Taking Names the Blog

Blog on break - Happy 4th and beyond!

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:31:36 -0400

Hi guys. This blog will be on break until Monday, July 13. So posts -- and publications of comments -- will be delayed. In the meantime, I sure hope everyone has a great Independence Day ... and following week. --...

The dog with a nose for wrongful convictions

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:45:00 -0400

Updated to include links to subsequent columns on this topic at the end. Today's column took a look at what may be one of Central Florida's most under-heralded mysteries -- John Preston and his wonderdog, Harass II, who helped convict...

Pharmaceutical companies tout Grayson, Kosmas

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:50:26 -0400

Several readers have written in within the last two days to ask about the sudden burst of TV commercials they've seen touting Alan Grayson and Suzanne Kosmas. I only caught the tail end of one and wondered myself. In a...

O Mag's 50 Most Powerful

ScottMaxwell — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:13:11 -0400

Orlando magazine is out with its annual list of the "50 Most Powerful People in Orlando." And it's sure to generate buzz around the water coolers. I'm not sure I agree with the magazine's editors on all of this. They...

Chamber of Commerce heads to ... nudist resort?

ScottMaxwell — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:13:24 -0400

This following e-vite just crossed my in-box ... And let me just say this: The guys down in Kissimmee (who've done this before) are going a looooong way towards helping chamber members all over the world shed their image as...

Grayson's stormy deal; GOP offered coverage-for-cash

ScottMaxwell — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 09:14:17 -0400

Thoughts on a couple of items in today's news: * Did you see where Alan Grayson traded his vote on the energy bill for a new $50 million hurricane center in Orlando? This one's perplexing on several levels -- not...

Grayson's earmark woes go national

ScottMaxwell — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:06:59 -0400

Alan Grayson's controversial earmark request -- for a local agency run by a controversial man who made headlines for trying to pad his own pockets at the expense of victims -- may be starting to cause him some genuine trouble...

Expressway fallout: Tell 'em what you think

ScottMaxwell — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:05:14 -0400

A number of readers have asked how they can sound off about recent goings-on at the Expressway Authority. Well, you're in luck. You can do so Wednesday -- and right to the top Expressway brass, no less. The authority now...

Anti-troops? Mica explains his vote

ScottMaxwell — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 07:55:02 -0400

In today's column, we provided the rundown of how Central Florida's congressional delegation voted on the recent war-funding bill (Brown and Kosmas for it; everyone else against). You may remember that, back when Bush was president, anyone who voted against...

25 Most Beautiful People in Central Florida

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:22:39 -0400

XL 106.7's Johnny and Jayde finally finished culling through all the votes their listeners submitted for the 25 Most Beautiful People in Central Florida. Making the cut: TV personalities (Martha Sugalski, Elizabeth Artz, Erick Weber and more); Sports stars (Dwight...

'Outrage' panel - a talk about politics, homosexuality, hypocrisy

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:00:45 -0400

It's been one of the most controversial political films of the year -- in part because it features Florida Gov. Charlie Crist -- so the Enzian wants to to talk about the relevance, accuracy and the general hubbub surrounding the...

Oddo's back ... and more radio news

ScottMaxwell — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:22:37 -0400

Just got word confirmed that Oddo will be back on 104.1 WTKS, starting tomorrow. The Phile's phormer phunnyman will be joining Buckethead's midday show as a co-host. So, congrats to him. And I know I will please many of those...

"That's Life" -- a story of tadpoles, good intentions ... and murder

ScottMaxwell — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:52:30 -0400

After a lot of serious topics here lately, I thought maybe we could all use a break. And I may have just the horrifying-yet-amusing, childhood vignette with which to give us one... A couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd...

Get game 5 tix here! (And see what pols do with theirs)

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:08:40 -0400

Dying to see Game 5 Sunday night? Want to help some worthy charities at the same time? Well, here's your chance to do both. UPDATE (SUNDAY MORN): Bidding has closed. Each pair went for @ $800. Some of the Orange...

John Morgan: For the People ... and Charlie Crist

ScottMaxwell — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:18:09 -0400

Charlie Crist's Republican senate campaign is about to get a high-profile fundraising boost -- from a high-profile Democrat. It's Democrat John "For the People" Morgan, who's hosting the $9,600-a-couple cocktail party for the Republican Crist, this Friday at the Embassy...

