Florida Senate debate starts nasty and stays that way
The U.S. Senate race between Florida Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson and his GOP challenger Connie Mack IV is theoretically for control of the entire Senate in 2013 and beyond. But it's never felt too important, as the campaign has mostly been fought through a series of negative television commercials. There was anticipation leading up to…
Concert review: Sunday night rockin’ with Band of Horses at The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City
If Band of Horses proved one thing when they rolled through the The Ritz in Ybor this past Sunday, it's that they're still, at their core, a great American rock n' roll band. For all the major label hooplah, the claims that they've gone too soft or mainstream, BOH still knows how to rock the…
Polls tighten in several Pinellas County key races, not so much in others
Bill Young Our friends at St.PetePolls.org released new polls that show some state and county races in Pinellas to be neck-and-neck, with others not so close. The nascent pollsters released two versions of their surveys — one of registered voters, the other of what they are calling "active voters," similar to the breakdown in state…
Michigan Sen. Carl Levin blasts the GOP for its intransigence on a deficit reduction plan
Michigan Sen. Carl Levin and Tampa Congresswoman Kathy Castor at MacDill Park on the Riverwalk The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin said it's up to Republicans to compromise when negotiating a deficit reduction plan during the lame-duck session of Congress, which could begin shortly after next month's general election. "They would rather protect…
Concert review: Flobots, Astronautalis & Samurai Shotgun at Orpheum, Ybor City
I'd say the general reaction I got from people when I announced I was going to see Flobots was 50 percent "Who?" and 50 percent "The Handlebar dudes?" Yes, the dudes responsible for 2008 hit single "Handlebars" dropped into Orpheum in support of their third and most recent release, The Circle in the Square, and…
Charles Schwab rips into Obama: “He doesn’t care”
Charles Schwab speaks in Channelside Barack Obama's problems with the business establishment are well known, so it's not a surprise that business icon Charles Schwab supports Mitt Romney, and has serious issues with the president — as he made explicit during a biting speech in Tampa on Wednesday morning. This week, Schwab traveled cross country…
They didn’t omit the taste
The Widmer Brothers are making gluten-free beer that actually tastes good.
Florida breweries win at Great American Beer Festival
Florida Beer Company and Cigar City Brewing both took home medals.
Mitch Perry Report 10.17.12 – Obama, on points
It's taken the Democrats two debates to clean up the mess that Barack Obama left in Denver two weeks ago, but whether it will be enough to stem the momentum that Mitt Romney has built since, remains in question. Obama came through with a solid performance last night, showing he actually wants the job. Meanwhile,…
How to tell who won the debate?
Which side is blaming the moderator the next day?
There will be NOT be a purge of Florida non-citizens before the November election
The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta stopped Florida's attempt to purge non-citizens from the voting rolls before next month's election. The Fair Elections Legal Network, one of several groups that's been suing the state to stop Gov. Rick Scott's attempts to peel ostensibly ineligible voters from the rolls, issued a press release…
St. Pete Oktoberfest: homebrewers’ challenge
This year’s St. Pete Oktoberfest adds an extra night, and it’s filled with homebrew!
Album review: Donald Fagen, Sunken Condos
Because his output seems more personal and accessible when not paired with Steely Dan bandmate Walter Becker, each new Donald Fagen album announces itself as an occasion beyond the expected high level of craftsmanship. The rarity of each release only compounds the sense that something special has been gifted to the world — Sunken Condos…
Amendment 6 foes blast Tampa Tribune for its editorial supporting the anti-choice measure
Ayele Hunt with I Am Choice speaks out in front of TBO.Com's building Last week, the Tampa Tribune editorial board came out in support of Florida's Amendment 6, which would enshrine a prohibition on public funding of abortions in the Florida Constitution. Although the Trib's op-ed page is notoriously conservative, opponents of the measure said…
Chef Domenica Macchia no longer at Three Birds Tavern
Chef Domenica Macchia and Three Birds Tavern separate.
