Ray Roa
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rayroa.bsky.social
Ray Roa
@rayroa.bsky.social
590 followers 950 following 400 posts
EIC @cltampabay.bsky.social
cltampa.com
rroa@cltampa.com
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rayroa.bsky.social
An AI fail as I was trying to get alt text for a photo of myself. The response is creepy, I think. And yes, I used the AI again to create alt text for these screenshots
Screenshot of an AI response identifying a man in a photo as "Chef Paolo M. Peñamora" and the owner of a restaurant named "Tamapa" in St. Petersburg, Florida. The response also describes his cooking style. Screenshot of a user correcting the AI for providing a fabricated response to a photo. The AI's response admits to a "significant error" and apologizes for making up the name of a chef and a restaurant.
September 27, 2025 at 4:57 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Appreciate the @cltampabay.bsky.social hat tip from Kristen Hare at @poynterinstitute.bsky.social mailchi.mp/poynter/cx9k...
This is a screenshot of a write-up praising Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. It highlights the paper’s mix of informative and delightful coverage
September 17, 2025 at 2:24 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
New Sponatola mixtape today
tidal.com/browse/album...
Album cover and streaming screen for Chik’n & Bizkits by Sponatola. The illustrated cover shows an angry cartoon chicken wearing a gold chain and holding two smoking pistols, standing in the middle of a record store aisle. The background interface displays the album title, artist name, 15 tracks with a total length of 33:11, and the year 2025.
September 5, 2025 at 2:57 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
I did not expect a baker's dozen to qualify for the special city council election coming up in Tampa's District 5. We listed 'em out by their fundraising hauls so far on @cltampabay.bsky.social
www.cltampa.com/tampa/tampa-...
August 17, 2025 at 5:42 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Denis Phillips is the Bay Area’s go-to guy for hurricane coverage, and has no plans to slow down.

“I never have plans on retiring,” Phillips told @cltampabay.bsky.social. “I would not be shocked if the day I dropped dead, I worked that day.” www.cltampa.com/news/shootin...
The July 31 cover of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, which issues a weekly print newspaper. The square cover prominiently feautures Denis Phillips, a male TV weather man famous for his suspenders, which he is holding with his thumbs in the photo. Denis wears a read tie with small white dots and a huge smile.
July 31, 2025 at 5:04 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Stu Sternberg haters might be getting their wish. More here via @cltampabay.bsky.social www.cltampa.com/arts/tampa-b...
A news graphic with the headline: Tampa Bay Rays confirm ownership is discussing 'a possible sale of the team' The photo is taken inside Tropicana Field, the Tampa Bay Rays' indoor baseball stadium. On the digital scoreboard is a sign that says "HERE TO STAY" in white letters on a red background. Blurred in the foreground are St. Petersburg's Mayor Ken Welch to the left and the baseball team's owner Stu Sternberg on the right.
June 19, 2025 at 1:03 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Ready to clog arteries at the crack of dawn, Bojangles is famous for its biscuit sandwiches, Bo rounds (aka seasoned hash browns), and Cajun-spiced fried chicken.
A news graphic with a sign for the fried chicken chain Bojangles. BOJANGLES appears in red lettering on a yellow, oval background. The subtext of the sign says FAMOUS CHICKEN N BISCUITS and there are three small red stars at the top
June 18, 2025 at 8:04 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Fresh off USL Super League championship, Tampa Bay Sun FC shares plans for Ybor City stadium with 15,000-seat capacity and potential to host USMNT USWNT games—shit imagine if the FIFA club world cup came here www.cltampa.com/arts/fresh-o...
A renderinging of a waterfront stadium near Ybor City, Florida. The soccer stadium is open air. A renderinging of a waterfront stadium near Ybor City, Florida. The soccer stadium is open air. A renderinging of a waterfront stadium near Ybor City, Florida. The soccer stadium is open air.
June 18, 2025 at 2:48 AM
rayroa.bsky.social
Fun cover for a great Q&A with Phil Melanson who is looking forward to a Florida tour to discuss a new book about gay Leonardo da Vinci www.cltampa.com/arts/qanda-n...
The June 19 cover of the alternative weekly Creative Loafing Tampa Bay. It features a square crop of Leonardo da Vinci's John the Baptist, but there's headline text that reads LUSTY LEO, with the sub headline NEW NOVELIST PHIL MELANSON COMES TO FLORIDA TO DISCUSS DA VINCI'S QUEER HISTORY. The male model in the painting has long curly brown hair that touches his shoulders, and he is nude, but the image features a pixelated section over a male model's crotch area.
