Creative Loafing Tampa

Billy Idol gives more, more, more at Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater

Gabe Echazabal — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

A wrap-up of the Tues., June 18 show, with photos. by Gabe Echazabal and Tracy May

It's hard for me to give an unbiased account of Tuesday night's high energy Billy Idol show at Clearwater's Ruth Eckerd Hall. To say I was more than a little obsessed with the platinum-haired rocker during my high school years would be a gross understatement. All days and nights in the early-to-mid-1980s were spent wearing out the grooves of my Billy Idol albums as well as those of Generation X, the UK punk/pop band Idol fronted in the 1970s. My daily attire consisted of a denim jacket covered in Idol/Gen X pins in those days; some of my classmates referred to it as my bullet-proof vest. My bedroom walls were plastered with posters and images of Idol, and rock magazines (which I bought if they included even a mere blurb about my favorite artist) were always scattered about all over my carpeted floor. Since I was 15, the 1978 Generation X debut is by far my number one favorite album of all time. So, to reiterate, I am a Billy Idol fan. [Text by Gabe, photos by Tracy.]

And, 30 years since my crazed, obsessed days as an Idol fanatic, I'm proud to report that the man still rocks. I was one among the 1,929 screaming, standing, fist-pumping fans, a tightly packed near sell-out crowd who came to cheer on Mr. Idol and relive some simpler, easier, more carefree times. And damn, it felt good.

Opening with the furious Generation X rocker "Ready Steady Go," Idol and his five-piece got things off to a rousing start. Clad all in black, Billy swaggered from side to side of the stage's edge, mugging and posing for fans in the front. Lean, fit and in the best physical shape of his life, Billy looked poised to run a marathon and/or lift some weights. Luckily all the energy he brought to the stage was channeled into the art of thrilling an adoring, vocal and appreciative crowd.

Longtime guitarist Steve Stevens assisted in the sonic assault as he squeezed unreachable and indescribable notes. Sporting sparkly leather pants, leopard-print shirt and his trademark mop of spiky black hair, Stevens proved once again that he's the perfect cool, silent sidekick to Idol's over-the-top, sexually charged stage persona.

Steamrolling through a barrage of well-known hit singles, the 57-year-old Idol performed and delivered with confidence and command and his enthusiasm never waned a bit throughout his two-hour long sweaty workout.

Unleashing one of his best-known singles "Dancing With Myself" early in the night did wonders to put the crowd right in a frenzy. Males and females all danced, sang along and took dozens of pictures from cell phones as Idol climbed upon a platform located at the center of the stage to deliver the all-too-familiar lines that the audience gladly joined him on.

A simple stage, save for a few large lighted screens at the rear that beamed bright colors and patterns across them, was all Idol needed to deliver the goods all night long. Toying with females at the front of the stage and taunting them with playful, suggestive moves drew raucous applause and hollers throughout.

While he successfully incorporated all his hits and MTV staples into the setlist, Idol was thoughtful enough to throw in some real gems and obscurities into the mix, too. Never one to forget his roots and his foundation, Billy took a trip back in time to appease fans who've faithfully followed him for decades (a group I'll boldly and presumptuously lump myself in with), and hit us with a couple of selections from Generation X's superb but underrated 1979 sophomore album, Valley of the Dolls. Although a hit single in his native England, "King Rocker" — a rockabilly tune about Elvis Presley and John Lennon duking it out for the title of the ultimate rock god — is fairly obscure for the average fan. But following it up with another balls out rocker from the same album, "Love Like Fire," is nothing more than a tip of the cap to the devoted Idol clan. Few responded positively to the one-two punch of these two little-known rockers...but I think I might have made enough noise to cover everyone else in the hall.

Alternating between jacket, vest, t-shirt or going bare chested, Idol looked fit and ripped as he paraded around the stage and worked up a pretty mean sweat all night long. He played the occasional guitar riff and offered up some pretty tasty acoustic licks for his reading of "Sweet Sixteen." And never had anything but full command of his audience as he coasted though some newer, lesser known material. Although he had a book of lyrics close by when he broke into the more recent stuff, he never lost his pace or his place throughout.

Billy Idol more than proved his vast professionalism and wildly displayed his undeniable charisma and abounding personality all night long. As he broke into his encore, he hit us with two of his best-known and most recognizable tunes. "White Wedding" got the acoustic treatment with the assistance of Stevens before it erupted into the more familiar incendiary chugging rocker with the appearance of the rest of the fine band. And, as the familiar sound of pounding drums began, it was time to belt out the show-closer: Idol's version of the 1968 Tommy James and the Shondells bubblegum rocker, "Mony Mony." The song was a No. 1 hit for Idol in 1987 and he's been attributed with adding some colorful and risque language to the chorus of the song that audiences love to sing along with. Tuesday night's crowd was no exception; the chants from the seats almost drowned out the sounds of Idol and company throughout the final song of the night.

To say that Idol's first visit to our area in almost a decade was a triumphant night of music, raunch and fun would be putting it lightly. As a worn out, sweaty crowd filtered out of the hall and into the lobby, one thing was certain: no one seemed to leave disappointed or unhappy, which is likely Idol's goal and his motivation to continue touring and recording new music.

As for me, sure, I'm still a huge fan and I'll always support Billy Idol in any musical project or performance he chooses to undertake. His impact and influence have been a vital part of my life for many years now and I won't forget the role he played in helping define my adolescence all those years ago. I'm glad I got to witness and experience this incredibly fun night of rock n' roll; it did plenty to reaffirm my love and respect for the man and it only guaranteed that I'll be right there, pumping my fist and chanting "more more more!" any time Mr. Idol returns to the area.

Set List

Ready Steady Go
Dancing with Myself
Pumping on Steel
Flesh for Fantasy
Postcards From The Past
Twenty Flight Rock (acapella excerpt)
Love and Glory
Cradle of Love
Ghost In My Guitar
Sweet Sixteen
Eyes Without a Face
LA Woman
Guitar Solo
(Steve Stevens)
King Rocker
Love Like Fire
Blue Highway
Rebel Yell

Encore:
White Wedding
Mony Mony

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Get out your LGBT planner

Tiffany Razzano — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:00:00 -0400

With St. Pete Pride just a week away, there are plenty of local LGBT events going on in our area.

Thursday, June 20

Got a rant or a story or a poem? Pick up the mic and show off your stuff at Oral Fixation’s monthly LGBTQ open mic at Ybor City’s R Bar, 1820 North 15th St., Tampa. Doors open at 9 p.m.; show starts at 10 p.m. Performers of all types are welcome and encouraged to share their art.

The West Coast Players Theatre, 21905 U.S. 19 N., presents “The Boys in the Band,” a play that mixes comedy and tragedy while exploring the issues of gay culture in American society. This performance, which begins at 8 p.m., is a fundraiser for St. Pete Pride. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased here.

Friday, June 21

The Florida Diversity Council will hold its second annual Florida LGBT-Allies Diversity Summit at Moffitt Cancer Center, Stabile Research Building’s Couch Auditorium, 12902 Magnolia Dr., Tampa, 7:30 — 11:30 a.m. This year’s theme is “What the HRC Corporate Equality Index Means to Your Business and Our Community,” and will include the discussion of the benefits and challenges that accompany effective inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender team members in the workplace. The keynote address, by Morgan Stanley’s Managing Director Caroline Gundeck, will discuss “Being Commercial: The Power of Diverse Partnerships.” Deena Fidas and Liz Cooper, representatives from the Human Rights Campaign, will explore the Corporate Equality Index in depth. Individual registration is $40; non-profit registration $30; and student registration $20.

The Broken Tusk, 4685 28th St. N., St. Petersburg, is throwing its Official Coming Out Party, featuring drag performances by Jaeda Fuentes, Kori Stevens, and special guests, and dancing with DJ LMo. There will be lots of giveaways. Drag performances are at 11:30 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Ladies, get ready! Someday Souvenir performs at The Local 662, 662 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, as part of its Avant Tour Event. The band will be stripping down and going acoustic for part of the show, and rocking out at the end of the night. Special guests include hip-hop artist Pedro El Poeta, singer-songwriter Cuba Luna and Iris Calling. Doors open at 8 p.m.; show begins at 9 p.m.

The West Coast Players Theatre, 21905 U.S. 19 N., presents “The Boys in the Band,” a play that mixes comedy and tragedy while exploring the issues of gay culture in American society. Tickets are $16; groups of 10 or more get a special price of $13 per person. Show time is 8 p.m.

Georgie’s Alibi, 3100 3rd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, presents Metro Masquerade, a benefit for Metro Wellness and Community Centers, 4 p.m. — 3 a.m. A drag performance with Kori Stevens starts at 9 p.m. Male dancers get started at 10:30 p.m. And there will be raffles, Jell-O shots and free HIV testing throughout the evening.

Saturday, June 22

Metro Wellness and Community Center in St. Pete, 3251 3rd Ave. N., offers free LGBT financial advising, 12 — 1:30 p.m. Consult with a financial adviser on issues specific to LGBT people. For appointments, call (727) 321-3854 or email LGBT@metrotampabay.org.

If you’re down in Sarasota, join Arica Love, who will take on bartending duties, for Happy Hour at Barrel 87 Saloon, 6587 Gateway, Ave. from 5 — 9 p.m.

St. Petersburg’s The Hideaway, 8302 4th St. N., celebrates its 44th anniversary from 3 p.m. — 3 a.m. Karaoke with Sue starts at 9 p.m. and there will be drink specials and free raffles all day. There will also be a corn hole tournament, a beer tent and a free buffet.

The West Coast Players Theatre, 21905 U.S. 19 N., presents “The Boys in the Band,” a play that mixes comedy and tragedy while exploring the issues of gay culture in American society. Tickets are $16; groups of 10 or more get a special price of $13 per person. Show time is 8 p.m.

Georgie’s Alibi, 3100 3rd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, hosts the St. Pete Pride Carnivale week kick-off party, starting at 9 p.m.

Liquid Tampa, 1502 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City, presents Alaska Thunderfuck from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season five. General admission is $5; $10 for a private meet and greet after her second show around 2 a.m. Tickets can be purchased online.

Sunday, June 23

The West Coast Players Theatre, 21905 U.S. 19 N., presents “The Boys in the Band,” a play that mixes comedy and tragedy while exploring the issues of gay culture in American society. Tickets are $16; groups of 10 or more get a special price of $13 per person. Show time is 2 p.m.

