a Talent Competition to find the best male and female singers in the Bay area. When the dust…
Culinary Events
FOOD Get Ready For The Grill Make your reservations now for a wonderful wine dinner, featuring George Foote of Beaulieu Vineyard. Five courses of food and wine pairings will include juniper peppercorn-seared boneless duck breast with roasted shallot and merlot demi-glace paired with Beauliue Merlot Napa '98, char-grilled tournedos of beef with wild mushroom ragout…
Birthing Bad Legislation
Hilary Sedgeman is a bright, happy 9-year-old. Her mom — the only mother Hilary has ever known — Martha Cook-Sedgeman, chokes up with happiness as she describes her daughter: "precocious," "honor roll student," "excels at everything." Two weeks ago, Hilary was baptized along with her dad, Bill Sedgeman, at Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon.…
Music Menu
Chad w/Uncle John's Band Vermont-based hippie-rocker Chad Hollister drops his last name — and most likely his shoes — when he performs his groove-rock. Members of the Jerry Garcia Band currently back him. Show starts at 8 p.m., and cover's $5. $2 bottled beers all night, too. (April 12, Skipper's Smokehouse) The Fairlanes/The Tim Version…
Public Life
Transportation in Hillsborough County Wednesday, April 18 6-8 p.m. Tomorrow Matters, a regional community initiative balancing natural, social and economic systems, seeks feedback on the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization's Visual Preference Survey, at the Ybor Room, Hillsborough Community College, Ybor Campus (southeast corner of Palm Avenue and Republica de Cuba) in Ybor City, Tampa.…
Soundboard
Thursday, April 12 Shows Skipper's Smokehouse Chad w/Uncle John's Band USF Theatre 1 USF Percussion Ensemble Clubs 42nd Street Bistro Terry T AJ's Ale House Sal Beloise Alley Cat's Cafe Jamie Perlow Bahama Mama's ML2 Bourbon Street Fight Night w/Noble Jones Brass Mug Area 51/Vascular Symphony/Slim2None Budious Maximus HiFi Lounge w/Madhatter/ Alex Lugo Cadillac Jack's…
Letters to the Editor
Art for the People The folks who seem to get heard — and quoted — most on the Community Investment Tax funding of an arts district and zoo expansion are either disgruntled homeowners or employees of the Tampa Museum of Art or Lowry Park Zoo. That's understandable. We all have neighborhood issues, and if the…
Freebie of the Week
We're gonna tell ya a little about the Ybor City Fresh Market Inc. this week. We know, we know — we're stretching the definition of freebies on this one, given that the market vendors are there to sell you stuff and all. But we've chosen a good week. Not only does this weekend's market offer…
Web Site of the Week
PSEUDOdictionaryhttp://www.pseudodictionary.com Despite being tortured by hacks such as myself, the written (and spoken) word continues to evolve. As new phrases continually pop into our collective consciousness, certain terms succumb to a horribly painful death as the verb herd is culled. (When was the last time you heard somebody use "NOT!" as an entire sentence?) Yet…
Books
If Only It Were True by Marc Levy Pocket Books/$6.99 Frenchman Marc Levy, a first-time author, has already scored a hit with this debut novel in his native country, selling more than 160,000 copies. Pocket Books made a wise decision in printing it stateside. To be sure, If Only It Were True does suffer from…
Outtakes
15 Minutes (R) Robert De Niro and Ed Burns play the pistol-packing Good Guys on the trail of a pair of mad-dog killers with a mania for videotaping their crimes. Tough, exciting and just off-kilter enough to keep us guessing, 15 Minutes is a thriller that manages to transcend the buddy movie genre and even…
Female Delivery
The word for today is empowerment. There, I said it. A dopey and smugly pretentious little word, for sure, but one that's also pretty much impossible to avoid when talking about the one-two punch of Bridget Jones's Diary and Josie and the Pussycats, the two new movies on our plate for this week. Bridget Jones's…
Top Spins
Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live in New York City A great concert performance does not necessarily make for a vital live album — especially arena shows, where an act generally reaches boldly outward to wow the audience with energy and spectacle. This is Bruce Springsteen's stock-in-trade, to whip up a celebration for…
