Daily Loaf

Doug Stanhope is a balls-to-the-wall tact-free modern-day outlaw comic who says exactly what’s on his mind to great (if highly uncomfortable and nearly always offensive) comic effect. He recently admitted to being a “techno-retard” on his blog and to becoming “every hackneyed old comic who talks about these kids and their gadgets today. Take your apps and iPhones and leave me sitting here with my thumb stuck in my oldy-fashioned vibrating latex anus.” Expect some related techno-bashing at his Crowbar show. Sat., Nov. 21, 8 p.m., Crowbar, Ybor City, $20 (ages 21 and up), dougstanhope.com. –Leilani Polk

Tony Soprano and Groucho Marx would be in heaven: The 11th annual Cigar Heritage Festival includes an attempt to break the Guinness Book’s World’s Longest Cigar record by master cigar makers Wallace and Margarita Reyes, who try for a 180’ cigar. The nationally syndicated Cigar Dave Show is on site to report the festivities, a game zone offers big screen TVs, leather couches and casino tables (it doesn’t matter how many cigars there are, you still gotta catch the game), a beer and wine garden, a kid’s corner, access to the Saturday Market, myriad ethnic food vendors, and, of course, an enormous selection of the world’s finest cigars and accessories — all in the heart of Ybor. Sat., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Centennial Park, Tampa, $5, free for children 12 and younger. Read the rest of this entry »

Late this afternoon, just hours before controversial reggae singer Buju Banton’s concert at the Cuban Club in Ybor City was to take place, an emergency meeting was held inside radio station WMNF.

Banton’s song “Boom Bye Bye” advocates gay-bashing and murder, and has led  to a letter-writing campaign by the LGBT group  Equality Florida to protest Banton’s shows in Jacksonville, Miami and in Ybor City.

WMNF has had a relationship with the Cuban Club for years, using the facility for their popular Heatwave concerts.  But after one board member reportedly questioned whether that relationship should continue because of the controversy over Banton, Station Manager Jim Bennett called a meeting at 4p.m. on Friday.

Representing the Cuban Club was La Gaceta editor and publisher Patrick Manteiga, who sits on the Executive Committee of the Foundation Board of the Cuban Club.

The Cuban Club booked the show earlier this week after the show was canceled at the Ritz Theatre and Jannus Landing.  During a discussion with Bennett, Equality Florida’s Brian Winfield and several staff and board members of WMNF, Manteiga said the promoter had come to the Cuban Club because the Ritz had not sold many tickets for the event.

But others say that the Ritz wanted nothing to do with the show.

Manteiga said in the last 24 hours, Cuban Club board members had received some hate e-mail for booking the show.  He said that no one with the Club had any clue about the controversy surrounding Banton.

“What we’ve done is ask this artist not to perform this song, we’ve increased the deposit, and if he performs this song, we’ll keep the deposit,” Manteiga said.  He also said that the promoter agreed to pay for three additional police officers to staff the event.

Brian Winfield of Equality Florida told CL that his group was not satisfied with the Cuban Club agreeing to let the show go on, saying they were literally giving him a platform to deliver his hateful message toward gays and lesbians.

Winfield said he was not there to dictate to WMNF what their policy should be toward Banton (WMNF Program Director Randy Wynne said the station has only played “Boom Bye Bye” one time, and has a policy of not airing it.  But he says that they do play other songs from his repertoire.  During the meeting, he said “the bulk of his material does not reflect his message.”)

“We’re asking  community members and leaders like WMNF to stand up and clearly stand against the murderous message that Buju Banton represents and incites violence against gay people,” Winfield said.

He said that his group had no intention of protesting in front of the Cuban Club for Friday night’s performance.

(Full disclosure.  This reporter was a staff member of WMNF for over 9 years, and still does volunteer work with the station).