Monday, June 24

Suncoast AIDS Theatre Project celebrates its 11th anniversary with “Prelude to Pride: Blown By the Wind,” a night of alternative theatre, at American Stage Theatre, 163 3rd St. N., St. Petersburg. This original adaptation by T. Scott Wooten is a hilarious and naughty take of the time-honored classic “Gone with the Wind.” Tickets are “pay-what-you-can.” Suggested donation is $10 to $20. Cash bar will be available. Doors open at 7 p.m.; curtain time is 7:30 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the People with AIDS programs at Metropolitan Charities of Pinellas.

Georgie’s Alibi, 3100 3rd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, presents its final night of Drag-ing with the Stars. Share your talent and win cash and other prizes. Showtime is 10:30 p.m. Sign-up by 10 p.m. to perform.

St. Petersburg City Council hopeful Amy Foster will be available at a Meet & Greet at Georgie’s Alibi, 3100 3rd Ave. N., St. Pete, 5 — 8 p.m.

Metro Wellness and Community Center in St. Pete, 3251 3rd Ave. N., offers a cooking class from 6 — 7:30 p.m. Learn how to roll your own sushi. Samples, wine and soda will be provided. Suggested donation is $5. Limited to 10 students. RSVP to LGBT@metrotampabay.org.

Wednesday, June 26

Rev. Candace Shultis from Metropolitan Community Church KOP leads a forum on homosexuality and Christianity at Metro Wellness and Community Center in St. Pete, 3251 3rd Ave. N., 6 — 8:30 p.m. There will also be a screening of the film “For the Bible Tells Me So.” Donations accepted.

Ongoing

There’s always something going on at the The Broken Tusk, 4685 28th St. N., St. Petersburg, on Sundays. On the first and third Sundays, Bitchy Bingo begins at 7 p.m. And on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, Alex brings you Trashy Trivia starting at 9 p.m.

Esme Russell hosts an Amateur Strip Contest at G. Bar, 1401 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City, every Tuesday. Winner receives a $100 bar tab. No cover and free drinks 9 p.m. — 11 p.m.

Georgie’s Alibi, 3100 3rd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, presents All-star Karaoke every Tuesday starting at 9 p.m. Hosted by DJ LMO.

Play pool every Wednesday at The Broken Tusk, 4685 28th St. N., St. Petersburg. The pool tournament begins at 8 p.m. Entry fee is $5, blind draw and double elimintation. The bar matches the pot and winners can walk away with as much as $150.

Someday Souvenir’s Chrissy Derado hosts live acoustic karaoke at Beak’s St. Pete, 2451 Central Ave., every Wednesday, 7:30 — 9:30 p.m. No cover and one free shot for every singer.

The Ybor City Social Club, 1909 N. 15th St., hosts Gay College Night every Thursday. Doors open at 9 p.m.; free drinks until 11 p.m.; $1 drinks 11 p.m. until midnight; and $2 drinks after midnight. No cover. Drag shows with Conundrum and Sashay Infiniti.

Head to G. Bar, 1401 E. 7th Ave., Ybor City, for Fusion Thursdays and enjoy the latest in electro house, drum n’ bass and breaks music with DJs rotating weekly. Doors open at 10 p.m.; $1 drinks until midnight.

Georgie’s Alibi, 3100 3rd Ave. N., St. Petersburg, hosts its legendary Long Island Iced Tea parties on Thursday. $3 Long Island Iced Teas from 9 p.m. to close.

The Honey Pot, 1507 E. 7th Ave., Tampa, hosts Steam Fridays, the ultimate gay men’s dance party, 10 p.m. — 3 a.m. Enjoy an unbelievable show by The Steam Girls and an all-male revue, a high-tech dancefloor, world-renowned DJs, porn stars and more.

Girl Fridays at G. Bar, 1401 E. 7th Ave., features $1 drinks all night for the ladies and $1 Long Island Iced Teas until midnight. Drag show hosted by Conundrum. No cover until 11 p.m.; $5 after 11.

CandeLa Fridays at Liquid Tampa, 1502 E. 7th Ave., brings the heat to Ybor City with its Latin dance party featuring DJ Mike el Bori and hosts Lady Janet, Colorina, and Miah V. No cover before 11 p.m.; $1 well drinks 11 p.m. to midnight.

The Broken Tusk, 4685 28th St. N., St. Petersburg, presents Foxy Fridays featuring drag performances by Jaeda Fuentes, Kori Stevens, and special guests, and dancing with DJ LMo. Drag performances are at 11:30 p.m. and 1 a.m.

The Honey Pot, 1507 E. 7th Ave., Tampa, hosts Tease Saturdays lesbian party, 10 p.m. — 3 a.m. $1 drinks and no cover before 11 p.m. Drag show at 11:30 p.m. hosted by Toby Brees.

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Hillsborough BOCC unanimously approves incentives to woo Amazon to the region

Mitch Perry — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:58:00 -0400

Today, Hillsborough County Commissioners approved measures that would provide financial incentives amounting to $225,000 to Amazon in order to lure the retail giant to build a 1-million-square-foot warehouse in Ruskin. The warehouse would employ at least 1,000 people, including 375 higher-wage jobs expected to draw average salaries of $47,581.

Next month the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners will vote on a second part of the deal that would grant Amazon a 50 percent break on annual property tax payments for its first seven years.

"This is a grand slam for Hillsborough County," said Commission chair Ken Hagan, who attributed tax incentives as a major reason to why Texas leads the nation in jobs and Louisiana has been doing so well with film productions.

Other commissioners were similarly ecstatic.

Sandy Murman called the deal "our hurricane." "The feeder bans that will come off of this are unbelievable," she added, and then quoting Mayor Bob Buckhorn she said, "This is our time, and we are going to be number one!"

Kevin Beckner said he's been a sharp critic about whether tax incentives have worked — such as in the case of Bass Pro Shops — in the past, but his concerns have been alleviated. He said Amazon is a good corporate citizen, citing the company's emphasis on hiring veterans and providing Kindles to kids who are in certain education programs.

Commissioner Victor Crist said he saw no downside to the proposal, and it's a "beautiful deal for Hillsborough County," in particular South County. He also said it is a winner for all Florida citizens because the corporation's entry into the Sunshine State means Floridians will have to pay local sales taxes for CD's, DVD's, books and other items they purchase on Amazon.com, something that delights local business owners who feel that has given the online retailer an unfair advantage when it comes to pricing.

Commissioner Hagan's said they couldn't have wooed Amazon without the tax incentives. A story in the Tampa Bay Times revealed that the corporation is looking to expand its facilities into different states, and needs Florida as much as Hillsborough County wants them.

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New poll shows a majority of Floridians are against Marco Rubio's stance on immigration

Mitch Perry — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:36:00 -0400

A new poll published by Quinnipiac University shows that Marco Rubio is out of favor with the majority of Floridians regarding his stance against universal background checks at gun shows, as well as his stance on illegal immigration.

But what exactly does the latter mean? While the junior Florida Republican is one of the Gang of 8 trying to push an immigration bill through the Senate, he seems to spend as much time telling members of the media that unless the bill has stronger border security provisions, he'll walk away.

The poll shows that Republicans strongly support him on the issue, 52-24 percent. Democrats, who as a party have always pushed for such legislation, oppose his "stance" by a 55-19 percent margin, while Independents also oppose him on a 38-32 percent margin (with 30 percent undecided).

Fifty-eight percent of Floridians want undocumented immigrants to stay in the U.S. and have a pathway to citizenship, while 24 percent say they should be deported. Twelve percent say illegal immigrants should be allowed to stay in the U.S., but with no path to citizenship.

"A mark of an able politician is one who can keep his support among the electorate even when that politician follows his own path rather than the public's preference on a high-profile issue like immigration or gun control," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute."As perhaps the best-known Hispanic-American in national politics Sen. Marco Rubio has a tightrope to walk between keeping the folks back home happy and serving as a high-profile symbol for the GOP nationally."

Rubio has been very outspoken in criticizing any attempts at gun control legislation in the Senate, joining Texas' Ted Cruz and Utah's Mike Lee in saying they would filibuster any type of bill before it was even written.

Forty-nine percent of Floridians say they disagree with Rubio's position, 38 percent say it didn't make any difference to them, while only 10 percent say Rubio's position made them feel more strongly about him.

By a wide margin (87-11 percent), Floridians either strongly support or somewhat support background checks on people buying guns online or at gun shows.

Also, Rick Scott was on the wrong side of the public when he vetoed a bill allowing children of undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses. According to the survey, 59 percent of Floridians support the plan that the Legislature passed, while 32 percent oppose it.

From June 11-16, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,176 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points.

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WMNF's Talking Animals celebrates a decade on the air

Julie Garisto — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:03:44 -0400

For the past 10 years, DJ Duncan Strauss has driven a long commute (all the way from Jupiter!) to work tirelessly and for free, championing the rights of animals and the tunes that they inspire on his beloved 88.5-FM radio show Talking Animals, which celebrates its decade anniversary this week.

Throughout the years, the show has had celeb pet lovers like Jane Goodall, Alec Baldwin, Temple Grandin, Jean-Michel Cousteau (son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau), Bob Barker, Janeane Garofalo and even Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.

Salute Strass and tune into a broadcast of popular local artists, like Rebekah Pulley, Ronny Elliott, Judy Tampa, Harry Hayward, Anne Van Atta, and some other notable locals.

It's also the first Talking Animals in June not preempted by the station's fund drive. Hey, another reason to tune in.

What are your favorite animal-themed tunes, tune into Strauss' show and let him know!

The 10th Anniversary Talking Animals Show aired live 9 a.m. Wed., June 19. If you missed it, listen on the station's archive at wmnf.org.

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Mitch Perry Report 6.19.13 - When is it time for Dems to fear their odds vs. Rick Scott?

Mitch Perry — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:44:00 -0400

Unlike other local or national Web sites, our reporting on Quinnipiac's first poll of the 2014 Democratic candidates for governor did not lead off with how great Rick Scott is now performing, because the man trails both Charlie Crist and Bill Nelson by 10 points, even though neither is a declared candidate yet, and in the case of Nelson, probably never will be, unless he's absolutely brought kicking and screaming into the race next winter.

But we get why everyone else hailed the guv's new high water marks in both personal and job approval ratings - because they are creeping to almost even, getting over 40 percent in both categories. Combine that with the fact that he will have somewhere between $100-$125 million to spend on his re-election bid, and yes, jobs are picking up in Florida, and you do have a more formidable looking incumbent.

The question is, when will a Democrat who can beat Rick Scott get into the race? Actually, Nan Rich is running, and she was the only Democrat listed who is trailing Scott (42-36 percent). Alex Sink was not listed in the poll. As far as rumors that she will run? She tells the Times today that she won't decide until September 1.

