DVD Review: Bob Hope — Thanks for the Memories Collection
For many people who grew up during the 1960s and '70s, they can't recall a time when Bob Hope wasn't on television or entertaining the troops. Who didn't groan at his corny one-liners? And yet, who can forget his boundless energy, generosity to his fellow performers and superb showmanship? Although I was never a huge…
On the Radar: Jobsite stages Dead Man’s Cell Phone, by hot-right-now playwright Sarah Ruhl
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming events to mark your calendars for. When it comes to quirky, thought-provoking theater, the folks at Jobsite rarely disappoint, and their latest production looks to be right in their aesthetic wheelhouse. Written by Sarah Ruhl, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for The Clean House, Dead Man’s Cell…
Do It This Weekend: St. Pete’s City Scramble scavenger hunt, The Vagina Monologues at American Stage, restART show at Orpheum, a team poetry slam and more
Saturday's City Scramble is The Amazing Race, St. Pete-style. The five-mile race pits teams of two people (no more, no less) against each other to scamper around St. Petersburg (strictly by foot) looking for clues and completing challenges. And what’s a scavenger hunt/race these days without the use of digital devices? Teams have to take…
On the Radar: Sacred Sounds Team Poetry Slam Competition
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming events to mark your calendars for. On Saturday, enjoy the art of spoken word and some fierce performance poetry at the Sacred Sounds Team Poetry Slam Competition. Four poetry teams from around the state compete with their best rhymes and lyrical prose for a prize of…
How many gallons of oil have spewed forth so far?: There’s a widget for that
According to this Huffington Post article: "The numbers on how much oil has been flowing out of the Deepwater Horizon well have varied wildly since it sank on April 22. At the low end, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated 210,000 gallons (5,000 barrels) were flowing into the Gulf per day, which was the…
Police chiefs from around the country come to Washington to express concerns about Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law
The current recession (if we're still in one) began officially in December of 2007. Some economists say we're no longer in it, and talk about the growth we've seen as an indication that the country is every so slightly getting its economic legs back. But unemployment remains at levels not seen since the 1970's in…
CD review: Black Tusk, Taste the Sin
Savannah is apparently becoming a new blip on the metal music radar as of late. Hometowners Baroness released The Blue Record last year to across-the-board, critical praise, and rightfully so. For a genre so muddled in one-trick-poniness, The Blue Record ‘s unrestrained creative scope and fucking brutal delivery could easily serve as a songwriting-by-numbers for…
Has the campaign to find the Tampa Bay Rays a new ballpark begun?
Hours before the Tampa Bay Rays invaded the country's media capital last week and dismantled the New York Yankees two nights in a row, the group charged with assessing the Rays' stadium needs was presenting its final report to the Hillsborough County Commission. Craig Sher and Alan Bomstein from A Baseball Coalition (ABC) spoke about…
Key West residents express anger over oil spill through graffiti
Tensions are flying high in the Florida Keys as we approach the 40th day of the oil gusher from the Deep Horizon rig; local residents have taken to graffiti to express anger towards BP (that has 65% interest in the rig). The acts of vandalism may be in response to reports of tar balls washing…
X-rated fan mail: Rebecca responds to your questions
As a voice for alternative lifestyles, I get a lot of emails with questions regarding how to handle certain sexual situations. Here are two recent ones I thought interesting enough to share, along with my advice. So…it's that time of month for your wife…she starts a day later than usual because her birth control dose…
Movie review: Sex and the City 2, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Peter Noth and John Corbett (with trailer video)
[Editor's Note: For reviews of all the latest blockbuster releases, check out the Daily Loaf Movie Review Index.] The release of the first Sex and the City movie served as a cultural moment for women in America. Sure it paled in comparison to suffrage and Sally Ride, but for a May weekend in 2008, women…
Bad news for Dems: As more jobs have been created by the stimulus plan (accd. to CBO), more Americans don’t think it was worth it
With financial reform to be negotiated in the next couple of weeks, Congressional Democrats may have three measures that they can talk about achieving on the campaign trail this summer and fall. In addition to looking like they've done something to combat Wall Street excess, the two signature achievements the Obama Democrats have passed is…
Tonight at Skipper’s Smokehouse: British reggae toaster/singer Pato Banton and the Now Generation
British reggae musician Pato Banton [pictured left, photo by Phil Bardi.] is an effervescent showman who sings, toasts, raps, talks and generally encourages his fans to join him all throughout his concerts, even going so far as invite his most enthusiastic ones to perform on stage with him. His energy is intoxicating, and his songs…
Tampa Bay Lightning name Steve Yzerman General Manager
It was announced in a press conference Tuesday at the St Pete Times Forum that NHL Hall of Fame member Steve Yzerman will be the 6th general manager in team history. In making the announcement, Lightning owner Jeff Vinik said he "came to the very strong conclusion that Steve is the right man to bring…
Wednesday-music.com indie music profile: Tame Impala (with video)
A few years ago, Perth, Western Australia native Kevin Parker (vocals, guitar, drums) formed his first band, Dee Dee Drums. In 2007 after winning a few band competitions (apparently those are big in Australia), he changed the name to Tame Impala and changed the line up to include childhood friend Dominic Simper (bass guitar) and…