The Skipperdome was packed this past Sunday, October 11, for WMNF’s Woodstock Flashback. Having been to Skipper’s Smokehouse more than anywhere else in Tampa, I was shocked to find so many people there, both in the restaurant and the outdoor venue. The parking lot was packed to overflowing.

Due to the lack of parking and the fact that we had to pay $5 for the spot we found, we didn’t see the opener, Soul 2 Earth, playing Jimi Hendrix, though we heard it the tail end of their set on our way in. We got our wristbands as they were exiting the stage.

It was practically standing room only at the ‘Dome, patrons with drinks and food in hand, and wearing smiling faces. Indeed, the WMNF regulars I’d spotted at previous events were in full attendance, but like always, the audience was a diverse bunch, ages ranging from infant to senior, and everyone was there to have an amazing Woodstock Flashback experience. Read the rest of this entry »

The Morean Arts Center and The Studio@620 continue to bring current art and issues to the community — this time, with a month’s worth of advance screenings of Art21-Art in the Twenty-First Century, the national TV series with a focus on contemporary art. After the show, the host of WMNF’s “Art in Your Ear,” JoEllen Schilke, moderates a panel discussion on the episode’s themes. Visit art21.org or studio620.org for more info. (Pictured: Art:21 production still of artst Oliver Herring at work) Thursdays through Oct. 23, 7:30-9:30 p.m., The Studio@620,  620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, free.

If local craft brew floats your sudsy boat, then the ninth annual OktoBEERfest is your cup of tea. Or, well, beer. The line-up of events include the brewery’s Liter Release and Appreciation night, and a huge party that spills out onto the streets from Dunedin’s tasting room. “Notoriously German food” and live music by Bump accompany the constantly flowing beers. Visit dunedinbrewery.com for more info. Thurs.-Sun., Oct.1-4, Dunedin Brewery, 937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin. Read the rest of this entry »

A quick breakdown of this holiday weekend’s most worthy concerts. For a more comprehensive schedule, check out our Upcoming Events page.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
JJ Grey & Mofro w/Shooter Jennings/Earl Greyhound [pictured] A good ol’ boy from the backwaters of Jacksonville, JJ Grey is the creative force and frontman of Mofro, their music swamp-stomping, finger-licking, funked-out rock ‘n’ roll with a solid R&B groove marked by Grey’s husky soulful drawl. LA alt-country rocker Shooter Jennings (the sole spawn of country singers Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter) just released his first compilation, Bad Magick: The Best of Shooter Jennings and the .357’s, which includes select tracks from his first three studio albums, a few live recordings and a cover of Hank Williams Jr.’s 1976 single, “Living Proof.” And NY’s Earl Greyhound features afro-thrashing bassist/singer Kamara Thomas, who brings charismatic energy to the power trio’s fiery, heavy-handed blues rock. 8 p.m., The Ritz Ybor, Ybor City, $20.

Tom Goss w/Mara Levi Goss is an out-of-the-closet singer-songwriter who abandoned seminary school and impending priesthood to pursue social justice issues and his love of music. His vocals are high and pleasantly emotive, his acoustic pop touching and uplifting. He’s currently touring in support of his 2009 release, Back to Love.  4:30-6:00pm, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg,  free (students only). Read the rest of this entry »

My parents played me The Beatles while I was still in the womb and in the end, I was compelled to make a break for the light so I could hear those sweet melodies all the better. (It was perfectly warm and comfortable in there, but the acoustics were simply awful.)

