Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - some of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Leading off: Remembering energy independence

If you read any out of town papers or perhaps watch the news, you know that we’re in for another hit in the wallet at the gas pump. The reason? OPEC nations, and Russia, are cutting back on production. About three years ago, the American reaction would have been so what? But then, the new and hopefully short term, occupant of the White House started shutting down pipelines, cutting crude production and waxing poetic about electric cars. The response to the OPEC action from White House spokesman John Kirby was, “We don’t think that production cuts are advisable at this moment given market uncertainty and we made that clear.” Wow, that should stem the tide of rising prices. Sad as it seems, we probably will have to wait until early 2025 before the U.S. again adopts a sane energy policy.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related item: Gas Buddy, one of the nation’s leading trackers of fuel costs, predicts $4.00 a gallon by Memorial Day.

A setback for girls’ sports occurred last week when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn a West Virginia appeals court allowing a 12-year-old transgender boy to run in girl’s events. Fortunately, most legal rulings have gone the other way and not forced our daughters and granddaughters to compete against males.

St. Pete’s city council comes to their senses and stops short of spending public dollars on abortion-related activities.

Biden’s flunkies blame the Trump administration for the Afghanistan debacle – which occurred on Biden’s watch. In the words of former U.S. Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, “You know, part of being president of the United States is accepting responsibility for the decisions you make, and understanding where the buck stops and, unfortunately, I don't think Joe Biden understands that."

Random thought: with the Dominion voting machine company suing Fox News for slander; in the unlikely event Dominion prevails, a go-fund me campaign would raise the $1.6 billion payout in a few months, if not days.

More inflation: Two northern states and California are pushing a $20 an hour minimum wage to “help fight inflation.” Are we missing something here?

It was 50 years ago this week that first cellphone call was made. And no, Joe and Tom, I do not own that original model. It’s the 2.0 update.

As the filing deadline approaches, this report from the Editor-in-Chief of the 5:05 Newsletter: I just did my income taxes. I still owe Ukraine $3,500.

This week in 1969 (April 14): The first regular-season MLB game is played outside the United States; Montreal Expos beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 8-7 at Parc Jarry, Montreal.

Sports, media and other stuff:

53 years, that’s how long “Mr. Baseball” Bob Uecker has been calling games for his hometown Milwaukee Brewers. They broke the mold.

Let’s not get too excited about the Rays’ fast start. Their first two series were against the Tigers and Nats, who, along with Oakland, are probably the three weakest teams in baseball.

You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you ever dined at the exceptional Careless Navigator Restaurant on Treasure Island.

As we complete the Lenten season, this thought from Pope Francis, “Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.”

…and another thing: equity in NASCAR

The next sport where labor unrest is going to rear its ugly head is not baseball, football or basketball, but NASCAR. Unlike the other sports, the racing competition is, and has been, under the thumb of the France family since 1957. The third and fourth generations now control the sport – a sport where attempted unionization has been quashed in 1961 and again in 1969. NASCAR’s nearly $1 billion a year TV contract is up next year and drivers and team owners feel the time is right to renegotiate a deal that gives a paltry 25 percent to the team owners, crew and drivers while NASCAR scoops up 75 percent. The drivers feel networks are not going to be willing to lay money on the table if there is a chance of a work stoppage. Just like the major sports, where the split is roughly 50-50, no one comes to see the France family or the track owners. It’s high time for a more equitable split for the drivers who literally put their lives on the line three dozen weekends a year.

UP NEXT: Ashley Moody; Sally Ride; Frisch’s

040923/L000

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We wish you a blessed Easter