The dirt on the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival (with pics)
There is little that compares to the feeling of finding money you hid from yourself and forgot you even had. It happens when you discover a neatly folded $20 bill in the back pocket of a crumpled pair of jeans you wore out two Fridays ago. Or, as so many waiters and waitresses know, discovering…
On the Radar: Andy Roddick and Jim Courier headline the Tampa Tennis Classic
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming events to mark your calendars for. Luminaries of tennis’s past and present serve it up for a good cause at the St. Pete Times Forum next Monday. Superstars Andy Roddick (pictured) and Jim Courier headline the Tampa Tennis Classic to raise money for Raymond James Courier’s…
Dreaming of Princess Di
"Dream Momma, I'm a professional now living in Tampa. Spent time in London three years ago and since then I dream on and off of Princess Di. I'd like to do her but my dreams are never hot. In the last dream we are in the back of a black limo like the one she…
Theater Review: The Lark at Gorilla
If no one but Magali Naas (pictured, photo by Jeff Young Photography) and Giles Davies were performing in Jean Anouilh’s The Lark at Gorilla Theatre, this production might be one of the great triumphs of the decade. As Joan of Arc, Naas is luminous: she dominates her scenes with a sweetness and purity that’s almost…
Concert review: Fruit Bats with Blue Giant at Crowbar
Music nerd that I am, there’s no way to calculate the levels of anxiety I’d be experiencing this week had my plans to attend SXSW this year actually materialized. Trying to choose which band at which bar, knowing you’re missing something memorable no matter what shows you see, hell, even just trying to pick where…
On the Radar: staged readings of On the Way to O’Neill’s: JFK in Ireland at Jobsite and Blue Willow at American Stage
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. Just when you think you’ve seen everything the Tampa Bay stage scene has to offer, Jobsite and American Stage serve up a fresh, hot, heaping portion of theatrical goodness. This week you can see staged readings of two plays…
Restaurant Review: Seasons 52 — Heavy hitter brings light fare to Tampa
Seasons 52 3.5 stars Westshore Plaza, 204 N Westshore Blvd., Tampa, 813- 286-1152 or seasons52.com Ever since my first meal at a Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, I decided to forgo my preconceived notions about chain restaurants. Well, high-end chain restaurants, at least. Fine dining can be refined and replicated, and may even be the better for…
Clean Energy Citizen Action Day: Clean energy advocates and offshore drilling opponents, we need you!
Clean energy advocates and offshore drilling opponents, we need you! Help pass clean energy jobs legislation this session, jump start Florida’s economy and stop the threat of risky offshore drilling. Clean Energy Citizen Action Day is on Monday and Tuesday, March 22-23, at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee. Please join us to deliver a…
Erectile dysfunction may be a sign of impending death
Not only do men with erectile dysfunction, ED, have to deal with impotence, now ED suffers with heart problems have to worry about dying. As reported on ABCnews.com, a new study published in the journal Circulation finds that of men with heart conditions, those who also have ED are much more likely to have heart…
Obama and Fox: All is forgiven?
Although it seems like years, it wasn't that long ago when the Obama administration was ripping into the Fox News Channel, which unquestionably has held this president's feet to the fire harder than any other mainstream media outlet. Former communications aide Anita Dunn called out the Rupert Murdoch-owned media conglomerate twice last October, deriding it…
Spring film festival season: There’s more to it than just GIFF
The 2010 Gasparilla Film Festival kicks off spring film festival season on Thursday (see Joe Bardi's CL cover story and interview with fest Prez Chad Moore), but it's not the only game in town. Bay area residents are blessed with several cinema-centric events that are sure to delight the film-fans among us. Here's a rundown…
The next four years could shape the future of humanity for the next 1000 years
Just when it begins to feel like everything is falling apart and falling fast, something shows up in the middle of the mess, shining a light of possibility. In the wee hours of March 16, 2010, the 'Four Years. GO.' web site went live around Planet Earth. It's a site dedicated on spreading the word…
The Gasparilla International Film Festival kicks off spring filmfest season in Tampa Bay (with video)
Editor's Note: For more coverage of GIFF, check out Mitch Perry's story on festival entry Full Signal, Joe Bardi's expanded Q&A with festival President Chad Moore and reviews of some of the films playing the festival.] The 2010 spring film festival season in Tampa Bay gets off to a rousing start this weekend with the…
Concert review: Michael Buble makes magic at the St Pete Times Forum (with pics)
's concert at the St. Pete Times Forum last Saturday night could have, for all intents and purposes, been billed as a magic show; for his first (and most impressive) trick, the young charismatic crooner seamlessly transformed an ordinarily cavernous hockey arena into a cozy Las Vegas-like night club. And while this feat might be…
Poet’s Notebook: A toast to my uncle, the prototypical Irishman
Under bare Ben Bulben’s head In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid… On limestone quarried near the spot By his command these words are cut: Cast a cold eye On life, on death. Horseman, pass by! —William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) On November 4th, 1992, the eve of Bill Clinton’s victory over George H. W. Bush, Jeanne…
Theater Review: Jobsite’s boom!
