After we converted to an (almost) all-original format we really missed having Robert’s insights. Recently, Billy Townsend sought out Robert and spoke to him about rejoining MI4.

This morning I met with Billy and Robert to discuss the particulars. Based on the headline above, you won’t be surprised Robert wrote the following today over at I4Jamming:

This post will likely mark the end of Interstate4Jamming, at least as we know it. I am honoured to have been invited by Chuck Welch and Billy Townsend to become a regular contributor to Metro I4 News, and from this point forward my posts will be seen there.

I’m working on a way to showcase his Friday night line-up of the weekend political talk shows. I’ll also create a place to feature his extensive work tracking those who have filed for area political offices.

We’re really excited to have Robert (re)join MI4.

Art Squeeze — Get the juice on Tampa Bay’s arts scene!

Art Squeeze is a visual arts blog written by Megan Voeller, freelance writer and visual art critic for Creative Loafing Tampa.

From Megan:

I created this blog as a way of addressing the disconnect between different parts of the Tampa Bay area arts community. How many times have I heard an art lover from St. Petersburg tell me that she’s never heard of Bleu Acier? Or a Tampa resident admit that he’s never been to The Arts Center? Folks, we have a promising contemporary art scene struggling to thrive in this area, but we don’t have the social cohesion to support it.

Yet.

Each week, I write a print column about the visual arts in Creative Loafing, our alternative newsweekly. Here on Art Squeeze, you’ll find further coverage of events, story updates, and even multimedia features. (Yes—get ready to waste some freakin’ time on this site.)

The goal is always to support talent where talent has merited support. You won’t find me an uncritical cheerleader. There’s stuff that I don’t like and that I don’t think is very good; generally, I won’t be writing about that stuff. (On the other hand, just because I skipped your exhibit doesn’t mean I don’t like you.)

If you want to be on top of Tampa Bay’s visual art scene, check in at Art Squeeze.

Alas, it is over. In tomorrow’s weekly, she dumps Creative Loafing for a bigger paper:

There’s no easy way to break up, except to just tell the truth. He’s older, more mature and…sigh…has a bigger masthead. I’d be lying if I told you that size doesn’t matter, because right now at this stage in my life and career, it does.

Today we found Jaden in Jeff Houck’s Flavor section (more to come on this!), announcing her new gig at the Tribune. Who knows what’s next?

Of course, not everybody goes from being an unknown to a superstar, but earlier this year, Jaden gave Creative Loafing readers some helpful hints on how to begin your very own food blog. You can imagine one or more of those readers finding how easy it is to get it going, and just start blogging. And who knows, one day they too may become a media superstar like Jaden.

Creative Loafing might have an opening.

Uh.. uhmmmm….. uh..

San Diego is almost as bad? And St. Louis too?

On deck so far:

• Ken Knight, multimedia reporter for Media General
• Demorris Lee, reporter for the St. Petersburg Times, who recently completed a multimedia reporting fellowship at the Knight Digital Media Center
• Boyzell Hosey, director of photography at the St. Petersburg Times
• Ken Irby, photography and multimedia expert at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies
• Eric Deggans, St. Petersburg Times TV/media critic and editor/creator of The Feed blog

Scheduled for 11 a.m. March 8 at the Tampa Tribune, 200 S. Parker St., Tampa, this seminar is free and open to anyone who wishes to attend.

During the panel discussion, we will talk about ways to think about expanding traditional journalism work to multimedia platforms, the advantages and challenges of blogging for journalists, the resources available for those who hope to learn more about this kind of work and more…

Last year, we got a great response from area bloggers of all ethnicities and had a chance to turn it into a wide-ranging discussion. Even if you don’t consider yourself a journalist, but would like to learn more about this new field, please feel free to attend.

As we all work to try and understand these new media platforms, sometimes the most fun comes from getting together and swapping ideas on what it all means. And fellow bloggers, feel free to post this on your blog somewheres…

The Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists’ website is www.tbabj.com. Please remember, however, that you’re welcome even if you’re not a journalist. Or from the Tampa Bay area. Or black.