I don’t ever remember living without the Beatles. I grew up playing my mom’s vast collection of LPs, got to know the early, uncomplicated incarnation as a child, moved through the catalog to their later albums as I matured, and gained a new appreciation of songs I’d avoided or just didn’t get when I was younger: the morbid humor of “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” the not-so-subtle sexual innuendo of “Happiness is a Warm Gun,” the intense, simplistic beauty of “Across the Universe,” the ahead-of-its-time experimental flourishes and rhythms of “Tomorrow Never Knows,” the drawn-out groove and swagger of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” the psychedelic nonsensicalness of “I Am the Walrus.” John, Paul, George and Ringo were always there, and I’ve returned to the comfort of their music time and time again. (Pictured: The Beatles, 1969, [c] Apple Corps Ltd. 2009) Read the rest of this entry »

We all want to save money on energy and utility bills during this time when money is tight. Some people have the misconception that going ‘green’ and putting energy efficient installations in their home can be expensive, but it’s quite the contrary. Why not learn how these solar powered/energy efficient components work and see them in action in homes and buildings around the Tampa Bay area?

The Tampa Solar Homes tour will show you how to go ‘green’ and save money on your utility bills by installing photovoltaic systems, solar hot water heaters, back-up batteries and solar attic fans. Listen to some solar power experts, get a solar photovoltaic system tutorial, and check out the numerous homes and businesses around the Bay that are using these practices- for free! Bonus: There will be a free shuttle to tour participants around to see all of the sites on this tour.

Read more:
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If you thought Warped Tour was over, think again. For one night only, movie theaters across America screen the Vans Warped Tour 15th Anniversary Celebration, a two-hour tribute to the beloved music fest and its talented artists. Warped Tour is often associated with punk music and culture, but this showcases the diverse bands that have not only played the outdoor concert, but become known because of it. The screening includes live performances, red-carpet clips and behind the scenes footage from artists like NOFX (pictured), Bad Religion, Blink-182, Ice T, Katy Perry, All-American Rejects, The Aggrolites, Underoath and more. Warped fans can get a glimpse into the lives of their favorite bands, and all in the comfort of air conditioning. Now that’s what I’m talking about! Thurs., Sept. 17, 8 p.m., Citrus Park Stadium 20, 7999 Citrus Park Town Center Mall, Tampa, 12.50, visit fathomevents.com for a full list of participating theaters. – Lily Reisman Read the rest of this entry »

WMNF hosts another one of its fundraising film events, this one a James Brown film spectacular held at the food and alcohol-serving Tampa Pitcher Show. The evening kicks off with The Night James Brown Saved Boston, which documents the funk father’s legendary performance on April 5, 1968, at Boston Gardens, the evening after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The film also tells sheds light on the crucial role that Brown and this particular concert played in the political, social and cultural climate of the era, and how Brown used his dynamic musical powers and uplifting energy to nurse the wounds of an aggressively mourning public. In addition, ‘MNF also screens the entire April 5 concert as well as a clip from the fiery T.A.M.I. show from a few years earlier, where organizers made the mistake of scheduling the Rolling Stones to close the concert after Brown. In later interviews, Stones guitarist Keith Richards claimed that choosing to follow Brown & The Famous Flames was the biggest mistake of their careers, because no matter how well they performed, they could not top Brown’s cape-flaring, dancetastic showmanship. Wed., Sept. 16, 7:30 p.m., Tampa Pitcher Show, 14416 N Dale Mabry, Tampa,  $10, 813-963-0578.

Check out a few performances from the TAMI show after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

All photos by Sam Goresh.

WMNF celebrated its 30th birthday in a big way this past Saturday September 12, at the Ritz Ybor. My mission, and I chose to accept it, was three rooms, 12 bands, and about six hours worth of music: GO!

The schedule included a line-up of amazing talent and I wanted to hear it all, or as much as I could of each band, at least. The Ritz Ybor was divided into three stage areas. The Main Stage featured Have Gun, Will Travel, then the Legendary JC’s and Paul Thorn (pictured), with Nervous Turkey closing out the night. Sarasota Slim kicked things off in the Royal Room, and sets by Knock Down Drag Out and Barley Pink rounded things out (Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers were supposed to play here but their performance was canceled at the last minute). Suite Caroline opened the music in the Rivoli Room, and Amanda Shires and her Roaring Fiddle, Tribal Style and Ray Olan and the Jazz Ole Band followed. After I was given the unofficial tour of the venue by my Tampa-native concert buddy, we sat down and came up with a game plan to ensure that we caught them all.