There are precisely two complex ideas in Peter Sinn Nachtreib’s boom! — now at Jobsite Theater — and once we’ve fully understood each, there’s very little to hold our attention. Idea number one is that the earth is about to be hit by a comet (thus the title), and the regeneration of the human race…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events: St. Paddy’s Day edition
It’s that time of year again: time for green beer, shamrocks and kissing strangers who claim to be Irish – and a whole host of venues gets in on the celebration. Wednesday, March 17: The Dubliner The Dubliner’s St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza isn’t for the faint of heart. They’re not just filling up the pub…
Tampa Bay Great American Cleanup locations- this Saturday (3/20)
Join Keep Pinellas Beautiful and The City of Tampa along with other proactive citizens for the Great American Cleanup events in Tampa Bay this Saturday, March 20. During this year's 22nd Annual Great American Clean-Up affiliates in Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco counties will join together volunteers in our community, from March 1 through May 31,…
A new Black Francis LP means the same old Pixies questions (with audio)
Four albums and an EP in seven years. The legacy of the Pixies' amazing initial run from 1986 to 1993 acts as the gorilla in the room whenever any Pixies members work on other projects. People often ask questions about new Pixies material, and last year I wrote about bassist Kim Deal's theory: I think…
Interview: Filmmaker Talal Jabari explores his concerns about cell towers in Full Signal documentary at Gasparilla filmfest
[Editor's Note: For much more on the Gasparilla International Film Festival, check out Joe Bardi's cover story from this week's issue of Creative Loafing.] Despite strong opposition from community members, a Hillsborough County land use hearing officer last week approved a cell phone tower at Cannella Elementary School in Carrollwood. The tower will be installed…
Cell phone tower protest in South Tampa, HART board members fret over transit discussions, and could the current problems at the Hillsborough BOCC create momentum for a county mayor? Mitch Perry Report 3.16.10
Late yesterday we were down at the corner of Manhattan and Henderson in South Tampa, where protesters upset about the Tampa City Council granting (on first hearing) a major variance for a cell phone tower in the area let their voice be heard; There was a lot of discussion at yesterday's HART meeting on possible…
New music releases out Tuesday, March 16: Flobots, The Whigs, Happy Birthday (with audio), Streetlight Manifesto, Disco Biscuits, The White Stripes (with video), and more
This week’s schedule of new music releases; for a complete breakdown of upcoming releases due out in the next several months, click here. , La Raza (Metal Blade) The Audition, Great Danger (Victory) Disco Biscuits, Planet Anthem (Diamond Riggs) (Moved out from its original February 2 release date.) Jorge Drexler, Amar La Trama (WEA International)…
Could Hillsborough County saga create momentum for County Mayor proposal?
At high noon at the County Center in downtown Tampa, it is doubtful we will hear Pat Bean, Renee Lee or Jim Barnes announce their resignations as called for last week by Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan, because they all said last Wednesday this would not do so. They all did it in their…
Gossip Girl recap: drugs, friends with benefits, and a found lost boy
"Spotted Chuck Bass breaking bread with his mother. Looks like our little boy lost is finally found, for now at least." -xoxo Gossip Girl Serena and Nate are quickly becoming the newest hot and heavy couple. Although they say they are trying to be in a real relationship having each other for breakfast on the…
4 or against? There’s more to Hometown Democracy than environment vs. sprawl
He approaches the podium in a black turtleneck. His curly salt-and-pepper hair is, for someone of his profession, somewhat unkempt. Anyone who’s been following the St. Pete Beach lawsuit saga instantly will recognize the name he gives before his public testimony at a Jan. 26 City Commission meeting: Ken Weiss. Long story short, he’s the…
My first threesome
My first sexual experience with a female was a threesome with my husband. We weren't yet in the swinging lifestyle but were venturing further into uncharted waters of our marriage. Although we had teased about having sex with others, done a little exhibitionism on the webcam, and even played I'll show you mine if you show me…
Protesters rally in South Tampa against proposed cell phone tower
Approximately two dozen people, many wearing yellow t-shirts calling out Democratic House District 57 candidate Stacy Frank, protested in a South Tampa strip mall Monday afternoon against a proposed 150-foot cell phone tower that could soon be erected there, if the Tampa City Council approves the zoning variance when it comes back before them this…
On the Radar: Women of Jazz III at the Palladium
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming events to mark your calendar for. The shortlist of female jazz artists who’ve made their mark in music over the past several decades encompasses legendary singers like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan as well as lesser-known but no less great instrumentalists, among them pianist/composer/innovator…
The fight against nearshore oil drilling in Florida isn’t nearly over
The last year could be considered a success in local environmental activism. After years of support for these measures down the west coast, and varied stakeholder input across the Tampa Bay watershed, the Suncoast Sierra Club headed the coalition that created the space for passage of strong, local fertilizer and landscape management ordinances. These measures…
CL Feature: Rodrigo Y Gabriela, an acoustic rock duo from Mexico who play The Ritz on Sunday
The first sentence of their biography on Allmusic.com calls twosome Rodrigo Y Gabriela a “flamenco duo.” Which is about the same as calling foie gras a “dip” or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a “black dude.” Okay, yeah, you could argue that the description is technically true on some level, but it fails so spectacularly…