But a word to those Florida Democrats (I think David Plouffe would call them bed-wetters) who are freaked out about Charlie Crist being their standard bearer. The poll shows that both he and Bill Nelson have a 10-point lead today over Governor Scott. That hardly looks like his popularity is weaning so much that you have to call in the calvery (i.e. Nelson), does it? And by the way, by 50-35 percent, Floridians in the poll said they didn't want Scott to be their governor again next year.

Speaking of polls, a new one came out regarding St. Petersburg's political scene, and it doesn't auger well for either Mayor Bill Foster or the Lens.

A rally is being scheduled for this Friday afternoon by a coalition of liberal activist groups against Bill Nelson and NSA surveillance. Nelson last week said he thought leaker/whistle-blower Edward Snowden was a traitor.

And aren't we all lucky that a gang-banger or lord knows who didn't pick up that loaded Glock left in a Ybor Muvico theater Sunday afternoon? It was a 9-year-old boy who found the weapon that an off-duty Hillsborough County Sheriff Deputy had decided to lay down as he uh, took a load off.

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Burgers in the ’Burg

Jon Palmer Claridge — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Great burgers are alive and well at Engine No. 9. by Jon Palmer Claridge

You would think with the popularity of burgers, fries and hot dogs that good or even great examples would be abundant. However, we’ve gotten so used to fast food mediocrity that we barely notice. Of course, franchised food is comfortingly predictable and the price is right, but mass production is a gastronaut’s enemy. And despite this proclamation, I can’t claim innocence when it comes to scarfing down chain burgers; I’ve had more than my share of Big Macs and Whoppers.

But if you’re asked, as I now am, to apply critical faculties to every calorie that passes your lips, this is a food category fraught with peril. So what happens when a restaurateur doing burgers and dogs decides to aim high? The answer is Engine No9.

The sleek sports bar has bright fire engine red walls, but a “very comfortable uncluttered clean atmosphere that sports fans both male & female will appreciate.” The clearly stated goal: prime sports, prime burgers. And they deliver in spades.

The burgers are sublime.

They all begin with eight juicy ounces of prime Black Angus beef; but that’s merely where the fun begins. There are, count ’em, 20 fabulous options that even include grilled portabella for vegetarians and seared ahi tuna for fish lovers. The “simple” end of the prime beef menu touts the “chili burger” topped with shredded jack and cheddar cheese or perhaps a classic crispy bacon cheeseburger with melted sharp smoked cheddar.

Your burger comes with the difficult choice of terrific sweet potato fries, tater tots, or thin-cut pencil fries. There’s also a cucumber salad for the carb averse.

But after these recognizable menu staples, the craziness begins. Will you crave the “black flag” blackened with Cajun spices and topped with pepper jack cheese and fire roasted red peppers? Or perhaps the “demi-god” with cheddar, Swiss, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions and horseradish mayo? I particularly like the “wine-o” with red wine barbecue sauce, bacon, aged white cheddar and fried onions. Also delicious is the “chubby duck” with caramelized onions, smoky pancetta, Brie, foie gras and duck cracklings. Every choice has a wonderful flavor combo to make your taste buds happy.

As you reach the end of the menu, the burgers get really serious or frightening, depending on your perspective. The “heart attack” adds a fried egg, three slices of American cheese, four slices of bacon, and plenty of chipotle mayo. If you’re even more foolhardy, the “double attack” is twice as big. Everything above is doubled but it’s all served between two grilled cheese sandwiches in place of a hamburger bun.

Topping them all is the “ghost burger.” Engine No9 requires you to sign a challenge waiver before they let you order this dish due to the extreme heat. Why the legal documentation? Because this dainty burger piles on jalapenos, smoked chipotle peppers, sliced habaneros, pepper jack cheese and ghost chili peppers. Unless you grew up swallowing fire, I’d steer clear.

Fear not, however, Engine No9 is no one-trick-pony.

A 10-piece serving of hot wings is marinated, then golden fried. The crisp wings get a heavy coat of thick and slippery Sriracha-voodoo hot sauce. The bright orange sauce packs heat, but won’t singe your mouth. The yummy wings come with a creamy blue cheese dip, tangy seaweed salad, and a welcome post-wing Handi-wipe to return your fingertips to their pristine pre-wing glory.

I love gumbo, but rarely find a bowl like Engine No9’s that does N’awlins proud. It’s a spicy, complex bit of classic Cajun dark roux heaven with huge chunks of roasted chicken and andouille sausage. The bowl is dotted with rice and packs more heat than the wings, so you can hold the extra Tabasco and just enjoy.

Engine No9 also offers salads and non-burger entrees. The mushroom risotto on the menu is not available, so we opt for jerk braised short ribs. The slow-roasted meat, served over four-cheese tortellini, is tender and full of flavor, but it’s not particularly from jerk seasoning. It’s fine, but doesn’t pack the wallop of the prime burgers.

And then, there are the hot dogs. A de rigueur chili-dog with sharp cheddar and a “southern” dog with a south-of-the-border topping mashup from the burger menu: chorizo, corned beef hash, pico de gallo, and cayenne-avocado cream.

I opt for the “No.9” dog with layers of grilled onions and mushrooms, crisp bacon and American cheese on a 100 percent Vienna beef 9-inch wiener that is just outstanding.

There’s no dessert menu, but they do offer a piece of unremarkable cheesecake Jackson Pollocked up with no fewer than two splattered sauces. Stick to the transcendent burgers and dogs (unless you just can’t help yourself) and you’ll go home happy indeed.

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Gun found in Ybor movie theater bathroom belongs to a Hillsborough County deputy

Mitch Perry — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:24:00 -0400

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) reported this afternoon that the man who left his gun in the Ybor Muvico theater restroom on Sunday afternoon is one of their own.

That would be 38-year-old Luke Hussey, a 13-year veteran of the force.

Shortly after 9-year-old Zane Noland had settled into his seat with his brother and dad to check out the new Superman flick Man of Steel on Father's Day, he and his pop went to the restroom. Zane opened up a stall where on top of a toilet paper dispenser sat a loaded Glock 26.

He then told his father Wesley, a Marine veteran, who took the gun into another restroom and disarmed it.

The Sheriff's Department reported that Hussey was enjoying a movie (not listed in their press release) when about 90 minutes into the flick he had an "Oh, shit" moment, realizing that the gun he took with him inside the theater was no longer on him.

Hussey then spoke to the Muvico manager, who told him that Tampa Police had been called in and had recovered the weapon.

Larry McKinnon with the Sheriff's Department said in a press release, "HCSO takes this matter very seriously and has already began an administrative investigation to determine any policy violations that may have occurred."

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Rally against NSA surveillance set for Tampa this Friday

Mitch Perry — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:22:00 -0400

General Keith Alexander, the director of the National Security Agency, told a public hearing of the House intelligence committee in Washington today that the programs were "critical" to the ability of the intelligence community to protect the US, and that two such programs revealed in the media over the past two weeks had "helped prevent more than 50 terrorist attacks in over 20 countries," with 10 of the plots directed towards the U.S.

Most of those prevention efforts, Alexander said, came from the NSA's monitoring of foreigners' internet communications under a program known as Prism. He added that they were "limited, focused and subject to rigorous oversight."

His comments came a day after President Obama gave he gave his most forceful defense of the NSA's surveillance activities to PBS's Charlie Rose,

As to where the American public stands on the issue, well that seems to vary depending on which pollster you trust most.

But there are definitely elements on both the political right and left who are angry about the revelations.
This Friday afternoon a rally in Tampa has been called to protest the snooping, though the groups sponsoring this event all are to left on the political spectrum.

They are, Veterans for Peace, Occupy Tampa, Friends of Human Rights, NatureCoast Coalition for Peace and Justice, Tampa Light Brigade, The Refuge, St. Petersburg Green Party, Peace and Freedom Party of Florida, Green Shadow Cabinet and the Poor People's Economic Rights Campaign.

Activists are calling for the rally to be held in front of the Federal Building in downtown Tampa, which houses Senator Bill Nelson's local district office. This statement comes via the press release issued out by St. Pete for Peace:

Senator Nelson described Edward Snowden, the person who heroically exposed the NSA spying program, as someone who committed an act of treason.“This is deliberately taking highly, highly super-compartmented classified information and giving it directly out,” Nelson told CNN, according to talkingpointsmemo.com. “He ought to be prosecuted under the law. Extradited and prosecuted. We cannot have national security if our secrets cannot be kept.”

But we believe Edward Snowden is a hero and it is Senator Nelson, and all those who disregard the 4th Amendment by supporting the NSA Prism program, as acting in a treasonous manner.

The demonstration will take place on Friday, June 21 from 4:00pm-6:00pm at the Federal Court House, 801 N. Florida Ave in Tampa.

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Lens prospects looking dimmer as referendum date draws closer

Mitch Perry — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:19:00 -0400

Although Jeff Danner, Leslie Curran and other advocates of the Lens think support for the St. Pete Pier's replacement design will increase with more education, a new survey by St.Pete Polls indicates that it may be too late for that.

The survey out Tuesday shows the Lens — on the ballot Aug. 27 — losing 63-28 percent, with 10 percent undecided.

The poll also shows that Bill Foster may be in a major fight to survive the Aug. 27 primary, where he'll be on the ballot with Kathleen Ford and Rick Kriseman.

When asked how's he doing in the survey, St. Pete voters responded by a 56-43 percent margin that they don't think the mayor is doing a good job.

And attention Jim Kennedy fans. The District 2 City Councilman, the only incumbent who had been running unopposed, now has a challenger in environmentalist Lorraine Margeson (or maybe not, as Mark Puente at the Times reported). The two candidates are in a statistical battle at 22 percent each, with the vast majority (56 percent) undecided.

But back to the Lens.

Voters who said they opposed the Michael Maltzan-designed structure were given six choices for why they are against the Lens. The top criticism? More than 35 percent said their opposition lies in the fact that they were not allowed to vote on the future of the Pier. The next closest choice, 18.5 percent, said they didn't like the design.

Of those who said they support the plan, 33.6 percent said it's because it reflects the strong focus on the arts in the community, followed by another 30 percent who said there will be lots to do at the new structure.

The folks at St. Pete Polls called 1524 people in their survey conducted Monday night.

