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: USF should channel U of Tampa

We know this is a radical suggestion, but it makes sense. Before spending multiple millions of dollars on what is a national joke, perhaps the University of South Florida should channel its cross town neighbor, the University of Tampa and simply drop its football program, and concentrate on becoming an elite learning and research institution. USF’s football program is currently the 129^th ranked Division 1 School out of 131 – thank goodness for Akron and UMass. This would not be like UF or FSU dropping their long standing programs as a great percentage of USF grads never experienced a football program during their tenure (the school was founded in 1956 and the football program did not begin until over four decades later). With eight victories over the past four years, that’s not even close to a good return on your dollars – dollars that could be spent on turning out engineers, medical professionals and top flight educators.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

We are saddened by the passing of a good friend and a very familiar voice – Don Guckian. For years, Don was the PA announcer for the Phillies and Threshers at both Jack Russell Stadium and BayCare Field as well a devoted Rotarian and just a man it was a pleasure to know.

At this time of year, among the things we say thanks for is the GOP capturing the House of Representatives forestalling a Democratic threat to codify infanticide in America.

As America was threatened by a rail strike, you found yourself asking, “Where is Harry Truman when you need him?”

Jane, how ya feeling about that police chief pick?

Idle question: What percentage of your mail are things you would open each day? That is not credit card applications from cards you already have, Medicare solicitations or organizations asking for donations? Many days the answer is zero.

Coming to a theater near you – a blank screen as industry experts say as many as 5000 of the U.S. and Canada’s 40,000 screens could shut down in the next six-twelve months.

Lunch date: Our tribute to Charles Schulz a couple of weeks back gives us this December luncheon date with three fascinating cartoonists beginning of course with the brilliant Peanuts creator - along with Chester Gould of Dick Tracy fame and our own local cartoonist extraordinaire Blondie’s Dean Young.

This week in 1906 (December 10) Theodore Roosevelt becomes the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Related to this week’s historical note above, we’re shocked that the editorial staff of the 5:05 Newsletter has not yet been so honored. The Nobel committee has done a lot worse.

And speaking of Tampa Bay’s premier periodical, this tidbit: The first member of Generation Z, 25-year-old Maxwell Frost, has been elected to Congress. Frost said he will work remotely from his parent’s basement in Florida.

Sports item: Atlanta to host the first field of 12 college football championship after the 2024 season – unless, of course, Joe Biden or Rob Manfred gets involved.

At least two college football teams with losing records will play in postseason bowls. That tells us one thing – at 41, there are too many bowl games.

Do you get the feeling that TCU might get hosed in the championship playoff selections? Hoping not, but Alabama and Ohio State are lurking out there with no more games to play (or lose).

Two names prominent in this year’s college coaching carousel are Fritz-Freeze. Sounds like a soft serve ice cream operation.

“It all started at a 5000 watt radio station.” This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of comedic actor Ted Knight.

Seen on a bumper sticker: “I hope something good happens to you today.” Nice thought.

Christmas Factoid: Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop, was known as a secret gift-giver, stuffing coins into the shoes of poor people who placed their shoes at their doorsteps. That tradition reconfigured itself into our Christmas stockings.

…and another thing: Toy Hall of Fame

This year the Toy Hall of Fame added three toys to their honor roll – the top, Masters of the Universe and Lite-Brite. Over the past two years (TBR&R 12/20/20 and 12/19/21) we have profiled the first 17 toys inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame – 10 in 1998 and 7 in 1999. In the years 2000-02, another nine toys were so honored. Let’s see how many of these were under your Christmas tree long ago. In 2000, the Hall honored the Bicycle, Jacks, Jump Rope, Mr. Potato Head and the Slinky – it really helped if you lived in a two-story house for the Slinky. Just two toys made the cut in 2001 – Silly Putty and Tonka Trucks. Another two entered the Hall in 2002 – two classics – the Jigsaw Puzzle and Raggedy Ann. Hope you found some of those treasures under your tree over the years. By the way, the Toy Hall of Fame is located in Rochester, NY and is on our bucket list for our next trip to the Empire State.

COMING UP: Focus Group; Christmas Lights; Bob Barker

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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 for a clean slate

Thanksgiving is behind us, Christmas is just around the corner and then New Years and resolutions. America’s two major political parties should have an overriding resolution – fresh, competent faces for the top of the 2024 ballot. Republicans, on the whole, are fed up with the unparalleled ego of Donald Trump while Democrats blush every time Joe Biden opens his mouth. Neither of these men is qualified to lead our nation into the mid-decade. The Republicans have the advantage with Florida’s superstar Ron DeSantis plus others. The Democratic bench is quite a bit thinner. The key is going to be convincing Biden and Trump that their time has passed. That probably won’t be easy, but it certainly will be the best for our nation.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Pinellas County suffered a loss earlier this month with the passing of community activist Sallie Parks. Sallie served as a Pinellas County Commissioner and was very active in the arts community and one of the early stalwarts of Leadership Pinellas.

We tip our cap to Maurice Upton of Dunedin who risked his life in a vain attempt to rescue his 82-year-old neighbor in an apartment fire last week.

And we know he doesn’t want us to say it, but Mom and I are proud as can be of our son who saved a young boy from drowning last week when he slipped between a dock and his parent’s boat at a Madeira Beach marina - proud of you, son.

A 19-year-old high on marijuana kills two people in a Palm Harbor crash, yet we keep hearing calls to legalize the drug.

Sure, they will continue to bash him, but Donald Trump’s jumping into the 2024 race will take CNN, MSNBC, ABC and CBS off their respirators – not to mention the struggling Tampa Bay Times.

From the Wall Street Journal on Biden’s attempt to pardon student loans: "the largest presidential abuse of power in decades."

Number of the Week:92 years ago (1930) – the last time either party had such a narrow margin in the U.S. House.

With real estate prices being what they are, this conversation is not out of line: Prospective Buyer, “What can I find in the ¾ million range?” Realtor: “You’re living in it.”

Breaking economic news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Crypto Exchange company FTX filed for bankruptcy causing a panic in the digital currency world. Investors are said to be moving any money they have left into safer, more reliable Powerball tickets.

This week in 1922 (November 28) Captain Cyril Turner (RAF) gives the first skywriting exhibition in New York City. Turner spelled out, "Hello USA Call Vanderbilt 7200." 47,000 called.

Sports, media and other stuff:

A Rave to the nation’s cartoonists for their tributes to “Sparky” Shultz on the date of his 100^th birthday.

It’s the holiday season, shopping, decorating and what rest time she finds, our Saintly Wife is glued to the Hallmark Channel.

They didn’t ask us, but of the eight candidates in the contemporary MLB Hall of Fame balloting, four should make it – Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy and Curt Shilling. The announcement is next Sunday (12/4).

Sports oddity: the biggest, baddest free agent of the 2022 offseason, Aaron Judge was the 30th pick in the 2013 MLB draft. The first pick, Mark Appel, finally made it to the bigs this year. The pick right in front of Judge, Jason Hursh, made a total of 11 appearances in the majors for the Braves.

South Carolina and Vandy each fined six figures after their fans went on the field after signature victories. What the NCAA needs is a picture of Larry David in each stadium with the words Curb Your Enthusiasm.

We’ve always kind of liked Lane Kiffin, so we hope the rumors of his entering the gates of Hell at Auburn are untrue. (Late update – he signed an extension with Ole Miss).

Not satisfied with trying to water down the NCAA basketball playoffs (68 teams now qualify), there is now a move to expand the college football championship to 12 teams by 2025 with the season ending, we presume, in the middle of spring training.

Factoid: Every odd number has an e in its spelling.

You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you’ve seen houses torn down that you watched being built in your younger years.

…and another thing: new rules, new value

Baseball’s general managers met in Vegas a couple of weeks ago and one of the topics was how they will re-evaluate players based on new rules regarding defensive shifts, base size and pitcher’s clocks. For example with more ground to cover, Gold Glove free agent Dansby Swanson is going to become even more valuable; guys with speed will have a bigger impact with the bigger bases and limits on pick-off attempts. The pitch clock will affect guys like Shohei Ohtani, who takes a lifetime between pitches and the Met’s Mark Canha who could have time for cocktails before stepping back in the batter’s box. These slow pokes will be charged a ball (for pitchers) and a strike (for hitters) if they don’t speed up their games. It should be an interesting (and quicker) season.

NEXT UP: Dark theaters; Great toys; USF football?

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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 for a national voting protocol

Let’s face it; Americans are more than a little skeptical of the voting process across our nation. The sketchy operations in Arizona and Nevada are just the latest in dubious election outcomes – Catherine Cortez Masto’s “miraculous” come from behind victory in the Nevada Senate race being foremost. Then there’s Georgia’s and Alaska’s convoluted voting systems and states’ counting machines “running out of ink”. The answer to all these problems is not a month or a year away, but it sure would enhance our confidence in the 2024 outcomes if we had one unified protocol across our 50 states – and Florida’s system might just be one of the models to follow.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Surprise, surprise Donald Trump announces 2024 run. Both Don and Joe seem to be having trouble reading the tea leaves.

Jack Smith, part of the Obama Justice Department that was probably the most corrupt in the last half-century, picked to lead the Trump probe. Gee, that should guarantee a fair outcome.

Factoid: Financial organization Bloomberg News reports now is the worst time to buy a home since 1978 – the Carter days - the chief culprit – out of control interest rates.

Best election season quote, “look at the scoreboard” – Governor Ron DeSantis.

Lunch date: now that the mid-term primaries’ smoke has cleared, three politicians we’d enjoy dining with: Tom Cotton, Lindsey Graham and Nikki Haley.

Thought from a retired teacher: If I had to do it over again, I would staple Burger King applications to failed tests.

Whoopi has left Twitter. We guess we would get excited about that if we knew exactly what Twitter was or cared about anything Whoopi has to say.

Related - there is some benefit to being technologically challenged – like not getting all riled up about these Twitter controversies.

This week in 1936 (Nov. 23) the first issue of Life Magazine is published.

Sports, media and other stuff:

From the 5:05 Newsletter: In 1962 a new Thanksgiving tradition evolved. President John F. Kennedy summoned two turkeys to the White House pardoning one of the turkeys with the words, “Keep him going”. That tradition remains today with the pardoned turkey then being appointed to a high-level post in the Justice Department and later becoming a cable television political pundit.

From our Curmudgeon Dept. – Patience is an overrated virtue.

As you get ready for the traditional NFL Thanksgiving games, reserve a spot on your calendar for a Black Friday game debuting next year on Amazon Prime. Teams are yet to be determined.

Top five destinations this busy travel week – New York City, Seattle, Orlando, Boston and Atlanta – and for your Humble Blogger and Saintly Wife – Dunedin, Florida.

Factoid: If the NCAA football playoffs were expanded to 12 teams this season, five of the teams would come from the SEC.

Despite being 900 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the University of Missouri is in the Eastern Division of the SEC – another school that obviously doesn’t offer a major in Geography.

This was not the year to win a lot of MLB games. One hundred game winners, the Braves, Dodgers and Mets all made quick exits. Houston, at 106, needed a giant horseshoe in their pocket to escape a similar fate.

Speaking of the Astros, we have to guess qualified candidates are not lining up to be their GM after James Click was cashiered after building a World Series winner.

Only 97 days until pitchers and catchers report.

A friend reminds us that you have lived in the bay area (or anywhere else) a long time if you remember your mother curing any cut, no matter how severe, with Mercurochrome – and how you would hide the cut to avoid having that stuff applied!

…and another thing: a tribute to “Sparky”

Charles “Sparky” Schulz would have been 100 this Saturday. Today, more than twenty years after his passing, we still open the pages every day for his unique view of human life – the daring World War I pilot, the annual place kick joke and the June tribute to D-Day from this decorated World War II veteran. It just seems fitting that the Peanuts strip did not survive him as we’re not sure anybody could have had the same slant on life as did Schulz. But the Classic Peanuts reminds us of the simple brilliance of this man. And if you have never sampled either David Michaelis’ biography Schulz and Peanuts or Good Grief by Rheta Grimsley Johnson, they are worth a visit. A couple of very personal reembraces remain with us as well as this telling thought from America’s cartoonist, “If I were given the opportunity to present a gift to the next generation, it would be the ability for each individual to learn to laugh at himself.”

NEXT UP: Clean slate; Skywriting; Faster baseball

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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: mixed results in mid-terms

In Florida, particularly the bay area, it was a rout. Double digit wins for Republicans at the top of the ballot and big wins for Congressional candidates – except for Kathy Castor’s gerrymandered District 14 where our family cat could win if she were a Democrat.

Nationwide, a different and disappointing story as the predicted sweep of both houses of Congress did not materialize. We’re not sure how the economy could further worsen to get voters more motivated. Apparently free loans trumps things like the sanctity of life. It could be a very grim couple years.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Ron DeSantis decisively wins the Florida Governor’s race. The win comes despite the best efforts of Florida’s liberal media who now should resign themselves to another term of DeSantis leading a state that, due to his leadership, is in better shape than 90 percent of the other states in our union.

Clearwater’s massive re-do of its bayfront wins by a surprising 2-1 margin.

Just wondering: why don’t we get an “I Voted” sticker with our absentee ballots?

Our friend TL and the gang volunteered our services to help count votes in Nevada. All it would cost is comped rooms, breakfast buffets and $500 in chips. We have not yet heard back.

Florida’s gas tax holiday month was a bust as virtually all of the savings were erased by an OPEC decision to cut oil production – another gift to us from the Biden administration and their incomprehensible energy policies.

From the 5:05 Newsletter: Today’s inflation fighting tip: Bring up politics at the Thanksgiving table and save hundreds of dollars on Christmas gifts.

Related question: who do you believe more –the 5:05 Newsletter or the Tampa Bay Times? Easy answer – the 5:05 only makes up about 50-60 percent of their stuff.

This week in 1959 (Nov. 16) Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music debuts on Broadway. It would run for 1443 performances.

Sports, media and other stuff:

As predicted here in January, Jeff Scott let go by USF. That was no surprise. What was a surprise was the extension he was granted earlier this year. USF’s AD Michael Kelly might also want to avoid any long term leases.

Local football pundits are incredibly naïve with their advice for USF to hire an up and comer and keep him here. USF ain’t Alabama folks. Anybody who is successful at USF (and that’s a stretch) won’t be here after one good season.

Asking for a friend: when was the last time TCU was in the Top 10 of college football teams? Remember Jim Swink?

Related to our Rant last week over USF dropping their radio station’s (WUSF-FM) jazz programming; we tip our cap to WMNF-FM for at least adding some jazz programming. The problem is WMNF is overly diversified and you’ll have to wade through polka, barbershop and Turkish music to find some minimal jazz programming.

A Happy 90^th Birthday this week to one of the 60s’ most popular artists – Petula Clark; gosh does that make us feel old!

Just thinking: two of the very best ‘50s songs not to reach #1 were The Diamonds’ Little Darlin’ and The Drifters’ There Goes My Baby – both stalled at #2 behind Elvis Presley songs.

Dusty Baker is invited back for 2023 as the manager of the Houston Astros. We presume the dugout guy who wakes him up during games will also be extended. And, incredibly former Ray’s front office guy James Clack who built the team is given the boot. Weird franchise.

Having moved Ji-Man Choi to the Pirates, the Rays can now seek the legit first baseman they have been lacking for the last several years. Josh Bell, perhaps?

Forty years ago, the last Checker taxi cab rolled off the assembly line. They were mostly powered by Chevrolet engines and were virtually indestructible – a good thing as the majority of them patrolled New York City streets. Today, they are a collector’s item.

…and another thing: covering the Series

Okay the 2022 MLB playoffs are over and congratulations to the Astros. Knowing that MLB heeds our every word, we respectfully ask them to give us better coverage of the playoffs. Instead of announcers who have maybe seen your favorite team 3-4 times during the season, why not have ESPN, Fox or whomever employ the regular season announcers for the participating teams? ESPN’s Karl Ravech who is the lead announcer on the network’s duller than dull broadcast team pathetically tried to make a case that guys working off Cliff Notes are better than folks who work a 162-game schedule. Who would you rather see – a guy who broadcasts games once a week or, say Dwayne Staats if you’re a Rays fan. He would have shared duties with Cleveland’s lead announcer Tom Hamilton – both these guys have over two decades covering their respective teams and would be an upgrade over any other combination in the booth. And while we’re on the subject, ESPN should look at some of the regional networks’ (like the Ray’s Bally) graphics which are much more fan friendly.

UP NEXT: Anniversary of an icon; Time debuts; Channeling UT

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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.

Another year of voter suppression

Before taking the headline seriously, please refer to our disclaimer above. A few weeks ago, our mid-term ballot arrived in the mail. We scanned the directions (haven’t changed much); voted for the candidates we were already sure about and then researched those we did not know and the various amendment issues; marked in a black ballpoint pen and viola, finis! Oh, we did sign the envelope and checked off the keep voting by mail box and finally the difficult process of adding the last four of our Social Security number and our date of birth and mailed it – for free. All through the process, we wondered how could we possibly make this any easier and by what stretch could anyone in their right mind call this voter suppression?

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Verbatim from a Charlie Crist mailer one week before the election: “Paying off your own college debt isn’t fair.” That tells you all you need to know about Charlie Crist.

After endorsing many candidates with very weak resumes, the Tampa Bay Half Truth prints unendorsed candidates responses three days before Election Day – classy.

They are watching – one of the most closely watched Congressional races in the nation was our own 13^th District. In the last polling just before Election Day, the GOP’s Anna Paulina Luna had a razor thin lead over the Democrat Eric Lynn.

Military news from the 5:05 Newsletter: The Pentagon announced it will rename nine military bases that were named for confederate soldiers. The new names will be chosen from a list of celebrated antiwar activists, i.e. Fort Fonda.

We like to give a Rave to Lowes around this time of year (Veteran’s Day) for their up close parking spots for Vets – some of us who don’t get around as well as we used to.

In our life’s journey, we have met few men nicer or kinder than Dillard Nash who passed away last week at age 91. We offer our heartfelt condolences to the Nash family.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (Nov.11, 2017) In the aftermath of the St. Pete Mayoral election: The irony is not lost on us. What passes for a newspaper in our area endorsed a Republican for the first time in a millennium, while the reactionaries here at TBR&R gave a nod, albeit tepid, to Democratic Mayor Kriseman.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Might we want to re-think those college football ratings?

Ray Guy was the first punter to ever be drafted in the NFL’s first round. The Hall of Famer who spent his entire 14-year career with the Raiders died last week at age 72.

The NBA’s spoiled brat, Kyrie Irving, finally apologized for a post linking a film with anti-Semitic themes. The apology came only after he was suspended for a minimum of five games – that’s seven figures - which gets the attention of even a pampered millionaire.  

Now on the clock: The NBA’s Sacramento Kings. With MLB’s Seattle Mariners ending a 20-year-playoff drought, the Kings are next – 16 years and counting.

Correction: the mud used to treat major league baseballs comes from the Delaware not the Mississippi River. We misquoted our friend TL by about half a continent.

McDonalds’ McRib sandwich beginning a “farewell tour” – and not a decade too soon.

Can we all admit we greatly underrated Bruce Arians’ contributions on the Bucs sideline?

Answer: Fighting Camels. The question: what is the name of Campbell University’s athletic teams? Campbell, located in Buies Creek, NC often serves as a tune up for elite Tar Heel state basketball schools like UNC, Duke and North Carolina State.

A Rave goes to Hall of Famer Rod Carew for taking on baseball ayatollah Rob Manfred over the cheapening of the game of baseball i.e. infield shifts, ghost runners and the limitations on relief pitchers. It’s nice to know baseball’s elite agree with the everyday fan.

Dave Berry’s take on golf: “Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it’s open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.”

Bumper sticker seen on the back of an SUV: I Used To Be Cool.

…and another thing: a USF grad’s lament

Our football team is beyond lousy; the university tried to shut down its College of Education which supplies more teachers to the bay area than all other schools combined; now the school’s radio station (WUSF-FM) is trying to kill off Jazz Night which dates back to 1966. Our family takes the last two personally – our Saintly Wife has both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education from USF. And your humble blogger was there for the birth of Jazz Night in ’66 mostly as a hanger-on with George Geiger and Mike Smith, providing news updates throughout the night and weighing in occasionally on the music. The bay area’s only commercial jazz station WSRZ went off the air several years ago, leaving only WUSF for jazz. (WUSF had already dumped all their classical music programming for canned stuff some years back). Please join in online to protest another left turn away from local programming to more Washington-based blather.

Thanks to our vets

NEXT UP: Checker Cab; Pet turns 90; Better playoff coverage

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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.

Midterms will bring little change to Florida

There are indications of a significant shift in the balance of power in midterms across the United States with voters fed up with the negative changes they have experienced under a Democratic regime. A change in the House is almost certain and Republicans are cautiously optimistic about the Senate. Statewide, traditional national Democratic dollars have dried up as the party has pretty much given up on Florida. There should be little change with Ron DeSantis (11%), Marco Rubio, Ashley Moody and Jimmy Patronis having comfortable leads in the polls. Additionally, it will be refreshing to once again have an individual actually involved in agriculture (Wilton Simpson) as Ag Secretary after the queen of marijuana stepped aside for her ill-fated run for governor. Pinellas’ District 13 Congressional seat is up for grabs with Charlie Crist deserting the seat for yet another try at Tallahassee. Neither District 13 candidate creates a great deal of enthusiasm among voters – same for several of the State House seats. And for Clearwater voters, there is a significant down ballot item that would bring massive changes to the city’s bayfront. Supporters can only hope they have done a good enough job of selling the project as most down ballot items get a no vote if the electorate is not sure of what they are voting for.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Election commentary from the 5:05 Newsletter: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that Russia has promised not to interfere with U.S. elections this fall. In a related story Lucy has promised to hold the football steady for Charlie Brown.

Honest, he asked this – Charlie Crist asked Ron DeSantis if he were elected, would he (DeSantis) serve a full four year term as Governor? This comes from an office-hopping politician, who recently resigned from the US House to focus on the governor’s race leaving District 13 with no representation.

Don’t forget to set your clocks back an hour this coming weekend and to pen a nice note to your Congressman telling them to get this time thing fixed or to start looking for a job in two years. Oh wait, if you live in District 13, you don’t have aCongressman (see above).

We don’t make up this stuff – a mom and her dreadlock kid are challenging a JROTC policy concerning hair length. Folks, this is a quasi-military organization, not a basketball team. Good luck with those locks in basic training.

The world is passing us by. We have a 4x6 index card lined down the middle with two dozen user names and passwords for various stuff. After entering all this and our DOB; we are then asked if we want to receive a text (what’s a text?) or a call with a six digit authenticator code. Good grief!

This week in 1948 (November 2) – Stop the presses; Dewey does not defeat Truman for the Presidency.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Great Balls of Fire – legendary rocker Jerry Lee Lewis passes away at age 87.

Bucs drop home game to the Ravens plus two in a row to teams with a combined 4-10 record. The Belleair Road sign guy is not happy.

The Astros are the favorite in the World Series, but we can’t help but remember how a lineup similar to Phillies (the Braves) demolished the Houston pitching staff last year. Stay tuned.

It says something about the legitimacy of the so-called ghost runner that the rule is dropped in every phase of post season baseball.

With NCAA basketball about to tip off this week, there is talk of expanding the post season beyond the current 68 teams. Why?

Factoid: only Charlotte and Akron have worse records (1-7) than USF among the 131 Division 1 football teams.

Before TV personalities say something stupid on the air, they need to remember we all have a remote right by our side and approximately 2000 channels to choose from.

Answer: Goodfellow Dry Goods. Question what was the original name of Target when it was established in 1902?

You’ve lived in Florida a long time if you remember the Florida Barge Canal, first proposed and funded by FDR in 1933 and officially abandoned in 1971. The proposed canal would have cut through the state at Jacksonville terminating at Yankeetown, some 75 miles north of the bay area.

Focus Group: Favorite Halloween treat

On this Halloween week, we asked our rather aged Trick or Treaters what snack made them happiest back in the days when it was still safe to go Trick or Treating in their neighborhood. One of our charter members opted for what could probably be called “America’s Candy Bar” – the Hershey Bar. Another charter member’s favorite treat, the Kit Kat bar, didn’t make it to America until long after his trick or treating days, so he was always very happy to find a Hershey’s Krackel or Nestle Crunch Bar in his bag. Another of our focus group, who believes in living large, sought any full size candy bar - preferably Snickers. Another of our members also opted for Snickers with two exclamation marks!! Factoid: the very popular bar was named after a horse owned by the Mars family who make the sweet treat. Our western-most focus group member was pleased to have either Necco Wafers, Sugar Babies or candy cigarettes dropped in her bag (didn’t know she smoked!). Another answer had a neat twist to it – it was the Hershey Bar – the one supplied by his late and beloved Mom to kick start the evening.

UP NEXT: Voter suppression; Steak & Ale; Fort Fonda

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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.

Understanding common folks

We are closing in on the two year mark of America under siege – complete with rising interest rates, out of control inflation and people’s retirement funds down double digits. The good news is Americans can correct some of that next month. But it is going to take more than a voter revolt in the midterm elections. It’s going to take a change in mindset in Washington – something that likely can only happen come 2024. The current elitist administration doesn’t understand how rash actions like the closing of the Keystone Pipeline affect the common citizen – in this case – 11,000 paychecks vanish. But this means nothing to Biden, Kerry, Harris, Pelosi and the rest of the effete gang who don’t know what it is to actually work for a paycheck- or to lose one through someone’s arrogance.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Here’s a solution to the problem above – the reckless destroying of careers. For every job eliminated by Keystone-like buffoonery, there would be an equal amount of cuts in the bureaucracy to help replace those legitimate paychecks in the private sector.

Biden seeing the overwhelming response to his energy policies, decides to tap oil reserves. Might be a little too late, Joe. A lot of us have already voted.

Watching Senate candidate Val Deming’s double talk about abortion not being a crime, but rape and incest are makes us think she has conveniently forgotten that pesky Fifth Commandment – Thou Shall Not Kill.

Related: Tampa Bay Half Truth endorses Crist, Demings and Putin.

Following up on a question about Senate Majority Leaders from a couple weeks ago (TBR&R Oct. 9): this answer and question: James K. Polk is the answer and the question is: who is the only Speaker of the House to ever be elected President?

Sabine “Beanie” Korosy, the beloved matriarch of The Sandy Book Store, passed away last week at the amazing age of 103.

This week in 1940 (October 26): It’s the maiden flight of the magnificent P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Business news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Elon Musk offers to purchase the FBI for $100 billion. No word yet if the Clintons are willing to sell.

Before Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson and the others, there was Charlie Trippi. The two-sport athlete led Georgia to their first national championship and, later, the Chicago Cardinals to their first NFL championship – after turning down an offer from the New York Yankees. The legendary Trippi died last week at age 100.

It’s beginning to look like two SEC teams will be in the college football playoffs again this year – just not the two we expected.

Sports Number of the Week – 20 games. That’s the number of games Alabama has lost in the past 15 years, also the number USF has lost in the last two years.

From our Curmudgeon Dept. – Tennessee fined $100,000 for their fans flooding the field and tearing down the goalposts after their historic win over Bama. Remember when Saturday college football was fun?

He’s not Tom Brady, but you have to love the name of the new Patriots’ quarterback – Bailey Zappe.

Three baseball broadcasters we’d like to dine with during the post season: the Giants’ colorful Jon Miller, Braves’ traditionalist Joe Simpson and everybody’s favorite broadcaster Harry Doyle aka Bob Uecker.

Our friend TL reminds us that despite baseball’s many attempts to coat a ball, they are still dependent on mud originally gathered from the Mississippi River by a former major league Lena Blackburne some one hundred years ago.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you furnished your home with the help of Cullers, Days, Harrisons or Helmleys furniture stores.

Related note: it wasn’t a strictly local store like the others, but Ethan Allen was also a great place to shop.

About that game this coming weekend

1933 – FDR was moving into the White House, Prohibition was ending and construction was just beginning on the Golden Gate Bridge. A football game was played for the first time in Jacksonville between the Universities of Florida and Georgia. They will play it again this coming Saturday. Each university will net millions (the estimates vary wildly) from the game – which is why it is not played home and home. The schools estimate the take from home and home games would only be half of the battle in Jacksonville. Over the years, coaches have complained it is harder to recruit at an off-site game, but several million dollars can ease a lot of pain. Things might be a little dicey with the expansion of the SEC to keep Florida-Georgia on the schedule each year, but it’s hard to see the SEC shooting themselves in the foot over such a delicious payday. Oh the series – it’s 47-42-1 in favor of the Dawgs in the games played since ’33 with the exception of 1994-95 when a new stadium was being built in Jax - still the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party.

NEXT UP: Junk mail; Florida’s big ditch; Focus group treats

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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.

Just call it California Car Craziness

The late author Ross Macdonald famously said,” There is nothing wrong with California that a rise in the sea level wouldn’t cure”. The state and its alleged leaders just get crazier and crazier. Their latest brainstorm is to prohibit the sale of gas powered cars after 2035. This will, of course, create a second growth industry for Nevada with car dealers lining up just across the state border – much like liquor stores across the line from a dry county. Add to this the reality of California’s stretched to the max electrical grid which can barely service the existing relatively small number of electric cars. And then there are the legal hurdles California’s craziness must surmount - just more fun, fun, fun in fantasy land.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Two related items from the 5:05 Newsletter: (1) California to provide everyone who buys an electric car a giant hamster wheel to charge it. (2) Singles in Los Angeles can now pick each other up at bars with 3 words: “I have electricity.”

We now better understand why gas prices are actually up during Florida’s gas tax holiday – OPEC has cut back production. Remember when we were not dependent on OPEC production? That was about 22 months ago.

More “great” economic news: the IMF is predicting a further erosion of the global economy and retirement fund losses have rocketed from double digit losses into the twenty percent range.

Related number of the week: 56 percent – the percentage of registered Democrats who do not want Biden to head their ticket in 2024 according to an ABC News-Washington Post poll.

Idle thought: Joe Biden’s handlers need to keep him away from “hot” microphones.

The circus in St. Pete just gets crazier. Council appoints anti-Semite John Muhammed to a vacant seat over a much more qualified Wengay Newton, who previously served on the council.

Our friend TL asks: Why do most guys store their socks in the top drawer when so many days (boat shoes, sandals) they don’t even wear them?

This week in 1958 (October 17) WEDU, Channel 3, begins broadcasting from studios in St. Petersburg.

Sports, media and other stuff:

He was the first pitcher to reach the Hall of fame without ever starting a game and she was a multimillionaire singer without ever having a hit record. Bruce Sutter was a stalwart in the bullpens of the Cubs and Cards. Anita Kerr backed up nearly every hit singer of the 60s and also made a fortune singing jingles for commercial products and radio stations. Sutter and Ms. Kerr passed away last week at ages 69 and 94 respectively.

With baseball’s Fall Classic scheduled to begin next week, this note from the 5:05 Newsletter: One of the best things about baseball’s World Series is that there are no halftime shows.

Another ESPN moment –saying the Mets were the first team to ever have just one hit in a postseason elimination game – there have been four. The network walked that back by the post-game show. This is what happens when a basically pro-basketball network attempts to cover baseball.

Idle sports thought: Four players who, if their careers ended today, would be first ballot Hall of Famers – Albert Pujlos, Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Four more who will be in the same category in just a few years – Freddie Freeman, Aaron Judge, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper.

It’s never too early to be thinking about the Christmas holiday. December 25 falls on a Sunday this year, so the NFL is moving its games to Saturday. The NBA, inexplicably, has scheduled five games for Sunday – ridiculous.

Fifty years ago the celebrated Mad Magazine hit its zenith with monthly sales of 2.1 million. Today it sells about 82,000 copies per month. What me worry?

Related note: the top five magazines by circulation in the U.S. are Better Homes and Gardens, People, Good Housekeeping, Reader’s Digest and Southern Living.

Our annual DST rant

We begin with a tale of a member of our extended family. His job entails very early hours requiring him to arise at 2:45 in the morning. Guess what he couldn’t do this spring? With all the nonsense of “springing ahead,” he could not set his alarm for 2:45. The hour between 2:00 and 2:59 disappears the second Sunday of March each year. The U.S. Senate unanimously approved a bill called the "Sunshine Protection Act", which was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio. The bill would permanently extend daylight saving time from eight months of the year to the full 12 months. But the measure has not yet been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. So in three weeks, we again upset our inner clocks with this silly twice a year exercise that no one wants.

NEXT UP: Outdoor cocktails; Lunch with Jon, Joe & Bob; Elitists

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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.

It only took 5 days for the attacks to begin

We are a bit surprised it took so long – five days before the liberal media jumped all over Gov. Ron DeSantis for his response to Hurricane Ian. Seems he finally tired of answering the same dumb question for the 50^th time - “Why didn’t he and other officials order an evacuation earlier?” and snapped back with the answer that every weather person in Florida was predicting a Tampa Bay landfall – not southwest Florida. Then there was the whack job on last Tuesday’s editorial page who doesn’t think DeSantis should look to Washington for help and somehow links it all to abortion issues – all the while ignoring the fact that Florida is a massive contributor state (taxes outflowing versus money inflowing). The guy has done a hell of a job and our only surprise is that it took the liberal press led by our own Tampa Bay Half Truths all of five days to rush to the attack.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Another good run, but the local’s bats went cold at the wrong time. That happens to many teams who face the Cleveland pitching staff. Certainly one of the greatest games in post season history, if (to quote Dwayne Statts) not the outcome.

A Rave goes to the Tampa Bay Bucs for donating $1 million to the relief effort in Southwest Florida. While all of us cannot match those numbers, you can kick in a few bucks at your next checkout at Publix. And thanks to them for their $1 million contribution and providing a conduit for the rest of us. Oh, related to our lead article, didn’t see any mention of our local newspaper chipping in with any relief dollars.

Our friend TL, quoting a very reliable source, tells us it takes about 300 local law enforcement officers to cover a Presidential visit. Hope you enjoyed your southwest Florida junket Joe. What a massive waste of needed resources.

The circus continues in St. Pete – this time to replace Council person Lisa Wheeler-Bowman, who most recently was caught living outside the district she is supposed to represent – the latest in a series of follies including playing fast and loose with campaign funds in her first try for office.

Help us with the math. October is gas tax (about a quarter a gallon) free month in Florida, yet prices are as high or higher than they were on September 30.

Answer: Lyndon B. Johnson. Question: who was the only Senate Majority Leader to later become President of the United States?

Asking for a friend: how many corners in the Tampa Bay area have a Walgreens on one corner and a CVS across the street?

From the peerless 5:05 Newsletter:” I tried to Google Martha's Vineyard today and got redirected to Grapevine, Texas.”

This week in 1915 (October 12) the Ford Motor Company manufactures its one millionth automobile. (More on Ford below).

Sports, media and other stuff:

Borrowed from another blog: “Over the last six months, I’ve watched every episode of the Bachelor/Bachelorette, Love Is Blind, Ultimatum and Love Island UK with my girlfriend to justify how much football I’m going to watch in the next five months.”

Hard to imagine, but Jackson State coach Deion Sanders’ name is being tossed around as a potential replacement at one of the five (and there will be more) Division I schools already looking for a new head coach. Could Georgia Tech be a fit?

Related: Wisconsin dumps head coach Paul Chryst despite a 67-26 career record at a school that isn’t exactly Alabama or Georgia – or even Ohio State or Michigan.

The Seattle Mariners are back in the playoffs after a long drought. How long? Between Mariner’s playoff appearances every team in every major sport (MLB, NFL, NHL and the NBA) has made a playoff appearance.

Tony LaRussa is generally considered one of the smartest managers in the last half century. His only failing was (to paraphrase Bacharach-David) not knowing when to leave. The USF grad’s return to the White Sox was ill-fated, partly due to health issues. Now he steps away already a Hall of Famer.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you own a copy of No Small Feat, a neat recipe book published by The Silver Sisters, a group founded in 1978 and devoted to finding loving homes for adoptive children.

Ford does it again

The F-150 pickup truck has managed to keep the Ford Motor Company in business for the past couple decades. It outsells its closest competition by about a quarter million units per year. More importantly, Ford has not managed to mess it up – yet. The company has had some notorious missteps in its history – beginning, of course, with the 1950s Edsel debacle. Its most successful car of the 50s was the Thunderbird, which they managed to turn into a monstrosity by the mid-70s. Their neat retro T-Bird of the early 2000s was too little, too late and the model went away in 2006. Now, perhaps the most successful Ford nameplate of all time, the Mustang, has been turned into a nondescript electric car that looks like about two dozen other vanilla vehicles. It’s a tragedy for car enthusiasts – and priced at over $70,000 to boot. What would Lee Iacocca think? If you’re lucky enough to own what used to be a Mustang – hang on to it.

NEXT UP: Sock drawer; Mad Magazine; No halftime show

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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.

These things are real

We can watch in abstract when storms like Ian pound Caribbean islands. This past week, we got a dose of reality. It is going to take years to bring southwest Florida back to normal. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay continues to live a charmed existence with minor damage, few power outages and a quick return to normalcy. We were, in a word, lucky.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

While Duke Energy customers in the bay area were lucky, Spectrum customers not so much. Channeling Floyd Patterson in his famous Sonny Liston fight, Spectrum’s internet service went down early (Wednesday morning) and remained out in many areas for over 48 hours, making you realize how much you depend on the internet and how important a reliable service is.

One casualty of the storm was Charlie Crist’s gubernatorial campaign. While Charlie was spouting campaign rhetoric, Governor Ron DeSantis was looking very gubernatorial, if not presidential, in his handling of the crisis.

Somewhat frustrating (and downright scary) were FEMA chief’s Deanne Criswell’s comments that there has not been a serious storm on the west coast in a hundred years. We would invite this New Yorker to review the results of Charlie, Jeanne and even 2017’s Irma.

The city of Clearwater got some great publicity when the Weather Channel stationed meteorologist Paul Goodloe on Clearwater Beach during the storm. In addition to solid reporting, there was a lot of extolling the great things about Clearwater. Thanks Paul!

An approaching hurricane brings up mentions of the Waffle House index. An acquaintance told us we had to try a Waffle House to understand all this. We did – once.

A Rave goes to the Social Security Administration. With the threat of a disruptive storm and realizing many people rely on those monthly checks, the SSA issued them early so folks could stock up on groceries, gas and other essentials.

Fast approaching is Clearwater’s premier fall event – Jazz Holiday, October 14-16 at BayCare (Phillies) Park featuring 10 acts over the three days plus fireworks on Saturday night.

Speaking of the Phillies Park, why in the world wasn’t some sort of commemorative object placed in the park to honor Clearwater’s father of baseball and former MLB pitcher Jack Russell for whom the Phils’ original home was named?

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (Oct. 1, 2017) A recent study valued the University of Florida Gator football program as a franchise at $682 million. FSU’s gridiron organization came in at $385 million. Which would you want – Gators at 682, Noles at 385 or the Miami Marlins at $1.3 billion?

Sports, media and other stuff:

We tip our cap to the World Champion Atlanta Braves for accepting an invitation to The White House last week from a low life who did everything in his power to steal last year’s All-Star Game from Atlanta. Biden’s freak show of a press secretary took the occasion to suggest they change their 100-year-old name – way to class it up. The Braves are much more forgiving than they should be.

Sidebar: Gerry Callahan, host of "The Gerry Callahan Show," shared a similar opinion, writing, "Every time I look [at] my disappearing 401K, I think, ‘Damn, we really have to do something about the name of the frigging baseball team in Atlanta.’”

We’re sorry to see Don Mattingly relinquish his post with the Miami Marlins – simply a great baseball man as a player and manager.

Oddity: When the Washington Nationals traded stars Juan Soto and Josh Bell, they called up 30-year-old journeyman Joey Meneses. Since the trade, Meneses has more extra base hits than Bell and Soto combined.

It was 75 years ago this week (1947) that the first pinch hit home run was hit in the World Series. Fittingly, it was one of the greatest clutch hitters in the postseason to do it – Yogi Berra.

Football news: NFL to drop the Pro-Bowl and not a decade too late.

The baseball playoffs are barely underway and the NBA exhibition season is beginning this week with the Atlanta Hawks playing the Milwaukee Bucks in Abu Dhabi – no we’re serious – Abu Dhabi!