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Smokin’ A’s BBQ versus Kojak’s House of Ribs
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Ribit’s BBQ versus Jimbo’s Pit BBQ
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Tolson Barbecue versus Lupton’s Fat Man BBQ
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Cally’s Sticky Bones BBQ versus Hot Rods Country BBQ
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Smokin’ Rib Shack versus Brady’s Backyard Grill
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Spoto’s Steak Joint versus Kelly’s
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill versus Tony Mac’s BBQ
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Buffy’s Southern Pit Bar-B-Que versus Connie’s Bar-BQ
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Baker’s Hogley Wogley BBQ versus Angry Pepper
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Crab-BQ versus Z Grille
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Alex’s BBQ versus Jaymer-Que BBQ
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Eli’s Bar-B-Que versus Rib City
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Sooo Good Southern BBQ versus Mike’s Smokehouse BBQ and Grill
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
RIB-OFF! Round 2 voting: Lee Roy Selmon’s versus Quick Q BBQ
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
HART officials express concern about the delay in getting transit measure on the Hillsborough ballot
Members of HART, the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority, agreed today to send a letter to Hillsborough County Commision Chairman Ken Hagan today on the need for the board to quickly approve the ballot language for a proposed one cent sales tax referendum – preferably by the end of this week. HART Executive Director David…
St. Petersburg College to install rooftop photovoltaic solar project
St. Petersburg College will begin installing its first photovoltaic system on the Clearwater campus March 19. The system, which will generate renewable power for the electrical grid, will be installed on the roof of the LEED Gold Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building, already one of Tampa bay’s most environmentally friendly buildings. Installation…
RIB-OFF! Round 1 winners, time to vote in round 2
CL's Rib-Off — our 2010 Tournament of Ribs — kicked off with a flurry of voting last week, resulting in half the field of 64 Bay area rib restaurants knocked off the brackets. Although more than 6,000 votes were cast in the competition, just two of the 32 match-ups counted for more than a third…
Rustmann blasts Dingfelder for advocating putting tax measure to support city parks on ballot
After the Tampa City Council heard from a number of citizens two weeks ago complaining about increased fees to utilize city recreation facilities, Councilman John Dingfelder suggested a $1 monthly tax for every property owner in Florida, with those fees going to programs for kids and seniors. He said that it might it should be…
Party pics: Wednesday night FILTH at The Bar in downtown St. Pete
Can't wait for the weekend? Then I've got the perfect dive bar for you. FILTH on Wednesday nights at The Bar, 711 3rd Ave. S. in downtown St. Pete, has your mid-week, dance party fix. The Party: Wednesdays are full of FILTH at The Bar: Great drinks, music and people. Not to mention, cover is…
Last week to discuss health care reform? Matt Damon & Karl Rove share the re-write of the Iraq war and some USF students use their spring break to help the homeless:Mitch Perry Report 3.15.10
Happy first real day of Daylight Saving Time to you, too! We couldn't help but realize as we watched the whole panoply of Sunday morning tv programs yesterday about how much of them in the past year have been dedicated to health care legislation. Who knows, though? This might be the final week we have…
Students serve the broken of Tampa as an alternative spring break
Instead of going to the beach or sitting around the house surfing the Internet all day, students from local universities chose a different alternative for Spring Break by serving the homeless and the broken. For six days, 66 students gave up the comforts of home to participate in the Tampa Mission Experience (TMX). TMX provides…
It Happened This Week-ish: American Idol is wrong, Mad Men, now in doll form, Lilo suing E*Trade, We lost that other Corey and more…
Plan: 1. Buy the Don Draper doll 2. Find a doll that kinda sorta looks like me 3. Place them together in a Barbie dream house 4. Live vicariously through plastic figurines I am not a hateful person, but American Idol, I think I may hate you. After a week of pretty solid performances mixed…
On the Radar: Tampa’s fourth annual Clean City Day
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming events to mark your calendars for. The City of Tampa is hosting the fourth annual Clean City Day on Saturday in conjunction with The Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community improvement program — and they need your help to keep this city beautiful. Volunteers are…
Do It Today: Staged readings of Maria Kizito at Jobsite and Match Point at American Stage, Cheryl Wheeler’s Club Jaeb concert
Tonight's Job-Side staged reading of Maria Kizito is set during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and is told through Benedictine nuns and other eyewitness accounts. Visit jobsitetheater.org for more info. (Pictured: Photographers take pictures of a Hutu man after he was molested by Tutsis in the Rwandan genocide) Mon., March 15, 7:30 p.m., Shimberg Playhouse, Straz…
Karl Rove and Green Zone rewrite beginning of Iraq war
The biggest major motion picture released this weekend in America (to relatively weak attendance) was the reunion of Bourne Identity filmmaker Paul Greengrass and actor Matt Damon for Green Zone , a fictional take on the beginning of the U.S led military invasion of Iraq almost exactly seven years ago (the anniversary takes place…
Last week for health care discussions?
