Senator says Goodman should go

Posted Nov 17, 2011 by Lindsay Peterson

Updated Nov 17, 2011 at 02:06 PM

State Sen. Mike Fasano said he thinks it’s time for USF Polytechnic Chancellor Marshall Goodman to go.

“When you can’t be transparent and deliver documents that have been requested. When you deny the request of a couple of senators to have an independent audit because of serious questions being asked, then it’s time for you to move on.”

He was referring to a request that he and state Sen. Paula Dockery made recently for an independent audit, in light of questions about spending at Polytechnic. Goodman refused.

The senators came back with another request, this one more pointed.

The next step, Fasano said, will likely be a simple public records request, which Goodman can’t refuse.

Goodman has become something of a political football in a battle over whether USF Polytechnic should be made independent.

The state Board of Governors said yes last week – with a raft of conditions that will delay the process for years.

Goodman pushed for independence. So did state Sen. JD Alexander, head of the Senate Budget Committee, who fired off a letter this week to the state university Board of Governors demanding an investigation of USF and defending Goodman’s honor.

Goodman was lambasted at the board’s meeting last week over the costs of building a new campus for USF Poly. But Alexander contended in his letter that USF was part of that process.

Fasano said: “I think we have a little bit of tit for tat going on here.”

But he predicted that USF would stand strong.

“I have great faith in President Genshaft. She is one of the most honest people I have ever met….USF as a whole in my opinion has one of the finest administrations.”

He also predicted the uproar over Polytechnic is likely to continue until Alexander is out of office, in about four months.

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Baconlube, ‘The Gold Standard Of Meat Flavored Massage Oils’ [Press Releases From Hell, Vol. 49]

Posted Nov 15, 2011 by Jeff Houck

Updated Nov 15, 2011 at 04:56 PM

I’ve seen a lot of odd press releases.

Today set a new high-water mark on the bizarro-meter:

J&D’s Foods set to Keep It Sizzlin’ with baconlube™

Should Everything Taste Like Bacon?  Yes.  Literally everything.

About baconlube

You’ve always been a lover of bacon.  Now you can be a bacon lover with baconlube, the world’s first bacon-flavored massage oil and personal lubricant.  No more horrifying bedroom experiments with bacon grease just hot oily bacon-y good times.

But before you start giving meat-flavored massages, we have one small admission to make - baconlube began as an elaborate April Fool’s prank and was never intended to be a real product.  When the joke ended, the emails kept coming and coming and coming. People harassed us via email, in public and in highly inappropriate ways (thanks for that).  The baconlube waiting list grew to thousands of people! Expectations were built, we had to deliver.

So who’s responsible for this highly anticipated creation actually coming to life? Slightly perverted bacon obsessed people, that’s who.  And an intern named Martin, who sacrificed and offended his taste buds in the name of science on sample after failed sample before this really did taste like bacon.

We’ll make no judgments about why people want this or what they want to do with it, but baconlue is here, it’s real and available now just in time for the holidays for $11.99 at www.baconlube.com. Supplies are very limited.  Keep It Sizzlin

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USF international students celebrate

Posted Nov 15, 2011 by Lindsay Peterson

Updated Nov 15, 2011 at 05:45 PM

Students from around the world converged on USF’s Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza today for its second annual International Fest, part of the International Education week.

Dozens of groups were there representing students from around the world, whose numbers are growing at USF.

Yuan-Ru Wei, front center, poses with Taiwanese students

Lujani Ghamri, from Saudi Arabia, makes up Monica Jimenez

The percentage of international students is still low, but it’s better, rising from 3 percent (1,465 students) last year to 4 percent (1,745 students) this year.

USF attributes part of the increase to its “INTO USF” program, which offers English language and other prep course to ease the foreign students into their degree work.

Nearly 600 foreign students came to USF this year through INTO, an international marketing network.