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New Music Tuesday! (June 18): Primal Scream, Kanye West, Beach Day, Sigur Ros & more

Leilani Polk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:10:00 -0400

Week three of June brings some much-anticipated releases in hip hop, among some other appealing albums. Info and links for the ones you want to know about most below, plus some other ones you may not have heard of (but should know), with audio & video for your listening and viewing pleasure. Click here to check out releases that dropped over the past few months.

3OH!3, Omens (Photo Finish/Atlantic)

Adventures, Clear My Head With You EP (No Sleep)

Austra, Olympia (Domino)

Baths, Cerulean (Anticon)

Beach Day, Trip Trap Attack (Kanine)

The City and Horses, Strange Range (Paper Garden Records)

Columboid, Monster Vision (La Société Expéditionnaire)

Eddie Spaghetti, The Value of Nothing (Bloodshot Records)

Empire of the Sun, Ice on the Dune (Astralwerks)

Falling in Reverse, Fashionably Late (Epitaph)

The Gaslight Anthem, Singles Collection 2008-2011 (SideOneDummy)

Hanson, Anthem (3CG)

Heliotropes, A Constant Sea (Manimal Vinyl)
Four women from Brooklyn make up Heliotropes, which delivers hard-grinding stoner rock. This is their debut full-length, with the majority of songs featuring titles that are also names of various monsters (Frankenstein, Dracula, Sasquatch). "Quatto" is the monster-thing from Total Recall; listen after the jump along with checking out the rest of this week's new releases...

Holy Folk, Motioning (Silver Side)

Hospital Ships, Destruction in Yr Soul (Graveface)
The bedroom recording project of Kansas musician Jordan Geiger fills out with a full band for this collection, ranging from swinging vintage-scuffed rock n' roll ala "Servants" (video below) to garage rock aggression to buoyant folk.

J. Cole, Born Sinner (Roc Nation/Universal)
The first artist to sign to Jay-Z's Roc Nation label (real name Jermaine Lamarr Cole) finally issues his much-anticipated sophomore LP; lead single "Power Trip" featuring Miguel peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Rap Songs charts, No. 5 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. Video below.

Delbert & Glen, Blind, Crippled & Crazy (New West)
Legendary Americana maker Delbert McClinton teams up with Glen Clark for their first duets record in more than four decades, a mix of swampy blues, soul and honky tonk.

Natasha Kmeto, Crisis (Dropping Gems)

Lemuria, The Big Distance Is So Big (Bridge Nine)

Light Years, I Won’t Hold This Against You (Paper + Plastick)

The Mantles, Long Enough To Leave (Slumberland)

Mac Miller, Watching Movies with the Sound Off (Rostrum Records)
The sophomore album from Pittsburgh rapper Mac Miller.

Rick Moranis, My Mother's Brisket & Other Love Songs (West End Pictures / Warner Bros.)
Yes, that Rick Moranis. The spectacle-wearing comedian/nerd returns with a collection of songs reflecting on his Jewish roots and upbringing with a mix of klezmer, rumba, folk and jazz backing songs about family, food, religious traditions, love, and dessert.

Primal Scream, More Light (Atlantic)
The new full-length from Scotlands's seminal alt rock band sees its U.S. release.

Kelly Rowland, Talk a Good Game (Republic)

Said the Whale, I Love You EP (Universal)

Sigur Rós, Kveikur (XL)

Spectrals, Sob Story (Slumberland)

Statik Selektah, Extended Play (Duck Down Music)

Steve Gunn, Time Off (Paradise of Bachelors Records)

Stripmall Architecture, Suburban Reverb (Tricycle Records)

Sublime, 3 Ring Circus: Live at the Palace, October 21, 1995 (UMe)

Tripwires, Spacehopper (Frenchkiss)

Tunng, Turbines (Full Time Hobby)

Two Inch Astronaut, Bad Brother (Exploding In Sound Records)

Tylan, One True Thing (Girlyman)

Vacation, Candy Waves (Don Giovanni Records)

Kanye West, Yeezus (Def Jam)
Kim Kardashian's boo and her baby's daddy, rapper, producer and overall superstar West presents his much-anticipated sixth solo LP, which West has described as "like trap and drill and house. I knew that I wanted to have a deep Chicago influence on this album, and I would listen to like, old Chicago house music. I think that even 'Black Skinhead' could border on house, 'On Sight' sounds like acid house, and then 'I Am a God' obviously sounds, like, super house." Among the collaborators this go-round are The-Dream and spoken word artist Malik Yusef, Thomas Bangalter of duo Daft Punk (who produced the first track), Chief Keef, Justin Vernon, and others. Check out his performance of "Black Skinhead" from SNL below.

The World Is a Beautiful Place and I am No Longer Afraid To Die, Whenever, If Ever (Topshelf Records)
A Connecticut indie rock octet with emo and chamber tendencies; this is their wistfully pretty first LP. TWIABPAIANLATD plays Epic Problem in Tampa on Fri., June 21.

Anton Zap, Water (Apollo Records)

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Diving in the shallow end of a stripper pool party

Shawn Alff — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:20:00 -0400

"Who exactly is this charity event benefiting?" I repeatedly asked the golfers and volunteer strippers drinking around the pool at Gopher's Hole Country Club.

"It's for the kids," replied most of them, with a grin engorged by alcohol and arousal.

Exactly which kids was unclear. The strippers' kids? The strippers themselves?

That wasn't the only question that went unanswered. There was also confusion as to what exactly the golfers were paying for — beyond a barrage of sexual innuendos involving strokes, balls and holes — when they bid on the exotic dancers to be their caddies for the day.

I don't play golf nor do I participate in charity auctions, so it's hard for me to say how this event differed from other charity tournaments. One participant I talked to claimed that Gopher's Hole hired extra security this year to limit the number of forays the golfers and their unlicensed-caddies made into the woods surrounding the course. All I can really say with certainty is that Gopher's Hole made a smart decision by banning children and wives from the country club that day, particularly when it came to the pool party following the tournament.

I had wondered who would show up to a charity golf tournament on a Monday. The answer is corporate men who could afford to write it off as a team-building exercise.

Officially, I attended the event so I could write about it, and my buddy Brian came with me to take accompanying photos. But really we were there for the same reason as the golfers: to get drunk around promiscuous women.

Within minutes of our arrival, two sweet young ladies, J and D, began pulling off our shorts as an invitation for us to jump in the pool. In the water, J and D climbed on us like dogs searching for their footing in deep water. They informed us that they were cocktail waitresses, not strippers. In fact, most of the women we met claimed to be cocktail waitresses. Considering their propensity to get naked and molest strangers, I'd say they missed their calling. When J and D realized that Brian and I didn't pay to play in the tournament, they immediately climbed out of the pool and began tugging on the shorts of the nearest two golfers carrying a liquor bottle.

Within minutes of jumping in the pool, rain began pelting our pool party. Brian and I took cover in a cabana rented by our friend Amanda. J and D followed with the two golfers they lured into the pool after us. Luckily these guys brought liquor and cigarettes, which, along with cash and the occasional drugs, is pretty much all it takes to keep most "cocktail waitresses" satisfied.

"This actually isn't so bad," said the golfer cuddled between J and D. "If only we had ice."

In answer to his prayer, hail bombarded our cabana and smashed the cement around the pool. It was biblical. Apparently voodoo Jesus doesn't approve of charitable events for kids — though his powers weren't enough to stave off the debauchery for long.

I decided to get to know J and D before we were all obliterated for partying in the heart of a thunder storm. J was tan and tattooed down to her soul. Her loose bikini was no match for breast implants that complemented her thick frame. The mascara puddled around her eyes was mostly concealed by huge designer shades that sat crooked. D was a younger version of J with a lighter tan, fewer tattoos, and natural tits. Her Kool-Aid red hair bled into a towel. She didn't want me to write about her hair. I asked what I should write about. D suggested I write about her boobs. I asked what vegetable I could compare them too in order to paint a visual picture.

"Strawberries," she said.

Her answer still confounds me. Her nipples maybe. She described her ass as a watermelon. Juicy, I believe, was the word she was going for. In any case, the fruit similes were appropriate in describing these women: ripe specimens that would soon turn and be replaced by a younger crop.

When the storm blew over, the attendants dispersed to semi-secluded seating areas around the pool. Brian took covert photos of men getting lap dances on benches and in cabanas. Gold wedding bands shined against tanned asses. In one cabana, a lap dance got so vigorous it tipped over the sofa hosting the dance.

A $1,000 bikini contest ensued. A more appropriate name for the competition would have been "a topless ass-shaking and make-out contest." Some of the less attractive cocktail waitresses went onstage in pairs. A threesome of women got on all fours and clapped their asses, which might have been impressive had the skill not been predicated on them possessing an excess of loose fat.

Amanda, Brian and I provided unsolicited commentary.

"I fed that one once," Amanda said of one of the dancers who seemed to be on an extreme diet.

"They have some really meaningful tattoos," Brian said. "That one has a tattoo on her stomach that says 'gorgeous.'"

"It helps remind her clients in case they forget," I said. "So after a private dance, the guy can go back to his buddies and say, 'She was gorgeous.'"

"I like the boobs on the one in the purple bikini," I said. "Or the one who was previously wearing the purple bikini."

"Yeah, but she has a bruise near her nipple," Amanda noted.

She was right. I'm still uncertain how one gets a bruised boob or why bruises on dancers are unsavory. Perhaps it's the same visceral reaction we get when we see bruised fruit.

Amanda did not think these women were a good representation of the strip club sponsoring the event. There were several factors at play there. Sunlight isn't a stripper's natural setting. Flip-flops don't elevate an ass and legs the way six inch pumps do. There was also the question of what motivated this particular batch of women to come to this event. Were they the proverbial strippers with hearts of gold, donating their bodies for some good cause? Or were they simply party girls who enjoyed hanging out with men who showered them in alcohol and money? The type of dancers absent from the event were the professionals who had day jobs and college classes.

Still, there was something liberating about the cocktail waitresses making a splash at the pool that Monday. Many were in their prime, flaunting bodies that had yet to suffer the consequences of age and partying. They were the embodiment of their carpe diem tattoos, sucking up life like cigarettes.

The ladies were escorted off the stage, one-by-one, eliminated from the bikini dance-off — a foreshadowing of what was to come of their stripping careers.

I'm still not sure who won the bikini contest, or the golf tournament for that matter. Amanda had a bottle in her cabana that needed attending. As I drank, I became more self-reflective. I wasn't so different from the cocktail waitresses and golfers I was judging. We had all taken different paths that ended up at the same party. I had simply taken a path with fewer putting greens and smaller paychecks.

