Why diet soda may hinder your diet plan
The general consensus from websites like WebMD and CBS News are the same: soda products like Diet Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Pepsi, Diet Dr. Pepper, etc., are not designed to help people lose weight. In fact, the general concern in diet soda case studies is the ability for an avid diet beverage drinker to gain…
Dissecting Dexter: Season 5, episode 4 “Beauty and the Beast”
Just for the record, I balked at pre-premiere predictions that this season might be the one in which Dexter jumps the shark. Saddled with the weight of killing off Dexter's sweet and innocent wife, the show isn't submerged under its own pressure just yet. But I'm worried for dear Dexter amid this weak-ish run of episodes.…
Upset that the oil drilling ban has been lifted? Make your voice heard
Well, you are not alone. Statement by GOVERNOR CHARLIE CRIST Regarding the Lifting of the Oil Drilling Moratorium "As long as Gulf Coast residents and businesses are struggling with the claims process and being made whole, the drilling moratorium should not be lifted. Without a thorough investigation of what exactly caused the Deepwater Horizon oil…
Hillsborough Democrat pursues action to have GOP HD 47 candidate James Grant explain how he got $40,000 bank loan
Following up on a complaint with the Florida Election Commission two weeks ago regarding a questionable $40,000 loan that GOP House candidate James Grant gave to his campaign days before his August 24 primary, today the vice chair of the Hillsborough County Democratic Party, Chris Mitchell, announced that he was now filing a "pure bill…
Looking beyond the consumer economy to the integrative economy that will focus on quality of life
“Economics: the study of mankind in the ordinary business of life”. —Alfred Marshall (economist) From the above definition then, we can say that an economy is mankind at the ordinary business of life. As we enter the 21st century, we can look back over 3,000 years and see various economies that have evolved over the…
Who is Tampa Bay’s ‘Top Chef’? Find out at the “Cruising to a Cure” event benefiting pediatric cancer research
Who is Tampa Bay's "Top Chef?" On Sunday, November 7th, get the chance to watch a culinary showdown between three talented chefs from the Tampa Bay area and enjoy a four-course lunch during the "Cruising to a Cure" event aboard Holland America's ms Ryndam, all to benefit the Children's Cancer Research Group at St. Joseph's…
Concert review: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes at the Ritz Ybor (with photos)
So what happens when a band of 10 ragged, past-blasted musical gypsies play Florida for the first time? [All photos by Mike Wilson.] Well, scanning the crowd at the Ritz Ybor on Saturday night, dreadlocks and body hair (male and female) get profligate, the B.O. funk of weed smoke hangs ever so subtly in the…
A Q&A with Rome Ramirez, the young new singer/guitarist of Sublime with Rome; the band plays Jannus Live on Sunday and Monday
California reggae punk trio Sublime is counted among those groups in the early ’90s responsible for bringing punk into the mainstream while at the same time, spearheading a new fusion of punk that incorporated reggae, surf rock, and hip hop. Although beloved Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell died of a drug overdose in 1996, the band’s…
Concert review: Built to Spill at the State Theatre (with setlist + photos)
After way too many years of waiting to see Built to Spill, I arrived at St. Petersburg's State Theatre on Saturday night with a fairly good idea of what to expect. Too often, I've seen early '90s bands dial in a performance of fan-favorites, their technical skill lazied up by years of playing the same…
The military now accepting openly gay enlistees — but it’s a double bind
Dan Choi has begun the process of re-enlisting. In one respect, that's huge news: The former Army infantry officer has been one of the most visible opponents of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," having protested the policy (and his own discharge) by twice handcuffing himself to the White House fence. The fact that he can re-enlist…
Tonight’s Top Chef Just Desserts preview: It’s black, it’s white and throwin’ some bows
Just when we thought the drama had left with Seth, Top Chef: Just Desserts proves that the smack talking and cat fights are nowhere near over. The Quickfire sounds very interesting this week: make a savory dessert using only one pot in one hour. All other kitchen equipment (ice cream makers, mixers, etc.) is off…
Florida environmental group endorses Latvala, Heller, Fitzgerald and Kriseman in local races
The Florida Conservation Alliance, a state member of the League of Conservation Voters, announced their slate of candidates who they are endorsing in Florida today. Their list consists mostly of Democrats, with two exceptions. One being in the race for state Senate in District 16, the Hillsborough/Pinellas seat being vacated by Charlie Justice, where the…
Thong shopping with glamour pornstar Chanel Preston
I’m shopping for thongs with Chanel Preston. She likes the g-strings that dip down in the back while I can't help but want to grab anything shinny; I never realized how similar stripper-gear is to fishing lures. “I’m also looking for a dress,” she says. “This place wants me to look classy. Well, classy for…
MOSI receives Exhibit of the Year honor
The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) has received the 2010 Brush Strokes Award for Exhibit of the Year. Local museums recognize The Brush Strokes Award as the only comprehensive awards representation of the arts throughout Tampa Bay. MOSI was selected for their DaVinci – The Genius exhibition that premiered at the museum in early 2010. DaVinci…
Huge Sink-Scott debate tonight; Rubio battered but still standing strong after debate, and St. Pete Times Director of editorials explains what was behind Jim Norman endorsement: Mitch Perry Report 10.20.10
