TOP OF THE WEEK:

Help us understand this. In order to re-enter our homes after a severe storm causing evacuation from the beaches, we need to obtain some sort of permit issued by the Sheriff’s office? Isn’t this why we have driver’s licenses with our current address printed on them, a voter’s registration, a current power bill or numerous other things that prove we live where we do? If you can’t produce one of those, fine; but adding yet another layer of bureaucracy is just … (pardon us while we think of a nicer way to say stupid). Granted, this will help employment keeping a trio or so of bureaucrats with a combined IQ of 150 employed handing out permits. Sheriff (and mayors), haven’t you got better things to do with your time? Folks who live on the beaches certainly do.

AROUND THE BAY:

1. Who saw that coming? Jeb Bush has emerged as the leading candidate for the Republican nomination in 2016 and “Florida’s Best Newspaper” immediately cranks up its attack campaign on arguably Florida’s best governor in the past couple decades. Some things just never change.

2. In a related note, we’re sure that the above cited publication will do an in-depth analysis of Whitewater very soon. (See disclaimer above).

3. Give the PSTA credit. They have shied away from suggesting the second most regressive tax – a five cents a gallon gas tax hike to possibly an increased property tax which perhaps we the voters can live with – as long as they clean up their house. Brad Miller, Ken Welch and their merry band have some serious work to do first.

4. A thank you to the Florida University Board of Governors for opposing handguns on our college campuses. This proposal falls into the “what can possibly go wrong” category.

5. You’ve lived in the Bay Area (or anywhere else) a long time if you remember when pizza wasn’t delivered but milk was. Thanks to the brighter sibling in our family for this one.

THE DIAMOND, THE MEDIA AND OTHER STUFF:

6. This year, hope does not spring eternal for Tampa Bay area based spring training teams. The Phillies are in a rebuild mode; Toronto plays in the toughest division in baseball and the Yankees, in that same division, need everything, repeat everything, to go right for them to reach the post season.

7. It’s been awhile since the state of Florida college basketball was so ugly. At the end of last weekend, the Gators were at 12-13 and the Seminoles at 14-12. And then there’s the USF Bull’s train wreck of 7-19 and 1-12 in their conference. Wow!

8. Item: Reports indicate a worldwide shortage of chocolate. We can live with that – just as long as the situation is remedied by the end of Lent.

9. Topping the charts fifty years ago this week was one of the all-time great ballads You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ by the Righteous Brothers.

10. Beleaguered Attorney General Eric Holder prepares to leave office saying his “single failure” was not getting additional gun legislation. Single failure? The attorney general flatters himself.

IN CLOSING:

Last week we concluded our blog with a lament of the closing of Apsco Appliances and their absorption by some faceless Hillsborough County company. We should have also noted the proposed merger of Office Depot and Staples with Staples being the surviving firm. We’re probably wrong in thinking this is all about pencils rather than our appliances, money and cars as we alluded to last week (see last week’s “In Closing”). Unlike the Famous Tate deal, the Feds will be looking at this one from an anti-trust aspect. Bet on an okay but the competition in this industry will become extremely limited. But then it’s only pencils – or is it?