At one point Amanda's assistant asked why I was still wearing my swim trunks — making her the second woman to ask the question that day. Perhaps she asked more politely, or maybe the alcohol had simply loosened my drawstring. Either way, my trunks gave way to my red boy-shorts.

A few strippers approached me for photos. A few patted my junk. Our actual cocktail waitress allowed me to hold her in my arms while I did various bun-enhancing exercises. Guys who thought my moves were funny became my new friends. They realized my boy-shorts were just another gimmick to meet women, no different from the money they could dole out for bottle service or lap dances.

I knew eventually I would have to come up with a new gimmick; one day I would have to retire my party boy routine — but not that day. That day I was standing proud, shimmering in sunlight pouring through the cracks in the passing storm while hosting a one-man bikini-brief contest I could not lose.

Follow Alfie on Twitter or Facebook and email him here

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Rick Scott's personal and job approval ratings improve …

Mitch Perry — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:42:00 -0400

It's been three long months since there's been a major poll in the Florida 2014 governor's race, so there was great anticipation this morning at Quinnipiac University's new survey, which shows Charlie Crist continuing to lead Rick Scott 47-37 percent if the two were running against each other this week.

However the headlines this morning aren't that Scott continues to trail a man who hasn't even declared his candidacy yet, but about how Scott's approval and personal ratings are the highest in his tenure in office.

Scott's job approval rankings are almost split straight up, with a 43-44 rating, his highest approval rating since he was elected and up 7 points from when the question was last asked three months ago.

And Scott gets a divided 40 - 42 percent favorability rating, but that also is up from a negative 33 - 46 percent favorability rating March 20, and his best score so far.

However, voters still say 50 - 35 percent that Scott does not deserve to be reelected.

And think about this: Scott is working damn hard to get re-elected, while Charlie Crist, Alex Sink and Bill Nelson - all rumored to be potential Democratic candidates - haven't done a thing in terms of challenging Scott, since they're not declared candidates. And Crist and Nelson still lead Scott (the poll did not include Alex Sink).

"It is an indication of how far down Florida Gov. Rick Scott's numbers have been that he can take some solace from a poll that finds him losing by 10 points to his predecessor in the governor's office," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "In addition to cutting the deficit between himself and former Gov. Charlie Crist, Gov. Scott sees his tepid job approval and favorability numbers and his still-negative reelection numbers as notably improved."

As we've reported on extensively on this blog, some Democrats, freaked out that Crist will not be a strong enough candidate next year, have been begging the state's senior Democrat, 70-year-old Bill Nelson, to put his hat in the ring, but those entreaties have been in vain so far.

The poll shows Nelson leading Scott 48 - 38 percent, meaning he has the same advantage over Scott as Crist does at this time.

However, Scott does lead the only declared Democrat in the race, former Senate Minority leader Nan Rich, 42-36 percent.

There are several reasons to attribute Scott's polling gains, but first and foremost has to be on the job front. Florida's unemployment currently is down to 7.2 percent. That's a 3.9 percent drop since December of 2010, a month before Scott took over, the second fastest reduction in the nation.

And Scott has also been using the powers of his office to the max, including moving up and down the state to distribute "Great Floridian" awards to folks heroes like Tim Tebow and Steve Spurrier.

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Mitch Perry Report: Public isn't into arming Syrian rebels

Mitch Perry — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 07:42:00 -0400

President Obama is really in a pickle in many respects to his presidency. He went on Charlie Rose last night to defend the surveillance tactics that Edward Snowden has revealed to the world. While the country appears to be split on whether they think it's okay, some of his previous supporters are disturbed by the rhetoric he displayed on the subject in 2007, and what he's saying now.

And what to make of the announcement late last week that the U.S., after two years of bloodshed, will begin arming Syrian rebels opposing Bashar al-Assad? Well, the public needs a lot more selling, because 70 percent oppose doing it according to a new Pew Poll.

The poll shows that Americans believe the moral thing to do is stop authoritarian regimes, but they are almost evenly divided on whether we should do anything for the Syrian people.

Moving on, the GOP-led House of Representatives plan on voting for two measures this week, one being the Farm Bill, which will substantially reduce the number of people who receive food stamps.

They'll also be voting on an abortion bill as early as today that would make it illegal to have an abortion after 20 weeks. That bill, of course, is going nowhere, as the U.S. Senate will never pass it. Sort of like a lot of bills in Congress, sadly.

New Yorker journalist George Packer is getting rave reviews for his look at America through a collection of individual portraits in his new book, The Great Unwinding. There's certainly a lot of interest in the book here in the Tampa Bay area, as the region is one of the main characters in story of America over the past three decades, and much of it ain't pretty. Our conversation can be read here.

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Hillsborough County school officials join Congresswoman Castor in decrying House cuts to food stamp program

Mitch Perry — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:35:02 -0400

The Farm Bill that will likely win support from the House this week would cut $20.5 billion from the food stamp program over 10 years, taking almost 2 million recipients off the food stamp rolls, as estimated by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Because members of low-income working families with children who benefit from school lunch and breakfast programs would be affected by those cuts, Tampa-area Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor was joined by Hillsborough County School District head MaryEllen Elia at Tampa Bay Elementary in West Tampa to decry the House proposal.

"Food stamps were very important during the economic recession because people lost their jobs and the last thing you want is for a child to go hungry, show up to school with having breakfast and lunch, so SNAP provided that safety net for children all across this community," Castor said Monday morning as kindergarten students entered into the cafeteria behind her for their lunch period.

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. As CL reported in our current issue, the number of people relying on SNAP to help make ends meet is at a record high, 47 million, with more than 3.3 million in Florida. That's a 70 percent increase since 2008. Under the Supplementary Poverty Measure, the Census Bureau estimates that nearly one in six people in the country are now living in poverty.

But both the Senate and the House editions of the Farm Bill will reduce the number of people eligible for the program. The Senate's bill (passed last week) cuts SNAP by $4 billion, one fifth of that ominous $20 billion figure that the House is contemplating, and Congresswoman Castor said that's alright.

"As the economy improves, more parents are working. They don't have to rely on SNAP and food stamps. We just can't take those extreme steps right now because I think that would put children across this community at risk for not having a nutritious meal."

Children in households that receive SNAP are automatically eligible for free school meals. According to Congressional Budget Office, 210,000 children in families whose eligibility for free school meals is tied to their receipt of SNAP would lose those meals.

School Board Chair MaryEllen Elia told reporters at the news conference that the district has 101 sites open this summer that are open for breakfast and lunch.

"This is a great program," she said, adding that until legislation is passed she won't be able to determine how many students will suffer.

"What we have to do is wait until the decision is made in Congress," Elie added. "And then the calculations on how much our district will be cut from the Student Nutrition Programs will be determined and at that point in time we will have to make some tough choices."

After the House presumably votes in support of their current bill later this week, the question becomes: Can a conference committee between the two branches of Congress come together on a package that can be brought to President Obama?

Last year the vast differences between the Senate and the House's bill meant no Farm Bill was passed, and ultimately a nine-month extension was funded during the 'fiscal cliff' negotiations on New Year's Eve. And what does Congresswoman Castor think of a deal getting passed this summer (funding for the bill expires Sept. 30).

"I think if my colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to take the extreme position that would slash families and children from nutrition programs before they're able to get a job, then the likelihood of the Farm Bill passing is not positive," she replied, adding that she's heard an amendment could be added to the House bill that would cut even more from SNAP.

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Rep. Kathy Castor says GOP War on Women is alive and well as House Republicans push more abortion restrictions

Mitch Perry — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:00:00 -0400

If you thought that Congressional Republicans were going to back away from social issues in the aftermath of last year's disappointing loss at the presidential level, well, you were mistaken.

Scheduled for a vote in the House later this week is a proposal that would ban all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It's sponsored by Arizona Republican Trent Franks, who last week provoked outrage when he argued against an amendment would have exempted victims of rape or incest from the bill’s strict limits.

“Before, when my friends on the left side of the aisle here tried to make rape and incest the subject — because, you know, the incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low, but when you make that exception, there’s usually a requirement to report the rape within 48 hours. And in this case that’s impossible because this is in the sixth month of gestation. And that’s what completely negates and vitiates the purpose for such an amendment,” Franks said during a House Judiciary Committee hearing (on Friday the GOP amended it to include an exception for rape and incest).

Tampa-area Democrat Kathy Castor says she strongly opposes the bill.

"This is another example of the extreme position that Congressional Republicans are taking. We thought the war on women is over, but apparently not," Castor told CL Monday morning after she wrapped a press conference regarding the Farm Bill at a West Tampa elementary school.

"What really gets me is that you have these almost all male politicians in Washington, trying to make personal decisions that impact women, their families, their relationships. I trust women to make these decisions, not these older white males in Washington D.C.," Castor said.

11 states across the country have passed laws similar to the House proposal, some tied up in the courts. North Dakota's is the strictest. Their bill prohibits abortions after just six weeks.

Groups supporting abortion rights and opposing them differ on how frequent such abortions take place. But the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention reported in 2000 that just 1.4 percent of abortions involve fetuses older than 20 weeks.

Not everyone in the GOP ranks is happy either about the bill coming up for a vote. Pennsylvania Republican Representative Charlie Dent criticized the House-GOP leadership for allowing the bill to come up for a vote.

“I’ll be very frank: I discouraged our leadership from bringing this to a vote on the floor,” Dent told CQ Roll Call. “Clearly the economy is on everyone’s minds, we’re seeing very stagnant job numbers, confidence in the institution of government is eroding and now we’re going to have a debate on rape and abortion," he said, adding "The stupidity is simply staggering."

"I thought they had learned the lesson through the election," Congresswoman Castor said when asked if she was surprised House Republicans were intent on passing this bill. "I tell you, some of these men in the Congress really think they need to control women's bodies, women's lives, make those decisions for them." She also pointed out that, if and when the bill gets through the House, it will likely go nowhere in the Democratically controlled Senate.

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The rise of adult star, Cindy Starfall

Shawn Alff — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:55:00 -0400

For Cindy Starfall, porn is the poetry of rebellion. It's also an outlet for expressing long repressed, sexual desires. Growing up, Starfall's life was defined by other people's rules. Under such conditions, many people abandon themselves and conform. Others break free and create their own rules.

Starfall came of age in a wealthy household in Vietnam built on her grandfather's success. Instead of a luxury, Starfall saw the estate as a prison. Beyond the physical walls, she was confined by the traditional life she was expected to lead. Her only solace came when sneaking off the compound or masturbating in the bathroom with the shower-head while her nanny stood outside the door. Her break from this life came when her mother tried to set up an arranged marriage. Starfall refused and was kicked out of the house.

