Opinion & Commentary

via NY Times MTV Reality show From G’s To Gents is thank the stars coming back for a second season. Created by Acadamy Award winner turned full time crotch cupper Jamie Foxx and hosted by Diddy’s former umbrella caddy, Fonzworth Bentley, the show aims to turn gangstas into 19th Centuary…

A Handy Debate Poor Mr. Cabrera: Tim Elfrink’s story “The Hand of Justice” (September 18) is really sad. At least Julio Cabrera is free to live in his home and talk to the media to express his concerns. Think about the thousands who are tossed in jail for the minutest…

Jacob Katel Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Johnny painted on a wall in Miami’s Wynwood Arts District. Jack Nicholson, aka Jack Torrance, in The Shining appears with an assortment of other killers, psychos and sociopaths from recent film history…

It’s good news to know that the O’Jays are still touring. They were easily one of the best R&B groups of the ’70s and have a long list of hits that should make for a fun show tonight at the Hard Rock. But there’s also been a lot of tragedy…

via Imagechan (nsfw ads) “Yeah, mofo, I’ve got two pairs on. What you gonna do now? Kill me? I’m already dead. God, this show has amazing writing!” Hot on the heels of last night’s Emmys, the fall television season continues its kickoff tonight with two big premiers of shows with…

via MySpace So, we started this new category on Riptide called “Reality Bites” with the intent of generating tons of easy content about local boys and girl who get caught up in the dangerous world of Reality TeeVee. Then nothing happened. Sure, bimbotron pop group Las Caprice is still on…

The titilating scandal swirling around the man selected to lead Miami-Dade County Public Schools continues to make headlines. Yesterday, the School Board delayed its vote on ratifying Alberto Carvalho’s contract to be the new superintendent amid public outrage over his speedy selection and allegations he had an inappropriate romantic relationship…

Remember Lilly Forget the writer: Francisco Alvarado’s “Missing Peace” (September 11) was disturbing. It wasn’t about missing person Lilly Aramburo, but about drug abuse. That’s sad. It should have been about her vanishing and no one caring. I don’t care what she was into; she’s not disposable. No one has…

People spend ungodly amounts of cash on their bitches. Check out ILoveDogsDiamonds.com, for instance, where one can buy the “Amour Amour” dog collar. Made from crocodile leather, platinum, and 52 carats of diamonds, it goes for the bargain price of $3.2 million. And of course South Beach, the nation’s playground…

A proper rock frontman is a center-stage, singular figure of idolatry, not just your average lead singer or guitarist. He must possess certain qualities, including — and most important — that he’s hard to ignore. A rocky family life and the attendant lack of ambition helps. So does a fierce…

Jacob Katel The I.D. Art Gallery building on the west edge of Wynwood is canvassed all across its exterior. The east facing wall of the building forms an alley with the building next door and is bombed with an MSG (Miami Style Graffiti) Day of the Dead production. The 10…

So I just got off the phone with blues singer Shemekia Copeland, who’ll be performing at the Hollywood Clambake on September 26 and, as far as I could tell, she’s really looking forward to coming down to South Florida. She’s going to be working out some new songs off of…

It’s Throwback Tuesdays and with the release of Death Magnetic this past Friday, I’m sort of in an old-school Metallica mood. This song off the “Black Album” has always been one of my favorites because of the raw honesty and emotion behind it. I know some metal fans think it’s…

So now Alberto Carvalho is admitting that he had a “playful” relationship with the the Miami Herald’s former education reporter, Tania deLuzuriaga. At least that’s what CBS4’s Jim Defede is reporting. Carvalho has been on damage control since the Herald reported on a possible improper romantic relationship between Carvalho and…

Today the Miami Herald broke the news that Alberto Carvalho, the 44-year-old married man who’s been selected to helm Miami-Dade County Public Schools, may have had an improper romantic relationship with former education reporter Tania deLuzuriaga. The 27-year-old journalist, now with the Boston Globe, covered the nation’s fourth largest school…

via MySpaceThis picture could have also illustrated this post. Quick name two things the world needs more of. “Pre-packaged pop groups and reality television.” Bingo! MTV’s “Top Pop Group” is filling both those needs with a competition show searching for America’s best unknown pop group. Las Caprice, a Miami Beach-based…

Jacob Katel Donna Sdraiata, Fernando Botero StreetWorks is usually a graffiti blog. Starting today, as long as I’m shooting, it’ll document all forms of publicly displayed art, from the gutter to the gallery. With that in mind, this week’s feature is the Gary Nader Sculpture Park featuring bronze work by…

He Paid Top Dollar School board guys don’t break rules: We wish to respond to Francisco Alvarado’s September 4 item in Riptide, “Forget Rudy Crew.” Once Agustin Barrera became aware that an e-mail was circulated to the press containing the innuendo that he had received a “special deal” for work…

“Arrrg!” says an inebriated Cap’n Pete Poopdeck as he slams a fist on the wooden bar top at Seven Seas (2200 Red Rd., Miami, 305-266-6071), a charmingly dingy pub off Coral Way. “Can ye fetch me a beer?” The barkeep — a small woman with gold jewelry, bright red lipstick,…

Isaac DeLima, the local turntablist whiz kid known as DJ I-Dee, is a little worried about his generation’s response to his art form. “It’s very endangered. Its high points were maybe six or seven years ago, but it was still in its hybrid stages then, and no one was really…