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.

Leading off: Surprised, yet not surprised

Cable network’s Black Monday last week caught many viewers and media observers by surprise. Yet, upon reflection, you can understand the moves. The firing of NBC head Jeff Shell was the least shocking after his affair with a co-worker. The only surprise was the time between the admission by Shell and the firing. Sinking revenues also played a part. CNN’s far left commentator Don Lemon wrote his ticket out with some ridiculous comments about women and age some months back. Again, sinking ratings also played a role. High flying Fox commentator Tucker Carlson may have been the sacrificial lamb for the network’s caving on the Dominion Voting Machine suit. It certainly wasn’t ratings as Carlson lapped the field in nighttime viewership, although some of his more recent rantings made even some of his hardcore conservative viewers blush.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Remember when potential candidates just made a live announcement of their intentions? Of course with Biden, taping allowed him to eliminate the inevitable half dozen gaffes.

Scarier yet is the announcement that “Comma-lah” will again be his running mate. When the actuary tables catch up with Biden, having that doofus at the head of our government is cause for even the most fervent Democrat to say, “No thanks.”

How much longer can our governor deny he’s running for the presidency when you receive a plea for “a $47 donation for our 47^th President” in the mail?

The Federal Reserve can’t seem to grasp why the country is moving headlong into a recession while they continue to raise interest rates. We think it may have to do with potential homebuyers not being able to get reasonable mortgage rates, businesses not able to get lines of credit for expansion and the continued effect on securities markets. Just a guess.

News item: GM has a goal of selling only electric cars by 2035. Many folks have a goal of buying a horse and buggy that year.

Shortages: you know those small packages of Kleenex that get stuffed in a purse or a glove compartment? Try finding them nowadays.

We know they are supposed to be experts, but forgive us if we look at seasonal hurricane predictions from Colorado State University with a jaundiced eye.

A gas and go mix-up from the 5:05 Newsletter: I went to the gas station and asked for transmission fluid and they gave me a Bud Light.

This week in 1878 (May 4), Thomas Edison debuts the phonograph.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Thousands of people were introduced to calypso music with songs like The Banana Boat Song and Jamaica Farewell by Harry Belafonte. The famed actor/singer passed away last week at age 96.

He was a two-sport star at Duke University and a NL MVP with his 1960 World Series Champs, Pittsburgh Pirates. After baseball, he became the long time voice of the Pitt Panthers basketball team. Dick Groat passed away last week at age 92.

Related to our lead item, don’t fear for Fox News. They have survived the departures of Megyn Kelly and Bill O’Reilly; they will overcome the departure of Tucker Carlson.

Just speculating – Tucker to Newsmax? That would be a shot in the arm for the number two conservative network.

What’s the hottest selling beer in the country right now? It’s Ultra-Right Beer, being brewed in Gwinnett County, Georgia with $1 million in sales the first 12 days on the market - part of the Bud Light backlash.

Deion Sanders’ coaching career is off to a great start in Colorado as the university sold out its spring game for the first time ever despite freezing weather and three inches of snow overnight.

One of our dozen or so readers reminds us you’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember The Gulf to Bay Drive-In. Bonus points if you remember the night it burned down (but was rebuilt).

…and another thing: MLB after the first month

Snippets after approximately 30 games in: The most pleasant surprises are the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Baltimore Orioles (with the best record in the NL and second best in the AL respectively); toughest division – the AL East with all five teams over .500 at this writing; biggest disappointments – the St. Louis Cards and Oakland A’s. Their managers probably are the leading candidates for pink slips although the A’s Mark Kotsay is managing under the worst of conditions. First month MVPs – Ronald Acuna, Jr. and Randy Arozarena; Cy Youngs - Gerrit Cole and Arizona’s Zac Gallen. And we’re sticking with our 1/1/23 prediction of the San Diego Padres winning the World Series. Next update at the end of May.

UP NEXT: Asa Hutchinson; Kingston Trio; Untangling the web

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