Mitt Romney has spent $41.9 million less of his own money in this campaign
Although John McCain beat Mitt Romney soundly to win the Republican nomination for president four years ago, Romney did have some success, winning nine states in primaries and caucuses (Mike Huckabee took 8 states). Republicans say that Romney was considered the alternative to McCain, which earned him a lot of votes. Now that he's the…
The Raw Story: Don’t “What” an Undertaker Promo
I welcome you to this week's The Raw Story. As usual, I wrote a whole lot about Raw , but I did promise to give my thoughts on Sunday's Elimination Chamber as well. Let me just use these handy bullet points to summarize my thoughts: • Both Elimination Chamber matches were as entertaining as you'd…
Florida Legislature poised to kill texting-while-driving bill again?
In Tallahassee, the Senate Budget Committee has approved a texting-while-driving bill (SB 416) that would classify the offense as a secondary violation — meaning that a driver would have to be pulled over for some other action initially. But for those of you who think this means Florida might join the other 35 states who…
Mitch Perry Report 2.22.12 -lobbying for peace in Washington
As the four GOP presidential candidates gather in Mesa, Arizona tonight to engage in their first debate since last month in Jacksonville, no doubt Rick Santorum will be on the firing line for several of his controversial comments on social issues, both in this current campaign, and previously in his political career. Conservative news aggregator…
This week in food and drink: Burger tattoos, anyone?
Free BGRs, cake decorating, food truck fest, wine dinners and more!
The lobbyist for peace comes to Tampa
FCNL's Diane Randall Whether it actually comes to fruition or not, right now the Department of Defense is looking at having its budget cut in ways that only the most passionate peaceniks could have hoped for. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta recently outlined a $525 billion budget for next year that would be the first step…
Drudge now going off on Santorum
Even with the plethora of other political websites and blogs crowding into the reading diet of your average political junkie, the Drudge Report still stands as a barometer of what's rocking conservative America's world. It's particularly scrutinized by producers of talk-radio programs on the AM dial. For over 15 years Drudge has been providing regular…
Florida Republican Senate race gets a bit edgier
Connie Mack hasn't been getting great press of late Republicans in Washington believe because of the number of vulnerable Democratic Senate seats up for election this November, they have a good chance of taking back the upper chamber, which has been in Democratic control for the past five years. The Dems currently maintain a 53-47…
GOP candidates keep flailing away at Obama on foreign policy
When the GOP presidential debate drama resumes tomorrow night in Arizona, prepare to hear what you've always heard during these forums — a lot of Barack Obama bashing. With the country still in one of its weakest positions economically in decades (though there have been incremental improvements in recent months), Obama should be vulnerable this…
Mitch Perry 2.21.12 – Alex Sink blasts GOP race for turning on birth control
Alex Sink is not walking away from the fray. The Democratic gubernatorial candidate of 2010 attended the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee last night, where she exhorted her fellow Dems that they don't want to make the same mistake they did two years ago. "Just think about Rick Scott," she said. Read more about her…
Party of one
For a restaurant’s consideration, a tip from a frequent eater.
New Music Tuesday! (Feb. 21): Sleigh Bells, Cheap Girls, Galactic + more
With lots of audio & video!
Alex Sink rips on Republicans at Hillsborough County Democratic meeting
Count Alex Sink as one Florida Democratic woman stunned at where the GOP presidential race has gone in recent weeks. "The women in this country are mad!" she declared, eliciting cheers from the 75 or so people at the Hillsborough County's Democratic Executive Committee Meeting at the Children's Board in Ybor City on Monday night.…
S&M, ahem, Student & Member show at DFAC
No, not that kind of show. Check out 300-plus works Feb. 24, 6-8 p.m.
Funding for Bay area transit agencies still in question
In referring to the controversial transportation bill that still lacks a majority to get through the House of Representatives, you might recall the line used by Woody Allen to begin Annie Hall.“There’s an old joke – um… two elderly women are at a Catskill mountain resort, and one of ‘em says, ‘Boy, the food at…
Cru Cellars wines and dines
Cru Cellars, a local wine bar and shop, recently launched a food menu to accompany their wide selection of small production wine. Owner and Certified Sommelier Jen Bingham teamed up with In Bloom Catering and Creative Food Concepts to create a menu most complementary to the wines. Not only that, but this local catering business…
#MusicMonday Vol. 59: Howler, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Breton + more
What the CL Music Team is jamming this Monday to rocket launch the work week.
Tampa band Tallhart signs to Equal Vision Records
The indie rock foursome formerly known as Marksmen, and currently known as Tallhart (to avoid trademark issues), has finally received their due and not only landed a fatty label deal, but are the first act signed to Equal Vision Records' newly launched imprint , Rory Records, which is headed up by Say Anything frontman Max…
HART may need to go to eminent domain to purchase properties for BRT line
A subcommittee of Hillsborough County's transit agency voted today to authorize the purchase of 30 parcels of land for its Metro Rapid North/South line, with 26 needed to be acquired if they can’t be purchased through the negotiation process. This route includes elements of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, a 17.5-mile line between downtown Tampa…
Photo review: Robert Cray at Jannus Live, St. Petersburg
Blues guitarist Robert Cray, a five-time Grammy Award winner, dazzled a capacity crowd at Jannus Live on Thursday night. Cray has performed with numerous other guitar greats, from John Lee Hooker to Eric Clapton and in 2011, Cray was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.