You read it right – bloggers are welcome to sit in and learn as well as share experiences. Also, any bloggers are welcome to post this info on your blogs.

Hope to see you there.

(cross-posted at www.tampafilmfan.com and www.tampabookbuzz.com)

In fact, they created an entire new blog devoted to FIX IT NOW: 

… each week from now on, in print and online, we’ll follow up with information, interviews and ideas aimed at making headway in the 10 problem areas. At the same time, we are launching a new blog, Fix It Now Tampa Bay, which will feature activists intimately familiar with the 10 issues we outlined, as well as information from Loaf staff.

It’s all part of an experiment in civic and citizen journalism, one aimed at providing solutions — and getting our government officials to take action.

And here are Tampa Bay’s top ten problems, according to Wayne:

1. Suburban sprawl
2. Urban density (lacking)
3. Transportation
4. Environment (weak protections)
5. Living green
6. Diversity (racial, ethnic, class)
7. Professional sports (over-subsidized and over-idolized)
8. Media consolidation (lack of independent voices)
9. GLBT Rights
10. Save our young (with economic opportunity)

Boy, if we just had some leadership within local government, you’d think some of these would have been addressed by now.  But we don’t, and they are not.

But are they the only problems here in Tampa Bay?  Are they even the most pressing problems in the area?  Which of the above ten issues would you say is most important, and what problems would you add to the list?

Now it looks some readers lost their comments. This blogging software failed to inform the readers that their comments didn’t save and needs to be reentered.

If you have a comment that failed to show up on the website, I apologize. I believe I now have the kinks worked out.

Just remember when you comment — the word “vote” is very important.

Now it looks some readers lost their comments. This blogging software failed to inform the readers that their comments didn’t save and needs to be reentered.

If you have a comment that failed to show up on the website, I apologize. I believe I now have the kinks worked out.

Just remember when you comment — the word “vote” is very important.

Bog It Blog features “information left from the Flotsam of Life” and is written by:

52 year old father of 5, grandfather of 2, married for 32 years to a wonderful woman. Twelve year veteran of Radio Broadcasting. Worked as Operations Manager, Production Manager, News Director, Morning and Afternoon Drive Time Announcing. Later, Involved in Micro-Computers. Worked as a Computer Consultant and Advisor. Been involved in Computers from the beginning. Believe it or not, trained in collators, card punch machines, mini-main frames, main frame computers. Experienced in early computer kits, 8 bit to 16 bit to present computers. Currently Disability-Retired. Living his life ON-LINE to the world! — Bog it Blog About Page

Knot a Blog is all about the ties that local resident Michael Segers owns.

I had very few ties, and as expensive as ties are, I began shopping for ties in thrift shops. One day, I found a tie covered with script and drawings from Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks. Something clicked. Wearing a tie like that could be fun.
What a novel idea! Wearing a tie could be… fun? — From the first entry on Dec. 12, 2005

Wendy Usually Wanders is about “An old RV, a dog, a cat and a crazy woman travel the US” except lately Wendy has spent a lot of time not wandering in Lakeland. In a recent post she writes of a trip to our local Goodwill store:

Ummmm…I wasn’t feeling much good will when Judy and I went to the Goodwill store. The prices are crazy! Almost everything in there is cheaper new. I don’t get it. Is it some sort of a tax write-off boondoggle? I saw a couple of “executives” in an office…all dressed up and their cars out front were expensive. This is a HUGE store. It must cost a fortune to heat, cool and light, plus it was way over-staffed. This place must benefit somebody, but it’s not poor people or anyone who wants to buy stuff at a good price! Does anyone know why Goodwill is like this? — Jan 25, 2008

That leads to a reminder that the next Polk County Blogger meeting will be this Monday, February 4th at 6:30 p.m. at Polk County’s Unofficial Blogger’s Haven — Black and Brew ( 205 East Main Street )
You don’t need to write a blog to attend. You’re invited if you’re reading this, or if someone is reading it to you.