This week’s dining tip (see back story in the Jan. 1 RANTS).We lead off the blog with a breakfast suggestion – on the run. It is hard to beat the made on location bagels at Clearwater Bagel on Gulf to Bay just west of Clearwater High School.

The battle over school funding

There’s a great deal of back and forth regarding funding primary education in Florida. On one side is a group that feels that every dollar should flow to Florida’s public schools which rank in the 40’s nationwide. It might not be broken, but it’s hardly a model system. Charter schools have had some hiccups but along with home schooling and private schools they are producing the kids who are finding their way to the top colleges, and later, the top jobs. And those who cry for every dollar to go to public schools need to know this: if every taxpayer who is not burdening the public system with their offspring suddenly decided to send all their kids to traditional schools, the system would collapse within a week.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. Incredible quote of the month (related to our lead piece): Hillsborough School Board member Melissa Snively wondered: Should principals be held accountable when their students leave for charter schools, or to be homeschooled? Is she serious? This would be a field day for every labor lawyer in Hillsborough County. It’s no wonder the Hillsborough system is up to its neck in debt.

2. Random thought: the Democrats had better come up with a stronger candidate if they want to reclaim Florida’s governor’s mansion next year – and we don’t mean John Morgan.

3. Just a guess that Bill Horne and David Miscavige don’t exchange Christmas cards.

4. From TBRR one year ago this week: “Within a week, the FBI announces it has concluded its investigations of Hillary Clinton - and D.B. Cooper - so many punchlines, so little space”.

5. Happy 40^th birthday to one of your HB’s (Humble Blogger’s) favorite places on earth – Banana’s Record Store in St. Petersburg. For good reason, we are allowed only a limited amount of visits each year.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. From the publication that makes us say “wish I had thought of that first”, The 5:05 Newsletter: “I am so glad I grew up in the 50s and 60s because I did so much stupid stuff and there is no record of it anywhere.”

7. Cubs acquire Jose Quintana and the NL pennant. Not so fast, the guy is 4-8 with a four and a half ERA and an under .500 pitcher for his career. We still like one of those juggernauts from the NL West.

8. A statistic to keep an eye on in the second half – the Rays have committed the fourth most errors in major league baseball. That has to dramatically improve if there is any hope for post season play for Tampa Bay’s boys of summer.

9. It’s easier to name the teams who have not inquired as to the availability of Ray’s ace David Archer. As long as the Rays can stay around .500 by the trading deadline, the answer to all inquiries will be no.

10. You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember Phillies’ spring training organist Wilbur Sapp being ejected from Jack Russell Stadium for serenading the umpiring crew with Three Blind Mice.

Who do you support and what do they support?

A friend who is a pro-life advocate used to complain about taking road trips with his even more passionate pro-life wife. At lunch time, they would pull off the road and head into a fast food spot and his wife would protest – “no not there, they support Planned Parenthood”. So down the road they would go in search of a Chick-fil-A. It got us to thinking. We need a new pair of tennis shoes soon. Do we continue with our somewhat blind loyalty to New Balance? Apparently that is okay as they do not make the list of pro-abortion contributors like Converse, Docker and Nike to name three footwear companies. Here are a few more pro-abortion contributors you might want to avoid – American Express, Exxon, Macys, Pepsi and Starbucks. In a subsequent issue, we’ll provide some names that support pro-life causes.

SNEEK PEAK AT NEXT WEEK: ONE OF PINELLAS COUNTY’S MOST UNIQUE CITIES