Restaurant Review: The Hangar Restaurant and Flight Lounge
The Hangar Restaurant and Flight Lounge 3 stars 541 First St. SE, St. Petersburg, 727-823-7767 or thehangarstpete.com The new Hangar Restaurant and Flight Lounge at downtown St. Petersburg’s Albert Whitted Airport is an interesting choice for Steve Westphal’s third bayfront eatery. His Parkshore Grill blazed a trail for new concepts on Beach Boulevard, and 400…
CD review: The Expendables, Prove It (with video)
On Prove It — the fifth installment of The Expendables album stash — the punk rocking Santa Cruz outfit continues to prove their ability to blend distinctly different sounds: emphatic, mosh-ready metal and smooth, message-ridden reggae. From the first chord played on the album’s opening track “How Many Times,” the reggae metalheads jam out their…
Grief, mourning, and sex
When I was 21-years-old someone close to me was murdered. As a way of coping with my grief, I turned to sex as a means to feel. This was the first time, though not the last, that mourning impacted my sexuality (the emotional, intellectual, and physical aspect of sexual attraction and expression). I became completely…
It Happened This Week-ish: Lindsay Lohan goes to court in a porn-suit, Megan Fox bows out of Transformers 3? Justin Bieber loses fight with a door (video) and Tila drops the Tequila
First and foremost, I want to apologize for being a couple days late this week-ish. Sunday night was a wash, thanks to four and half hours of Lost and I was still reeling from my island-style tearfest on Monday, so here we are and I finally have some news for you on Wednesday morning. Enjoy.…
BP decides not use hair booms for oil cleanup
Concerned citizens trying to do what little they can to help clean up the BP oil spill have hit a setback: According to an Associated Press story, BP and the U.S. Coast Guard have stated that they will not be using hair booms to absorb the oil. Organizations like Matter of Trust have been collecting…
Rick Scott debuts his live act in Tampa, Bill Nelson calls on the military to take over control of oil spill problem in the Gulf, and President Obama responds to cries of protecting the border on illegal immigration: Mitch Perry Report 5.26.10
We have a round-up of much of the news on the oil spill and how it affected Florida yesterday. We're not sure if Bill Nelson's call for the military to take over the clean up operation of the spill makes sense, but the man obviously isn't content to just complain about the situation; Perhaps later…
Bill Nelson is a one man news machine as BP and government officials fear if ‘top-kill’ doesn’t work, oil spill will continue until August
Florida U.S. Senator Bill Nelson was a busy man on Tuesday. The Democrat called on the president to put the military in charge of the cleanup in the Gulf. He also wrote a letter to Governor Charlie Crist, saying that he should demand that he get going on calling for a special session in the…
On the Radar: The City Scramble, St. Pete’s own version of The Amazing Race
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming arts events to mark your calendars for. Saturday's City Scramble is The Amazing Race, St. Pete-style. The five-mile race pits teams of two people (no more, no less) against each other to scamper around St. Petersburg (strictly by foot) looking for clues and completing challenges. And…
Do It Today: Pato Banton’s reggae at Skipper’s, Monsters in the Mangroves at Super7
British reggae musician Pato Banton is an effervescent showman who sings, toasts, raps, talks and generally encourages his fans to join him all throughout his concerts, even going so far as invite his most enthusiastic fans on stage to perform with him. His energy is intoxicating, and his songs carry messages of love, peace, anti-materialism,…
Rick Scott challenged on his past at Columbia/HCA during first campaign appearance
Rick Scott is a 57-year-old resident of Naples who has dropped approximately $6 million into the Republican race for governor since entering the race less than seven weeks ago, and is already running a competitive race against long time front-runner Bill McCollum. He's a health care executive best known nationally for opposing health care reform…
Volunteer for Reverb’s summer music concert Eco-Villages (and watch the headlining acts for free)
Reverb, the non-profit organization that "greens" music tours, is looking for eco-conscious volunteers to man their Eco-Villages during some big name concerts this summer. The Eco-Villages are set up to give concertgoers an education in being greener through environmental displays and interactive activities. These Eco-Villages host other environmental organizations as well, and even offer a…
Obama to request $500 million for border security and add 1,200 agents to southern border (with video of Arizona state Senator calling for new immigration bill in Arizona)
The Washington Post is reporting this afternoon that President Obama plans to announce that he wants to add 1,200 National Guard troops to the southern border and request $500 million in extra money for border security. It's in direct response to Republican criticism that he needs to do more about border security before working on…
CD review: The National, High Violet (with video)
Though The National has enjoyed some widespread attention — Barack Obama selected "Fake Empire" and "Mr. November" as campaign songs, and Google featured the band in one of their infamous, first-ever commercials to the point that it seems like the ad was more of an endorsement for the band than for the search engine —…
Previously on Lost: “The End”
[Editor's Note: For more on Lost, check out the CL Lost podcast.] Ah, the end. The tears weren't flowing as freely as I thought they would during Sunday night's hours-long extravaganza. But I feel truly saddened that such an entertaining piece of culture has come to an end (and truly saddened about how geeky that…
Ybor mystery cars: High art? Viral marketing?
