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.

Time for bay area to address aggressive driving

A few weeks ago, a driver on the Howard Frankland Bridge felt the motorist in front of him wasn’t going fast enough. He flashed his lights and honked at the offending driver – then passed him and slammed on his brakes in front of the slower driver. For his efforts, he was shot by slower driver. He will survive the injuries, but we’re not sure there’s a cure for his stupidity. Over the years, there have been fits and starts by bay area law enforcement agencies against aggressive driving like this, but no coordinated plan. With road fatalities trending up at an alarming rate, that needs to end. Just as there are unified DUI campaigns, there needs be a plan to deal with the growing epidemic of aggressive driving in the area. The logical starting points are the Sherriff’s offices. It should be incumbent upon them to coordinate with the Florida Highway Patrol and municipal law enforcement agencies to conduct a series of rolling area-wide task forces to crack down on aggressive driving – and keep it up until we see a very significant decrease in threatening driving habits and traffic deaths in our area.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

For the second time this year, our community has lost a longtime accountant and civic leader. Mike Bollenback, of Bollenback and Forret, was extremely charitable with his time and treasure to several non-profits in our community.

Meanwhile, America mourns an outstanding public servant. Czech-born Madeleine Albright served her adopted country as both U.N Ambassador and Secretary of State. She was 84.

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh probably thought he was watching a slow pitch softball game last week as compared to the thuggery he experienced three years ago.

As we close within weeks of April 18, this nugget from the U.S. Tax Code: “If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless you return it to its rightful owner in the same year.” So those of you who looted a Target or other store in 2021, it’s time to pay up.

From the 1:26 Newsletter (well, that’s when we received it): My neighbor’s daughter just got engaged. She is registered at Shell, Exxon, Mobil and BP.

Pinellas Country attorneys need to get in touch with Pasco County who have apparently crafted a bulletproof panhandling law. The issue has become pandemic in Pinellas particularly with panhandling taking place at intersections containing at least one business advertising for help.

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THIS WEEK IN 1998 (APRIL 1): BURGER KING PUBLISHED A FULL PAGE AD IN USA TODAY INTRODUCING THE “LEFT-HANDED WHOPPER”. ALL THE CONDIMENTS WERE ROTATED 180 DEGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF LEFT-HANDED CUSTOMERS. THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS REQUESTED THIS APRIL FOOL’S BURGER.

Lighter stuff:

Seen on many T-Shirts: Save Women’s Sports. Amen to that.

Too late for your busted bracket this year, but this reminder for next: no reigning men's champ has advanced past the Sweet 16 since UF repeated in 2007.

Happy Birthday to one of the nation’s best radio stations - WSB in Atlanta celebrating its 100th birthday this month. At 750 on the dial and with 50,000 watts, you can hear the station on Florida’s west coast after sunset.

Just when we thought we were rid of the little league rule (ghost runners on second base in extra innings), it’s back, allegedly to keep today’s snowflakes from being injured. We wonder what grinders like Mark Lemke, Pete Rose or Carlton Fisk think of that rule.

Factoid: 18 of the 30 major league clubs topped the combined attendance of the Marlins and the Rays last year. Florida simply is not a good baseball market.

The year-long suspension of Atlanta Falcon wide-receiver Calvin Ridley for making bets here in Florida on NFL games is just another reason to hit the brakes on on-line gambling.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you dined at Sweetwater’s Restaurant on Gulf to Bay Blvd.

Focus Group in the movies

After filling the Oval Office last month (TBR&R 2/27/22) we have a lighter question for our elite Focus Group to conclude March. The question posed was: of all the movie characters you’ve seen, which one do you believe is most like you, and briefly why?

The first response was the Richard Dreyfuss character (Curt Henderson) in 1973’s American Graffiti – “every bit as clueless as I was at that age (18)”.

Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Velvet Brown, the “horse crazy” 12-year-old girl in National Velvet best captures another of our original Focus Group members.

Another contributor sees themselves as a character from the film classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey - feeling compelled to help people and do the right thing; still, but often don't appreciate how good things are for me.

Another Focus Group member, saying it’s a stretch, identifies with Wonder Woman. Not a stretch, she’s in that category called Moms – virtually all of them wonder women.

Our fascinating list continues with a Focus Group member’s vote for Matthew Brady from Inherit the Wind. I would like to think I would be willing to stand up for what’s right and true, even if unpopular.

And our last Focus Group response, Melanie Wilkes from Gone With the Wind. She was the epitome of gentility, and I cling to the time of common courtesy and civility. We are both shy but willing to stand up for what we think is right.

Nice work group, for an off-the-wall question from the editor.

NEXT UP: A Special April Fool’s Day Edition – Best of The 5:05

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