The "enablers," as they've been dubbed by some in the incessant articles about Rahm Emanuel that continue to be published, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and chief political strategist David Axelrod, flooded the Sunday morning chat shows to once again speak up for health care reform legislation that nobody is certain has the votes…
Capricorn Studios: Ybor’s new red-light erotic art gallery
is one of the oldest forms of human expression. Paleolithic cave dwellers carved nude forms in wood and stone. Ancient Greeks depicted sex acts on pottery which could get them arrested today. Hindus illustrated and catalogued sex positions in the ancient text of the Kama Sutra which are still studied today. Just as sex links…
Diary of the Newly Employed Housewife: Sick as a dog, or “hammered poo-poo”
It was bound to happen: I shook so many hands my first week back to work who knows where I picked up the latest bug. All I know is I came home on Monday (after driving right past the street where I have lived for the past seven years, yeah it was that bad) and…
Learn how to drive or get off the road: 5 ways to make our streets safer
Catherine Durkin Robinson is a handful, creating quite a scene over at Out in Left Field. For some people, driving has become a bit of a challenge. Blame it on Toyota or multi-tasking failures everywhere, but we now hear daily about too many people killing themselves or others in an attempt to get from Point…
Movie Review: Paul Greengrass’ Green Zone, starring Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan and Brendan Gleeson
It's too bad nobody wants to see movies about the Iraq war because Green Zone, the latest aggro action-adventure flick from director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, Flight 93), is a good one. A re-Bourne Matt Damon delivers a command performance as chief warrant officer Roy Miller, a good man on the hunt for WMD…
St. Petersburg College to participate in Earth Hour on March 27
St. Petersburg College announced today that they are an official supporter of Earth Hour. On Saturday, March 27, at 8:30 p.m. the world will send a powerful message that climate change is a priority that must be dealt with now. By turning off non-essential lighting for one hour, Earth Hour, hundreds of millions of people…
Pit bull owners, beware: Florida is trying to regulate so-called “dangerous breeds”
The anti-pit bull forces are once again waging a fear campaign in the Florida legislature. In 1990 Florida instituted a ban on breed-specific canine regulations. But for the third time in as many sessions, a bill proposing a repeal of the ban is working its way through the Senate. This time, it's already been passed…
Project Runway Podcast Ep. 8: Elements challenge or a natural disaster?
This was not a great challenge for Project Runway, I am not even going to sugarcoat it for you, it sucked. The elements challenge tested the strong ones and some of them failed, spectacularly. The designers were assigned one of the four elements to inspire them, without a whole lot of other direction, which is…
Paying “rent” to Mother Nature: The Great Old Broads for Wilderness
"Activism is my rent for living on this planet." -Alice Walker In this second entry in my series on "Paying 'rent' to Mother Nature", I want to acknowledge an incredible women's organization that is truly paying their rent. Great Old Broads for Wilderness boasts twenty years of ageless advocacy. Based in Durango, Colorado, Great Old…
Introducing the Take-Home Tiger Woods Love Doll
Just in case there are a few women, or men, who didn't get a chance to sleep with Tiger Woods before he was cured of his adulterous disease in sex rehab, Pipedream Products released the Take-Home Tiger Love Doll. You can't blame Pipedreams for coming out with such a timely product. How could they resist…
The new Porsche Spyder: 718 horsepower, 78 mpg, and a plug-in hybrid?!
