BEST OF ORLANDO® NOMINATION BALLOT IS OPEN THROUGH MAY 6!

Jan 8-14, 2003

Jan 8-14, 2003 / Vol. 19 / No. 2

Radical tradition

Kathy DiBernardo’s father has a feisty streak that has fueled a lifelong fight for the rights of working people. “My dad was radical way back when,” says DiBernardo. He worked toward the unionization of woolen mills in their New England town when organizing was unpopular and surrounded by fear, she says. And at 87, he…

Lindy T. Shepherd

Knock and talk

In the early evening of May 18, 2000, a small group of University of Central Florida freshmen were hanging out in their apartment in the massive Knight’s Crossing complex, enjoying a basketball game over Bud Lites and puffs on a marijuana pipe. Since the four roommates often had friends over, nobody thought much about a…

William Dean Hinton

The importance of being Buddy

By the time I join him, Buddy Dyer has already been canvassing College Park for three hours. It’s a frigid Saturday afternoon, but the mayoral contender is cheerful as ever in his blue dress shirt, sleeves rolled up, tan slacks and tie. He announced his candidacy a week ago, and today is his first day…

Jeffrey C. Billman

Dumb & numb-er

As brats with an itch for attention during our younger years, we’d often find ourselves in trouble — or institutionalized at the very least — for doing a fraction of the things Steve-O does in public. After all, most boys don’t staple their scrotum to their legs. At least not on purpose. But not only…

Omar Perez

Tooth and lies

In November, Jason Morris, 30, was acquitted by a jury in Greater Manchester, England, of the charge that, using ordinary pliers, he pulled out 18 of his girlfriend’s teeth. The case turned when the girlfriend, Samantha Court, 25, admitted that she pulled the teeth out herself during an April drug binge in which she tried…

Chuck Shepherd

Let the games end

If you thought sports was all about pissing matches, take a look at sports broadcasting. Time Warner Cable and the Sunshine Network have been feuding for weeks over the terms of a new contract, and now it’s the viewers who are paying the price. The Sunshine Network’s 10-year contract with TWC expired at midnight on…

David J. Plotkin

Rockin’ out with Jesus

I love Jesus Christ. That souped-up martyrdom in mildly Shakespearean prose is almost enough to make me believe. Really. Naturally, I bought into the hippy musical glut in the ’70s. There I was all rag-tag clapping along to the choreographed resurrections of “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Godspell” while trying to grow my hair out. Sebastian…

Billy Manes

Princeton exit curries favor

Looking at the brick facade and barred windows of 301 E. Princeton St., it’s hard to tell what’s available at Princeton Food Store (407-895-4890). It turns out to be a convenience store with “lunch specials.” “The Simpson’s Kwik-E-Mart” it’s not; instead, it’s the closest place to downtown for an Indian food fix. The advertised special…

Joseph Hayes

Quiet violence

In a city not best-known for musical subtlety, there are but a few bands willing to stake a claim on music that relies more on unspoken intuition than on sheer visceral energy. And though these bands might find themselves playing to smaller audiences than their pop-punk brethren, it’s fairly easy to tell which band is…

Jason Ferguson

Know your candidates: Part One

By now you’ve seen the signs sprouting from local lawns like primary-colored weeds: “Tico for Mayor!” And you’ve no doubt experienced a moment’s surprise that the drummer from Bon Jovi wants to run The City Beautiful. Honest mistake. But to make sure it doesn’t happen again — God forbid in the voting booth — here’s…

Steve Schneider

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