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The Orange County Register, a newspaper in California, annouced it is outsourcing some of its copy-editing and design to workers in India. Management claims no jobs will be lost. Yet.
This blog, for now, will continue to be produced in Sarasota.
Greetings and salutations from the home office in Sarasota… Just a reminder that tomorrow marks Gibfest 2008. Make plans to be there, and click here to leave your thoughts on a dear friend and talented musician. Many thanks again to all who have shared their memories this past month. See you Saturday.
In yet another sideways nod at the county budget crisis, the Sarasota County Commissioners voted to deploy red-light cameras throughout the city, starting soon. This is despite the fact that the cameras’ use is of questionable Constitutional legality and despite the fact that no one will have any incentive to pay the tickets. Why? Until the cameras are approved by the state, the city can’t do much to scofflaws except revoke their library cards.
• On the good news front, the commissioners decided to drop the really poor idea of charging to park at area beaches.
• The battle for more fair and requitable property taxes continues, but still has a long way to go. Until municipalities are forced to tax a property based on its current use, rather than its “highest and best use” property owners are going to continue to be ripped off.
• The usual spring bump in housing sales failed to materialize this year.
• President Bush’s criminal policy of detaining children as enemy combatants. Yep. Kids. Some as young as 10 years old, have been prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.
• Today in weird Florida news: Nude maid steals $40,000 in jewels from Tampa couple.
Sarasota Police now have the authority to tow vehicles that are playing loud music. That’s right, not just issue aa ticket, but tow the vehicle, which of course, costs a bunch of money to get back. The standard threshold for making the impound is if the music can be heard from 25 feet away. I did a test in my driveway last night and I could hear NPR’s All Things Considered from 25 feet away while the windows were rolled up and the radio was playing at a normal volume.
Mind you, I have had cars roll by cranking enough bass to ripple the water in my swimming pool, but what is this new law really about? Are we really going to condone the government theft of people’s personal vehicles simply because the music is too loud?
We’ve decided to do a test. Various Creative Loafing staffers are going to drive around certain neighborhoods in the city and try to get their vehicle impounded. All will be playing loud music. Some will be playing Glen Campbell. Some will be playing Ice Cube. What’s to bet that Gentle on My Mind attracts less attention than When Will They Shoot? Stay tuned.
For now, here’s a little Glen and a little Cube. Crank ‘em both.
The unease over the potential looming bloodbath in the fall elections has recently bloomed into all out panic for Republicans nationwide. That said, Christine Jennings, the Democrat running to unseat first-term U.S. Representative Republican Vern Buchanan here in Sarasota, is poised to pick up a major endorsement from the Sarasota Classified/Teachers Organization on Monday. Plenty more about the Jennings/Buchanan battle upcoming here in The 941.
• The U.S. government is violating the rights of children in Afghanistan and here at home.
• Who is to blame for the recent spike in world food prices? U.S. pundits are quick to blame the burgeoning middle classes in India and China, but the Indians are turning that finger right back aroun at us Americans.
• See you at White on State Saturday night!
Unless you’ve been living under an especially large rock the last few months, Sarasota (Bradenton, too) has a new celebrity to lay claim to — American Idol Season Seven contestant, Syesha Mercado. The top three placer visited her old stomping ground last Friday for a whirlwind 24-hour publicity juggernaut/footage shoot, from giving a concert at the Ringling Museum to receiving keys to however many Suncoast cities A.I. producers could squeeze into her schedule. The area’s bat shit crazy over it all: We haven’t seen this many signs saying “Congrats!,” “Way to Go!” and “We Love You!” since we exited our imaginary private jet and blew sweet kisses to the throngs of fans in our head.
Tonight, hometown girl Mercado goes up against the Goliath wall of the two David’s (Cook and that impish Archuleta kid) for a spot in the finals. And let’s be honest: It doesn’t look good, people. Mercado’s been landing in the bottom three — and then two — since Paula’s been a blathering, hot on-air mess. Still, we loves us our Ms. Mercado, so break a leg and kick some family-hour-appropriate bottom.
And smack some sense into poor, pitiful Paula. No, seriously, Syesha. Please do it.
xoxo,
CL
In regards to the untimely passing this week of local musician and friend, Scott Gibson, we’ve been asked to relay the following information to anyone interested, as all are welcome to attend.
There will be a beachside memorial tomorrow evening, Sat., May 10, at Siesta Key Beach, Access 8. Beginning around 7:30 p.m., folks are asked to bring a candle, a cocktail or whatever suits them and pay their respects. A potluck will follow at the home of Scott’s brother, Buddy. Those attending the dinner are asked to bring a dish.
Formal services are scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, May 12 at Jennings Funeral Home (5750 Swift Road, Sarasota, 926-2223). Again, the public is welcome.
This evening’s musical celebration, featuring many of Scott’s friends and local musicians, begins at 10 p.m. at The Distillery in Bradenton.
• This week in the military-industrial complex — Part 1 and Part 2.
• The GOP is finally beginning to acknowledge that it’s not a good year to be a Republican and that the November election could be a bloodbath.
• Of course, being a Republican may not be such a crutch if Hillary Clinton decides to go nuclear and destroy her own party if she can’t be president. Why does it seem that Bill and Hillary just can’t let go?
• Through a combination of political interference and supression of science, the Bush administration has trashed the EPA. But hey, they only care for the air you breathe and the water you drink.
• In a survey taken in other countries, the USA ranked dead last in terms of how we are perceived as environmentalists. We were even behind China, where the air is so foul, London bookies are now taking bets on how many Olympic athletes will die this August.
• Ready to let Sarasota become the next city in the world’s police state of closed circuit television cameras? Think the 2 million cameras in London’s “Ring of Steel” prevent crime? Think again.
• Want to grow your own garden? Especially in these lean times? You need less space than you think to grow all the food you need, even in an urban environment.
Friends and Loafers,
Make plans to come by The Distillery (108 44th Ave. E., Bradenton, 739-7845) tomorrow evening, Friday, May 9 from 10 p.m.-2 a.m., for a musical celebration of the life of Scott Gibson, beloved friend, artist and Sarasota fixture. Gibson died Tuesday at age 41.
Members from local act The Big Kahuna Band, Chris Guertin and Dave Clegg, were set to do a gig with their old pal and colleague Scott tomorrow night, and per Chris’ My Space bulletin, “We’re gonna go ahead and do it, and we’re inviting all that knew him to come out & play.”
See you then, and check back here at The 941 for more images, sound files and memories of a true Sarasotan whose presence touched so many in this community and beyond.