Has anyone else seen this, or any other hyper-colored, breakfast-branded cars around the Bay Area as of late? CL staffers have recently spotted Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, Reese's Cups and other brand-themed vehicles around our offices. What's the deal? Big, comprehensive art piece on corporate takeover in America? Viral marketing? Some dude who just really…
Andrew Silverstein – Contributor
Andrew Silverstein is a hungry college student fueled by a blazing inner-cocktail of espresso-laced coffee, brotherly love and an endless loathing of stoplights. The scroll the University of South Florida gives him this upcoming December mentions some shenanigans about being a "journalist" or something. Between me and you though, it’s just a guise to ask…
Music DVD review: Tobacco, Fucked Up Friends Part 2 (with video)
To accompany the music of Black Moth Super Rainbow and Tobacco a strange series of hilarious, violent, random, and disarming found-footage projected behind the band during their live performances was released in 2007; that sequence constituted Tobacco’s (aka Tom Fec, aka Black Moth Super Rainbow) Fucked Up Friends DVD. The sequel Fucked Up Friends Part…
Sen. Robert Menendez to propose unlimited liability for oil companies
According to the Huffington Post, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) will propose a bill this afternoon that will require oil companies to be fully liable for any economic damages that are a result of a spill. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 sets the current cap on liability at $75 million for "holders of leases or…
CD review: David Cross, Bigger & Blackerer
If you aren't into fringe/hipster comedy, David Cross is that weird guy with glasses who always used to crop up in the cooler shows and movies—the loser clerk from Men in Black, the loser husband from Arrested Development, the loser whatever from a million different episodes of a million different above-average sitcoms. If you are…
New music releases out this Tuesday, May 25: Stone Temple Pilots, Widespread Panic, Far, Crystal Castles, Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band and more (with video + audio)
This week’s new music releases. To see last week’s breakdown of releases (out May 18), click here; and for releases out May 11, click here. Marc Antony, Iconos (Sony) Black Tusk, Taste The Sin (Relapste) Sludge rock from Savannah; stay tuned for a review… Crystal Castles, Crystal Castles (Fiction) The second self-titled album from the…
Crist spokesperson: No timetable on when we’ll get $25 million from BP
Thirty five days since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico, and over two weeks since BP announced it would give $25 million to Florida for a marketing campaign, state lawmakers and others in the Sunshine State are expressing frustration about what's the hold-up with that $25 million, which they…
Florida’s Race to the Top for federal education funding
Congresswoman Kathy Castor, and leaders in Tampa Bay education are optimistic about their chances of winning Phase two in the Race to the Top fund. Florida’s application for Phase two will be its second, and final chance of receiving federal funding for Florida schools. Applications for Phase two are due Thursday, May 27. Up to…
Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council weighs in on conflicting messages regarding offshore drilling
In October of 2009, this Tampa City Council passed a resolution opposing the expansion of offshore oil drilling within 3 miles of the coast of Florida and asking the Governor not to call a special session to create new legislation in favor of drilling. The Governor is now calling for a special session to ban…
Sweden’s Leonard Kaage embarks on an East Coast U.S. tour, and stops in St. Petersburg are included (video)
In the summer of 2008, indie neo-folk artist Leonard Kaage began recording some of his songs. He'd played music for a long time and been involved in many bands before then, but he never contributed any of his own songwriting or lyrics. His 2008 recordings became the five-song Time EP, which Leonard printed and released…
Ed Hardy condoms designed to prevent douche-bag babies
Like a fashion STD, Ed Hardy has expanded into every form of merchandise from lip gloss, to hand sanitizer, to champagne. While it has been branded as the official douche uniform, thus losing much of its appeal to trendy clubsters, Ed Hardy continues to be purchased by the lowest form of douche-bag—-the imitation douche who…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events: Memorial Day 2010 edition
Wednesday, May 26: The NoHo Bistro Wine Wednesdays. The wine and tapas change weekly, so come back regularly and bring your BFFs, blind dates, co-workers, boy/girlfriends or, hell, someone else’s boyfriend. $15 for two glasses of wine paired with two tapas. 1714 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa (813-514-0691) Thursday, May 27: SideBern's Grill & Chill BBQ.…
Public anger spews as much as the oil in the Gulf; Tampa to get screwed over on Super Bowl? And Kendrick Meek will vote to repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’:Mitch Perry Report 5.25.10
Lots more to report on the gigantic oil spill that seems like will never stop; Kendrick Meek is one Florida Democrat in the House that will vote to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell' And the 2014 Super Bowl site will be announced today. It will be a major upset if Tampa knocks off New York/New…
As Congress prepares to tackle “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, Kendrick Meek says it’s time to repeal the law
reports this morning that Congress could vote on repealing the "don't ask, don't tell" policy by the end of this week. That doesn't mean there are necessarily the votes in the House or Senate to repeal the measure, but simply that through negotiations, it will come up on the floor. When it does, Miami Democratic…
As oil spill continues to flow, new poll shows public blames BP, but Obama administration reaction also looked at critically
The Pew Research Center for People & The Press has a big new poll out on a number of issues regarding the body politic. Towards the end it asks Americans about the oil gusher in the Gulf. 44% say BP has done a poor job in handling the crises, with 26% rating it only as…
Amendment 4 (Hometown Democracy) roundtable debate at SPC: Wednesday, May 26
Amendment 4, a topic affecting all Floridians is up for vote this November. The citizens have a huge stake in growth decisions that will influence our community's future. St. Petersburg College's Clearwater Campus (2465 Drew Street, Clearwater, Florida) will host an Amendment 4 round-table debate in the Fine Arts Auditorium, Wednesday, May 26, 2010 beginning…
Will county commissioners let developers spoil aquatic preserve and destroy wildlife habitat on the Little Manatee River?