Is anyone excited about who will win in 2012?
Republicans still lust for Jeb Bush to enter the race As the 2012 presidential campaign moves along ever so slowly with no primaries scheduled for another week, is there anybody out there excited about any candidate running for president right now? The Sunday copy of the Tampa Tribune contained an above-the-fold article by chief political…
(Belated) Mardi Gras mixology
Mardi Gras, affectionately known as Fat Tuesday, is the “season finale” of the Christian Epiphany season, and premiere of the somber Lent season. If you missed out on celebrating Mardi Gras, missed those strands of purple, gold and green beads, crazy costumes and crazy cocktails, create your own belated Mardi Gras celebration. Grab some cocktail…
Porn star, Natasha Nice, on dental dams, her love of old dudes, and how she keeps co-stars hard
New Sensations Natasha Nice considering my questions on her iPad I have a history of popping awkward boners during interviews. To be fair most of the people I interview are porn stars—though there was also the time I was interviewing for a job at the smooth-jazz station. Inevitably these performers claim they will have sex…
Mitch Perry Report 2.20.12 Presidents’ Day edition
Happy Presidents' Day, everyone. Hope you're enjoying it so far. The race for president has been in a bit of an interregnum. We're still eight days away from the next primary election, but the narrative has certainly changed from Florida's big presidential primary of three weeks ago, hasn't it? Mitt Romney looked like the sure…
Celebrating John Glenn’s historic orbit of the Earth
www.starznbarz.com L to R: Cal Fowler, Steve Robinson, John Glenn and Scott Carpenter face the flag as the National Anthem is sung to begin the event. Today is the 50th anniversary of an American's first orbit of the earth. John Glenn was launched from Cape Canaveral on Feb. 20, 1962 inside the Friendship 7 capsule…
Tower Heist slips onto Blu-Ray and DVD
But do you want to let Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy and a sweaty Brett Ratner into your home?
Think Globally, Act Locally: Supporting area music at The Local Revolt
Some of the best bands within 100 miles of Tampa Bay play a new local music series
Is focus on social issues a distraction, or the path to victory for Republicans in 2012?
On NBC's Meet The Press, Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan and Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen were ostensibly invited to be on David Gregory's weekly program to discuss jobs and the economy. Except Gregory spent the first eight minutes of the program discussing contraception and same-sex marriage, compelling Ryan to say, "Actually I came on to…
CD review: Islands, A Sleep & A Forgetting
The Canadian indie pop band’s fourth record suffers from its own bleakness
Will we keep getting Tampa Bay Rays stadium stories with no news?
Tampa Bay Rays pitchers and catchers report to Port Charlotte for the beginning of spring training on Monday, and along with questions about the team's playoff chances in 2012 will come inevitable discussion about a new ballpark. But is it too much to ask that sports and news media confine themselves to something that actually…
Rollin’ with Tootie: the childhood icon grown up
A chat with Kim Fields, who’s gone from roller girl to holy roller in A Cross To Bear.
Final thoughts after a January drought
January has come and gone and I am pleased to report I made it through the entire month without a drop. Yes, we are well into February, but I wanted to write my final thoughts on this experiment, a tad late, yes, but better late than never. In some ways a month wasn't enough time…
French breakfast muffins well worth the (little) effort
Wake and bake
Concert review: Celtic Woman wins hearts on Valentine’s Day at the Straz Center, downtown Tampa
Celtic Woman: some of THE best craic I've ever had. WTF is 'craic,' you ask? Well, 'craic' is the word Irish use for fun and having a good time. And that's exactly what I experienced at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts on Valentine's night. (I studied abroad in Ireland last summer, so I…
Musking up with pheromones: Is Erox a real life ‘Sex Panther’?
A few weeks ago I received this email: “Introducing Erox, a new unisex attraction fragrance, proven to increase feelings of arousal, excitement, and flirtiness in both female and male users… [Erox] contains a combination of pheromones, and a new revolutionary attraction compound called ER303… [Erox has] been clinically proven to increase feelings of confidence, social…
Mitch Perry Report 2.17.12
Good day, and welcome to the end of the working week, a week that has included, sadly, a lot of high profile deaths. We had Whitney Houston, Freddie Solomon and Gary Carter leave this earth sooner than they should, and then there was the news on the website of the New York Times late last…
Pulitizer Prize-winning reporter Anthony Shadid dies in Syria
Anthony Shadid The biggest story in the world the past few months has been the indiscriminate slaughter of citizens in Syria by its president, Bashar al-Assad. Observing what's gone on in neighboring Middle Eastern countries, al-Assad determined months ago that he would not wind up like former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, and has led a…
Valentine’s Day—a post mortem examination
Ok boys, we need to talk. What the vast majority of you feel in regards to the 14th day of February, is wrong, and needs to change. Now. I found myself in an unfamiliar state on February 13; I was openly weeping to a lady friend about how I knew my boyfriend would do nothing…
Becky Shaw is a fine mess
A hilarious, candid play about love, family and other surprises.