USF is doing better than Florida as a whole, which fell from 6th to 7th in a recent ranking of the number of international students at its universities. But it’s lagging other U.S. universities.

The Open Doors report from the Institution of International Education showed a 5 percent jump in the number of international students nationwide, up to 723,277.

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Brisket On A Biscuit, Eggplant Parm, Ceviche And Mofongo [This Week’s Weekend Eats]

Posted Nov 14, 2011 by Jeff Houck

Updated Nov 14, 2011 at 02:33 PM

This week’s incredibly delicious-looking photo from today’s batch of Weekend Eats comes courtesy of Twitter follower @Queengwen, who sent the above pic of crispy roasted potatoes, steak with melted mushroom brie, and flan.

In @Queengwen’s profile, she describes herself as, “Livin’ to eat. Lover of puns, witty banter, and chocolate-covered bacon. Traveler. DIY-er. Domestic goddess. Art enthusiast. Music snob. Local wine barfly.”

Works for me. Each week, she sends photos of the most amazing food, such as:

Brazilian sangria with cachaça, red wine, clove, cinnamon, orange, lime, apple

Homemade bacon, broccoli, and spinach quiche

Chicken tikka masala. Super spicy version

For her submission this week, Gwen will be receiving a box of hard-to-find candy from the 1970s from the folks at Hometown Favorites. 

I’ll be giving away more prizes in future weeks to the best Weekend Eats grub. The only qualification: Your photo has to make me so hungry that I claw at the screen. Those who know me may now chime in, “Like that’s a rare thing, Jeff.”

Other contributions from Twitter and Facebook this week:

@SuwanneeRefugee - Had amazing ceviche and mofongo at Red Mesa Cantina that I could’ve eaten until I looked like Santa Claus on steroids.

@Indianapolisamy - @Food52 party #Indy w/ butternut sage scones, fig & blue cheese savouries, thyme roasted carrots, white bean dip with poblano

@TalkingTV - Honey mustard grilled chicken, sauteed spinach with sun-dried tomatoes & chickpeas, apple crisp, & homemade challah.

@LynnATL - Brisket on a biscuit from @Eclipse_di_Luna Biscuit de Ropa Vieja (Sweet & Spicy Beef Brisket on a Biscuit) YUM.

@abaesel2 - 1st prize winning Porky and Beans’ ribs at the St Pete Ribfest w/ @TraceAdkins on the side

Shirley Steele - Homemade eggplant parmesan, thanks to the local farmer for the delicious eggplants used in my recipe!
@Camille Box - Combo plate at the Greek Festival

Here’s this week’s gallery of grub. Click on each photo to see a description:

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Wine, Cigar Fest and BBQ Pig Jam [Delicious Things To Do This Week]

Posted Nov 14, 2011 by Jeff Houck

Updated Nov 14, 2011 at 03:18 PM

A few of this week’s food events to attend:

* Cru Cellars, 2506 S. MacDill Ave. in Tampa, hosts host A Perfect Pairing: The Second Flight, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. Proceeds benefit The Children’s Home, Inc. Enjoy wines from across the globe, hors d’oeuvres and desserts along with an art auction. Cost is $50 per person. For information or to purchase tickets, call (813) 831-1117 or visit http://www.crucellarstampa.com.

* Vintage Wine Cellars, 3629 Henderson Blvd., Tampa; (813) 879-2931, offers a Thanksgiving-themed wine tasting at 7 p.m. Friday; $10

* The Ybor City Heritage & Cigar Fest, 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Saturday in Ybor’s Centennial Park. The all-day event includes cigar vendors, food, a wine and beer garden, antique cars the Saturday market

* Plant City Pig Jam -Top teams from throughout the country will compete at the ninth annual BBQ championship 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex, 1500 S. Park Rd. in Plant City. About 70 team will compete in the Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event. Admission to Pig Jam is free, and parking is $5 per vehicle. For more information, call (813) 754-3707, or click here. 

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