Corrine gets into the b-ball trash-talking too

ScottMaxwell — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:20:36 -0400

What is it about sporting events, politicians and YouTube? First, Buddy Dyer does his "Magic" tricks on video (below). Now comes Corrine Brown and Maxine Waters debating the Magic vs. the Lakers. Each congresswoman takes the side of their hometown...

Buddy's bet ... and 'Magic' video

ScottMaxwell — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:32:17 -0400

In case you missed it, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer is getting into the time-honored political tradition of making sporting bets with another mayor. On Thursday, he sent a challenge to L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, betting (among other things) the naming...

Downtown parking mess -- the result of Buddy's war with himself

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:44:13 -0400

Did you happen to catch today's story about how Orlando's giving out more parking tickets than ever before? In fact, we set a new record in April with 9,767 tickets. This is essentially the result of Buddy Dyer being at...

GOP tags Kosmas; Grayson tags Sentinel; Bar gets new prez; more

ScottMaxwell — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:44:55 -0400

A few bits of unrelated tid... * National Republicans are targeting Democratic U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas in a new radio ad. So says Politico, which reported that Republicans want to brand Kosmas as part of the "Pelosi crowd" that supposedly...

Sotomayor - the reaction, the lies ... the Catholicism?

ScottMaxwell — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:10:19 -0400

Today's column looked at how Mel Martinez, Adam Putnam and some other GOP leaders in Congress were refusing to follow the talk-radio party line of calling Sonia Sotomayor a racist. Instead, they wanted to hear the whole story before make...

Dockery for guv?

ScottMaxwell — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:48:08 -0400

After having her way with SunRail, State Sen. Paula Dockery may have new goal in mind ... taking over the governor's mansion. So says Dockery's hometown paper, The Lakeland Ledger, which reported today that "...Paula Dockery said she has been...

Martinez leaving early? "Baloney" says staff

ScottMaxwell — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:05:05 -0400

Perhaps it's just that the Washington water-cooler is short on chit-chat, but D.C. insiders are again raising the possibility of Mel Martinez leaving his senate seat early, so that someone (presumably Charlie Crist) could be appointed for the remainder of...

McCollum, mulch piles and modern politics

ScottMaxwell — Sun, 24 May 2009 12:49:27 -0400

Getting some interesting and varied reaction to today's column on the GOP party bosses clearing the deck for Bill McCollum. (My take: Party bosses rarely do their party a favor when they try to cut out the voters and make...

Buckethead in for Burke; SBK to nights

ScottMaxwell — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:37:22 -0400

Just got a copy of this e-mail issued to employees at 104.1 FM: "Very pleased to announce that beginning Tuesday 5/26 The Buckethead show, Buckethead, Prince and Bull, will move to middays and Soul Brother Kevin along with Cabin Boy...

Clevelanders take on ... Cleveland

ScottMaxwell — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:07:29 -0400

I began today's column with a light-hearted comparison of Orlando and Cleveland, making the case that both places were actually pretty decent. Taking issue with me: Clevelanders. An astute reader (and former co-worker) directed me to a couple of amusing...

Airport 'reform' - so predictable, so Crotty & so Orlando

ScottMaxwell — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:56:51 -0400

So, the most amusing thing that happened (or didn't) while I was gone was ethics and fundraising reform at the airport. County Mayor Rich Crotty, still desperate for good press, once again feigned an interest in ethics reform -- but...

Blog on break

ScottMaxwell — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:09:46 -0400

This blog will be on break until Thursday, May 21. That means that comments will be delayed in posting ... and that I'm going to miss you guys terribly, of course. In the meantime, if you wanna check out something...

Mel signs books; Cannon gets oil-toasted; Mica 'bipartisan'

ScottMaxwell — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:22:51 -0400

* Anyone who's ever wanted an autographed copy of a book written by a U.S. Senator is in luck. One will be in downtown Orlando Monday. Orlando's own Mel Martinez is slated to sign copies of his autobiography, "A Sense...

Nelson and Martinez join forces to keep credit card rates high

ScottMaxwell — Thu, 14 May 2009 06:25:49 -0400

Those tired of all the partisan rancor in Washington may be pleased to know that a bipartisan coalition of U.S. Senators joined forces yesterday ... in rejecting a 15 percent cap on credit-card interest rates. The provision died 60-33 with...

Crist announces -- you like the Senate field?

ScottMaxwell — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:49:54 -0400

So Charlie Crist surprised, well, no one a few minutes ago by formally announcing his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez. His campaign announcement is posted below. Tomorrow's column will take a look at the...