Blurbex

Just a quick shout-out to a few local blog posts that caught my eye recently:

Was “The Twist” born in Tampa? Sticks of Fire says yes.

What could possibly be more infuriating than a giant Confederate Flag off of Tampa’s interstate? A billboard proclaiming Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican. Pushing Rope has details.

Nabob of Nothing faces off against Facebook.

You know, sometimes this newspaperin’ gig is pretty depressing. Especially when you look at the kind of comments us journalists receive on our online news stories.

Fortunately, here at CL, I think we do pretty good. Our commenters tend to be fairly educated and enlightened folks, despite what their profile icons might tell you.

And, honestly, I don’t mind the online readers over at Tampabay.com either. Sure, you have a disproportionate amount of bitter white hairs, but overall, you can glean some interesting opinions from those comments.

But on TBO.com, the average commenter is a whole ‘nother animal. Consider the comments on yesterday’s story about my namesake, Alexander Pickett, who died after jumping off the Gulfport Pier:

Posted by ( Shadow59 ) on July 9, 2008 at 8:33 a.m.
If he jumped from the pier that doesn’t make him a swimmer, just makes him an idiot.

Posted by ( jdickerson ) on July 9, 2008 at 10:19 a.m.
swimmer or sinker?

Posted by ( Shadow59 ) on July 9, 2008 at 2:18 p.m.
rikasflash-
If you feel my comment was senseless, feel free to jump off the pier in the next storm and see what happens. Unless you think that would be too stupid.

Man, that’s cold.

And then today, in a story about some homeless dude to died on Tampa Street next to a van:

Posted by ( fugger ) on July 10, 2008 at 10:40 a.m.
why is this a story?

Posted by ( DarthRandall ) on July 10, 2008 at 11:21 a.m.
Another senseless Hobocide. How tragic.

Posted by ( Quagmire ) on July 10, 2008 at 11:11 a.m.
Was the homeless man found near an inoperable van down by the river?

Okay, I admit, that last one was pretty funny.

Is anyone with me on this? Examples?

I always knew Florida contributed disproportionately to Fark.com and News of the Weird entries, but it looks like we’ve earned another distinction: disproportionate effect on global warming.

According to growth management watchdogs 1000 Friends of Florida, Florida’s largest metro areas pump out more greenhouse gases per person than in other large cities. They’re basing the info on a recent report by the Brookings Institution that ranks the carbon emissions of 100 metro areas.

From their press release:

Florida’s metro areas increased their per capita carbon footprints much more dramatically than average in the period between 2000 and 2005. The biggest increase was from transportation, ranging from a 4.6 percent increase in Jacksonville to a whopping 58.6 percent in Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice. By comparison, the average increase in per capita footprint from transportation in the nation’s 100 largest metro areas was 2.4 percent.

Well, damn. Like any Floridian, my first response is to blame the tourists, but I don’t think that explanation flies on this one. It’s our growth patterns. It’s our sprawl. Our short-sighted government leaders.

So, which Florida cities fared the worst in the report?

Jacksonville, Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice and Cape Coral-Fort Myers. Surprisingly, Miami did the best of the Florida cities mentioned, ranking 30th in tons of carbon emited per person.

Good news though: Overall, we aren’t the worst. That distinction goes to folks in places like Lexington (Kentucky), Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Toledo, Louisville, Nashville and Oklahoma City.

Ha! Take that Rusty Belters! Al Gore is gonna run wild on you!

Ahem. As for us in the Tampa Bay area, we rank a mediocre 53rd.

Check out the full report here.

So, I woke up dead this morning. Well, not me, but my namesake, another Alexander Pickett. Another 27-year-old Alexander Pickett.

I got a call this morning from the Creative Loafing HQ after our HR director received some calls about the fellow Pickett, who died last night after jumping off the Gulfport Pier. According to news reports, this man was relaxing with friends and family when he decided to jump into the Gulf. He quickly lost control of the situation and had trouble keeping his head above water. Bystanders and friends jumped in to save him, but he went under and never came back up. Authorities recovered his body about five hours later, 50 feet from where he jumped.

Sad story. My condolences go out to his family. Us Alexander Picketts are good, decent people.

Of course, this is the only other Alexander Pickett I’ve ever heard about. Search my name on Google and you pretty much come up with me. Search my full name, “Alexander Pickett,” and you’ll come up with references to an actor. I can’t find a MySpace page for the dude. No other info on him except for these news reports.