Developers want to kill 250 trees (half have trunks over 1 foot in diameter!) and bulldoze wildlife habitat, spoiling a breathtakingly beautiful part of the Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve, just to build eight houses where they don't belong: on a fragile, skinny mangrove-lined sand-spit, sticking out into the middle of the Little Manatee River at…
David Byrne sues Governor Charlie Crist
According to Billboard, Talking Heads frontman David Byrne filed a civil suit early Monday afternoon against Florida Governor and Senate candidate Charlie Crist. Byrne is seeking $1 million in damages after Crist and his senatorial campaign used the Talking Heads' 1985 song "Road to Nowhere" in an attack ad against his then-opponent, Marco Rubio, in…
On the Radar: restART show at Orpheum
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming arts events to mark your calendars for. Spring into summer (since the heatwave is already here) with some kickass art and music at the restART Spring Forward Show at The Orpheum. It’s the equivalent of the Bat Signal for hipsters, with more than 25 vis-artists showcasing…
Do It Today: Gil Mantera brings Spandexed stripper moves to the stage at Crowbar, a wrap party for Hair and a book signing for The Cigar Maker
Ohio’s Gil Mantera's Party Dream (pictured), the electro synth-pop duo-turned-trio — guitarist/singer Ultimate Donny and keyboardist/vocoder singer Gil Mantera brought on drummer A.E. Paterra as an official touring member after the three recorded 2009’s Dreamscape — throws outrageous dance parties with their bizarre WWE-meets-strip club-meets-performance art antics, complete with spandex, gold chains and bare-chested masculinity…
NFL owners to rue the day if they award Super Bowl to New Jersey
At 4 p.m. on Tuesday the NFL Network will broadcast live from Irving, Texas the announcement about what region of the country will get to host 2014 – New York/New Jersey, Tampa, or Miami. Or, excuse me, "South Florida," as the NFL advertises Miami, so as to make the folks in Palm Beach and Broward…
Content ownership, who holds it on Facebook
Your intention was to share a snapshot of hilarity or to show off your great photography skills, but what you didn’t intend was Facebook co-owning the material that you uploaded. In the Terms & Conditions, Facebook states that using the site means you agree that the company can use your material for commercial, royalty-free purposes.…
Jessica Respondek – Contributor
Jessica Respondek was raised an average Midwestern girl whose family relocated to Florida when she was 10 years old. While Jessica has not always been consciously "green," she has always been frugal as taught by her grandmother who lived through the Great Depression. After living in various places like Wahiawa, HI and Daufuskie Island, SC, the environment caught…
Debra Lynn Dadd
Debra Lynn Dadd has been a leading authority on nontoxic and green living since 1982. She is the author of Home Safe Home and Really Green, and has an extensive website with a Q&A blog and large directory of websites that sell green products. Debra has also been studying sustainability since 1987 and is working…
Patrick Donovan – Contributor
Pat Donovan grew up in Wareham Massachusetts a lifelong New York Giants, New York Mets and Los Angeles Lakers fan (it's a long story). Shortly after moving to Tampa, Pat began his career in sports broadcasting co-hosting a couple of shows and covering teams in town including the Tampa Bay Devil Rays starting in 2007.…
Lisa Custer – Contributor
Lisa is a native of Florida who appreciates its ecosystem and beauty. She believes firmly in living an eco-friendly lifestyle and is busy raising her young son to do the same. She runs the website GoingGreenTampa, a directory of Tampa area businesses and events that are eco-friendly. She hopes the site will make it easier for others…
CL Sound Bites: The Roots & Monsters of Folk, Bret Michaels, Rock n’ Roll Excess, and more (with video)
Kick off your week with some of today's top headlines in music. Listen: The Roots and Monsters of Folk collaborate on a new track, "Dear God 2.0." The folks over at Pitchfork have just released an exclusive track from The Roots' forthcoming LP, How I Got Over, which features the fine lads from indie supergroup…
BP prepares ‘top kill’ in next plan to plug oil well
It has been more than one month after the Deepwater Horizon explosion, and BP is still attempting to find a way to stop oil from pouring out into the Gulf of Mexico. BP's latest endeavor involves a complex process called a "top kill," wherein thick drilling mud and cement (heavier than oil or water) will…
Alex Sink calls on President Obama to have federal government take over oil spill response
(UPDATE – read below) As oil continues to gush out of the well from the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon incident at a level that nobody truly knows, Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink today called on the Obama administration to in effect, nationalize BP to allow for the government to take over the response…
CL Feature: Alexander and The Grapes, a melodic alt-country foursome that supports Andy Matchett and the Minks at New World Brewery on Saturday
Opening acts seldom get begged for encores, especially the locally-brewed variety. But a few days into the new decade, on-the-rise Bay area group Alexander and The Grapes earned lengthy applause and hearty shouts for more after their support set for Gainesville art rockers Clock Hands Strangle came to an end. What makes it even more…
When people think about Facebook, the last thing on their minds is security and privacy
How secure do you feel your information really is? Facebook has many perks—albeit the reasons have become a little clichéd. People can connect with old friends, stay in touch with family and create and invite people to events and parties (while saving paper and stamps in the process). The site has also become an all…