A new poll just released shows Rick Scott up 6% over Alex Sink in the governors race. However, that survey is substantially different than 3 others released in the last week showing Sink leading. What's going on? Call it really close, making tonight's debate from South Florida critical in deciding who may be leading this…
AltDotPop: Harry Potter’s getting sexy, Beiber gets in a fight at laser tag and Sarah Palin hangs out with bears in Alaska
I have never seen a Harry Potter movie. I have never read a Harry Potter book. The reason has nothing to do with the premise or the story, I just know that I have an addictive personality when it comes to media consumption and judging from the way things went down when I discovered Twilight……
New Rasmussen poll shows Rick Scott leading after series of surveys had Sink ascendant before 1st prime time debate
Tonight at 7 p.m. on the same stations that broadcast last night's U.S. Senate debate from Davie (which means locally WFTS-Channel 28 in the Tampa Bay region), Alex Sink and Rick Scott will engage in their first prime debate of 2010, with a tremendous amount on the line for both candidates. Tonight is actually the…
Have a soul, give a sole, save a sole: Recycle your shoes while giving back to the community
Last week, while picking up photos from my local Walgreens, I came across a bin on the outside of a store claiming to recycle old shoes called "Shoes for the Cure". Ureka! The next day, I went back and dropped off 7 pairs of shoes that were too tattered and worn for donation to another organization.…
Kendrick Meek embraces his inner liberal at debate in Davie
At times during Tuesday night's U.S. Senate debate at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale , all three candidates seemed more stressed than they have at any point during this long campaign. Both Charlie Crist and Kendrick Meek are running out of time, as it appears at this point that Marco Rubio is all but…
The St. Pete Times’ Tim Nickens on why the paper originally endorsed Jim Norman
On Tuesday the St. Petersburg Times rescinded its recommendation of Jim Norman as the Republican state Senate candidate in District 12. The paper received its share of criticism for coming out in support of Norman last week, just a day before a Leon County Circuit Judge disqualified him from the ballot for failing to report…
Do It Today: Blood Into Wine, hump-day happy hours
Tampa Bay Uncorked and Tampa Theatre present a special reception and one-night-only engagement of the documentary Blood Into Wine. The film tells the story of Maynard James Keenan, the front man of the rock bands Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer, who abruptly left L.A. in the mid 90s to start a world-class vineyard in…
The Gaily News: Bieber pops a ’phobe, GOP Senate candidate Ken Buck invents gay-a-holics
• Did teen pop star Justin Bieber throw a punch because of a gay slur? That's what several news sources are reporting. Allegedly, while Bieber and his entourage were enjoying a leisurely game of laser tag, an unnamed 12-year-old lobbed a gay slur at Bieber, who responded with a punch. Word on the street is…
Perfectly pickled: Red cabbage and radish kimchi recipe
I’ve been doing a lot of cooking at home lately, but with just two of us in our household, I find myself left with a lot of odds and ends of various leftover produce. To use up all my extra veggies, I came up with this version of kimchi, a spicy Korean pickled vegetable concoction,…
Bill Clinton gives several compelling reasons to resist Republicans in November in USF St Pete speech
Regardless of the outcome of the midterms elections two weeks from today, undoubtedly their MVP this election season has been former President Bill Clinton. Just two years ago, who would have believed that, after the disaster for Clinton that was the South Carolina primary, as his zealous campaigning for his wife Hillary seemed to be…
CL Sound Bites: Evan Dando, Pennywise, Faith No More, Beastie Boys, and more! (with video)
has a fantastic piece on Juliana Hatfield and The Lemonheads' Evan Dando (right), who are currently gigging together in NYC. Dando confesses that lately, "I've been playing music to make money. I never really had to do that before, and it's a mindfuck." A description of Dando's unkempt apartment implies where the money goes: These are…
Concert review: Matt and Kim at State Theatre (with photos)
If anything, Matt and Kim are out to have a good time. Friday night's show at State Theatre in Downtown St. Pete was fun. I had never before seen such enthusiasm from a national touring act. Matt Johnson, the singer and keyboardist for the dance-punk group, demonstrated much of it. Throughout the set, he flailed…
Television Review: Mad Men‘s season finale, “Tomorrowland”
Let me get this straight, Matthew Weiner and Co. This is what we stuck around for? To find out that an overwhelming majority of the big events that took place this season (Anna dying kinda unexpectedly, Ida Blankenship dying very unexpectedly, Betty firing Carla unexpectedly after 10-plus years as her kids' nanny) were all leading…
Sweetwater Organic Community Farm’s Annual Fall Potluck Fundraiser- Saturday, October 23
Dine and dance under the stars to celebrate the beginning of another great season during Sweetwater Organic Community Farm's 8th Annual Fall Potluck Fundraiser. Bring a vegetarian dish for the potluck, Sweetwater will provide the farm fresh salad and Working Cow is bringing the ice cream. Organic beer from Tarpon Spring's St. Somewhere Brewery and…
Hot Trailer: Paul, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Sigourney Weaver, Jason Bateman and more (with video)
and Simon Pegg are back. After tackling zombies in Shaun of the Dead and action movies in Hot Fuzz, they are turning their sights on aliens in Paul, directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad). The latest comedy is about two comic-book geeks who travel across the U.S. to visit the famed Area 51, only to encounter…