The overall atmosphere was fun, festive and generally awesome. Smiling faces and crazy outfits abounded, and the Ritz was decked out with birthday banners, signs, and celebratory glitz and glamour, not to mention a giant birthday cake drooled over for half the night by those of us with a sweet tooth. I spotted a few familiar faces from my GrooveFest experience, proving that WMNF certainly has its faithful supporters and is 30 years strong because of them. (More photos + a photo gallery after the jump) Read the rest of this entry »

Community radio has enjoyed a short but storied history in America, beginning on the West Coast in 1946 with the launch of KPFA at Berkeley by journalist/pacifist Lewis Hill and a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to fostering “a lasting understanding between nations and between individuals of all nations, races, creeds and colors.” Community radio really blossomed in the 1960s during our country’s cultural revolution, when the appeal of breaking down prevailing traditions and boundaries became more widespread. Listener-supported stations were free from the corporate sponsors that exercised control over commercial stations, their minuscule budgets both a burden and benefit — virtually no money to work with, but a staff of community volunteers who actively participated as disc jockeys and producers, and brought color and variety back to radio with a diverse range of programming. By the 1970s, community stations had carved out a place amidst the corporate radio structure and were broadcasting in almost every state.

WMNF, the Bay area’s own beloved community radio station, first went on air in 1979 and celebrates 30 years of broadcasting on Saturday with its annual birthday party. This year’s event features 12 bands on three stages — national headliners Paul Thorn, Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers, and Amanda Shires, all pictured, as well as local and regional players like Nervous Turkey and the Legendary JC’s — at the Ritz Ybor. Here’s the complete breakdown, with video. Read the rest of this entry »

Pulling up to Skipper’s Smokehouse this past Sunday, August 30, I was bombarded with the sounds of the first annual WMNF GrooveFest, already in full swing at just after 3 p.m. Shak Nasti opened the nine hours of jammin’ fun in the sun. The greeters and ticket sellers were in high spirits and there wasn’t a single patron sitting still, whether they were getting food or drinks, chatting, or swaying to the beat. (Pictured: Middle Rhythm Session)

For a moment I actually forgot where I was. If it weren’t for the humidity and the menu of alligator bites and grouper sandwiches, I would have thought I was back on the West Coast at a reggae festival, or even the Oregon Country Fair. The dreadlocks, tie-dyes, friendly faces and a crowd ranging from ages 2 through maybe even 92, were straight out of Eugene or Portland, Oregon (where I lived before I moved here a few months ago). I felt silly for not sporting my handmade batik dress and Birkenstocks. Read the rest of this entry »

In the ’90s, cult-TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 turned trashing a flick into an art form. Despite the show’s cancellation, former host Michael J. Nelson just can’t leave the bad movies of the world alone. Nelson is the driving force behind Rifftrax.com, a variation on MST3K’s shtick, only now you download the audio commentary tracks and synch them yourself. Rifftrax has done well enough that they’re taking the show on the road — sort of. Local theaters host  a live airing of Rifftrax: Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space (pictured) from the Belcourt Theater in Nashville, Tenn. Joining Mike for the cutting commentary are MST3K staples Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett. Visit fathomevents.com for ticket prices and info. The show screens at two local theaters, including: Citrus Stadium Park Mall 20, 7999 Citrus Park Town Center Mall, Tampa; and Regency 20, 2496 Brandon Blvd., Brandon. Thu., Aug. 20, 8 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »

