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: say goodbye to these five

Our friend TL recently provided us with a list of things that will not last our lifetime. Here are the top five: 1. The Post Office (They are so deeply in financial trouble that there is probably no way to sustain it long term); 2. The Check (Plastic cards and online transactions will lead to the eventual demise of the check); 3. The Newspaper (The younger generation simply doesn't read the newspaper); 4. The Book (This one we question, but we see a shift from buying books to increased use of the library); 5. Landlines (Most people keep them simply because they've always had one. But you are paying double charges for that extra service).

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related to our lead item, courtesy of the 5:05 Newsletter: Say what you want, but landline phones have never been destroyed in the washing machine.

By the way, our TBR&R researchers discovered that rice actually helps with a wet cellphone after they figured out it didn’t mean rest, ice, compression and elevation.

One has to be worried about the U.S. economy when the nation’s debt is 18 per cent higher than the gross domestic product.

Congratulations on your 800+ credit score. This entitles you to pay more for your next mortgage, subsidizing someone who had not been as diligent with their credit and will pay less for their next mortgage. But the federal government assures us, this is not a subsidy for people with bad credit or a tax on creditworthy folks. Sure.

This week in 1875 (5/17) Aristides, with Oliver Lewis up, wins the first Kentucky Derby.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Denny Crum, a UCLA basketball assistant who became a legend at Louisville, died last week at age 86. Crum could have had the UCLA job when Coach John Wooden retired, but chose to stay at Louisville for 30 years and two national championships.

He was one of the few to win both a Cy Young Award and be an MVP. Vida Blue passed away last week at age 73.

Hard to believe, but Wilt Chamberlain played his last NBA game 50 years ago this month.

The wheels are coming off in St. Louis where the Cardinals, with the worst record in the National League, have moved Willson Contreras, the catcher they’re paying $82 million over five years, to designated hitter – hardly a roster spot that commands an average of over $16 million a year.

Related to our Focus Group question below, a line from 82-year-old Mike Love who still tours, fronting the Beach Boys, “If we knew we’d be doing this for so many years, we would have recorded more slow ballads.”

…and another thing: the concert of a lifetime

Our latest assignment for the TBR&R Focus Group was to design their “Concert of a Lifetime” where they have the best seats in the house to hear their favorite male vocalist, female vocalist and group. Their selection could come from living artists or Rock and Roll Heaven (with thanks to the Righteous Brothers).

Our leadoff hitter went for an ultra-talented singer/songwriter who began his career with the Chad Mitchell Trio – John Denver. Their choice for the female member of the concert was Canadian songstress Anne Murray. Finally, they opted for the musical act they saw in concert more than any other – The Beach Boys.

The rich voice of Tony Bennett leads off another group member’s concert list. Her choice for a female vocalist is the incredibly talented singer/songwriter Carole King. For a group, being a child of the 60s, she opted for biggest act of that decade – the Beatles.

Another of our august group is a devotee of Southern Gospel music and would enjoy hearing tenor David Phelps, New Orleans’ Lauren Daigle and the world famous Bill Gaither Ensemble (of which David Phelps was once a member).

Elvis headlines another Focus Group member’s “dream concert” along with female Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Tina Turner. For the group to round out the concert, she picks one of the greats of the late 50s and early 60s – The Kingston Trio.

One of our charter members came up with an assemblage of Roy Orbison and, cheating a bit on the female side, Karen Carpenter, who was technically part of a duo. Picking a group, they shuffled through names like The Union Gap, The Fifth Dimension, Spanky and Our Gang and a half-dozen others, finally going with their beach roots for The Beach Boys.

Our northernmost group member, an accomplished musician, cast his ballot for the Rocket Man, Elton John, followed by the sublime voice of Karen Carpenter and concluding the concert would be the biggest rock act of the 20^th century – the Beatles.

And our youngest Focus Group member’s male headliner began his career earlier than anybody on the list – Louis Prima. Carole King would be her choice for the female attraction followed by the legendary 70s and 80s band – Fleetwood Mac.

A neat set of concerts!

UP NEXT: TV dinners; How not to win a pennant; Summer school

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