The whole situation is a little surreal, seeing my/his name and age. And living in the same county as me. I keep reading the news reports, my name popping out every time. I wonder if he read Creative Loafing and saw my/his name. I wonder if he hated that, or if he used it to get the ladies. I wonder if I would’ve ever met him and whether we’d be great drinking buddies, just because we share the name.

I was just on that pier a month ago. I remember thinking, “I wonder how deep this water is?” I’ve definitely done some dangerous stunts like smoking salvia and agreeing to be waterboarded. And those are just the ones you read about.

Reminder: Call grandma and save her from a Times-induced heart attack.

Just got another e-mail from someone wondering if I’m alive. It’s touching. Thanks everyone. Sorry, folks, but you can’t get rid of me that easily.

I’m going to keep looking into who this guy was (maybe there will be a photo released?). But in the meantime, tonight, I think I’ll celebrate. Just because I’m alive.

Pure terror. That’s what’s on the minds of some Seminole Heights residents about their beloved neighborhood Starbucks and recent news that the coffee giant will close 600 stores this year. Residents fear their coffeeshop on Hillsborough and Central will be one of the unlucky ones.

Never have I seen such a love for a single Starbucks, or any chain store for that matter. I guess it’s deserved. To many residents, that Starbucks represents more than a place to get lemon loaf and burnt coffee — it’s a symbol of a neighborhood reborn. The residents fought like hell to get that Starbucks to come to their neighborhood in the first place (well, most of them). If it did close, where would all the city officials and neighborhood activists go to meet?

Anywho, Starbucks never returns my calls for stories, but I imagine that the Seminole Heights Starbucks is safe. The place is packed every time I drive by, and the baristas always look rushed. And frankly, you couldn’t pay a PR flack enough to get the kind of brand exposure that this Starbucks has created. So don’t worry, folks.

Back in May, I looked at water taxis/ferries as a mode of public transit for Tampa Bay. It’s an innovative idea that has been resurrected many times locally, but always fell flat to finances or bureaucracy.

Well, we just might see one in the near future.

As Times correspondent Alan Snel reports, developer Darren Booth wants to create a water taxi service based out of his Heights project on the city’s riverfront. The water taxi, which would cost $5, would ferry passengers to venues in downtown Tampa.

All in all, it looks like a good plan. But only if people use it.

So, my question is this: If Booth initiates this water taxi to service places like the Tampa Convention Center, St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and Channelside, would you use it? Is $5 a good deal for not having to worry about parking at each venue?

Here’s a sneak peak at my news story running in next week’s Creative Loafing:

Don Kobasky is losing sleep over recycling.

The St. Petersburg resident lives across the street from one of the city’s 22 drop-off recycling centers, and from sunrise to well after sunset, he hears the crash of glass.

“There’s nothing worse than working 10 to 12 hours a day and waking up at 3 a.m. to glass exploding,” says Kobasky, a large, tattooed artist who inhabits an apartment across from Crescent Lake Park’s recycling center. “It’s enough to make your brain snap.”

Kobasky doesn’t know what the answer is. He’s called the city’s solid waste department to complain; they responded by putting up a bigger sign informing residents the center closes at 9 p.m.

“But it won’t do much good,” he says.

Though he’s worried about the possible costs, he’s open to a county proposal to fund curbside recycling in St. Pete and the rest of the county.

“It seems like a win-win for everyone,” he says.

But if St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker has his way, Kobasky may be hearing glass break for the foreseeable future. As the county picks apart Baker’s arguments against curbside recycling, the mayor is digging his heels in.

When asked if the city is open to the county’s plan, Mike Conners, the city’s internal services administrator and the Baker cabinet member who has taken on the county over their proposed program, replies flatly: “At this point, no.”
(more…)

One of the reasons some people are loath to forgo their cars for the morning commute is the certain powerlessness that comes with it.  What if you take the carpool to work and suddenly become ill, or little Johnny breaks a leg at school, or the boss wants you to work overtime for those TPS reports?

That’s where the Emergency Ride Home program comes in.

If you walk, ride a bike or carpool to work at least two days a week, and an emergency comes up, you may be able to get a free cab ride home. Of course, there are some restrictions — it only covers about $100 in cab fare and you have to be registered with Bay Area Commuter Services. Nice deal, eh? And, apparently, you can use it up to eight times a year.

Click here to register.

(h/t to Creative Tampa Bay for the info)

It was a good intentioned idea. Really.

