Established in 2014, Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is a weekly airing of local and national news, sports and historical notes from a politically incorrect viewpoint.

First thing on our mind:

We’re almost through the Biden era and can breathe a temporary sigh of relief. We don’t know why Joe Biden is on this planet, but we don’t think it was to lead the greatest nation in the world.

Leading off: 10 words for Don

The words are: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” With the election in its home stretch, those words should be repeated daily. Even the left wing media will take notice and have to repeat it. Talk daily about gas prices (up), inflation (up), interest rates (up) grocery prices and on and on. And then tell the electorate how your administration is going to cure the problems brought on by the Biden/Harris administration. That’s it – nothing more. No name calling, personal attacks etc. Leave that shallow strategy to the Democrats. Just ask, every day, many times a day, Are you better off than you were four years ago?” And we all know the answer to that.

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

Last week’s debate, biggest loser - ABC, which lost what little creditability it had with its partisan handling of the event.

It’s scary when Donald Trump vows to bring in Elon Musk to help cut government spending - scary for career bureaucrats.

In the words of political cartoonist Michael Ramirez rather than Harris’ price controls, what we need is dumb idea controls.

Ninety years ago this summer, autos began crossing the new Davis Causeway (now the Courtney Campbell) linking Clearwater and Tampa. (Thanks to our friend TL).

A Rave to Citicorp – their Custom Cash card nets a dollar for a child hunger program every time you use it dining out and spend five dollars or more. Heck, that’s a cup of Bidenomics coffee these days. But you do need to sign up for it with Citicorp.

Factoid: Culver Military Academy, founded in Culver, Indiana in 1894, has among its alumni Hal Holbrook, Walter O’Malley, Roger Penske plus two men who left an indelible mark on the bay area – Jack Eckerd and George Steinbrenner.

From the editorial offices of the 5:05 Newsletter: My cable repair guy just asked me what time it was. I told him sometime between 8:a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Speaking of cable, if you ever have to go to one of Spectrum’s stores, make an appointment on line. It has saved us many minutes, if not hours.

Sports, media and other notes:

A terrific thought from a great-niece: Rescue dogs (and cats) need to be spoiled to the point where they never remember the times they weren’t loved.

The latest poll on fast food restaurants popularity and the result is still the same - #1 is Chick-fil-A. Number two is Jimmy Johns.

We’re a few weeks into the college football season and what we wouldn’t give to hear the words, “Whoa, Nellie!”

Virginia’s James Madison has another good football team this year, and with 12 teams in the playoffs, keep an eye on the JMU football squad.

The Athletic’s 134 has our Florida teams ranked thusly this week Miami (5); UCF stuck at 39; Gators (48); Noles (55); Bulls (61); FIU (106); Florida Atlantic (109). Georgia is still #1 and Kent State is 134.

You’ve lived in the bay area or anywhere else a long time if you remember Georgia Tech and Tulane being members of the SEC.

Juan Soto picked the wrong year to move to the American League. With the numbers he’s put up, he would lap the field in the NL MVP race. But in the American League, there’s that titan who bats behind him.

One last thing: Salvatore Perez

We’ve always been a fan of Salvatore Perez, the KC Royals’ all-star catcher, but a story that filtered down to us a week ago cinched the matter. Perez is visiting a friend in a KC neighborhood and on the way home sees a bunch of 9 and 10 year-olds playing ball in the backyard of 9-year-old Cameron Lard and joins the fun. The nine-year-old runs inside and tells his Mom, “You won’t guess who is in our back yard.” The next day, Perez is busy homering to lead the Royals over the Phils, but gets a friend to deliver a signed bat and follows it up with a phone call – an inspiration to all of us!

NEXT UP: George; District 13 can do better; Mick Jagger

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