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Sep 9-15, 1998

Sep 9-15, 1998 / Vol. 14 / No. 36

Feel the Burn

“My mom gave me two records to listen to on my little record player when I was six,” said Orlando-based acid-jazz/electronic musician Michael Donaldson. “I don’t know why she gave them to me … but they totally shaped the way I am.” Those two records — The Platters’ “Greatest Hits” and the Beach Boys’ “Pet…

Daniel Fuller

Putting on the dog

A May Associated Press dispatch reported that the “dog culture” in New York City adds about $500 million to the city’s economy every year. Included in that figure must have been sales at the 19 upscale restaurants that serve dogs, featured in a July New York Times review; dog psychics; a limo service for dogs;…

Chuck Shepherd

Lamar’s money-laundering loophole

Sadly, there’s no traffic jam on the High Road of Politics these days. Politicians of both parties are all on the low road rushing around in a mad scramble for corrupt corporate cash to finance their campaigns. If you think this money chase is going to ease off anytime soon, take a peek at the…

Jim Hightower

Will the public get wired?

Advocates of public access cable can make their case again Tuesday, Sept. 15, before the Orange County Commission after a dozen people urged the board not to scratch provisions for public access from the ordinance governing cable franchises. Staff, legal counsel and a would-be cable TV company had hoped to resolve the matter with a…

Ericson, Edward Jr.

Pot luck politics

As soon as he opens his eyes, Paul Adams can tell whether it is going to be a marijuana morning. On those days, when his legs are so pained and numb he must physically push them over the edge of the bed, he reaches for the only medicine he’s found to quickly and effectively ease…

Mary Meehan

Trials and Trib-ulations

The Orlando Sentinel is mostly responsible for a plume of ink solvent that may be leaching into the city’s water supply. Sentinel Communications, owned by the Tribune Co., agreed to clean up the mess and several years ago the state approved a pumping system to do it. But the state may have been too hasty…

Orlando Weekly Staff

Jump-starting a fight

After seeing the movie The Grudge, it occurred to me that a particular aspect of real estate could be a lot more frightening than rising interest rates. I’m talking about houses haunted by spirits who died in the grip of a terrible rage. For that matter, I’m also talking of houses haunted by wraiths who…

Orlando Weekly Staff

Jumping ship

Florida Agriculture Secretary Bob Crawford, a Democrat, endorsed Republican Jeb Bush for governor last week, shocking members of his own party and, let’s face it, sealing his place as an incumbent. “I think he made a deal,” Democratic contender and Lt. Governor Buddy MacKay said. Other Democrats hinted that Crawford colluded with Republicans in order…

Orlando Weekly Staff

Rootless Ribot lands in Cuba

Marc Ribot is a relentless musical adventurer. The New Jersey native bashed it out in ’70s garage bands before making a name for himself as a Downtown New York scenester in the ’80s. He’s applied his unique six-string textures and idiosyncratic solos to gigs and recordings with everyone from the Lounge Lizards to Tom Waits…

Philip Booth

Oh my GOD!”The young gi…

Oh my GOD!” The young girl is not the only one spooked by the sight, enough to intimidate any casual observer. Wrapped around the second level of the Virgin Megastore at Downtown Disney’s West Side, about 2,000 teen-age girls are jostling in various stages of wide-eyed pandemonium. The crush becomes even more surreal as the…

Billy Manes

At cross purposes

Finding Neverland (PG) Being Julia (R) At a time when deconstruction and demystification are all the moviemaking rage, it’s sweet indeed to celebrate the opening of two deeply satisfying pictures that bravely trumpet the healing properties of artifice. Hammering the point home are twin lead performances that rank among the best their respective gender classes…

Liz Langley

Giving voice to a childhood dream

Award-winning mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves knew she wanted to be a professional opera singer early on. One day a friend asked the 14-year-old Graves to skip class and listen to a recording of Puccini arias sung by legendary African-American opera diva Leontyne Price at the school library. “We listened until they threw us out,” says Graves.…

Catherine Kean

Chillers builds on its foundation

Downtown’s happy-hour scene is about to heat up with Latitudes, a roof-top patio bar opening upstairs from Chillers (35 W. Church St., 649-4270) in late September. Latitudes will offer views of the downtown skyline along with happy-hour buffets and possibly a menu of signature margaritas, according to manager Patrick Sullivan. In addition to Latitudes, Chillers…

Colleen Moore

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