Founded in 2014, Tampa Bay Rants and Raves (TBRR) is a weekly chronicle of politics, sports, lifestyle and historical notes from a politically incorrect viewpoint. Some of its content should not be taken literally.

First thing on our mind (with thanks to Perry Como):

“There’s no place like home for the holidays.”

Leading off: The 12 Days of Christmas

With less than ten shopping days left as we write this, here is the total for those of you wanting to gift your loved one with the 12 Days of Christmas. It is $51,746 or slightly less than the cost of our first two homes combined. Again it’s those darn 10 lords a leaping that up the price. They check in at $16,836. Next in line is the $13,125 for 7 swans a swimming. At the low end of the dozen are the 8 maids a milking, assuming you can get them at minimum wage. Overall, this year’s cost is up 4.5% from a year ago, but 4% less than your utility hike if you live in Clearwater. Happy Holidays!

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

Barbara Yates, who taught at the secondary and college level in the bay area and was a mentor to many a beginning teacher, passed away last week at age 88.

Bill Nunamaker, a long time contractor and two-term Clearwater city commissioner, also passed away last week. He was 97.

Left leaning federal judge Indira Talwani has again struck down a federal provision that would block taxpayer money going to abortion providers like Planned Parenthood. The Justice Department is sure to appeal the decision by the Obama appointee.

Is there any reason to believe anything CNN’s Jake Tapper says?

Good holiday news from Macy’s. Just as we get ready to bury big box stores, the 167-year-old retailer has posted two strong quarters in a row. You can’t help but root for an American institution like Macy’s.

Recent headline: Could new election map cost U.S. Rep Kathy Castor her seat? One could only hope.

Global Concessions, the company that manages the majority of food-related leases at the Atlanta Airport is selling off the leases through bankruptcy court. It takes some work to botch up food services leases in the world’s busiest airport.

Recent study: People who smoked marijuana tend to consume less alcohol. Forgive our jaw drop.

For the most part, we are free from endless Medicare ads/lies for another 10 months.

Idle thought: just wondering when a Buc-ee’s, a truck stop/convenience store on steroids with up to 100 pumps, might come to the west coast of Florida. As of now, the only Florida locations are in St. Augustine and Daytona Beach.

Holiday note from the 5:05 Newsletter’s editorial offices: Between bourbon and Amazon Prime, I am like my own Secret Santa this year. More holiday cheer from the 5:05 below.

This week in 1939 (12/15) the second of two 1939 blockbuster films (the other being The Wizard of Oz) Gone With the Wind debuts in Atlanta.

Sports and random notes:

You have to wonder if either coach from last Thursday’s thriller between the Bucs and Falcons will be on the sidelines next year.

Pardon us, but we would have been happier with Golesh to Gainesville and Sumrall to Auburn. Ultimately, we would have been happiest with Kiffin to Gainesville and Golesh staying in Tampa.

Sooner or later, we hope, we’ll get this college football playoff thing figured out with the 12 best colleges in the country competing.

The poor Colorado Rockies can’t catch a break. Despite the worst record in the NL, they pick 10^th in MLB draft, behind teams like the Braves, Giants, Rays and Orioles.

The Hall of Fame gets another good, but not great inductee in Jeff Kent. He joins Phil Rizzuto, Bill Mazeroski, Pee Wee Reese and others whose buddies somehow got them in. Meanwhile, two-time MVPs Roger Maris and Dale Murphy remain on the outside looking in.

Idle thought: with all those chemistry wizards out there, why can’t one of the major cola producers come up with a diet cola that actually tastes like the original?

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you ever bought baked goods from the Federal Bakery on Cleveland Street.

One last thing: 12 Days Redux (From the 5:05)

I love Christmas music but there are Christmas songs we could do without. For instance: “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” At every Christmas party someone always starts singing carols and having a festive time because they are singing songs with easy-to-remember words, such as “fa,” “la” and “la.” But then, invariably, someone launches into “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” People gamely struggle through the gold rings but then things start to go horribly wrong. Because in these hectic times, when everybody has to remember an ATM code and fifty computer passwords, nobody has the ability to remember what my true love gave to me on all twelve days of Christmas. Some people are singing about lords a-milking; others are singing about pipers leaping; and others are going with "fa,” “la” and “la” and somewhere around the 10th day it shudders to a pathetic halt. I suggest we toss everything from Swans-A-Swimming onward, call it the Six Days of Christmas and go back to the Egg Nog.

UP NEXT: Nickel Coke; Circle of Life; Prediction report card

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