On Saturday, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office let area residents turn in their rusty, broken and unwanted guns for a brand-new $25 giftcard to Publix or Wal-Mart.

True, it was a little badly-timed considering the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that unequivocally gives us, the common folk, the right to bear arms. (Bear arms, not bare arms, mind you.) But something else struck me: If the deputies were trying to rid the streets of guns, why did they hand out Wal-Mart giftcards? Doesn’t Wal-Mart sell guns and amunition?

Last day for Salvia, folks. The ban on the psychoactive substance takes effect tomorrow; if you’re found in possession of the mild hallucinogen, you could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

I know at least one retailer is staying open until midnight to sell his stash of the soon-to-be-illegal weed. Perhaps you can convince some store owners to give you an eleventh-hour deal.

By the way, if you don’t know what Salvia is, or what it’s like to smoke it, check out my story on the subject here.

(Photo Credit: Randy Heine)

Drugs, of course!

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement just released its latest report on some of the more common drugs found in dead Floridians. Researchers at the state’s Office of Vital Statistics compiled toxicology reports on the 8,620 people who died last year with drugs in their system (whether it was the direct cause of death or simply present in their system).

Some highlights for the morbidly curious:

• The top three drugs found in dead people were ethyl alcohol (as in beer, wine, liquor), benzodiazepines (like Xanax, Valium, Rohypnol), and cocaine (see: Chris Farley).

• The drugs that caused the most deaths were cocaine, methadone, all benzodiazepines, oxycodone, ethyl alcohol, hydrocodone and morphine.

• The most lethal drug was (surprise!) heroin.

• Cocaine deaths have slowly increased since tracking began in 1987.

• Researchers found more prescription drugs than illicit drugs in dead Floridians, both as a cause of death and just being present in the body.

Take a look at the full report here.

(Photo Credit: PRNewsFoto/Medco Health Solutions, Inc.)

If you haven’t had enough of the 140-year-old argument over the Confederacy, hop on over to my interview with Marion Lambert AKA the Giant Confederate Flag Dude. It’s getting heated in the comments …

Yet another reason why I’m not happy Publix is taking over Albertson’s stores across St. Petersburg.

In this week’s Food Issue, I take a look at my favorite summer treat: iced coffee.

Unfortunately, finding a decent cup of iced java in the Tampa Bay area is a frustrating venture. Read about my findings here and then add your own comments.

It’s not often I’m surprised by an article in one of our local papers. As a native Floridian, few things surprise me about this state anymore (News of the Weird — that’s all I have to say).

But a front page story in today’s Times did it:

Celebratory gunfire is a statewide problem

What?!

From the article:

Celebratory gunfire like the kind that precipitated the fatal shooting of Javon Dawson at a crowded graduation party Saturday night is on the rise around Tampa Bay and the state, causing injuries and even deaths, say law enforcement officials.

This is so much of a problem that St. Pete police even created a public service announcement in April warning party people about the dangers of celebrating with guns (as if the laws of physics are lost on these pistol-wielding revelers).

What is this? Pakistan?!

Anyway, the news about this surrounds the recent shooting of a 17-year-old black teen by a white St. Pete police officer. Last weekend, police responded to a graduation party after calls about celebratory gunfire. According to police, Javon Dawson had a gun and pointed it at police. They shot him twice.

Back to celebratory gunfire: the article above quotes a Gulfport police officer who says on New Year’s Eve, you can’t go 30 seconds without hearing gunfire. In fact, the department even has a special unit to deal with such crimes. I have to admit, I’ve been out of town for New Year’s the past two years. Anybody else hear celebratory gunfire in their neighborhood on New Year’s Eve?

Am I just close-minded and blind to the cultural differences in our state? Or is this quite possibly one of the stupidest trends in Tampa Bay, right after bead throwing?

First off, before I go any further, let me say: I don’t condone speeding. All you road-ragers weaving in and out of lanes scare the hell out of me, and put all of our lives in danger.

That being said: There’s no fucking way I’m going 65 mph on I-275. Just no way. I don’t even think my car will allow it: It gives this horrible hum and shakes if I go below 70.

But to us “responsible” speeders (that is, those of us who speed in the left lane, until someone going faster comes up on your rear, in which you change lanes and let off the accelerator as necessary), we have one problem: state troopers. Especially that one that is always on the Pinellas side of the Howard Franklin Bridge.

And what do state troopers love more than those tough-looking hats they wear? Speed traps!

