TOP OF THE WEEK: (3 more weeks until we’ll just hear ads about meds with more dangerous side effects than what they purport to cure)

Shocked - the only word to describe our reaction to “Florida’s Best Newspaper’s” position on Florida’s Amendment Two. In case you did not feel the earth move, the most liberal newspaper south of the Washington Post, recommended a NO vote on the medical pot amendment – and for all the right seasons. In particular, the paper takes issue with the qualifications (or lack of) of caregivers who would “dispense” the pot. And they walk hand in hand with this blog (doesn’t happen often) in the conclusion that Florida’s constitution is not the place for this sort of item – much like America’s folly with the 18^th Amendment in the last century.

Around the Bay –

1. On the other hand, the Times gave a predictable okay to Greenlight Pinellas - like other supporters of the initiative glossing over the regressive nature of the extra penny sales tax. Sure, it might be a push for you and me as homeowners – less property tax - more sales tax. But what of the individuals who do not own homes; who are squeaking by on ten bucks an hour or less? Clean up the proposal and bring it back where you tax us an extra fifty bucks a year or whatever and maybe we go for it – but not on the backs of the county’s low income residents.

2. Quote of the week from Clearwater City Council member Doreen Hock-DiPolito in referring to a $100,000 piece of “art” in Clearwater’s new fire station that virtually no one will see – “For people that (sic) don’t understand art, it’s pretty exciting”. Ignoring the sentence structure, even we, of the unwashed masses, understand spending a hundred grand on something few will see makes no sense. Kudos to council members George Cretekos and Bill Jonson for voting against this folly.

3. To the surprise of nearly everyone, the weak-kneed Public Service Commission ordered Duke Power to refund $54 million for equipment never purchased but nonetheless paid for by their customers. They will start repaying it sometime next year at the rate of less than four bucks a month. We’re sure it will be okay with Duke if you withhold your utility payment until mid-2015.

4. Our Rants and Raves focus group (composed of three old, cranky people) wonders if they will live to see Osceola Avenue north of Court Street open again? Interstate highways were built faster. But then Ike was president. (Margin of error – 60 years)

5. You’ve really lived in Pinellas County a long time if you danced to people like Brian Hyland, Mitch Ryder or Gene Pitney at the WLCY Star Spectaculars at Clearwater’s bay front auditorium. You’ve lived here even longer if you remember when WTAN Radio’s studios were in that same auditorium.

The Diamond, the Media and Other Stuff –

6. In the waning weeks of the major league baseball’s regular season, there were two 1-0 nine inning games that lasted three hours and thirty minutes. Good grief, 15 years ago Greg Maddux throws a 1-0 shutout and is on the fifth hole at the country club three hours and thirty minutes after he throws the first pitch.

7. The early exit of the Washington Nationals from the playoffs highlights something many baseball observers have known all year – their bullpen is vastly overrated.

8. Now the FCC wants to weigh in on the Washington Redskins name. The same FCC that had one of their commissioners leave for a high level Comcast job just months after approving their merger with NBC. The same FCC that has a staff full of former broadcast company attorneys and the same FCC that, like its cousin the IRS, tends to lose documents on important pending cases. Perhaps a little cleaning in their own kitchen should come before any Redskins debate.

9. We’ve made several references to Keith Olbermann’s show in this space. The show hit a new high last week as Keith flashed back to a photo of the legendary Salty Sol Fleischman on Channel 13 as an example of perhaps the only sportscaster on TV outside of Anchorman to wear a hat on TV.

10. Let’s be candid. Before we praise UF too much about their quick action on another wayward quarterback, make him a potential Heisman Trophy winner on a potential national championship team instead of a guy who isn’t even a starter, and see if the reaction by UF officials had been quite so quick.

IN CLOSING:

It’s a question of credibility. Or lack of. We mentioned “Florida’s Best Newspaper” and their positions on a couple key issues above. Though we disagree on one, we respect their opinion. But when they endorse a candidate with very limited credentials over a man who has served both the city of Clearwater and the State Legislature with distinction simply because of the letter behind their names, they go beyond the pale. To suggest that Ed Hooper is not the hands down better candidate for the Pinellas County Commission over the mayor of Largo defies logic – not to mention credibility.