Alright, I'll be honest here, I'm not really a "car person" per se (though I have a great appreciation for Top Gear) but when I see something this sexy and eco-friendly, it definitely grabs my attention. During the Geneva Auto Show last week, Porsche debuted this green beauty: The Spyder 918 – a plug-in hybrid…
CD review: Drive-By Truckers, The Big To-Do
Drive-By Truckers return with their 10th studio album, The Big To-Do, and they've managed to bring back some of the rawk. I gotta be honest. After the last two studio releases, I was pretty sure my torrid love affair with the band was in its setting sun. Seemed marriages, kids, label disputes and time had…
RIB-OFF! Round 1 voting ends on Monday morning, see the close races here
With four days of voting under our belts, CL's 2010 Tournament of Ribs is fully underway. Round 1 voting — where we cut the competitors from 64 of the Bay area's rib specialists down to a field of 32 — ends on Monday morning at 10 a.m. That means that only the weekends stands between…
As the page turns: this week in new comics… some people buy crack, others buy X-Men
Hump Day has come and gone — and with slim pickins at the comic shop this week, I was left to satisfy myself on the Internet the next morning. Y'know, by watching the Iron Man 2 trailer again. (The Black Widow and War Machine look great, but Gwyneth steals the show with her horrified reaction…
On the Radar: Grey Matter at Tempus Projects and Multiple Oneness at The Studio@620
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming arts events to mark your calendars for. If three’s a trend, the multimedia live art scene in Tampa Bay is a downright craze. Both sides of the Bay offer fine examples of live local art next weekend. Tampa’s Tempus Projects, housed in a former garage in…
Bill Young reacts to GOP earmark vote, Hillsborough School Board members incensed at call for pay cut, and the myth about daylight saving time: Mitch Perry Report 3.12.10
On this last full weekend of winter 2010, we give you our take on Bill Young's response to his fellow Republican House members declaring a ban on earmarks -for now, anyway; A GOP State Senator wants Florida School Board members to cut their salaries- some local members don't think much of that at all; And…
Hillsborough County school board members blast the idea that their salaries should be cut
Jacksonville Republican Steven Wise yesterday announced a proposal to cut school board member salaries to make them commensurate to the salaries of part-time legislators like himself – to $29,000 a year. It's not a new proposal, as Wise proposed the same idea last year. At the time, the Lakeland Ledger weighed in on the merits,…
Project Runway farewell: Local favorite Ben Chmura was in, but now he’s out
We'll have more to say this afternoon during our Project Runway podcast about the "Elements" challenge that sent Tampa's Ben Chmura packing. But for now, we'll just echo the sentiments of a model who seemed to be speaking for everyone on the show (including a visibly upset Tim Gunn): "It's really hard to say goodbye…
Music Video Premiere: Lady Gaga featuring Beyonce, “Telephone” (with video)
Thursday night at 11:30 p.m. EST, the highly anticipated Lady Gaga and Beyonce video "Telephone" made its world premiere. The nearly 10-minute extravaganza directed by Jonas Åkerlund was inspired by the work of Quentin Tarantino — Kill Bill in particular. (The actual pussy wagon even makes an appearance.) They story picks up where Gaga's "Paparazzi" video…
Do It This Weekend: St. Patrick’s day events across Tampa Bay, crawfish fest, Marvin Hamlisch joins the orchestra, Sunscreen Film Fest viewing party and more
It’s that time of year again: time for green beer, shamrocks and kissing strangers who claim to be Irish – and a whole host of venues get in on the celebration. Whether you’re in Tampa or St. Pete this weekend, you can embarrass yourself at MacDinton’s and Paddy Burkes, respectively, at a Leprechaun Pub Crawl,…
The libertine’s guide to gallantry: the unattractive delusion
Confident ugly men get laid. Poor men date and marry rich, beautiful, and famous women: see Kevin Federline. Every guy has plenty of potential excuses why women don’t find him attractive. These delusions can focus on anything: height, weight, size, hair, complexion, job, intellect, finances, car… Even characteristics that we assume to be positive, some…
GOP ups ante on banning earmarks- Bill Young calls it fair
In Washington, House Republicans announced on Thursday that their entire-178-member conference would not seek any congressional earmarks this year. And for the record, Bill Young says he's cool with it. The Pinellas based Representative told the St. Petersburg Times' Alex Leary that: "It's fair … The fact they are making it across the board, makes…
World Cafe discussion on permaculture, Friday (3/12)
This Friday night in St. Petersburg there will be a World Café discussion held on the subject of permaculture and creating a stable and sustainable society. The World Café group meets weekly to discuss an array of subjects pertaining to global issues. It's a roundtable-style setting, with people gathering into groups to discuss the current…
Movie Review: Rick Famuyiwa’s Our Family Wedding, starring Forest Whitaker, Lance Gross, America Ferrera and Taye Diggs
[Editor's Note: Our Family Wedding opens Fri., March 12 at area theaters. (You can check showtimes here.) For more reviews of the biggest new releases, check out the Daily Loaf Movie Review Index.] "It's your marriage; it's their wedding." Our Family Wedding repeats this mantra over and over and over again, the phrase treated as…
Out-of-the-way places: Two great Bay Area record shops and one to avoid
We live in the digital age. Unfortunately, that means that people are finding it easier to purchase music online rather than actually stepping outside and making the trip to a local record shop. The grand beauty and smell of a new LP, the liner notes contained inside a CD booklet — simple pleasures like these…
Tiger Woods’ new adviser: Bush alum Ari Fleischer. So when did he become an expert at crisis management?