The Games Issue
Games permeate our culture to an almost astounding extent: Patriot Games, Endgame, Game Change. Game theory, gaming the system, he’s got game. Video games, board games, Olympic games. Did our ancestors develop game-playing in order to make sense of their world, or is human interaction itself inherently a game, with the games we invent a…
V.M. Ybor neighbood to City Council: We don’t want Trinity Cafe to relocate here
Kelly Bailey of the V.M. Ybor Neighborhood Association recently distributed leaflets in the area, informing local residents that if they were upset about Trinity Cafe coming into the neighborhood to build a facility to feed the homeless at lunchtime, they needed to go to Thursday's City Council meeting. In terms of organizing, Bailey scored. Dozens…
USF held hostage by legislative terrorism
Over the past decade Americans have been fixated on terrorism. It seems terrorism is around just about every corner, or, in the case of the TSA, hidden in every senior citizen's walker. The Oxford English Dictionary defines terrorism as the unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims… Terrorism…
Mitch Perry Report 2.16.12 – Iorio calls out J.D. Alexander
The drama involving that massive budget cut for the USF campus in Tampa continues to dominate the local media, but perhaps we're taking the wrong perspective on all of this. I mean, J.D. Alexander is bringing together disparate members of the Tampa Bay area political/media/business establishment in a fashion rarely experienced. The latest to pounce…
J.D. Alexander is bringing people together
Pam Iorio says there's a total lack of leadership in Tallahassee The Tampa Bay area's two daily newspapers are filled with the latest update on the USF funding imbroglio, in their A sections as well as on their editorial pages. Following the lead of Hillsborough County Commissioner Mark Sharpe's personal letter to Senate President Mike…
Have it your way at Your Pie
Choice is king at this pizza chain.
Date night a battle? Go to War
This Means War offers slick, sharp and sexy fun for all.
Yonder Mountain String Band serenades at Jannus Live + more concerts this week
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16Authority Zero w/Voodoo Glow Skulls/Skyfox Every year since 2006, I anticipate the announcement of Authority Zero’s Florida tour. For me, their shows are unexplainable cathartic experiences that find me raging like a madwoman, and covered in sweat and beer by the night’s end. It’s glorious and gains me membership to the “high on…
They know what you like
But social media giants don’t necessarily care who you’re sleeping with.
Gentle Jim
Remembering a friend who quietly changed our lives.
Buckhorn the blunt
Talking with the mayor of Tampa as he approaches the end of his first year in office.
Why close a prison that actually works?
An exemplary women’s prison in Hillsborough boasts successful training programs and dedicated volunteers. The state wants to close it.
Die like an Egyptian
The wondrous funerary objects of ancient Egypt at the MFA.
College quiz
Dan answers questions from students at a recent live show.
Best gay marriage post ever
Erik Uecke Alexandra Petri of the Washington Post It happened. Just as we expected it would. The sky fell. Washington state passed same-sex marriage laws, and the Beast reared up in the east and swallowed several fishermen whole. That's the opening of one of the best things ever written on the subject of gay marriage.…
Apple finally dealing with slave labor conditions in China?
Following the death last year of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, it was hard to escape the narrative that the Cupertino, California-based company was the greatest thing ever to happen to American commerce. Lost in the adulation were the sad facts about the labor conditions of employees who made Apple products in China. But the…
The Raw Story: A Night of Comedy
Welcome to this week's edition of The Raw Story. Let me go ahead and give a few extra notes before we get started: • Monday night's crowd in San Diego was hot throughout the entire show. It's amazing how much more enjoyable a good crowd can make an episode of Raw. Not to say that…
Local warriors gear up for an inspiring cycling event in Tampa
Nick Kraus of the Wounded Warrior Project. Taken at last year's Soldier Ride. Soldier Ride is a four-day cycling event and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) initiative that serves multiple purposes. For the wounded vets who participate, it's an opportunity to gain confidence and to heal (both physically and emotionally) by means of feeling empowered, connected…
Having AIDS is not a crime
Canadian Supreme Court This week, The Canadian Supreme Court heard an appeal involving people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who recently were acquitted by provincial appeal courts of aggravated assault and sexual assault charges for not disclosing their HIV status. The convictions hinged on their failure to inform their sexual partners that they…
CD review: Pontiak, Echo Ono
The record dropped this week via Thrill Jockey; video included.
Bill’s Sports Binge: Eli’s brother, reefer-Ricky retires and post pigskin depression
When my little brother Johnny and I were growing up, we had a pretty standard relationship: I terrorized him, he tattled on me. I had three years, around four inches, and the upper hand which had a knack for finding the back of his skull or BVDs. He had the pipes to summon Mom from…