Jenna Haze: the ‘dirtiest girl in porn’ on books, condoms, and love (NSFW)
Jenna Haze called me after staying up all night reading the latest thriller, The Passage. This may not be the all-night-activity you'd expect from one of the most hardcore working pornstars, but Haze's entire career has been built on defying expectations. Compared to that other famous Jenna who made a fortune in porn, Haze is…
Comedian Dane Cook’s upcoming show at the Amp canceled
Dane Cook's upcoming shows this week in Florida have been cancelled due to recent personal matters, publicists say. The dates that are affected are Tallahassee on Oct. 21 (Leon County Civic Center), Gainesville, on Oct. 22 (Stephen O’Connell Center), West Palm Beach, on Oct. 23 (Cruzan Amphitheatre) and Tampa on Oct. 24 (1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre). 'I appreciate all the support…
Clinton in town; Times & Trib warn GOP not to re-nominate Jim Norman, and why don’t more Americans know that their federal taxes have gone down with President Obama, not up? Mitch Perry Report 10.19.10
The Alex Sink campaign announced yesterday that she will in fact appear with the President – Clinton that is. Clinton appears this morning in a campaign event designed for college students at USF St. Pete. A CL intern, Danielle May, brings a college student's perspective on the visit. The Tampa Tribune and the St. Pete…
Project GreenHands: Restoring our planet, one tree at a time (video)
In South India, vegetation is scarce, wells have dried up and the land has become a virtual desert – all within one generation. It is a similar situation we're seeing in many other parts of the world that is due to deforestation and land degradation. We may not be feeling all of the effects of…
New music releases out this Tuesday, October 19: Brent Amaker & the Rodeo, Phish, Girl in a Coma, The Heavy, Plain White T’s, Kings of Leon, Liz Phair, and more (with audio & video)
More new music out today! Yay! Here’s a breakdown of the ones you might want to know about. To see last week’s releases (out Oct. 12), click here; for releases out Oct 5, click here. , Please Stand By (Spark & Shine) Bad Books, Bad Books (Favorite Gentlemen) The new project from Kevin Devine and…
Who’s to blame for the fact that most Americans taxes have gone down under Barack Obama, not up?
The dominant theme of the 2010 midterm elections is how the American public is as mad as hell and aren't going to take it any longer when it comes to unfettered federal spending, with Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid being the main culprits for America's decline. There's no doubt that the signature achievements…
The Cuban Sandwich Diaries: A lifelong obsession with Tampa’s finest sandwich
It was a fleeting moment, but one steamy night in August I made the best Cuban sandwich in the universe. I had assembled the culinary atomic bomb as a culmination of my obsession with Tampa’s Cuban sandwich. I must have been 19 or 20 years old when it started. A friend brought me to the…
Tribune, Times editorial pages call on local GOP not to re-nominate Jim Norman to ballot
Both the Tampa Tribune and the St. Pete Times editorial pages touch on the latest in the Jim Norman saga this morning. As we write this early Tuesday, the Hillsborough County Commissioner is appealing Leon County Circuit Judge Jackie Fulford's ruling disqualifying him from the ballot last week. The state's Division of Elections say they…
New AG poll: Bondi up by 8% as first debate airs, where she says supports Illegal immigration bill that she admits she hasn’t read
Watching a debate more than 48 hours after it was recorded, and a day after you read the newspaper accounts, is sort of the equivalent of seeing a movie that you've read too many reviews about. But with all due respect to Steve Bosquet, CL tuned into Monday night's tape delayed Attorney General debate on…
Lightning hang on to beat Stars 5-4
The Tampa Bay Lightning were looking for a bounce-back performance against the undefeated Dallas Stars on Monday night at the St. Pete Times Forum. In a game that they dominated for most of the night, they got that effort, although it didn't come easy as they held off a late Dallas surge in the third…
Reluctantly Single: Returning to the dating pool after 12 years
Yes, I’m here to dip into your pool of eligibles. You can shoot me dirty looks all you want, but I’m not going away until I get what I came for. The thing is, I don’t want to be "single and looking." I haven’t been single in the last 12 years. Do you think I…
Do It Today: History and Haunts Tour at Tampa Theatre, Meet former Playmate Tyran Richard, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Many say that Tampa's sparkly historic gem of a theater is haunted, so in keeping with the Halloween spirit(s), Tampa Theatre presents its History and Haunts Tour, an exploration that blends the 84-year-old theater's expansive history with tales of the paranormal experienced by staff and guests over the years. The tour includes a creepy concert…
A Q&A with Styx vocalist/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan; the band brings their “Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight Tour” to Ruth Eckerd Hall on Friday
For nearly four decades, progressive rock band Styx has managed to avoid the self-destructive downward spiral experienced by innumerable other classic rock bands, producing seven gold, one platinum, and five multi-platinum albums in their extended musical tenure. This wealth of material allows the band to perform on a regular basis while offering their generations of…
Bill’s Sports Binge: Bucs blackouts spare citizenry
So, Bucs fans. How sorry are you about the blackouts now? Don't you wish you could have wasted your Sunday afternoon watching that crapola on TV? For those of you who missed it (how nice for you), here's all you need to know. • 2 missed field goals that doinked the same post right in front of me (which should…
Jon Stewart’s Rally To Restore Sanity: Is the timing off?