We have assiduously eschewed any mention of Tiger Woods and his recent troubles in this space, and we only do so now tangentially. A story in today's New York Post reports that the fallen superstar is now working with former Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer, who now runs a crisis response and control group called…
Must-see show this Saturday: Fruit Bats at Crowbar in Ybor City
When multi-instrumentalist Eric D. Johnson isn’t playing with The Shins, he’s touring with Seattle-based folk rock quintet Fruit Bats. The band stuck to their rootsy sound with their first three releases, occasionally fleshing out production with electronic flourishes, but dipped their brush in a broader sonic palette for 2009’s The Ruminant Band. Johnson’s music and…
Eco Tech: Solar powered iPhone/iPod charger case now available
, a company that makes solar powered electronics, has just released their newest creation: the Surge – a hybrid solar charger case for second and third generation iPhone and iPod Touch models. These sleek photovolataic chargers are the first Apple-certified solar iPod cases, extending audio playback by 20 hours and 3G talk time by 4…
Bean to commissioners: Take my polygraph, please take my polygraph!
By George Niemann PoHo contributor and R-LAND, UCAN, FSP, Amendment 4 member/activist Views expressed are my own and may not be the same as the organizations to which I belong Photo Credit: Michael Spooneybarger Yesterday was truly an amazing day down at Hillsborough County Center. We had County Administrator Pat Bean and County Attorney Renee…
Movie Review: Remember Me, starring Robert Pattinson (Twilight) and Emilie de Ravin (Lost)
[Editor's Note: Remember Me opens Fri., March 12 at area theaters. (You can check showtimes here.) For more reviews of the biggest new releases, check out the Daily Loaf Movie Review Index.] I have been pretty stoked about Remember Me since I saw the trailer months ago, giving it my "two thumbs up based upon…
American Idol top 16 recap: The sweet sixteen… kinda more like semi-sweet
This week on American Idol, some people sang and some of them were even like… good. Ladies night!!!! Tuesday the girls continued their journey of underwhelmingness with the opening act, the "why the hell is she here?" star of the season, Katie Stevens. She's like 12 years old, her pants looked dumb and she butchered…
This weekend’s best bets in Bay area music: NeedToBreathe, Mercury Program, Arlo Guthrie, Michael Buble, Fruit Bats, Chuck Prophet, Kool Keith AKA Dr. Octagon, and more
This weekend's a doozie. Tons of bands in town, many on their way to or from Harvest of Hope in St. Augustine. The following is a quick breakdown of the most worthy beginning with Thursday, ’cause that’s when the weekend really starts, right? For a more comprehensive schedule, check out our Upcoming Concerts page THURSDAY,…
Get ready to fist-pump! Jersey Shore’s “The Situation” is at The Venue for The Spring Break Tropical Bikini Contest this weekend
I thought his 15 minutes had passed but I was clearly wrong. How could they have? With those abs and a name like "The Situation" he is totally here to stay. Luckily, he has found time in his busy schedule of tanning, lifting and sexing to pay a visit to Tampa Bay. That's right, Jersey…
Hot Trailer: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner (with video)
Twi-hards rejoice! The third installment of the vampire love fest hitting theaters this June has its first full trailer. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is sure to be a Summer box office smash, but you can get a smile bite right now. Young girls and their moms should prepare for elevated blood pressure readings after the…
Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday-embrace it if you must, but don’t say it saves energy
You will be reminded over the next couple of days to move your clocks forward an hour beginning at 2 a.m. Sunday morning. What that means is that this coming Monday morning, your colleagues at work maybe a little less chipper than usual around the proverbial water cooler, or wherever one congregates with colleagues. That's…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: Raw foods class, Code Green Community film and discussion, Seminole Heights Sunday Market and more
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Dunedin Green Market- Every Friday (through April); 8 am- 1 pm. Featuring fresh, local produced goods such as baked good, ready-to-eat-foods, organic plants and herbs, coffee, honey, seafood, clothing, and so much more. The Dunedin Green Market is…
Viagra: swingers drug of choice?