Baseball: now the rubber hits the road

As the Atlanta Braves proved last year, you can now toss away all you think you knew based on the regular season. It’s a new season, but it sure is hard to bet against the Dodgers – hard to bet against - yes, root against - no. Earlier in the year, we thought it would be what we used to call a subway series - Dodgers and the Yanks, but the pinstripes have faded somewhat down the stretch and Houston should get a chance to avenge a series loss from last year – but they won’t. The rest of our seeding: Mets, Braves, Yanks, Rays, Blue Jays, Cards, Mariners, Padres, Phils and Cleveland. Please do not wager any serious money based on these predictions!

NEXT UP: Rule by the elite; Five for the Hall; Authenticator code

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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.

Another win for Pinellas lifetime politicians

Sadly, a referendum question concerning term limits for Pinellas County Commissioners will not be on the November ballot. The organization, Friends of Pinellas, fell short in gathering the 55,000 signatures needed to have it considered. We hope this group will keep the band together and shoot for the next general election where they will have more time than the compressed window they had this year after the Pinellas Commission turned down a ballot initiative by a 4-3 vote. The irony of all of this is that the electorate years ago overwhelmingly approved a referendum calling for term limits, but some fancy legal dancing by the commission killed off the will of the electorate. This latest setback shouldn’t be the end, and we hope Friends of Pinellas will be successful down the road making Pinellas join virtually every other major county in the state to eliminate “commissioners for life”.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Leading analysts are warning of a possible worldwide recession, yet the Biden brain trust continues to crank up interest rates. Does this not remind you more and more of the Carter years?

Last Wednesday’s local paper front page – four articles, two of them attack pieces on our Governor - pretty much what we can expect between now and November 8.

Related thought: we sure miss the straight forward journalism of The Tampa Tribune.

With all the focus on Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last week, we overlooked the 75^th Anniversary of the United States Air Force – keep ‘em flying!

Our friend TL, who unlike us had a real job in the USAF, wonders if there is such a thing as a national day for white, straight, American males. Our research to this point indicates there isn’t.

Dan Rather (remember him?) and other liberals seem to be alarmed that CNN’s reporting is very slowly drifting towards the middle. That’s something to cheer about.

Number of the week: $10 per American citizen or $3.24 billion. That’s the annual TV advertising budget of General Motors – and they are only the fifth largest TV spender. The largest is Progressive followed closely by GEICO and, we can only assume, Morgan and Morgan.

Speaking of GM, don’t get all excited about that $7500 electric car tax credit floating around. It has so many ifs, ands & buts, it doesn’t apply to most deals. Talk with your accountant before you plunge on an electric car.

This week in 1962 (October 1) The King of late night, Johnny Carson, debuts as the third host of the Tonight Show. He would host the late night landmark for thirty years.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Milestone: You feared he wouldn’t make it in a part time role, but you prayed he would. Albert Pujols goes deep twice to become the fourth 700 home run hitter in history – the third without an asterisk.

Answer Tracy Stallard. The Question, with all the focus on Aaron Judge, who gave up Roger Maris’ 61^st homer?

Things are returning to what the state’s football fans consider normal with both UF and Miami in the Top 25 and FSU knocking on the door.

With the NFL underway, this thought from the 5:05 Newsletter: The Washington Football Team changed its name from “Redskins” to “Commanders.” Along with the new name, the team announced a brand new mascot: General George Custer.

Answer: Jameis Winston. Question: who leads the NFL in interceptions per game started? (94 interceptions in 79 starts). But hey, he finally figured out how to get a pass to a Buc!

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember the four items on the original Kapok Tree menu in 1958. They were Baked Ham, Broiled Steak, Fried Chicken and Shrimp.

MLB: Money can’t buy me love

First an apology to the Beatles; now an exercise we like to pursue each year. In last fall’s MLB playoffs, seven of the upper half on the payroll scale made the postseason. They were the Dodgers, Astros, Giants, White Sox, Cardinals, Red Sox and the Yankees. That means eight of the big spenders didn’t make it. That would be the Mets, Angels, Padres, Nationals, Phillies, Rockies, Cubs and Reds who failed to qualify. While the Mets, Padres and maybe the Phils will make it this year, the Giants, White Sox and Red Sox won’t. To us, the good news is that three teams in the lower half of the spending list made the show last year. That, of course, would be our Rays, plus the Brewers and the eventual World Series champion Braves (who this year creeped into the top 15 payrolls). That’s 20 percent of the lower 15 clubs in payroll. We’d like to see more, but at least we can take comfort in that over fifty percent of the big spenders found that money alone can’t buy them love (a playoff spot).

UP NEXT: Jazz Holiday; MLB Playoffs; More St. Pete follies

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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.

Belleair Road: whose road is it?

The answer to the headline is complicated. In a sentence or two, when it comes to tax dollars, Clearwater, Largo and Pinellas County all want a piece of the action. When it comes to badly needed traffic calming and strict enforcement, Belleair Road is an orphan. The tragic death of 15-year-old Ethan Weiser is the latest incident that demands action on this dangerous road. So far, the reaction from local officials has been particularly cavalier. One heartless individual, Whit Blanton the executive director of Pinellas’ transportation board (Forward Pinellas), said “So when they (fatal accidents) can happen here, they can happen anywhere." Not a good response at all. Everybody who lives near Belleair Road or is forced to transverse it, needs to become a very squeaky wheel in Clearwater, Largo and Pinellas County officials’ emails and telephones. The message is if you want the tax dollars from the neighborhoods around this road, start earning them!

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Imagine illegal aliens in Martha’s Vineyard – oh, the humanity! Okay for the unwashed here in Florida and elsewhere to be stuck with them and their upkeep, but not Martha’s Vineyard! Terrific move Governor Ron.

We’re a little slow, so help us understand Charlie Crist’s latest commercial that tells us the high price of gas and food is Governor DeSantis’ fault.

Talk about a growth industry. Terry Gilliam of Sacramento has two Facebook sites – Leaving California and Life after California. To date, he has just short of a quarter million followers.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor recently signed an executive order making Juneteenth a day off with pay for its 2500 city employees.

If you had an unsolvable problem with your boat’s diesel engine, the man you called was John Brock, a magician with diesels. The longtime Clearwater resident passed away last week in his adoptive Andrews, NC. John was 80.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (Sept. 18, 2017) Hurricane Irma hits Florida - all in all, an incredible display of people looking out for each other, showing extreme patience in gas lines and taking time to thank our first responders for their extra hours and extraordinary service - a shining hour for our area and our state.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Congressional insider news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Young Democrats in the House of Representatives say they will no longer support Nancy Pelosi for any leadership position in the House. A confidential source says that he has not seen Pelosi this mad since a house fell on her sister and she couldn’t recover the ruby slippers.

CFB Week Two = Upset City with four of the top 12, including the Gators falling. The Gators were one of three teams to lose to another Top 25 team (Kentucky).

It didn’t take former UCF coach Scott Frost long to realize the Big Ten isn’t the American Athletic Conference where your season ending game is 2-10 USF rather than 10-4 Iowa. It took Nebraska a little over three years to realize they made a mistake.

The year-old Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille in Gainesville is already the fifth busiest restaurant in the state of Florida – 320,000 dinners served and counting.

As the season starts, our NFL trifecta against the field – Bills, Bucs and Chiefs. And when was the last time the Patriots and Steelers were ranked 18 and 19 going into a season?

Factoid: The Baltimore Orioles, fourth in the AL East, would be leading the AL Central by two games, probably more given the level of competition they face in the East.

You’ve lived in the bay area (or anywhere else) a long time if you remember when you could only get the batting averages in the Sunday sports section.

The nominations are underway for this year’s selection to the Toys Hall of Fame. One of the nominees is the top. One would think with over six dozen toys already in the Hall of Fame, the top would be there. In December, we’ll do our annual feature on the Toys Hall of Fame.

Two television classics

Fifty years ago this week on back to back nights, CBS unveiled two shows that would become part of broadcast history – M*A*S*H and The Bob Newhart Show. We, of course, we had heard of M*A*S*H. It was a 1968 movie that gained critical acclaim and an Academy Award for best adapted screen play. Only one of the actors from the movie, Gary Burghoff’s Radar made it to the small screen, but the newly assembled cast of Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson and Loretta Swit did quite well, thank you. And the show, remarkably, would survive several major cast changes over its 11-year run. As for Newhart, we all knew him as a successful stand-up comic, but little did we realize his deadpan style would play so well on TV – both on the original Chicago-based show which ran six seasons and, later, as the Vermont innkeeper Newhart which would run an additional eight seasons and may have had the most outstanding finale in TV history. One weekend in 1972 - two sensational shows!

UP NEXT: Lifetime politicians; Kapok Tree; Retiring numbers

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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.

Singing the restaurant blues

As we’ve noted in this space before, your Humble Blogger and Saintly Wife dine out quite frequently. It is one of the few indulgences we allow ourselves. We tend to frequent the same restaurants often – good food, reasonable prices, friendships we’ve established with other diners and wonderful wait staffs – almost like family. Here is a list of three restaurants where you will never find us - Black Pearl, The Living Room and Sonder Social. The owners of these three dining establishments have chosen to attach a 20 percent service fee to each meal. This is incredibly wrong on two fronts. While 20 percent (or more) is fair for good to excellent service, there are those rare times where the service simply doesn’t rate anything more than the standard 15% tip. More egregious is the restaurants’ cutting servers’ pay by almost 900%. – from $8.00 to the dollar an hour we were making when we started working in the early 1960s. The owners can spin this anyway they like, but it’s just a dodge to get around minimum wage requirements. One last note, if you cannot afford to tip your server in proportion to their service, you probably should eat at home, but certainly not the three restaurants listed above.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Was there ever a more admired woman in this world than Queen Elizabeth II? With a tear, we say goodbye to the woman who ruled Great Britain most of every living persons’ life.

Senator Elizabeth Warren says that Joe Biden’s $300 billion student loan giveaway is “very popular”. Yes, very popular with deadbeats – not so much with responsible Americans.

You knew this was coming – as more and more employees continue to work from home, commercial office buildings are struggling to find tenants with some falling into foreclosure.

What if we did Presidents like we do hurricanes? The next one up would be a name beginning with D, followed by I and Q. (There are nine letters in all that have not been the beginning letter in a President’s name, the most curious being S which is such a common letter).

Answer: Richard Nixon (and yes, we know there are many punchlines here). The question is who is the last President to have more than one Vice-President during his term of office?

The 5:05 Newsletter reports: The Biden administration is offering to trade convicted Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout to Russia in exchange for Paul Whelan who was convicted of espionage, WNBA star Brittney Griner … and a spy to be named later. Reportedly the swap is being delayed because Bout has a “No Trade” Clause.

This week in 1893(September13) , the first gasoline-powered car debuts in Springfield, Mass.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Coming soon to golden arches near you? It’s a chicken Big Mac now being test marketed in Miami and a few other locations. McDonald’s folks are pretty optimistic about the new sandwich.

Sports Factoid: The Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, Mets and Padres each have payrolls larger than Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Oakland and Baltimore combined.

The Mets are a lock for the playoffs and quite possibly the Eastern Division Championship. The reason for their success can be explained in two words – Buck Showalter who finally stabilized things after about five years of their dugout being a clown college.

You’ve followed baseball a long time when you remember you only saw uniform numbers like 65, 77 and 83 in spring training.

Idle thought: We don’t know why we hang on to it, but we still have a token for the Sand Key Bridge from back when it was a toll bridge.

You’ve lived in the Bay Area (or anywhere else) for a long time if you remember the windows of car dealers being papered over about this time of year in anticipation of the unveiling of that year’s new models – when all new models were released in the Fall.

The language barrier

We tire of constantly reading the phrase (Such and such a Hispanic/Oriental MLB superstar) said such and such through an interpreter. Making a minimum of $700,000 a year and having November through mid-February off, one would think these ballplayers would have the cash and the time to invest in Rosetta Stone or hire a tutor. We might understand a rookie struggling with the language along with all else he needs to deal with in the majors, but to see a guy who has been in the show for 3-4 years still relying on an interpreter is ridiculous. In other nations, Germany comes to mind, you must be able to speak the language in order to hold a job. Things need to change – and all of this shouldn’t fall on the player, Major League Baseball needs to step up and help its players to be comfortable in the country where they spend over half the year.

NEXT UP: Here’s Johnny; The Kapok Tree; Politicians for life

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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.

Student loans could factor big in the midterms

We’ve heard endlessly about how the Supreme Court’s pro-life decision and the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago will affect the midterm elections. May we offer up another item that will play large in November – Biden’s proposed get out of jail free card to people with student loan obligations. The proposal, so far panned on both sides of the aisle, calls for a $10,000 forgiveness for any obligation of a person with an income of under $125,000. The problem is other people with incomes under $125,000 will be paying for this $300 billion largesse. So it’s not debt forgiveness, but debt transfer to you and me. It’s just another attempt by Biden to buy votes and much worse, an abject lesson on avoiding responsibility for our actions. There’s no surprise that many Democratic candidates in November are walking away from this as fast as they can. Meanwhile, Republicans can scarcely conceal their glee in having this talking point for the working stiff who’s paying the tab for others’ irresponsibility.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related to our lead article, while we doubt it will happen, we can abide by Gov. DeSantis’ suggestion that colleges take the hit for “tuition relief”. They certainly benefited more from the loans than Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer.

Let’s see if we understand this – if we don’t support Joe Biden, then we (which according to polls is better than half of America) are a threat to democracy.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged a sizeable campaign contribution to the Charlie Crist for Governor Campaign. Need we know more?

Idle thought: Again this election cycle, our party of choice has nominated such a displeasing individual (actually two) on our ballot that we will not be accused of voting a straight party ticket in November.

Wish we had thought of this years ago – an app on your kid’s phone (which most likely you’re paying for) that locks their phone if they don’t return a call from you within an hour.

A follow up to last month’s 20^th Century Presidential luncheon – three 19^th Century Presidents with whom we would like to do lunch. In alphabetical (and chronological) order: Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.

Encouraging employment news from the 5:05 Newsletter: A new report is predicting a 0% unemployment rate by the year 2026, as every American will be working for the IRS and be hard at work auditing other American citizens who work for the IRS.

This week in1916 (Sept. 6) the first American supermarket, a Piggly Wiggly, opens in Memphis, Tennessee.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Lee Thomas was part of the Clearwater scene for nearly a decade as the well-respected General Manager of the Philadelphia Phils – this following a successful career as a left handed power hitter in the majors. Lee passed away last week at age 87.

The runaway train that is the quest for a USF football stadium continues – for a team that has won seven games in the past three years - your tuition and tax dollars being foolishly spent.

Related; Here’s how Florida teams stack up in the first seasonal poll: Miami (17); UCF (29); Florida (36); FSU (43); Florida Atlantic (100); USF (114); and Florida International (127) out of the 131 ranked teams. More on this below.

If you wanted a baseball quiniela that would have made you rich, you would have bet that on Sept. 1 the Orioles would be two games out of the playoffs and that the major leagues’ winningest pitcher (17) would be the Braves’ Kyle Wright.

Love the guy, but we find the choice of MLB commentator Mark DeRosa to manage Team USA in the World Baseball Classic a bit curious – along with Ken Griffey, Jr. and Andy Pettitte, both coaching novices, as part of his staff.

You have to wonder about the sagacity of credit card marketing folks when you receive multiple offers to apply for a card you already have.

Pick Six

The top six ranked college football programs going into the season are (1) Alabama (marking the 15^th year in a row they have been ranked #1 at least one week). Following the Tide is Ohio State (2); reigning national champ Georgia (3); numbers 4 and 5 Clemson and Notre Dame; at #6 is former FSU coach Jimbo Fisher’s Texas A&M Aggies. Why are these six teams significant? Because since the college playoffs began, no team outside the pre-season top six has ever won the national championship. So, if you’re a betting person, obtain whatever odds you can get and take the above half dozen against the field.

UP NEXT: Belleair Road; 2 days, 2 great shows; Juneteenth

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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.

Post primary thoughts

Florida’s primary election is in the books with few surprises. Charlie Crist’s margin of victory (60-35%) might be surprising. Frankly, we thought local guy Kevin Hayslett might have done better in the GOP US House District 13 against Anna Luna (if indeed, that is her real last name) who comes to us via California and Utah with a somewhat sketchy background. Hayslett may have jumped into the race a bit too late. Hope we’ll hear from him again. The school board races in Pinellas still leave us with a rather weak board despite one or two upgrades. Statewide, it appears Florida will again have an agriculture commissioner who actually works in agriculture as Nikki Fried goes back to shilling for marijuana interests, her political career pretty much done. We get a brief respite (as will you on these pages) before we are assaulted with nasty DeSantis-Crist and Rubio-Demings ads, not to mention local races.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

We remember a similar drama several years back where BayCare and United Healthcare got into a spitting contest (this time it is Blue Cross). This is where people’s health is being jeopardized by greed; a regulatory agency needs to step in and protect folks who count on their medical insurance plans.

The print media continues to blame their woes on everybody but themselves. Their latest outcry is against “big tech” that is winning the lion’s share of the advertising buck. The truth of the matter is print is a dying medium coupled with the fact that most major dailies lack the public’s trust.

Related note: after reading The Times run up to last Tuesday’s primary, we wonder if anyone on their staff is capable of writing a factual news story without a bunch of innuendo and half-truths. Sadly, no.

Three 20^th Century U.S. Presidents we would have loved to had lunch with: Ronald Reagan, FDR and Harry Truman.

Put a COVID mask on him and a pair of those aviator sunglasses and our friend TL looks amazingly like Joe Biden – just without the cognitive issues.

From the 5:05 Newsletter: The economy is so bad in Los Angeles that parents in Beverly Hills have had to fire their nannies and learn their children's names.

This week in 1905(August 30) Rookie centerfielder Ty Cobb makes his major league debut for the Detroit Tigers. He would be one of the first five players inducted into the Hall of Fame 31 years later.

Sports, media and other stuff:

My fellow Braves fan, Gary, and I are wondering why Marcell Ozuna is still wearing a Braves uniform.

Baseball factoid: Twenty five years ago, seven position players pitched in blowout games. This year, it’s 75 and counting. As retired pitching guru Leo Mazzone says that’s cheating the fan who pays big bucks to see baseball’s best.

Last week, Pittsburgh Pirates rookie shortstop Oneil Cruz hit a ball that traveled a record 122.4 miles per hour. The only other place you’ll find anything that fast is NASCAR.

Public Service Announcement: The New Balance 608 sneaker which may be one of the most popular styles in the world (at least for old people according to our daughter) is suddenly in short supply everywhere. But our son managed to track down a pair for his Mom at Bealls – and on sale to boot!

Idle thought: there are few more enjoyable things in the world than a morning coffee klatch or intimate breakfast group.

Factoid: Nat King Cole, Roy Clark and Burl Ives all were singers, but they also were Freemasons, the secretive group whose membership in the last sixty years has dwindled from over four million to just fewer than 900,000.

MLB’s home stretch

The baseball playoff races are all but decided. Each league now gets six spots. In the National League, there are only seven teams with a realistic chance to qualify, so only one team will be left behind, most likely the second place team in the Central Division or the third place team in the East – either the Brewers or Phils as it stands now. In the American League, there is hope for nine teams with three staying at home. This last month is going to fun with the nine AL teams all within three games of the playoffs. Right now, it’s pretty sure the Yanks and Astros will get first round byes in the new playoff system with the Dodgers and either the Braves or Mets getting the first round off in the National League. Stay tuned.

NEXT UP: Pick six; Midterm talking point; New phone app

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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.

Ron for President?

For many of you, the primaries in Florida will be over by the time you read this and we’ll opine on them next week. This week, we look at the growing phenomenon that is the DeSantis for President movement. The three-term U.S. Representative and current Governor actually leads most “if not Trump” polls. And, of more importance, he captured our prestigious TBRR Focus Group poll a few months back (see disclaimer above). His first priority, of course, is to beat his Democratic challenger in November. If he accomplishes that, the Ron for President chatter should increase in volume. He represents an alternative for the “anybody but Trump” wing of the Republican Party. But will he run? We say probably yes as the window for him won’t ever be larger. And telling is DeSantis’ continuing to dodge questions about supporting Trump in 2024. Can he beat Trump if the Donald runs? The answer to that one is a bit dicey, but we have a year or so for things to sort themselves out for Governor Ron.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Another misstep for Clearwater city manager Jon Jennings in attempting to walk back a long standing agreement between the city and the PSTA to build a much needed new transportation hub at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Court Street. The city council unanimously overruled Jennings with Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard saying communications between Jennings and the council, “sucked.”

It appears that the answer to Florida’s teacher shortage lies in the middle of the country where the contract between the teachers union and the Minneapolis school district specifies that White teachers will be laid off before teachers of color, regardless of their seniority. Hey teachers, while Minneapolis might have a surplus, we have plenty of openings and the climate, in all ways, is a heck of a lot better!

Idle question: does anybody look good in this Mar-a-Lago mess?

Related note: we’re not sure there will be the “massive backlash” in the mid-terms over the FBI raid that Trump predicts, but it still doesn’t look good for Democrats (or as we and others predicted, Liz Cheney) seeking or defending seats in Congress.

Military news from the 5:05 Newsletter: China launched a new aircraft carrier last month. It is the first to be designed and built entirely by the Chinese. The flight deck includes two Panda Express restaurants, two dry cleaners, a massage parlor and a Nike shoe factory.

This week in 1904 (August 23) the automobile tire chain is patented. Sales have been sparse in the bay area over the years.

Sports, media and other stuff:

We wish belated Happy 95^th birthdays to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter (August 18) and to one of the neatest people we know, our friend Jimmy Stinchcomb (August 15).

So what’s up with all the Tom Brady drama?

The Florida Gators kick off their season in a of couple weeks. Then comes basketball in a season of big changes for UF with new head coaches Billy Napier and Todd Golden taking over the school’s two biggest athletic programs.

We never hear him because he doesn’t travel to Florida, but Phils’ PA announcer Dan Baker has worked for the club for 50 years, and it’s estimated he has announced the name of 20 percent of all players in history. By the way, the local Phils’ PA announcer is Don Guckian who just hung up the mic after 31 years dating back to Jack Russell Stadium.

We hate to see a good baseball man like Chris Woodward dismissed from the Texas Rangers – another case of the manager taking the fall for front office missteps. But there was sweet justice two days later when their head of baseball ops, Jon Daniels, also walked the plank.

The Atlanta Braves may not repeat as World Champs this year, but you have to like their chances in the years ahead. They just locked up super rookie Michael Harris II for eight years. He joins first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and right fielder Ronald Acuna, Jr. as stars under contract for five years or more.

Idle thought: Remember the show The Six Million Dollar Man? Nowadays, that’s the price of a utility infielder.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you ever ate at the lunch counter in Woolworth’s on Cleveland Street.

The chronicler of American history

One of those moments of absolute bliss we recall was sitting in the glassed-in lobby of a hotel in Alaska with a hot chocolate, an incredible view of Mt. McKinley outside and an excellent book in our hands. The book, our companion on the Alaska trip, was David McCullough’s John Adams. It was just the kind of book you wanted by your side on such a journey, but then McCullough wrote no other kind of book from his biographies of Adams, TR and Harry Truman to landmark events like the building of the Panama Canal and the Brooklyn Bridge. McCullough, who died last week at age of 89, was a master story teller of the American experience.

NEXT UP: Primary results; MLB Update; Lunch for three

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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.

There’s no place like home

The Tampa Bay area has its warts. Our transportation system (both mass transit and highways) is second rate, we’re building indiscriminately and our schools have more than a little trouble. But when you compare it to other metro areas, it is paradise. Portland, in that gem of a blue state, has an unbelievable homeless situation with the homeless invading neighborhoods and city government doing little. Washington DC, with a population a quarter million less than Pinellas County has a jail twice its size – and they need it. Violent crime in our nation’s capital is up 20 percent in the last year. In Chicago, well suffice to say, it is simply a broken city with an out of control mayor and a totally dysfunctional school system along with an unemployment rate ranking fourth highest among US metro areas. And then there’s California. Warts and all, we’ll take Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

A Rave to Clearwater High School - they have enhanced their recent renovations with some very attractive landscaping.

Thought of the week from financial planning guru Craig Phillips: Many times, consumers and the person-on-the-street recognize that the U.S. economy has entered a recession long before the economists get around to declaring it.

Our friend TL asks what the FBI is going to do with the blouse they confiscated from Melania Trump’s closet. Hoover’s dead.

San Diego Padres’ star Fernando Tatis, Jr. has been suspended for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Unfortunately, Joe Biden wasn’t.

So Charlie, when you ran one of your many campaigns just a few years back, you defined yourself as pro-life. Now, in your most recent campaign, your ads portray you as pro-abortion. We can only surmise each position was the most convenient at the time.

Idle election thought: You hate to see candidates waste money with mailers to your home when you voted three weeks ago. It is easy to obtain voting records from the election’s office on a daily basis.

With the local primaries coming up next week, this advice from the 5:05 Newsletter: “Want to get out of your next traffic ticket? Tell the cop you don’t have any ID on you because you are on your way to vote.”

This week in 1939 (August 17) the musical film “The Wizard of Oz” opens at Loews Capitol Theater in New York City.

Sports, media and other stuff:

If Not For You, Let Me Be There, Xanadu and so much more – the legacy of the great Olivia Newton-John who passed away last week at age 73.

With football season less than a month away, this great note on Iowa football: One of college football’s best traditions is getting even better. Iowa will have weekly kid captains choose the song that plays as nearly 70,000 fans turn and wave to patients at the UI Children’s Hospital before each home game.

In shocking sports news, Alabama is ranked #1 in the USA Today pre-season football poll. Miami (#19) is the only Florida team ranked.

A Rave to the NBA for retiring Celtic legend Bill Russell’s number 6 league-wide.

Factoid: In 2021, sporting events accounted for 75 of the 100 most watched shows on TV as more and more scripted shows move to streaming services.

Numbers of the week: 115 (the average number of baseballs used in a major league game); that translates to 279,450 balls used in a regular season which gives you $7 million, the cost to major league baseball each year – not including spring training, post season and the minor leagues!

As Yadier Molina suits up for the Cardinals, his 22-year career with the same team spans five U.S. presidencies.

“You could have done so much better” – what we and many, many others tell our SW (Saintly Wife) over and over. Nonetheless, this week we thank her for 53 years of pure bliss.

The end of college football as we knew it

We baby boomers can’t imagine what Coach Rockwell and Chip Hilton would have thought about today’s game of college football. If you don’t know who the Coach and Chip were, no problem. But today’s Name Image and Likeness (NIL) collectives are radically changing the sport. The transfer portals are stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey with kids thinking this school (usually one of the Power Five schools) can bring them bigger bucks than good old Louisiana Tech, UCF or South Alabama will. The NCAA is making threatening noises about the situation, but the truth is, they are powerless. For those of you who always thought a free education, room and board were a fair trade for three years of football, welcome to the new reality of free agent college football players.

NEXT UP: Used to be the Mustang; Woolworths; Ron for President?

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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.

2024 Update

Word on the street is Republican leaders are urging Donald Trump not to announce his candidacy for 2024 even if he intends to run – thus making the controversial ex-President less of a talking point for Democrats in the mid-terms. But we all know how well Trump listens to wise counsel. Meanwhile, the hot mess that is the Biden Administration is making the Democratic bidding more interesting. Biden is showing every classic symptom of dementia and would be the ripe old age of 82 if he took office in early 2025, but all of America prays for his good health over the next two and a half years – if for no other reason than the train wreck that would replace him if he became unable to govern. And veteran political observer Dick Morris says we haven’t heard the last of Hillary. To recap, Babbling Joe, the Donald, Hillary or Kamala. Out of the remaining 332 million Americans, surely we can do much, much better.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is finding having illegal immigrants in her great city is not as much fun as having them at the southern borders. She is asking for National Guard assistance to deal with the same problem Southern mayors have been dealing with since the beginning of the Biden administration.

In a related note, the first busload of illegals from Texas arrived in New York City Friday. Enjoy!

As the midterms and the primaries draw closer and closer, more and more Democrats faced with tough races are distancing themselves from Biden.

Fortune 500 companies are, for the most part, refraining from commenting on federal and state abortion laws – and wisely so. There is no issue in America that will get you in hot water no matter what you say.

We give a rave to Clearwater’s outstanding Creative Contractors for their renovation project at St. Pete High. Nice job on a school that is a twin to the old Clearwater High/Jr. High that was on MLK. Both schools were built in the mid-1920s.

As we head into a new school year, this thought from the 5:05 Newsletter: “Those who can, teach. Those who cannot, pass laws about teaching.”

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (August 6, 2017) You can now get an Uber or Lyft ride at TIA. Most third world airports have offered this for the past five years.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Vin Scully was the voice and spirit of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. More so, he was the voice and spirit of baseball. The sport’s greatest broadcaster, who invited us to “pull up a chair”, died last week at age 94.

It’s a stretch to call a basketball Hall of Famer underrated but that describes Bill Russell who died last week at age 88. LeBron, Magic and Michael may have had higher profiles, but all Bill Russell’s teams did was win – starting with the national champion University of San Francisco team and carrying through the Celtics days.

Lots of baseball stuff this week:

From the 5:05 Newsletter: Washington National’s outfielder Juan Soto rejected the Nationals’ $440 million contract offer. His agent said Soto is waiting to see if the Saudis start their own baseball league. (Ed. Note – actually there is a form of that in America, it’s called the Los Angeles Dodgers).

In case you missed the return for Soto, a member of our Focus Group supplies a partial list: the Padres’ farm system, the San Diego Chicken, Tijuana, La Jolla Beach, Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and an aircraft carrier to be named later.

Forty years ago last week, Joel Youngblood became the first major leaguer to get a hit for two different teams in two different cities on the same day (8/4). He singled in the winning run for the Mets in Chicago and then was traded to the Montreal Expos and got a hit that evening in Philadelphia against the Phils.

Having trouble finding Caffeine-Free Diet Coke? Coke blames supplies of cans with the focus being on their prime brands i.e. good old Coca-Cola and the not so great, in our mind, Coke Zero. Better times are coming according to Coke. (Update: a few 2 liter bottles were found this week at Publix. Update on the update: none on Sat. 8/6).

MLB after the trade deadline

If you’re old enough to remember baseball in the fifties, October nearly always featured the Dodgers and the Yankees. At the two-thirds point in the baseball season, we see no reason why that won’t happen this fall - after all; our ace prognosticator Achmed Walled (pronounced wall-ED) had them both seriously in the hunt. After the Padres snatched up this era’s best hitter, Juan Soto, we still like the above mentioned two teams along with the Astros and Braves over the Padres. After the deadline trades, you can now call the Mariners Cincy West. They pick up Reds ace Luis Castillo after acquiring the bats of former Reds Eugenio Suarez and Jess Winker in spring training. And two teams you can pretty well count out are the Giants and Red Sox. In addition to their perilous positions, neither team can catch the ball. Meanwhile, our local nine are hanging by a thread to the last wild card spot with Cleveland, the White Sox and, surprisingly, the Orioles in the mix.

UP NEXT: No place like home; CHS; U of Iowa

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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.

Our roads the latest victim of Bidenflation

Last week, our lead article dealt with the squeeze local lawmakers are faced with economically. Getting more specific, road project bids across the nation are coming in at an average of 33% above budget – some as high as 80 percent over projections. This is causing many bids to be rejected or moved to another fiscal year. It’s a Hobson’s choice for lawmakers – either raise gas taxes which typically fund road projects or shelve all but urgently needed contracts. The core problems are the price of fuel, materials plus labor shortages, all of which is going to lead to fewer orange cones here and elsewhere in the near future.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

TV viewers suffered a great loss with the cancellation by TBS of Samantha Bee’s show Full Frontal. Please see our disclaimer at the top. TBS cited the pursuit of a "new programming strategy." We presume that new strategy would be decency.

Economic news: Walmart shares are plunging after the nation’s biggest retailer lowered its profit forecast and said “surging inflation on basics like food that is making shoppers cut back.” It has nothing to do with lousy service, junky stores and dishonest employees.

Starbucks is having its own set of problems with no sale and shoplifting visitors whom they empowered. They are closing many stores in blue state cities like LA, DC, Portland and Seattle.

Our friend TL wonders why every liberal in Washington from the White House on down is bragging about the suddenly lower gas prices when they are still nearly double the price when Biden took office ($2.14).

Judicial news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer officially retired last month and was replaced by Ketanji Brown. Justice Brown said she is looking forward to serving on the Court and has already begun crafting dissenting opinions. 

This week in 1923 (August 3) Calvin Coolidge is sworn in as President after the death of Warren G. Harding.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Sports oddity: Juan Soto and Ronald Acuna, Jr., arguably the two best young outfielders in baseball, are, at this writing, hitting .243 and .259 respectively.

We’ll do an after the trade deadline recap next week, but one of the feel good stories in baseball is the vast improvement of the Baltimore Orioles, at this writing just three games out of a wild card spot. They may not make the playoffs, but will have a say in who does.

Thinking back a couple years to when then President Donald Trump contracted the Covid virus; the media coverage was a bit different than when our current chief executive fell victim to it last week.

The venerable Varsity Restaurant in Atlanta is weighing a location change as its site near Georgia Tech becomes more and more valuable. But for now at the landmark that dates back to 1928, it will still be “What’ll ya have?”

Speaking of eats, 55 years ago this month the McDonald’s Big Mac debuted in Baltimore at the princely sum of 45 cents.

We wish a happy 79^th birthday to USF alum Kent LaVoie. Recording under the name Lobo, he was an international hit maker with Top 10 songs like You and Me and a Dog Named Boo, I’d Love You to Want Me and Don’t Expect Me to be Your Friend. 

In the same breath, we mourn the passing of Tony Dow, a staple on early 60s TV as brother Wally on Leave It to Beaver. Tony was 77.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (July 30, 2017) TIA’s renovation includes new trams to get folks around – built in Japan. Less than 90 miles away is one of the world’s busiest and most efficient tram systems (Disney World) all built in North America.

All the expertise money can buy

There was an interesting article in the Athletic (for the uninitiated, it’s an online publication for sports geeks). The article dealt with the opinion of sports economist Andrew Zimbalist that the Battery complex that surrounds the Atlanta Brave’s Truist Park is a boon to the economy of Cobb County which is home to the Braves. For what it’s worth, another economist from nearby Kennesaw State University strongly disagrees. We remember Mr. Zimbalist quite well. He huffed and puffed two decades ago that a new baseball stadium in Clearwater was a waste of taxpayer money. The economic results after 18 years of use have proven him quite wrong. The difference in Atlanta is the Braves are paying him a handsome sum (exact amount not revealed) for a favorable report. He had little credibility here two decades ago and the trust factor in suburban Atlanta isn’t exactly pegging the meter.

NEXT UP: MLB after the deadline; No buzz Diet Coke; 2024 Update

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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.

Note to local taxing authorities: tighten your belt

It is a good time not to be an elected official. Your constituents have been burned on every economic level. Gas, thanks to the Biden administration, is at an all-time high. We expect “easy financing’ signs to soon appear at the local grocery stores. Property insurance increases of 15 percent and more are common. The last thing stressed out people want is an increase in their property taxes. Yes, we know it’s costing a lot more to fill up those fire trucks and police cars; but in other areas local governments need to hold the line. It means doing the same with less, but that is the challenge every one of your constituents is faced with, and local governments, more than ever, need to step up.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Heads up! Most absentee ballots for this year’s primary were mailed on July 19. If you’ve not yet received it, you should shortly.

We hope Liz Cheney has enjoyed her starring role in the Trump show trial. If the polling numbers in Wyoming are correct, it will be her last hurrah.

In the wake of Roe v Wade, even the White House condemned arson and vandalism at houses of worship "in the strongest possible terms," calling the attacks "despicable" and unlawful while maintaining Americans "must be able to practice their faith without fear." This while liberal outlets call for more protection for abortion clinics which don’t seem to need it.

So tell us AOC, do you usually walk with your hands behind your back?

Factoid: In the last 75 years, the American public has become more jaded about their chief executive. The three highest average favorable ratings for presidents in that period were JFK (70 %)  Ike (65%) and George H.W. Bush (61%). The three lowest ranked were Carter (46 %) and Trump and Biden (41% each).

In this ever changing world, the 5:05 Newsletter reports, “My mortgage identifies as a student loan.”

Related to mortgages, sticker shock is seeing the home you sold for a little under $100,000 twenty five years ago now on the market for just under $600,000.

This week (7/26) in 1776, the United States Post Office is created under our first Postmaster General Benjamin Franklin.

Sports, media and other stuff:

A happy 100^th birthday this week (7/27) to Norman Lear, the guiding light behind All in the Family, Maude, The Jeffersons plus Sanford and Son.

And a belated Happy 84^th birthday to our friend and wellness author Don Ardell who celebrated last week.

Will ex-Giant and Viking tight end Kyle Rudolph be the next Gronk? Probably not, but he will help.

The rest of the baseball world got a look at Sandy Alcántara last week. The Marlins’  hurler, who should have been the NL’s starting pitcher in the All-Star game, cut through three really good hitters in like 10 pitches.

Poor Ryan Weber, the Central Catholic grad was designated for assignment by the Yankees for the third time this year. It’s a numbers game, not performance. He has a 1.17 earned run average in his limited work with the Yanks.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember when you could drive straight down Cleveland Street to the beach – in the last block before the causeway passing Calvary Baptist Church, a Gulf station, a bowling alley and the legendary Bay Drive In.

Toronto situation is ridiculous

Last week, the Kansas City Royals journeyed to Toronto for a four game series minus 10 players from their roster. Those players do not have a Covid vaccination. Earlier, the Phillies were without two members of their starting rotation, their starting catcher and regular third baseman, again because of vaccination issues. What Canada wants to do is fine and dandy, but 29 of 30 teams should not have to play short-handed because of a foreign country’s desires. Major League Baseball needs to step in and find a solution for this competitive disadvantage when American teams need to journey north of the border. That can be ten games with a short roster for the Orioles, Rays, Red Sox and Yankees. MLB requiring Toronto to play their home games in Buffalo would not be too extreme.

UP NEXT: Big Mac; Judge Brown; Road Problems

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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.

SPC school good as far as it goes

St. Petersburg College opens a third school this fall devoted to allowing high school students achieve an associate’s degree while they earn their high school diploma. The emphasis is on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). 150 students will be in the inaugural class. That’s a good thing, but of the three schools offering such a curriculum, two are located in St. Pete and the other in Tarpon Springs. It escapes us as to why such a program is not in mid county at either the Seminole or, even better, the Clearwater Campus of SPC. We can only hope the program will be fast tracked so as to allow such a needed program at both the Clearwater and Seminole campuses of the college.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

It’s become a “he said, she said” situation between the Juvenile Welfare Board and Grace House, the county’s largest homeless shelter for families over funding. JWB withdrew its support despite improvements in deficiencies at Grace House. When it comes to calls like this, the error needs to be on the side of the needy.

The pro-abortion clan never gives up in their efforts to snuff out the lives of the unborn. Now they are looking at a floating abortion clinic in the Gulf outside state territory – presumably anchored right next to a floating casino.

Double barrel inflation news from the Tampa Bay version of the Wall Street Journal, the 5:05 Newsletter: Economists warn today we are on the verge of “shrink-flation.” That’s when products shrink in size but the price stays the same. I noticed it at the store today when I bought a Two Musketeers bar.Inflation continues to rise at the fastest rate since 1981. A quart of milk, a dozen eggs, two pounds of ground beef and a gallon of chocolate ice cream costs more now than when they did when you started reading this sentence.

You’ve lived in Clearwater for a long time if you remember when you could drive into your favorite service station and get a free Florida map.

On this week (July 22 of 1933 and 1983): Two aviation firsts. In ’33, Wiley Post makes the first solo around the world flight and 50 years   later, Dick Smith makes the first helicopter solo around the world flight.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Blue Jays Manager and former Rays coach, Charlie Montoyo is the latest casualty of an underperforming and poorly constructed team. The Jays are a bunch of sluggers with an extremely thin pitching staff. And when the sluggers don’t slug…

The NBA is striking a blow with mediocrity with a proposed post season tourney with all 30 teams involved – the first rounds being one-game play-ins.

Factoids: Keith Hernandez whose #17 was retired by the Mets last weekend actually played more years in St. Louis than New York. He wore #37 in St. Louis, but there was that Stengel fellow who had worn it in Queens.