The great American wordsmith, Nelly, once said, “It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes.” The Dunedin Fine Arts Center folks took that literally for the fifth annual Wearable Art Fashion Show. They’ve shed their duds, opting instead for couture art in a runway show that promises to be “hotter than ever.” That’s a lot to live up to, since past shows enjoyed sold-out performances and rave reviews from fashionistas and party people alike. This year’s line-up includes fresh designs from Sana Hassan, Ungala and more, along with returning champs of the catwalk Ivanka Ska, who turns paper chains into high fashion (though I wouldn’t want to get caught in the rain) and Frank Strunk III, whose metal-worked ensembles are part bondage, part garment, and all art. This year’s show also includes live music by Aimee Trachtenberg, Dave Helm, and Ramblegrass – and the fun don’t stop there: there’s an after-glow after-party where you can show off your own sense of style. (Pictured: Frank Strunk III, with a model wearing one of his creations) Aug. 15, Sat., 7:30 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. fashion show, Dunedin Fine Arts Center, 1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, $15 general admission, $50-$75 reserved seating, 727-298-3322, dfac.org. - Franki Weddington

Skate fiends Chad Cardoza and the grinders at SPoT promise a “ripping bowl session” (yes, we’re talking about skating, here) and present the collected works of more than 30 local artists who use skate decks as their canvases at Art Deck Yo! DJ Blenda churns out the jams and folks from Red Bull are on hand giving away free wake-up juice to amp up those ollies all night long — and free drinks of a somewhat stronger nature to those of age. Visit skateparkoftampa.com for more info. Sat., Aug. 15, 7-11 p.m., Skate Park of Tampa, 4215 E. Columbus Dr., Tampa, free.

Hear all the music without all the mud at the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Tribute in honor of the most famous music fest of all time. Celebrate with a screening of the director’s cut of the concert film, with performances by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Santana, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, The Grateful Dead and more. Proceeds benefit our local radio heroes at WMNF. Visit beachtheatre.com for more info. Fri., Aug. 14, 7 p.m., Beach Theatre, 315 Corey Ave., St. Pete Beach, $8.
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Back by popular demand, WMNF presents a screening of Academy Award-nominated director Kirby Dick’s documentary Outrage, about the secret life of politicians who lambaste the LGBT communities to which they secretly belong — including our own hometown hero, Charlie Crist (pictured). You can check out Joe Bardi’s review here. Proceeds benefit WMNF. Visit wmnf.org for more info. Weds., Aug. 12, 7 and 9 p.m., The Studio@620, 620 First Ave. S., St. Petersburg, $8 in advance, $10 at the door.

I will refrain from saying bad things about the mainstream-friendly Dave Matthews-fronted jam band because the fivesome does have musical chops, even if said chops are only appreciated by teenage girls, duty-bound jam fans and loyal radio listeners from the past dozen years. If you like DMB, anything else I write will offend you; if you don’t like them, then you’re probably not even reading this. Wed., Aug. 12, 7 p.m., Ford Amphitheatre, 4802 US 301 N., Tampa, $40-$75. – Leilani Polk

This month’s selection for Real Lives Movies (a monthly film series with a focus on Jewish culture, history and achievement) is The Jewish People: A Story of Survival. The PBS documentary by journalist Martha Teichner  examines rare photos and documents, and features interviews with noted historians about Jewish history, in a revealing look at a culture that has survived and thrived despite slavery, oppression and anti-Semitism. Visit gmkjc.org for more info. Wed., Aug. 12, 12 p.m., Golda-Meir/Kent Jewish Center, 1950 Virginia Ave., Clearwater, free.

Have you ever heard the Vietnam-era quote, “war is not healthy for children and other living things?” It is a staunchly obvious and painstakingly reasonable appeal that cuts to the ethical core and casualties of war.  I read an article this week that reminded me of it, but instead of war, the murderous culprit in this story is climate change.

A new report by the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) says that global warming already kills about 300,000 people a year.  If that projection is not startling enough– or if you have more of an economic mind, and are not much swayed by stacks of human figures—the report also says that climate change costs around $125 billion in economic losses annually.
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“Political correctness (adjectivally, politically correct; both forms commonly abbreviated to PC) is a term applied to language, ideas, policies, or behavior seen by some as seeking to minimize offense to gender, racial, cultural, disabled, aged or other identity groups. Conversely, the term “politically incorrect” is used to refer to language or ideas that may cause offense or that are unconstrained by orthodoxy” (Wikipedia definition).