Sign up for Gulf alert SMS text messaging
The Unified Area Command is launching a new text message alert system for public use today. Anyone may sign up to get alerts of interest from the Deepwater Horizon/BP Response Team. Text message alerts are organized by both information categories and by state. Below is a list of key words for text messaging. These will…
CL Party Pics: Red Square at Orpheum (5-22-10)
After a week break DJs Rig and Noi are back to sink or swim Red Square Saturdays. That's right: another packed Saturday night at the Orpheum. The Party: Red Square Saturdays at the Orpheum in Ybor City. $12 all you can drink, sink or swim well liquors and draft PBR. This club is 18 and…
CL’s Lost Podcast: Season 6, Ep. 16 “The End”
Welcome back, fans of the CL's Lost podcast! On today's podcast, the crew of Host Joe, London, Ham Gravy, Fat Jesus and Producer Stephen attempt to make sense of Lost's grand finale, entitled "The End." We hope you like what you hear. And please check back Wednesday evening for one more, final Lost podcast where…
Theater Review: Stageworks’ Eurydice, starring Dahlia Legault and Dayton Sinkia, is strange and true
Eurydice (pronounced you-rid-ih-see) is a lovely poem of a play, a meditation on death and memory that has the elusiveness and allusiveness of a dream. What author Sarah Ruhl gives us in this unusual work, brilliantly staged by Karla Hartley of Stageworks, is a narrative that doesn’t mean anything in particular, but instead exists, as…
Mike Corcoran – Contributor
A self described sports nut specializing in hockey, I have covered the Lightning for the past two years and also worked in AM sports radio, mostly as a producer. I also created and co-hosted my own hockey show. I've had the opportunity to cover a Superbowl, a World Series and a plethora of Rays games.…
Tampa Bay Lightning search for a new front office
First things first, for all of you familiar with my radio work or my work covering the Lightning, thank you for following me over to Creative Loafing. For those of you that have no idea how you got here and are looking for a movie review, welcome to you as well, stick around a bit,…
Paula Dockery drops out of GOP race for governor in Florida (video)
Lakeland Republican State Senator Paula Dockery has dropped out of the Republican race for Governor this morning. In a statement, Dockery said: “It is with mixed feelings that I end my campaign to be your next governor. People who know me know I’m a tenacious fighter unafraid of long odds, especially when the stakes are…
Using permaculture to grow a food forest in Tarpon Springs (video)
For over a year I've been involved in planning and working on a food forest in Tarpon Springs. The goal of this project has been to develop a self sustaining system that can provide food and fuel for the local community. With a fantastic benefactor I've been allotted an of acre space and funds to…
Campaign to rid military of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” comes to Tampa, Hillsborough Republicans have a battle for the nomination to face Kathy Castor, and Kendrick Meek takes home one big endorsement and shares another:Mitch Perry Report 5.24.10
Last night in Tampa, there was an event to rally people to persuade the military and the Obama administration to dump the "Don't Ask,Don't Tell" policy on gays in the military, as CL's Alexis Chamberlain reports: Kendrick Meek took home one key endorsement over the weekend and shared another with Charlie Crist; On Saturday, the…
Meek secures AFL-CIO endorsement after “rousing” speech
It was an interesting weekend for Kendrick Meek, and Florida politics overall. The Miami based Democratic Congressman gave what the Palm Beach Post reported over the weekend as a "rousing" speech to delegates at the Florida AFL-CIO convention in Jacksonville, and ended up being endorsed by the labor group. No surprise for the federation to…
Tampa Bay veterans and citizens gather to support “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal
While serving as a military police officer for three years, Kyle O’Donnell constantly lived in fear. He lied about where he was going, who he was with, and above all, about his sexuality. At age 25, O’Donnell suffered from high blood pressure because of this fear and ultimately left the military. The reason? “Don’t Ask,…
Box set review: The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street remastered re-issue
Musicians want their recordings to sound like it. Hipsters want to live in its back alleys. Stones fans pray that the band has another one like this left in them. The mythical Exile on Main Street has grown to these proportions since its release 38 years ago. The reason is simple: this is the sound…
Do It Today: new exhibits at the HCC Ybor Art Gallery and the Florida Holocaust Museum
is a photographic mixed-media installation by HCC grad and Michigan artist Ginger Owen-Murakami, who says of the exhibit's inspiration that "the origin of a unique human experience is comprised of the immediate family, inherited DNA, indiviudal, communal and domestic histories. These networks of family structure create shared, human experiences. The work is a quasi-autobiographical story…
On the Radar: Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues at American Stage
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming events to mark your calendars for. It’s sought-after by some, taboo to others and, according to playwright Eve Ensler, empowering to women. Yes, it’s the vagina, the titular star of Ensler’s much-performed play The Vagina Monologues, in which women of different ages and backgrounds perform monologues…
What is your sex style?
