This week’s dining tip: (see back story in Jan. 1 TBRR): Your Humble Blogger and Saintly Wife were blessed a decade ago when our daughter married a very nice young man from an even nicer family. This large Irish contingent has welcomed us into the fold including their wonderful Thanksgiving family celebration that usually numbers twenty or more. We hope you’ll be breaking bread with family and good friends as well this coming week.

What’s driving St. Pete politics?

First you need to dispel the fantasy that Donald Trump had anything to do with Rick Baker’s loss – despite Mayor Rick Kriseman’s less than noble attempt to politicize a non-partisan race. Years ago, a lot of people voted for Ronald Reagan because he was simply a nice guy; we suspect a lot of folks voted against Rick Baker because he’s not. Did the Rays issue play a part - maybe? And voters mysteriously ignored severe infrastructure and staff issues in the Kriseman administration. It’s going to be interesting to see how a second Kriseman term plays out. The mayor mustn’t delude himself into thinking the election result was a mandate because it wasn’t. He and his team have a lot of work to do to leave a strong legacy.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. For perhaps the first time in our life, we agree with uber-liberal columnist, Daniel Ruth. A recent column correctly opined if there are six or so women who were somehow harmed by the actions of State Senator Jack Latvala, they need to come forward and identify themselves. It is impossible to defend oneself against rumor and innuendo.

2. Way too much is being made out of the election results in Virginia – a traditionally blue state. And in St. Pete, as mentioned above, an incumbent mayor was reelected, so what?

3. It is long past time to end the antiquated ritual of swapping between daylight and standard time. Arizona and Hawaii get it – why can’t the rest of the country?

4. We wonder what Alexander Graham Bell would think observing a group of lemmings lined up to buy some overpriced phone that they never answer.

5. You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember the Rotary and Sertoma Turkey Shoots on vacant land on the east side of U.S. 19 back in the sixties and early seventies. Most of the land was owned by the pioneering Coachman family.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. Take away from week 10 in the NFL. Name one person who thought the team with the best record in the league would be … the Philadelphia Eagles! The Bucs improve to 3-6 but an objective look at the balance of the schedule shows four or five losses projecting to a 6-10 or 5-11 season.

7. Here we go again, MLB head Rob Manfred and the correctness police are looking at Cleveland’s logo. Look out KC, Atlanta and Washington – you’re next. My, but pro sports sure have their priorities screwed up.

8. Idle question: don’t you miss the traditional Lions-Packers Thanksgiving game? The Lions will at least make an appearance on Turkey Day playing the Vikings.

9. We’re not sure who the Gators will hire but the most interesting hire would be Chip Kelly who could be a huge success or a colossal failure. You get the feeling there would be little middle ground.

10. Good hire by the Atlanta Braves in bringing 40-year-old Alex Anthopoulos on board as their new GM. Anthopoulos did a great job in building the Toronto franchise and arguably has even more to work with in Atlanta, possessors of MLB’s number one farm system.

How many people can a Corvette feed?

We thank our high school classmate and hit record recording engineer (Campbell, Diamond and Streisand among others) Ron Hitchcock for passing along for this somewhat lengthy, but right on point piece:

A guy looked at my Corvette the other day and said, "I wonder how many people could have been fed for the money that sports car cost."                

I replied I am not sure. It fed a lot of families in Bowling Green, Kentucky who built it. It fed the people who make the tires. It fed the people who made the components that went into it. It fed the people in the copper mine who mined the copper for the wires. It fed people in Decatur IL. at Caterpillar who make the trucks that haul the copper ore. It fed the trucking people who hauled it from the plant to the dealer and fed the people working at the dealership and their families. BUT… I have to admit, I guess I really don’t know how many people it fed. That is the difference between capitalism and welfare mentality. When you buy something, you put money in people’s pockets and give them dignity for their skills. When you give someone something for nothing, you rob them of their dignity and self-worth. Capitalism is freely giving your money in exchange for something of value. Socialism is taking your money against your will and shoving something down your throat you never asked for.                        

PS: It is a darn good looking car!!!!

SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT WEEK: Teachers, Sandy’s burgers & top groups

Happy Thanksgiving!