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: Time to thin the herd

As we pen this, it’s less than four months until Super Tuesday (March 5), the day that will no doubt determine the candidates for the Presidency in November. Every credible poll you look at says Biden is extremely vulnerable. But the Republicans continue to dither over candidates, most of whom can’t beat either Biden or Trump. The last couple months have revealed a candidate who most likely can – if the three and four per centers get out of her way – Nikki Haley. More and more potential voters realize her prowess in running a governmental unit as well as her grasp of international affairs. As a side benefit, her nomination might awake Democrats to the fact that they are promoting a ticket, which in George Will’s words, “features someone no longer fit for the presidency with someone who never will be fit.” Perhaps Haley’s candidacy would result in a more palatable Democratic ticket. Everybody wins.

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

Related to our lead article, our friend TL says if Trump gets the GOP nomination instead of Nikki Haley, he should persuade her to join the ticket. That way, we would not live in extreme fear every day that something might happen to the President like we have in the past three years.

The answer: Mr. Hager’s 5^th period Algebra II class at Clearwater High. The news was delivered by our ’64 classmate Ellen Moore (now Martin). Every baby boomer remembers where they were sixty years ago this Wednesday, November 22, 1963.

A big win for U.S. industry as Emirates puts a hold on a major Airbus purchase of new aircraft because of engine concerns. The airline and a smaller affiliated firm pivoted to Boeing with a $63 billion purchase of its 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliners.

Number of the week: 29%. That’s the drop in Bud Light sales last month as compared to a year ago.

This week in 1916 (11/20), the Titanic’s star-crossed sister ship, Britannic, sinks in the Aegean Sea after hitting a mine during World War I. Thirty people die.

Sports, media and other notes:

Three straight wins over Top 25 teams. Any doubt about college’s #1 team?

Forgive Atlanta baseball fans if they feel like Charlie Brown about to kick the football being held by Lucy. They were just awarded the 2025 All Star game which they had been awarded in 2021only to have it jerked away by Biden stooge Rob Manfred.

Told ya – you should have stayed at FSU, Jimbo. And the idle chatter about the ‘Noles Mike Norvell following the same career path is just that – idle chatter.

Factoid: In addition to Sundays, Chick-fil-A will be closed this Thursday (Thanksgiving). It is the largest privately owned restaurant chain in America.

An early jump on your holiday shopping from the 5:05 Newsletter: If you are looking for a Christmas gift for that Biden fan in your life, you can’t go wrong with the Joe Biden Pocket Translator.

…and another thing: The season of giving

With Thanksgiving upon us, we posed this question to our TBR&R Focus Group. You have won $1million with the proviso you must give it away. You may give it all to one organization or split it up. What would you do?

Our first member went for thirds with equal amounts going to three local organizations - the small school where their daughter teaches, along with a third to Clearwater’s Kimberly Home Pregnancy Center and a third to the Morton Plant Hospital Foundation.

Another long time member of our focus group also went local: 3/4 to the local Salvation Army earmarked for the youth music program which provides instruments and music instruction to children in our community. The remaining 1/4 to the Community Dental Clinic which provides free dental care to uninsured adults.

Batting third, an original group member would benefit the school her granddaughter attends. She too would split her largesse in three with money going to the terrific Retirement Home for Horses in Alachua and the additional third to her church.

Another group member would also benefit his church, plus his alma mater, Southern Nazarene University and an outstanding local charity, the Rotary Club of Clearwater Charities.

So many great charities were mentioned by our group. Our Dunedin member also gave in thirds to The Salvation Army, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Our western-most member would benefit the National MS Society that does research and benefits people living with MS. She also mentioned two local charities in her adopted New Orleans – Voulez Krewe which marches Abba style in the Mardi Gras parade and does philanthropic work; plus Glass Half Full, a group that recycles glass and processes it into sand for coastal restoration and disaster relief projects. That sounds like something we need here on the west coast.

Finally, from our northern most contributor: I would give it to a local annual fund raiser called "Tyrtle Beach." (As everyone heads south to Myrtle Beach for Spring break, a well-known local person raises funds to jump into a still frigid local algae-laden, turtle-infested, lake/pond Salubria) The funds are disseminated to local youth programs and organizations without a penny of remuneration to those in charge of the program.

Thanks to all of our members for their thoughtful answers. This may have been the most gratifying article we’ve ever published!

UP NEXT: Tehran 1943; Missing three; Bears and Lions

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Happy Thanksgiving!