We are a weekly compilation of local and national notes along with a smattering of sports, history and the oft-borrowed piece of wisdom from the 5:05 Newsletter – all from a politically incorrect slant.

First thing on our mind:

We were deeply touched by inquiries of our well being by regular readers of this drivel when it appeared three days late due to computer illness. Both computer and Humble Blogger doing well, thanks!

Leading off: Another business sector dying

If you’re old as dirt like us, you would remember when every other mall had a piano store. We can remember back to one in the old Sunshine Mall. There were other mall locations, not to mention free standing stores, all of which seemed to be on Ulmerton Road. There were Steinways, Baldwins, Yamaha and even Sears Roebuck had their own brand of piano. There are still nearly 2000 piano stores in the U.S. with Florida having 73 – second only to California. But the number is shrinking every year. This year one of the oldest, the England Piano Company, just outside of Atlanta, is closing its doors after over a half-century. In 1925, over 300,000 pianos were sold. Of course, radio was in its infancy and TV was three decades away. In 2025, only 17,000 were sold. Industry analysts give two major factors – the above mentioned other forms of entertainment and today’s economy where homebuyers can barely afford a home, much less a piano to put inside.

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

Like Yogi used to say, it ain’t over until it’s over. While the Clearwater city council voted 3-2 to vacate part of South Garden Avenue to the benefit of the Church of Scientology, a community group has filed suit challenging the decision. Stay tuned.

The city of Clearwater and Duke Energy are anywhere from $200 to $430 million apart in their evaluations of the amount of Duke assets it would take if the city moves ahead with its proposal to take over providing power to its residents.

Speaking of energy, the price of a gallon of gas ten years ago was $2.14; twenty years ago $2.19; thirty years back $1.23 and in our bicentennial year 59 cents.

Factoid: the city of Largo was the first municipality in Florida to adopt a city manager form of government way back in 1913.

Someone we’d like to meet – a 20-year-old Thonotosassa resident Jack Armstrong who is devoted to keeping a dying art alive – the repair of typewriters. His repair company has a waiting list.

This is sad. A group of managers from a burger chain that recently resurfaced here had lunch at a sit-down restaurant we occasionally visit. The tab was slightly under $100 and the tip to a server whose work we admire – a measly seven bucks - this from a group in the hospitality business. Our plans to visit the recently reopened chain, needless to say, have changed.

This week in 1919 (June 26) The New York Daily News publishes its first edition.107 years later, it has a print circulation of just over 30,000.

Sports and random notes:

Sports note from the 5:05 Newsletter: What is it with all the rules in Pickle Ball? A game that was originally designed as a child’s backyard game now has a rulebook that is 80 pages long and sparks arguments between players over “rules violations” that make the Nuremberg Trials look like a casual chat at Starbucks.

The margins in the NL divisions are getting bigger with Milwaukee up by 5; Atlanta 7.5 and Los Angeles a whopping 9 games. The biggest margin in the AL is New York by 3 over our Rays.

During the past week, two of baseball’s best players went on the injured list again. Ronald Acuna, Jr. and Mike Trout both have otherworldly skills, but neither can stay off the injured list.

Well, we are now up to Toy Story 5.

The latest “Dad” joke from our friend TL: If a one hump camel is called a dromedary and a two hump camel a bactrian, what is a camel with no humps called? The answer – Humphrey.

One last thing: Florida’s Grand Hotels

Florida’s Grand Hotels by R. Wayne Ayers is one of those small coffee table books (128 pages) that give you a peek at the way our state was 125 years ago. You’ll easily recognize two of the subjects - The Tampa Bay Hotel, now the University of Tampa and Belleair’s famed Belleview Biltmore Hotel.Ayers also gives you glimpses of the fabled turn of the century east coast hotels, The Breakers, Royal Palm, Ponce de Leon and others as well as the men responsible for these magnificent structures, Henry Flagler and the west coast’s Henry Plant. It’s an interesting read for Florida history aficionados.

Next Week: What says America? Celebrate the 4^th. Big Macs

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