Chicago is making a pitch for three years of a road race in the Windy City. Perhaps NASCAR should channel some other choosy sports and decline until the city rids itself of its shooting gallery.

You may not know the name Monty Norman, but he wrote one of the most recognizable themes in the world. The composer of the James Bond theme died last week at age 94.

The sensational sixties featured mega acts like James Brown, Tom Jones and Creedence Clearwater Revival. None of those artists ever had a #1 hit, but uncool orchestra leaders Percy Faith (Theme from a Summer Place), Paul Mauriat (Love is Blue) and Lawrence Welk (Calcutta) did!

65 years ago this year, Dove soap was introduced. It remains the largest selling soap in the world.

Nobody understands the Hall of Fame

Next weekend, the baseball Hall of Fame inducts its next class of assorted players. Here are a half dozen names to remember, guys who weren’t “good enough” to make the Hall on the first ballot. They are Yogi Berra, Don Drysdale, Whitey Ford, Vladimir Guerrero, Eddie Mathews, and most incredibly, Cy Young. Here is one who apparently was – David Ortiz who played a grand total of 278 games in the field in his career – no Hall of Famer ever played fewer. A Hall of Famer based on his bat – yes. A first ballot Hall of Famer – not even close. The standards change yearly, if not more often. Guys like two-time MVPs Roger Maris and Dale Murphy don’t have enough buddies on the various old-timer committees, while guys with .260 batting averages (Bill Mazeroski) and 3.90 ERAs (Jack Morris) do, along with people who harmed the game more than helped it like Ford Frick and Marvin Miller. And God help you if your political thoughts clash with writers – see post season great Curt Shilling. The Hall, once a temple for baseball’s greats, has dissolved into a political swamp in central New York State.

NEXT UP: Toronto and the MLB; Tighten Up; Norman Lear

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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.

Bluff development: now comes the hard part

The city of Clearwater has cut a deal with Gotham Development out of New York to build two 27-story towers on the old City Hall site and a 13-story hotel on the former Harborview Center site. Calling two 27-story towers on the bluff out of character for the waterfront would be an understatement. The same could be said for a 13-story hotel – both Harborview and City Hall were three stories. Clearwater residents are very jealous of their bluff having rejected a much better plan over twenty years ago when naysayers, among other lies, linked the Florida developer to Scientology (he had about the same link to Scientology as the Pope). This November’s referendum, if held, is going to be a very tough sell.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Before pro-life advocates celebrate the SCOTUS decision too much, they must remember there are states like Colorado that have outrageous abortion laws that parallel Godless countries like China.

Related note, and seriously he said this, "I think it (Roe v Wade) was a horrible decision. I think women should have the right to decide what happens with their bodies." – O.J. Simpson

Number of the Week: Two – that's the number of states where Joe Biden’s approval numbers outrank disapproval. They are Hawaii (45% vs 42%) and Vermont (44% vs 38%).

Yes, it’s not even mid-term time, but our guess is neither of 2020’s top candidates will head their party’s ticket in 2024.

Another political note – this one from the 5:05 Newsletter or facsimile thereof: The Democratic National Committee is charging $5000 for a photo with Vice President Kamala Harris….. $6000 for a photo without her.

This week in 1953 (July 14): The SS United States sets an Atlantic crossing speed record at just over 84 hours. A conservancy group continues their efforts to save the venerable ship still docked in Philadelphia.

Sports, media and other stuff:

An addendum to our July 4 MLB update: here come the Pirates. Not this year, but soon, their farm system led by rookie phenom O’Neil Cruz will bring back some of the luster of the 60s and 70s when Clemente, Parker and Stargell ruled.

Oddity: at the midway point in the season, the National’s Juan Soto has more walks than hits. The last major leaguer to do that was Barry Bonds during his chemically powered years.

Jacoby Brissett – remember that name Gator fans? He briefly played for UF before transferring to NC State. Unless things go amazingly well in the NFL vs Deshaun Watson proceedings, he will be the starting QB for the Browns after they traded Baker Mayfield to Carolina.

A Rave to uBreakiFix in the Gulf-to-Bay Publix shopping center. While they could not fix our techno problem, they referred to folks who could. Cannot say the same for the brusque “service” we received at Best Buy.

We occasionally quote bits of humor from the Gassman, Crotty & Denicolo law firm. They also publish a Thursday Report each week with meaningful law-related material. And for some of us occasional pieces like David Finkel’s Mentality Shifts – applicable to any station in life. Go to their website and selection Issue 326 of the Thursday Report. Well worth your time.

Pitchers and dream outfield at the All Star Game

We’ve always enjoyed baseball observer Ken Rosenthal for his insightfulness and rightful conclusion that the emperor has no clothes as relates to baseball dictator Rob Manfred. But he was a little off the charts last week with his idea that LA pitchers Clayton Kershaw and Shohei Ohtani be the starting pitchers for the All-Star Game. We’re not sure either pitcher should even be on the All-Star roster. Neither has thrown enough innings to qualify for any pitching hallmark. And there are guys like Gonsolin, Alacantara, Verlander, Fried, Musgrove and the oft overlooked Alek Manoah of Toronto who have far superior numbers. Our picks would be Gonsolin and Verlander to start. But all that aside, Rosenthal’s suggestion of a starting NL outfield of Acuna, Betts and Soto harks back to the days when the NL annually ran out Aaron, Clemente and Mays in the All-Star game. Never since that trio has there been a more exciting threesome available to the National League. Soto will probably be the odd man out this year, but in the years ahead, the 23-year-old Soto, 24-year-old Acuna and the “old man” of the group, Betts, 29, will form a dream outfield for the National League.

UP NEXT: Tarnished Hall; Dove at 65; Free Maps

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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.

Thoughts on Roe v Wade

Before you read this, if you’re looking for objectivity on Roe v Wade, you’re in the wrong place. We have been a card carrying pro-lifer all of our adult life – a contributor to local and nation pro-life causes, a former board member of The Kimberly Home Pregnancy Center and a cheerleader for Trump’s Supreme Court appointments that made the June 24 decision a reality. Pro-lifers realize the battles with the radical left are far from over. But for now, whether you voted for him or not, we can thank President Trump for making Supreme Court choices that brought an end to murders of many unborn. And we need to put our money where our mouths are and support causes like The Kimberly Home, who, more than ever, will be tasked with helping women with troubled pregnancies.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Sidebar to our lead article: The irony was not lost on us when Biden trashed the SCOTUS decision and then headed off to Germany – a country that has shared his outlook on the sanctity of life for nearly a century.

Congratulations to football coach Joe Kennedy whose right to pray alone on a football field was upheld by a 6-3 Supreme Court decision – stopping another effort by the far left to turn America into a secular desert.

$2.45 a gallon – sounds like a bargain price for gas doesn’t it? Actually the $2.45 a gallon represents the increase in the price of gas during the year and a half of the Biden administration. This is due to Vladimir Putin, Exxon and Steve who owns the corner gas station on Island Estates – just ask Joe. Well, he really didn’t mention Steve nor did he mention the Keystone Pipeline, which he shut down the first day in office that would yield 800,000 barrels of oil per day and provide 11,000 jobs.

Idle thought: It’s not a very good thing for Pinellas County when three of our seven commissioners are elected unopposed.

How do you define boondoggle? You could start with a $2million hydro turbine project on the Hillsborough River being advocated by Tampa Mayor Castor and Biden Energy whiz Jennifer Granholm.

Six months out from those New Year’s resolutions, the 5:05 Newsletter reports: Not only did I fall off the diet wagon, I dragged it into the woods, set it on fire and used the insurance money to buy cupcakes.

This week in 1889 (July 8) the first edition of The Wall Street Journal rolls off the press.

Sports, media and other stuff:

From the Belleair Road sign guy and Lightning fan: Two outta three ain’t bad.

A Rave to Paramount CEO Bob Bakish who declared last week that his company will not censor its old films inventory for material that may offend modern audiences.

Krispy Kreme is getting into the ice cream business. If the ice cream is half as good as the doughnuts, the next pandemic will be diabetes.

28000 and 29000 – the tail numbers of the two special Boeing 747s assigned to the President of the United States (Air Force One). This from a fascinating book Air Force One: a history of the presidents and their planes by Kenneth Walsh.

Factoid: the iconic Wilson’s Sports Lounge in St. Pete has closed after fifty years of operation. It was started by Clearwater’s John Wilson who also owned the large Pick Kwik convenience store chain in Pinellas – “Pick it up at Pick Kwik.” The chain sold out to Hess in 1986.

Answer: They were brothers-in-law. Question: how did industrial giants William Proctor and James Gamble meet? They were both immigrants whose fates lead them to Cincinnati where they married sisters.

MLB Item: Pitcher Mark Appel is finally called up to the majors nine years after being the overall #1 draft pick in 2013. The year was not loaded with talent but three picks stand out - #2 – Kris Bryant, the NL MVP three years after being drafted; Cody Bellinger, #124 the NL’s 2019 MVP along with #249, the courageous Trey Mancini, 2021’s Comeback Player of the Year and a likely All-Star this year.

Independence Day MLB Update

Break up the Yankees - and while you’re at it, break up the Braves. The two teams had monster Junes and pleasant surprises. For the Yanks, it’s been their pitching; everybody knew they would hit. For the Braves, it’s three names only baseball geeks knew – Spencer Strider, William (not Willson) Contreras and Michael Harris II. Meanwhile in the AL, it’s possible that three or maybe even four teams from the East could make the playoffs. The Central is going to be a three-team race and nobody is catching Houston out west. The NL could have three postseason teams out west, although San Fran is starting to fade. The Milwaukee-St. Louis summer battle is going to be great to watch. Right now, it’s the Mets and Braves in the east, but don’t count out the Phils even with Bryce Harper’s devastating injury. And is Justin Verlander ever going to start showing his age?

UP NEXT: Clearwater’s Bluff; America’s ship; Pix with Kamala

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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.

Tampa or St. Pete – best Rays’ location? Neither

2027 – a year to keep in mind. Just five years from now, the Tampa Bay Rays no longer have to play in the dungeon known as the Trop or anywhere in St. Pete – or Tampa or even Florida. They will be officially free agents, who like players, can see who wants to open their wallets the widest – perhaps Charlotte, Nashville, San Antonio or, heaven forbid, Montreal? And the sad truth is it would most likely be best for baseball, not to mention the Rays’ carpetbagger owners, to move elsewhere as Florida has proven to be a lousy baseball market (see below). And give credit to Gov. Ron DeSantis who vetoed a $35 million gift for a new training facility in Pasco County to a team who might not even be here in five years.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related to our lead article, this year, the two Florida MLB teams are 27^th and 29^th among the 30 teams in attendance. Last year, it was 28^th and 30^th, with the Rays edging out the Marlins both years. This year, nine teams have already drawn more fans than either the Rays’ or Marlins’ total attendance from last year.

Quote of the week: “If you notice, until gas prices started going up,” Biden said, “things were much more, they were much more optimistic.” - or ungarbling his syntax, much more optimistic until Biden took office.

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (Michigan) joins the cadre of Democratic elitists suggesting that families struggling with the price of gas buy an electric vehicle (average price $55,000) thereby avoiding the pumps. Even at today’s Biden gas prices, you would have to drive that car just less than twenty years to break even. Talk about clueless and out of touch with her country.

TBR&R Energy News: Biden to give gas tax vacation of approximately 18 cents a gallon. That will almost cover the price increase of 25 cents the first two months he was in office.

What’s up with Clearwater’s new city manager? The politician turned city manager blew in from New England less than a year ago and cozied up with Scientology, decided to micromanage the extremely profitable gas department and made several other unnecessary changes before figuring out where Highland Avenue is. The average shelf life of a city manager is around seven years - with Jon Jennings we’ll take the under.

Election update from the 5:05 Newsletter: Concerns were again raised over Georgia’s election integrity last month when Joe Biden received 20 million votes for Governor of Georgia.

June 24, 2022 – a date to remember – when the United States joined 188 other civilized nations that severely restrict taking the life of an unborn child.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Way cool! Delta is offering a Sky Miles American Express credit card made from the skin of a retired Boeing 747 – complete with first flight, last flight info and number of miles the jumbo flew (68,000,000). The bad news, it carries a hefty $550 annual fee.

The show only runs a half hour on Sunday at 2 p.m., but it is well worth a listen. It’s Newsmax’ What in the World with Rob Carson. It is one of the best half-hours of satirical reporting on TV. Why this guy is only on TV once a week is beyond us. He also has a radio show you can stream. Give him a listen.

Idle thought: what if the pioneering architects of baseball created a rule that hitters had to bat alphabetically. You’d have lead-off hitters like Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. Batting at the bottom of the order would have been Carl Yastrzemski, Dave Winfield and Billy and Ted Williams.

An item we borrowed from a family friend – In the Shower: Makes extensive to-do list with deadlines and financial costs. Out of the Shower: Can’t remember what day it is.

Earlier this year, we mentioned the Lake Clearwater near Paisley, Florida and the Clearwater River in Idaho. Additionally there are 16 states that have cities named Clearwater and two states that have Clearwater Counties – Idaho and Minnesota.

Two noted journalists, two good books

Coming on the heels of each other, Chris Wallace’s Count Down Bin Laden and Bill O’Reilly’s Killing the Killers give you a solid look at the War on Terror. Wallace’s second countdown book after 1945 focuses almost entirely on the campaign to eradicate Bin Laden and gives you great insights into the people involved from Obama, Panetta down to a dog named Cairo who you will fall in love with. Like other books in his Killing franchise, O’Reilly’s book is superbly researched. It gives more of an overview of operations against many of the bad guys in that part of the world – ruthless killers all as well as the tragic story of how our nation failed human rights worker Kayla Mueller. It appears Wallace is starting his own Countdown series while O’Reilly continues to crank out well-crafted historical works – two of the best non-fiction books of 2022.

NEXT UP: MLB Update; Proctor meet Gamble; Roe v Wade

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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.

Show trial will not achieve its goal

Last week’s show trial in our nation’s swamp will not achieve its ultimate goal – and that is to keep a bumbling Democrat or one of his hangers on in the White House past the first few weeks of 2025. It might not be Trump returning to the White House, but unless there is a seismic shift in America’s fortunes, a Republican will be in the Oval Office come 2025. Further, that Republican, again barring a change of enormous proportions, will have a majority in both houses of Congress. And that individual will need it to undo the severe damage Biden and his cronies have perpetrated on our citizenry in less than eighteen months.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

An armed guy bent on assassination is captured at Supreme Court Justice Brent Kavanaugh’s home. You would not know about this if your only news source was “Florida’s Best Newspaper.” If the same whacko was in the vicinity of the Kagan residence, it would rate a World War III front page headline.

News item: Convicted U.S. Rep Corrine Brown files to fill the seat vacated by Val Demings. We forget that Nixon, Agnew and Andrew Gillum are not available to run.

Related to our lead article, The New York Times reports that Democratic movers and shakers are now quietly advising Biden to step aside come 2024.

Energy news from the not necessarily 5:05 Newsletter: Biden invokes Defense Production Act - demands oil companies begin drilling for baby formula.

If you try to make a deposit tomorrow (June 20) and find your bank closed, it’s because it’s Juneteenth, another Biden-created federal holiday where you will be working so you can help pay for another day off for federal employees. Enjoy!

Another victory for the speech police, Chiefs, the 65-year-old logo of Tampa’s Chamberlain High School, apparently will bite the dust. And while they are, pardon us, on the warpath; don’t forget the school’s yearbook is called the Totem. Certainly something has to be done about that.

Seen on a T-Shirt: “We the people….” – It doesn’t need to be rewritten, it needs to be reread.

This week in June 1879 (6/21): Frank W. Woolworth opens his 1st successful "F. W. Woolworth Great Five Cent Store" in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Things keep getting worse for CNN. After the failed launch of CNN+, the network now finds its prime time programming behind the #2 conservative network Newsmax.

Idle thought: It has been so refreshing to watch an everyman, Ryan Long, run off a 16-day string of wins on Jeopardy after a season of nose rings, tattooed ladies and other oddities.

Seldom does an actor do a “one and done” appearance and leave such a lasting impression as Philip Baker Hall’s Lt. Bookman on Seinfeld. The veteran of innumerable films and plays died last week at age 90.

We’re glad Tampa’s New Year’s bowl has picked up a new sponsor, but you have to admit ReliaQuest Bowl doesn’t’ have quite the cache of Outback Bowl.

This week marks the official start of summer and, as usual, we provide five songs for your summer music platform: The 5^th Dimension’s On the Beach; Sailing to Paradise by Pablo Cruise; Summer Means Fun sung by the immortal Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids; Jan and Dean’s classic Ride the Wild Surf and On the Island by Brian Wilson with He and She.

Joe Madden had a good run here in Tampa Bay; he took a ready to win team off the hands of Rick Renteria and won his division two of five years then posted three losing seasons in LA. To many, he remains one of the most overrated managers of the last 25 years, but chances are good somebody else will hire him - our bet: Colorado.

Related note: Last week, White Sox fans were heard chanting “Fire Tony” as in Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa. Be careful of what you wish for.

Fifty years ago, a group of young international singers were on virtually every TV singing “I’d like to buy the world a Coke.” Not to be outdone, the group The New Seekers adapted the song for a Top 10 record I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.”

Color Him Father (with thanks to the Winstons)

Last month, when we polled our Focus Group about their most admired American, one member’s answer, without equivocation, was his Dad. We knew this great man most of our life, and in addition to our own Dad, we would agree. In fact, we have been privileged to know all but one of our Focus Group’s Dads. And from what the lone exception has told us about her Dad, he, too, was a great individual. Our Focus Group is an outstanding group of people and they all reflect their Dads. Several of these men came from humble beginnings and made a great success of themselves, but more importantly, they gave us a sense of responsibility and a conscience that hopefully we have all passed along to our children. Today, our Focus Group gives thanks for the seven wonderful men we could call Dad.

NEXT UP: Lots about the Rays; Rob Carson; “Uncle Walter”

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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.

Cooler heads prevail in Clearwater Gas debate

For the benefit of all Clearwater residents and numerous customers outside the city, the Clearwater Gas Company is going to remain just that – the Clearwater Gas Company – an enterprise fund that spins off over $3 million annually to the city. The company, under the direction of Chuck Warrington for nearly three decades, will survive a new city manager, nitpicks about some of its charity giving and a political energy agenda that has given us $5.00 a gallon gas prices. Warrington is, sadly, leaving the company after an incredibly successful career leaving a leadership vacuum begging to be filled. He deserves our city’s thanks for growing our coffers each year and providing 90 well-paying jobs for city employees that would have been swept away under an ill-conceived plan to sell the utility.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Financial comment from the 5:05 Newsletter: I can't figure out why banks are doing so well when drinking beer and saving the cans gives you a higher yield than certificates of deposit.

After two years, two Tampa restaurants and gathering spots have reopened following their destruction by fire. We doubt the owners of Saigon Bay and Jai Ho Royale Indian Cuisine would agree with the local paper’s description of what robbed them of two years of their livelihood as “unrest.”

It seems with slightly less than two percent of the Tampa Bay population utilizing the Cross Bay Ferry; Pinellas County is on firm footing calling for a renegotiation of the subsidy to the ferry service.

A Rave to The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration for putting forth guidelines that prohibit our tax dollars being used for obvious elective procedures such as hormone therapy for transgenders and counseling for “significant distress that a person may feel when sex or gender assigned at birth is not the same as their identity” while real health issues are stretching Medicaid resources to the max.

Former Clearwater Sun sports writer and later a Georgia weekly publisher, Tom Manter passed away in late May. Tom, a CHS graduate with a great sense of humor, was 75.

This week in 1903 (June 16) two iconic American corporations are formed on the same day – Ford and Pepsi Cola.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Week One of the new LIV golf tour is in the books. With all that Saudi money behind it, you have to wonder if the PGA will eventually become its minor league. Stay tuned.

Idle thought: what if the pioneering architects of baseball created a rule that hitters had to bat alphabetically. You’d have lead-off hitters like Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Johnny Bench and Yogi Berra. Batting at the bottom of the order would have been Carl Yastrzemski, Dave Winfield and Billy and Ted Williams.

Number of the week: 14. That’s the number of baseball teams that have made playoffs after changing managers during the season over the past 50+ years. That’s 14 out of 174 – good luck Phillies.

Lately, it seems that managerial resumes don’t matter so much to teams anymore. First Joe Girardi and then former Rays’ manager Joe Madden whose Angels just endured a 12-game losing streak. Both managers have World Series trophies on their mantles.

A Rave to Channel 8 weather guy Eric Stone who is the reigning pinball champion of the world! Your humble blogger and oldest friend have college degrees that proclaim Mass Communications and Business Administration, but the truth is, we majored in pinball during our college years – just never achieved the level of Mr. Stone.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember when every major corner was occupied by at least two gas stations. Nowadays, it seems the service stations on those corners have been replaced by drug stores.

A shout out to Perry Costello

A Large Rave to college baseball umpire Perry Costello, who gently but firmly told East Carolina University player Bryson Worrell to stop admiring his home run at home plate and to get the hell around the bases. We might understand stopping to admire the shot if it were a game winner, but it made a 10-2 game a 13-2 game. A lot of fans, most of us old, have grown tired of watching hitters from T-ball to the majors putting on a drama class whenever they do anything even marginally well on the ballfield. We long for the days of pitchers Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson or Early Wynn (all Hall of Famers) who would have rewarded such a display with a fastball in the ribs next time up. For goodness sakes folks, act like you’ve been there before.

UP NEXT: Summer Playlist; Hillsborough boondoggle; Father’s Day

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Sorry, time does not permit replies to comments.

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.

A winning platform for 2024

A prediction: America’s next president will have as a major plank in their platform a return of America to a provider rather than a buyer. The recent embarrassment of having to fly baby formula in from Europe shows how far we have fallen since we were the “arsenal of Democracy” during and after World War II. Donald Trump, love or hate him, did a great deal to reverse our dependency on other nations during his term as President. He bullied (there’s no better word to describe it) a lot of companies to move their operations back onshore, and he had us energy independent. A great many of those gains have been lost under the Biden regime. 2024’s successful candidate will make an ironclad compact with the American voter to return the gains made by Trump and carry that promise of independence even further.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Nothing gives us more heartburn than seeing someone who did everything in their power to avoid serving their country self-righteously showing up at a ceremony to honor America’s war dead.

And from the editor of the 5:05 Newsletter, from the same era as Biden and who managed to show up for the Southeast Asia party, this gem: French president Emmanuel Macron recently complained in a disco that all the songs were in English. Well, if it were not for the English-speaking people, they would all be in German.

Side note: we just can’t imagine Y.M.C.A. sung in German.

We give a Large Rave to Pinellas County law enforcement’s wolf pack for nabbing over 200 drivers for DUI and other sundry violations during the Memorial Day weekend. Our county’s roads are becoming dangerous racetracks.

Thanks to Clearwater-based financial advisor Craig Phillips for sharing this thought from economic author Morgan Housel, "People are very good at forecasting the future, except for the surprises, which tend to be all that matter."

We laugh at the hubris of our local left leaning newspaper. They are asking readers for donations so they can continue their efforts against unborn children; serve as an apologist for the hot mess we have in the White House and support anything woke.

The next area where Americans, or at least Floridians, will experience sticker shock is property insurance where jumps of 25 per cent are becoming common.

Number of the week: 7 – the seven busiest airports in the world are all in the U.S. In order, they are Atlanta, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Charlotte and Orlando. The eighth largest is an airport is Guangzhou, China.

This week in 1869 (6/9): Charles Hires sells his first root beer. It was followed by Barq, A&W (today’s most popular) and Dad’s.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Factoid: Although Hires was the first root beer, it is hard to find today as it is owned by Dr. Pepper which also markets the popular A&W brand.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of one of the most heralded entertainers of the 20^th century – Judy Garland.

Can’t we just give the NFL Pro Bowl a decent burial?

Gabe Kapler, meet Colin Kaepernick.

This summer as you watch one of your favorite team’s pitchers walk the ballpark, keep this statistic in mind, Hall of Famer Greg Maddux faced 20,421 batters in his career and went to a 3-0 count with just 133 of those hitters.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (June 4, 2017) Don’t know about you, but last week we had the strongest urge to go to some railroad tracks in the bay area and wave a final farewell to the Ringling Brothers Circus train as it made its last journey to Sarasota. The loss of the circus is one of the great societal tragedies of the 21st Century.

MLB at the first post

Memorial Day is traditionally the first time you look at how your favorite team is doing and what the prospects are for the next three-quarters of the season. First, some fans who should be feeling great – Dodgers, Mets, Brewers and Padres in the National League. The addition of Freddie Freeman has made the LA juggernaut even more powerful; the Mets finally have a guy in the dugout who can make a winner out of their enormous payroll; the Brewers pitching staff and a weak division will get them to the playoffs and the Padres are winning even without Fernando Tatis, Jr. The American League looks like it’s the Yanks, Twins and Astros to win with the Blue Jays having a big say in who goes where. After these eight, there are many maybes – including our local nine, the underperforming Braves, the Angels who always find a way to fall short; the Cardinals, Giants and White Sox. Most pleasant surprise in the AL has been the Rangers, while the NL’s Diamondbacks will probably match last year’s win total in late August, but both will probably fall short of the playoffs. And the Mariners and Phils are in a virtual tie for the biggest flops with Joe Girardi being fired for his inability to manage a terribly constructed roster. Finally, one player note – the Marlins’ Sandy Alcántara will lap the field in the NL Cy Young competition. We’ll check in again around the 4^th of July.

NEXT UP: Ford & Pepsi; The changing college gridiron; Gas Company

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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.

Messing with another piece of Americana

It had to happen – Frito-Lay, a very politically correct company, has introduced Cracker Jill – same stuff as the century old Cracker Jack. The company, which has consistently supported liberal causes, also wants to change the words to the 114-year-old Take Me Out to the Ballgame subbing Cracker Jill for Cracker Jack and further scrambling the words to “no one can stop you if you have the will” replacing the “I don’t care if I ever get back.” The late, great Harry Caray is rolling over in his grave. But hey, there are still Cape Cod, Golden Flake, Pringles, Utz, Wise and a bunch of really good store brands available.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

A Rave to the Clearwater City Council (specifically Mayor Frank Hibbard and Council members David Allbritton and Lena Teixeria) for their selection of Ruth Eckerd Hall to operate the new entertainment venue on Clearwater’s Bayfront (see TBR&R 4/24/22).

The Roe v Wade palaver just gets crazier by the day. This past week, such whack jobs as Eric Holder and the two Joys in everybody’s life, Behar and Reid suggest getting rid of Roe v Wade would do everything from the overturn of Brown v Board of Education, interracial marriage, women’s right to vote and the return of segregation. Wow.

Meanwhile Catholics who actually practice their faith across the country (and the globe) are praising Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s denial of communion to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The speaker, Mr. Biden and others are learning it’s hard to support a radical left wing agenda against the sanctity of life while claiming to be a Catholic.

Number of the week: 1 – the original phone number for the White House when its phone was installed in 1845. Today it is 202-456-1111 if you are not pleased with the service you’re receiving for your dollars.

Six buck Joe: JP Morgan reports gas prices could hit six dollars a gallon this summer. With prices like that, you might as well live in California. Not really, for so many reasons.

And this absolute gem from the editorial department of the 5:05 Newsletter: As I was filling up with gas this morning I noticed the guy next to me on Pump 3 bought $10.00 worth. Where the hell is he going? To Pump 4?

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor’s botched job is now complete as Tampa loses assistant chief Butch Delgado to the private sector. Castor’s decision to pass over the obvious choice for chief made Delgado’s position with the department untenable.

Walmart reports lower first quarter earnings. Those of us who rather be shot than shop there are crying crocodile tears.

This week in 1961 (5/30) legendary driver A.J. Foyt gets the first of his four Indy 500 wins.

Sports, media and other stuff:

We salute Kelly Ring on an incredible career – 37 years at Channel 13. Next to her grace on the air, what we enjoyed most were the retrospectives over the last weeks showing her career highlights – as well as the many hairdos of Kelly Ring over the past 37 years!

And yes we know, there are some embarrassing photos out there with long hair and an electric blue tuxedo when one of our radio stations kicked off its disco format.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (May 28, 2017) Tampa and Raymond James Stadium are awarded a Super Bowl in 2021. The folks at Raymond James have proved over and over again they are up to the task. This led to the first time ever one of the Super Bowl participants was playing on their home field. It worked out well.

Josh Donaldson, meet Curt Schilling.

Idle thought: It’s amazing how much we learn from reading out of town newspapers.

Factoid: St. Pete’s Derby Lane closed at the end of 2020. This month, another dog racing operation will close in Dubuque, Iowa after 37 seasons and by year’s end, there will be only two dog racing operations in the nation – both in West Virginia.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember when the University Park neighborhood off Belcher Road (Campus, College, University and Academy Drives) was a large gladiola farm.

The Americans we admired most

On this patriotic weekend, we asked our TBR&R Focus Group to name the Americans who lived during their lifetime they admired most. Our lead-off hitter named the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Our next respondent was a longtime admirer of the Great Communicator and 40^th U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Another focus group member also gave a nod to President Reagan along with the national spiritual leader Rev. Billy Graham. The famed theoretical physicist Albert Einstein who immigrated to the U.S. in 1933 and became a citizen in 1940 was the choice of one of our charter Focus Group members. Another of our group mentioned President George W. Bush who guided our nation through a very troubled time. The first American in space, Alan Shepherd, and the man responsible for the polio vaccine, Jonas Salk, were acknowledged by another of our Focus Group members. We thank our members for some great names of some great people.

UP NEXT: Hires root beer, Greg Maddux; A winning platform

This week we bow our heads in thanks

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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.

Remember customer service?

Please forgive an old slap who grew up in sleepy Clearwater, pining for the experiences he enjoyed at Siple’s Garden Seat, The Sandy Book Store, The First National Bank of Clearwater and the service his dad insisted he provide when working at the family business. Today, just for kicks, try calling your bank and getting an answer or getting a person you can understand at your credit card company*. In fairness, our personal bank, Regions, is top notch; the bank we have to use for some community service – not so much. One of the credit card companies we refer to, Citibank, used to excel at customer treatment, now you get third world service. Sadly, a card we used for two decades issued by Capital One was sold to Goldman Sachs, who while seasoned financial folks, are raw rookies in the credit card service biz. Do we have to keep putting up with this? In some cases like the non-profit yes, but in things you control like changing credit cards, there are still options and perhaps someday companies will realize that before it’s too late.

*The folks at Discover Card, which he had never used before, pride themselves in providing customer service using agents exclusively in the USA – and it shows!

 Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Kudos to the Pinellas County School Board for their selection of chief academic officer Kevin Hendrick as their new superintendent. Hendrick has spent nearly all his career in the district allowing him to hit the ground running. He is also a product of the Pinellas School System – a graduate of Largo High, a minor flaw in his resume which this CHS grad is willing to overlook.

And a Rave to County Clerk Ken Burke for refusing to fund what amounts to a “Commissioner for Life” (See TBRR 2/27/22) lawsuit filed by the Pinellas County Commission.

Headline from our far left leaning local newspaper: “Providing baby formula for babies held at the border is a legal requirement”. And providing formula for babies living legally within our borders isn’t?

Who’s running; who dropped out; what District am I in? 2022 is the most confusing year for voters in decades.

Our quote of the week comes from the 5:05 Newsletter: “You can’t control the drilling, shipping, storing, refining, buying, selling, trading and taxing of oil and then say you don’t control oil prices.”

Related (and showing our age) at one of his “kid jobs,” your Humble Blogger pumped gas at the princely sum of 29.9 cents a gallon – approximately the amount of last week’s increase.

Further related, it seems that our acquaintances who didn’t have kid jobs (pumping gas, mowing lawns, flipping burgers) in their youth all became liberals.

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This week in 1883 (5/24) New York’s Brooklyn Bridge is dedicated by President Chester Arthur. The bridge was designed by John Roebling, whose great grandson was noted Clearwater engineer Donald Roebling.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Something in the Atlanta Journal Constitution we wish other papers would replicate – Ten Days Out – a neat feature giving you a head’s up on popular events occurring down the road so they don’t sneak up on you, or go unmentioned all together.

We give a Rave to Publix, McDonalds and other bay area firms for recognizing their 2022 high school grads. These kids had it tougher than usual during their four high school years.

Answer: Donald Trump. Question: (and yes, we know there are a lot of fill in the blank options here), but the question is: who was the last President to have a pet less White House?

Related: years ago in the White House, President Gerald Ford’s dog had an accident. A White House steward swept in to clean it up. President Ford waved him away, saying “no man should have to clean up after another man’s dog.” Can you see other recent residents of the White House doing that?

You’ve lived in the Bay Area (or anywhere else) a long time if you signed your checks with either a Parker or Sheaffer pen. Today, Parker pens are now made in France and Sheaffer is a subsidiary of the Cross Pen Company.

New entries in baseball coverage so-so

Using admittedly devious means, we got a look at the two newest entries in the ever increasing fragmentation of major league baseball coverage last week. Frankly, there is little to recommend the Apple+ coverage. It features very inexperienced broadcasters, meaningless and confusing statistics on screen while ignoring things like batting averages, ERAs etc. The picture quality was good, but that was about it. Peacock, while not great, is better. One of their strengths is putting two color men around the play by play announcer – one from each participating team, giving you solid analysis rather than the Cliff Notes presentation you usually get from national announcers unfamiliar with your team. It’s not a new idea, ABC did it back in the 70s with their World Series coverage, but it’s effective. More relevant graphics, but still not worth the extra fees for only a couple games you’ll miss this summer.

NEXT UP: Americans we admired; A.J. Foyt; Six Buck Joe

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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.

What Roe vs Wade means to the midterms

And the answer is very little, if anything. The media, particularly the left-leaning portion, is going crazy about the supposed leaked opinion that would cast Roe vs Wade aside. If indeed, the leak is legit, it won’t change anything. America is equally divided on the right to life issue – most polls show about a 45-45 split with the other ten percent, we guess, not caring about such a vital issue. But the two 45 percenters aren’t likely to budge on the taking of innocent lives versus “reproductive rights”. While Democrats in Congress want to take over the judicial branch of government with a bill to codify Roe v Wade, what will move voters in November is another thirty cent increase in gas this past week, the average portfolio down 10-15 percent and inflationary pressures that don’t allow folks to keep up a standard of living no matter how much pandering Biden and company do.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Oh the irony! Remember the years from 2009-16 when we all prayed for the health of Barack Obama, lest we be saddled with an even more incompetent successor. Now, six years later we pray for the health of that same incompetent person. It vividly illustrates how far we’ve sunk in terms of national leadership in the past couple of decades.

The City of Clearwater is contemplating selling an asset (its natural gas utility) that adds $3 million annually to its coffers – an action that would put at least 60 people out of work. We don’t see many positives in that scenario.

In a casual conversation about what you would do if you were President of the United States came this reply, “anyone who is dissatisfied with the USA would get a one-way plane ticket to the county of their choice.” That individual has our vote!

The smallish St. Pete-Clearwater Airport continues to thrive albeit on the shoulders of just one carrier (Allegiant). Outside the Sunbelt, more and more smaller airports are losing all their commercial flights. Cities like Williamsport, PA., Cody, WY and Binghamton, NY are among 23 airports that have lost all commercial service over the past two years. While other factors weigh in, the COVID crisis is mostly to blame.

Number of the week – 16% - the average mortgage rate 40 years ago this year. Last year, it was just over three percent. Next year? Who knows?

Education update from the 5:05 Newsletter: First graders in California must now recite from four books in reading circle. They are Dick and Jane, Jane and Jane, Jane Wants to Be Dick and Dick is transitioning into Jane (and becomes a big winner at women’s swim meets and Jeopardy).

100 Years Ago This Week (May 15, 1922): WDAE, 1250 in Tampa, became Florida’s first radio station. In 2000, WDAE moved down the dial to 620 (formerly WSUN).

Sports, media and other stuff:

What a day last week! Rich Strike at 80-1was the biggest upset in a century. And no horse ever won the Derby bearing the number 21 - the number and color scheme reminded one of local short track stock car legend Jim Alvis.

1985 – The last year a Kentucky Derby winner passed on running the Preakness. The horse was Spend a Buck. Now Rich Strike joins him.

14 – The maximum number of entries permitted in the Preakness Stakes which will be run this coming weekend (May 21^st).

This week we celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Maude co-stars Bea Arthur and Bill Macy.

Some time ago we mentioned there is a Lake Clearwater in the Ocala National Forest near Paisley, Florida. There is also a Clearwater River – in north central Idaho, nearly 80 miles long, traversing several counties including Clearwater County.

Answer: John Hunter. Question: who was the first member of the 10-time World Champion Clearwater Bombers to be inducted into the Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame? The hard throwing (and hitting) lefthander combined with Herb Dudley to form a virtually unbeatable pitching staff in the 50s and early 60s.

Further fragmenting baseball coverage

This weekend begins the further watering down of coverage baseball fans pay over a hundred dollars (in addition to cable fees) to see. Apple+ will be airing Friday night games available nowhere else. They are free for now, assuming you can access Apple+. The free sampling will end soon. Sunday will start seeing a game each week on the Peacock network, again assuming you can access this network. The Sunday game will air at the unheard of time of 11:30 a.m. Peacock should check with the NFL as to why they start their Sunday games at 1 p.m. One of those reasons, although not the main reason is that an 11 a.m. start means an 8 a.m. local time start for the Padres who are part of the first week of this experiment as they play the Braves. And for Braves fans, it’s a double dip into their wallets as they lose two games to Apple+ and Peacock – part of a package for which they pay a minimum of $110 a year. Thanks, Mr. Manfred.

NEXT UP: Brooklyn Bridge; Classic pens; Top seven airports

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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.

Midterms approach, suddenly we matter to Biden

All of a sudden, it seems to matter to the Biden clique what Joe Lunchbucket is paying for gas, health care and what the polls are saying about their midterm prospects – it isn’t encouraging. Food prices are through the roof, interest rates are up – about the only thing down in the first quarter was your portfolio. And we haven’t even mentioned the Ukraine mess and the border crisis which is forecast to worsen during the summer months. There are consequences to irrational actions and the elitists will take their medicine in November. Despite their belated pandering to certain subsets of our population, it is no longer whether or not they will lose both houses of Congress – only how badly.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Headline of the week from Newsmax: Suddenly, It's Catholic Biden Leading Dems' Pro-Abortion Fight in Midterms.

And yes, keep up those contributions to Planned Parenthood. They are being used to “redecorate” houses of worship – not to mention distributing the addresses of Supreme Court justices - what a noble organization.

Quote of the week, if not the year: No hard-working American without a college degree should have to pay for others' student loans. Period. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. We could only add to Governor Haley’s comment – nor should responsible students who repaid their loans.

The blockheads here at TBR&R plan to submit a new word for possible inclusion in the next Oxford English Dictionary. The word is Bidenflation. The definition is obvious.

This week in 1940 (May 10) Winston Churchill became the British Prime Minister. On the same day, Hitler invaded Belgium and the Netherlands.

Sports, media and other stuff:

If you like to follow minor league baseball, you might want to take a trip to Dunedin’s TD Park the next time left hander Ricky Tiedemann starts. In two recent outings, he went 10 innings of no-hit ball with 17 strikeouts and four walks. Do it fast, as we don’t think he’ll be in Single A ball long.

Random thought: As Jeopardy struggles to hold on to its dominance, there are viewer complaints about tweaks to the show that seem to encourage winning streaks. They reached a peak last week when the Final Jeopardy answer was “O Canada”– a softball for the reigning champion who happens to hail from Canada. The champ was ousted a few days later by an Atlanta resident when the Final Jeopardy answer was Hartfield-Jackson Airport - a little too much coincidence?  

Update of a classic board game as reported by the 5:05 Newsletter: The Monopoly Game has updated the Community Chest cards to reflect society today. It now includes a card that reads “We Found a Problematic Tweet You Wrote 12 Years Ago. Give Up All Your Property and Money and Leave the Game.” 

From the nearly world famous Gassman Law Firm marquee: “The new Apple car doesn’t have windows.” 

Seen on a T-shirt: A penny for your thoughts seems a little pricey.

Factoid: Camel, Chesterfield and Lucky Strike (all unfiltered) accounted for over 60 percent of cigarette sales at the middle of the 20^th century. Today, four filter brands make up 70 percent of sales. They are Marlboro (40 percent alone), Newport, Camel and Pall Mall.

