Sticks of Fire: a Tampa blog

According to KPMG, Tampa ranks 2nd lowest in labor costs. If you own a business here, that’s good news. If you work for somebody here, that’s bad news. According to the latest theories, cities must be attractive to workers, which will then bring more companies. Obviousely, low wages will not attract better workers. If businesses want to relocate, right now is the time to move to Tampa for cheap labor. If Tampa wants to have long-term prosperity, then we need to find a way to increase wages here. See KPMG’s complete report.

OK… You went to the Gasparilla Parade. Somehow, you acquired all these beaded necklaces. Then, you went to the Knight Parade, and again showed flesh for obtained more beads. Now, what the hell are you supposed to do with all these worthless trinkets. Well, Colleen over at monkeynerves has a couple of great ideas: donate them to a charity. These charities will gather up all of your beads, repackage them and sell them back to the Krewes. Proceeds can go to “Faces of Courage” Foundation - they help kids with cancer. Or donate them to “No More Homeless Pets” Click on each link for a list of dropoff spots. Go ahead, drop ‘em off somewhere, nobody will flash you for ‘em now anyway.

By now, I’m sure you have heard that 98 Rock’s Bubba the Love Sponge was fired Monday night. I’ve been waiting to see where people stood on this. I assumed that most people either loved him or hated him. It turns out that most (including myself) don’t care one way or the other.

I tried to listen to him maybe three times within the past year. I found that his show is just as entertaining as most of the other local FM radio stations, which is to say that they are not worth my time. Listening to him drone on is as pleasing to me as listening to the same 7 songs being played over and over.

As for the firing, it’s obviously a political move. In the past, his bosses have claimed he has “entertainment value” and even paid his defense costs for animal cruelty charges a couple years ago. Now, however, they fired him: Clear Channel execs will be testifying on Capitol Hill tomorrow.

Friday night was fun. Normally, as the night goes on, the crowd (of mostly youngsters) grows & grows. Friday, though, Ybor was busy, but thinned out as the it got later. Saw Dick Greco and his lovely wife, along with another couple out Friday night. They must have been at the DeBartolo Family Foundation All Star Charity Gala, and came out to Ybor for some nightlife. I have yet to see Ms. Pam out & about.

Saturday night was the Gasparilla Knight Parade (not Night Parade). It was packed in Ybor. Walking through the sidewalk crowd to the Blue Shark, Wifey and I had to duck waving arms, running punks, flying bead necklaces, and flashing hooters. What fun! All those down there were obviously having a good time. The bars and streets were all packed afterwards, and there were alot of drunk, sick people stumbling around. These big events bring out all the youngsters, who have not yet learned to pace themselves for a long night. Stumblers could be found all around from the time I got there at 7pm. Most of them were planted on the ground or had their heads over trashcans by the time the parade was over at 10. Pictures can be found all over the internet, but not here, sorry.

This story in the Tribune says that all the contraband (scissors, knives, gardening tools, etc.) left at the airport is picked up by the states of Kentucky and Alabama, and sold (on ebay) to supplement the states’ incomes. Apparently, all of this stuff used to go to “A Gift for Teaching,” a non-profit place where local teachers could pick up donated items. New TSA regulations are to blame for the change, but there is no reason listed as to why the regs changed. Seems to me that you should support local agencies (or even local businesses), before giving this stuff away to other states.

Check out these old postcards.

Postmarked 1944: Cigar Girl in Ybor City.
No date info: Auto racing at the old downtown Tampa fairgrounds.

Pretty cool, I think.

Mom always told me not to play in traffic, so I thought this was fairly obvious. But apparently, some need reminding: Don’t Go Skating Across Dale Mabry Highway in the Middle of the Night When the Fog is Rolling In.

Two notes from CreativeTampaBay Newsletter:
Regarding Tampa’s Downtown redevelopment, the pieces are beginning to come together, but Tampa needs a master plan for its downtown. So says the St. Pete Times editorial on the topic in Monday’s Tampa edition.

According to last Thursday’s Tampa Tribune, artists priced out of Ybor City a decade ago may get city help to move back. Paul Wilborn, the city’s creative industries manager, presented a plan Thursday to the Tampa City Council to launch East Village of the Arts.

It’s going to be a rockin’ weekend:

Friday night: Rock with the JGLB. They’ll be performing at the Blue Shark in Ybor City. Be there at 10pm and be ready to dance your ass off. Don’t forget to say hi to Jerri the Bartender.

Saturday day: For a different kind of rock, check out the Rock-a-Thon at Walsingham Park in Largo from 10am to 4pm on Saturday. This event will feature 12 rocking chairs for volunteers, with a disc jockey and a Velcro obstacle course. For details, call (727) 582-2536. Help to raise money for the Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program of Pinellas County. I guess they’ll be rockin’ all day.

Saturday night: It’s time for the Krewe of Sant’Yago Knight Parade in Ybor. Here’s your chance to rock with the pirates. And roll with the (buccaneer) punch. Get a chance to catch & throw beads. Or trade for them. Or just watch the parade. Or just watch the parade watchers. Any way you slice it, this is one of the biggest parties in Tampa each year, and you don’t want to miss it. After the parade, slip back in to the Blue Shark for more quality entertainment by the JGLB.

Sunday afternoon (trust me, you’ll be sleeping in): Celebrate Tampa’s Gasparilla with a swashbuckling pirate operetta, the hilarious and exciting Abduction! In their first collaboration, Opera Tampa proudly presents Orlando Opera’s witty, new English adaptation of Mozart’s wondrous Abduction!, a fitting addition to one of Tampa’s oldest traditions! 2pm at the Tampa Bay Performing Art Center.