While I proclaim to be a ridem', suckem', fuckem' kinda gal, I do love sex in slow gentle motions as well. Sex is perceived in a multitude of ways. I have met with many styles of sexual encounters over my short lifetime. I know I can't possibly cover all possible scenarios and styles, but here…
Productivity begins with a mouse: Web applications to assist in your time efficiency
Productivity beings with a mouse. I don't care how big of a business you are, how small of an entrepreneur you are, or how much freelance work you do; in favor of getting things done, I would say a mouse is at the top of the list. Many of you would argue that a computer is necessary (after all,…
Eddie Adams Jr. beats out Mike Prendergast in Hillsborough GOP straw poll
It's increasingly looking like there could be some suspense on August 24th for the Republican nomination for Congress in District 11, in the seat currently head by Democrat Kathy Castor. Eddie Adams Jr. has been the party standard bearer in both 2006 and 2008 against Castor, and lost badly in both elections. Now as he…
Breaking News: Los Angeles to boycott themselves
Well, not really. But they should, at least if they want to maintain even the most basic degree of consistency. As it turns out, California's Penal Code, Section 834b is eerily similar to the controversial new Arizona law regarding illegal immigration. You'd think that Los Angeles and San Francisco officials would have thought their cunning…
Kevin’s Korner: Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Megan Fox gets canned, MIB 3 and more!
Kevin's Korner is your weekly wrap-up of all things Hollywood. There was plenty of news this week, including casting changes, 3-D updates, a LeBeouf mea culpa and so much more. I also have your box office report and a great trailer of the week. So, let's get started with the news, and add a side…
Get Lost Sunday, or you’ll be lost Monday
[Editor's Note: For even more about Lost, check out the CL Lost Podcast.] It feels appropriate that the culmination of Lost will be revealed on a Sunday. After all, the show we’ve been watching religiously since 2004 has spent this season setting us up for Desmond to be the Christ-like figure that will save the…
FEA splits the baby in half- Florida’s largest teacher’s union endorses Kendrick Meek AND Charlie Crist
The Florida Education Association is perhaps the state's most powerful public employee union, and they asserted themselves with a vengeance earlier this year when their members cajoled Governor Charlie Crist into vetoing Senate Bill 6, the John Thrasher led education reform bill that most of the education community in Florida opposed. The FEA hailed Crist…
On the Radar: USF’s Honors Theater offers Adam Rapp’s Animals and Plants
Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview upcoming events to mark your calendars for. Seinfeld showed us that a show about nothing could actually be pretty darn entertaining, heck, even legendary. Animals and Plants, a play by the award-winning writer Adam Rapp being staged this weekend by USF Honors Theater, seems to follow suit.…
CL’s Friday afternoon dance party: a playlist to kick off the weekend
Back in the good old days, the Edit department began a tradition of celebrating the end of the week with a Friday afternoon "dance party" — in sum, a playlist to kick off the weekend. Sometimes it was thematic (like rain songs for a gray day, or songs as covered by the artists who didn't…
House candidates in Florida state district 47 debate in Tampa
It was a crowded group of candidates sitting on the dais Friday afternoon at a debate for the Florida House District 47 seat in Hillsborough County being vacated by Republican Kevin Ambler, who is running for state senate. The 5 Republicans running include Rich Reidy, a legislative aide to County Commissioner Ken Hagan, attorney James…
Reel Projections podcast: Racing Dreams, MacGruber, Florida filmmaker Todd Thompson and more …
For more movie news and reviews, check out the CL index of movie posts. Click here to listen to Reel Projections — Episode 19: Racing Dreams speeds into first! We're back for another installment of the Reel Projections podcast, the only CL podcast detailing the week's biggest theatrical movie releases, DVD and Blu-ray offerings and…
Pappas Ranch: A glimpse of a community’s locally produced food economy
Since September of 2009, I've been working at Pappas Ranch, known for their unique blend of Greek and American style barbecue. I'm not going to waste my time or yours going on about how delicious the food is or about the creative decor, or even about the weekly country bands that come in to perform.…
CL’s Lost Podcast — Bonus Edition: a preview of “The End”
Welcome back, fans of the CL's Lost podcast! Today, we have a special abbreviated version of the podcast, during which the crew of Host Joe, London, Ham Gravy, Fat Jesus and Producer Stephen offer their predictions for the series finale of Lost, entitled "The End." This podcast is only about 6 minutes long, meaning you…
Movie Review: Marshall Curry’s Racing Dreams, starring Annabeth Barnes, Joshua Hobson and Brandon Warren (with trailer video)
[Editor's Note: For more reviews of the summer's biggest movies, check out the Daily Loaf Movie Review Index.] Every sport has a junior level; a place for kids with talent to hone their game before deciding whether to pursue a professional career. There are peewee football, baseball and hockey leagues offering structured learning all across…
This weekend’s best bets in Bay area music: Her Name Is Victory, Jonny Lang, Between the Trees, Benjy Davis Project, Blind Buddy Moody, Cute Is What We Aim For, and more
The following is a quick breakdown of this weekend’s worthiest live music offerings from Friday through Sunday. For a more comprehensive schedule, check out our Upcoming Concerts page FRIDAY, MAY 21 Her Name Is Victory [pictured] w/Life of Pi/The Future Now/Solia Tera A bill featuring some top-notch local alt rock acts, from the straightforward, keyboard-laced…
Eco-friendly fashion: How is vintage clothing ‘green’?