Only in Chicago politics

You can’t help but think that Chicago was in better shape back in the thirties when Al Capone was the de facto head of city government. Recently, mayoral candidate Willie Wilson self-funded a gas giveaway of $2.2 million to Chicago drivers. Not to be outdone, Chicago’s, let’s be kind and say controversial, current mayor Lori Lightfoot pushed through a plan to distribute 50,000 gas cards and 100,000 transit fare cards worth $12.5 million on the public dime. Granted, Wilson’s gambit is purely political and not on the moral high ground, but, to in effect, fund your re-election campaign with public funds is absolutely subterranean. It’s no wonder Lightfoot’s current disapproval rates among Chicago citizens range as high as 86 per cent.

NEXT UP: Shrinking airports; First Derby; John Hunter

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Happy Mother’s Day!

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.

A chat with Governor Ron

The last time we saw Governor Ron DeSantis in person, he was a 12-year old playing against our son’s Little League All-Star team. Ron or Dee’s (as his teammates called him) team won and went on to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, but we digress. If we were honored to see him in person now, we would throw our arm around his shoulder and repeat some advice we first heard decades ago from renowned broadcaster Bruce Williams – “don’t mess with the mouse.” His attack on the Reedy Creek cutout that dates back to Governor Hayden Burns is, to put it kindly, misguided. We would remind Ron that Disney owns networks, lots of them, and if our Governor wants to run for President someday, he needs those networks, which do lean a bit to the left, to at least be neutral – or as neutral as networks are these days. We leave you Governor Ron with another bit of wisdom (not ours obviously) – “choose your battles wisely.” There’s nothing wrong with a hasty, but dignified retreat from this can of worms.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Factoid: During World War II, New York State eliminated the requirement of a front license plate saving some 2000 tons of steel annually. When the war ended, things went back to normal. Incredibly, 31 states still require two license plates – what a waste of precious materials.

We don’t understand the latest financial fad, crypto. But we do remember an earlier financial fad, day trading. Just as we remember our esteemed financial advisor correctly telling us there are two types of day traders – those who are broke and those who soon will be.

Acronym of the week: SWPBTSLWFR. It stands for students who paid back their student loans waiting for a refund. They, to use another acronym, are NHTB (not holding their breath).

Well worth a read is Newsmax correspondent James Rosen’s book Cheney One on One. The high point of the book is Cheney’s spot on prediction of what Putin is doing with his oil dollars – a prediction made some eight years ago.

Media news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Elon Musk is on a roll. Today he read the New York Times editorial page online, shook his head, and pressed Add to Cart. Also, due to Elon Musk,the narrative has suddenly changed; Progressives no longer brag about buying a Tesla.

This week in 1937 (5/3), Margaret Mitchell wins the Pulitzer Prize for her novel Gone with the Wind.

Sports, media and other stuff:

We are changing the name of this section back to its original title to better reflect the material below …and because we can.

Baseball Factoid, Miguel Cabrera, who became the 33^rd player to notch 3000 hits, can count only one bunt single among that total.

Another odd missing product that we hope to see back on the grocery shelves soon is Rice Krispies.

Headline from the Duke University student newspaper 42 years ago this week upon the hiring of a new basketball coach: Krzyzewski, this is not a typo.

One of our favorite signs is in front of Charlie and Millie’s Pizza House on Seminole Blvd. It reads “Free Beer Tomorrow.” The catch is the sign never changes.

Seen on a T-shirt: Instead of Build Back Better - How About Put It Back The Way You Found It.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of versatile actor Darren McGavin. He was known for the TV series Riverboat and Kolchak as well as the cranky father in the holiday classic A Christmas Story.

We wish a Happy xxth Birthday to our baby girl, the apple of our eye, a dedicated Mom, wife and educator and a gal who knows more baseball than 95% of the guys in America.

Fun with numbers – baseball style

Baseball fans, not to mention major league players, often howl in agony when an umpire, particularly a home plate umpire misses a call. It can change a 2-1 count in the hitter’s favor to a 1-2 count – one pitch away from a punch out. There is a site that records each day’s MLB evaluation of umpires. It’s run by a bunch of college baseball geeks much like your more elderly Humble Blogger. A recent sample from last weekend showed umpire accuracy of up to almost 98 percent (97.7) by veteran ump Alan Porter – now in his 13^th season in MLB. A large majority of home plate umps were well over 90 percent. The weakest link, in the words of Jane Lynch, was, unsurprisingly, Angel Hernandez, who has somehow managed to keep his job since 1991. The reaction of Kyle Schwarber in the 9^th inning of the nationally televised Phils-Brewers game on yet another missed pitch was a classic.

UP NEXT: Winston Churchill; New word for the OED; Chicago

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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.

Slam dunk: choosing a bayfront manager

Even though there are more than a few folks who think the Clearwater bayfront should retain its natural beauty sans amphitheater; that ship has apparently sailed. Now it’s down to two competing groups to manage what we hope will be a successful venture. One group is Ruth Eckerd Hall with a 40-year track record of performing arts on McMullen Booth Road and at the downtown Capitol Theater. The second is LA-based Oak View Group who is partnering with the Vinik Sports Group which owns the Tampa Bay Lightning. Unless there is an overwhelming and compelling reason not to, Clearwater should go with the proven local partner. Yes, Vinik is right across the bay, but when they have to make a tough decision, who gets the gold - Tampa, of course. It should be the local guys and gals with a local board of directors by a slam dunk over Tampa and LA.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Honest, our endorsement of Ruth Eckerd Hall over the LA group has nothing to do with one of their two principals being a major player in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – a group of misguided folks who seem to have no room for Paul Anka and Neil Sedaka. Wait, have we mentioned that before?

Breaking news: Pelosi endorses Crist in Democratic gubernatorial primary. Is that good news or bad news for the professional candidate?

Number of the Week: $115 billion - the effective loss in U.S. revenue granted by executive largesse (read Biden) that would flow into the U.S. Treasury should legitimate collection of student debts not be paused.

A rave to the USPS for staying with their gas-powered delivery trucks while rejecting an electric fleet proposal from some start-up firm, which apparently is FOB.

Suppose you won a rather substantial amount of money in Florida’s many lotteries. Your name gets plastered everywhere and 12^th cousins materialize from out of thin air. Eleven of our 45 states have privacy laws regarding lottery winners. Florida should join the crowd.

One of the most colorful people in the history of Clearwater’s waterfront passed away last week. Capt. George “Maxie” Foster first captained popular party boats like the Dixie Queen and Miss Buckeye III and later owned the Gulfstream charter boats. He was 85.

This week in 1901(4/25): New York state – who else - becomes the first state requiring auto tags – fee: one dollar.

Lighter stuff:

Energy news from the 5:05 Newsletter: As gas prices soar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls on Congress to print more oil.

A shocker in the media world comes with the shutdown of CNN+ after just over a month. The parent network poured big bucks into the effort, not to mention hiring superstar Chris Wallace. But new leadership is coming on board (TBR&R 3/6/22) and it was decided to abruptly pull the plug.

TV Oddity: Within two weeks of each other, the terrific character actors who portrayed the mothers of TV buddies Jerry Seinfeld (Liz Sheridan) and George Costanza (Estelle Harris) passed away. Both Ms. Sheridan and Ms. Harris were 93.

Also passing away last week at age 70 was hockey great Guy Lafleur. He had one of those names that a broadcaster loved to pronounce – it just rolled off the tongue.

Answer: Alan Alda. The question: who was the first person to win Emmys for writing, directing and acting on one show? The show, of course, was M*A*S*H.

Inside a recent birthday card: “Celebrate like cat today. Eat. Sleep. Ignore everyone who annoys you” - a good credo to live by.

Now there are just two. A couple weeks back (TBR&R 4/10/22), we mentioned only three active coaches had multiple championships in the NCAA tournament. The surprising retirement of Villanova’s Jay Wright now has that number down to two – Rick Pitino and Bill Self.

Often heard on fishing boats along the gulf coast on a slow fishing day – “You should have been here yesterday!”

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (April 30, 2017) Acting a lot like a spoiled kid that didn’t get his way, Scientologists tried to torpedo a distribution of county bed taxes to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium after the CMA refused to sell them a piece of property the city wanted. They, unsurprisingly, were unsuccessful.

Focus Group: Most beautiful man-made objects

For the month of April, we tasked our Focus Group with determining, in their eyes, the most beautiful man-made object. Our leadoff hitter opted for Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue – which is captured so brilliantly in the opening of an otherwise ordinary movie, The Bobo. The great sculpture in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore, is the choice of another of our original Focus Group members. Another of our august group chooses the moving Pieta sculpture by Michelangelo in St. Peter’s Basilica. Our northern-most member takes a slightly different tack and names “the timeless and beautiful U.S. Constitution.” The 390-year-old Taj Mahal is the choice of another of our group – with a runner-up being a more modern structure – the interior of Radio City Music Hall. Three objects come to mind for another group member - Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Statue of Liberty - all three for their beauty but also the emotions one feels when viewing them. Finally, the Neanderthal in our group opted for either a 1957 or 2003 Ford Thunderbird, saying truly beautiful things are heaven-made, a subject we will explore in a future issue.

UP NEXT: Margaret Mitchell; License Plates; Andre and Joe West

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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.

When will America get back to work?

Headline: the snowflakes at Apple are threatening to quit if they have to return to the office soon. The tech giant is asking employees to spend one day a week in the office starting this week. That would increase to two days by the beginning of May and three by May 23. The sad thing is the threat by employees carries some weight in this crazy employment environment. We have an acquaintance that operates a very successful operation as a large vendor to Home Depot and Kroger among others. They offer insurance and a 401K from day one, a handsome retention bonus after ninety days and they can’t get enough help posing a genuine threat to their business. And we’ve mentioned before the panhandlers at intersections where at least one of the corners is begging for help. Like our friend we mentioned, this is posing a hazard to America as a whole and will continue to do so until the “brain trust” in the White House stops making it all too easy not to work.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Good for Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s action in shipping undocumented aliens to the heart of the problem, Washington D.C. Perhaps when the illegal migrants see what D.C. is like, their home country won’t seem so bad.

Tax Day is Tuesday, April 18. That’s because of Emancipation Day, in some states the 18^th is Patriot Day and your taxes aren’t due until the 19^th. If we can keep adding bogus holidays, we might be able to push Tax Day to the 4^th of July – that would be the 5^th of course.

White House spin doctor Jan Psaki to join MSNBC – there’s a marriage made in heaven, or as a Great American put it, “In other words, she is leaving the Biden Administration to work for the Biden Administration.”

Supreme Court viewpoint: Guess it could have been worse.

Our community suffered another loss last week with the passing of attorney, civic leader and former Mr. Clearwater, Jerry Figurski. Jerry, who served as President of UPARC and was active in numerous other civic efforts, was 77.

THIS WEEK IN 1961 (4/17): THE ILL-FATED BAY OF PIGS INVASION BEGINS.

Lighter stuff:

Living an amazing 102 years and known for his numerous character roles in such shows as Hawaii Five-Oh, The Untouchables and the movie Yentl, Nehemiah Persoff later pursued painting. The versatile actor died last week.

The passing of Nehemiah Persoff reminds us of another Hollywood passing we missed late last year when Nick Georgiade died at age 88. Portraying agent Rico Rossi, he was truly the last of the Untouchables, surviving all his fellow regular cast members including the show’s star, Robert Stack.

95 percent or more of Americans could care less about Will Smith and his troubles - unless, of course, we’re talking about the Braves’ star reliever or the Dodgers’ stellar catcher.

A note on how fouled up this baseball season is: on consecutive nights, Padres’ manager Bob Melvin had to pull pitchers after six and seven innings respectively even though both had no-hitters working – a result of a shortened spring training due to mutual greed. And then there was Clayton Kershaw.

Idle thought: we all gripe about the traffic this time of year in Florida. But when you have days we’ve had recently, who can blame half of America for wanting to be in Clearwater, FL?

The answer: Keebler. The question: who makes Publix’ store brand cookies?

Seen on a T-Shirt: If you ever see me jogging, please kill whatever is chasing me.

The 5:05 Newsletter reports: The FBI announced that an analysis of Hunter Biden’s laptop revealed that his top Google searches were: What does a board of directors do; what is Obama’s last name; how do you tell if a family member has dementia; and laptop repair shops near me.

Ode to Country Joe

Well, baseball season is underway and while it may seem to be piling on, we have one last Joe West story. Joe holds the record for major league games umpired and lapped the field in number of missed calls. This story involves Hall of Famer Andre Dawson. In 1991, Andre was called out looking at a third strike by West and then ejected for arguing the call. He was fined $500 by the league and paid it with a check with the memo line filled with “Donation for the blind” - true story and just another reason to love Awesome Dawson.

UP NEXT: First Auto Tag; Man Made Objects; Cracker Jill?

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Happy Easter!

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.

Gas is high – and confusing

We know we are paying an outrageous price for gas. But who are we paying it to? It’s confusing. Remember the Hess gas station at Drew and Belcher in Clearwater? The Hess brand went away a few years back as Hess got out of the gas station business. It became a Speedway station. But then 7-11 bought Speedway and there was already a 7-11 across the street and more importantly, the federal government felt there were too many 7-11s after the acquisition and the convenience store giant was forced spin off about 250 stations. Enter the Anabi Oil Company from out west. They bought about half the spinoffs and attached their Rebel brand to those stations, selling primarily Exxon/Mobil gas. Adding further confusion to the consumer is the move by the large Circle K chain away from Shell gas to their own in-house brand. Now, consumers cannot use their Shell gas cards at the growing number of Circle K stores that no longer sell the brand. Got all that straight?

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff: 

Related Factoid: The popular Cracker Barrel restaurants, now totaling close to 700 locations, had gas pumps in front of many of their early locations until they were phased out in the mid-1980s.

Unlike the presidential race, it’s getting harder and harder to keep this guy and his daily gaffes in the basement and out of sight.

The new Tampa City Council appointee Lynn Hurtak describes herself as “a deeply ethical person who will bring a wealth of city board experience to the job.” Not to mention a healthy dose of narcissism.

Idle question: why do we, as a nation, spend so much time dwelling on the death of criminals while all but ignoring the deaths of innocent people killed by drunk drivers, drive by shootings and the like?

From the, let’s say interesting, mind of the 5:05 Newsletter editor-in-chief: As I look at the young kids today, I realize that I am supposed to offer them words of advice about this pandemic based on the wisdom I have acquired over the years. But I am a Baby Boomer, and the truth is my generation never had to deal with anything like this. The closest we ever came to a pandemic was the 1970s, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, millions of people became Amway distributors. 

THIS WEEK IN 1970 – PAUL MCCARTNEY MAKES IT OFFICIAL, THE BEATLES ARE BREAKING UP. THANKS YOKO!

Lighter stuff:

In terms of USF men’s basketball coaches, there have been Lee Rose, Seth Greenberg then everybody else. Rose, who guided the Bulls to their first post season tournaments, died last week at age 85.

Volare, Wildwood Days, Wild One, Forget Him and Swinging School were just five of the 30 songs Bobby Rydell put on the Billboard charts. The Philadelphia born teen idol died last week at age 79.

Another Grammy for Tony! It’s hard to believe that it was 60 years ago that his signature song I Left My Heart in San Francisco was spending five months on the charts.

Number of the Week: 16 – that’s the number of coaches who have won multiple NCAA basketball championships. Bill Self joins that elite group and is now one of only three active coaches (Rick Pitino and Jay Wright) with multiple wins.

Sports Factoid: Due to baseball’s messed up schedule, their oldest franchise, the Cincinnati Reds, opened on the road for only the third time since 1890. The last time they started away from home was 1990 and they won the World Series.

With baseball season underway, the greatest news is that the game’s most beloved character, Bob Uecker, is again behind the mic for the Milwaukee Brewers for his 51^st season - this despite the off season issues of the death of a daughter to ALS, his contacting COVID and the replacement of a knee replacement.

MLB Predictions: Achmed wants a raise

Tampa Bay Rants and Raves’ premier baseball predictor Achmed Walled (pronounced WALL-ed) is channeling the baseball union and asking for more money. His rationalization is that he has to predict a dozen playoff teams rather than the previous ten. As negotiations continue, he, unlike the players, will work without a contract. Leading off in the National League, Achmed likes the World Champ Braves in their division, figuring the big spending Mets will find a way to foul things up. In the Central, he predicts the Brewers’ superstar, Christian Yelich will again play like himself and their outstanding pitching staff will carry them through. Out west, it’s very hard to bet against the Dodgers and their money – but not hard to root against them. Achmed thinks each division will contribute a team to the expanded Wild Cards – the teams being the Padres, Cards and Mets moving west to east. In the American League, Achmed gives a vote to the home town Rays in the East, he likes the White Sox in the Central and last year’s AL champ Houston in the West. Achmed sees both the Yanks and Blue Jays getting Wild Card spots from the East Division as well as the Mariners breaking their 20-year playoff drought in 2022. Achmed feels eventually his annual confidence in the Mariners will pay off. The High Priest of Predictions has spoken.

NEXT UP: Tax Day; Keebler/Publix elves; Getting back to work

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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.

Congress: 80 (or 75) is enough

It would be an uphill battle, but it’s time to start sowing the seeds for a mandatory retirement age for members of Congress. The first counter argument we don’t want to hear is “it’s the will of the people” to keep geriatrics on Capitol Hill. It’s not the will of the people; it’s the well-oiled machines of McConnell, Pelosi and the gang that keep them in office. We know such a law would not be problem free. There would be a lot of in-term “retirements” and appointments by friendly governors to give another party hack the benefit of incumbency. But sooner or later the wheat would be, and needs to be, separated from the aged chaff.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related Factoid: Our Congress continues to be dominated not by Democrats – or Republicans, but Baby Boomers (DOB 1946-64) who still hold a substantial edge over Generation X (1965-80) even though they are virtually equal as far as total U.S. population is concerned. Next in size are the Silent Generation (1927-45) and finally Millennials (1981-1996).

Arms race news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Biden's $800 million military aid package to Ukraine included 200 shotguns. I assume they are for the Ukrainians to defend themselves against Russian skeets.

Number of the week: 77% - the percentage of Americans who agree the U.S. must maintain energy independence – a number only slightly lower than the percentage of people who can agree on what day of the week it is.

Rhea Law confirmed as USF’s new president. Pardon us if we don’t do back flips, but we’ve been spoiled by the previous leadership of Betty Castor and Judy Genshaft. Law truly has a high bar to vault.

Idle thought, we often read that some journalist has a master’s degree from such and such a university. We’d love to audit a few of those classes just to see what those folks are being taught.

As all these new electric vehicles (Polestar, Rivian etc.) are rolled out, you have to wonder about the support infrastructure behind them. Even in this period of shortages, you can still visit your dealer for a Chevrolet part, but your Polestar dealer – not quite as easy.

We are sad to report another Gulf-to-Bay restaurant casualty – long time landmark Village Inn.

THIS WEEK IN 1975: BILL GATES AND PAUL ALLEN FORM A PARTNERSHIP TO BE KNOWN AS MICROSOFT.

Lighter stuff:

Wouldn’t it have been better to announce Bruce Arian’s retirement on Friday, the 1^st? That might have kept people guessing for a while. Good for Todd Bowles.

Related note: Arians to be inducted in the Bucs’ Ring of Honor – pending a review of every email he sent since age 12.

Answer: Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. Question –who are the only three men to win two consecutive Masters Championships? Nicklaus (65-66); Faldo (89-90) and Woods (2001-2). So the odds are somewhat stacked against Hideki Matsuyama this week.

Remember when the Oscars were hosted by Bob Hope and they were fun to watch?

You are officially old when you recognize absolutely no one on Saturday Night Live.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if your pets’ first veterinarian was Dr. Harvey Clanton at the Court Street Animal Hospital.

MLB wagers to take to the bank

Next week, we feature our renowned prognosticator and former executive assistant to Wizard Glick, Achmed Walled’s (pronounced WALL-ed) predictions for the divisions and what is becoming a come one, come all, Wild Card post. Meanwhile, if you’re a betting person, here are five sure fire (sort of) ways to lay down your money.

(1) The Rays will, again, not make the World Series.

(2) A quiniela – neither LA team (Angels or Dodgers) will make the World Series.

(3) Twin’s center fielder Byron Buxton will finish in the Top 5 in the AL MVP voting.

(4) Braves’ third baseman Austin Riley will do the same in the NL.

(5) The Orioles will again have the worst record in baseball and the AL. The Diamondbacks, with a little better pitching, will not repeat as the dregs of the NL.

UP NEXT: Achmed predicts; Free beer tomorrow; Beatle breakup

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April Fools Special – the best of the 5:05 Newsletter

We felt there would be no better day than April Fool’s Day to recognize the oft quoted 5:05 Newsletter. In this special edition, we present the best of the first four years stolen from the amazing brain of the editor of this twenty some year old Tampa Bay institution. In the words of the editor, “The stories are real; only the names, facts and events have been changed. Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be a part of.”                   

We must lead off with our first ever “borrowed” item. It went like this: Many of you who receive this “masterwork” each week also receive the 5:05 Club Newsletter. For those of you who may have missed this gem from a couple weeks ago, we repeat it here: “A 13-year-old girl became the youngest female to climb Mount Everest. She didn’t mean to, she was just texting with a friend and the next thing she knew she was at the top of Mount Everest”.

From October 26, 2014 (and our favorite of the first four years): “Ben Bradlee, Dead at 93 - He was preceded in death by journalism”.

From January 4, 2015: A classic from the local 5:05 newsletter regarding the passing of the founder of Topps baseball cards: “Sy Berger, the designer of the modern baseball card, has died. He will be laid to rest in a shoe box somewhere in an attic”.

From May 3, 2015: “Pope Francis said that one of the things he misses most about ordinary life is the ability to go out and eat pizza without being recognized. I wouldn't worry. Nobody's going to believe the guy who works at the pizza place when he says, “Hey, do you know who came in today? The Pope.”

From July 11, 2015: “BMW’s new Deluxe 7 Series will allow drivers to simply press a button on their key fob to make the car park itself. And because it's an expensive BMW, it will park itself across two spaces”.

From Sept. 27, 2015: “Leading liberal newspapers are begging Joe Biden to run for president. It is amazing. Three months ago, he was a national joke and a nightly punch line, but then the Democrats got a good look at Hillary and Bernie and suddenly Joe Biden looks like the fifth face on Mt. Rushmore.” (hmm…how did that work out?)

From October 11, 2015: “The Toronto Blue Jays have made the playoffs for the first time in 22 years; and nothing says “America's pastime” more than a bunch of guys from the Dominican Republic playing for a team in Canada.”

From December 20, 2015: "When a woman asks you to guess her age, it's like deciding whether to cut the blue, red, or green wire to diffuse a bomb."

From February 14, 2016: “The world has completely flipped in my lifetime. There was once a time when all the GM jobs were in Flint and you couldn’t drink the water in Mexico.”

From April 3, 2016: “Cuba News: A lot of people are saying President Raul Castro disrespected President Obama by not greeting him at the airport. Seriously? Our countries have been enemies for 60 years. I can’t even get my best friend to pick me up at the airport.”

From May 22, 2016: “A new study suggests that a chemical released when a person is hungry can lead to poor decision-making. It is what Taco Bell calls “our entire business model.”

From July 3, 2016: “The welcome sign on I-10 as you enter the State of California notifies visitors that You Are Now Entering a Work-Free Drug Place”.

From October 9, 2016: “Donald Trump cancelled a rally scheduled for Portland, Oregon. This was devastating news for Portland’s conservative community…a guy named Steve”.

From January 22, 2017: Note: To all the foreign countries that contributed to the Clinton Foundation: There will not be a rebate.

From April 16, 2017: Jesse Jackson attended a “Miracle Service” at a church in Chicago. He “laid his hands” on a man and told him, “You can walk today.” The man told Jackson that he wasn’t paralyzed. However, after the service, the man went outside and found his car was stolen.

From July 16, 2017: I am so glad I grew up in the 50s and 60s because I did so much stupid stuff and there is no record of it anywhere.

From October 18, 2017: Mexican cocaine kingpin Juan “El Chapo” Guzman’s defense lawyers are requesting to have El Chapo’s trial held in Los Angeles, where he can be tried by a jury of his customers.

From December 3, 2017: Hollywood is the only place where you are awarded a Doctorate in Political Science after completing your third movie.

From January 14, 2018: China increased the penalty for disrespecting the National Anthem from 15-days to 3-years in prison… in case you were thinking of taking a knee on your next visit there.

From June 17, 2018: There is talk of legalizing marijuana in Utah. However, Mormons are worried that marijuana may be a gateway drug to coffee.

From June 24, 2018: Last month marked the 80th birthday of Superman. Now that he is 80, Superman is rendered helpless by Kryptonite and his email password.

From November 18, 2018: Target announced that it will hire 100,000 seasonal employees during the holidays. Ten of them will be on the register; the rest will wander around saying, “I don’t work in this department.”

From November 25, 2018: Dunkin' Donuts announced next year they will shorten their name from Dunkin' Donuts to just “Dunkin'.” And their customers will shorten the name of their disease from diabetes to just “betes.”

From December 9, 2018: Brenda Snipes resigned as Broward County Supervisor of Elections. Some voters praised her work saying that thanks to her their grandparents voted Democratic for the first time, adding, "They would never have done that when they were alive."

There are so many jewels from the 5:05 Newsletter that space required us to limit this edition to the best of the first four years of our “borrowed” gems. Look for another such edition next April Fools Day – or sooner.

UP NEXT: The Masters; Harvey Clanton; Our Aging Congress

040122

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.

Time for bay area to address aggressive driving

A few weeks ago, a driver on the Howard Frankland Bridge felt the motorist in front of him wasn’t going fast enough. He flashed his lights and honked at the offending driver – then passed him and slammed on his brakes in front of the slower driver. For his efforts, he was shot by slower driver. He will survive the injuries, but we’re not sure there’s a cure for his stupidity. Over the years, there have been fits and starts by bay area law enforcement agencies against aggressive driving like this, but no coordinated plan. With road fatalities trending up at an alarming rate, that needs to end. Just as there are unified DUI campaigns, there needs be a plan to deal with the growing epidemic of aggressive driving in the area. The logical starting points are the Sherriff’s offices. It should be incumbent upon them to coordinate with the Florida Highway Patrol and municipal law enforcement agencies to conduct a series of rolling area-wide task forces to crack down on aggressive driving – and keep it up until we see a very significant decrease in threatening driving habits and traffic deaths in our area.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

For the second time this year, our community has lost a longtime accountant and civic leader. Mike Bollenback, of Bollenback and Forret, was extremely charitable with his time and treasure to several non-profits in our community.

Meanwhile, America mourns an outstanding public servant. Czech-born Madeleine Albright served her adopted country as both U.N Ambassador and Secretary of State. She was 84.

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh probably thought he was watching a slow pitch softball game last week as compared to the thuggery he experienced three years ago.

As we close within weeks of April 18, this nugget from the U.S. Tax Code: “If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless you return it to its rightful owner in the same year.” So those of you who looted a Target or other store in 2021, it’s time to pay up.

From the 1:26 Newsletter (well, that’s when we received it): My neighbor’s daughter just got engaged. She is registered at Shell, Exxon, Mobil and BP.

Pinellas Country attorneys need to get in touch with Pasco County who have apparently crafted a bulletproof panhandling law. The issue has become pandemic in Pinellas particularly with panhandling taking place at intersections containing at least one business advertising for help.

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THIS WEEK IN 1998 (APRIL 1): BURGER KING PUBLISHED A FULL PAGE AD IN USA TODAY INTRODUCING THE “LEFT-HANDED WHOPPER”. ALL THE CONDIMENTS WERE ROTATED 180 DEGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF LEFT-HANDED CUSTOMERS. THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS REQUESTED THIS APRIL FOOL’S BURGER.

Lighter stuff:

Seen on many T-Shirts: Save Women’s Sports. Amen to that.

Too late for your busted bracket this year, but this reminder for next: no reigning men's champ has advanced past the Sweet 16 since UF repeated in 2007.

Happy Birthday to one of the nation’s best radio stations - WSB in Atlanta celebrating its 100th birthday this month. At 750 on the dial and with 50,000 watts, you can hear the station on Florida’s west coast after sunset.

Just when we thought we were rid of the little league rule (ghost runners on second base in extra innings), it’s back, allegedly to keep today’s snowflakes from being injured. We wonder what grinders like Mark Lemke, Pete Rose or Carlton Fisk think of that rule.

Factoid: 18 of the 30 major league clubs topped the combined attendance of the Marlins and the Rays last year. Florida simply is not a good baseball market.

The year-long suspension of Atlanta Falcon wide-receiver Calvin Ridley for making bets here in Florida on NFL games is just another reason to hit the brakes on on-line gambling.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you dined at Sweetwater’s Restaurant on Gulf to Bay Blvd.

Focus Group in the movies

After filling the Oval Office last month (TBR&R 2/27/22) we have a lighter question for our elite Focus Group to conclude March. The question posed was: of all the movie characters you’ve seen, which one do you believe is most like you, and briefly why?

The first response was the Richard Dreyfuss character (Curt Henderson) in 1973’s American Graffiti – “every bit as clueless as I was at that age (18)”.

Elizabeth Taylor’s portrayal of Velvet Brown, the “horse crazy” 12-year-old girl in National Velvet best captures another of our original Focus Group members.

Another contributor sees themselves as a character from the film classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey - feeling compelled to help people and do the right thing; still, but often don't appreciate how good things are for me.

Another Focus Group member, saying it’s a stretch, identifies with Wonder Woman. Not a stretch, she’s in that category called Moms – virtually all of them wonder women.

Our fascinating list continues with a Focus Group member’s vote for Matthew Brady from Inherit the Wind. I would like to think I would be willing to stand up for what’s right and true, even if unpopular.

And our last Focus Group response, Melanie Wilkes from Gone With the Wind. She was the epitome of gentility, and I cling to the time of common courtesy and civility. We are both shy but willing to stand up for what we think is right.

Nice work group, for an off-the-wall question from the editor.

NEXT UP: A Special April Fool’s Day Edition – Best of The 5:05

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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.

Clearwater voters make wise choices

Clearwater voters overwhelmingly returned incumbent David Allbritton to office while awarding a plurality to second-time candidate Lina Teixeira in the City Council race last week. The pair have distinguished themselves with solid records of community service in the city. Clearwater now has a two-year hiatus before its next election that will elect the majority of the council. We hope some well-qualified candidates will step up in that period as Mayor Frank Hibbard recently confirmed the worst kept secret in town that he would not seek a second term. The two council members who will defend their seats two years hence leave a good deal to be desired in terms of a sense of background in Clearwater with some very narrow agendas. And city voters will be charged with replacing one of the strongest Mayors in recent history. Perhaps we’ll be surprised, and some fresh, qualified faces will surface to strengthen the Clearwater dais.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Read the most fascinating article by one of the Politaspin writers last week. It presented all sorts of charts and figures telling us that while gas, $2.16 a gallon at the beginning of 2021, is really not all that high at more than double that amount - another example of the truism that figures don’t lie, but liars figure.

Georgia got the jump on Florida in suspending their state gas tax. The reduction will continue at least through the end of May. Florida is targeting just one month, October, for a gas tax holiday due to their dependence on tourists paying at the pump.

This “borrowed item from the 5:05 Newsletter: President Biden tried to call the Saudi Crown Prince yesterday but the call was unsuccessful. The president’s handlers will let him try again today, only this time using the cell phone instead of the remote.

By a 4-2 vote, the Tampa City Commission approves Castor appointee Mary O’Connor as their new police chief, but she will oversee a city divided due to the mayor’s clumsy selection process.

Quote of the Week: “America: inflation is screwing us, our border is lawless, and there’s a ground war in Europe. (Meanwhile Kamala says) we need to get men in women’s sports ASAP.” - US Rep. and former Navy Seal Dan Crenshaw of Texas.

So what’s up with Curtis Reeves getting on the interview circuit? One would think that a low life that shot and killed an unarmed man would be hiding in cave somewhere.

THIS WEEK IN 1934: THE FIRST MASTERS WAS PLAYED AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL. IT WAS WON BY HORTON SMITH, ONE OF 30 PGA TOUR WINS IN HIS CAREER, BUT HIS ONLY MAJOR.

Lighter stuff:

Observation: Charles Barkley should never be allowed anywhere near an NCAA basketball tournament.

Who would have thunk it? Bulldogs hire a Gator. Bay area native Mike White will take over the struggling UGA basketball program.

National League fans are swallowing hard and accepting the universal DH. Most feel it’s a fair trade for getting rid of the ridiculous runner on second base in extra innings gimmick.

Next week’s Oscars will be hosted by Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes – who needs any more reason to watch, but wait – no Samantha Bee to make it even classier?

With warmer weather and the desire to crank up some surfing music on your music device, this factoid shared by a member of our Focus Group: While in high school, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys got an 'F' in his music class for writing the song Surfin; a song which went on to be the Beach Boys' breakout hit. In 2018, his grade was changed from an 'F' to an 'A.' If only some of us could get some less than objective professors to change our grades based on career accomplishments.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Carl Reiner, the creator of the Dick Van Dyke Show. He also was part of a powerful writing team for Sid Caesar along with Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and Neil Simon.

You’ve lived in the Bay Area a long time if you remember Super-Test gas stations with their slightly cheaper gas and reclaimed oil.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (March 19, 2017) In an article in the Toronto Star on Scientology, one of their writers referred to Clearwater as “a down-on-its-heels resort town.” We wager the ill-informed writer never attempted to reach Clearwater Beach during high season, or for that matter, book a room or has ever been to Clearwater. The above reference to Clearwater would be akin to referring to Toronto as a suburb of Detroit.

We share with you a thought shared with us by our niece, an educator: Teach your children to be a good friend because some children don’t go home to love.

Those oldies but goodies are selling like crazy

The Atlantic reports that fully 70 percent of music sales in the past year have been old songs. Investment firms are buying up the catalogs of older stars like Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and David Bowie. There are actually bidding wars for these products. Other catalogs were snatched up years ago like 60s stars The Beach Boys, The Beatles and Tommy James. It’s the same thing on iTunes with classic rockers like CCR, The Police and Bruce Springsteen being among the leading downloads. You can still find a gem of a new song – we readily downloaded Dexter French and Wolfgang Black’s Dance ‘Til the Sun Comes Up when we stumbled across it last year. But that’s the exception even for the younger generation as well as old codgers like us. Sadly for aspiring young artists, the new music industry is shrinking.

NEXT UP: Southpaw Whopper; Aggressive drivers; Sweetwater’s

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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.

Correction to last week’s blog

Like most “great journalistic efforts,” Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is mostly written in advance. Like a magazine, the aim is not timeliness – particularly with what’s going on in Europe. But we did sneak in a last minute item last week about the price of gas ($3.79). It was incorrect before the end of the weekend. We know all about the squeeze on Russian oil etc. But, that being said, this is just another large miscalculation by the clueless occupant of the White House. President Trump, love or loathe him, left us with energy independence. Biden took, what 48 hours, to negate that and start buying oil from our “friends” in Russia and the Middle East while eliminating 11,000 jobs. Even someone who actually has cognitive acuity might not have foreseen the Ukraine mess, but face it, every time some sheik in the Middle East sneezes, the price of oil goes up. Now, here we are with the nagging annoyance of $4 plus a gallon gas for a lot of us and a food, rent or gas decision for those less fortunate. A real mess and we’re not sure Biden and his team are smart enough to dig their way out of it.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Observation: Here we are at the most critical point in history since World War II with the weakest president since the Great Depression.

Number of the week: $2.15 – the price of gas at the beginning of 2021. Let’s see, what has happened in the interim? Oh, yeah – see lead story.

Related - Pete Buttigieg has advice for Americans upset with surging gas prices, buy an electric car. Talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy – mess up U.S. energy supplies bad enough and let’s go electric! Our out of touch transportation czar fails to mention that electric cars cost about $15-20 grand more than a comparable gas vehicle

Editorial comment from the ersatz 5:05 Newsletter: I can’t believe sending Kamala Harris to Europe didn’t work.

Coke, Pepsi and McDonalds are just some of the brands shutting down in Russia. But when Starbucks ceases operations – isn’t that when civilization as we know it begins to crumble?

Proof there is a modicum of sanity remaining in the world as Ft. Lauderdale fires its mixed-race, gay Police Chief for blatant reverse discrimination in hiring and comments that pictures in the department conference room were “too white” and “I’m going to change that.”

As we roll into midterm elections, our advice to GOP candidates please, please forget about the 2020 voting fraud arguments – and don’t hitch your star to Donald Trump.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY (1918): IN THE 1ST NHL CHAMPIONSHIP, THE TORONTO ARENAS (NOW MAPLE LEAFS) BEAT THE MONTREAL CANADIENS, OUTSCORING THEM 10-7 IN A TWO GAME SET.

Lighter stuff:

Seen on a bumper sticker, everybody can’t be Irish, somebody has to drive!

The millionaires and billionaires finally come to terms. Are we supposed to jump for joy – after their greed has cost Florida small businesses and workers a month and a half worth of spring training revenue?

Freddie Freeman to the Rays? With their payroll? Without doubt, the most ridiculous sports rumor of the year.

Keep your eye on Detroit Tiger pitching prospect, Jackson Jobe. Last week in Tiger’s minor league batting practice, he gave up his first home run – ever.

You’ve lived in the Bay Area (or anywhere else) a long time if you remember when your office got the last word in technology – an IBM Selectric Typewriter which first hit offices in the summer of 1961.

The ultimate sports experience

What’s on your sports bucket list? Some typical responses are The Masters for golf enthusiasts, The Kentucky Derby if you follow the ponies or perhaps the World Series or the Super Bowl. Your Humble Blogger has attended one of those events, the fall classic, but it doesn’t crack our top three. Those would be the Indy 500 -1969, the only year superstar driver Mario Andretti won the “greatest spectacle in auto racing.” Walking past driving legend A.J. Foyt in the pits was a plus, not to mention the pageantry at Indy. Number 2 on our list is an oddity – attending a MLB doubleheader in two different cities. Business had us in Philadelphia, and we caught an afternoon Phils-Cards game, then rushed to the airport and touched down in Miami in time to attend a Braves-Marlins night game with our family who had come in from Disney World. But our greatest thrill was taking our Durham-born wife to an always sold-out Duke Basketball game. To this day, we will not tell her what we paid for those tickets (they were less than the $3900 minimum ticket for last week’s Coach K finale). The atmosphere in that relatively small venue is unlike any other we’ve ever experienced. The fans are as much fun to watch as the game. And after the game, unlike in even most high school gyms, you can walk the floor and even sit in the chairs just vacated by future Final Four players – or Coach K himself. It’s a tough ticket (497 consecutive sellouts), but worth every penny.

UP NEXT: Changing Brian Wilson’s grade; Super Test; City election

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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.

An important Clearwater election

Clearwater voters go to the polls next week to elect two city council members. Incumbent David Allbritton is head and shoulders above his opponents in his bid for re-election. In the race to replace term-limited Hoyt Hamilton, voters have two qualified candidates to choose from in Lina Teixeira and longtime resident Jonathon Wade. The remainder of the field is a group of fringe candidates or one trick ponies with a narrow agenda. Mayor Frank Hibbard and the incumbent Allbritton already have enough of that to deal with without adding more.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related note to our lead article: when mailing our return a few weeks back, it just seemed odd not to address it to Deborah Clark – the exceptional, now retired Supervisor of Elections.

Quote of the Week: Tonight, I would like to hear President Biden’s plan to reverse course and fix the mess he has made.” – US Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Miami on the State of the Union address. We suspect he was disappointed.

Political news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Politicians are already preparing for the crucial 2022 mid-term elections. Due to the last census, a number of states will lose seats in the House of Representatives because of a nationwide population shift toward what demographers categorize as “regions with Waffle Houses.”

Oh the irony! One major metro newspaper has a headline “Jan. 6 panel lays out potential criminal charges against Trump.” Meanwhile a war criminal is running loose and our Congress is doing little or nothing.

Other than a puff piece on Disney’s new hotel, we have to rank last Saturday’s (2/26) front page of the local newspaper as the most depressing in a great, great while in terms of the state of our local area, the nation and the world.

Related item: the ONLY good thing about the events in Europe is they are shoving a bunch of politically correct junk to the back pages or off the island completely.