On Saturday, October 30, thousands will likely descend on Washington D.C. to attend the Rally to Restore Sanity, and its ironic counter-demo, March To Keep Fear Alive, presented by Comedy Central stars Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Stewart’s event comes just two months after Glenn Beck’s Rally to Restore Honor. It’s geared, according to its…
Meek and Clinton to visit USF students
It’s no secret that the Democrats are floundering for the kind of support that then Senator Obama was able to conjure up from young voters. U.S. Senate Nominee Kendrick Meek’s latest weapon of choice: the beloved former President Clinton. In an effort to encourage young people to vote (and vote for him) Meek and Clinton…
Honda named ‘Greenest Automaker’ yet again
For the fifth consecutive time, Honda takes the title of 'Greenest Automaker' as awarded by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The winning automaker narrowly beat Toyota and Hyundai, who tied for second by one point. "It was a photo finish, but Honda is still the champ," said Jim Kliesch, a senior engineer in UCS’s…
Concert review: The Flaming Lips bring psychedelic love, big sprays of confetti, a space bubble, philosophical waxing, and more to Jannus Live in St. Petersburg (with photos)
More than three years after the Flaming Lips’ much-talked-about confetti explosion at Jannus, the experimental Midwestern ensemble brought their acid-washed stage show back to the now re-vamped venue last Wednesday night, a stop to make-up for the date they missed here in May due to multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd’s mysterious (re: not-talked-about or explained) hospitalization. [All…
Buccaneer player reactions to Sunday’s loss to the Saints
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were dominated by the New Orleans Saints 31-6 on Sunday. Hear what some of the Buccaneer players told Creative Loafing's Buccaneers contributor Pat Donovan and the rest of the media after the game. See more videos from local sporting events live as they happen at qik.com/patdintampa.
Bill Clinton to campaign with Alex Sink Thursday in Miami
Barack Obama appeared with wife Michelle before 35,000 people at Ohio State University Sunday night, a record crowd on that university's grounds. But the President has been carefully selecting spots to campaign over the last few weeks of election 2010, and they're most liberal havens – college towns like Columbus, Ohio, or places like San…
Who says Rice Krispie treats are just for kids? Drool over this Nutella Rice Krispie treats recipe
Aside from my family, there are two things in this world that I honestly don’t think I could live without. At the very least, my quality of life would surely suffer without them. They are Nutella and Rice Krispie treats. Seriously. I have to keep the Nutella jar safely hidden away in my pantry where…
#MusicMonday, Volume 18: Kings of Leon, Sleigh Bells, The B Foundation, Bear in Heaven, The Heavy & more (with video!)
What the Creative Loafing music team is jamming to break through the Monday malaise and rocket launch the week… Click here to check out previous entries. – Kings of Leon, Come Around Sundown (out tomorrow, October 19, 2010, on Sony) Kings of Leon’s new release, Come Around Sundown, picks up where 2008’s acclaimed Only By…
HART approves light rail as the mode of transportation in asking for money from the feds, but not without some consternation
As early voting commenced Monday, one of the biggest issues on the ballot in Hillsborough County is voting on a penny sales tax referendum that would help construct the beginnings of a light rail system. But until this morning, the HART board had yet to weigh in on whether the preferred mode of transportation that…
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Profile: My Hope Chest’s Alisa Savoretti
Dancer Alisa Savoretti was diagnosed with breast cancer at 38 and lived for several years with one breast after a mastectomy. Following her treatment, she returned to her career as a Vegas performer and called herself "The Lopsided Showgirl" — a moniker that reflects Savoretti's sassy, self-deprecating humor. Savoretti's undaunted persistence and experience led to…
Concert review: Gwar at The Ritz Ybor (with pictures and intergalatic video interview)
Halloween came early this year when Gwar hit town on Friday, October 8. Fans dressed in white shirts piled into the main room of the Ritz, where carpets were laid out so the raging fans could maintain their grip on the soon-to-be-fake-blood-soaked floor. Before I actually made my way into the Ritz, I overheard a…
Get creative with your trash and enter in Largo’s Recycled Innovations Contest
The City of Largo is challenging you to get creative with your trash in their 2nd annual Recycled Innovations Contest. This is an online contest that encourages eco-innovators to go the next step beyond just recycling their trash by upcycling it into items they'd use daily. Don't get this confused with a recycled art show,…
Kevin Smith: Fat, 40 and going online to talk about it
What happens when the guy who's famous for refusing to grow up — and writes about others like him in movies — officially hits middle age? Find out this Saturday, Oct. 23, at 9:30 p.m., when EPIX premieres the original comedy special Kevin Smith: Too Fat For 40. Fans can connect in real time with Smith…
Minister Louis Farrakhan brings Day of Atonement message to Tampa
Minister Louis Farrakhan, spiritual leader of the Nation of Islam, brought his message of renewal, personal responsibility, and the steps of atonement to an enthusiastic crowd on Sunday at the Tampa Convention Center. The speech was a call to action and a recognition of the 15th anniversary of the Million Man March on Washington of…
Join CL’s Beer Club at The Hyde Park Cafe – Friday, October 22
Do you like beer? How about free beer? Join in on round three of CL's monthly Beer Club event at The Hyde Park Cafe this Friday, October 22nd. Sample different craft beers and an offering from Blue Moon at no charge, then grab a pint of Blue Moon at the bar for only $4. How…
LeTeaze’s Curtain Call: Where vaudeville meets Vegas
When my parents go to Vegas, they always get tickets to one of the many topless stage performances, like Peep Show. I've never understood the need to spend $100 a person to watch near-naked women dance around in feathers and crystal costumes in a city where $100 will buy you at least two minutes with…
Worst idea ever: The Human Sexipede
Yep, they went there. The porno gods have squeezed stag films out of every pop icon from Lindsay Lohan to Lucille Ball, Avatar to Happy Days; but The Human Sexipede is the first to shock me. It takes titanium balls – not to mention seriously questionable judgment – to turn The Human Centipede, a gross-out…
In defense of bacon: Despite what the critics say, the bacon craze is here to stay
The Wall Street Journal recently reported backlash against a so-called "Bacon Bubble" as if it were a cutting-edge story. The website CHOW declared two years ago that bacon was overexposed. You see, the Journal's analysts are lousy at predicting "bubbles." They've finally woken up and smelled the bacon. There is even a wiki entry for…
EarthTalk: Does oil drilling cause sinkholes or earthquakes?