They sure are crafty, those bears. But the Internets is even craftier.

I introduce you to Speedtrap.org, the most complete listing of speed traps in the country, compiled by the National Motorists Association. From the homepage, you choose the state and the site lists each city and/or county with entries, which are written by readers. There’s over 200 Florida locations listed. Sure enough, someone posted something about the Howard Franklin Bridge trooper:

Jurisdiction (city, county, etc.): Tampa-St. Petersburg , Florida
Speed Trap Location: Interstate 275
Nearest Reference Point: Mile Marker 31-39
GPS Coordinates: n/a
Time of Day: AM Rush Hour
Level of Enforcement: High
Type of Enforcement: Radar, Laser, Vascar, Airplane
Date: 7/2006

Then, the poster follows the info with a brief description, in this case a Bay News 9 feature on the crackdown.

I’ve known about this site for some time, but only recently has it been updated with all sorts of new speedtraps. So read up and, please folks, don’t barrel into me at 90 mph.

(Photo Credit: cesarastudillo)

The St. Petersburg Times has an interesting profile on Tampa’s favorite (confederate) son, Marion Lambert. The South Tampa beekeeper has been a media darlin’ the last week, ever since a massive confederate flag flew on his property at the intersection of I-4 and I-75.The Times article painted the man generally as a gentle Southern enthusiast, who snookered the county officials when he applied for the proper flag permits. But when I interviewed Lambert on Friday, I saw an angry, almost bitter man.

True, Lambert is a gentleman. Before he arrived at his house from a late bee removal job, his family showed me some true Southern hospitality. Then he gave me a nice tour of his five-acre farm.”I’m a very liberal person in my heart,” he told me during our first few minutes together. “I’m a very conservative person in my brain.”

He even used to be a hippie. Well, I’ll be …

But don’t let Lambert fool you: he knows full well that this stunt is divisive, even if he doesn’t believe in the flag’s links to slavery. In one of the most unusual analogies I’ve ever heard, he compares the flag going up to “childbirth,” in that the act will cause a lot of pain and agony, but in the end a more perfect truth will be born.

Did I mention the guy is a born-again Christian?

“We found ourselves marginalized, put on the back table of the community,” he said, railing against the decision to remove the confederate flag from the county seal and other slights. “The only way we could get their attention is to slap them in the face, and slap the community in the face.”

He knows the power he has over the commissioners, especially after they practically begged him to not fly the flag at last week’s commission meeting. This is how he describes county commissioner Rose Ferlita:

“I saw Rose Ferlita look at me like a puppy instead of an angry dog.”

An edited version of the interview will hit the streets and Web site on Wednesday, but for now, here’s the full version (after the jump): (more…)

There goes my good Monday: Publix is buying out 49 Tampa Bay area Albertson’s stores!

I don’t know where your grocery loyalties lie, but this does not bode well for me.

After several months of trying out different grocery stores since I moved here, Albertson’s was an easy choice. In my humble opinion, for the quality of their meat and veggies, they seem to have the best prices. Now Publix, which I find to be fairly expensive, plans to buy out Albertson’s in September. What’s more: They’re buying locations that are already near various Publix stores. My local Albertson’s on 4th Street in St. Pete is across the street from a Publix.

Now, I’ll be forced to go to Sweetbay, who I am not at all happy with ever since the company allowed identity theives to steal over 4 million credit and debit card numbers. I had fun dealing with that little security breach when my bank unexpectedly canceled my debit and credit cards after Sweetbay notified them (but not me) that my information was stolen. All this, while I was on vacation.

Anybody else bothered by Publix’s plans?

(Photo Credit: hyku)

A few weeks ago, over on the Political Whore blog, Associate Editor Joe Bardi posted a YouTube video featuring an office worker on the rampage, crashing over his cubicle in a brawl with a fellow co-worker. Ruminations on the video’s authenticity followed.

Well, I found an office rampage scene to rival that one. Feast your eyes:

I’m guessing someone stole his stapler.

(Follow the jump for extra footage.)

(more…)

As any other office troll would attest to, we get a lot of spam here at CL.

A lot.

Since my hiring two years ago, I’ve clicked through more junk e-mail than my entire life beforehand.

As you might have guessed, most of it is of the “male enhancement” variety. Much to the chagrin of spammers everywhere, I always delete these e-mails without opening them.

Well, now those spammers have gone to just insulting me:

Bastards.