GZA disappoints, Killer Mike shines, Bear Hands befuddle at State Theatre, St. Petersburg
There's a special intensity to rap shows that extends far beyond the walls of a place like State Theatre. For all the not-give-a-fuck-ness and inaudible rhymes that have infiltrated the stage more times than I'd care to count, there's always a palpable energy and serious reverence in the crowd that has nothing to do with…
A surge of female voters for Romney confuses Obama backers
Kathy Castor The presidential campaign was shaken up, perhaps definitively, by the first presidential debate in Denver on Oct. 3. Perhaps the biggest fallout (if it is to be believed) is a USA TODAY/Gallup poll that was published on Tuesday. The survey, given to likely women voters in the 12 battleground states, shows Mitt Romney…
Mitch Perry Report 10.16.12 – Another reason why Florida won’t vote on medical marijuana anytime soon?
On the Buzz, the Tampa Bay Times political blog, reporter Alex Leary has a post that's titled "Pro-pot measure in Colorado could complicate Florida effort." If you read the piece, the theory behind that headline apparently is a quote from Kim Russell from PUMM, People United for Medical Marijuana. She says that if weed is…
Andrew Bird strung us along oh so nicely at the Straz’s Ferguson Hall
The Oct. 9 concert with Here We Go Magic was just about pitch-perfect.
Fox News’ Judge Andrew Napolitano bashes the Patriot Act
Andrew Napolitano at the Westin Harbour Island Hotel in Tampa Founded by the Koch Brothers, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is an advocacy group that spends tens of millions of dollars to support Mitt Romney and other Republicans in races across the country. On Monday, an event held at the Westin Harbour Island Hotel in Tampa…
It’s Obama in a landslide at USF
There's been a lot of talk that young people — one of Barack Obama's core constituencies — won't be voting in the same numbers or with the same intensity as in 2008. Monday, on the USF Tampa campus, results from a campus straw poll showed that Obama's support at Tampa's biggest university dropped from 64…
Photos: Robert De Niro shooting Luc Besson’s Malavita in New York
GOX NICE WHEELS: Robert De Niro shooting Malavita My man on the streets of NY, GOX, managed to grab some pics of Robert De Niro shooting his next film — the Luc Besson-helmed Malavita — on the streets of Brooklyn. GOX lives in Greenpoint, a popular neighborhood for feature film production, and has previously captured…
Sierra Club president discouraged by lack of environmental discussions in presidential campaign
The Sierra Club's Allison Chin and Congresswoman Kathy Castor meet the press in St. Pete Unlike recent presidential elections, there has been little discussion about the environment in the Obama-Romney contest. There is the issue of climate change, which both Barack Obama and John McCain agreed was a problem in 2008. Mitt Romney said he…
Eli Manning does it again (and another reason to loathe Tom Brady)
Eli Manning Going into yesterday's showdown in venerable Candlestick Park, the San Francisco 49ers were the consensus pick to win their rematch with the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. The Niners came into the game 4-1, having just achieved a franchise record of gaining over 600 yards in their previous victory over Buffalo.…
Mitch Perry Report: Romney on the rise in Florida
Plus: Argo inaccuracies, an NFL update and more …
Argo sparks memories and questions surrounding the Iranian hostage crisis
While the issue of the Obama administration's scattered reactions to the lack of security in Libya that resulted in the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans on September 11 was batted around on all the Sunday talk shows, Ben Affleck's Argo continued to earn heaping doses of praise by film critics and…
Ani DiFranco, still righteous after all these years
The songstress brings her fusion of folk, soul, jazz, and spoken word to The Ritz tonight.
Are Florida Republicans getting cocky about Romney’s chance in the Sunshine State?
The historic 2000 presidential recount in Florida solidified the Sunshine State's reputation as the biggest of swing states in presidential contests. But the last two presidential elections haven't been all that close at the end; John McCain lost by three percentage points in 2008, and George W. Bush beat John Kerry by five points here…
Welcome back to the future
Rick Shook LCD Console TV Do you yearn to own the house of the future according to world's fairs long past, or do you wish you were Dapper Dan himself? Well there may be a solution for you that does not require a mental health professional right here in our beloved Tampa Bay. In St.…
Feedback: You wrote it, we ran it
Big cat fight, a tree dies in Ybor, Domani Bistro fans rally and more …
Tampa native Frank Sanchez returns home to stump for Obama
Frank Sanchez at the opening of the "Casa Obama" headquarters in West Tampa Although a recent series of new polls taken nationally and in Florida shows that momentum is clearly on Mitt Romney's side 24 days before election day, Frank Sanchez isn't buying it. "Polls are going to go up and down," the Under Secretary…
Abortion debate
Is my relationship doomed because of a disagreement on personhood?