Whether you are a 20 something or 50 something swinger I bet you have encountered or experienced bad sexual performance. Sometimes this occurs because you are 50 something (sorry guys) and sometimes for other reasons. Nervous, drunk, high, or even the use of a condom will cause a man to loose his pride and joy. Recently…
Hillsborough light rail discussions continue, Tampa Mayor hails light rail in state of the city address, and another story on light rail: Mitch Perry report 3.11.10
We sat through the near three hour discussion at the County Center in Tampa yesterday for Hillsborough County Commissioners to discuss the light rail ballot language and whether to can three top employees. You can read our story here on that event – also, CL contributor Chris Ingram, a local GOP political consultant, is now…
Could L.A.’s gambit to get fast track federal funding for light rail help out Hillsborough County?
We reported last night on the glacial pace of discussions yesterday at the Hillsborough County Commission on the proposed one cent sales tax referendum for transit. It came on the same day as our big feature in the current edition of CL on the battle for light rail was published. We disdain any attempt…
Ingram files Florida Bar Ethics Complaint against Lee
Enough is enough. The culture of corruption and abuse of power by bureaucrats and elected officials must stop. By Chris Ingram Having watched the unfolding saga known as the Hillsborough County Commission the last few years, I have begun to wonder if you could write fiction as good as this. I mean seriously folks, we’ve got…
Movie Review of Judd Apatow wannabee She’s Out of My League, starring Jay Baruchel, Alice Eve, T.J. Miller, Jessica St. Clair and Lindsay Sloane
[Editor's Note: She's Out of My League opens Fri., March 12 at area theaters. (You can check showtimes here.) For more reviews of the biggest new releases, check out the Daily Loaf Movie Review Index.] There are times when awkward situations are dazzling to the eye. You don’t really want to look, but somehow you’re…
Previously on Lost: “Dr. Linus”
[Editor's Note: After you're done with Michelle's analysis, check out this week's CL Lost podcast.] I was expecting a lot from an episode titled "Dr. Linus," who is undoubtedly one of my favorite TV characters. I wasn't completely let down, but the episode felt more like the slow-paced "What Kate Does" than the action-packed "Sundown."…
Sizzle: A Global Warming Comedy – A humorous look at a serious issue
, by scientist-turned-filmmaker Randy Olson, is a self-proclaimed mix of "mockumentary, documentary, and reality," about the current hot topics (pun intended) of global warming and climate change. The film follows Olson and his crew as they journey to find out the truth about these issues by interviewing scientists and people on the street. By the…
High and low drama as Hillsborough officials answer back to calls for their termination
A day after Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan called for County Administrator Pat Bean, County Attorney Renee Lee and County Auditor Jim Barnes to resign by next week in the wake of a newspaper report about Bean and Lee inspecting e-mails of the Barnes, the three responded in kind in their own fashion on…
Plans to move forward for Hillsborough ballot measure on transportation go nowhere at workshop
Supporters of seeing the Hillsborough County Commissioners approve ballot language for a one cent sales tax referendum on transportation could not be encouraged after a workshop held at the County Center on Wednesday. Commissioners were presented with two different proposals to vote on that would be the actual 75 words that would appear before voters…
Nike’s World Cup uniforms made from recycled plastic bottles
Good news, sports fans, the 2010 FIFA World Cup is just 92 days away and, like the Winter Olympics, these games will also be sporting some recycled wear. Nike has just unveiled their uniforms (or "kits" being the proper term) they've created especially for the teams they're sponsoring this year, made from recycled plastic bottles.…
Diary of the Newly Employed Housewife: Change is good
Well, it seems 2010 has been a year of change for me so far, and it is a good thing. New job, new perspective, new adventures. I managed to survive my first week back to work, and as sick and crazy as I know it sounds I'm looking forward to going back. I was definitely…
Wednesday-music.com indie music profile: Broken Bells
Ambient pop duo Broken Bells features Brian Burton (producer, organ, drums, piano, synths, bass) and James Mercer (vocals, guitar). Outside of their context, these names may not mean a lot, but what if I were to tell you that Brian is otherwise known as Danger Mouse? Yes, that Danger Mouse: of Gnarls Barkley and the…
Mayor Iorio calls a light rail system in Tampa “the big issue of our time.”
Likening it in many ways to the development of the space program, the beginning of the intercontinental railroad system and President Eisenhower's concept to begin the interstate highway network, Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio made her boldest and most declarative call yet for the passage of a sales tax referendum later this year in Hillsborough County…
Texas breaks US wind energy generation record
Last Friday, the Lone Start State broke wind – the US wind power generation record, that is (sorry, I just couldn't resist), by producing 19% of the state's total electricity mix. They broke their own record from the previous year by 12.8% – more than tripling their wind power production.
Palace intrigue at Hillsborough County Commission; Marco Rubio a porker? And new report says Democrats are more vulnerable than ever on national security:Mitch Perry Report 3.10.10
The Hillsborough County Commission has always been good for drama over the years. That scenario will play out again today; The Miami Herald busts Marco Rubio for pork barrel spending. But do Florida Republicans even care anymore? And a new poll commissioned by Bill Clinton's former pollster says national Democrats are more vulnerable than ever…
Why is Hillsborough County Auditor Jim Barnes being asked to resign?