At 15, Starfall found herself at an all girls Catholic school in Oregon. This environment offered its own set of rules that Starfall could not abide. Her first sexual experience happened in the school's lunchroom with another girl.

As an adult, Starfall found herself stuffed into conservative business dresses, working in the bureaucracy of a corporate job. In 2011, she started webcam modeling at night. When her employer confronted her about her side career, Starfall quit the corporate world and began freelance modeling. In March of 2012, after meeting a Hustler executive at a swingers club she frequented, Starfall shot her first hardcore scene.

What was your corporate day job like when you started moonlighting as a webcam model?

My corporate days were a bit boring for an adventurous personality. Every day was the same routine of recording numbers, sales statistics, keeping track of inventory and marketing budgets. It wasn't the worst job in the world, but I don't do well with the same routine every day. I constantly had to watch all of my dirty jokes to make sure they didn't offend anyone since the corporate culture is really conservative.

Did you ever discover how the HR department found out you were webcamming?

According to HR personnel, a complaint letter came in with my webcam pictures on it. It was from my old client. Her son supposedly recognized me and he told his mom that I was a webcam girl which I thought was weird. Well, I guess he was a very honest son. I knew something was wrong the moment I got the call, "Please report to HR office." I felt so bad and rebellious and I kind of liked it.

I kept my freakiness undercover so most people never thought I'd ever become a porn star. People never really know what to expect from me. I like to keep my life exciting and full of surprise.

When asked about your celebrity crushes, you've listed muscular action stars like Vin Diesel, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Is it safe to assume you have a fetish for large, imposing, muscular men dripping with testosterone who can toss you around during sex? Do you think this preference is at all linked to a desire to be with the type of alpha males who are leaders and who can physically protect you?

Wow! You're absolutely correct. I do love being with alpha males, not boys! I have a very strong personality and strong sexual desires. I need a big man to handle me in every aspect of life and be my protector. In bed I want him to toss me, spin me around, and make it really rough for me. Because I'm such a slutty freak, I'm pretty much open to anything my man has in mind whether it's handcuffs, outdoor sex or anything else.

You seem to have shot a lot of scenes with large black men like Mandingo and Lexington Steele. Do you think you are paired with these men because your petite 4'11" frame makes their dicks look even larger? Realistically, is there a physical limit to how much of their giant dicks you can take?

Luckily, I do get paired with many legendary large cocks which I love. Without porn, I would never be able to experience such huge cocks. My favorite porn category to watch is "Big Dick" and I was very happy to make those type of porn movies. I always joke on set about how their cocks are way bigger than my face. I'm a curious cat so when other girls fear big black cocks, I see an opportunity to experience something new.

As far as physical limits, I like new challenges such as in New Sensations' "I Love Big Toys #35." I don't have the exact measurement of what would be too large, but I just love feeling my pussy stretch wide open and wrap around that cock.

What swinger websites do you cruise? What do you look for in the profile of a couple you want to hook up with?

I browse a variety of swinger websites including Lifestyle Lounge and AshleyMadison.com to satisfy my married man fetish. With swinger couples I pay attention to their personality, lifestyle, rules. I personally don't have any rules but surprisingly some couples do, such as no kissing. I usually pass on that one because kissing is a huge turn on for me. I usually go for what I want so when I find someone attractive, I often send them a message and arrange a quick lunch to test the chemistry. Then we either call it off or get it on at my place.

You've described your family growing up as very strict and judgmental, particularly in response to your appearance. Do you think part of your motivation for getting into porn was to prove them wrong, to have fans all over the world affirm your beauty?

Yes, growing up I was always known as the odd ball in the family because I'm tanner, shorter and curvier than the rest. I always got looked down on since I often didn't follow the rules and snuck out all the time to hang out with my girlfriends who came from a lower social status than my family does.

I never doubted my beauty because even though my family never accepted it, I always told myself I'm beautiful to get through the day. Yes, part of my motivation for getting into porn was to prove them wrong but not to have fans affirm my beauty. It was my message to let them know that I'm doing just fine being on my own, supporting myself, and having fun with it. Happiness has never been an important part in my family. Everything was about money and status. I might not have as much money as I had when living with my family but I'm truly happy doing whatever I want without having to obey any rules.

You've said that you have a fetish for sleeping with random strangers. What is the most random, or memorable, sexual experience you've had with a stranger?

I do have a big fetish for random strangers. Most random was with a stranger on the freeway in traffic. During traffic sometimes, I get bored so I play with myself with one leg up. This guy in the right lane caught me. I thought he was handsome so I smiled at him. I gave him a signal to get off on the next exit. He followed me to an empty parking lot. We said hi then I started kissing him because I was so horny. We had steamy sex in the backseat. It was a win-win situation for both of us. He got laid and I didn't have to wait in traffic.

As an Asian actress is there more of a demand for you to do bukakke scenes? Will you ever film one?

I have never had a bukakke scene before but I would love to experience it soon. Very nasty and I love feeling like the biggest slut around.

How many times have you played the part of the Asian masseuse who gives an x-rated massage?

My career started with my first scene for Reality King as an Asian masseuse. I absolutely lost count of how many times. MANY! I think it's a big fantasy for most guys. I enjoy fulfilling their fantasies whether it's working in a massage parlor or being a naughty schoolgirl.

Watch Cindy Starfall in x-rated action on her website CindyStarfall.net. Also, Follow her on Twitter, @CindyStarfall, Facebook, Facebook.com/CindyStarfalll, and on Instagram, Instagram.com/CindyStarfall.

Follow Alfie on Twitter or Facebook and email him here

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George Packer on Hillsborough's failed transit tax campaign and other tales of the Bay area

Mitch Perry — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:11:00 -0400

Most authors can only dream of receiving the high-profile roll out that George Packer has enjoyed since last month's publication of his critically acclaimed book, The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America. Not only did the book make the NY Times best-seller list and get coverage on NPR and cable news programs, but Packer also made appearances on The Daily Show and Real Time with Bill Maher, talking about his latest work, which depicts an America in crisis — if not total decline — since the late 1970's.

He certainly aroused attention in the Tampa Bay area after the New York Times' Dwight Garner wrote in a glowing review that Packer made Tampa, who Garner described as one of the five main characters of the book, "seem like hell on earth now."

"I was interested in Tampa as an example of a Sunbelt growth capital," Packer told CL in a phone interview conducted last Friday morning, explaining why he focused on the Bay area as part of his examination of the country (there are four chapters about Tampa).

The Tampa Bay area was at the epicenter of the subprime mortgage and subsequent foreclosure crises, issues that originally brought Packer to Tampa in 2008. The Florida housing market was also the subject of his February 2009 New Yorker piece called "The Ponzi State."

Packer returned to the Tampa Bay area at different intervals over the next few years, and one of his book's chapters is all about Hillsborough County's unsuccessful 2010 vote on a transit tax, which would have helped fund the start of a light-rail system. He profiles Karen Jaroch, the Tea Party activist whose evolution from suburban mom into a political player is described in detail.

"I guess I saw light-rail as the one story happening in Tampa Bay that offered a way out of the dead end that the housing boom and the housing bust had created," Packer said. "The growth model had run its course, it had hit diminishing returns if not exploded in everyone’s face."

Acknowledging that light-rail wouldn't have cured all the problems the region was dealing with, he said it would have been a major step forward. But the 2010 nationwide political climate was hostile to "Big Government," and asking Hillsborough voters to support an increase in their sales taxes was going to be a reach — especially with an invigorated Republican Party led by Tea Party activists.

"I think there were powerful forces against it," Packer said, "including an attachment to the older way of life that is very hard to change. (It) sort of fed into people's suspicions of government, and of urbanization and of more European or Northeastern non-Sunbelt models; although there's light-rail all over the Sunbelt too in Phoenix and Salt Lake City and places like that ... so it just seemed like the one issue that concentrated all the competing ideas and forces at work in the middle of that disaster that hit Tampa Bay a few years ago."

One of Packer's heroes in The Unwinding is Tampa Bay Times reporter Michael Van Sickler, who the author venerated as an exemplar of good old-fashioned, hard-nosed reporting. He also allowed Van Sickler, an Ohio native, to tell his own story about his passion for cities and trying to make a difference through his journalism.

Packer said a theme of The Unwinding is the erosion of key institutions in our country like the government, schools, banks and the press. He said Van Sickler represents an antidote against the "noise" that dominates our media landscape in 2013.

"He (Van Sickler) sort of contrasts to this wide open and kind of chaotic and in someways trivial landscape that Andrew Breitbart comes out of in the book. Against that there's Van Sickler and there's the Times doing what papers have long done and trying to a make it meaningful when the competition is, you know ideological websites and cable news and social media, so his work fit very well with the themes of the book at large."

The last chapter titled "Tampa" is a heartbreaking saga of a family barely making it under tough economic conditions. Packer said the story of Danny and Ronale Hartznell is not at all representative of Tampa, but of the rough conditions for many people now who aren't college educated and don't have a safety net of friends or family to help them.

"They're sort of close to the bottom of the economic latter, but ... they don't drink and do drugs and divorce and abandon their kids the way we feel of people living in extreme poverty are often doing. They're living this very intact, loving cohesive family life. But they have nothing around them to support them. Sort of isolated socially, they don't have family or friends, they don't have education or careers they can fall back on, so they're kind of living in a Wal-Mart economy, literally, Wal-Mart is the center of their world in many ways: it's the source of employment, it's where they shop for everything, it's not a place they love by any means, so I don't know that they're indicative of Tampa Bay, so much as they're indicative of what the working poor have to deal with in America today. They make their own mistakes, plenty of them, but they also have so little help, and there seems to be no community around them to support them."

There are a couple of chapters devoted to Silicon Valley, but I told Packer that I enjoyed his most recent piece in the New Yorker about recent attempts by major players in the Internet capitol to become more involved in the political system. The story outstandingly reflects a lot of the narcissism that some of the best and brightest off Sand Hill Road seem to espouse in their discussions about politics and the political process. The story is also very accurate (according to my friends) in how he depicts the fact that San Francisco is changing right now due to the wealth of 20-somethings working for Google, Twitter and the like who are busting the city's already outrageous housing prices to totally squeeze out the remnants of a middle class.

Packer used his response to my question to connect how lawmakers in Tampa Bay would love to have the problems that are affecting the San Francisco Bay Area.

"One community's problem is another community's dream, and I think it would be a good thing for Tampa Bay for a bunch of software start ups and other companies start coming to downtown Tampa. It would help it become more of a real dynamic urban center so that the growth comes back into the city rather than to the county."