“When we think about global warming, growing cancer rates, deepening poverty in some of the world's poorest countries, and even increasing chemical sensitivities, our clothes closets are probably not the first villain that comes to mind, but our clothes can be a significant, quiet co-conspirator,” says organicconsumer.org. Fortunately for the image-conscious, protecting the environment for…
Previously on Lost: “What They Died For”
[Editor's Note: For more on Lost, check out the CL Lost Podcast.] Shortly after 9 p.m. on Tuesday night, a wave of all-consuming panic washed over me. How can they possibly pack in enough answers in "What They Died For" to prepare me for the finale? Why are they wasting time on Jack's kinda-creepy son instead of…
Video/film artist Jesper Just poses provocative questions at Tampa Museum of Art’s “Pride & Passion”
Last week, I was walking through the newly redesigned Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa when a friend stopped me in my tracks. Pointing to a crowded playground in front of the Tampa Museum of Art, he said, “Those kids are going to grow up expecting this.” By “this” he meant not only the…
3 Guys & The Quest for the Holy FAIL — The Podcast: SNL‘s Will Forte and Kristen Wiig in MacGruber
The 3 Guys have sacrificed their sanity in the search for the worst crap ever committed to celluloid, and we bring it to you — mixed with alcohol and a sense of humor, of course. As we were searching for new, ">FAIL-worthy movies to review, we caught the trailer for MacGruber — a movie spoof…
It’s back to jail for LiLo: While Lindsay Lohan parties at Cannes, judge issues an arrest warrant
Lindsay Lohan is pretty much famous for being an idiot, but this time she seems to have outdone herself. Apparently she didn't get enough of jail in 2007 when she spent a whole 84 minutes in there. A judge issued an arrest warrant and set bail at $100,000 because Ms. Lohan failed to show up to…
Mexican President calls out U.S. on gun laws, Pasco Republicans want to give Mike Fasano the boot for still supporting Charlie Crist, and a former Black Panther to speak in Ybor City: Mitch Perry Report:5.21.10
Pasco County's Mike Fasano has always been held in good enough esteem by the voters in his district to be their representative and now state senator since 1994; But because he continues to support Charlie Crist for governor, Pasco Republican officials want him out of the party; Mexican President Calderon alienated Republicans yesterday when he…
Pasco Republican party to State Senator Mike Fasano: Get your Charlie Crist lovin’ tail out of here
The St. Petersburg Times' Jodie Tillman reports this morning that the Pasco County Republican Executive Committee has begun proceedings to attempt to exile New Port Richey State Senator Mike Fasano from the Republican Party (of Pasco? Florida? The United States?) for his sin of continuing to support their former standard bearer, Charlie Crist, who three…
From oil in Iraq to China’s REEs: Why we haven’t learned our lesson on foreign dependency
The US and her allies have been battling oil prices and politics for decades, and we have to wonder if the recent increase in green energy popularity is aligned with the Iraq war and increasing oil prices rather than the much debated global warming. The plentiful supply of oil and cheap access in the Middle…
Mexican President’s call to renew assault weapons ban draws some cheers but no action from Congress
Conservatives have been in a tizzy this week with the audacity of Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who both Wednesday and again during a joint session to Congress on Thursday listed his objections to Arizona's controversial new anti-illegal immigration measure (which still hasn't actually gone into effect yet). But what apparently isn't that controversial is the…
The Grind podcast 5/20- Burrell booted, fan banned, and Buccaneer blackouts
Has it been a week, already? Welcome to The Grind's second voyage into the world of cyber-sports talk mediocrity. Apparently, the good folks at Creative Loafing Tampa have yet to hear last Thursday's show because they're letting us do it again. Suckers. Today, Flip and Bill grab this week's top 10 sports stories, turn them upside-down,…
Top Chef Masters Podcast, Ep. 7: Tailgate or FAILgate?
This week on Top Chef Masters, we're down to six chefs: Rick Moonen, Susan Feniger, Marcus Samuelsson, Susur Lee, Jonathan Waxman, and Tony Mantuano. As I've questioned in prior posts, "Where are they coming up with these challenges and guest judges?!" These Quickfire Challenges just seem to get more and more ridiculous, for example, this…
Castor re-files bill that would permanently ban oil drilling off the coast of Florida
Tampa area Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor re-filed her Florida Coastal Protection Act bill today, which would prohibit oil drilling, leasing, preleasing and any related activities off the Gulf coast and the Straits of Florida. Castor filed the bill to ban oil drilling and leasing activities permanently (Currently the law banning offshore drilling 235 miles off…
3 Guys & Glee — The Podcast: Ep. 19, “Dream On” (with episode video)
The 3 Guys & Glee crew are back this week to talk about the epic episode known as "Dream On." On the podcast, we discuss guest star Neil Patrick Harris and director Joss Whedon, along with getting into the drama, comedy, heart and, of course, the music. This all comes with a healthy does of…
50 Cent to play Jannus Live in St. Petersburg
Just got this press release from Jannus Live about the latest hot show the venue has booked: 50 Cent. The superstar rap artist stops in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, June 16; tickets are $47.50 and go on sale tomorrow at 10 a.m. This show will sell out despite the inflated ticket prices. Here's the full…
Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission meet to discuss oil spill
Sadie Hewitt The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) met before a crowd of over 100 in St. Petersburg Beach yesterday to discuss the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the effects it will have should it reach Florida’s coastline. Commissioners concerned about the economic impacts of the spill reiterated throughout the meeting that Florida…