Here’s a good place to start: she thinks you’re ugly, you are seriously impaired, 9/11 could have been an inside job, and religion might be the root of all evil. When was the last time you enjoyed a friendly discussion in mixed company that involved any one of those possibilities? For some reason, I have always been iconoclastic and politically incorrect. I see nothing wrong with seeking the truth where ever it may have gotten lost. In fact, I think that looking behind the façade of political correctness is a virtue. Let’s be real. Do the people in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan think we are the “good guys” as we murder their brothers and sisters and label it “collateral damage”, or do they blame the other guys? Read the rest of this entry »

A different view of stress….

“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”.

“It is only in passing through the furnace, that iron becomes steel.”

The New Way of Thinking that will get us to the New World requires that we revisit and reframe our understanding of everything that touches our lives. In my last post I gave the old/new way of looking at stress, as a biochemical event that is modifiable by one’s own actions. Now I’d like to propose the radical idea that stress might actually be good for us in an epigenetic sort of way. Read the rest of this entry »

So now that the “novel H1N1 swine flu” has been proven to be a dud, what shall we be afraid of now. Actually, fear is a downer, a harmful, immune suppressant emotion that is “the only thing we have to fear”.

When fear strikes, the adrenal glands go into overdrive, pouring out stress hormones: cortisol, adrenalin, noradrenaline. The adrenals are two little pyramid shaped caps, one on each kidney. They are responsible for salt balance in the body, and represent the body’s alarm system. When cortisol is released in higher than normal quantities, blood sugar rises, insulin levels go up, the brain becomes focused, immune function reduces and digestion comes to a screeching halt. Since our stresses usually don’t go away, the adrenals are chronically on alert, leading to diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, insomnia and anxiety states (even panic attacks). Read the rest of this entry »

Every year, mainstream media picks a pop tart to feel the heat of the MTV spotlight, though 2008’s rising star was not a Mickey Mouse Club or American Idol outcast nor was it some annoying bleached-blonde virginity-claiming bombshell. Instead, we saw the rise of a doll-faced, naughty-girl-next-door singer/musician Katy Perry (pictured), who brought the nauseatingly catchy yet somehow edgy “I Kissed a Girl” to suburbia and to the Warped Tour, all in one fell swoop. Her certified-platinum album, One of the Boys, sold 2 million copies worldwide, and she seems to have some staying power (she just performed on The Grammys in February), though tickets for the 1,500-capacity show that’s been lined up for months were still available by the time of this posting. 8 p.m., Jannus Landing, St. Petersburg, $20.

The latest doc presented in the fundraising WMNF Film Series is Plan Colombia: Cashing in on the Drug War Failure, about the relation between America’s “war-on-drugs” in Columbia and how it relates to our country’s interest in Columbian oil and natural resources. Screened at two locations: 7 p.m., Tampa Pitcher Show, Tampa, and 7 p.m. at Nova 535 Art Lounge, St. Petersburg. Admission is $8 door.

Black On Black Rhyme concludes its observance of National Poetry Month with the City of Tampa poet laureate, James E. Tokley, who also celebrates his 61st birthday on the occasion. Friends of Tokley, special guests, various area poets and Tokley himself are scheduled to perform readings and give presentations. 9 p.m., Hip Hop Soda Shop, Tampa, $7, 813-244-0535. Read the rest of this entry »

