TBR&R is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyle and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Replacing Justice Ginsburg

Despite the desire of a majority of Americans who feel the U.S. Supreme Court is far too liberal, replacing Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg needs to await the outcome of our Presidential election six weeks away. This was the way it played out when Barack Obama tried to force a liberal appointee on the country prior to the election four years ago, and it should be no different now. Ginsburg, a Clinton appointee, created this situation when she did not voluntarily step down as it became increasingly apparent her advancing illness was severely limiting her effectiveness on the nation’s high court. But fair is fair and what was fair four years ago should hold sway now. And it also reinforces the need to keep the liberal ticket of Biden-Harris out of the White House.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. You can understand the ire of a family in California who lost their home in the wildfires. They are not allowed back onto their property to see what can be salvaged, but VP candidate Kamala Harris and Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom were allowed to trespass on the poor couple’s property for a photo op. Just sickening.

2. Many analysts are calling ABC’s Town Hall with President Trump “an ambush.” Folks, it’s ABC with former Clinton mouthpiece George Stephanopoulos; did the President and his supporters expect anything short of an ambush?

3. Number of the Week – 26 years. It was 26 years ago that Fox 13 debuted Good Day, Tampa Bay. The constant during that run has been principal anchor Russell Rhodes, a terrific TV journalist.

4. Bill Heller, the man behind the considerable growth of the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg passed away last week at age 85. The USF Education Building is named in his honor.

5. From the most recent 5:05 Newsletter:CNN continues to call rioters demonstrators. What are they demonstrating? That Portland is the world's longest infomercial for Duraflame?

Sports, media and other stuff:

6. We know our alma mater USF’s first two opponents were worlds apart (Citadel and Notre Dame). But this weekend’s game against Florida Atlantic should prove interesting as Jeff Scott’s Bulls take on their former head coach Willie Taggart.

7. As the regular baseball season winds down, our first choice would be to see the local nine competing in the World Series. Failing that, give us an inter-city series between the Cubs and the resurgent White Sox.

8. Idle thoughts on crafty lefty pitchers – the first provided by our nephew, far wise beyond his years - The thing about a lukewarm heater is that it tends to reduce exit velocity, thereby allowing the batter more time to admire his homer. So true – only one or two Tom Glavines come along in a lifetime. But there was Bobby Shantz from the previous generation. He couldn’t break a pane of glass, but at age 95, he is the oldest living MVP recipient (24 wins in1952 with the downtrodden Philadelphia A’s).

9. Our TBR&R “unofficial historian” reports an arthritis flare up from having to push her mute button so often during the deluge of political ads. And it will only get worse in the weeks ahead – the ads and the arthritis.

10. From TBRR Five Years ago (9/20/15) The fashionable Clearwater neighborhood of Harbor Oaks wants to return to brick streets and avenues in conjunction with upcoming utilities work. A majority of their residents are willing to be assessed for the additional cost. Like the undergrounding of utilities on Sand Key several years back, this seems to be a no-brainer. (Update – unfortunately, it did not happen).

FBN recommends – why bother?

A week or so before the Florida primaries, “Florida’s Best Newspaper” spewed 12 paragraphs on how they make their recommendations of election hopefuls. The process is only slightly different from the general election in that they endorse races in both Republican and Democratic primaries, often endorsing Republican candidates they feel would not be the strongest candidate against the presumed Democratic hopeful. In the general election, it goes like this – the recommendation goes to the person with a “D” after their name unless the choice would be so ludicrous as to make an even bigger laughingstock of FBN. In its over one hundred year history, the paper has never endorsed a Republican candidate for Governor or President. This gave you great selections like the now drug-rehabbing Andrew Gillum, Charlie Crist when he was a Democrat, but never as a Republican and Presidential stalwarts like Mike Dukakis, John Kerry and Walter Mondale. The process is so laughable that many candidates just don’t show up for interviews – why bother? And any discerning voter would say the same of the one-sided recommendations – why bother?

UP NEXT: College football’s darkest year; Stars and Stripes

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