Cavaliers fans beg LeBron James to stay in Cleveland… in song (video)
When you think of desperation in sports, you generally think of the Hail Mary pass or the last-second heave from half-court as time expires. Well, the city of Cleveland has set a new standard for desperation… and they’ve done so musically. Have you ever been so distraught about a break-up that you filmed a video…
This ain’t your father’s sex manual – or your mother’s
I’m not sure why people publish sex manuals. Do we really need books to tell us how to do it? Either you can or you can’t and if you have to interrupt the act of physical love to refer to Chapter 7, Subsection 6, then you’re talking about a real mood killer. Still . .…
Oil spill in Gulf 20x worse than BP says? Hillsborough Commissioners hear about Rays stadium issues, and Michael Savage goes off on fellow right wing talk show hosts:Mitch Perry Report:5.20.10
Lots of news as its now been a month since that massive oil spill in the gulf began- and the news doesn't really get much better; A group claiming to be working on securing sites in Tampa for a possible new home for a stadium for the Tampa Bay Rays makes an announcement; And conservative…
Scientist says oil spill is leaking 100,000 barrels of oil a day — not BP’s estimate of 5,000
Today is the one month anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf, and the news isn't really getting any better – if anything, it's getting worse. For example? Try yesterday at the House Energy Subcommittee meeting, where Steve Wereley, an engineering professor at Purdue University, said after studying a videotape of a…
Celebrating a new national holiday: American Craft Beer Week
"This isn't one of those fake holidays. No, this is officially sanctioned by Congress, as of 2006. Which in my book makes it the equal to the separation of church and state." —Steven Colbert It may seem a little silly to print out and sign a "Declaration of Beer Independence," like that provided by the…
National amnesia
Aging is one reason for forgetfulness. What’s the Tea Party’s excuse?
TMA’s new show, like the museum itself, poses some provocative questions
Last week, I was walking through the newly redesigned Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park in downtown Tampa when a friend stopped me in my tracks. Pointing to a crowded playground in front of the Tampa Museum of Art, he said, "Those kids are going to grow up expecting this." By "this" he meant not only the…
Snug pub, okay grub at Dunedin Brewery
Food places a distant second to beer at Dunedin Brewery’s casual pub.
The bumpy ride to light rail in Tampa
Hillsborough voters will get their final say in November, but the public debates have already begun.
Did Native Americans cut off the noses of adulterous wives?
Is it true Native Americans cut off the noses of adulterous wives? Sounds like European propaganda about "savages." —Lisa W. Evidently some did, which unarguably is savage behavior. But how best to define the group of savages we're talking about? Candidates: 1. Native Americans. 2. The human race. Seriously, you ever hear of cocker spaniels…
I’m cheating on my husband whose dying of cancer
Woman feels guilty about cheating on cancer-stricken husband.By Dan Savage
Megan Fox won’t return for Michael Bay’s Transformers 3
After the behind the scenes drama during the Transformers 2 shoot, Michael Bay was looking for a scapegoat, and he found one … very sexy, mutated-thumbed actress Megan Fox. ET has announced that Fox will not be back for the slightly anticipated (though not by CL's Joe Bardi) Transformers 3. Do you think it was…
CL’s Lost Podcast: Season 6, Ep. 15 “What They Died For”
Welcome back, fans of the CL's Lost podcast! For this week's episode, Host Joe was joined by London, Ham Gravy, Fat Jesus and Producer Stephen as we discussed the penultimate episode of Lost, "What They Died For." Something special this week: There will be a second, abbreviated Lost Podcast posted late Friday in which we…
Michael Savage savages fellow conservative talk show hosts Beck and Limbaugh
Anybody listen to Rush Limbaugh lately? In my (still relatively) new job, I'm able to get out and listen to the radio at lunchtime. In addition to checking out Amy Goodman or Jim Rome, I'll occasionally move the dial to El Rushbo for some midday comic relief. But the massive oil spill in the Gulf…
Tonight’s Top Chef Masters preview: Getting a “leg” up on the competition
We're down to six chef'testants on Top Chef Masters and the ridiculous challenges are not stopping any time soon. The theme of the Quickfire is "legs" and the chefs have to cook a dish containing "leg proteins". Going along with the theme, the guest judge is Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer Jason Lezak. Because he uses…
The Green Community week in review: Oil spill cleanup solutions, green job news, make your own organic shampoo, and more!
What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this last week: Mapping out a sustainable community – There is no Apocalypse ahead of us, just a bright and abundant future full of possibilities. We may never have Utopia, but we should keep in our minds…
The Grind podcast 5/13: Rays on a streak, Ray Lewis on a street, BJ’s a baby-daddy
Welcome to The Grind's maiden voyage with our brand spankin' new partners-in-tomfoolery, Creative Loafing Tampa. We scour the Web for everything sports related from TBO to TMZ so you don't have to. Now you can get your sports-and -entertainment procrastination done in a fraction of the time and get back to work (or porn as…
Charlie Crist Romance Novel: The Governor’s Mistress – Chapter 4 – I caught Governor C. with another woman
C., he was still a bachelor. It was only the second year of his first term, in the spring of 2008. The heat of the presidential election had yet to reach its scorching high, its searing flames leaving only the charred remains of innocent lives in its wake. No, in the beginning of our relationship,…