Flight of the Conchords — the charming, Grammy-winning folk-comedy duo from New Zealand made up of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement (pictured) — are unlikely stars in America. Ironically, their popularity can be directly attributed to their HBO sitcom, Flight of the Conchords, a faux-reality show that follows the pair as they navigate NYC’s musical landscape and attempt to develop an American fanbase. The show’s not only hilarious, but has proven itself a brilliant way of marketing the duo’s eccentric brand of self-deprecating musical comedy. The duo lands at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center tonight. The show’s sold out, but perhaps you can find someone with a spare or two outside the hall. Or, you can snag tickets now to the Choncords’ Wednesday night show in Orlando before it, too, sells out. Good luck in what ever you do. Mon., April 5, 7:30 p.m., Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Tampa, $38.50 (SOLD OUT); and Wed., April 8, USF Arena, Orlando, $36.50. Read the rest of this entry »

Each of us reaches a point in our young adult lives when the home we grew up in is no longer our home. I reached this turning point last year, before my second year at USF St. Petersburg. I was hungry for my own space, no matter how tiny, decrepit, filthy or funky it may be. There’s nothing a good amount of elbow grease and a few trips to local thrift stores can’t fix.

Commence Craigslist obsession. After several weeks of combing the roommate listings, I found a suitable situation. Two roommates, a gay guy and young girl, both in their early twenties, couple of jobs apiece, sharing a three-bedroom, two-story home in the lovely Old Northeast neighborhood. We got along famously and the price was right; I was in heaven reading Hawthorne on my huge front porch a block from the bay. Enter 24-year-old, ex-military, anger-prone, verbally abusive, alcoholic-meathead boyfriend of the female roommate and my little sanctuary was no longer.

Being that I was raised by socially aware, conscious parents, I tried to reason with him. This only made the situation worse and continued in a downward spiral after word spread in the house that I had caught the “man of the house” (he dubbed himself this) shaving his chest one afternoon. Read the rest of this entry »

“I’ve got this thing and it’s fucking golden…” Read #96 and all the other juicy bits in the affidavit, ‘United States of America v. Rod R. Blagojevich, and John Harris.”

Catch the full rundown at the Chicago Reader.

Or perhaps you’d prefer the David Mamet version?

Or the Shakespeare: Mrs. B.=Lady MacB

Name that goon: Who said it, Tony Soprano or Governor B?

Even the governor’s neighbors are glad he got caught.

What the Blagojevich scandal means for Obama.

Oh, we could go on all day with great Blagojevich shit, but a few other things happened in the world yesterday:

Who’s buried out there? Mystery at a Florida reform school.

Get out of my Facebook: Student sues principal.

WMNF loses its “heart and soul.”

Letterman taunts Leno: “Welcome to The Late Show, still at 11:35!”

And Best Picture goes to… a robot?

Remember the The Presidents of the United States of America, that band who had such goofily catchy alt hits in the mid-90’s, like “Lump,” “Kitty” and “Peaches”? They reunited in ‘04 and released two albums since, the most recent, These Are the Good Times People, this past March. PUSA (pictured) is currently touring in support of the album and make a stop at Jannus Landing this Saturday night; Jeffrey Lewis provides support. 8 p.m., $18.

Like cars? See eco-friendly vehicles, the latest 2009 models, vintage and concept cars, and plenty of other ‘mobiles this weekend during the 2008 Tampa Bay International Auto Show at the Tampa Convention Center. Through Nov. 9, noon-10 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun., 9 adults/$4 seniors, military, students and children 7-12 (children 6 and younger enter for free).

Cranky, no-holds-barred comedian Doug Stanhope returns to Crowbar for a set of cleverly venomous stand-up. 9 p.m., $20, Ybor City.

Scenic historic St. Pete neighborhood Roser Park stages its fifth annual Historic Roser Part Art Fest. Nov. 8-9, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun., free admission.

Beach Theatre presents a single-night screening of the long-awaited (seven years in the making) Flaming Lips sci-fi feature, Christmas on Mars, which stars all the Lips members and tells the story of the first Christmas on a newly-colonized Mars. Proceeds from the event benefit WMNF. Fri., Nov. 7, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Beach Theatre $7.