Congressional Candidate Questions
The Weekly Planet's Political Party is hosting a debate for the Democratic candidates for the U.S. Congress in District 11 (Tampa-Bradenton-St. Pete) and you can take part in it! Almost all the questions for the five candidates Ñ County Commissioner Kathy Castor, Scott Farrell, Al Fox, state Sen. Lesley "Les" Miller or Michael Steinberg Ñ…
Congressional Debate Questions
The Weekly Planet's Political Party is hosting a debate for the Democratic candidates for the U.S. Congress in District 11 (Tampa-Bradenton-St. Pete) and you can take part in it! Almost all the questions for the five candidates — County Commissioner Kathy Castor, Scott Farrell, Al Fox, state Sen. Lesley "Les" Miller or Michael Steinberg —…
Morning Roundup
Today's bill of fare: Another $200,000 of our tax dollars pissed away on Tampa's electric streetcar. Things are tough for home sellers; there are nine homes in the market for every one buyer. The political ad firm that brought us Rod Smith's shouting match with a helicopter has been canned. It "sucks to be single"…
Viva Fox
Tampa congressional longshot Al Fox returns from his, like, 3 millionth visit to Cuba tonight and is holding a press conference at Tampa International Airport at 8:20 p.m. With his buddy Fidel laid up (he’s met with Cuba’s presidente nine times), Fox instead talked commerce with other high-ranking Cuban officials. Here is his report, sent…
Morning Roundup – Back to Work Edition
Slim pickings: Joe Redner takes a chair to the head on live TV. HARTline says suburban ridership is way up. Apparently, gay people live in St. Petersburg, and Mayor Rick Baker hasn't embraced them. Just for laughs: "Oh, Mandisa. I missed you most of all, you sweet, zaftig wonder."
Sunday Morning Coming Down
Must reads: NYT on how to grease a congressional palm. Faking a grouper sandwich. John Allman's wedding travails in Las Vegas. Tim Fasano's taxi-driving take on high gas prices; with bonus photo of women making out on kegs!
Saturday Morning Roundup
A few recommendations, after I've had my cafe con leche y pan this morning: Shannon CVS' story on iPods as lecture aids. "Slade said an internal poll to be conducted this weekend will likely dictate Gallagher's next move." From the St. Pete Times. Rail plans are moving ahead in Orlando, why not in Tampa Bay?…
County Mayor In Trouble?
The effort to create a strong-mayor form of government in Hillsborough County may be on the rocks. Two sources (one of whom is admittedly anti-strong mayor) tell Blurbex that the rejection rate for petitions to put the question on the ballot is running at about 12 percent. If that holds steady, it would not give…
Morning Roundup
The good, the bad and the ugly: Sticks of Fire weighs in with his political endorsements. Why the numbers are against Rod Smith in his Democratic quest for governor. The Times welcomes back columnist Bill Maxwell by settling a libel suit filed as a result of one of his stories. It pays $55,000. Katherine Harris…
Armory Confusion
Look for some stories in the morning papers about Tampa's efforts to redevelop the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in West Tampa. Earlier this week, a review committee composed of city officials, Florida National Guard officers and neighborhood activists reviewed the six proposals and, at the urging of the city's top development official, ranked three of…
Sugg on Gallagher
John Sugg's memories of Tom Gallagher-as-playboy are blowing up over at The Buzz blog.
Intelligent Design Loses a Round
In Kansas, where monkey-trial advocates apparently run wild, elections this week have shifted the balance of power away from pro-Intelligent Design forces and back to more moderate, pro-evolution thinkers. The National Journal's Hotline details the results here. Readers of the Weekly Planet may recall the cover story on this issue. Kansas was the leading state…
Davis Strikes Back
Jim Davis has just released his first campaign advertisement, featuring former governor and senator Bob Graham. The ad, called "My Friend," is a fairly dull looking affair (with a really bad music drop as background; sounds like a cheesy South Florida furniture commercial) but is very powerful in its last 10 seconds, when the iconic…
Slamming MySpace
Alex Pickett's hilarious diatribe against MySpace is in the current Weekly Planet. I'm especially fond of the shot of MySpace owner Rupert Murdoch and his trophy wife at a White House reception.
Morning Roundup
Stuff you have to read this AM: Hillsborough County's proposed sprawlway gets a positive spin from the Tampa Tribune's transportation writer and a bit more questioning coverage in the Times, which includes the news nugget that Commissioner Tom Scott knew about this plan for a year and didn't let the public in on it. (Contrast…
PoHo in the Middle
The Political Whore ended up in Steve Otto’s Tampa Tribune column this morning, thanks to (or, more accurately, no thanks to) the Brad Swanson campaign for Hillsborough County Commission. Otto took Swanson to task for quoting his opponent Rose Ferlita wildly out of context in his latest attack on her. The quote came from a…
Morning Roundup
Here’s what's hot (and what’s not) in the dailies and blogs this AM: Keith Epstein’s account in the Trib about how Katherine Harris hid a Department of Justice subpoena from her own staff. The Times’ analysis of how Cubans split along age lines over the issue of Castro. Boos to the Times (which got the…
The Blotter
Bizarre crimes from the Tampa police files
Music Menu
THURSDAY, AUG. 03 THE KENNY DREW JR. TRIO By now, Drew has to be tired of reading that he's the son of the late Kenny Drew, a pianist who played with a roll call of jazz greats, including the holy troika of Bird, Miles and Trane. So let's spare him the rehash, OK? Uh ……
Super Fly
Downtown Tampa’s new artsy spot; changes for Ferg’s.
A-Grade Handmade
CRAFTS
Upcoming Releases
In stores Tues., Aug. 8
Letters to the Editor
‘I, the Stripper,’ food criticism
Scroobush Estates
Lindsey Lohan, Mel Gibson and proposed Tampa Beltway
Outtakes
Barnyard and The Sketches of Frank Gehry
The Gay Agenda
What is it, and where can we get a copy?
Lastditch
Two musicians find solace in a no-pressure last hope project, Inkwell.
Booty (Re)call
They took my pocketknife at the airport, and I want it back.
Party Animals
FUNDRAISER
MySpace, MyAss
Giving away personal information? Being digitally dissed by old friends? Taking part in Rubert Murdoch’s scheme to dominate the media world? No thanks.
Difficult Krapp
Sluggish pace mars two new theater companies’ staging of Beckett
Spins
Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra, These Stars are Monsters, Telephono/Soft Effects EP
Wine List
Events around the city
Catch some rays
Sunshine City Grill serves up comfort food and blasts from the past
Fast, cheap and out of control
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Temple of Low Men’s Crowded House
Backspin
Slippery slopes
Descending with things that go bump in the night
Animal Lovers On Air
RADIO
The real Tom Gallagher
His history is one of wild parties and self-enrichment.
Broad perspectives
Polk Museum’s latest offers a decidedly female view
Think pink
Reconsider rosés, the reds of summer
Statements In Style
ART/FUNDRAISER
View from the Rear
Rear Window shows at Tampa Theatre
Raise the Creative Roof
ART/LITERATURE
A Religious Experience
The Church