As we reported yesterday, Hillsborough County Commission Chair Ken Hagan, in response to wide spread outrage over the report last week that Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean and County Attorney were snooping in on e-mails written by County Auditor Jim Barnes regarding his investigation into how the two ended up giving themselves pay raises back…
New data on Rubio pork spending should be great issue for Crist – if he were still in the game
Marco Rubio has come a remarkable long way in less than a year on the campaign trail. Perhaps the best day of his year was yesterday, when the Democrat leaning (or so we are told) Public Polling Institute survey showed him a walloping 32% ahead of Charlie Crist in their battle for the GOP nomination…
Naked men vs. nude women
After attending a few recent Sex & Love events, I’ve come to the conclusion that the nude male body is under celebrated in our culture. There's still a stigma associated with the male nudity. Why can breasts and vaginas be plastered all over the place while the penis is too taboo? Perhaps this is the…
Free Strawberry Festival admission for ‘American Heroes’
We’re mid-way through the Florida Strawberry Festival, but there are still a few days to enjoy the 75th incarnation of the event, held at 303 N. Lemon St. in Plant City. In fact, there’s a special going on today for those who serve their country, county and city.
Review of The Bottom of the Glass at Ybor’s Silver Meteor Gallery
An innovative collaboration treads all-too-familiar territory.
The Fightin’ Malones introduce their Celtic roots rock to the local scene with a St. Paddy’s Day show
The Bay area doesn't have much in the way of homegrown Celtic roots rock, but The Fightin' Malones are about to change all that when they make their formal debut this St. Patrick's Day. "We play the music of the people who work hard all week and want to have some serious fun on the…
Is exposure to small amounts of radiation beneficial?
What's the Straight Dope on radiation hormesis? From what I understand, this hypothesis rejects the current wisdom that if a lot of radiation is very bad, a little bit of radiation is at least somewhat bad. On the contrary, these folks claim a little bit of radiation might actually be good. What's up — sound…
Chronicling Tampa Bay’s Foodways
Introducing the “Conquistador Complex,” and remembering devil crabs.
Turning a blind eye to no cunnulingus
He doesn’t even like to look?
Is Tampa’s light rail train stalled?
With ballot language still being debated, Bay area light rail supporters are getting antsy.
Is Tampa-area Democrat Kathy Castor the ninth most liberal member in the House?
A ranking of Congressional liberals and conservatives raises questions in Tampa Bay.
New music releases out this Tuesday, March 9: Jimi Hendrix, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Frightened Rabbit, Ludacris, Pavement and more (audio + video)
This week’s schedule of new music releases; for a complete breakdown of upcoming releases due out in the next several months, click here. , Only the Dead See the End of the War (Vice) Alberta Cross, Broken Side Of Time (ATO) Aloha, Home Acres (Polyvinyl) Before Their Eyes, Untouchable (Rise) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Beat…
RIB-OFF! Round 1 Voting: Z Grille versus Wildwood BBQ and Burger
We're pitting Tampa Bay's best ribs against each other in our RIB-OFF! 2010 Tournament of Ribs. Follow the tournament, see the competitors and brackets, and vote in head-to-head matches at cltampa.com/ribs. But first: Vote in this matchup!
Guinness Pour the Perfect Pint Party Pics (3-7-10)
No, it's not St. Patty's Day yet, but this week's party pics are from the Guinness Pour the Perfect Pint Competition held at The Pool at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The Party: Guinness and 102.5 The Bone have 30 of the Bay's Best Bartenders Compete to Pour the Perfect Pint. The Crowd: Bartenders and…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: Composting and rain barrel workshops, green markets galore and more!
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Dunedin Green Market- Every Friday (through April); 8 am- 1 pm. Featuring fresh, local produced goods such as baked good, ready-to-eat-foods, organic plants and herbs, coffee, honey, seafood, clothing, and so much more. The Dunedin Green Market is…
CL’s favorite green scene? The Roosevelt Art Gallery
Ybor’s art scene has never acted so natural. Since beginning construction 14 months ago, The Roosevelt team has taken its antique building – so-named because it once housed Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders – from leaky and creaky to clean and green. “If we weren’t all really passionate about what we do here, then this project…
Quincy Jones remembers his first encounter with Michael Jackson (with video)
Ed. Note: What follows is a repost of an item by CL Marketing Director Joran Oppelt from his recent trip to SXSW. At the time, I thought it was just a really cool video. Today I think it's become something more. You can see Joran's original post here. Quincy recalls his first encounters with Michael…