June 18, 2025 at 2:37 AM
rayroa.bsky.social
“I was inspired just as much by Dalí’s work as by his identity and presence in the art world, and the impression he left on me as the archetype of the eccentric artist,” Lauren YS, told reporters at St. Pete's Dalí Museum.
www.cltampa.com/tampa/the-da...
A news image with the headline: "The Dalí Museum's new immersive mural exhibit is now open in St. Petersburg" The image sows a muralist with their back to the photographer, in an organge jumpsuit, knelt down on their right knee, wearing long fish pigtails and next to part of a mural showing Salvador Dalí with a third eye.
May 31, 2025 at 10:22 AM
rayroa.bsky.social
Really cool to hear @slopfunkdust.bsky.social mentioned in @dancharnas.bsky.social excellent book about Dilla. Slop is part of the Beat Marauders 2 lineup in Tampa on Friday
www.cltampa.com/music/slopfu...
May 28, 2025 at 2:00 AM
rayroa.bsky.social
Tom Tomorrow is always good, if not way too on the nose for comfort. This panel from the 'toon hitting @cltampabay.bsky.social stands Thursday is perfect
An illustration of Donald Trump in an Uncle Sam suit, with the words: Journalists I want you To pretend that the crazy shit I say makes any sense whatsoever
May 13, 2025 at 10:09 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Tampa, Florida is home to new Canada-funded tariff billboards.
One on Hillsborough Avenue in Oldsmar reads "Tariffs are a tax on hard-working Americans." Another says, "Tariffs are a tax on your grocery bill."
www.cltampa.com/news/tampa-b...
March 31, 2025 at 9:47 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
On Thursday, Feb. 27, the City of Tampa will commemorate the 65th anniversary of the sit-in during a 10 a.m. ceremony outside that former Woolworth on the corner of N Franklin and E Polk Streets. Here's the jump from the Tampa Tribune on March 1, 1960.
February 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Do the right thing: Revived play honors 65th anniversary of Tampa's Woolworth sit-in. David Warner, who actually plays Mayor Lane in the revival, has this story, from the inside of the production, in this week's edition of @cltampabay.bsky.social www.cltampa.com/arts/do-the-...
February 26, 2025 at 6:57 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Looking for something unrelated, but it's eerie how relevant this Tampa Tribune clipping from Jan. 9, 1960 is today. www.newspapers.com/article/the-...
February 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Get you an EIC and digital editor that dress the same on Tuesdays
February 18, 2025 at 5:35 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
So, I can't sleep and found a bunch of screenshots from my old phone. Back when the gang earned Loafies instead of doling them out
A screenshot of an old RSS feed featuring a magazine cover that says "best of the bay 2013" A pullquote describing an anniversary celebration concert with Americana and punk bands, plus homies
January 18, 2025 at 5:47 AM
rayroa.bsky.social
This was in the middle of Obama's two terms. Tampa Heights, Ming Garden
January 18, 2025 at 5:32 AM
rayroa.bsky.social
Alton Brown is coming to Tampa, so chef Wesley Roderick is going to interview him tomorrow on behalf of @cltampabay.bsky.social . This was the only advice I have
January 16, 2025 at 7:26 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Another sign I am "an old": Just found out what a Sonny Baby is.
Baby doll figurines with miniature genitalia and weird hats
January 6, 2025 at 5:37 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
I'll never forget sitting in the office with @wolfcolin.bsky.social in 2021 watching the insurrection unfold. Here's a throwback to @cltampabay.bsky.social 's cover the following Thursday
A orange, black and cream colowred newspaper cover showing a key with the capitol rotunda designed inside. the cover headline is "Key Figures" with the subhed "Never forget the Florida lawmakers and citizens who enables and took part in the insurrection"
January 6, 2025 at 2:21 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Here's the year's first issue of @cltampabay.bsky.social on stands now
www.cltampa.com/news/so-many...
The front page of a weekly newspaper called creative loafing Tampa Bay it shows a blue and white County bus on a artistic red background with muted black ink skyscrapers and an overlay of a bus route. The cover text says "Bussin" in chromed out all caps font
January 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Here's more info and last week's cartoon in @cltampabay.bsky.social where he appears alongside local cartoonist Bob Whitmore. New 'toons on stands ,for free, every Thursday.
December 16, 2024 at 3:15 PM
rayroa.bsky.social
Damn, Contorno!
www.cnn.com/politics/liv...
December 4, 2024 at 2:50 PM