But then there was this: “Vice President Kamala Harris was slammed by critics Thursday over a poorly timed tweet calling for Congress to pass the Equality Act amid the breakout of war and a possible nuclear disaster in Europe.”

Pinellas weekend gas price: $3.79 a gallon – thanks, Joe.

And lastly in this section, we’re being asked what we can do to help the Ukrainians. Our answer is a dozen A-10 Warthogs that would have reduced that Russian column of tanks to a several mile long garbage heap.

60 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, THE FIRST K-MART OPENED. THERE ARE NOW LESS THAN THREE DOZEN K-MARTS LEFT. COINCIDENTLY, TWO LONGER SURVIVING STORES OPENED THE SAME YEAR – TARGET AND WALMART.

Lighter stuff:

Another year, another birthday. How old? Let’s just say we’ve passed the “best if used by” date.

In anticipation of a birthday party, we review the five most popular ice cream flavors in America (1) Vanilla (2) Chocolate – a close second (3) Cookies and Cream (4) Mint Chocolate Chip and (5) Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. We would have to add a couple of Publix specialty flavors Apple Pie Ala Mode and their seasonal Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream. But our household’s absolute favorite is Blue Bell’s Great Divide – a luscious combination of their great chocolate and vanilla flavors.

TV producer Chris Licht to take over CNN - a very interesting choice and he comes in with a mandate to return CNN to a news channel rather than a left wing mouthpiece. Time will tell.

Price of the Week: $3924 – the cheapest ticket for last weekend’s Duke-North Carolina game – Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. That is the most expensive “entry level” ticket in sports history. More on that next week.

Quote of the week from a frustrated baseball fan: “Fans ultimately don’t care who’s at fault. They’ll just find something else to do with their time.”

Number of the week: 5-2 with college football spring practice barely complete, the Vegas odds of Alabama recapturing the college football championship.

Bucs to play “home game” in Germany; what, not the Ukraine?

Word on the street is Troy Aikman is leaving FOX for ESPN. Now if FOX could just dump Joe Buck, the network’s prime game every week might be palatable.

Tampa Bay Rants & Raves turns eight

Eight years and slightly less than 400,000 words ago, a plague was cast upon otherwise intelligent folks who read this drivel on a weekly basis. We tip our cap to our original six readers. If you see numbers over a thousand now and then, rest assured they were tabulated by Dominion Voting. We thank our “kitchen cabinet” known as our Focus Group for their input. In our eight-year journey, we have attempted to discover why guys wear their baseball caps backwards; why a Hillsborough County resident thought we needed her to represent Pinellas in Congress; why it was necessary for the Redskins and Indians to change names they had for the better part of a century; why Lent and the Girl Scout Cookie Sale usually come at the same time of year and other deep mysteries. So, we forge ahead, hoping Biden won’t give away all our money in the next three years and that the 5:05 News Letter would publish more often and the St. Pete Times less.

UP NEXT: Advice to GOP; Ultimate sports experience; $99 Store

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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.

What is the Pinellas Commission afraid of?

The most leveled headed of Pinellas County’s Commissioners, Dave Eggers, can’t seem to convince three of his fellow commissioners to allow the general electorate to have a say in commission term limits. The latest 4-3 vote came last month, now requiring what Eggers describes as a Herculean task of getting 55,000 signatures by a grass roots organization, Friends of Pinellas County, to put the question on the November ballot. It’s easy to understand why commissioners Flowers, Gerard, Long and Seel oppose the measure. It’s simply the power of incumbency. Flowers’ remark “residents have a voice every four years at the ballot box and can vote incumbents out of office” is utter nonsense. Incumbents and their cronies can make it rain money making an outsider challenge, better qualified or not, next to impossible. In Florida, 95% of incumbents win local elections and that isn’t because they are doing that great a job – it is money along with general indifference of voters in down ballot races. Pinellas County doesn’t owe its elected officials a lifetime job. We can only hope Friends of Pinellas County can get those 55,000 signatures and bring an end to “commissioners for life” in Pinellas.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Is Vladimir Putin any less a war criminal than Tojo, Goring and the rest?

We have never owned a firearm in our life, but now we feel it necessary - to protect ourselves from popcorn throwers. You’ve got to wonder about the state of mind of a guy who feels it necessary to carry a firearm into a movie theater. What an outrageous miscarriage of justice.

With the race months away, Gov. Ron DeSantis leads in his re-election bid by double digits over the three major Democratic candidates. That lead is bound to narrow as Democrats unite behind one candidate. Right now, Charlie Crist has a slight lead over Nikki Fried and Annette Taddeo.

Oddity: we keep hearing of large backups at the IRS, yet we got our tax refund in something like 10 days.

A rant we air every couple of years or so – we would be willing to pay a little more in county taxes if Pinellas County could ever get their traffic lights in sync, avoiding light to light stop and goes for county drivers.

The name Gail Halvorsen may not mean much to you, but it did to the kids in East Berlin in the late 1940s. He was the so-called “candy bomber” who dropped sweets to kids caught up in the Soviet blockade after World War II. He was a hero to those kids. Halvorsen, who visited East Germany many times after the Berlin Airlift, passed away last week at age 101.

From the 5:05 Newsletter: In response to record levels of unprosecuted shoplifting, Walgreens stores in San Francisco have introduced a new “Frequent Looter Rewards Card.” Looters who loot a Walgreens 5 times will be awarded a mail-in voter registration.

THIS WEEK IN 1974: PEOPLE MAGAZINE PUBLISHES ITS FIRST EDITION. CIRCULATION IS NOW 3.75 MILLION.

Lighter stuff:

As Lent begins this week, a tip of the cap to McDonald’s franchisee Lou Groen who developed the company’s very popular Filet-O-Fish in 1962. Over 25 per cent of all Filet-O-Fish sandwiches sold in 2022 will be sold during the next 40 days between this week and Easter.

Hats off to the Rooney family, who seem to manage to win while practicing hiring diversity, on their hire of Brian Flores to a key role on their coaching staff.

Idle thought: Matthew Stafford is finally surrounded by a good, not great team and wins it all.

Sports number of the Week: One – the number of winning seasons the Jacksonville Jaguars have had in the past 14 seasons. The Bucs’ Byron Leftwich wisely passed.

MLB players’ and owners’ greed has cost at least a week of Spring Training games for fans in Clearwater, Dunedin and Tampa. But you’ve got to feel for North Port, Florida, whose four-year-old stadium is seeing their fourth truncated spring season due to construction delays, COVID and, this year, greed.

Just asking: Since we apparently are going to eliminate pitchers hitting in both leagues, why not go to an 8-man batting order, rather than trotting out a bunch of guys who should give all of their gloves to a local thrift store?

Focus Group: Oval office in 2024

After dealing with American landmarks last month, and realizing this Biden thing isn’t working out, we asked our TBR&R Focus Group to zero in on the 2024 Presidency – specifically who they would like to see (as opposed to predict) in the White House in 2024. We will revisit this question a year and two years from now to allow for changing trends. Our first response came from one of the true policy wonks on our elite panel. He, while reserving the right to change his mind one and two years hence, favors our Governor Ron DeSantis for the presidency. Our second responder, also a bit of political nerd, would like to see our first woman President in the person of former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. One of our original Focus Group members who has had a knack for picking Presidential winners over the last couple of decades weighs in with simply anybody but Donald Trump. Similarly, another group member said they would like to see a Republican back in the White House, but has reservations about the previous occupant. Another Focus Group original went outside the political spectrum and would like the calm, straightforward demeanor of former Fox, now CNN, commentator Chris Wallace in the White House. Our only out of state Focus Group member feels if he cannot have our Governor for his horribly run state, he’d also like to have Ron DeSantis as America’s next chief executive. Lastly, another Focus Group contributor has her list down to two – U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas or our state’s chief executive.

NEXT UP: Clearwater’s election; Turning eight; K-Mart

022722/NA

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.

Mayor Castor’s misstep 

Four former Tampa mayors say it would be unprecedented for a mayoral appointment to be shot down by the City Council. Unsurprisingly, all four surveyed are Democrats like Tampa’s sitting mayor who didn’t realize the consequences of her appointment of a former colleague with a less than spotless record. For some reason, former Republican Mayor (and Governor) Bob Martinez was not surveyed. Martinez is also Hispanic as is the highly qualified Interim Chief, Butch Delgado, who was passed over for the job by a mayor who doesn’t seem to be able to read the tea leaves. The most practical solution, given the considerable pushback from the community, would be for appointee Mary O’Connor to gracefully withdraw. Otherwise, Tampa will be a fractured city due to Mayor Castor’s misstep.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

SCOTUS News from the 5:05 Newsletter: President Joe Biden quietly withdrew Whoopi Goldberg's Supreme Court nomination after she downplayed the Holocaust.

Is Albert Whitted Airport the best use of St. Pete’s waterfront property? The last time the issue was brought to a vote, three quarters of the city’s voters said yes. Whether that still holds true is up for debate, but it’s a heck of a lot better use than a baseball stadium for so many reasons.

A gentleman wise in the ways of local government told us years ago that their function was to bounce basketballs (leisure and the arts) catch bad guys (public safety) and pick up trash – probably the most basic of the three. Right now, Polk County is doing a lousy job of picking up trash – a problem with many solutions all of which seem to be escaping the folks to our east.

He captained the Fort Harrison Hotel until it was purchased by the evil empire, and then spent three decades as General Manager of the stately Clearwater Beach Hotel. Wally Lee passed away last week at age 89.

THIS WEEK IN 1962: JOHN GLENN BECOMES THE FIRST AMERICAN TO ORBIT THE EARTH.

Lighter stuff:

The first week of Spring Training games has been canceled and folks who use the $10 an hour jobs during spring to supplement their income are out of luck as the players and owners decide whether a first year player should make $570,000 or $650,000 a year.

Las Vegas Raiders’ fans are calling the Rams win over the Bengals “karma,” after getting hosed by a call that the league admits cost the Raiders a playoff game against the Bengals.

Answer: Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. Question who was the youngest NFL head coach to win a Super Bowl before Sean McVay?

Thought of the Week: You call it eating five boxes of Girl Scout cookies alone; I call it supporting young female entrepreneurs.

Related Factoid: In 2018 (the last season not affected by COVID), more people attended Spring Training games in Florida than either the Rays or Marlins regular season games.

Something we loved reading – the story of a high school football coach in Bethel Park, PA who canceled an off-season workout for his players in the gym because of a heavy snow storm. Their workout instead was to “Find an elderly or disabled neighbor and shovel their driveway. Don’t accept any money – that’s our Monday workout.” Over a hundred driveways were shoveled by 40 players - hats off to Coach Brian DeLallo and his team.

Five years Ago in TBR&R (Feb. 26, 2017) After over fifty years on the air, the University of South Florida sells off its TV station WUSF Channel 16. The station competed against and often duplicated the programming of PBS affiliate WEDU Channel 3 and was costing the university millions each year.

The “good old boys”

Clearwater’s municipal election is just a few weeks away (March 15) and, like many years in the past, we hear complaints about “good old boys” dominating city elections. The barbs this time are directed mainly towards incumbent commissioner David Allbritton. It’s as though the Clearwater native should have to apologize for growing up in the city he serves – for being active in his community all his life. Sure, he is well-connected, why wouldn’t he be with all he’s done in the city? But the overwhelming facts are Allbritton has shown strong leadership skills in his first term and he is, by far, the most qualified candidate to continue in that seat on the council – whether you choose to label him a “good old boy” or not.

NEXT UP: People; Oval office in ’24; Eight men up

022022/70

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.

Congress needs to take stock

Last week we opined that members of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors should be required to have their portfolios placed in a blind trust to avoid the recent surge of insider trading allegations. Now, U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia has taken that one step further with proposed legislation that members of Congress and their spouses (read Paul Pelosi, a heavy stock trader) cannot trade stocks while in office. Your humble blogger, while an elected official years ago, learned of a local company soon to gain a large defense contract that would (and did) catapult their stock. Your HB and the appointed city official who gained this information at a private meeting agreed that no way on God’s green earth should they act on it. But what if one of us was in a financial bind, or just greedy? If a local official can gain such information, think of what a member of Congress can learn about future events affecting companies’ worth? Legislation like this makes way too muchsense.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Surely the irony is not lost on the American public: our fearless leader vowing the crucial Nord Stream 2 Russia-to-Germany gas pipeline would be blocked if Russia further invades Ukraine. Meanwhile, 11,000 Americans lost their jobs when Biden shut down the Keystone Pipeline, and they hadn’t invaded anything.

More on the Ukraine: this headline Kamala Harris to take lead on Ukraine. My, isn’t that comforting?

“You’ve got to be kidding” is the reaction of many observers to Tampa’s mayor picking an old crony with some serious negative background to be the city’s new police chief over Tampa native and deputy chief – Butch Delgado.

Number of the week: 6.6 million. That’s the number of Americans who suffer from a gambling addiction – a number that our legislature and our general population should keep in mind as we seem to rush headlong towards increased gambling in our state.

Idle thought: when we have to fill critical positions requiring highly qualified people, why do we tie our hands by limiting our selections to a small subset of candidates?

From the MIT Technology Review, here are four of the worst innovations from the past couple decades – The Segway, cryptocurrency, E-Cigarettes and selfie sticks, to which we add the “driverless” car.

Related to our concluding article below, there are now 35 Sears stores left in America.

For almost half a century, he was the go to guy for everybody in Clearwater when their vacuum cleaner went kaput. Clearwater High ’62 grad George Valone passed away last month at age 77.

THIS WEEK IN 1899 (2/13): THE TEMPERATURE DROPS TO MINUS 2 DEGREES IN TALLAHASSEE, THE RECORD LOW IN FLORIDA HISTORY.

Lighter stuff:

From the 5:05 Newsletter: The historic Rotterdam Bridge will be temporarily dismantled so Jeff Bezos’ new super yacht can pass through. Bezos will then board his private train and head to Switzerland where, for his convenience, a portion of the Alps has been flattened.

Pitchers and catchers did not report Monday, the first of a lot of bad news baseball fans will be receiving. The second was an offer by Biden Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to “help out” in negotiations. Walsh is one of the most pro-union people on the planet.

Allegedly attributed to baseball Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins, “I called to congratulate (baseball umpire) Joe West on retiring, but he missed that call too.”

Mid-February and it’s now safe to go back to the gym, the overcrowding caused by New Year’s resolutions has now passed.

Forgive us if we’ve mentioned this before, but never buy your wife a stepstool for Valentine’s Day even if she asked for it.

Seen on a bumper sticker: My dog is smarter than your president.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember the major fire that destroyed nearly a block on the northern side of downtown Cleveland Street in the late 1950s.

Rochester may have hit on something

As we see shopping malls all across the country, including here in the Bay Area, struggling, folks in Rochester, NY may have hit on something. They are repurposing arguably the most struggling retailer in the country, Sears, into a 300,000 square foot medical campus in the Marketplace Mall. It’s a project of the highly respected University of Rochester Medical Center. When you stop and think about it, a conversion like this makes sense. The mall offers relatively cheap real estate, tons of parking and it’s centrally located. Rochester is not the first community to do this, but the Marketplace Mall location is likely the most comprehensive such facility thus far in what could be a boon for struggling malls as well as medical facilities trying to keep non-critical patients away from the COVID threat in our hospitals.

UP NEXT: Three times around; Good Old Boys; Electric cars

021322/71

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.

Three years to go, Demos’ frustration mounts

With three years to go in the Biden occupation of the White House, it’s becoming painfully obvious that someone else will be holding the lease after 2024. For one thing, the guy will be 82 years old. More importantly, his first year in office has been a train wreck with inflation, unprecedented border problems and the general malaise of the country pushing his approval rating to historic lows. High profile Democrats would like him to bow to the obvious and announce he will not be running for reelection in 2024. Granted, the lineup of potential successors is weak with names like Buttigieg, Harris and Warren along with longshots like Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama. Potential candidates are straining at the leash, not wanting to have to put organizations together at the 11^th hour. Biden insists he will run in 2024; too many factors say he won’t and he needs to step aside gracefully and with some dispatch.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Budget news from the 5:05 Newsletter: “The Biden Administration is proposing a fiscal 2022 record federal budget of $6 trillion, to be raised by what the White House describes as “an exciting new partnership with Herbalife.”

Are we the only ones offended by the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club not including Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard in its recent mayoral summit? Granted, the bay area’s third largest city has a smaller population than Tampa or St. Pete, but it is a giant in terms of revenues generated for the bay area and the state.

Economic news: while the Midwest is suffering most from inflation (MSAs up as high as 21% in the Dakotas and Iowa). Tampa Bay is one of the highest in the east at over 8 percent.

With the recent scandals involving insider investments by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, we find it beyond belief that the governors aren’t required to put their portfolios in a blind trust.

Florida needs to continue with confidential searches for its university presidents, despite some ivory tower calls for openness. It simply comes down to the fact that the majority of states do not have open search requirements. So, if you’re a currently employed, highly qualified candidate with the option of applying confidentially for a new job or in states with open records – where are you not going to apply? Our universities deserve the deepest pool of qualified candidates available.

THIS WEEK IN 1935: THE BOARD GAME MONOPOLY DEBUTS - SALES SINCE 1935 TOTAL 250 MILLION COPIES.

Lighter stuff:

Washington Commanders – not great, but not as lame as other suggestions or the Washington Football Team name they were stuck with for a year and a half.

If you read this drivel regularly, you knew this was coming. The latest nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are revealed. Again, no Paul Anka or Neil Sedaka but “transcendent groups” like A Tribe Called Quest, Rage against the Machine and New York Dolls are nominated

Clearwater’s Dean Young’s Blondie comic strip reminded us recently of another American term from the 1900s that is fast fading from our lexicon – “sounding like a broken record.”

Super Bowl Factoid: The first Super Bowl which was also played in Los Angeles was blacked out within a 75-mile radius of LA. Despite the blackout, the stadium was only two-thirds full as the Packers beat the Chiefs. Top ticket price was $12.00.

Idle thought: Candy bars we ate as kids we hardly see anymore – Baby Ruth; Clark Bar; Mars Bar; Oh Henry and Zagnut.

Speaking of sweet things, we annually whine about Girl Scout Cookie sales and Lent coinciding. However, in 2022, sales start this week and Lent doesn’t start for another month – Ash Wednesday, March 2.

If you managed a radio station in the 70s you, at one time or another, had a Dr. Johnny Fever working for you – always pushing the envelope. Howard Hesseman, who died last week at 81, played the role of a wayward disc jockey to a tee on WKRP in Cincinnati.

Watching three GOATS

None of us are old enough to have watched baseball’s greatest player, Babe Ruth. We can argue about who was the NBA’s best - LeBron, MJ or perhaps Magic. But we’re pretty sure we are now witnessing two coaches and one player who will go down as the greatest of all time. One of those is right in our own backyard – Tom Brady. His multiple NFL championships with two different teams say it all. College football fans are also witnessing the greatest coach of all time at Alabama. Nick Saban is without peer in this generation or any other – again a national championship winner at two different schools. Although he never won a championship at Army, Mike Krzyzewski has won five at Duke and more games than other Division I college basketball coach in history along with coaching the USA National team to a 75-1 record during his years as their head coach. Krzyzewski retires this year, Brady as well and Saban still going strong. But we as sports fans have been privileged to witness three of the greatest during our lifetimes.

NEXT UP: Freezing Florida; Taking stock; Surgery at Sears

020622/70

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.

Remembering when you could trust the media

If you have some age on you, you remember The Clearwater Sun, The Tampa Tribune, even the afternoon Tampa Times. You also remember when the Associated Press (and the UPI) when they were news gatherers for local Radio and TV along with the newspaper. The three respected papers are now history replaced by one of the four or five most left leaning newspapers in the country. The AP is now also a Democratic apologist witnessed by their recent recap of the first year of Biden failures, all of which they blame on others. There has to be a time when Biden is held accountable for his many missteps. Apparently, the American public is doing some accounting with Biden earning a 33 per cent approval rate in the recent Quinnipiac poll. Unfortunately, these numbers are lost on the AP or our local newspaper.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

As we begin Year Two of the Biden administration, this thought from the 5:05 Newsletter: “Can we all just agree that in the past 30 years we may have taken this “anyone-can-grow-up-to-be president” thing a bit too far?”

Point to ponder, courtesy of one of our Focus Group members: If the federal government can force you to take a vaccine, can the government force you to carry a baby with a heartbeat to term? Just asking.

Biden apparently set to fill soon to be vacated Breyer seat with a Black woman regardless of other factors - sort of a Rooney rule in reverse. Either way, we trade off a liberal for what we hope will be no worse than a liberal.

As Hillsborough County adds the 656 area code, you’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you remember when Pinellas shared the 813 area code with Hillsborough.

THIS WEEK IN 1933: WXYZ RADIO IN DETROIT AIRS THE FIRST EVER EPISODE OF “THE LONE RANGER”.

Lighter stuff:

Tough, tough loss. The now retiring Tom Brady was vintage Tom Brady in the second half. Unfortunately, he does not play in the Bucs secondary.

We’re going to miss the voice and enthusiasm of Dick Vitale for the rest of the college basketball season. Vitale is sidelined due to some serious issues with his vocal cords.

A disappointing Hall of Fame outcome with the voters giving a one-dimensional player a first ballot entry; that honor should be reserved for two dimensional players like Aaron, Clemente and Mays. Equally disappointing was the Hall’s rejection of the outspoken Curt Shilling, a victim of the era’s cancel culture. Not surprising, considering the traditional leftward bent of writers.

This week we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Laugh In co-host Dick Martin. You bet your sweet bippy!

Sports quote of the week from veteran baseball writer Jason Stark: “The players and owners are not even talking about the one issue that might matter most to fans, rules adjustments intended to improve the on-field product. Nope, sorry. It’s about money. It’s always about money. No matter how anyone frames it, no matter what anyone says.”

Sports numbers of the week: 26-3: the career record of future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger against the Cleveland Browns, the team that passed over the Ohio native in the 2004 NFL draft.

Seen on a T-shirt: “To save time, let’s assume I know everything.”

Focus Group’s dream destinations

Our first question of 2022 for our elite Focus Group was to name three things in the United States they have not seen that they would like to see. The first response from an original Focus Group member included the Northern Lights, the Grand Canyon and, not satisfied with her hundred some trips to Walt Disney World, she would like to visit the original – Disney Land. Since our second responder is married to the first, he gets a cheat on the Grand Canyon along with his trio of Pearl Harbor, the USAF boneyard in Arizona and Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose out in Oregon. One of our newer Focus Group members would like to see Niagara Falls, New England states Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire and one of America’s greatest landmarks – Mount Rushmore. Pearl Harbor was also on the list of things to see of another Focus Group member who also listed the famous Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio which has been in operation for over 150 years along with the storied Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco Bay. Mount Rushmore, the brain child of South Dakota historian Doane Robinson, also occupies the list of another of our Focus Group. He adds the Flight 93 Memorial in Pennsylvania and the Grand Canyon to his bucket list. Last but not least, our western most member wants to go further west and visit Alaska, the expanse of the Dakotas and Montana plus, like another member, view the Northern Lights – which would tie in with her Alaskan trip as Fairbanks is considered the best place in the U.S. to view the Northern Lights.

UP NEXT: Buying Boardwalk; ESPN & Baseball; Candy bars

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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 - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Student loans – what’s different today?

The majority of college graduates in America have had it up to here with the snowflakes besieging the federal and state governments to relieve them of student debt. We ask a simple question – why? One local grad is sending postcards to everyone short of the Postmaster General requesting “Cancel Student Debt.” And in answer to our “why” question, the response went something like this: an effort to preserve the kind of life she and others say they’ve tasted recently with student debt out of the way. Understandable - we could enjoy a better life without that pesky mortgage or utility bill. But we agreed to the terms of each, and we’re not looking for big brother to bail us out, so we can enjoy that cruise to Alaska. A couple in their golden years remembers him working two jobs in college and her paying off her student loan early just so she would not be in debt to anyone. And the couple started sacrificing and saving early so their kids would not have to borrow money to get an education. That responsible generation, alas, no longer seems to exist. And they should not be asked to foot the bill for a much less responsible generation.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related to our lead piece, the Sugar Daddy Biden administration has extended the pause on student loan paybacks until May 1. After that, who knows? The only certainty is that without reform, we the American taxpayers will be paying off that student debt.

Heather Boushey is an economist for the Biden regime. In an interview with Channel 13’s Craig Patrick last week, she attempted to explain away record breaking inflation on the sudden availability of appliances and the like. Has this woman not visited a grocery store or a gas station or a used car lot? Get out of your ivory tower Ma’am.

In an editorial about the ridiculous New York initiative to allow non-citizens to vote in city elections, the liberal author of the piece somehow manages to take a shot at Republicans by paragraph three. Sorry, this was strictly a Democratic mess propagated by the last two mayors of the city that never sleeps (or blushes).

Speaking of city elections, Clearwater councilperson Kathleen Beckman is navigating a very slippery slope in her “get out the vote campaign,” coordinating it with a supporter of one of the candidates for the council. Council members need to stay above the fray, which just hasn’t happened in this election cycle.

Answer: DC, Hawaii and California. Question where are the three most expensive places to live in the U.S.? (According to MoneyWise).

THIS WEEK IN 1957: WHAMO PRODUCED THE FIRST “PLUTO PLATTER.” WE KNOW IT TODAY AS THE FRISBIE; IT WAS INDUCTED INTO THE TOYS HALL OF FAME INAUGURAL CLASS IN 1998.

Lighter stuff:

MLB swats down the split season concept of the Rays. The only question is why wasn’t this nonsense stifled the moment it was proposed?

This week marks the first anniversary of the passing of baseball great Hank Aaron. A fellow baseball fan shared this with us – “Take away all 755 of Hank’s homeruns and he still has more hits than Wade Boggs. Think about that for a minute.”

Something that warms our heart: Stetson Bennett IV, currently the most famous college football player on the planet, communicates with a flip phone.

NFL note courtesy of The Athletic: At 44, Tom Brady is older than all his opposing coaches left in the NFC playoff bracket: Packers coach Matt LaFleur (42), 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan (42) and Rams coach Sean McVay (35) are all younger.

Last week’s Bucs-Eagles playoff game made us think of the coach of the first Eagles-Bucs playoff game, John McKay and one of our favorite McKay stories: After receiving harsh criticism from the media about his coaching skills in the NFL, McKay replies, "You guys don't know the difference between a football and a bunch of bananas." In the next interview, members of the media left bananas for McKay. He then replied, "You guys don't know the difference between a football and a Mercedes Benz."

As the NFL coaching carousel turns, it’s hard to understand why the Las Vegas Raiders would not ask interim coach Rich Bisaccia back. His only sin in a great second half drive was getting hosed by an incompetent officiating crew in his playoff game that gave the Bengals a touchdown, and the deciding score that should have been blown dead.

From the 5:05 Newsletter: “To all New Yorkers now moving to Florida - remember you are refugees not missionaries.”

We must add an editorial comment to the above; there are parts of New York (Buffalo, Rochester, and Elmira to name a few) that are not infected by the “New York City Syndrome.” In fact they are working on a vaccine to prevent it.

The baseball lockout and spring training

Florida’s economy is in danger of taking yet another hit. For unless the millionaires and billionaires reach agreement soon, spring training will be shortened or possibly cancelled. At this time, most experts feel spring training will at least be delayed. This will have a negative impact on the economies of Arizona and Florida. Thousands of hotel room nights are at stake. Restaurants, still recovering, will be less busy. Vendors at the ballparks will have no one to sell to and seasonal employees in places like Clearwater, Dunedin and Tampa will not have that extra income they count on. Up north, very popular travel packages (air, rooms and tickets) will go unpurchased. But eventually, the millionaires and billionaires will agree on a formula to stuff their pockets. It is a sad situation.

UP NEXT: Hi Oh Silver; Focus Group bucket list;

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

(Editor’s note – Our This Week in History segment has moved between the politics and stuff and lighter stuff sections)

Answers to problems that don’t exist

With Biden’s ill-conceived “Build Back Better” being shot down after even Democratic economists say the bill would only add to the country’s super-heated inflation, Democrats wish to move on to a second solution to a problem that doesn’t exist – voting rights. The United States currently has the most liberal voting rights laws in its history, the words of The New York Time’s Yuval Levin, not ours (although we agree). About the only way to further expand voting in our nation would be adopting the long standing Chicago model of vote early, vote often, whether dead or alive. That’s a solution we don’t need.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Our condolences to the Crown family on the passing of Bill Crown, who headed the family’s long standing accounting practice. Bill, a community leader and a member of the Morton Plant Tree House, had just turned 80.

From the 5:05 Newsletter, a related note to our lead article: The $1.75 trillion “Build Back Better Act” failed to pass in 2021. At issue is whether or not the plan to pay it back by selling baked goods to foreign nations is really feasible.

Commerce Department reports that U.S. trade deficit was up in 2021. Now there is breaking news; inflation at 40 year high. Not a great week for the Biden regime.

Quote of the week: “Expectations are low.” The Wall Street Journal’s Peggy Noonan on the outlook for VP Kamala Harris’ next three years as second-in command.

Word on the street indicates that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might oppose Senator Chuck Schumer in New York’s Democratic primary. The blowhard Senator never looked so good.

Kudos to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody for her proposed strengthening of sentencing guidelines for thugs caught in the now epidemic smash and grab thefts that began in California and are now filtering east. Her proposals would put Florida ahead of the curve in this disturbing trend.

THIS WEEK IN 1919 – THE “GREAT EXPERIMENT” PROHIBITION BEGAN, IT WAS A FAILURE, BUT IT MADE ROBERT STACK’S CAREER.

Lighter stuff:

A lot of folks, including the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, considered the Ronettes’ Be My Baby to be the most influential rock song of the sixties. The group’s lead singer, Ronnie Spector, passed away last week at age 78.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of the late Telly Savalas – TV’s Kojak. “Who loves ya, baby?”

The MLB Network cut ties with arguably their best on-field commentator Ken Rosenthal. His greatest sins were occasionally being critical of MLB ayatollah Rob Manfred. Fortunately, he will still appear in The Athletic, which was recently purchased by The New York Times.

Other than the Braves miracle finish, the other team that deserves the most credit for overcoming adversity in 2021 is the Toronto Blue Jays who won 91 games despite having to call three different cities, including Dunedin, home.

Just weeks after our comments on the hapless Giants and Jets (TBR&R 12/19/21), a lawsuit has been filed in New York to force both teams to return to playing their games in New York rather than New Jersey. It might even help their games –see Bills, Buffalo.

Topping the charts fifty years ago this week was Don McLean’s opus American Pie. It would remain there for four weeks and was the third biggest selling record of the year.

Seen on a T-Shirt: Hold on, let me overthink this.

You’ve lived in Pinellas County a long time if you ever enjoyed the authentic Eastern Carolina BBQ at Butler’s on 94^th Avenue North in St. Pete.

How not to handle NFL Week 18

The NFL, CBS and Channel 10 made no friends last weekend when the Baltimore – Pittsburgh game, the result of which had playoff implications for both teams, was cut off in overtime with the score tied. The Bucs game was scheduled to start and we get that, but no backup plan – CBS Sports Network or the NFL Network? To make matters worse, during the opening drive by Carolina in the Bucs game, Channel 10 interrupts the live action for a promo for their weather department. This was amateur hour at its best by a supposed professional sports league, television network and network affiliate. Not their finest hour – for people older than dirt, a repeat of the infamous “Heidi Game” on NBC in 1968.

UP NEXT: Only in NYC; Student loans; Florida & the lockout

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

(Editor’s note – With each edition in 2022, we will lead off our blog with a significant event in history for that week.)

THIS WEEK IN 2007 – THE BIRTH OF THE IPHONE.

USF losing their way

The University of South Florida‘s board of trustees recently gave some marching orders to interim president Rhea Law. Most make sense such as prepping to make the transition to a new president as smooth as possible. But sticking out like a sore thumb on the list is a call for progress on an on-campus football stadium. This would make sense if the football program were a cash cow for the university ala UF or even UCF. The program isn’t even close to what you would call an asset for the university that found it necessary to close down their school of education until faced with a region wide revolt. This is a program that has won three games over the last two years and averaged just over three wins a year over the last four. Their wins this year were over a Division II school and Temple, who fired their coach at season’s end. The financially responsible avenue for USF would be finding a way to either move their program to Division II or a bolder decision to phase out the football program all together – not build an unneeded on-campus stadium.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

January 6 was a golden day for Joe Biden. The anniversary of the disruption in DC gave him a day to blame it all on President Donald Trump while some people forget about worsening inflation, the COVID crisis and his international blunders for a short time. The temporary amnesia won’t last long.

We regret we did not have the required space of 17 paragraphs for outgoing St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman to congratulate himself on a job well done.

We see the wondrous ads from the local gambling casino showing all those winners. The ads never mention breadwinners trying to explain to their families why they are being evicted, having their power turned off or no gas for the car because of that wonderful casino.

Quote of the Week: “(Clearwater City Manager Jeff) Jennings said he brings the advantage of a fresh face without the historical baggage that exists between the city and Scientology.” That is either the height of naivety or hubris – neither of which bodes well for Clearwater.

A Ben and Jerry’s is scheduled to open on Clearwater Beach next week. We won’t be there. Besides their product being unhealthy and overpriced, the company continues their anti-Israeli policies in the Mideast as well as support for radical movements here at home.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (January 8, 2017): Word on the street is a new buyer for the old 1100 Building at MLK and Cleveland is waiting in the wings to be the building’s savior. Pardon us if we remain skeptical. (Turns out, the 8^th or 9^th time was charmed and the building is up and occupied).

Sidney Portier won an Oscar in 1964 for Lilies of the Field, but many felt he surpassed those performances in 1967’s To Sir with Love and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. The heralded actor passed away last week at age 94.

Lighter stuff:

If you’ve already become frustrated with your New Year’s resolutions, fall back to the philosophy most attributed to Benjamin Franklin – weed one garden bed at a time.

The semi-official 5:05 Newsletter reports on an order mix-up: “Last week my online order got mixed up with somebody else's. I ordered a fake vaccination card and they sent me a Hawaiian birth certificate.”

A 2022 oddity occurred in Salinas CA when fraternal twins Aylin and Alfredo Trujillo were born just fifteen minutes apart, but Aylin was born at 11:45 pm December 31 and her twin brother Alfredo fifteen minutes later just after the dawn of 2022 giving them different days, months and years of birth.

It took but one week for one of our bold 2022 predictions to be proven wrong. The University of South Florida gave a two year extension to head football coach Jeff Scott who is 3-18 in his first two years at USF. This continues a series of incomprehensible moves by our alma mater over the past few years (see above).

What’s up with all the piling on of Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh? Outside of each other, there was only one team in the country that beat either of the two college championship finalists.

We have the deepest respect for Buck Showalter. He has won everywhere he’s managed; we simply hate to see him get mixed up in the hot mess that is the New York Mets.

Ad Week’s 2021 Ad of the Year? The delightful Geico “Scoop, There It Is” ad, a spinoff of Atlanta-based Tag Team’s 1993 hit Whoomp (There It Is).

Our unofficial Hall of Fame ballot

Each year we try to assist writers who actually have a Hall of Fame ballot with their selections. This year’s new candidates are mostly a group of players who had nice careers, but fall short of Hall of Fame status. There are two exceptions – Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz, both of whom are tainted by performance enhancing drugs. We sense voters will be more forgiving with Big Papi, as the Red Sox DH was known. Our guess is he will linger a year or two because of the PEDs and the fact he seldom played defense during his career. Being a first ballot selectee is something you reserve for the Aarons, Griffeys and Mantles of the world. With those facts in mind, the writers have to get over themselves and vote in post season stalwart Curt Schilling on his performance, not his politics, baseball’s best all-time left handed reliever Billy Wagner, the best or second best shortstop glove of all time Omar Vizquel and Colorado’s Todd Helton with his career batting average of .316. And the Hall will at least temporarily say good bye to last year on the ballot juicers Barry Bonds, Roger Clemons and Sammy Sosa, which is sad because all three probably could have made the Hall without the chemical assists.

NEXT UP: Unneeded solutions; Lockout effects; Who loves ya?

010922/71

Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

(Editor’s note – With each edition in 2022, we will lead off our blog with a significant event in history for that week.)

Looking back at this week (1920): an epoch in New York baseball history when the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the then downtrodden Yanks for $125,000 – less than $5000 per World Championship (27).

10 not all that credible 2022 predictions

A new year and some thoughts on what it will bring: (1) The Supreme Court unfortunately stops short of overturning Roe vs. Wade. (2) The GOP will retake both houses of Congress in the midterms. (3) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will announce that 2022-4 is her last term. (4) Ron DeSantis will be re-elected Governor. (5) Charlie Crist will announce his candidacy for something, gosh knows what. (6) David Allbritton and Lina Teixeria will win Clearwater’s March elections. (7) Biden’s ratings will not sink any lower – how could they? (8) Gas prices will continue to hover in the mid three dollar range. (9) Billy Napier’s first year at UF will be about the same as Dan Mullen’s last year – around .500, while USF will have another two-three win season – and another coaching change. (10) The Rays will have another nice season but will fall short of the World Series and then concentrate on their plan to play a split season between Tampa Bay and New Zealand.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

We lead off the New Year with this resolution: To all my doctors, yes, I am trying to lose weight, but like the folks at the 5:05 Newsletter,“I don`t want to get caught up in one of those ‘Eat right and exercise’ scams.”

More on this weight loss thing, we find that a New Year’s resolution is easier to keep if you get a running start in October.

Are we the only ones who are nervous about talks between Scientology’s David Miscavige and Clearwater’s new city manager who blew into town about six weeks ago?

My, but political parties dislike members who think for themselves and their constituents – see Manchin, Joe.

Quote of the week: “It’s between do you want to stop slightly higher prices or do you want a slower economy?” - Boston College economist Aleksandar Tomic. We’re not so sure Americans characterize the current increased cost of goods and services as “slightly higher.”

Lighter stuff:

Just days short of her 100^th birthday, we say goodbye to everyone’s favorite actress, Betty White.

When a legend (Tom Brady) calls someone else (John Madden) a legend, no more need be said. The former coach and broadcaster died last week at age 85.

Notable shortages during the holiday weeks – Gatorade, Publix’ yummy Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream and pet food – a shortage that could stretch out for as much as year according to some experts in the pet food industry.

An addendum to our new “This Week in History” feature, it was 48 years ago this week that the Steinbrenner family bought the Yankees for $10 million. The franchise is now estimated to be worth $5.25 billion.

A further thought on our tongue in cheek comment on the Rays’ split season plan: Major League Baseball Trade Rumors’ Anthony Franco thinks MLB owners will sign off on the plan with the proviso “as long as Sternberg can demonstrate it's economically viable”. That’s a big if.

By the end of this week, there will have been 43 bowl games played. That’s about 33 too many.

Recently (TBR&R 12/19/21) we reported on the ineptitude of New York’s two football teams (Giants and Jets) prompting this reply from a member of our focus group: “Jersey Boys haven’t made a good play since Frankie Valli.” He hastens to point out the only team that actually plays their games in the state of New York has a winning record.

We tip our cap to Hobby Lobby for their beautiful print ad Christmas week.

Also a nod to Audi for erasing a Wheel of Fortune technicality and awarding a car to a contestant who got the right answer but paused too long in the eyes of Wheel of Fortune curmudgeons. It seems The Wheel is getting more uptight with their rules while Jeopardy is getting looser in the post-Trebek era.

Behind the curtain at the White House

We did a quick sketch of Ronald Kessler’s First Family Detail before the holidays (TBR&R 12/19/21). Kessler, a veteran of The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, through painstaking research and interviews with dozens of Secret Service Agents, paints a picture of the protectees as they are known and the agency that protects them. Some revealings are not startling – Bill Clinton was a womanizer before, during and after the White House. His wife was considered the worst assignment you could have, being nasty to every agent who protected her. Jerry Ford was cheap, always asking agents to buy him a newspaper and tipping caddies a buck at swanky golf courses. Lyndon Johnson was described as a stumble bum, the guy who was always falling down rather than Ford. Jimmy Carter was not that aw-shucks peanut farmer but a sullen man who would never speak to agents. And he made a big deal of carrying his own luggage on to Air Force One. The bag he carried was empty. The best assignments were both Bush families although 43’s kids gave the agents a run for their money. The Obamas and the Reagans were both extremely considerate of their agents, often staying at the White House during Christmas so the people protecting them could be close to their families. And the biggest waste of taxpayer money was Vice President Joe Biden’s insistence that he fly home every weekend on Air Force One, sometimes even flying back on Saturday so he could play golf with President Obama – and then flying back home to Delaware that afternoon. The Secret Service figure for just Biden’s first term as VP was $1 million in taxpayer dollars for those weekend commutes. These are just appetizers from the 250 pages of this well written book. It is well worth a read for more looks behind the curtain at The White House – and The Secret Service.