The following is from the environmental themed advice column EarthTalk®, by the Editors of the non-profit publication E/The Environmental Magazine, that we’ll be regularly featuring here on CL’s Green Community. Dear EarthTalk: What, if anything, fills the empty space underground created by the extraction of billions of gallons of oil? Could oil drilling be one…
Dems hammering harder on undocumented campaign funds going to GOP, Dan Gelber wants more debates against Pam Bondi, and House district 60 candidate Shawn Harrison spends campaign cash on lots of trips to Starbucks, BK and other establishments: Mitch Per
Good Monday morning to you all. Hope y'all enjoyed your weekend. As a San Francisco Giants fan, I'm sanguine after splitting in Philly this weekend. Can we hear from Gator fans out there this morning? Anyway, love to chat sports with you, but we're 15 days from an election! Early voting commences today, and so…
Nina Hayden wants correction, apology from St. Pete Times Editorial Board
It hasn't been the smoothest of times over at the St. Pete Times Editorial page over the past week. Last week the paper let down the community when it stunningly endorsed Jim Norman in the Senate district 12 race, instead of suggesting no endorsement (the embattled Hillsborough County Commissioner has had only two write-in candidates…
Attorney General candidate Dan Gelber wants more debates
The first of just two debates between the Attorney General candidates was conducted Saturday afternoon in Orlando, and Tampa Bay area citizens will get the chance to see Democrat Dan Gelber and Republican Pam Bondi for the first time this Monday night at 8:00 p.m. on Bay News 9. Immediately after the debate, Bondi's spokesperson,…
Do It Today: Liquid Jesus and Buddhist Boy author Ira Sukrungruang
Get some dancefloor redemption tonight at Liquid Jesus. DJ Rig of Sink or Swim night fame, plus Colonic and Delach say they'll be playing the best in brand spankin' new indie music of all genres. It all starts at 10:30 p.m. at the Orpheum , 1902 Republica de Cuba Ave. $3 cover, two-for-one drinks; 18 and older admitted. Or, how's…
The Green Community week in review: Deep-water drilling moratorium, climate change science, green your Halloween and more
What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed last week: Pixie Gas, the "green gas company", is spreading the word on the benefits of liquefied petroleum gas – Pixie Gas makes conversion kits for vehicles that can be installed on cars, trucks and tractors so…
White House recalibrates: Axelrod now puts focus on lack of disclosure when it comes to conservative groups’ donations
A week ago on CBS's Face the Nation, White House political strategist David Axelrod was challenged by host Bob Schieffer after he alleged that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was using foreign money to finance an effort to beat Democrats this November. The venerable host responded to Axelrod's claim simply by asking if that was…
Concert Review: Bush at The Ritz Ybor
After quietly slipping into Tampa for a few days of rehearsal, British alternative rockers Bush took the stage at the Ritz Ybor on Friday night, showing no signs of a nine-year hiatus. Front man Gavin Rossdale wasted little time turning up the heat on the first night of their tour, kicking off the set with…
Shawn Harrison expenses over 150 meals to campaign account
Former Tampa City Councilman Shawn Harrison is running against Democrat Russ Patterson in the race for the District 60 House seat next month, succeeding a term-limited Ed Homan. It's expected to be a close election. It's the first time around electorally for Patterson, a retired Air Force Officer who has doggedly campaigned at Democratic party…
Lightning fall 6-0 to Panthers
The Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise has traditionally been a house of horrors for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Things did not get any better Saturday night, as the Lightning fell to the Florida Panthers 6-0, moving to 13-26-4-4 all time on the road against Florida. The loss ended the Lightning's 3 game winning streak and…
Concert review: School of Seven Bells and Active Child at Crowbar (setlist included)
I came to Thursday's show with a bit of hesitation. I had heard good things about School of Seven Bells but didn't quite know what to expect. I decided to check out the band in the first place after I saw the event was promoted by aestheticized presents and hosted at Crowbar, both avenues through…
TIGLFF Closing Film: Strong performances in La Mission starring Benjamin Bratt
The Mission district of San Francisco is a hard-knocks Latino neighborhood with a reverence for family, low riders and machismo. When ex-con, ex-alcoholic Che (Benjamin Bratt) discovers that his beloved only son spends his evenings topless and oiled up at a gay club, the explosive father-son fight that erupts on the front stoop outs Che’s…
Citizens win on community plans
Citizens won fierce battles this week to protect community plans from developers who don't want to have to abide by a community's vision for how they should grow and which types of development should go where within their neighborhoods. Once a few influential lawyers began arguing that their clients should be allowed to "opt-out" of…
TIGLFF Movie Review: The Four-Faced Liar entertaining, fast-paced
Review by RONA WIENER At Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival Friday Oct. 15, The Four-Faced Liar is a fast-paced, lighthearted look at relationships in a small group running woefully short on honesty and faithfulness. In this mix we find Molly and Greg, an allegedly happy couple who've just moved to New York. They…
Jim Norman thrown off the ballot by Tallahassee judge
Jim Norman has been disqualified from the November 2 ballot in the state Senate district 12 race. With a decision coming in shortly before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon, a Leon County Circuit Court Judge, Jackie Fulford wrote in her ruling that this Court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the transfer of $500,000.00 from…
Rubio calls Crist’s version of why he became an independent “a fairy tale” in latest Senate debate