George Packer will be at the Oxford Exchange (420 W. Kennedy Blvd.) in downtown Tampa on Friday at 7 p.m.

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Mitch Perry Report 6.17.13: Time to rethink the contracting out of our national security?

Mitch Perry — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:33:00 -0400

Dick Cheney went on Fox News yesterday, and while he criticized President Obama on some issues (like Benghazi and the situation regarding the IRS excessively scrutinizing right-wing groups), he pretty much gave his consent to what the administration is doing in terms of conducting the war on terrorism.

And why wouldn't he? From what we're learning, not only has President Obama maintained all of the surveillance measures that Bush-Cheney were conducting, but he's gone even further.

Is everyone okay with this? I ask this after reading David Rohde's piece in the Atlantic Wire, where he wrote about how large our "secrecy industrial complex" has grown since 9/11, to the point where more than 4.9 Americans now have government security clearances, while another 1.4 million have "top secret" clearances.

Whether you classify Edward Snowden as a hero or a traitor, the fact that he apparently had so much access to so much classified material while working for Booz Allen Hamilton has to be a bit concerning for everyone, right? Rohde concludes that the post-9/11 inspired culture of secrecy "where terrorists lurk in every corner — is overblown."

Meanwhile Marco Rubio is feeling the heat with his conservative base as he continues his work regarding immigration reform as part of the Gang of 8. Rubio has made contradictory comments in recent weeks about the legislation, prompting ABC's Jonathan Karl to ask him straight up yesterday on This Week if hestill supports such a bill right now.

And I'm here to remind you that it was announced late Friday afternoon that Rick Scott did sign legislation that will expedite the process for prisoners on death row. The Timely Justice Act has a lot of provisions attached to it, but the impetus of it was to cut in half the time that death row inmates wait to face execution in the state (currently it's around 13.7 years. The new legislation would allegedly bring that wait down to 7 years).

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Stuffing the beach bag for a summer full of reading

William McKeen — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:44:00 -0400

Time to load up the beach bag for summer reading. Here’s what I have so far:

Springsteen on Springsteen by Jeff Burger (Chicago Review Press, $27.95). Think you have enough Springsteen books? Think again, Bubba. Until the boss writes an autobiography, this is the next-closest thing: a collection of interviews, speeches and the occasional letter to the editor by Bruce. A highlight: his beautiful speech inducting Bob Dylan into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. It’s a superb collection.

That’s Not Funny, That’s Sick by Ellin Stein (W.W. Norton, $27.95). This is a terrific narrative of the comic revolution at the dawn of the 1970s. The book focuses on the epicenter of this comedy, National Lampoon, and its stars, Doug Kenney, Michael O’Donoghue and P.J. O’Rouke. The Lampoon was wickedly funny then and this well-crafted saga ought to help you appreciate the breakthroughs. One complaint: no illustrations. What’s up with that?

Lee Marvin Point Blank by Dwayne Epstein (Schaffner Press, @27.95). It’s time to revisit this movie tough guy, who’s been gone now for a quarter century. Epstein covers Marvin’s early life, his war record, and his steady rise from tough-guy and heavy roles to brutal leading man. Seems that Marvin excelled in every role he attempted, even as a singer in “Paint Your Wagon.”

The Twitter History of the World by Kelvin MacKenzie and Chas Newkey-Burden (John Blake, $9.95). On second thought, don’t take up space in the beach bag with this book. It’s basically a couple of viral jokes and memes you’ve already seen on Facebook and Twitter, only not done as well.

Questions to Which the Answer is “No!” by John Rentoul (Elliott and Thompson, $19.95). At first, we’re hoping this is like those “two-minute mystery” books they used to sell us when we were kids. So we’re envisioning this as a collection of two-minute episodes of “Mythbusters.” Instead, it’s something pulled together from the blog of an English journalist, and, honestly, not that interesting. Toss it out of the bag.

The Best Film You’ve Never Seen by Robert K. Elder (Chicago Review Press, $16.95). Good idea: ask a lot of great young directors about their favorite semi-obscure films. This will be the book that launched a thousand Netflix queues. Nice to see young directors appreciating something strange, such as The Swimmer, and to see that the grave and immaculate Man for All Seasons has informed the work of Kevin Smith.

Full Upright and Locked Position by Mark Gerchick (W.W. Norton, $24.95). Work on your tan locally. You don’t want to read this excellent book on a beach in Rio with the thought of a return-flight hanging over your head. Gerchick looks at every aspect of plane travel, from safety to security to comfort. What he finds ain’t pretty.

Love Him Madly by Judy Huddleston (Chicago Review Press, $16.95). This is a well-written memoir of life as Jim Morrison’s girlfriend during the peak of The Doors’ fame. Huddleston became a writing teacher, published in a variety of literary journals, which makes this a more compelling read than most such memoirs.

A former faculty member at the University of Florida, McKeen now chairs the journalism department at Boston University. He is the author most recently of Mile Marker Zero, Outlaw Journalist and Homegrown in Florida.

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Dick Cheney trashes Barack Obama for all types of things on Fox News Sunday

Mitch Perry — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 13:25:00 -0400

Every so often Dick Cheney pops up out of semi-retirement to do a Fox News Sunday bit with Chris Wallace, and say what you will about the 72-year-old former Vice-President, but he always gives good TV.

With so much in the news about political surveillance that began under the George W. Bush administration after the events of 9/11, it's natural to hear from officials with that presidency who can talk about some of the spying going on that the passage of the Patriot Act allowed the commander in chief to do. That's why former CIA head General Michael Hayden has been omnipresent of late. Former President Bush himself has (admirably ) refrained from talking about Obama, but many think (especially in the first term) Vice President Cheney was one of the Machiavellian masters controlling how we carried out the war on terror.

On Fox, Cheney was asked about several subjects, beginning with Edward Snowden's revelations in The Guardian and the Washington Post.

Cheney says he disagrees with Rand Paul and others who claim that the NSA is "having to vacuum up information on every law-abiding American in the country" in order to search for information on possible terrorist attacks.

Cheney: Acording to the Supreme Court, those are business records of the telephone company. You don't go into that box of numbers, if you will, to look for connections unless you break up some place a suspicious number. You capture Khalid Sheik Mohamed in Karachi, or bin Laden in Abbottabad and Pakistan. You look at their cell phones, you look at their rolodex in effect and see what numbers had connections back into the United States. And by preserving that database you are able to come back, check and see if they have been talking to somebody inside.

Now, as everybody has been associated with the program said if we had this before 9/11, when there were two terrorists in San Diego, two hijackers able to use that program, that capability against the target we might have been able to prevent 9/11. So, we're not — the allegation is out there that somehow we've got all this personal information on Aunt Fanny or Chris Wallace or whoever it might be and reported through it. Not true, that's not the way it works. It's been explained by Mike Hayden who was involved in setting it up. By Keith Alexander who is a superb guy, both of them are now running the program that we have collected a lot of numbers, but they are business records and the phone companies, they have been determined by the Supreme Court not to be private individual records, the way they are oftentimes described by critics.

The former VP is relatively content with not letting Americans know more about how they're being surveilled, saying that if they don't trust their representative in Congress they can vote them out - though of course that rarely happens, with most incumbents in the House at least usually being re-elected, often without serious competition.

And what if they don't always tell the truth? The Center for Public integrity came out in early 2008 and reported that the Bush Administration made at least 935 false statements in the two years following September 11, 2001, about the national security threat posed by Saddam Hussein's Iraq.

Top intelligence officials said on Saturday that information taken from two data-collection programs run by the National Security Agency thwarted potential terrorist plots in the U.S. and more than 20 other countries — and that gathered data is destroyed every five years. They also said that less than 300 phone numbers were checked against the database of millions of U.S. phone records gathered daily by the NSA in one of the programs.

Cheney said he understood why Obama administration officials were publishing that sensitive information, but said it hurts the U.S. by providing information to our enemies.

Regarding President Obama's speech last month that the war on terrorism was winding down, Cheney said Obama had little credibility on that issue, or, come to think of it, many other issues these days.

"In terms of credibility, I don't think he has credibility. I think one of the biggest problems we have is, we have got an important point where the president of the United States ought to be able to stand up and say, this is a righteous program, it is a good program, it is saving American lives, and I support it. And the problem is the guy has failed to be forthright and honest and credible on things like Benghazi and the IRS. So he's got no credibility."

On Susan Rice being named as the new National Security Adviser, Cheney was dismissive, saying she too lacks credibility in the aftermath of the Benghazi story. "I just question whether or not somebody whose judgment was so flawed that they took what was apparently very bad information and peddled it as aggressively as she did," he said.

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Rubio on immigration: "95-96 percent of the bill is in perfect shape"

Mitch Perry — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:06:00 -0400

On ABC's This Week, guest host Jonathan Karl asked Marco Rubio a direct question: Does he in fact support his own comprehensive immigration bill now being debated in the U.S. Senate?

The Florida Senator affirmed he did.

"Well, obviously, I think it's an excellent starting point, and I think 95, 96 percent of the bill is in perfect shape and ready to go. But there are elements that need to be improved. This is how the legislative process is supposed to work. You offer an idea, you get public input and the input of your other colleagues. From these criticisms or observations come out new ideas about how to make it better, and of course you can't ignore that. Those things need to be addressed."

Regarding the major hang up for conservative Republicans - the fear that the border security provisions will lack teeth and the influx of undocumented immigrants will continue, Rubio said he is aware of those concerns, and think they're valid.

When asked by Karl if he will vote for the bill as it stands right now on border security, Rubio played coy.

"I don't want to get involved in these hypotheticals and ultimatums about what-" before Karl interrupted him, saying that in fact was a very real possibility. Rubio said it wasn't.

"The bottom line, a bill that does not have increased border security - which everyone now I think has conceded needs to happen - I think the debate now is about what that border security provision looks like, and if we do that, we'll have strong bipartisan support. If we fail, we're going to keep trying because at the end of the day the only way we're going to pass an immigration reform law, out of the House and the Senate so that the president can sign it, is that it has real border security measures in it."

As has been extensively reported on this blog and elsewhere, Rubio has attempting the delicate balancing act of trying to push through a major piece of legislation that a good part of his political base wants no part of. That's what has led to his making critical comments about the legislation, sounding as tough as Jeff Sessions or Lamar Smith when it comes to making sure the bill has serious border security measures in place before he can support it.