UP NEXT: iPhone; This year’s HOF; Low expectations

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

We conclude the year with some of our 2021 favorites

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Again this year Politifact comes out with a “Lie of the Year.” We had just assumed the title had been retired in their honor. To paraphrase the great Mark Twain, “There are lies, there are damn lies and there is Politifact.”

(From January) We struggle to understand things like Sen. Marco Rubio’s getting a coronavirus vaccine shot is selfish while radical Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’ vaccination is portrayed as “educational” even though she lives in a state where there is the greatest need in the country for vaccinations of nursing home residents. It all goes back to that “some animals are more equal than other animals” thing.

From late December, an excellent op-ed piece by Alex Sanchez, the CEO of the Florida Banker’s Association: “None of us have the time or the inclination to monitor the politicians — state, local or federally elected ones. The media is supposed to be the watchdog. But to do its job, we need a media that is a watchdog, not a lap dog playing favorites with candidates and political parties.” To which we say, Amen.

(From February) Suggested sign for the White House Briefing Room: “We don’t have the time or the CRAYONS to explain this to you.”

(Also in February) Florida’s Minister of Marijuana, Nikki Fried, has decided she wants to run for Governor (there’s a shock). She is already in attack mode, righteously demanding an update on the incident at the Oldsmar’s water treatment facility. We’ll wager that a month ago, Ms. Fried didn’t know where Oldsmar was.

Yes, we know they are suing or threatening to sue everybody in sight, but if you were a state or local official responsible for buying new voting equipment, would you buy from Dominion Voting Systems?

More on voting from Ramesh Ponnuru writing in Bloomberg, “Biden said that 17 states had passed 28 laws making it harder to vote. The same source behind those numbers also reports that 14 states have passed 28 laws making it easier to vote. Four states appear on both lists, which suggests that the legislation is more complicated than Biden’s talk of a ‘21st-century Jim Crow assault’ on voters would allow.”

Amazon employees at a large Alabama facility are being urged to unionize even though they earn at least twice the minimum wage, and get health, vision and dental care without paying hundreds of dollars in monthly union dues. If the union can sell that, we tip our cap. (Update – they couldn’t.)

(From May) Quote of the week: The Biden administration recently gave a bit of simple advice to businesses that are unable to find workers: Offer them more money. A piece of advice offered by a clueless guy who’s never had to make a payroll as reported by an equally clueless AP reporter named Josh Boak who, likewise, has never written a paycheck.

Idle thought: With all these special interest days, weeks and months, shouldn’t there be at least a day a year for normal people?

Despite nice answers like “The timing wasn’t right” and “I want to stay with my current community,” you have to know the reason fully three of the original five Clearwater City Manager finalists dropped out of contention is they realized what a negative impact the Church of Scientology has on our city.

(From June) A couple news items from the past few weeks that make you shake your head: (1) How did Brooksville manage to inadvertently sell the town’s water tower? (2) What genius plotted the Tierra Verde bridge demolition that killed hundreds of protected game fish?

(From August) We’re a bit slow, so help us understands this. Florida is one of several states being sued to resume unemployment benefits while virtually every business in the bay area is advertising in some way or another for help.

(Also in August) From the Belleair Road sign guy: Get your shot, moron!”

(And this) Quote of the week: Protection of access to basic health care means your autonomy as a human being is fully respected by the law – Senator Elizabeth Warren attempting to justify the use of tax dollars to fund abortions. By what stretch is the termination of a human life “basic health care”?

How self-serving of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to point out that shooting deaths in Tampa are up from when she was Police Chief. Ma’am, if anything, you are more responsible as Mayor for the increase in deadly crimes than you were as Police Chief.

Looking back 30 years ago this year (1991) – it was a bad year for airlines with industry giants Pan Am, Eastern and the somewhat smaller Chicago-based Midway Airlines shutting down. Ten years later, TWA called it quits after operating 71 years.

News item: Governor Ron DeSantis makes it official; he’s running for re-election in 2022. Let the attack articles begin.

Idle thought – the Democratic Party is identified as Blue and the Republican Party as Red. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Lighter stuff:

This final holiday reminder from The 5:05 Newsletter: Never drink and wrap Christmas presents. Also, if anyone gets a television remote control from me for Christmas, I'm going to need that back.

Speaking of the best publication in the Tampa Bay area, with the pandemic winding down, the editor-in-chief of the 5:05 Newsletter announced another hiatus in June. You almost want to ask China to reopen that lab.

(From late last December) the end of an era next week – greyhound racing at Derby Lane concludes on December 31. The track had operated for 95 years. At its height, greyhound racing was featured year round rotating between tracks in Sarasota and Tampa as well as Derby Lane.

Something we read, but forget where, “I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.”

Sunshine, Clearwater and Countryside – the three indoor malls our city has seen. Sunshine is gone; Clearwater Mall became a sprawling outdoor mall anchored by a Costco and Target. Now Countryside is being taken over by its lenders, its future in doubt.

You’ve lived in Pinellas County a long time if you owned one of the virtually indestructible Blue Boy power mowers proudly made by P & E Machinery on Clearwater-Largo Road.

Baseball note from April - enjoy this season. More and more experts are predicting a work stoppage for the 2022 season as millionaires argue with billionaires over money while we fans are left out in the cold.

Call us old fashioned, but the Mustang should not be an electric car. The Mustang, by the way, is the most popular car of the last century.

(April) As we get ready for baseball season and a reported crackdown on foreign substances, we share one of our favorite quips from the late, great pitcher and raconteur Don Sutton, who was often accused of putting a foreign substance on the ball. His reply was everything he put on the ball was proudly made in America.

(April provided a lot of material) Thanks to the 5:05 Newsletter for this masterpiece: “ Major League Baseball is moving the All-Star Game out of Atlanta this year because of Georgia's new voting law. So if you go to the ballpark this year and they ask you to show them a ticket call it ‘Fan Suppression’ and set something on fire.”

The All-Star game, stolen from Atlanta, has been moved to Colorado – a solid “blue” state. Surprised? The only surprise would have been moving the game to states like Florida, Missouri, Ohio or Texas, all of whom have two major league stadiums, but Rob Manfred’s boy, Joe Biden, was an overwhelming loser in all four states. (And yes, give us another 10-20 years or so, and we’ll get over Manfred’s theft of the game from Atlanta plus the Sam Holbrook “outfield fly” call).

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you still refer to the intersection of Cleveland and MLK as “Five Points.”

(From September) Watching the tributes to Pirate great Roberto Clemente reminds us again that the number 21 should join 42 as a number retired across baseball. Clemente was one of baseball’s greatest players, a pioneer for Latin players and quite possibly its greatest humanitarian.

If we can willy-nilly move a significant day like Memorial Day (celebrated on May 30 for over 100 years) to the last Monday in May, then we certainly can move Halloween to the last Friday of October so kids don’t show up at school the next day dead tired or all sugared up.

Pardon the Interruption celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2021. Its relevancy ended about a half a decade ago.

So Jon Gruden is being removed from the Buc’s Ring of Honor. Does that also mean we take down all the banners from the Buc’s 2002 Super Bowl win?

Topping the charts on the last week of 1971 was Melanie Safka’s Brand New Key, followed by Sly and the Family Stone’s Family Affair just down from number one and at number three was Don McLean’s American Pie about to go to number one for four weeks – the longest record (8 minutes 33 seconds) to ever reach number one.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of one of the most versatile entertainers of his generation – musician, composer, television host, comedian and writer Steve Allen. Steve was the original host of the long running Tonight Show.

Media news from the former 5:05 Newsletter: Longtime NBC fabulist Brian Williams announced his retirement. Before leaving, Williams thanked himself for his service.

Item of the year: Idle thought: remember when we looked to our elders, religious leaders and teachers for advice? Nowadays, people put way too much credence in the opinions of people whose greatest qualifications are being able to dribble a basketball or utter words, written by others, in front of a camera.

Our last song together

(Our 2021 look back at the passing of some people who made a difference in our community. The title of this segment was inspired by the poignant Neil Sedaka song captured so well by the late Glenn Yarbrough).

He was a no-nonsense prosecutor who served our area well for nearly thirty years, but he also had a wicked sense of humor as we witnessed years ago at a roast for one of his key staff members. Bernie McCabe died in early January at age 73. He will be dearly missed by our community.

We bought our first new car from Dwayne Hawkins’ Crown Pontiac 49 years ago because his employees said such great things about him and his dealership was so customer friendly. Mr. Hawkins, who was the patriarch of the Crown dealerships, died in January at age 85.

He touched thousands of lives in both Pinellas and Hillsborough counties. Father Eric Hunter, who first came to Clearwater’s Light of Christ Church from his native Scotland and went on to be a guiding light in four other parishes for nearly fifty years, passed away in January at age 76. His last pastorate was at St. Brenden’s Catholic Church on Island Estates.

(From February) The bay area lost two leaders in their respective fields. First, jazz icon Chick Corea passed away at age 79. And one of the area’s first orthodontists and the owner of the Sea Captain motel on Clearwater Beach, Dr. Don Eifert passed away at age 91 – a very interesting man.

When our daughter married a very nice young man over a decade ago, our extended family became that much better. One of the truly pleasant members of that family, Uncle David Mullis, passed away in February.

He was the face of what was then a local power company, Florida Power. Executive and civic leader Andrew Hines died in February at age 98.

(From March) The Crimson Tide lost one of its most rabid supporters. Bob Furney was a superb educator at Clearwater High, armed with an incredible wit. In addition, he was a medical miracle fighting off severe lung and kidney problems with an iron will.

It is easier to name the local radio stations Tedd Webb did not work at than those who did employ the colorful personality. Best known as Jack Harris’ sidekick on WFLA radio, Webb died in late March at age 72.

Clearwater native Joseph Hatchett died in April at age 88. The noted jurist was the first Black member of the Florida Supreme Court.

The restaurant industry lost a household name and innovator with the passing of Bob Heilman, Jr. in May. Taking over the reins of the renowned Beachcomber from his father, Bob maintained the high standards of the Beachcomber and spun off the distinctively different Bobby’s Bistro and Wine Bar. Bob Heilman, Jr. was 64.

May also saw the passing of legendary Channel 13 weather man Roy Leep. Roy was with WTVT for 40 years. He was, in short, the weather source for the Tampa Bay area. Roy Leep was 88.

Dr. Bill Johnston passed away in June at age 90. After practicing dentistry in Clearwater for over three decades, he retired and devoted himself to the free dental clinic at the Homeless Emergency Project for almost three decades – a true servant to his fellow man.

Billy Fuccillo, he of the “Huge” auto commercials for his car dealerships, died in Sarasota in June at age 64. Fuccillo quietly helped so many individuals in the bay area and beyond who were in times of need.

You may not have been an FSU fan, but you had to respect the job Bobby Bowden did in turning an average at best football program into a two-time national champion. In a career spanning 1959-2009, Bowden had only two losing seasons and a total of 377 wins.

Legendary Bishop Barry (now St. Pete Catholic) baseball star Bill Freehan passed away in August. The 79-year-old played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers and, with his teammate Mickey Lolich, holds the MLB record for most starts by a battery – 324 starts.

He was an Air Force vet, a practicing physician for three decades in Clearwater and a member of the team that formulated Gatorade at the University of Florida. Dr. Jim Free passed away in October at age 87.

We met the gentleman a couple times over the years and, like many others, never knew his real first name. To everybody, he was Hinks. Hillsborough County developer and philanthropist Mandell “Hinks” Shimberg passed away in November at age 92.

One of the truly nice people in our community, Chuck Kilbride, passed away earlier this month. Chuck was in the airline industry for many years and later assisted people in job preparation and searches in addition to being very active in his church for decades. He was 87.

This segment is normally reserved for humans who made their mark in our area, but we must note the passing in November of Clearwater’s most famous resident, Winter the Dolphin, after an incredible 16 years of life.

We’ve always asked ourselves is it okay to be even closer to your sister than you were with your two wonderful parents? This week we observe the second anniversary of the passing of the woman we were blessed to have as a sister.

We meet a lot of people on life’s pathway. I cannot get to a handful of folks with more integrity and sense of purpose than former Clearwater City Manager Bill Horne who tragically died just before his retirement in August.

Finally, Five Rants, Five Raves

(Our year-end feature saluting five people or things for outstanding achievements and, likewise, five bozos for, well, being bozos.)

Rants:

MLB’s Rob Manfred – no explanation necessary.

St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman for his massive overreaction to a Super Bowl party that violated some COVID protocols. Rather than issue a fine to the leasee of the hangar who donated the space for a charity event, Kriseman tries to put him out of business by revoking his lease. Typical of a clueless politician that doesn’t appreciate what it takes to run a business.

Joe Biden for his utterly horrible handling of the crisis in Afghanistan and the incredible disrespect he exhibited upon the return of 13 servicemen who gave their lives in the waning days of the war.

Congress for blindly passing a $1.85 trillion “infrastructure bill” that included nonsense like “tree and road equity,” while increasing inflation and U.S. energy dependence.

The University of South Florida for trying to spend $25 million to build an on-campus football stadium for a program that has won seven games in the last three years.

Raves:

Florida’s teachers for navigating classroom challenges and the push and pull of politicians over the past year and a half.

Coach Bruce Arian’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers for giving our area its second Lombardi Trophy.

We thank the Trump administration for fast tracking effective vaccines to combat the COVID-19 virus.

Steady leadership was the hallmark of City Manager Bill Horne and City Attorney Pam Aiken during over fifty combined years of exemplary service to the City of Clearwater.

Tampa Bay’s best publication The 5:05 Newsletter makes this list for the second year in a row for “coming out of retirement” and helping us see the lighter side during the pandemic.

UP NEXT: 2022 Predictions; Best baseball deal of all time

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Pinellas should revisit term limits

Only a technicality prevented the will of 70 percent of Pinellas voters regarding term limits from becoming law two decades ago. A few weeks ago, County Commission chairman David Eggers proposed putting a referendum to the people again. Predictably, it was swatted down by fellow commissioners and career politicians Pat Gerard, Charlie Justice and Janet Long. Justice presented the weakest argument saying, with a straight face, that voters can change commissioners when they please, completely ignoring the enormous advantages of incumbency. Eggers’ measured plan of three 4-year terms makes sense, but now it’s up to a charter review committee which can be stacked by the commission (and is subject to their veto) or a better option of a voter initiative. And the time for that has come.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Number of the Week: 1 in 100 – the number of older Americans who have died from COVID. For persons under 65, the number is 1 in 1,400. It’s hard to find a person who has not been touched in some way by these numbers.

We’re guessing that Joe Biden now wishes he had picked Florida’s Val Demings as his running mate rather than the radioactive Kamala Harris.

Hate to see Chris Wallace leave Fox News and Fox News Sunday. Wallace provided some balance to a network that tilts as far right as CNN and MSNBC lean in the other direction. On the bright side, perhaps he can bring some much needed balance to his new home – CNN.

Another sign of “Florida’s Best Newspaper” circling the drain - the federal agency The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation is bailing out the paper’s pension fund, estimated to be $100 million underfunded. The Times doggedly continues to pursue an unworkable business model of a non-profit controlling and bleeding a struggling newspaper.

Some of the best assignments for the Secret Service – that would be Ronald Reagan and, somewhat surprisingly, Dick Cheney. One of the worst – that, again surprisingly, was Jimmy Carter and the absolute worst – Hillary Clinton - her detail was considered a punishment for agents. These notes are from an engaging book The First Family Detail by veteran journalist Ronald Kessler. We’ll have a detailed look at the book right after the holidays.

Did you know there was once a Hooters airline? Fifteen years ago, the restaurant giant shut down its short lived airline – Hooters Air after three years of operation and roughly $40 million in losses.

One of the truly nice people in our community, Chuck Kilbride, passed away last week. Chuck was in the airline industry for many years and later assisted people in job preparation and searches in addition to being very active in his church. He was 87.

Lighter stuff:

This week’s Christmas thought comes from our long suffering bride: “May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.” 

Seen on a T-shirt: Santa before I explain, how much do you know already?

Lest December 23^rd sneak up on us, let us be one of the first to wish you a Happy Festivus.

While we continue to enjoy another football season in Tampa Bay, the two New York teams are a combined 7-19.

Our favorite bowl – the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is staged this week with Wyoming playing Kent State.

Taliban News from What Used to Be The 5:05 Newsletter: “The Taliban, plagued by calls concerning the extended warranty on their new Humvees and U.S. military Jeeps, are threatening to invade India if the calls don't stop.”

Top movies from 25 and 50 years ago this month: Mr. Holland’s Opus (1996) and The French Connection (1971).

Factoid: The first Hess toy truck, still a popular Christmas gift, was made in 1964. Several of the 1960s models are now worth upwards of $3000.

Recently there have been some gems in the comic strips like this observation from Peppermint Patty’s friend Marcie in Peanuts, “The world is filled with unmarried marriage counselors.”

You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you ever attended Maas Brothers’ neat Breakfast with Santa.

Classic Toys

Last holiday season (TBR&R 12/20/20) we highlighted the 11 toys inducted into the charter class of the National Toy Hall of Fame – from Barbie to Tinker Toys. The second class inducted in 1999 honored another six classic toys. They were the Duncan Yo-Yo, the Cadillac of yo-yos; the ubiquitous Hula Hoop; a toy conceived by the son of the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright – Lincoln Logs; the smash hit of the 1930s – the Radio Flyer Wagon; a toy that had its roots in the Civil War years – roller skates; and one we remember from our youth, complete with photos of the Eisenhower inauguration and the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II – the View Master.

NEXT UP: Our annual look back at the people and events of 2021

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Merry Christmas!

SORRY, WE ARE UNABLE TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS

Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Saturday savings for the USPS

‘Tis the season with cards and parcels going from coast to coast. We stop and ask you if it is a big deal if Aunt Sally’s card arrives on Monday rather than Saturday? Probably not; which leads us to our premise – do we really need Saturday mail delivery anymore? Nowadays, we pay most of our bills on line, send birthday wishes via Facebook and when was the last time you sent a postcard while on vacation? Depending on who you ask, eliminating Saturday mail to homes and businesses would save between $2-3 billion a year and would do a great deal at chipping away some, but not all, of the USPS deficit – estimated at some $7 billion annually. It is a very painless start to getting the USPS on an even keel.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Bob Dole who died last week at age 98 was a World War II hero, Presidential candidate and a Senator known for his ability to reach across the aisle to get worthwhile legislation passed. Today’s congressmen would do well to emulate him.

Seeing the new crop of astronauts announced last week reminds us that two of our previous astronauts came from the high school at the corner of Gulf-to-Bay and Hercules Avenue – quite an accomplishment.

With all this hoopla and petitions over who is going to control gambling in Florida; could we get a petition started to simply get rid of this cancer in our state?

Newly elected Mayor Ken Welch is going to have to develop a thicker skin if he is to govern a united St. Petersburg. His early actions of snubbing the longstanding Mayoral Ball and his criticism of the YMCA’s Community Prayer Breakfast did not reflect well on the soon to be Mayor.

Enjoy! We begin our first full week without every ex-jock pitching some Medicare plan on our TV screens!

Last week (TBR&R 12/5/21) we noted the closing of the last Biff Burger. Another once prominent chain that is rapidly shrinking is Checkers, now with less than a dozen locations in Pinellas County.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

A question posed by the intriguing mind behind the 5:05 Newsletter: “Is it a bad sign when Santa Claus unfriends you on Facebook? Asking for a friend.”

Al Unser, Sr., a member of a great racing family and four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 passed away last week at age 82. His brother Bobby and son Al Jr. also were winners at Indy.

Idle thought – it sure is more fun watching the Bucs with Tom Brady as their quarterback.

You’ve lived in the Bay Area (or anywhere else) for a long time if you remember when the Detroit Lions were a good team – mainly in the Fifties with Bobby Layne, Doak Walker, Leon Hart and Joe Schmidt winning three NFL championships in that decade. The Lions won their first game of 2021 last week.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Allen Freed – the man who coined the term “rock and roll.” Freed was an Ohio DJ who later moved to the bright lights of New York and even did a short stint at Miami’s most popular rock and roll station WQAM.

We’ve already recorded a few one-liners about the holiday season on these pages, but we were taken by an Advent piece written by Pam Kidd, a long time contributor to Daily Guideposts. It goes like this: “We hope to recognize Him in the eyes of those we meet – the weary salesperson, the harried mailman, and the rushing shoppers.” And if we may add one, the hardest of all, - the driver beeping his /her horn because you are not merging, traveling or turning fast enough to suit them in their holiday scurrying.

The leading groups of the 1980s

The 1950s, 60s and 70s had dynamic groups like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Four Seasons and the Platters, but some new names and faces took over in the 80s beginning with the biggest duo of all time – Hall and Oates who had five number one singles in the 80s plus Rich Girl in the 70s. Joining Darryl and John as the top groups of the decade were Kool and the Gang, Huey Lewis and the News (Stuck With You), Journey, Duran Duran (A View to a Kill), The Pointer Sisters, Chicago, Jefferson Starship (We Built This City), Bon Jovi and the recent visitors to Ruth Eckerd Hall, Air Supply. Early in 2022, we will detail the biggest acts overall throughout the rock n’ roll years.

UP NEXT: More classic toys; First Family Detail; Jeep warranties

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Baseball shoots itself in the foot again

At a time of year where baseball is shoved to page 2 or 3 of the sports section by the upcoming football conference championships, the down the stretch drama in the NFL, college basketball and the NHL, it manages to remove itself to page 6 or 8 or out of the section completely with a lockout. Late last week, MLB’s Rob Manfred and the player’s union head Tony Clark, unsurprisingly, accused the other for the stalemate in the talks. With a major league minimum salary of just short of $600,000 and the teams making money hand over fist with the pent up desire for live baseball after the 2020 COVID season, neither side is content. The National Pastime has never fully recovered from the last work stoppage in 1995 and, in fact, is not really the National Pastime anymore. Another elongated interruption in play will shove baseball somewhere between the NBA and the Canadian Football League in fan interest. It is time to get serious boys.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Number of the Week – 1,000 per minute - that’s the number of persons who enlisted during this week 80 years ago after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

Joe Biden lays the blame for $1.20 a gallon increase this year at the feet of gasoline companies – the same companies that were in place last year when gas was $2.15 a gallon. So what else has changed in the last year? Oh yeah.

Just in time for your Christmas shopping, a Made in America Store is opening in Florida. The stores, featuring only U.S. made products, have previously been exclusively in New York State. It’s still a bit of a drive to Wellington, just west of West Palm Beach, but the store is planning expansion to other parts of Florida in 2022.

Legal note: the California Penal Code doesn’t allow for the use of the term "looting" describing the thefts involving large groups of people because, it claimed, the definition didn't match the act as defined by law. Only in California.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (December 4, 2016) - The new vision for Clearwater’s waterfront is promising, but the devil is in the details (read financing). Several years ago, Clearwater voters turned down a proposal where a major developer would pony up all the money. This time around, it’s going to have to be a mostly public funded project – there’s the rub. (Update, well here we are five years later….)

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

This week’s holiday insight from The 5:05 Newsletter: “The difference between husbands and wives is that wives can remember the backstory for every Christmas decoration.”

It’s sad to see the closing of Biff Burger on 49^th Street in St. Pete. It was one of the last two remaining Biff Burgers nationwide. The other in Greensboro, NC closed in May of this year.

Christmas music factoid: Bing Crosby’s White Christmas is the biggest selling single song of the holidays, but the biggest selling song recorded by various artists is the 1945 Robert Wells/Mel Torme composition The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) recorded by literally hundreds of artists with the most popular being the original Nat King Cole recording in 1946. More Christmas music items below.

For couch potatoes it just doesn’t get any better than last weekend’s football menu of Florida-FSU, Alabama-Auburn, Michigan-Ohio State and Oklahoma-Oklahoma State. And throw in basketball’s Duke-Gonzaga for good measure.

How many swings and misses does UF Athletic Director Scott Sticklin get at hiring a football coach? Consensus is he better be right on his hire of Billy Napier or he will be cleaning out his desk along with the coach.

He’s had a Hall of Fame career, but Mets’ rivals are glad to see them spend $130 million for three years of 37-year-old Max Scherzer whose arm broke down in last year’s playoffs.

‘Tis the focus group’s season to be jolly

As we enter the holiday season, we asked our TBR&R Focus Group to create a medley of their three favorite pop Christmas tunes. Our leadoff hitter was very specific with Perry Como’s Home for the Holidays, followed by The New Christy Minstrels’ We Need a Little Christmas and the not so familiar, but poignant Christmas Is by Percy Faith and his Chorus.

Topping another focus group members list was Bing Crosby’s White Christmas along with Winter Wonderland and Silver Bells, first sung by William Frawley, TV’s Fred Mertz.

Our third submission spans the genres of holiday music with Christmas Vacation (from the movie), Gayla Peevey’s I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas and then the beautiful Mary, Did You Know?

Our western-most focus group member dug into the past for her three favorites – 1953’s ‘Zat You Santa Claus? by Louis Armstrong, Elvis’ Blue Christmas from 1957, then Chuck Berry’s 1958 song Run Rudolph Run.

Another submission brought votes for Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You and a second vote for Silver Bells.

Finally, an original member of the focus group went for traditional songs connected with much-loved artists – White Christmas (Bing Crosby), The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole) and the lively Sleigh Ride, most associated with The Boston Pops. Thanks to our members for creating a great holiday playlist for your device.

UP NEXT: Saturday savings; Broken record; Alan Freed

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SORRY, WE ARE CURRENTLY UNABLE TO RESPOND TO COMMENTS

Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Media portion of Biden giveaway just wrong

The aha moments of the Biden administration are becoming more numerous every day. Nonsense items like tree and road equity along with inflation and energy dependence. Even worse is a little known portion of the infrastructure bill that would fund newspapers, media platforms along with radio and TV stations. First, it reeks of an attempt to buy media outlets that are not already spewing liberal content (see ABC, MSNBC and CNN). Can you imagine any of this money going to, say, Fox news outlets or Newsmax? Your humble blogger worked in the broadcast industry for two decades and all we wanted of the government was to not pass silly regulations that impeded our operations. Now to have the government cozy up to the media with cash – well just look at other governments where financial aid goes to its media. If we’re going to dole out cash to the media, why not gas stations, bakeries and hair salons? This is a very dangerous area – the result of way too many Congressmen voting for a bill of which they had little comprehension.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Quote of the week: “Some folks have raised worries that [price increases] could be a sign of persistent inflation,” Biden said in July. “But that’s not our view. Our experts believe—and the data shows—that most of the price increases we’ve seen were expected, and expected to be temporary.” We’d like to believe that, but too much unbiased data says that’s not true.

Related note: Why do we have the experts at the Congressional Budget Office if we’re not going to listen to them?

Aviation news: Sun Country Airlines’ inaugural flight took off from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport last week headed to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. Yes, but will there be anybody on the plane during the return trip?

Law enforcement: An acquaintance has a vehicle and his company credit card stolen by a rogue employee while our acquaintance was out of state. Rather than tracking down the evil-doer, the department run by Pinellas County’s answer to Barney Fife delays the search and investigation until our acquaintance can get back in town to sign a document. Eliot Nesses’ legacy is safe.

More smoke and mirrors from Politispin – gas prices, the highest in seven years, are “not that high.” Tell that to the family struggling to make ends meet. By the way, the last time prices were this high we also had Democrats, including Mr. Biden, in the White House.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

As we enter the holiday season, we will offer some weekly thoughts, mostly from the fertile minds at the 5:05 Newsletter such as: What if sea level risings are not from Global Warming, but rather from the continents sinking from the weight of all the fruitcakes that are made and distributed at Christmas time? 

Happy 50^th anniversary to many folk’s favorite breakfast on the run – the Egg McMuffin created in November 1971 by California McDonald’s franchisee Herb Peterson.

Remember when CNN was, in fact, a cable news network instead of whatever it has become today?

We would love to see Lane Kiffin replace Dan Mullen at the University of Florida. It would probably end in a train wreck, but would be a thrilling ride.

He was one of the most underrated defensive center fielders ever in major league baseball. Bill Virdon was Rookie of the Year in 1955, a Gold Glover and a member of the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates World Championship team. As a manager, he still holds the record for most wins for the Astros. Virdon died last week at age 90.

Next week, Baseball Hall of Fame voters for the so-called Golden Days Era have a chance to right some wrongs to some of the ballplayers of the 50s and 60s. Among the names on the ballot are three guys who should have been in Cooperstown years ago – Jim Kaat, Roger Maris and Minnie Minoso. Unfortunately, Kaat is the only one of those great players still alive.

And from the marquee of the nearly world famous Gassman law firm – Lawyer’s Drink of Choice: Sub-Poena Colada.

The top female vocalists of the 80s

She never had a hit record until 1983, but Madonna with six number one tunes was the biggest selling female artist of the 1980s. She was followed by Whitney Houston (Saving All My Love for You plus six other number one songs) then Diana Ross, Sheena Easton (Morning Train), Olivia Newton John, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner (What’s Love Got to Do with It), Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes (Bette Davis Eyes) and disco queen Donna Summer. The biggest female hit, in fact the biggest hit of the decade, was Olivia’s Physical. Next month, we wrap up our year-long look at the top artists of the late 20^th century with the biggest groups of the 80s.

UP NEXT: Focus group medleys; Misdirection at USF

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Clearwater Marina plan short sighted

The city of Clearwater is prepared to spend $18 million for a long overdue renovation of its marina. The project, without expanded parking, is a case of ready, shoot, aim. Several years back, the city allowed a new restaurant to be built and another expanded without any increase in available parking. Nowhere else in the city would that be allowed to happen and many observers smelt a deal worse than the dead fish you occasionally encounter at the facility. Unless the appeal of deep sea fishing, dinner cruises and concessions like parasailing take a deep dive, the requirement for parking at the marina is going to do nothing but increase. There is plenty of room in the northeast corner of the marina for a parking garage and spending $18 million without including such a facility is just plain foolish.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

50 years ago this week: the infamous D.B. Cooper skyjacking of a Northwest Orient Boeing 727 enroute from Denver to Tacoma. Cooper has never been located after parachuting from the jet. Some of the ransom was found nine years later in a campground near Vancouver.

We met the gentleman a couple of times over the years and, like many others, never knew his first name. To everybody, he was Hinks. Hillsborough County developer and philanthropist Mandell “Hinks” Shimberg passed away last week at age 92.

Have a kid who is in danger of not graduating from high school? Send them to Oregon where officials citing “equity” have quietly scrapped math and reading requirements to graduate.

Florida is picking up some 2000 Disney jobs as the entertainment giant moves workers from California citing “Florida’s business-friendly climate.”

Beto O’Rourke, the Harold Stassen of Texas politics, is running for governor. His hardcore anti-gun stance ought to play well in the Lone Star state.

A word that is rapidly disappearing from the English language: commitment.

From the not quite genuine 5:05 Newsletter: Critics are warning that the COP26 Climate Change Conference held last week in Scotland fell far short of its goal. Just calling for more car-pooling “insufficient,” critics say. In a related story, the conference left everybody asking the same question: If I become a climate activist, do I get a private jet?

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Looking forward to reading The Lyrics: 1956-Present, a composition of the lyrics to Paul McCartney’s songs with commentary by the author. It’s already #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

For those of us whose greatest sand creation was filling your bucket with sand and turning it over, we are in awe over the creations at Treasure Island’s Sanding Ovation which continues this weekend.

Every NFL team has a bad week, let’s hope we saw the Bucs’ worst week of the season in their loss to the Washington No Names.

Sports note: Brewers sign Jason Alexander – no not that Jason Alexander, but a guy who pitched briefly for the Marlins last season.

Idle question: Is the day coming when you will need an app on your phone to buy a Big Mac or a Whopper? That would improve our diets, so there are some advantages to being low-tech.

As the “holiday plea” season begins, we recycle this thought from a couple of years back: We’d probably stroke more checks to more charities if they had a check-off box that read “Here’s my yearly contribution, save printing and postage and get back to me in one year.”

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember the annual Rotary Club turkey shoots on the Coachman property on U.S. 19. If you don’t remember them, the participants shot at paper targets, not live turkeys.

Giving thanks for Clearwater

Dad was due to retire from Westinghouse Corporation after a 30-year career. The summer before his retirement, he and his wife and their nine-year-old brat made a trip to Florida, going down the east coast and up the west coast scouting for a place to retire. They liked Sarasota and Clearwater. After a year’s debate, they arrived in Clearwater on Thanksgiving week 65 years ago. We stayed at the still-existing Orange Motel on Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard. While having a Thanksgiving dinner at future classmate Rich Podurgiel’s folk’s restaurant, Mom spotted the moving van arriving from the Southern Tier of New York and the rest is history. Each day, we pause to thank our Mom and Dad for such a wise choice. Yes, Clearwater is not the same as it was in 1956, but as the young girl whose folks moved here ten years later from North Carolina reminds us, neither are we. But every day, especially this week, we give thanks for our parent’s choice – and that of the parents of that young girl.

NEXT UP: A 5:05 Christmas; Buying the media; Madonna & Co.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

New Biden book – meh

Politico correspondent Ben Schreckinger’s much anticipated book The Bidens, is, in a word, dull. But then it could be argued that the subject (Joe) is dull. The book plows a lot of old ground regarding Joe, his first and second wives, their kids and Joe’s siblings, all of whom are not what you would call assets. Hunter’s adventures are well documented. Suffice to say, if you were Hunter and did the things he did and, of course, your Dad was not a Senator or Vice-President at the time, you would be in jail right now and would be staying there a long time. Joe’s brothers, Schreckinger tells us, might well be Hunter’s neighbors in the clink. The other word we could use to describe the book is unfinished as the author as recently as October 12 published a lengthy article in Politico detailing the first son’s latest activities including an exhibit of his art at prices that ethics experts describe, given Hunter’s talent, as absolutely appalling – the art version of quid pro quo – buy my art at inflated prices, get my Dad’s ear. In the conclusion of his book, despite all the family issues, Schreckinger says “He (Joe Biden) had earned the benefit of the doubt from a large swath of voters and the media.” Maybe then, but we’re not so sure about now.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

If you ask our 10-year-old granddaughter what she wants to be when she grows up, she, like so many others, will say “marine biologist” – influenced by her encounters with Winter the Dolphin over the years. Clearwater’s most famous citizen died this week at age 16. It’s okay for all of us to wipe away a tear or two.

We can’t help but wonder what Jack Eckerd, who founded what has morphed into Eckerd Connects, would think about the abject failures linked to the Clearwater non-profit.

News item: Governor Ron DeSantis makes it official; he’s running for re-election in 2022. Let the attack articles begin.

Democrats fear that Trump will rear his ugly head in 2024 – and they fear he could steal the election through voting irregularities. You’ve got to be kidding.

Our admiration for former UN ambassador Nikki Haley sank a bit when we learned of her demands for $200,000 and the cost of booking a private plane for a speaking engagement. In our brief and checkered political career, we once received a jar of candy for a speech at a Rotary Club. Still have the jar.

Answer: Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan. The question: who are the last elected U.S. Presidents who served back-to-back single full terms? We have a strong feeling the answer to that trivia question will change in ’24.

$450,000 for coming into America illegally - who thinks up this stuff?

Like many major dailies, the 5:05 Newsletter now does only sporadic editions. One of their latest: New York City removed a statue of Thomas Jefferson because he owned 143 slaves. It will be replaced with a framed copy of the Declaration of Independence with all the signatures removed.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

We all should change our phone’s standard “Please leave a message” to “Hello you’ve reached (fill in the blank). Our car is still under its new car warranty and we have already chosen our Medicare Supplement plan for 2022.”

Related idle question: What ever happened to the no call list?

From a little over a month ago (TBR&R 10/3/21): We know it’s a huge longshot, but nothing would make us happier than to see the Atlanta Braves clinch the World Series at Truist Park and watch the All-Star Game thief Rob Manfred have to present the trophy to Braves management – and to hear the warm welcome he would receive from the crowd. Truth be told, it wasn’t that big a long shot, we only missed by a game – and at latest report, Manfred has not yet conceived a plan to take the World Championship trophy from the Braves and the state of Georgia.

They have hardly completed the cleanup from the World Series parade in Atlanta and the 2022 World Series odds are out with the Dodgers as favorites at 5-1 followed by the Astros at 8-1. The Yanks and Braves share 10-1 odds with our local nine and the Pale Hose next at 12-1.

Sports note: The Cleveland Guardians (nee Indians) are being sued by a roller derby team that has been using the name for over five years. Nice job of vetting. Maybe they can change to a catchier name like the Cleveland Baseball Team.

70 years ago this week (1951), the FSU Seminoles lost their season finale to the University of Tampa 14-6. The two programs have gone on different paths over the last 70 years with FSU winning three national championships and UT shutting down their football program in 1974. 

The TBR&R focus group on favorite fiction

Our November assignment for our TBR&R focus group was to name their three favorite pieces of fiction. That’s a big area, but there were some duplications. Two of the original focus group members, friends for over half a century who can often complete each other’s sentences, came up with Clive Cussler’s first novel Raise the Titanic – a terrific thriller, a so-so movie.

The taller of the two old friends added Thomas Harris’ suspenseful Silence of the Lambs and George Orwell’s novella Animal Farm. His tag team partner opted for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s third and greatest novel, The Great Gatsby and, from his youth, anything by Clair Bee or John Blaine.

What would a list of favorite fiction be without the outstanding Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell? To that another original focus group member adds Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities and one from the 19^th century, Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty.

Another of our elite group went for more contemporary fiction – Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow along with Paulette Jiles’ 19^th century Texas adventure News of the World and Anthony Doerr’s 2015 Pulitzer Prize winning All the Light We Cannot See.

Our newest focus group member casts ballots for Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, written over 60 years ago, but eerily familiar today. His other picks are C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters and the popular Left Alone series of books by Christian Fletcher.

From our member from the northern climes comes a vote for Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, Douglas Adam’s Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

Ms. Lee’s enduring novel gets a second vote from another of our elite group, along with Daphne du Maurier’s novels particularly Rebecca and Frenchman’s Creek plus Lloyd C. Douglas’ Magnificent Obsession. She also mentioned another “favorite” - Goodnight Moon because it rescued many bedtimes. It seems every parent had a go-to book like that during a difficult bedtime.

UP NEXT: Big Mac App; Marina; Giving thanks

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

One way we pay tribute to our Vets

With thanks to a good friend and fellow vet, Bob Green, we share this vignette about a special group of people, the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown, who pay tribute to an even more special group – the brave men and women laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

“In 2003 as Hurricane Isabelle was approaching Washington, DC, our US Senate/House took two days off with anticipation of the storm. On the ABC evening news, it was reported that because of the dangers from the hurricane, the military members assigned the duty of guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were given permission to suspend the assignment.

They respectfully declined the offer, 'No way, Sir!' Soaked to the skin, marching in the pelting rain of a tropical storm, they said that guarding the Tomb was not just an assignment; it was the highest honor that can be afforded to a serviceperson.

The tomb has been patrolled continuously, 24/7, since 1930.

God Bless and Keep Them.”

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

With Veterans Day coming up this week, the answer is Boston Braves Catcher Hank Gowdy. The question – who was the only major leaguer to fight in both World War I and World War II? Gowdy was the first major leaguer to volunteer for service in the First World War.

And while we’re on the subject, a sincere Thank You to our vets of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the numerous Mid-East wars. Your service is appreciated and will never be forgotten.

And this – becoming less and less of a do it yourselfer, we don’t visit hardware stores as much anymore, but had occasion to recently. And again, we thank Lowe’s for their special parking spots for vets. It’s appreciated.

He was an Air Force vet, a practicing physician for three decades in Clearwater and a member of the team that formulated Gatorade at the University of Florida. Dr. Jim Free passed away last week at age 87.

With two-thirds of his opponent’s money coming from out of state, Republican Glenn Youngkin was elected Governor of Virginia in what most observers considered the first referendum on the Biden presidency.

