Third party candidate? Run, don’t walk.

So many Americans look at the two major party candidates in this year’s presidential election and feel impending doom – with good reason. Many, as many as ten per cent according to some polls, are flirting with the idea of a third party candidate. The major third party candidate is Libertarian Gary Johnson. We only ask you listen to him in an interview before deciding. He is pro-abortion, pro legalization of pot, doesn’t seem to see much need for a national defense. And last week, NBC (Network Backing Clinton) made a great deal of Johnson not knowing what Aleppo was – which the network never explained is a battle torn city in Syria. Need to know more? Again, watch an interview. He is a former governor of New Mexico, one step up from Mayor of Taos, who comes off as just a bit wacko. His official photo bears a bit of a resemblance to David Miscavige. Other than that, he’d make a heck of a president – for a third world country.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. There are the conspiracy theorists who claim FDR knew about Pearl Harbor in advance; then there are the multiple JFK assassination scenarios; now we have Bob Graham still beating the drum over his 9/11 conjectures. Give it up, Bob.

2. Clearwater’s purchasing manager Alyce Benge probably didn’t endear herself to fellow city employees who handle big construction projects when she discovered the city’s bidding process on projects over 2 million dollars has been handled incorrectly for two decades. Revamping it might slow projects down a few months, but Benge did the right thing for Clearwater taxpayers.

3. In total fairness to Gary Johnson (lead article), there is another third (or fourth) party candidate – the Green Party’s Jill Stein. Again, watch an interview or visit Disney’s Fantasy Land. The result is about the same.

4. Both of our sitting U.S Senators as well as the Democratic challenger for a Senate seat have chosen to politicize the Zika virus in one way or another. We should be proud.

5. A follow up to last week’s historical note: You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember the fires that destroyed Clearwater Beach’s two most prominent restaurants – the Beachcomber in 1959 and the Pelican in 1974. Both were rebuilt. Your HB (Humble Blogger) dined at the Beachcomber the night before their early morning fire but swears he had nothing to do with the inferno.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. We were informed on last week’s edition of The Sports Reporters that the National Anthem is neither necessary nor relevant at the beginning of sporting events (more on that below). Wasn’t it great when sports (and sports shows) were a relief valve from all the other garbage in the world?

7. As we dry out this week, we would still like to see the Hurricane Center pick up with the first unused hurricane name from the year before so that every Tanya, Teresa, Ted and Thomas of the world could get some pub or notoriety.

8. Greta Van Susteren’s sudden departure from Fox News came as a bit of a surprise but hardly a life-threatening blow to the network. While Van Susteren was solid, she did not have the star power of the trio that follows her – O’Reilly, Kelly and Hannity. A Scientologist, Van Susteren is an occasional visitor to Clearwater.

9. In the wake of the new Apple 7 phone (which we assume will still provide privacy to terrorists) and the Samsung fires, our Raves and Rants focus group is happy to report their flip phones are performing just fine with no fires.

10. One of the best under the radar pick-ups just before the MLB trade deadline was Atlanta’s acquisition of Matt Kemp for a toxic player the Braves were about to release (and the Padres subsequently did). Since the installation of Kemp in the clean-up spot a month ago, the batting averages of the three players ahead of him have all increased a minimum of ten points each and, more importantly, the Braves have a winning record.

Our kind of hero

We guess a number of folks are labeling Colin Kaepernick as some sort of hero for his stand on alleged police brutality. Frankly, we don’t make the connection between the National Anthem and a few rogue cops but apparently he does. Our hero is a retired educator who weekly delivers food stuffs to people in need, other materials to a thrift shop that supports low income expectant mothers and collects both food and clothing for a migrant ministry in Hillsborough County. There are hundreds, if not thousands, just like her in the bay area. They all stand up for the playing of the Anthem but sadly don’t get the publicity of some second string quarterback.

SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT WEEK – WHAT WOULD CLINTON AND TRUMP CABINETS LOOK LIKE?