A weekly look at the Tampa Bay area and national politics from a conservative viewpoint – plus a helping of sports and lifestyle items. Warning: not everything printed here should be taken at face value.

Are we “over-teched”?

Coming out of a summertime tragedy on a football field was a renewed effort to make sure parents and kids knew what they were getting into with summer practices. There was much ado about getting all the information and permissions accomplished by computer, laptop and the like. What has happened to good, old fashioned paper? Believe it or not, over ten percent of American homes do not have a computer. And for those that do, a significant percentage of “sign by computer” documents simply do not work. We, as a nation, have gone a little overboard when you have to have some sort of device to sign a contract, reserve a hotel room or even call a cab.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. Parking lot shooter Michael Drejka found guilty of manslaughter by a jury of his peers. He had been convicted some weeks earlier by the St. Pete Times.

2. More good news on the affordable drug front (see TBRR 8/16/19). Several states are enacting legislation putting caps what an individual has to pay each month for critical drugs.

3. Other good news – this time on the robo call front. While no timetable has been set, major phone companies, cell and landline will have to offer blocking of such calls at no cost to the consumer. It’s a good start, but we’d like assurances that we would still be alive to see that happen.

4. Sign of the week: Observed during the opening week of school on the marquee of a local liquor store – “Welcome Back Teachers”.

5. You’ve lived in the bay area (or anywhere else) a long time if you once owned a Duncan yoyo. Bonus points if you could make it sleep or “walk the dog”.

Sports, the media and other stuff:

6. Last week, we failed to mention the 50^th anniversary of one of the great moments in rock and roll history – Woodstock. But as we mentioned last week (TBBR 8/16/19), your humble blogger and saintly wife were busy beginning their own 50 year journey that weekend.

7. Actor Peter Fonda died last week at age 79. He was best known for the early 70s film Easy Rider. The film was, to some, a counter culture classic – to others one of the most overrated movies of all time.

8. Stop the presses! The Bucs seem to have found a reliable kicker.

9. As the Little League World Series winds down, the people of Williamsport, PA will be able to take a deep breath. They look at the World Series in much of the same light that Clearwater looks at spring break – a very mixed blessing.

10. MLB’s balance of power seems to have shifted from the AL East to the NL East. The AL is fielding two competitive teams while the NL East has four teams that nobody wants to face in the postseason.

#23 and a bad trade

Years ago, Phillies PR chief Larry Shenk introduced us to a promising minor league shortstop and after the brief exchange, told us “he’s going to be something special”. It’s too bad Larry was the long time media face of the Phils rather than their general manager who traded Ryne Sandberg and Larry Bowa to the Cubs for Ivan de Jesus. The Phils had de Jesus for three unspectacular years while the Cubs moved Sandberg to second base and the start of a 15-year Hall of Fame career while wearing #23. No other player to wear that number comes close to Ryne Sandberg’s accomplishments.

Up Next: #24 – no contest; Two bits; No winners, only losers

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