Meanwhile, Minneapolis voters came to their senses and rejected a proposal to scrap their police department in favor of some progressives’ idea of a public safety department.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (November 6, 2016) - A not so outrageous prediction: whoever prevails in the presidential race this week will be our nation’s first one-term (or less, pending indictments) president in two decades. (That prediction was just too easy).

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Crime news from the Semi-official 5:05 Newsletter: The Federal Bureau of Prisons says 4500 federal prisoners have been released due to the threat of Covid spread. Upon release, each felon receives $50, a new suit, and his old job back with the Houston Astros.

Seen on a t-shirt: “I tried seizing the day but I think I pulled something.”

It was 50 years ago this fall that the first World Series game was played at night – at Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium (Pirates versus the Orioles). Baseball fans have been sleep deprived ever since.

One nice thing about the recently completed playoffs is watching players like the Braves’ Eddie Rosario and the Dodgers Chris Taylor become the modern day Dusty Rhodes, Johnny Podres and Brian Doyles – lesser known players who shined under the brightest of spotlights. And good for them – they are both free agents with big paydays ahead beginning next week.

Pardon us if we are a bit skeptical about major league baseball’s All-Star game site selections. We all know the story of how MLB swooped in and stole this year’s game from Atlanta. With the recent selection of Seattle for the ’23 game, the next three named sites will all be in blue states - LA, Seattle and Philadelphia, plus this year’s last minute choice of Denver. By the way, compare Colorado’s voting requirements to Georgia’s some time.

America lost one of the greatest voices of the sixties and early seventies when Jay Black of Jay and the Americans passed away in late October. He was 82. The group’s hits included Cara Mia, This Magic Moment and Sunday and Me – the first Neil Diamond composition to ever hit the charts.

You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you ever treated yourself to one of the ice cream creations at Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor on Tyrone in St. Pete. Kids loved the place.

Braves win! Braves win!

For those of you who follow this weekly drivel, this item, featuring the call immortalized by the late great Skip Caray, will be no surprise. Some disjointed thoughts follow. A couple numbers – 22 years and 111 days. They are the number of years (22) between World Series appearances by the Atlanta nine (the Mariners have never been there and the Pirates and Orioles have droughts of 42 and 37 years respectively). The 111 is a major league record – the number of games in a season it took for a World Series champion to finally achieve a winning record – formerly held, of course, by another Braves team – the Boston Braves. In short, it’s been a while since Marquis Grissom caught the final out in the 1995 World Series. So permit us this one week of joy as actuarial tables tell us we won’t be around for the next one – this is only the fourth World Championship in Braves history (1914, 1957, 1996 and 2021). Were the Braves the best team in baseball in 2021? Not even close. But as Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox has said, he won the World Series with not his best team, but lost with better teams he managed. The “new” Braves manager, Brian Snitker culminates 44 years in the Braves organization with this World Series win. And sadly, Dusty Baker, himself a former Brave, falls short again with his trademark penchant for misusing a pitching staff. Now pardon us as we go on line to order a bunch of stuff to replace our threadbare 1995 World Championship duds.

UP NEXT: Tom comes tumbling down; New Biden book

Thank our vets this week!

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Looking out for the little guy? We don’t think so.

Joe Biden’s pitch during the 2020 campaign was that Trump was not a friend of the average guy. So, how are Mr. and Mrs. Middle American doing some ten months into the Biden presidency? Well, inflation is up 5.4% - a 13-year high. Gas, alone, is up well over a buck a gallon and there are ships stacked up offshore from our nation’s ports – loaded with a lot of goods that could be manufactured here in America. The previously mentioned gas prices are a direct result of Biden’s stripping away Trump’s energy dependence programs. To paraphrase the Ron Reagan question, “Are you better off than you were a year ago?” In one respect (COVID), yes, but that’s because of the Trump administration fast tracking three vaccines. Otherwise, it’s hard for the average American family to think of ways they are better off as we enter the last two months of 2021.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Idle thought – any chance we could get biennial Presidential elections thus quickly undoing the mess we are faced with on the economic and international fronts?

Democrats seem resigned to losing the House in next year’s mid-terms. They are simply hoping to keep the Republican majority as small as possible. A lot can happen between now and next November.

An EST reminder from the now unofficial 5:05 Newsletter, “We will soon be turning our clocks back an hour. Gaining an extra hour in 2021 is like getting a bonus track on a Yoko Ono album.

Added EST note: as we prepare to “fall back “ next week, more than half our states have passed legislation calling for Daylight Time year round. Congress will hopefully get around to that after they deal with pressing issues like tree equity.

While we justifiably blasted Wal-Mart last week, we give a rave to Amazon. We experienced our first ever problem with an order a few weeks back. It was handled within 24 hours.

Community activist Lina Teixeira has confirmed rumors on the street that she will make a second run for the Clearwater City Council next March. She will oppose anti-Scientology candidate Aaron Smith-Levin although other candidates could surface before the December 17 filing deadline.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

We wish the best to Dick Norris who retires after three decades at the auto dealership that bore his name. We estimate we bought well over a dozen personal and business vehicles over the years from this man of integrity.

If you have decided to continue to follow major league baseball despite their thuggish behavior, enjoy this season. More and more experts are predicting a work stoppage for the 2022 season as millionaires argue with billionaires over money while fans are left out in the cold. And frankly, a few of us fans don’t have that many seasons left.

Watching the playoffs, we simply cannot imagine Ted Williams stepping out of the box to adjust the various parts of his suit of armor or his jewelry, just as we cannot imagine Bob Gibson not plunking him for wasting his time.

Number of the Week: 1818 – that’s the year the nation’s longest continuously operated men’s store, Brooks Brothers, opened up. With more work from home and casual workplace trends, the chain has experienced rocky times over the past several years. The closest Brooks Brothers now are in Lutz or the Ellington Outlet Mall.

Random thought: When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.

The leading male artists of the 80s

By the time the 1980s rolled around, in the words of Philly Cream, “There ain’t no  more Motown Review” – and there were no more of Elvis, John Denver or Marvin Gaye topping the charts. For the most part, a new breed took over the male music charts – notably Michael Jackson with nine number one songs in the decade – the most of any male artist in any decade except Elvis’ 12 in the fifties. Joining Michael in the list of bestselling male artists in the eighties were George Michael with eight number ones, Prince, Billy Joel (Piano Man), then came the seventies top male artist, Elton John (Sad Songs), Lionel Richie, former Genesis lead singer Phil Collins (Two Hearts), John Cougar Mellencamp, Stevie Wonder who along with Kenny Rogers (Islands in the Stream) spanned three decades of success. And just missing the top ten were Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney – who had the biggest male single of the 80s with Ebony and Ivory. Next month, Madonna and the other top female artists from the 1980s.

NEXT UP: Farrell’s; Can’t Buy Me Love; Saluting our Vets    

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Life after Wal-Mart

This week a bit of an addendum to last week’s piece on gift cards. After being ripped off for $50 in fraudulent gift cards at Wal-Mart last holiday season, we decided we probably could live without them. We were never much of a fan in the first place, watching them replace small, locally owned businesses and squeeze every penny out of their vendors over the last couple of decades. But last year after buying the gift cards for two great people at our favorite restaurant, only to have them go to the store and find out the cards were valueless, we took the cards back to the store where we purchased them. There was a lot of lip service, the taking of our contact information and nothing more. The cards never left our hands from the time of purchase until they were given to our valued servers. There is no nice way to say it except theft either by dishonest employees or sloppy security allowing the cards to be scanned in the store by other miscreants. Likewise, there is no other way to describe Wal-Mart’s attitude than “we’re so big we don’t need to care.” How did that attitude work out for K-Mart? Well, it’s been almost a year and we’ve found out that we can survive nicely without Wal-Mart and the few products we liked that were unique to that store. Nothing is too big to fail and Wal-Mart may well be one of the next examples of that in the future.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Political commentator David French recently cites a University of Virginia poll that showed a near majority of both Biden and Trump voters either somewhat or strongly agree that it is time to split the country. That, of course, will never happen, BUT if it should happen, put us down for slicing off the west coast and all of I-95 north of the Carolinas.

Speaking of Virginia, a political ad by our current second in command is scheduled to air regarding the upcoming Governor’s race in some 300 Black churches in the two weeks prior to the election. If only we had a law calling for the separation of church and state.

Annette Taddeo’s entry into the Democratic gubernatorial primary is a plus for Charlie Crist and a minus for Nikki Fried who could very quickly slip to number three among Democrats.

Idle thought – the Democratic Party is identified as Blue and the Republican Party as Red. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Okay, here we go again. If we can willy-nilly move a significant day like Memorial Day (celebrated on May 30 for over 100 years) to the last Monday in May, then we certainly can move Halloween to the last Friday of October so kids don’t show up at school the next day dead tired or all sugared up.

Another angle on Halloween from the creative mind behind the 5:05 Newsletter: Is Halloween even necessary anymore? I've been wearing a mask and eating candy for 18 months now.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Just wondering how many calls and emails fired Washington State head football coach Nick Rolovich and his assistants have received from law firms thus far.

This week marks the 20^th anniversary of the IPod – a device whose time has apparently come and gone. Being somewhat behind the techno curve, we still listen to the some 5800 tunes we have packed on ours while continuing to use our flip phone.

One of the local TV stations recently ran a piece showing that taking the time to select a TV show or streaming movie adds up to 55 days in a person’s life. We can only imagine how much time we lose looking up and typing in passwords for our bank, our insurance companies, medical facilities and so on.

Happiness is – seeing the driver who blew by you at 20 MPH over the limit parked on the side of the road a few miles ahead along side an SUV with pretty flashing lights.

Two mentions in two weeks! A belated happy 75th birthday (October 20) to Lewis Grizzard, who left us much too early in 1994, just a year after the passing of his beloved dog, Catfish. If you don’t know who Lewis Grizzard is, you are functionally illiterate and we suggest you correct that by reading perhaps his finest book I Haven’t Understood Anything Since 1962.

Gas station’s circle of life – a few years back all the Hess stations became Speedway facilities, now many Speedway stations are re-branding to Exxon. In a few years, will we circle around to Gulf, Phillips 66 and Pure?

Speeding up the game

Baseball is the only major sport without a time clock. Some would say that is one of its charms. Others say its three hour plus games are driving a lot of folks away from the sport. An experiment was held in the minor leagues in this just completed season. It involved a 15 second time clock between pitches – eliminating pitchers from taking strolls around the mound and hitters adjusting the suits of amour they wear after every pitch. The result - game times were shortened by 21 minutes – back to the lengths of over twenty years ago. This should be a no-brainer for owners and the player’s union when they try to craft a new bargaining agreement this winter - and an extra half-hour’s sleep for their fans. By the way, the length of major league games increased again this year.

UP NEXT: 80s hit makers; Brooks Brothers; The EST Blues

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Social Security – good news, not so good news

By now you know, we elderly folks are going to get a handsome 5.9 per cent increase in our Social Security check come January. It begs the question; will that be enough to keep pace with inflation? Inflation is up 5.4 per cent from this time last year. Gas is up, the price of food is going up like a rocket ship, and we recently received notice of an 18 percent hike from our long time auto insurer (we switched carriers). But the larger question voiced by someone much smarter than us is, “How are we going to pay for this?” We’ve been told Social Security has a lifespan of another dozen years and that’s before this nearly six percent hike. So, Joe and Congress, what’s the plan?

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Atlanta Journal Constitution writer and former Congressional insider Patricia Murphy reports that 90 percent of American adults say they don’t know what’s in Joe Biden’s $3.5 billion social services package. She estimates the number may be closer to 99 percent – and we think the percentage of members of Congress who don’t grasp the package’s details is probably north of 50 percent.

Idle question – why is it necessary for the Seminole Tribe to run hundreds of ads telling us what a good deal Florida has with them running gambling operations?

We give a nod to the Clearwater City Council for punting on a very convoluted new election system. Last year’s election where only the Mayor received a majority vote was an outlier as compared to previous elections and not a compelling reason for change.

From a Facebook friend: “If more products were made in America, those backed up cargo ships wouldn’t matter.”

Breaking election news: Charlie Crist hops aboard the marijuana train joining his Democratic competitor Nikki Fried.

Sign of the times: Tesla wants to attempt to mitigate a safety-related software problem in their cars via the Internet. The National Highway Transportation Safety Board is telling the high-tech manufacturer “not so fast.”

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (October 16, 2016) - We need an ID to drive; to get insurance coverage; to use the gym; to check out a book at the library. Just what is so suppressive about us needing an ID to vote?

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Immigration news from the ersatz 5:05 Newsletter: This week President Biden unveiled his new border policy. It will officially be known as, “No Juan Left Behind.”

A day after the Rays were eliminated from the playoffs, the Atlanta Braves advanced to the National League championship. Their starting pitcher was the guy the Rays should have not let get away – Charlie Morton.

So Jon Gruden is being removed from the Buc’s Ring of Honor. Does that also mean we take down all the banners from the Buc’s 2002 Super Bowl win?

In the immortal words of the late Lewis Grizzard: “How ‘bout them Dawgs!”

There’s a museum for virtually everything, so we suspect somewhere in the U.S. there is a building full of lava lamps from the ‘70s.

We’re just full of facts this week. America’s most popular mustard, by far, is French’s – made by the French’s Food Company of Springfield, MO, located at 4455 E. Mustard Way.

Buy early for Christmas, but ditch the gift cards

We are being told to buy early for Christmas this year because of potential shortages, transportation issues and the like. We offer a second piece of advice -avoid gift cards. They are easy, but they are impersonal. For a do-it-yourselfer or hobbyist, the cards do provide an opportunity for them to get something they truly want. However, in this age of advanced technology, they are subject to fraud – even while they are in your hands, either through crooks using illegal skimmers while the cards sit on racks in the store or, in some cases, through internal dishonesty in the store where you bought it. Sadly, some retailers, most notably Wal-Mart, take a buyer beware stance even if you have been victimized through no fault of your own. Until stores institute much better security with gift cards and you absolutely don’t want to buy a physical gift, old fashioned checks or cash should be the gift of choice.

NEXT UP: More on Wal-Mart; Speeding up baseball; Halloween rant

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Baby boomers are out of touch

We’ve read a few “essays” on baby boomers recently, and they got our attention. We (we use we because a vast majority of our misguided readers are boomers – their first flaw) are khaki and New Balance wearing out of step individuals who visit malls (we haven’t been in a mall in two years), drive square American-made cars and still read books and some of us don’t even have smart phones – in short, a useless segment of society. We would hasten to point out a few other characteristics of boomers – we pay our bills on time; those of us who still work show up for work even when we don’t feel like it; we somehow managed to pay off our student loans; we still communicate face to face; say please and thank you; attend church and, despite its many flaws, love our country – characteristics we strain to find in most Millennials, Gen-Xs and whatever other generation has followed us.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

The following from the “unofficial” 5:05 Newsletter pretty much sums up this out of touch “boomer” thing: “If you think you are smarter than the previous generation… 50 years ago the owner’s manual of a car showed you how to adjust the valves. Today it warns you not to drink the contents of the battery.”

Number of the Week: One dollar a gallon – the increase in the cost of gas in the Bay Area since the first of January. More on this next week.

So let us get this straight, the lack of support for Joe Biden’s 3 trillion dollar plus giveaway is simply because people don’t understand it. He is going on a campaign to educate us, the unwashed masses.

By the way, one of the nuggets in his spending plan is many million dollars for a “tree equity” program. Yeah, we don’t either.

If it weren’t so incredibly wrong, you might chuckle at the use of “reproductive rights” or “pro-choice” to lessen the grievousness of killing unborn babies.

A bit of wisdom “borrowed” from a friend: Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

A baseball thought from a longtime fan, “MLB can spend 2 years planning for a baseball game in a cornfield but can't find the time to properly execute their replay system. It really is as simple as investing in 360 degree video technology.” Note: this technology is already employed at the highest levels in Japanese and Korean leagues.

The cheer you heard earlier this week had nothing to do with a particular score, but the announcement that 68-year-old MLB umpire “Country Joe” West is retiring. West is annually voted among the five worst umpires in baseball.

Back in the day of college football scoreboards on radio and TV, it was practically mandatory to slip in (no pun intended) the Slippery Rock score. The small (7500) public university in Pennsylvania does take their football seriously – witness their 75-0 thrashing of Clarion last weekend. Clarion is also a small (4000) public university in the Keystone State.

As the NHL season prepares to start up this week, that fancy thing you see on the ice dates back to 1949. Frank Zamboni created the original machine to speed up the resurfacing of his skating rink in Southern California.

Topping the charts this week in 1968 was the biggest song of the decade – The Beatles Hey Jude.

If after this life, you are condemned to TV hell, there will be one channel featuring only Judge Judy, The View, Ellen, Doctors Phil and/or Oz and anything involving Oprah.

There are football programs - then there’s USF

When you think of great football programs over the years, you naturally think of Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and our two Florida schools – UF and FSU. On the other end of the spectrum are Northwestern (have lost more football games than any other Division I school), Indiana, Rice and Dry Gulch A&M. Okay, the last one is a fictitious school made up by our oldest friend years ago. Soon to join this list of schools you want at your homecoming is USF who opened the season with a 45-0 loss to N.C. State – hardly a football power. Then came the Gators and a three touchdown loss. Then a two touchdown win over Florida A&M, a College Division opponent, then two more losses. The Bulls have won six games over the past three years. They do have a winning record over their 22 seasons, but that is mostly the product of their founding coach Jim Leavitt who had nine winning seasons in his ten years at the school. Having spent an outrageous amount of money on the program, they can’t simply go quietly into the night as their cross town neighbors, the University of Tampa, did some thirty years back. But it is quite apparent that USF is not ready for prime time and needs to make serious adjustments to their program.

UP NEXT: Gift Cards; Mustard; ID cards

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

The mouse that changed Florida forever

It’s one of the greatest cloak and dagger stories ever. Walt Disney flying around central Florida in the mid-sixties; buying up property through dummy corporations; meeting covertly with Florida Governor Hayden Burns and then making the stunning announcement in 1965 that “East Coast Disneyland” was coming to central Florida. Fifty years ago this week, the park opened and central Florida, indeed all of Florida, has never been the same. Orlando’s population when the park opened was just over 90,000; today it is three times that. Florida had 6.7 million citizens at the park’s opening. Today that number is 21.6 million. Orlando’s airport has morphed from an Air Force base (McCoy) to Florida’s busiest airport and the 10^th busiest in the nation. Dozens of other attractions have sprung up in central Florida in the wake of Disney World, but none have the cachet and drawing power of “the mouse” bringing just shy of 21 million people to its gates each year while employing 77,000 Floridians.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

The revered 5:05 Newsletter weighs in on our lead article: Walt Disney Company animators have been forced by the politically correct crowd to give Tinkerbell a plus-sized fairy sister. Her name will be Tacobell.

Factoid – two shares of Disney stock bought in the early 1980s for $160, with splits and reinvested dividends, are now worth well over $20,000. We know, we bought them – unfortunately not for ourselves.

More regarding Mickey, what cartoon character or super hero was on your lunch box back in elementary school?

A belated Happy Birthday to President Jimmy Carter, who celebrated his 97^th last Friday (10/1).

This week we received our 50^th final call before they close the file on our auto warranty.

That, of course, was followed immediately by a guy offering us the latest and greatest Medicare Supplement plan – something to look forward to until early December.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Happy Birthday Dad and thanks for the guidance and work ethic you passed along.

Related to the lead article and the item just above. Dad and Mom were at the grand opening of WDW, the guests of Gulf Oil who had the original service center at the park.

You’ve lived in Clearwater (or anywhere else) a long time if you remember the radio/TV tube testing machines often, for some reason, found in drug stores.

As the playoffs begin this week, our three picks to win it all are the Dodgers, the Dodgers and the Dodgers – the best team money can buy.

Related note: we know it’s a huge longshot, but nothing would make us happier than to see the Atlanta Braves clinch the World Series at Truist Park and watch the All-Star thief Rob Manfred have to present the trophy to Braves management – and to hear the warm welcome he would receive from the crowd.

Idle thought: despite all the contrived names of minor league baseball clubs nowadays, the best team name in the minor leagues is still the Toledo Mud Hens, followed closely by the Durham Bulls.

In keeping with our overall theme this week, you’ve lived in Florida (or elsewhere) a long time if you ever dined at the ESPN Zone at Walt Disney World.

The kingdom of beers

Bitter Brew reads more like the history of an ancient European dynasty rather than a look at what was America’s biggest brewery, Anheuser-Busch. It has all the palace intrigue of a great empire plus some local hooks with the amusement park in Tampa and the Busch family presence in St. Petersburg during the years their Cardinals trained here. William Knoedelseder’s book details six generations of the Busch family with their tremendous successes, numerous scandals and larger than life characters. It talks about the Cardinals, the beloved Clydesdales and the beers – six of the top ten beers in America come from what is now known as Anheuser-Busch InBev, including the #1 beer – the ubiquitous Bud Lite. Bitter Brew begins with the Busch family buying a bankrupt brewery on the banks of the Mississippi, through the trying years of Prohibition to the bittersweet end when the Busch empire was swallowed up by a faceless European cartel of beer brands. It’s an excellent read if you’re a student of business history or Americana. And it’s a good lead-in to Knoedelseder’s follow-up Fins which chronicles General Motors and its chief designer Harley Earl, the father of the Corvette and the finned cars of the late fifties and early sixties.

NEXT UP: Out of touch boomers; Zamboni; Biggest song of the 60s

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

What’s wrong with pro-lifers? Here’s the answer

We seldom comment on “letters to the editor” we read. But a recent missive in “Florida’s Best Newspaper” was completely over the top. It was from an A. (not sure what the A stands for, but we’d guess it isn’t astute) O’Brien. According to the not so erudite Ms. Mrs. or Mr. O’Brien, the great number of Americans who are pro-life are opposed to climate change measures; are warmongers; against sustainable wages; don’t want quality health care for our citizens; won’t wear masks and won’t get vaccinated. That’s a whole lot of wild, wild supposition with absolutely no basis in fact. We guess we shouldn’t be surprised that what passes for our local newspaper would print such garbage.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Quote of the Week: “We can talk about the border problems, you could say they’re years in the making, but it’s pretty clear that we have a bigger problem now than we’ve had in years” – NBC’s Chuck Todd. When a liberal apologist like Todd says something like that, you know we have an enormous problem at our borders.

The fact that Joy Reid still has a job at MSNBC after her racist remarks of last week regarding the death of Gabby Petito tells you all you need to know about the cable outlet.

As plans move ahead for a new and long overdue bus station at Myrtle and Court Street in downtown Clearwater, the most exciting aspect of the replacement facility is a possible connection from downtown to TIA.

You wonder how many “feel good” ads Bank of America will have to run to overcome the publicity they received when they closed the account of a local man they presumed deceased and then put him through the ringer when he showed up, very much alive, with ID, taking almost two weeks to unfreeze his account so he could pay his bills.

Factoid: Florida’s economy is the 17^th largest in the world. It ranks ahead of Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland to name a few.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (September 25, 2016) - Ten years ago this week, former Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares passed away. The man knew everybody in town; was a champion for the Hispanic community; but most of all, is remembered for his valiant fight against the Church of Scientology. It was Cazares who, along with a few others, sniffed out what the “United Churches of Florida” was up to. It was Cazares alone who withstood vicious harassment by the Church of Scientology involving what federal investigators found to be a smear campaign against the Clearwater Mayor. Gabe later served on the Pinellas County Commission, but it was as the crusading mayor of Clearwater where he made his indelible mark.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

As we get ready for the baseball post season, this bit of etymology from the 5:05 Newsletter: “Karate is a Japanese word that means "My kid can't hit a baseball."

It’s not only the cellar dwellers that have managers on shaky ground. A couple late season collapses could spell the end of the road for skippers who were expected to win.

We know he plays for the home team, but Kevin Kiermaier deserved to get plunked by the Blue Jays. What he did was just plain bush league.

The Dodgers are the favorite to win the World Series with odds of 14-5. The Rays rank third at 7-1. The team with the longest odds is the Cardinals at 30-1. That’s a bet we’d be willing to take. The oddsmakers are vastly underrating the Redbirds.

Idle thought: think of all the things you’ve used as a bookmark over the years (pictures, old tickets, business cards, receipts, dollar bills etc.) while the nice bookmark someone gave you sits in a drawer.

You’ve lived in the bay area (or anywhere else) a long time if you remember when cigarette machines populated every restaurant, gas station and most businesses in the area.

The hit making groups of the 70s

With eight number one hits in the 1970s, the Bee Gees were the runaway leaders of the 1970s groups. Their Night Fever from Saturday Night Fever was the biggest seller by a group in the 1970s. The other top ten groups of the 70s, in order were The Carpenters (Close to You), Chicago, The Jackson Five, Three Dog Night, Gladys Knight and the Pips (Midnight Train to Georgia), Tony Orlando and Dawn, Earth Wind and Fire (September) , The Eagles and The Spinners - who had hits in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Just outside the top ten were The Temptations and the Doobie Brothers. Next month, Michael Jackson and the other top male artists of the 80s.

NEXT UP: “The Mouse”; A great investment; King of Beers

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Can we give you some free Medicare stuff? 

Now that we have all spent our $1400 checks, the Democratic Party wants to buy our votes with free dental, hearing and vision coverage through Medicare. This one is going to be a little tougher sell. While it plays well to those of us on or on the cusp of Medicare, the American population under 65 (which is almost 85 per cent of the population) will hopefully ask who is going to pay for this? The three letter answer is you. It is an ill-disguised campaign trick for the 2022 midterms which, at this point, are not looking all that great for the party in power – commonly the case. And with more and more advantage programs offering extended coverage in the three areas, even the over 65 crowd should be leery of this latest Democratic ploy. All these machinations while the Medicare (and Social Security) well is running dry.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff: 

First, an addendum to last week’s (TBR&R 9/12/21) lead piece on the city of Clearwater and the Phillies; we should have mentioned the club holds a five year option beyond 2023 to remain in Clearwater. Informed observers say they will surely exercise it as the terms are very club-friendly.

Thursday began the official election season for next March’s Clearwater city election. Incumbent David Allbritton, who has done a fine job in Seat 4, is up for re-election. So far, the only announced candidate for the vacant Seat 5 is anti-Scientology candidate Aaron Smith-Levin, who will have to show he is more than a one-trick pony to win the confidence of Clearwater voters.

Another steady hand at the helm of government quietly retired recently. Mike Meidel spent 17 years as Pinellas County’s Director of Development. Prior to joining Pinellas County, Mike was the President of the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce. He will be missed.

It’s a crazy world out there - bunches of morons in denial who will not get vaccinated and will not wear a mask. Parents of children are shopping for quacks to issue a note so their kids don’t have to wear masks in school – after their own doctor says the kids should.

Sign of the times? Our mid-week delivery of “Florida’s Best Newspaper” was missing the usual Publix weekly flyer. But it did contain three copies of the Publix liquor ad.

From the sage observers of human nature at the Unofficial 5:05 Newsletter: “So far it doesn’t seem like changing the name and picture on a pancake box has resulted in racial unity.” 

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Raise your hand if you had the San Francisco Giants as the first MLB team to clinch a playoff spot or Jacksonville State beating FSU.

Watching this week’s tributes to Pirate great Roberto Clemente reminds us again that the number 21 should join 42 as a number retired across baseball. Clemente was one of baseball’s greatest players and quite possibly its greatest humanitarian.

Answer: Downy laundry softener and Kodak film. Question: what two nationally advertised products have used Paul Anka’s The Times of Your Life in their ads, albeit about 30 years apart?

This week on September 25^th, we celebrate One Hit Wonders Day with a bow to groups like the Silhouettes (Get A Job), the Elegants (Little Star) and Zager and Evans (In The Year 2525) plus single artists like The Singing Nun (Dominque) and Bobby McFerrin (Don’t Worry, Be Happy).

Random thought as summer winds down: Vacations – people want them to start as soon as possible and last as long as possible.

Idle question: how many days a week (or month) does everything you receive in the mail go directly into the trash?

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you attended North or South Ward Elementary Schools.

Focus Group: Favorite memories of the “mouse” 

With the 50^th anniversary of Walt Disney World just a couple weeks away, we asked our TBR&R focus group for their favorite attraction and favorite park in the entertainment giant.

Our first two responders have made more trips to Disney than the law probably allows – before children, with children and with grandchild. The female focus group member chose The Haunted Mansion and The Magic Kingdom as her favorites. Her tag team partner of many years also likes the Magic Kingdom best with his favorite attraction being the Skyway that gave you a terrific view of the park from the air. The attraction closed in 1999 after 28 years.

Our newest focus group member, like many of us, had different favorite attractions at various stages of his life, but votes for the American Experience in Epcot by a whisper over Soaring. He too votes for Magic Kingdom for its overall experience.

The pragmatist in our focus group votes for any attraction with air conditioning – two of those being her co-favorites The Muppet Show and Disney’s oldest attraction, Carousel of Progress. Her favorite park is Hollywood Studios.

And our last two responses from the western most and northern most members of our elite task force put the Haunted Mansion over the top with one saying they never visited Disney without a whirl through the attraction. And both voted for the beloved Magic Kingdom as their favorite park.

We all thank Walt and his successors for giving us, our kids and, in some cases, our grandkids a treat seldom duplicated.

NEXT UP: Florida’s economy; Replay; Best groups of the ‘70s

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Clearwater and the Phils

Only one relationship between a major league team and its spring training host city goes back further (Lakeland-Tigers) than the relationship between the Philadelphia Phillies and Clearwater. The Phils have trained here since 1948 – first at Green Field, then at Jack Russell Stadium and now at the multi-named stadium on US19. It’s still a burr in our saddle that at least some segment of that stadium is not named for Jack Russell, Sr. – Clearwater’s Mr. Baseball. But we leave that for another time. As the majority of the City Council and the Phils meet this weekend, a couple of things to remember: First, there are not a bunch of cities clamoring for a major league club to play less than 20 games a year in a multi-million dollar stadium. The Phils contract with the city runs out in 2023. Clearwater has the upper hand here for the reason above and the fact that a lot of Phils’ execs have roots here (family ties, homes etc.) that they would be hesitant to give up. Lastly, less than three years is a mighty short time to cut a deal with another city either in Florida or Arizona (where the Phils certainly don’t want to go). Another side note: Council member Kathleen Beckman is embarrassing herself with her pouty refusal to make the trip to Philly. She claims it constitutes a conflict of interest, which is ridiculous. Several council members over the years have avoided any conflict by simply paying for the trip’s expenses rather than not meet with one of the city’s important stakeholders.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

So protecting the rights of the unborn is “Un-American”. Thanks Joe, we’ll remember that.

Another “accomplishment” of the Biden administration: over the just completed Labor Day weekend, gas was up 95 cents a gallon from a year ago.

Happy Birthday to Governor Ron DeSantis, who at age 43 is the youngestGovernor in the nation.

The Biden administration has announced another $5.8 billion in student loan forgiveness. And who pays for this? Sadly for the most part, it’s responsible folks who paid off their student loans years ago.

Answer: Grover Cleveland. Question: who is the only U.S. President to serve two non-consecutive terms? Many hardcore Trump supporters think he will be the next. Others think he has the political future of Warren G. Harding.

Another insight from the semi-official 5:05 Newsletter: Sure, streaming subscriptions are just as expensive as cable, but you also get to remember 18 different passwords.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

We all wanted him around to announce our 100^th birthday. Willard Scott, a staple on the Today show, passed away last week 13 years short of his 100^th birthday.

The top movie this month 50 years ago was the Charlton Heston thriller The Omega Man.

Two names to remember: Max Scherzer and Bob Buhl. The first name you surely know – a guy headed for the Hall of Fame – as a pitcher - as a hitter, not so good. He’s appeared at the plate 53 times this year and has yet to reach base. But he will probably fall short of fellow pitcher Bob Buhl’s mark with the 1962 Cubs and Braves. Buhl went 0-70 that season – although he did reach base a few times via bases on balls.

As we move away from hot weather in the not so distant future, this idle question: Did you ever have a summertime lemonade stand as a kid? They were always hard to pass up.

A question occurred while surveying the salad dressing in the refrigerator: Is there really a Ken’s Steak House? And the answer is yes in Framingham, MA. Like the former Farmer Boy’s in Clearwater, Ken’s has spun off their dressings – some 60 of them!

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember the Boy Scout Hut on North Highland Avenue, just east of the Clearwater Country Club.

Florida takes a swipe at Ben and Jerry’s

Sooner or later, businesses with a far left agenda will realize their pushing liberal (or worse) causes have consequences. Ben and Jerry’s decision not to sell their product on the West Bank (TBR&R 7/25/21) has created multiple pushbacks including here in Florida. Our state’s retirement plan could drop the ice cream company’s parent Unilever from state investments and contracts. Some have termed the corporate giant’s actions Anti-Semitic. The company has throttled back a bit from its initial position due to the backlash from several quarters, modifying its first comments about not operating in war-won lands when it was pointed out that its home state of Vermont is, indeed, a “war-won land.” Governor Ron DeSantis summed up the state’s position best saying “there is nothing progressive about boycotting the only democracy in the Middle East.”

UP NEXT: More free stuff; Pancakes; Memories of the mouse

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

The GOP, so far

Just think children, a mere three years from now your TV will be pelted with ads from the standard bearers of the Democratic and Republican parties. The Democratic ticket is too scary to think about, but there is beginning to be some clarity on the Republican side. A recent four-part series by political analyst Sarah Isgur handicapped about a dozen and a half possible candidates. She ranked Don Trump as the favorite – but keep in mind she was part of his administration and may not be all that unbiased. Following Trump in order are Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, Missouri Senator Josh Hawley, Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, plus two longshots, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Fox’s Tucker Carlson. An interesting bunch of names and we would bet some fairly serious money on one of those names being the GOP nominee. Our favorite is on that list, but we’ll hold fire until the election is a bit closer.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Were you late for an appointment Joe? What an incredible show of disrespect.

We wish only the best for incoming Clearwater City Manager Jon Jennings and City Attorney David Margolis. As we pointed out earlier (TBR&R 6/6/21), they have some huge shoes to fill.

Idle question: at what point does the city of Clearwater stop throwing money at its downtown?

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul becomes New York’s first female governor. The bad news – she inherits a mess. The good news - the performance bar by which she will be judged is ridiculously low.

We love the billboards the state of Ohio has purchased on California roads. Two examples – “Just a short 2350 miles to a state that’s better for your business” and “Our business climate is better (So is our traffic)”.

Second idle thought: we read a local obituary recently that trumpeted a few accomplishments and interests plus the fact she hated a certain public figure. Is hatred what you want as a legacy? Hatred of poverty, racism or war – yes, but hatred of a fellow human being? That’s a sad existence.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

To us, it was one of the greatest lines in comedy TV. Lou to Mary: You’ve got spunk…..I hate spunk! Ed Asner, Lou Grant and so many other roles in his illustrious career, passed away last week at age 91.

Mike Richards is out at both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, in part, due to some unfortunate comments. Meanwhile, the search for a new Jeopardy host continues its crooked path. We sincerely hope it will not come down to who can garner the most names with online petitions as opposed to someone well qualified for the spot (See Jennings, Ken or Bialik, Mayim).

October 31 – the Bucs take on the Saints in Week 8 of the NFL season. Three days later, the seventh game of the World Series is scheduled to be played - just saying.

A sign of the times from the not so official 5:05 Newsletter: Hundreds of “sniffer dogs” are being retired as marijuana becomes legal in more and more states. Many are expected to be adopted by stoners who keep misplacing their stash.

Topping the charts fifty years ago this week was Paul McCartney’s first solo #1 song – Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.

Happiness is – hearing from Mike Twitty (Pinellas County Appraiser) that your property value went up, but your taxes actually went down a few bucks.

Factoid: A quote long attributed to Henry Ford regarding his early cars, “You can have any color you want as long as it’s black.” Actually the first Ford Model A only came in red – a tidbit from an otherwise tedious book The Life of the Automobile by Steven Parissien.

Speaking of cars, you’ve lived in Pinellas County a long time if your license plate began with 4-W for average sized cars, just 4 for compacts and 4-WW for larger vehicles.

Here come the Rays and the Bronx Bombers

There are two teams in the American League you do not want to play right now – our Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. In August, the Rays were 21-6 and the Yankees 20-8 including 13 straight wins. The Yanks have an easier schedule down the stretch including six games with the Rays’ punching bag, the Orioles. The Rays are finished with the Orioles for the season. The local nine have three with Boston, six with Toronto and three with the Astros – and they end the season with three in the Bronx. They surely want to be four up on the Yanks when they meet in early October. The Yanks also have six with Toronto who could play spoiler to either or both teams plus three with the Red Sox. And you can’t overlook a three game set with the spiraling Mets, who would like nothing better than to spoil their cross town rivals’ season. It’s going to be an interesting month.

NEXT UP: Omega Man, Lemonade stands; Grover Cleveland

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Hooray for Chick-fil-A

The latest from the Democratic whack jobs in New York is a move to prohibit the nation’s third largest restaurant chain from having locations on the New York State Thruway. A Rochester-area legislator, Harry Bronson, is leading the charge saying “We are going to offer them an opportunity for them to earn millions and millions of dollars,’ even though we know what the history is." Chick-fil-A’s history is that of a terrific corporate citizen across the United States and beyond. They have drawn fire from folks like Bronson for the fact they are pro-life, support groups like the Salvation Army and have a business plan based on Christian principles. Probably the best picture of how mainstream America looks at Chick-fil-A is to witness the wrap around traffic at their locations here in the bay area and across America. We doubt the radical fringe in New York will be successful in their drive to keep one of America’s best food chains off New York’s highways. And a postscript: apparently the folks who run Busch Gardens don’t find Chick-fil-A so heinous as they have just announced the chain is coming to the large Tampa amusement park.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

CBS News on Kabul attacks: 'Worst day of the Biden presidency' - more like the worst day in any presidency in the past two decades.

Mayoral candidate Ken Welch heads into St. Pete’s general election with a commanding lead. If Welch prevails in November, the city should be in good hands.

How self-serving of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to point out that shooting deaths in Tampa are up from when she was Police Chief. Ma’am, if anything, you are more responsible as Mayor for the increase in deadly crimes than you were as Police Chief.

More political news not attributed to the 5:05 Newsletter: President Biden made an honest mistake recently announcing that 350 million Americans have been vaccinated, which is 20 million more than the population of the United States. He was trying to remind everybody that he received 350 million votes for president. And that was just in Georgia.

More and more economists are predicting an end to the housing bubble where prices of homes have increased an average of over 16 percent in the past year.

Those of us who have lived the majority of our lives on the Gulf coast watch in awe as a marginal storm like Henri leads national newscasts as it approaches the northeast. The same storm headed for Florida gets barely a mention.

Idle thought: With all these special interest days, weeks and months, shouldn’t there be at least a day a year for normal people?

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

You would laugh until your sides split, but you never blushed at Jeanne Robertson’s humor. The charming comedian from Alamance County, NC passed away last week at age 77.

The entertainment world lost another stellar performer last week with the passing of Don Everly, one half of the hit-making Everly Brothers of the 50s and 60s. His brother Phil passed away seven years ago.

In an era where it is becoming increasingly rare, Yadier Molina has announced that he will play one final season in 2022 as a St. Louis Cardinal. He joins legends Bob Gibson and Stan Musial as career Cardinals. He will also, no doubt, join them in the Hall of Fame a few years down the road.

A last minute absence and lack of a substitute thrust Channel 13 meteorologist Dave Osterberg into the anchor’s role for the station’s noon news last week. You would have thought he had been doing it all his life, but he insists he won’t give up his day (or should we say morning) job.

Please no! Not another round of “guest hosts” on Jeopardy! Couldn’t we just select the runner-up from round one? We’re still in the Ken Jennings camp.

A survey by CHG Healthcare, the nation's largest privately held healthcare staffing company, found that only 9% of workers want to return to an office environment fulltime. Conversely, we know a few old timers who finally retired for good because they could no longer go to the office.

You’ve lived in the bay area (or anywhere else) for a long time if you remember when medicine cabinets had tiny slots to dispose of used single razor blades. And what ever happened to those blades? You found out when you remodeled your bathroom!

