The math, Senator Nelson, just doesn’t work

Virtually every elections expert in the free world has declared there is no way for Senator Bill Nelson to close the gap on Governor Rick Scott in the Senate race – no matter how hard the election folks in Broward and Palm Beach County try. Each of these experts agrees the only way to a win for Nelson is to change the rules after the fact. That would require a ruling from a judge who didn’t care about his judicial future. As that sage Kenny Rogers says, “you have to know when to fold them”. It’s past time to do just that Senator.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. If the vote holds, Florida will get its first female Commissioner of Marijuana as Nikki Fried has come to be known. What an embarrassment.

2. Seriously, how can Broward County continue to hang on to that circus act they have for an elections supervisor?

3. Now that the election is over, many elected candidates are already looking towards their next office before they even get their seat warm. Great wisdom from one of America’s greatest mayors – Fiorello La Guardia: “It’s bad to be thinking of another office when you hold one. It’s vain and impairs the office holder’s usefulness.”

4. We guess it’s probably an over-reaction to suggest secession over the Congressional inaction on Florida’s initiative to keep daylight savings time year-round. None the less, it’s frustrating to have the will of the people in the Sunshine State thwarted by foot-dragging. Hopefully newly minted Senator Scott will get the ball across the goal line in time for next fall.

5. Laverne Siple, Clearwater native, who with her husband Dick, presided over Clearwater’s foremost restaurant for decades passed away last week at age 89.

Sports, the media and stuff:

6. Curiously, neither local baseball beat writer who has a vote cast a first place ballot for Kevin Cash as Manager of the Year.

7. It didn’t get a lot of fanfare but two guys with strong Hall of Fame credentials retired at season’s end – the Twin’s Joe Mauer and longtime Phillie – Chase Utley.

8. Earlier this year (TBRR 4/30/18), we wrote of USF’s desire to build an on-campus football stadium. Recently, we hear of their basketball team being transported by commercial coach to a season-opening tournament. Priorities?

9. Athletes, particularly star athletes, don’t always make the best broadcasters. But two stars who have come into their own as broadcasters are the NFL’s Tony Romo and MLB’s John Smoltz.

10. From the 5:05 Newsletter: Target announced that it will hire 100,000 seasonal employees during the holidays. Ten of them will be on the register; the rest will wander around saying, “I don’t work in this department.”

One the eve of Thanksgiving, people we are thankful for

These people had an enduring effect on our life: Helen Richardson, Roger VanGorder, Ed Cenendella, Dr. Joseph Chamberlain, Bill Brady, Catherine Wood, Hugh Brooks, Russell Cantwell, Jean Garrett, Emmett Lowry, Joseph Maier, Col. Parker Colmer, Col. Carl Casto and Ralph Spina. And yes, they were all educators – and darn good ones.

UP NEXT: Will felons really vote? Belcher & Gulf to Bay; national championship

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