But he's apparently lost the battle to placate that conservative base. Last week RedState.org's Eric Ericson wrote a blistering blog post entitled, "Rubio Either a Fool or Playing the GOP for one." Ericson wrote:

I am just shocked, knowing what we now know, that Senator Rubio would continue to support this legislation and that other conservative Senators would too.

Rubio said he recognized the "division" inside the GOP and said he respected everyone's views on it, but he wanted people to understand that the issue is a "major problem" that needs to be addressed. "And the only way I know how to fix problems, is to get involved and try to fix it."

But Jonathan Karl came back at Rubio and asked if if fact Ericson was right, and he was being "played" by Democrats like New York's Chuck Schumer?

Rubio said he didn't know what that meant. After Karl gave him a breakdown, Rubio said he really doesn't focus much on public polls - but by the way, he said, all the polls show strong support for immigration reform.

And he's right about that. A poll conducted by Public Policy Polling last week showed that 72 percent of Floridians say they strongly support or somewhat support bipartisan immigration reform legislation being debated in Washington. But after a Rubio's chief-of-staff re-tweeted those poll results the other day, a conservative blogger blasted him for doing so, showing that the conservative heat on him ain't going away anytime soon.

Karl did not ask Rubio to elaborate on why he would bail from the bill if an amendment is added that allows gay Americans to petition for same-sex spouses living abroad to secure a green card. Last week Rubio said if that amendment was added to the legislation, "I'm done."

Meanwhile on NBC's Meet The Press, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham repeated his previous statement that he thinks 70 Senators will ultimately vote to support an immigration bill.

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Death wish

Peter Meinke — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:02:00 -0400

Greed drives the suicidal capitalist — no matter the cost. by Peter Meinke

The apparition of these faces in the crowd;

Petals on a wet, black bough.

—“In a Station of the Metro,” by Ezra Pound

Almost daily, I’m subject to apocalyptical thoughts because two roads leading to our home are Taylor Avenue and Edwards Avenue, which in turn lead me back to grad school, where we pored over the potent words of Puritan poet Edward Taylor (1645-1729) and revivalist preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758). Edwards Avenue then connects to Bethel Avenue, Bethel (“God’s house”) being the place in Genesis where Jacob saw the Ladder joining heaven and earth, with angels bustling up and down like Ezra Pound’s Parisians in the subway at rush hour. St. Pete’s Bethel is now known for its mega-Christmas display with over half a million lights and a tall signpost directing us to various religions, with JESUS on top and YOGA mysteriously on the bottom.

So my thought of the week is: America’s capitalists, like sinners in Edwards’ most famous sermon, may be “spiders dangling over the pit of Hell.” I suppose that, like normal sinners, they just can’t help themselves: the Devil made them do it — they followed the wrong sign, to Yoga maybe.

The old Puritans weren’t always pleasant people, but they learned one truth early from their first schoolbook, The New England Primer, published eventually by the worldly Benjamin Franklin: “In Adam’s fall, / We sinned all” (followed by such pleasant couplets as “The idle Fool / Is whipped at school”). They understood that we’re all sinners, and bankers and businessmen need whippings as much as workers and schoolchildren; probably more, because more money’s at stake — and not just their own.

For example, when American tobacco companies were being sued for fires caused by cigarettes, instead of cutting back on cigarette advertising they backed flame retardant furniture. It turned out that this flame retardant itself is carcinogenic — but the furniture was cleared for manufacture because the companies loaded a “Citizens for Fire Safety” committee with pro-cigarette doctors. Toxic dust still migrates from sofas to pets to children playing on the floor. A recent New York Times article talks about “pre-polluted babies.” Those dust bunnies can be lethal.

This scenario plays out so often (tobacco fabricators, NRA ranters, oil spillers, climate change deniers, food diluters) that it seems that American capitalism has an unrepentant suicidal bent. The name of the game is “Beat those Regulations”; the prize is big money. The world knows we need fewer guns in our homes, less carbon dioxide in the air, less gas in our cars, cleaner water, and healthier food; but in these areas American businesses have fought — tirelessly — every change down the line.

I’m all for creative capitalism; we have investments, too! We lived in Poland and watched Communism drag the economy to its knees. However, since the 1980s America’s opened the money spigots a lot wider than previously imaginable — primarily in financial areas, where they don’t have to make or invent anything, just move money around (entirely upward: it hasn’t trickled down). The huge salaries and bonuses were sold to the public as deserved compensation, in order to attract “the best and the brightest.”

But this is hogwash: we never used to think these bossmen were so smart (see almost any old New Yorker cartoon). As David Brooks observed, it was just an Old Boys network with a WASP mentality, banded together against “burdensome regulations,” so our homes can be legally filled with toxic flame retardants, salt-crammed food, carcinogenic poisons, and AK-47s.

Capitalism can also breed a territorial greed (always connected to money) that leads to disaster. During our 10-year anniversary of the Iraq war, when soldiers in both countries still wander the streets like accusing ghosts, we’d do well to remember cranky preachers like Edwards and Taylor, who tried to apply restraints and regulations on our lives. Like wise friends, they wanted to spare us from hellfire, perhaps more realistic than we think.

There died a myriad,

And of the best, among them,

For an old bitch gone in the teeth,

For a botched civilization…

—from “Hugh Selwyn Mauberley,” by Ezra Pound (1885-1972)

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Rick Scott signs "Timely Justice Act" into law

Mitch Perry — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:53:19 -0400

Against the wishes of anti-death penalty advocacy groups, Governor Rick Scott has signed into law the Timely Justice Act, a complex piece of legislation regarding death penalty procedures in the state. It's most prominent feature is aimed at speeding up the process for prisoners on death row to meet their maker.

Critics, such as Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, warn that with the highest number of death row prisoners exonerated (at 24) in the country, Florida is the last state that should be speeding up the pace of executions, which the legislation would do by limiting appeals and mandating prompt death warrants.

“No one knows how many more innocent people are awaiting execution on Florida’s Death Row. A new law that speeds up executions by limiting appeals will almost certainly lead to the execution of innocent men and women,” said Mark Elliott, Director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. “It is unconscionable to hurry up executions and further restrict access to evidence of innocence.”

As CL reported in a recent cover story (entitled "Faster, Governor, Kill!, Kill!"), Florida has become an outlier of sorts regarding the death penalty legislation in recent years. While six states in the past six years have ended the practice, the state has some laws in the books (such as having a jury vote by a simple majority to recommend a death sentence) that go further to the right than anywhere in the country.

According to bill sponsor Matt Gaetz (R-Fort Walton Beach), the legislation will speed up the time after a death row conviction nearly in half, from the current average of over 13 years to approximately seven years.

However, the legislation also contains provisions that critics of how the state currently handles death row cases have applauded, such as establishing a North Florida office of the Capital Collateral Regional Counsel (CCRC), which is responsible for legal representation in post-conviction proceedings for those sentenced to death. (There currently are CCRC offices for Middle and South Florida.) The bill would also revise the experience requirements for attorneys working for the CCRC, and direct the courts to furnish to the Florida Bar findings that an attorney provided deficient representation.

But it is the provision speeding up death row cases that has dominated the reporting on this story, and the most recently exonerated death row prisoner, Seth Penalver, has been prominent in decrying the legislation. Penalver was released after 18 years in prison and on Death Row just before Christmas last year after he was re-tried in Broward County in the death of three people back in 1994.

“If executions are sped up, then we will be killing innocent people like me.” said Penalver in a press release this afternoon. “Evidence of my innocence was withheld and hidden for almost eighteen years after my conviction. Executing innocent people is murder by all, not justice for all."

(Update: Governor Scott's office has released a press release that "Sets the record straight").

MYTH: HB 7083 “speeds up” and “fast tracks” executions.

The bill does nothing to speed up the execution process. The bill makes technical amendments to current law and provides clarity and transparency to legal proceedings.

MYTH: The bill shortens the duration of the appeals process.

The bill does not address the time frame of appeals, but rather affirms appellate, and post conviction remedies, before the clemency process begins. Bottom line, before a death warrant is signed, the legislation mandates that an inmate must still go through a long and thorough review process.

It preserves and affirms the inmate’s existing rights to 1) a direct appeal, 2) a state post-conviction hearing; 3) a post-conviction appeal; 4) a federal habeas-corpus proceeding, and; 5) a federal habeas corpus appeal.

MYTH: The bill would have resulted in the execution of inmates that would have been exonerated.

Not a single one of the 24 “exonerated” inmates identified by the Death Penalty Information Center would have been certified as eligible for a death warrant under the requirements of HB 7083, because none of them had exhausted their legal remedies.

MYTH: The bill will lead to more executions and takes away protections from inmates.

Nothing in this bill alters the current protections afforded by the courts or the clemency process and adds protections to inmates by removing ineffective counsel.

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WTSP's Noah Pransky wins major broadcast journalism award

Mitch Perry — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:08:00 -0400

Move over Mike Deeson, there's another reporter garnering acclaim for his investigative reporting at Channel 10 News.

That would be WTSP television reporter Noah Pransky, who on Wednesday learned that he and photographer Paul Thorson were awarded the 2013 Edward R. Murrow Award for Large Market Television/Sports Reporting. They won the award for their story "Soccer Safety Ignored," which investigated how hundreds of soccer goalposts throughout the Tampa Bay area were not properly anchored to the ground. Such sloppy and lazy groundskeeping led to the deaths of 37 kids since 1979, including one in Polk County who was featured in the report.

"The award is a tremendous honor," Pransky said in a press release. "We take a lot of pride in serving as the public's watchdog, and in this case, looking out for children's safety."

The Channel 10 reporter may earn more hardware next year for his series of recent reports, which revealed that a number of cities and counties in the Sunshine State have exploited shortened yellow times at red light cameras.

Watch Noah's report on WTSP from May 15:

The 10 News Investigators discovered the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) quietly changed the state's policy on yellow intervals in 2011, reducing the minimum below federal recommendations. The rule change was followed by engineers, both from FDOT and local municipalities, collaborating to shorten the length of yellow lights at key intersections, specifically those with red light cameras (RLCs).

While yellow light times were reduced by mere fractions of a second, research indicates a half-second reduction in the interval can double the number of RLC citations — and the revenue they create. The 10 News investigation stemmed from a December discovery of a dangerously short yellow light in Hernando County. After the story aired, the county promised to re-time all of its intersections, and the 10 News Investigators promised to dig into yellow light timing all across Tampa Bay.

Red light cameras generated more than $100 million in revenue last year in approximately 70 Florida communities, with 52.5 percent of the revenue going to the state. The rest is divided by cities, counties, and the camera companies. In 2013, the cameras are on pace to generate $120 million.

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