Liking Ike
Observing the birthday of a pragmatic patriot.
Let me eat crepes
La Creperia’s new St. Pete outpost serves brunch salvation out of an Airstream trailer.
Three (more) GOP legislators challenge RPOF on opposing merit retention of judges
Paula Dockery Last week Cl reported on the reaction of two Pinellas County Republicans to the state party's decision to oppose the merit retention of the three Supreme Court justices on the ballot this November. On Friday three more Republicans announced that they too, oppose the Republican Party of Florida's call for opposing the retention…
Affleck scores with Argo
The tense thriller is a perfect showcase for its talented director/star.
Details, details
There’s much that’s appealing about Carne, but its identity is still in flux.
Kevin James brings the Boom
The comedian takes a beating, but it’s for a good cause.
Something Sinister this way comes
Ethan Hawke’s latest puts storytelling ahead of cheap scares — and it works.
Two Big Mouths #115 Look Back
[audio-path:http://archive.org/download/TwoBigMouths115/Tbm10-04.mp3] Hello Mouthy friends. We're back…sort of. Lets all take a listen to the fun and folly that was show #115 this week. Rest assured, the Main Mouths are hard at work getting some new fun and folly ready for next week. Till then, enjoy and don't let your meat loaf. CLICK HERE TO VISIT…
Two Big Mouths #115 Look Back
[audio-path:http://archive.org/download/TwoBigMouths115/Tbm10-04.mp3] Hello Mouthy friends. We're back…sort of. Lets all take a listen to the fun and folly that was show #115 this week. Rest assured, the Main Mouths are hard at work getting some new fun and folly ready for next week. Till then, enjoy and don't let your meat loaf. CLICK HERE TO VISIT…
WEDU to rebroadcast Congressman Sam Gibbons on Suncoast Business Forum
If you're suffering from a post-debate hangover, watch one of Florida's most beloved statesmen reanimated on your TV. WEDU-Ch. 3 brings us the ghost of Florida past just in time for Halloween (too soon?). Seriously, our local PBS affiliate honors the passing of the salty, principled, no-nonsense and sometimes unpredictable Congressman. See the late great…
Photo finish
Three designers create mini-collections inspired by photographs.
Eating disorders getting younger, not better.
“There is no doubt we’ve seen an increase in people under 12 years old,” said Lynn Grefe, National Eating Disorder Association CEO.
NightMoves on ice: fractured reflections on the porn star awards weekend (pics NSFW)
Lesson 1: You can plan a pretty porn star picnic, but you can’t control your penis.
The snap heard around the world: A coming out story
Donna was not my type. At 18 and just out of high school, I had no idea what my type was. But I had a feeling that she was not it. With her slender frame, short, spiky blond hair and emo couture, she looked more like a 12-year-old boy than anything else. Still, I dated…
Mitch Perry Report 10.13.12 – Split decision in Kentucky
Joe Biden's worst moment in last night's VP debate in terms of content came immediately, when his argument about the administration not knowing about security concerns at the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya last month was flatly contradicted from what was said at a congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. But after that exchange, he…
Many shades of black
The Colored Museum gives us a prismatic view into the cultural identities of African-Americans in America.
Restaurant News: Hello, goodbye
Empouria opens, one World of Beer location closes.
Coming soon: Cigar City Brewpub
Plus: Chipotle finally signs with Immokalee workers.