With just 18 days to go before Floridians finish voting in one of the state's longest and most high profile U.S. Senate races ever, the status quo appeared to be unaffected after Friday afternoon's debate at the studios of WTVT-Fox 13 in Tampa. Marco Rubio maintains a solid,double-digit lead over both independent Charlie Crist and…
Green DIY: Make your own Halloween costume
It's almost two weeks until Halloween. What's your costume situation? If you are still without a costume and a clue, don't go buying one at the mall or online. Why shell out over fifty bucks for a cheap costume you might only wear once? Go the greener and economical route this year and make your…
The First Annual Dunedin Beer Festival: Saturday, October 16
If you haven't already gotten in your share of beer drinking during this month full of Oktoberfest revelries, the Dunedin House of Beer is offering you a chance to drink even more — a whole lot more. The Dunedin Stadium will play host to the first annual Dunedin Beer Festival, sponsored by the Dunedin House…
Bill’s Sports Binge Friday freeway: Tampa Bay Lightning strikes three, BJ & the Bulls and Favre’s famous frank
Like a jack-rabbit on Cialis, it's time for your jack-hammer rapid fire Friday nuggets suitable for any and all water-cooler innocuous work-avoiding sports chatter. But first – Could somebody please just deactivate the readers comments section beneath online articles in the Tribune already? I used to peruse them to try and gauge the community reaction…
The First Annual Brooksville Cycling Classic: Saturday and Sunday, October 16-17
Attend the First Annual Brooksville Cycling Classic this Saturday and Sunday, October 16-17, 2010 celebrating health, wellness, and fitness for the entire family. The cycling events are also in conjunction with the Brooksville Founders Day events and will be fun for all ages! Cycling Races: The Downtown Criterium course races will be held on Saturday…
Halloween party food ideas
Halloween is hands down my favorite holiday — the kid in me cannot resist the urge to play dress-up and ask strangers for candy. Last year, I catered a friend's Halloween party and had an absolute blast coming up with "gross" dishes that would fit the holiday. Normally, part of my job as a chef…
EarthTalk: Bike lanes and paths on the increase
The following is from the environmental themed advice column EarthTalk®, by the Editors of the non-profit publication E/The Environmental Magazine, that we’ll be regularly featuring here on CL’s Green Community. Dear EarthTalk: Are there efforts to increase bike lanes and paths around the nation? I’d like to be able to bike more instead of drive,…
Drinking Guide: The Bay area’s best beer bars
CL regularly presents focused listings of the best dining options in Tampa Bay’s neighborhoods. This week, we’re doing things a little differently by giving you a guide to some of the best craft and import beer bars and brew pubs in Tampa Bay. Brew Garden 904 N McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, 727-797-6622 or thebrewgarden.com Brew…
Rick Scott favors bill that would “bypass” Roe v. Wade? AFT head Randi Weingarten speaks out on “Waiting for Superman” and Tampa Bay Buc management gives up on selling out any more games this year:Mitch Perry Report 10.15.10
Education Secretary Arne Duncan was in Tampa yesterday in a high profile roundtable discussion with Hillsborough School officials, in a rare case of where something out of the Bay area is hailed as being something that should be duplicated across the country. Joining Duncan in Tampa was the American Federation of Teachers head Randi Weingarten,…
Does Rick Scott support abortion bill that would attempt to bypass Roe v. Wade?
Tallahassee reporter Gary Fineout reports today that a GOP state lawmaker has sent out an e-mail to supporters saying that Rick Scott would support a bill that would make abortion illegal in Florida in nearly all instances, including rape and incense. The lawmaker in question is North Florida Representative Charles Van Zant this week, who…
Tampa Bay Bucs one of the suprise teams in the NFL -but mgmt. has low expectations for fans to follow team
Until this season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had played to, well, if not always sold out crowds in Raymond James Stadium since the facility opened in 1998, crowds that were sufficiently large enough to encourage management to gobble up the remainder of the tickets so that the league mandated 72 hour blackout rule was never…
Randi Weingarten speaks out on “Waiting For Superman”
The problems within America's public education system are on display in the new documentary Waiting For "Superman", which opens Friday in the Tampa Bay area (actually in only one theater, The Woodlands Square 20 in Oldsmar). As CL film critic Joe Bardi writes in our current issue, the film takes big shots at the teachers…
Lightning stay undefeated, beat Flyers 3-2
The homecoming tour continued on Thursday night for the Tampa Bay Lightning, this time with a stop in Philadelphia to take on the Flyers. Coming off an emotional win and a late-night flight from Montreal, the task at hand for the Lightning was to continue the strong play of the night before and keep the…
Florida judge rules Sunshine State and 19 others can proceed with lawsuit challenging health care reform bill
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum hasn't had a lot of cheery news since he was stunned by Rick Scott in the GOP primary election for governor – but he does have his health care lawsuit to fall back on, and he was a very happy man Thursday afternoon when a Florida judge ruled that McCollum…
Do It This Weekend: Refractory, Gifts for Glitter, Abnormal Formal, Soloist writer Steve Lopez, HISTeria and more
Seems that the cool events keep happening at the Tampa Armature, a.k.a. the Old Trolley Barn, a.k.a. the Heights Waterfront. (Pick a name already.) If you’re unfamiliar, the historic building sits on a scenic spot by the Hillsborough River, and even if the event weren’t taking place there, this Friday’s Refractory could go down in…
Arne Duncan comes to Tampa to praise local school officials and announce national education summit
A year ago, the Hillsborough County School District became one of just four such school district recipients nationwide to be awarded funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Hillsborough was awarded $100 million to allow educators, administrators and the teachers union to create a model to measure teacher effectiveness and develop a teacher mentoring…
Concert review: Vampire Weekend with Beach House at Jannus Live, St. Petersburg (with setlist and photos)
As the days get shorter and a comfortable chill starts to hit the air, reminders that summer’s over are everywhere. I’m pretty sure someone forgot to send the memo to Vampire Weekend and Beach House, because Tuesday’s sold-out show at Jannus Live was packed with about as much summery pop as anyone could handle in…
Movie Review: Red, starring Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman and Karl Urban (with trailer video)
Hot topic on the movie blogs these days is the rehash the 2010 summer movie season. Some will bring up the few blockbusters that did well (Inception), but for the most part, the pontificators will tell you it was a pretty terrible year. Turns out the discussion isn't over yet, though, as Red has just…
The science of climate change in 2010
I often strictly write about peak oil in my blog posts. Today I'd like to shift gears and focus on climate change. Last year with the failure of Copenhagen and illegitimate claims of Climategate, climate change movement has been blown off the tracks in the political arena causing no significant change in government policies. The…
Dissecting Dexter: Season 5, episode 3 “Practically Perfect”
More and more, Dexter is turning into a compilation of things I really, really like about the show and things I really, really don't. Here's a list of those that are practically perfect, followed by a list of those are far from it. Love: The opening of Sunday night's episode, Deb's fake-out nanny interrogation. Ha!…
Born to be wild: This mushroom soup changed my life – Wild mushroom bisque recipe
Mushroom soup used to be the bane of my existence. First of all, mushrooms were number two on my list of most loathed foods (right under Brussels sprouts). Then came culinary school in 2006 where I was forced to make cream of mushroom soup in my basic skills class during the first semester. Of the…
Professional sports commissioner entry exam
Nobody ever said being the boss was easy. Four of the world’s more powerful men, Messrs. Selig, Stern, Bettman and Goodell, commissioners of Major League Baseball, the NBA, NHL and NFL respectively, have come under a fair amount of scrutiny in recent years. Their actions are constantly criticized and it seems that nobody ever has…
Another must-see music documentary at TIGLFF: Le Tigre on Tour
This year's Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival has been particularly strong in the music-documentary department, first with Riot Acts, and tonight with two must-see offerings: Rufus Wainwright: Prima Donna (see my profile of Wainwright here) and this documentary, Le Tigre on Tour. Directed by Kerthy Fix, the film follows the queer band Le…
Will the HIV scare in porn finally lead to mandatory condom use?
Two of the biggest porn companies, Vivid Entertainment and Wicked Pictures, along with virtually every other big adult company has preemptively stopped production for as long as a month after an unnamed adult performer tested positive for HIV Tuesday. Actors are required to get tested for STDs at the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation once…
The making of Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna at TIGLFF
Singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has become known for his lush piano melodies and ornate song structure – often referred to as “Baroque pop,” and even, sometimes, “popera” – since his debut album was released in 1998. Over the past 12 years, he has established himself as a preeminent songwriter of his generation, able to transcend current…
New campaign issue for Rick Scott against Alex Sink? St. Pete Times stunningly endorses Jim Norman and Bill Heller responds to Jeff Brandes negative TV ad: Mitch Perry Report 10.14.10
A potential GOP 2012 nominee for President, Bobby Jindal, was in Tampa yesterday stumping for a guy who maybe put in the same category in 3 weeks, Marco Rubio. You can read about that experience here. During last week's Univision debate between Rick Scott and Alex Sink (that nobody saw), Scott accused Sink of granting…
Times/Herald identifies 11 ex convicts of getting insurance licenses from Alex Sink’s office
This morning Michael Bender with the Miami Herald/St. Pete Times reports that Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink's office has awarded at least 11 insurance agents convicted of various felonies their license to sell insurance in Florida, a story that has been percolating on conservative blogs ever since Rick Scott brought it up at last Friday's…
Heller responds to Brandes ad attacking him on taxes
On Wednesday, the Republican candidate for the state House in District 52, Jeff Brandes, aired his latest ad, which this time hits at his Democratic opponent Bill Heller specifically on taxes, where the challenger accuses the USF St Pete educator and legislator since 2006 of raising property taxes, small business taxes and says "he even…
St. Pete Times endorses Jim Norman for state Senate. Seriously.
As of this writing, Tallahassee Circuit Judge Jackie L. Fulford has yet to make a decision on Kevin Ambler's lawsuit against Jim Norman. Ambler, who was defeated by Norman for the state Senate District 12 Republican primary back in August, says that Norman should be disqualified from the November 2 ballot because he did not…
Green Community Calendar weekend events: Tampa Bay Living Green Expo, raw food class, markets and more
Looking for something green-related to do this weekend? Look no further than our own Green Community Calendar. Tampa Downtown Market- Fridays (through May); 10 am-2 pm. The vision of the Tampa Downtown Market is to provide local residents and businesses of the community with the freshest, highest quality, most nutritious, and most reasonably priced food…
Cynical and Southern: To NY or not to NY?