Local CD Review: Brahm Bones, Hollow Marrow (with video)
When I think of America, I rarely picture the coastal metropolises, those cultural centers choked with anonymous masses, cement, smog and rush hour traffic. Instead, I think of all the small towns far off the interstates. They could be anywhere — Georgia or Texas or Indiana — and at first glance, they may appear to…
President Obama and the single woman vote
Although fans of Barack Obama are expressing concerns about the bounce that Mitt Romney has enjoyed since his successful debate performance against the president last week in Denver, what should really alarm the Democrats is the swing in one particular demographic that has been with the president all year long — the single women bloc.…
Progressive group releases report on why Romney-Ryan budget would hurt Floridians
Alex Sink & Tom Perriello discuss the Romney budget in Tampa A liberal think tank recently produced a report detailing why the proposed Romney-Ryan budget will cost Floridians when it comes to health care, taxes and the state's budget. The Center for American Progress is a Washington D.C. based progressive think tank created in the…
DIY tips from Ken Albala
His new book explores the lost arts of hearth and home.
Seven Psychopaths is crazy good
The star-studded shoot-em-up is fast, funny and thought-provoking.
The Ritz puts on Ani DiFranco + MONO, Blackberry Smoke & more Bay area concerts
Upcoming concerts from Oct. 11-17.
Ask Dream Momma: Smoke signals from the unconscious
“Hi there! A good friend referred me to you … Let me tell you about the recurring dream I keep having several times per week … In the dream I can literally smell smoke, it seems so real that I actually jump out of bed and run to my children’s bedrooms to rescue them, but…
National Coming Out Day has never been so important
"I'm gay." Two little but life-changing words, packed with more meaning, emotion and influence upon a person's every day life than most sentences. Living in the closet can be a scary, lonely place. But often the idea of coming out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender is just as frightening.
In protest of new Clearwater ordinances against the homeless, activist groups hold demonstration – with no homeless present.
Last Saturday members of several local activist groups convened in Clearwater to protest recent laws passed by the city targeting the homeless. The only problem was that no homeless individuals were present at the event. The City Council has passed laws making it illegal to sit on the sidewalk and camp overnight and increased the…
Mitch Perry Report 10.11.12 – Crunch time in Danville (& Cincy & Oakland)
All eyes will be in Danville, Kentucky tonight for the vice-presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan, right? Well maybe not. If you have a dog in the hunt of who's going to advance in the American League baseball playoffs, then you may be conflicted, what with the Yankees-Orioles game beginning at 7:37 p.m.…
Jacques Bautista: Almost famous
An artist who doesn’t exist is the star of a show by artists who do.
No! No! Eleven times no!
Why you should vote no on all 12, er 11 amendments.
Wine pairings for the month of national everything
blogher.com What is up with the month of October? It seems like everything is being memorialized, canonized or summarized. There are more than 50 organizations commemorating things this month, including chicken, pretzels, honey and biscuits. Honey and biscuits? That sounds good. Can we combine the two? However, for every food we celebrate, there's a wine…
Legendary former Tampa Congressman Sam Gibbons dies at 92
Sam Gibbons, who represented Tampa in Congress from 1962 to 1996, died Wednesday morning in Tampa. He was 92. Both the Tampa Tribune and the Tampa Bay Times have extensive biographical essays published on their websites that are strongly recommended reads to understand the depth and breadth of his time as a public servant and…
Ponce De Leon Quincentenary: Five centuries, one week
Who knows where you would be living if it weren’t for Juan Ponce De Leon? Almost 500 years ago, the first governor of Puerto Rico and — according to legend, seeker of the Fountain of Youth — discovered the Sunshine State in April 1513, setting the stage for centuries of Hispanic influence to come. What…
Activists, police and the ACLU look back at the RNC
Officials with the City of Tampa, organized labor, and the ACLU discussed the convention Tuesday night For most of 2012, the Republican National Convention was the biggest story in the Tampa Bay area. Concerns regarding protesters (or "anarchists," as Mayor Bob Buckhorn often described some of them) led to long discussions at City Hall and…
Alsace in a glass
The region’s white wines are worth a sip.
City of Tampa solicits proposal for a bike sharing program
“Biking is a great way to get around,” said Mayor Buckhorn.
The snap heard around the world: A coming out story
Donna was not my type. At 18 and just out of high school, I had no idea what my type was. But I had a feeling that she was not it. With her slender frame, short, spiky blond hair and emo couture, she looked more like a 12-year-old boy than anything else. Still, I dated…