My bedroom is silent except for my fan. Well, that and the awful cacophony endlessly clanking away in my skull. That shitty month of disappointing affairs, snapped longtime friendships, and general dishevelment is over. It’s October. And on the morning of September 21 I boarded a plane and began my nine-day stint in New York…
Better still … a frustrated Christian reader reacts to Dan’s It Gets Better campaign
I was listening to the radio yesterday morning, and I heard an interview with you about your It Gets Better campaign. I was saddened and frustrated with your comments regarding people of faith and their perpetuation of bullying. As someone who loves the Lord and does not support gay marriage, I can honestly say I…
Which way, Rays? With the season over, the future for the team is cloudy
By the time this reaches anywhere near print, the Ray's woeful Game 5 will be forgotten, as will a good part of the team's 2010 season. The throngs of the faithful will have all filed out and Soriano, Pena and Crawford will have likely cleaned out their lockers. Tampa Bay will have attempted to wash…
The fog of War: An adaptation of Orson Welles’ famous Halloween hoax War of the Worlds suffers technical flaws
First things first: The acoustics at Tampa's Friday Morning Musicale are so bad, I couldn't understand fully half of the dialogue in Stageworks' The War of the Worlds. Yes, I could occasionally make out a replay of Orson Welles' famous 1938 broadcast, which convinced a million Americans that Martians were invading New Jersey; but so…
The transit tax: 20 questions, or everything you need to know about the Hillsborough sales tax proposal
On November 2, Hillsborough County voters will be asked to support a penny increase in the county sales tax (from 7 to 8 percent) to help fund a new transit plan that would include the beginnings of a light rail system. Such a system in Hillsborough could ultimately lead to a transit network that encompasses…
Youthful indulgence: Fresh gives you permission to eat the way you would have liked to as a kid
There aren't a lot of gimmicks left in the restaurant industry that haven't been played out ad nauseam in both independent and chain spots, even here in the often behind-the-times Bay area dining scene. I'm talking novelty that's not just for novelty's sake, and innovation that appeals to the needs of the customers. But that…
Iorio on the line: Some answers from transit’s biggest booster
Whether or not Hillsborough County voters approve the transit tax on next month's ballot, there is little doubt that the political leader who has been key in getting the years-long effort this far has been Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, who asserted several years ago that it was time for Tampa/Hillsborough to do something about its…
Watching you: Dizzying abstractions that compel attention — and that may be staring back
Somehow, in the less than 12 months since it opened, the white-walled garage in Seminole Heights that is Tempus Projects has become one of the most important art venues in Tampa Bay. An artist-run space where a donation bowl makes or breaks the budget and hipsters sip Natty Ice during openings, Tempus steps into a…
Soldiers’ stories: A good war novel reveals more than just the horrors of battle
Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus' son Achilleus and its devastation, which put pains thousandfold upon the Achaians, hurled in their multitudes to the house of Hades strong souls of heroes, but gave their bodies to be the delicate feasting of dogs… So begins The Iliad, by the blind poet Homer (c. 850 B.C.), and…
Lightning beat Canadiens 4-3 in OT with heart and hustle
Opening night in Montreal is not an easy assignment for any team, but for the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was only a slight hurdle on their way to their second win of the season; they beat the Canadiens 4-3 in overtime, picking up their second consecutive win of the season. In a game played at…
Do It Today: Women of Ybor Art Festival, cocktail events and Le Tigre movie at TIGLFF
What happens when you cross an X chromosome with the indelible impact of Ybor City culture? The Women of Ybor: 125 Years of Influence. Opening celebration for the new extensive exhibition is from 6 to 9 p.m. at the garden of the Ybor City Museum State Park. The exhibition by local women kicks off the museum’s celebration of a year-long series.
The Water Cooler: Charlie’s new best pal Alex; the shameless judge; Grant granted a grateful grant
The Water Cooler is a snapshot view of some of the things people are talking about in politics By Chris Ingram Charlie Crist chuckles and snickers for Snitker to partake in debate No, he hasn’t had a sudden sense of fairness overtake his overly-tanned body, but Charlie Crist has called for Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate…
The Grind podcast 10/13: Rays fans fill the seats and leave empty, Spurrier spikes the BCS Kool-Aid and break up the Bucs
Another hangover, another disappointing, frustrating, hair-pulling, WTF Rays loss. That's it, folks. Season's over. After the final out, with the crinkled area on the bridge of my nose indicating a befuddled cracker-mind, there was nothing left to do but finish the beer, tip the waitress handsomely for an academy-award winning performance of pretending to like…
Do This: Tampa Bay Area Breast Cancer Awareness Events
For 25 years October has been the official National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As the horrific cancer continues to claim lives in monstrous numbers – according to The American Cancer Society in 2010, 207, 090 cases were found in women and there were 38, 940 deaths – people and organizations all around the Tampa Bay…
Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2010: Music, diversity and more
When an annual event reaches a major milestone, as the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival did last year with its 20th anniversary, it's always a challenge to follow up. Couple that task with a crippled economy, which has led to slashes in arts funding across the country, and it's no wonder that TIGLFF…
Tampa Bay food, wine and beer events
Thursday, October 7: SideBern's Grill & Chill: Micro Man beers and seasonal game BBQ. And we're not talking about football "game". Taste Chef Chad's offerings of grilled seasonal game like quail, rabbit and elk. These flavorful proteins are at their peak this time of year and paired with Micro Man’s portfolio of seasonal ales and…