Olivia and the other 70s female hit makers

Let’s see, there was If Not for You, Let Me Be There, I Honestly Love You and Have You Never Been Mellow, in all a total of 23 hit records in the 1970s – three of them going to number one. It’s no doubt Olivia Newton-John was the number one female artist of the 1970s. And she was in good company with the by now solo Diana Ross, disco queen Donna Summer, Helen Reddy (I Am Woman), Linda Ronstadt, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Carly Simon (You’re So Vain), Canada’s Anne Murray (Snowbird) and Roberta Flack. Just missing out on the top ten female artists were, surprisingly, Carole King and Cher. There’s no doubt the seventies had some great female artists. But the biggest female hit record of the 1970s came from a “one-hit wonder”, Pat Boone’s daughter Debby – You Light up My Life. Next month – the Bee Gees and the other super groups of the seventies.

NEXT UP: GOP so far; 4-W; Here come the Yanks

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

A great loss to our community

Last Saturday, I asked a mutual friend to remind retiring City Manager Bill Horne we had a breakfast appointment for a “debriefing” as we Air Force veterans call it. Suffice to say Colonel Bill Horne’s Air Force career was far more distinguished than yours truly. He was a city manager before he was officially a city manager running Air Force bases across the globe. Less than 24 hours later after the chance remark about breakfast, as we exited church, my wife got a text from another friend telling us of Bill’s passing. Pardon the use of the word “stinks” but this stinks in so many ways. Bill and his wonderful wife, Loretta, had planned a lot of travel now that he was no longer responsible for a city of 110,000. And our community is poorer because Bill’s idea of “retirement” was simply serving his city in other ways – in a larger role now that the burden of running a city was lifted. We meet a lot of people on life’s pathway. I cannot get to a handful count of folks with more integrity and sense of purpose than Bill Horne. Our community shares in the Horne family’s loss.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Hillsborough County is doing the right thing in mandating masks for students. And Governor Ron DeSantis needs to rethink his stance on masks in our schools.

Afghanistan analysis from The Dispatch: This is happening on Biden’s watch, at Biden’s insistence, against the advice of his senior military advisers and with Biden’s firm assurance to the American people that what has just come to pass wouldn’t come to pass.”

Memo to Joe: By now most folks have forgotten about those $1400 checks and are focusing on the border crisis, your energy mess plus the above mentioned Afghanistan crisis.

Something we read recently worth sharing: Put yourself on the “Ten Thousand Year Plan” – that is, try not to focus too much on things that won’t matter ten thousand years from now – or even ten thousand hours from now – a little over a year. Thanks to author Ginger Rue.

From the 5:05 Newsletter – unofficial edition: Am starting to wonder if UFOs may just be billionaires from other planets?

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Legendary Bishop Barry (now St. Pete Catholic) baseball star Bill Freehan passed away last week. The 79-year-old played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers and, with his teammate Mickey Lolich, holds the MLB record for most starts by a battery – 324 starts.

Born 100 years ago this week was long time Let’s Make a Deal host Monty Hall.

Sign of the times: remember when you would pick up a ream of paper (500 sheets) for the office or your home printer? The price hasn’t changed much, but many of those “reams” are now 400 sheets.

Idle thought (borrowed from longtime friend and wellness guru Dr. Don Ardell): Apparently RSVPing to a wedding invitation "Maybe next time” isn't the correct response.

Answers: Albert Einstein, Tina Fey, Adolf Hitler, J.K. Rowling, Barbra Streisand and Barbara Walters. What this eclectic sextet has in common is that none of them drove a car in their lifetime.

Dinner for four

Our most recent assignment for the TBR&R Focus Group asks what three living people (excluding family) would you invite for a very interesting dinner for four?

One of our eldest elders’ threesome includes composer Burt Bacharach, former Ohio Governor Mike Kasich and the smartest man ever to throw a baseball, Greg Maddux.

We would like to be a fly on the wall for another of our focus group’s dinner parties which would include Bob Newhart, Betty White and retiring Coach Mike Krzyzewski.

And how about this eclectic trio from another of our elite group: Navy vet and Dallas Cowboy quarterback, Roger Staubach, up and coming U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas and completing the dinner party is author, former disc jockey and blogger (must be a fine man) – Mark Steyn.

Another august member just celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary and chose another person married over 50 years – cook Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa), a truly fascinating woman. Accompanying her at the table are famed author J. K. Rowling and the incredibly versatile actor Tom Hanks.

The musician in our group is inviting musical giants Elton John, Brian Wilson and Paul McCartney. If allowed four, he would have invited the Pope – if only to hear him say grace – Musicians!

And the very newest (and youngest) member of our Focus Group would like to dine with the GOAT (Tom Brady, of course), the extremely reserved Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and financial wizard Warren Buffet.

After seeing all these captivating foursomes, can we just make it a banquet with folks switching tables every half hour?

NEXT UP: Chick-fil-A; ONJ; Double Jeopardy!

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

What a real newspaper looks like

A few months back, our daughter gifted us with an on-line subscription to The Atlanta Journal Constitution. The gift was primarily so we could more closely follow our beloved Atlanta Braves. That has been mostly disheartening, but a subject for another day. Referred to as AJC by its readers, the paper is, yes, liberal, but not far out left wing as some markets (including ours) are forced to endure. No stories weeping over the forty years imposed on the murderer of a husband and father, a balanced editorial page with folks ranging from Susan Collins on the left to George Will on the right and local coverage folks in Clearwater, Largo and Dunedin would die for; this despite having a circulation about three-quarters the size of our “local” newspaper. In addition to solid and level news coverage, AJC offers a superb design that brings you into the pages of coverage. It is, in short, what a metro newspaper should look like. (Judge for yourself, you probably can capture a sample on line or next time you fly through Atlanta, pick up a copy.)

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Related to our lead story, an inquiry about a missing local paper delivery a few weeks back was greeted with, “Oh, the delivery guy quit.” So?

After multiple charges of sexual harassment in addition to playing fast and loose with his state’s COVID numbers, disgraced NY governor Andrew Cuomo bows to the inevitable and resigns.

Quote of the week: Protection of access to basic health care means your autonomy as a human being is fully respected by the law – Senator Elizabeth Warren attempting to justify the use of tax dollars to fund abortions. By what stretch is the termination of a human life “basic health care”?

News Note: U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., is banned from Twitter for a week. Oh, the humanity – will she or the nation ever survive?

Not so random thought, our friends in the automobile business say the shortage of cars (and parts) is not easing up. In fact it is getting worse. So take good care of the old flivver.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

You may not have been an FSU fan, but you had to respect the job Bobby Bowden did in turning an average at best football program into a two-time national champion. In a career that spanned from 1959-2009, Bowden had only two losing seasons and a total of 377 wins.

From the Belleair Road sign guy: “Get your shot, moron!”

We think we’re supposed to say this really didn’t come from the 5:05 Newsletter, but here goes: Unemployment up 400% among sports team’s ethnic mascots.

Which begs the question, who is your favorite team mascot? We’ll go with the very entertaining Phillie Phanatic. Which leads to another question, we don’t see that many Phillies’ games, but does he ever get booed? Remember this is the crowd that booed Santa Claus.

55 years ago this week, legendary drummer Keith Moon of the Who celebrated his 21^st birthday by driving a Lincoln Continental into the swimming pool of the Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan. Mr. Moon and his bandmates were banned for life from Holiday Inns worldwide as well as from Flint Michigan. Banishment from Flint, Michigan; is that a punishment?

On this weekend, the anniversary of Woodstock, an idle thought: there is nothing sadder than an old hippie?

Hugs and kisses from me and condolences from everyone else to our Saintly Wife on the 52^nd anniversary of her marriage to your humble blogger.

Finally, a bow to a very generous person

We tip our cap to an anonymous donor who, upon learning that teachers in parochial schools were not recipients of the generosity of our governor, dropped off a check for the benefit of all the teachers in an Upper Pinellas school. That school’s parents and teachers are also taxpayers, just like the public schools.

UP NEXT: No driver’s license; Boomers; Monty Hall

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Some unfinished business regarding opioids

From a recent The Dispatch: “In recent years, a dizzying array of individuals and groups have come forward with legal action against some of the pharmaceutical companies that produce opioid painkillers, alleging they pushed doctors to prescribe their products when they were not medically required and without fully disclosing their addictiveness. The effort has already won several prominent scalps: Purdue Pharma, the developer of OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy in 2019, eventually agreeing to pay an $8 billion settlement.” That’s good as far as it goes. But if we’re really serious about punishing the culprits who ruined tens of thousands of lives, we need to teach a harsh lesson to the drug pushers in doctors’ smocks who willingly played along (and were no doubt rewarded) with this criminal activity. And a great number of them practice in our backyard – remembering the packed parking lots with out-of-state (and in-state) licenses at many doctors’ offices here in Pinellas County.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Face it Joe, you now own the COVID-19 crisis and despite ample vaccine, courtesy of the Trump administration, over 50 percent of the nation remains unvaccinated.

We’re a bit slow, so help us understand this. Florida is one of several states being sued to resume unemployment benefits while virtually every business in the bay area is advertising in some way or another for help.

Again, being slow, our confusion continues: Gov. Ron DeSantis’ awarding teacher bonuses is a publicity stunt; while Biden’s free-wheeling trillion dollar giveaways are not?

Interesting educational note: USF manages to find $25 million for a new football facility, but until a massive revolt by Tampa Bay citizens, couldn’t find the dough to keep their College of Education open.

Biden, Manfred and other liberals are a bit confused. States like Georgia don’t want to make it hard to vote, they want to make it hard to cheat.

Years ago, Delta Airlines had a great ad campaign “Delta is ready when you are!” Obviously, Spirit Airlines is not.

On this week, the 76^th anniversary of the end of World War II – a number of the week – 324,750: that’s the number of aircraft built in the U.S. during WWII. The greatest number of a single aircraft built was the B-24 Liberator with a total of 18,842 planes – nearly half of them by the Ford Motor Company. These numbers come from a terrific book – The Arsenal of Democracy by A.J. Baime.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

We wish nothing but fair skies to Steve Jerve, WFLA Channel 8’s chief meteorologist, who retired last week after 23 years with the station.

Media note: Twitter has signed a deal with The Associated Press to help elevate accurate information on its platforms. That’s akin to the city of Chicago signing a deal with the Capone mob in the ‘20s to lower the crime rate.

Yes, we know it often takes time for excellence to be recognized by a sports hall of fame, but 51 years after his retirement for the Lions’ Alex Karras? And even sadder, nine years after his passing?

Texas and Oklahoma to join the SEC - more on that below; in a related note, neither institution offers a degree in Geography.

As school prepares to open, this nugget from the “Unofficial 5:05 Newsletter:” Supreme Court rules that students who identify as teachers must be allowed to use the teacher’s lounge.

In last week’s much anticipated rematch of the 2017 World Series between the Astros and Dodgers, it was okay to root against both teams, right?

You’ve lived in the bay area for a long while if you remember the “gas wars” of the late fifties and early sixties when gas sank as low as 15 cents a gallon. As we hit $3.00 a gallon, those were good times.

The SEC continues to grow

The recent addition of football powerhouses Oklahoma and Texas brings the number of schools in the SEC to 16. The conference began in 1932 with 13 members. Three of the originals, Sewanee (1940), Georgia Tech (1964) and Tulane (1966), have dropped out. Sewanee now plays Division III football; Georgia Tech is in the ACC and Tulane is a member of the American Athletic Conference along with the Sunshine State’s UCF and USF. The most recent additions will create some SEC scheduling issues particularly with so-called “permanent” games like Alabama-Tennessee and Auburn-Georgia, rivalries that go back decades - and, of course, the premier SEC rivalry in this part of the world – Florida and Georgia. But the SEC has until 2025 to sort things out. That’s when the two Big 12 transfers are scheduled to start playing an SEC schedule. Should be fun!

NEXT WEEK: Woodstock; Tragic decision; A real newspaper

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

More fun with Joe and numbers

More fun with Joe’s numbers: Biden this week said more Americans have died from COVID-19 than died in all our wars since World I. As usual, Biden’s numbers don’t add up. America’s four major wars’ (WWI and II, Korea and Vietnam) death tolls alone exceed the COVID-19 numbers. And then there’s The Gulf War, Afghanistan, Iraq and numerous other skirmishes involving the U.S. in the last century. But then Joe should be expected to be a little shaky with numbers concerning the sacrifices by our military men. Even though he was of draft age at the height of the Vietnam War, Mr. Biden managed to escape military service of any kind in his lifetime.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

We lead off this segment with financial news from the 5:05 Newsletter: A new report found that 40 Fortune 500 companies paid no taxes last year. The other 460 fired their accountants.

Quote of the Week: [The White House is] taking a lawyerly approach to ethics,” said Walter Shaub, a senior fellow at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) who led the Office of Government Ethics under former President Barack Obama from 2013 to 2017. “They’re looking to see what’s technically allowed, and then they’re doing it.” For a point of reference, see our lead article of June 27 regarding Joltin’ Joe and the IRS.

By the way, the above reference to Joltin’ Joe will be our last usage of the phrase. We’ve heard from several Yankee fans that using the alliteration is an insult to one of the greatest ballplayers of all time. Received and agreed.

Answer: Florida. The question: what is the largest state, by far, never to have a resident elected President? Donald Trump, while now a Florida resident, was a New Yorker when he ran in 2016.

Recent ranking of rudest drivers in the U.S. has Florida ranked third only behind California and Nevada. Not surprising – but where is New York? The answer is outside of the city, New York state drivers handle their cars very well and are quite courteous.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

And the MLB trade deadline winners are (drumroll): In the National League, the Dodgers swooping in and acquiring future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer and one of MLB’s most underrated players, Trea Turner, leaves the others in the dust. In the junior circuit, the Yankees’ pick-ups of Joey Gallo and Anthony Rizzo may bring back memories of Mantle, Maris and Berra and that short right field porch. You have to give a honorable mention to the White Sox who with the addition of Craig Kimbrel, have a lockdown bullpen similar to the Royals of years past.

The two top draws in their respective leagues are the Atlanta Braves in the NL and the Texas Rangers in the AL – two teams with slim and none, respectively, hopes for the playoffs. Some of their attendance figures have to do with being two of the first cities (and states) to drop attendance restrictions. The lowest attendance, not surprisingly, belongs to the Toronto Blue Jays who are finally headed home after stops in Dunedin and Buffalo.

The nomadic Blue Jays may be the only underperforming team with a valid excuse. The Braves, Cubs, Indians, Phillies and Yankees all think they are better than their record. But there’s that old Bill Parcells truism “You are what your record says you are.”

Random thought: Health is not just about what you’re eating or how much you exercise. It’s also about what you’re thinking and saying.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (August 7, 2016) - 750,000 – that’s the number of people who attend events annually at Ruth Eckerd Hall making it the biggest drawing venue within the Clearwater city limits. Second and third are the Clearwater Marine Aquarium at 320,000 and Bright House Field at just over 300,000 - this from an interesting 2016 Community Profile published by the city.

Bad umpires should go to the minors

"The best umpired game is the game in which the fans cannot recall the umpires who worked it." Those are the words of Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem. Let us run some names by you – Tripp Gibson, Nic Lentz and Ryan Blakney. Unless you are a really hard core baseball fan, you probably never heard of them. They are three of the five highest rated umpires during the 2021 season. Three more names you might know – Ron Kulpa, Laz Diaz and Angel Hernandez. They are among the worst umpires this season – Hernandez is year to year rated the worst umpire in baseball. Yet, he continues to not only have a job, but get assigned to important post season games. This used to be an honor afforded the best umpires, but now MLB-union agreements dictate that guys like Hernandez work prestigious games. Just as a guy who hits .180 gets sent to the minors, umpires like Hernandez, Kulpa and Diaz should spend some time riding buses until their skills improve – or as happens with players, they are granted their unconditional release.

NEXT UP: Gas wars: Drug pushers; Mud Hens and Bulls

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

A wake up call for all of Florida

Quote of the week: (with every condo association it’s) “a bunch of volunteers that don’t have any experience making decisions on the integrity, the structural integrity of these buildings.” This, of course, comes in the wake, of the Champlain Towers collapse in south Florida. There will be massive over reactions by everyone from state and local governments to insurance companies to local HOAs. The last is not necessarily a bad thing. Far too many HOAs are run loosey goosey by a bunch of volunteers who have no idea of what it takes to run an organization often with a budget of millions or more. At the very least, the state should require every condo HOA to retain a professional property management organization to guide them through the bewildering issues of building integrity, liabilities and smarter budgeting, just to name a few.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

USF President Steve Currall’s surprising retirement after just two years ends a very short presidency (compared to Presidents Castor and Genshaft) which, unfortunately, will be highlighted by an ill-advised attempt to shut down the university’s College of Education.

The well-meaning, but often clueless American Civil Liberties Union has filed a suit intended to overturn a law capping contributions to ballot initiatives claiming it stymies the public’s ability to amend Florida’s bloated constitution. No, the law prevents special interest groups from trying to buy constitutional amendments.

This did not come from the 5:05 Newsletter – well sort of - President Joe Biden announced that his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin were a success. In a related story Hunter Biden is now on the board of directors of Rosneft Oil.

Now, we’ve seen it all. Tough law and order man, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd in a rap video!

We’re trying hard to follow this string of logic – Ben and Jerry’s very expensive ice cream will no longer be available on the West Bank because they will not sell in war-won land. Could they please tell us where in the world, including their home state of Vermont is there not war-won land?

The Saigon Bay Vietnamese Restaurant is scheduled to reopen in a new location in Temple Terrace next month. It was burned down in the senseless rioting in Tampa over a year ago. Our community can only offer condolences to the family operating the restaurant for the damages and loss of business related to an event 1600 miles away.

This previous item from TBR&R bears repeating: a great many bad things in the world can be avoided by simply obeying our laws.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Breaking Olympic News from the 5:05 Newsletter: After several members of the U.S. women's soccer team took a knee during our National Anthem, the team lost to Sweden in the Olympics by a score of 3-0. The team then revealed they are boycotting scoring any goals until racism is defeated. A spokeswoman for the team said, ‘We could have beaten Sweden but we decided as a team that no goals will be scored until complete equality has been achieved in America. Also, we demand a hefty raise.’

Only in D.C. – Nationals versus Padres game suspended due to gunfire outside the stadium.

In a bow to the raging “political correctness” that has infected our nation; the Cleveland Indians will henceforth be known as the Cleveland Guardians – the winner of the “what lame name can you come up with for a storied franchise contest?”

Number of the Week: 78. That’s the number of pitches it took Greg Maddux to throw a complete game victory over the Cubs 24 years ago this week. That’s less than nine pitches an inning!

Even though there appears to be enough Raisin Bran and oatmeal raisin cookies to go around, bakers are reporting a shortage of raisins in the U.S. They feel it will be remedied by summer’s end. By the way, if you’ve never enjoyed the Pennsylvania Dutch delight that is a raisin filled cookie, get the recipe. They take a while to bake, but are well worth the trouble.

You’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you ever dined at the Hawaiian Village Restaurant in Tampa.

Elton and the other superstars of the ‘70s

This month, we review the top ten male hit makers of the 1970s. The decade belonged to Elton John with number one hits like Crocodile Rock, Bennie and the Jets, Philadelphia Freedom, Island Girl, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (with Kiki Dee), along with the top Yuletide song of the 70s – Step Into Christmas. The other top male singers of the decade were post-Beatle Paul McCartney, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond, for the third decade in a row - Elvis, John Denver , Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart (who had the decade’s biggest male solo – Tonight’s The Night) and the 70s king of the ballad– Barry Manilow. Just missing were Glen Campbell (Rhinestone Cowboy) and B.J. Thomas (Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head) – some great artists who produced some great songs. Next month: Olivia and the other girl greats of the 70s.

UP NEXT: Chick-fil-A; What is health; Skirting the law

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally. 

Casting a ballot is not rocket science 

Just a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated our country’s independence giving us, among other things, the right to vote. And over the years, we as a country have chosen to overly complicate that function. For decades there were two ways to vote – in person or absentee. Now we must have early voting, ballot drop off boxes and other junk. Why? In what way, does the ability to vote in person or with a pre-paid mail ballot usurp any right? Frankly, your humble blogger hasn’t been to a polling place in nearly 25 years. And we got a big laugh at an accompanying photo in “Florida’s Best Newspaper’s” story about adding additional early balloting places. The photo showed two people in line last October – both sporting canes. What a coincidence! We don’t walk so well ourselves, which is why we simply fill in the ballot, sign it and mail it back. If we have to include a social security or license number, so what? What could be less complicated?

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

More on voting from Ramesh Ponnuru writing in Bloomberg, “Biden said that 17 states had passed 28 laws making it harder to vote. The same source behind those numbers also reports that 14 states have passed 28 laws making it easier to vote. Four states appear on both lists, which suggests that the legislation is more complicated than Biden’s talk of a ‘21st-century Jim Crow assault’ on voters would allow.”

The Biden gravy train rolls on with $250-300 a month per kid to families with combined incomes of $150,000 or less, hardly the poverty line. Two questions, wouldn’t you have liked that when you were struggling to raise kids? And more importantly, who is going to pay for this largesse?

From “Florida’s Best Newspaper” for the umpteenth time, “The highway patrol did not release the man’s name due to the department’s interpretation of Marsy’s Law, a voter-approved amendment to Florida’s constitution that’s meant to protect crime victims, but deprives the public of information that had long been available under the state’s public records laws.” Okay folks, we get it, you don’t like the law. Now find another drum to beat.

Idle question: does anybody really know what’s going on in Cuba – or Texas?

We’ve been wondering what we (and probably Jack Harris) were going to do for top flight material, but happily the 5:05 Newsletter has thrown us a few choice bones like this one: “California News: A 36-year-old man in California who identifies as a six-year-old, "crushed" a game-winning home run at a local tee-ball game winning the championship for his team. His six-year-old teammates attempted to hoist him up on their shoulders in celebration, but were unable to pick up the 230-pound man.”

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Idle thought: the next time MLB commissioner Rob Manfred makes an appearance at the Atlanta Brave’s Truist Park, we would bet some very serious money, it will be a sell-out.

Speaking of the Ayatollah of baseball, Manfred finally admits the runner on second in extra innings is a T-Ball-like rule and says it probably will be discarded next year - couldn’t be soon enough.

For once, we agree with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith. Athletes from other lands who come here to make millions of dollars should shell out a tiny portion of that to take some English as a second language courses.

Word is the Blue Jays will finally be playing in Toronto by month’s end. Hope it helps. They’ve actually played their best regular season ball on the road.

You’ve lived in Pinellas County a long time if you ever dined at the Brown Derby on U.S. 19 in Palm Harbor.

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of U.S. Senator John Glenn – the first American to orbit the earth back in 1962.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (July 17, 2016) - Within a week, the FBI announces it has concluded its investigations of Hillary Clinton - and D.B. Cooper - so many punchlines, so little space.

Great lines from the big and small screens

Our July assignment for the renowned TBR&R Focus Group was coming up with two or three great lines from the movies and TV over the years. Seinfeld provided the most material.

Our leadoff hitter of the group went with Seinfeld’s, Frank Costanza’s (Jerry Stiller) “Let the airing of grievances begin,” from the Festivus episode, The Graduate’s “ I want to say one word to you, Benjamin - plastics,” and from WKRP in Cincinnati, a holiday promotion gone wrong,  “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”

Classic movies dominate another member’s list with "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," from 1939’s Wizard of Oz. Three years later came “Here’s looking at you kid,” from Casablanca and the ominous “What we've got here is a failure to communicate,” from 1967’s Cool Hand Luke.

For another focus group member, it was “That’s what she said,” from the comedy classic The Office plus Get Smart’s “Missed it by that much,” and from 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – “Who ARE those guys?”

Another Focus Group member weighs in with the golf line “What is that, a Titleist? from the Seinfeld episode “The Marine Biologist” plus these gems – “Snap Out of it” – Cher in Moonstruck and one of the most often repeated quiz show lines “Come on Down” from The Price is Right. 

Another focus group contributor recalls the great Walter Cronkite closer “And that’s the way it is’” along with the Terry Hatcher classic from Seinfeld “They’re real and they’re spectacular,” plus another never to be forgotten Seinfeld line “No soup for you!”

And, last but not least, come these contributions from our western - most focus group member - “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” - Thumper in the movie Bambi. Plus “Shaken, not stirred” from Goldfinger and two great lines from Rowen and Martin’s Laugh-In – Dick Martin’s “You bet your sweet bippy” and Lily Tomlin’s (as Geraldine) “Is this the party to whom I am speaking?”

NEXT UP: Condo-nundrum; King of the 70s; Raisins

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

This year’s All-Star game even more of a joke

We’re not quite sure this is what Chicago sports writer Arch Ward had in mind when he promoted the first major league All-Star game in 1933 at Comiskey Park as part of Chicago’s World’s Fair celebration. The event slated to be a “one and done” event proved so popular that it became an annual event – with exceptions in the final year of World War II and last year’s COVID cancellation. The game has had its ups and downs – like the years with two All-Star games (1959-62), the “Bud Selig Rule” – the winning team would have World Series home field advantage despite the fact the league’s best players often weren’t on the field. This came after a ridiculous tie game in 2002 – also during the Selig regime. This year marks the nadir of All-Star machinations with baseball commissioner and Biden crony Rob Manfred pulling the game away from Atlanta and relocating it to ultra-liberal Colorado with its recreational grass, anti-law enforcement policies and gay governor. We won’t be watching, although in the spirit of Democratic politics, we voted for every Atlanta Brave (with the notable exception of Marcell Ozuna) on the All-Star ballot as many times as we could.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

And from the equal opportunity offenders at the 5:05 Newsletter: Only in America could moving a baseball all-star game from a city that is 51% Black to a city that is 7% Black be seen as a civil rights triumph.

Hey Joe, how many times are you going to tell Russia, “now don’t cyberattack us again!”

Number of the week: $818 million – that’s the amount of money each federal holiday costs us – the U.S. taxpayer. And that does not include the military or the post office. With addition of Juneteenth, we now have 11 such holidays. Allow us to do the math - that’s just shy of $9 billion.

Somewhere, there is a very opportunistic printer cranking out thousands and thousands of bumper stickers proclaiming “Don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for the guy.” That printer will be one of the few who prosper under a Biden reign.

With a bow to the date of this issue (7-11), you’ve lived in the bay area a long time if you remember long since gone convenience stores like Pick-Kwik and Tom Thumb along with grocery stores like Kash and Karry, Food Fair and Pantry Pride.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

America’s love story: Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter celebrated 75 years of marriage last week.

Did you see the picture of Jay-Z and his three million dollar watch? How about a Timex with the rest of the money going to people in need? See the couple directly above for an example of how it’s done.

Yo, Bay News Nine, we have a storm bearing down on the bay area and instead of “weather on the nines,” we get “Who Cares with Allison Walker?”

Media note: Meghan McCain to leave The View. Our question: why was she ever a part of that circus?

Here’s another spinoff from the ridiculous runner on second rule in the major leagues. A reliever can enter the top of the inning, get three straight outs and still be charged with a blown save or a loss. Where is the logic in that?

The LA Dodgers need help – not on the field but in the clubhouse. This year Trevor Bauer is accused of domestic violence. His teammate Julio Urias served a 20-game suspension after similar accusations. And with all this facing Bauer, LA manager Dave Roberts was prepared to start him last Sunday until MLB stepped in. What was Roberts thinking?

Passing the baton

Permit us to wax a little philosophical this week. We ask you to remember, when as a younger person, you were asked to take on a very responsible task – leading an organization, becoming an elder at church or taking a giant step in your professional path. Chances are good you were a little overwhelmed. The reason this task and honor was thrust upon you was that someone else, usually someone older, had “passed the baton.” Now later in life, you might find it uncomfortable to say no to a new task or to continue with a long term obligation. Leanne Jackson, writing in Daily Guideposts puts it this way, “Your life is not a marathon; it’s a relay. You carry the baton for a while, and then pass it to the next person. You aren’t intended to carry it forever.” Good advice and a great opportunity for someone new to be blessed with an honor and challenge in their life, just as you were.

UP NEXT: Voting 101; A good investment; Brown Derby

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Way to go Bolts!

Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally. 

It’s Independence Day, not the 4^th of July

First, let’s get the name of this holiday correct. None of us were there to give our efforts, and for many their lives, so this country could be free. Sadly, this day is now viewed as a reason to grill hot dogs, have a picnic and annoy your neighbors with fireworks. Independence Day is one of the original four federal holidays. The other three were closely grouped within just over a month of each other – Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Through our nation’s history, that number has been bloated to eleven – the latest being Juneteenth. And it could be worse, over the last many years, Congress has rejected Susan B. Anthony Day, Cesar Chavez Day, Malcom X Day, along with two that might make some sense – Flag Day and Election Day. But back to Independence Day - take a moment this week to reflect on what this holiday truly means.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

“Borrowed” from a Facebook Friend - On March 17^th, we were all Irish; on May 5^th, we were all Mexican. How about this July 4^th we all act like Americans?

This will be a very busy month for the Clearwater City Council. During July, they select finalists from a second set of candidates for the City Manager job. Do the same for the upcoming City Attorney vacancy. Meet with the finalists for both jobs and make their selections for both posts. Arguably, it’s the busiest (and most important) month ever for a Clearwater City Council.

Ah, small city politics. Madeira Beach, population 4300, is searching for its fourth city manager in just over four years as Clearwater, population 115,000, prepares to bid adieu to City Manager Bill Horne after over 20 years of service.

Predictably, the U.S. Supreme Court supported an Arizona law upholding voting safeguards by prohibiting ballot harvesting and disallowing votes cast in the wrong precinct from being counted. Predictably, the liberal media went berserk at the 6-3 decision.

Despite last Friday’s victory lap by Job Killing Joe, the fact remains that unemployment numbers are still 70 percent higher than the Trump administration’s pre-epidemic rate of 3.5 per cent.

From a special, special edition of the 5:05 Newsletter: Coalition News: There seem to be coalition cults popping up everywhere these days. The latest one is a personality cult formed around President Biden. It's called "Blank Looks Matter."

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

This week marks the 100^th anniversary of the birth of one of America’s outstanding First Ladies – Nancy Davis Reagan.

This was an idle thought from two years ago - why is it your A/C, water heater or fill in the blank always breaks down right before a holiday weekend? Add to that, your pet gets sick and you have to visit an emergency clinic with their sky-high fees.

Notes from last week’s Rays-Angels series: The Angels only come to Tampa Bay once a season and this year, Rays fans missed seeing the best player in baseball with Mike Trout being out with an injury. Wander Franco had a spectacular start, but it took a nanosecond for the league to find the holes in his swing. And former Northeast High star Doug Waechter handled the TV color assignment – what a breath of fresh air.

Date of the Week – July 1, 2035. That’s the last year the New York Mets will have to write an annual $1.19 million dollar check to Bobby Bonilla. The former major leaguer last laced them up in 2001.

We’ve traveled past its remarkable sign for many years, but did not know the same family had owned it all those years. Treasure Island’s Thunderbird Hotel was sold by the King family last week after over fifty years of ownership.

An addendum to last week’s top groups

As we mentioned last week, the Beatles ruled the 1960s, but the other extraordinary Beatle fact is that every one of their members had at least one #1 record on their own. Paul had seven plus an eighth in a duo with Stevie Wonder (Ebony and Ivory). Ringo had two (You’re 16 and Photograph). John Lennon also had two chart toppers (Just like Starting Over and Whatever Gets You Through the Night). George Harrison had three Number #1s (My Sweet Lord, Give Me Love and Got My Mind Set on You). All these, plus 20 number one tunes as a group. Quite a legacy!

UP NEXT: The joke in Denver; Another $818 million tax bill; 7-11

Happy Independence Day!

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

A letter from the IRS; no, make that Joe

Raise your hand if you’ve recently received an official looking letter and envelope from the “Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service.” That’s never good news. So you open it up and …surprise it’s a very thinly veiled campaign letter, in English, and Spanish of course, from Joe Biden – paid for, to be sure, with our tax dollars. We are quite certain that Joe and company checked on the legality of something like this. While it may be legal, it’s incredibly unethical. And irony of ironies, Biden just asked for an additional $80 billion (yes, billion with a B) for the IRS to “crack down on tax cheats.” Perhaps the IRS should start with politicians who waste IRS resources on nothing less than hack political propaganda. And to think, 51 percent of the American electorate voted for this guy.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

“A day late and a dollar short” – Fox News Sunday’s Chris Wallace on VP Kamala Harris finally getting around to seeing the massive immigration problems facing the U.S. south of our borders.

Number of the Week: One. That’s the number of political candidates with two losses attempting to achieve a higher federal office or governor who have been successful in the past 20 years. That does not bode well for two-time loser Charlie Crist. Oh, the one successful candidate for higher office after two losses – Louisiana Senator John Kennedy.

Item: Lina Khan, four years out of law school, appointed to the Federal Trade Commission. Biden administration thinking since we now have this novice on the FTC, why not make her chairman? Don’t say we didn’t warn you last fall.

A couple news items from the past few weeks that make you shake your head: (1) How did Brooksville manage to inadvertently sell the town’s water tower? (2) What genius plotted the Tierra Verde bridge demolition that killed hundreds of protected game fish? Again, guys at the 5:05 Newsletter – you’re missing some great stuff!

But this one will not surprise you. New York held a mayoral election last week, announcing ahead of time the results would not be known for several days - again, so many punchlines, so little space.

Sports, media and lighter stuff:

Times have changed. Our Dad made his living running a Westinghouse plant that made radio-TV tubes. Our oldest friend’s Dad owned shops that sold and repaired TVs. An acquaintance had a store that repaired appliances like toasters and waffle irons. Gas stations always cleaned your windshield and asked, “may I check your oil?” And your milk was delivered, but pizza was not.

Idle question: how many times a week do you watch a TV commercial and at the end, wonder what they were selling?

Speaking of commercials, we lost two significant individuals connected with commercials last week. Billy Fuccillo, he of the “Huge” commercials for his car dealerships died in Sarasota at age 64. And Frank Bonner who played the stereotypical radio station ad manager on WKRP in Cincinnati passed away at age 79.

We’re less than two weeks away from the Major League Baseball draft and Calvary Christian High School right handed pitcher, Andrew Painter, is forecast by many experts to go in the first round of this year’s draft.

Answer: Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Question: what five states have only one seat in the House of Representatives?

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you ever attended the movies at the Ritz Theater on Fort Harrison Avenue between Cleveland and Drew.

The Super Groups of the 60s

There is probably no decade that produced more landmark groups than the 1960s. You can’t think of the 60s without thinking of the top group of all time by almost every measure –the Beatles. Their short run of 1964 to 1970 produced 64 chart records! The other super groups of the 60s, in order, were The Supremes, and the West Coast/East Coast combination of The Beach Boys and The Four Seasons, Motown’s Temptations (My Girl), The Rolling Stones, The Miracles, The Dave Clark Five (Catch Us If You Can); young teen favorites Herman’s Hermits and The Drifters (Save the Last Dance for Me). Just missing the Top 10 groups were the Impressions and the Four Tops – an impressive list. Coming up next month, we’ll feature the Top Ten male vocalists of the 70s.

UP NEXT: Post Beatle success; All American day; Madeira Beach

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Go Bolts!

Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Message to Joe, talk is cheap

Mr. Biden, talk is cheap. It seems that cyber sources within Russia want to keep messing with American business interests. It’s probably time for you to acquire a spine and firmly tell Mr. Putin to crack down on these miscreants while reminding him we can make his life a lot more miserable that he can make ours – and to illustrate that point the very next time one of our major American companies is the subject of such an attack. Again, talk is cheap.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Oh, then there’s this quote from Joltin’ Joe: “I think we’ve made progress in reestablishing American credibility among our closest friends.” Again, so many punch lines, so little space.

Despite nice answers like “The timing wasn’t right” and “I want to stay with my current community,” you have to know the reason fully three of five Clearwater City Manager finalists dropped out of contention is they realized what a negative impact the Church of Scientology has on our city.

Roses to the St. Pete City Council for wading through a bunch of pro-abortion garbage and approving a small business grant for the STEPP Pregnancy Center in the southern part of the city. And thorns to Council Member Darden Rice for trying to broad brush the well-respected center based on an experience at another facility as an irresponsible 18-year-old.

We know Charlie Crist wants to be governor (again), but he’d be doing this area a huge favor by staying on as District 13 U.S. Rep. – when you look at some of the wingnuts who want to fill his seat.

Reality Winner (now there’s a special name), recently released from prison for stealing federal government documents, claims she is not the leftist activist as portrayed by some of her critics. I mean, everybody who is a down the middle person she claims to be, threatens to burn down the White House.

We know the 5:05 Newsletter is in hiatus, but they are missing a bunch of great stuff out there!

Sports, media and other stuff:

Answer: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon. The question – what five states do not have a sales tax? But all except Alaska have an income tax.

Speaking of taxes, this recent gem from the marquee of the Grossman Law Firm on Court Street: Teach your kids taxes, eat 30% of their ice cream.

With MLB All-Star game just a few weeks away, a thought from one of the TBR&R focus group members, “It occurred to me that the MLB All Star game selection has a long history of vote early and vote often. I guess that explains a lot.”

Another baseball note: it was 57 years ago on Father’s Day that the Phillies’ Jim Bunning, a father of seven, threw a perfect game against the New York Mets. Bunning is also the only man to be a member of the U.S. Senate and the Baseball Hall of Fame.

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember controversial Clearwater City Commissioner Fred Thomas repurposing the old East Avenue railroad station into a hot dog stand. Our favorite menu item was his American (rather than French) Fries.

Songs that make you turn up the radio

You’re driving down the road and suddenly a song comes on the radio that makes you reach for the volume control – and perhaps sing along if no one’s looking! We posed this question to our TBR&R focus group and these are the trios of treasured tunes they came up with. One first respondent had a definite 50s flavor, listing the Diamond’s definitive doo-wop song Little Darlin’ along with Danny and the Juniors’ At the Hop and an Elton John 70s hit Philadelphia Freedom. Another Elton tune scored with one of our elders – Crocodile Rock; his other picks were the Beach Boy’s California Girls and a song recorded by a bunch of USF students in the late sixties - Mercy’s Love (Can Make You Happy). And what would a favorite songs list be without an Elvis song? One of our group chose Can’t Help Falling in Love along with the Platters’ The Great Pretender and folk singer Arlo Guthrie’s The City of New Orleans. Billy Joel’s An Innocent Man made another of our focus group’s list along with the James Bond tune Goldfinger and a beautiful instrumental Maria Elena by Brazilians Los Indios Tabajaras. The Beatles’ Let it Be headlines another of our group’s list along with Billy Joel’s And So it Goes and folk-rock group The Avett Brothers’ Smithsonian. Our focus group member from the northern climes lists another Beach Boy song Good Vibrations, Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody as his top three. That’s quite a list of songs, although several of our elite group had trouble limiting their picks to just three – understandable.

NEXT WEEK: Super groups; Changing times; Joe and the IRS

Happy Father’s Day!

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

DeSantis strikes a chord for sanity

Quote of the Week- from Governor Ron DeSantis: “If the price of providing opportunities that can last a lifetime for all the girls throughout the state of Florida, for ensuring fair competition for them; if the price of that is that we lose an (NCAA) event or two?” “I would choose to protect our young girls every day of the week and twice on Sunday.” Governor DeSantis on his legislation to prohibit policies forcing female athletes to compete against boys who now believe they’re girls. You probably missed his reasonable statement if you read about the legislation in “Florida’s Best Newspaper” as it was buried in paragraph 24 of a 24 paragraph article unfairly criticizing the legislation while adding this nugget –“Supporters of the effort to restrict transgender athlete participation have cited no examples of competitive issues.” Did our noble newspaper people miss the young lady standing beside the Governor who lost a spot in an athletic qualifier to a transgender athlete?

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

The shocking withdrawal of three finalists in the Clearwater city manager hunt (including virtually everyone’s favorite) makes you wonder about the quality of vetting by the city’s search firm Baker Tilley. With Clearwater justifiably pushing the reset button, the new search should be on Baker Tilley’s dime.

Are we back to gas stickers again? “Florida’s Best Newspaper” is continuing to try to defend Nikki Fried’s self-promoting stickers on the state’s gas pumps. Over decades of those stickers, just the name of the Agriculture Commissioner was sufficient. But Nikki felt it important that her picture appear as well. After a firestorm from consumers, they were replaced at additional expense to the taxpayer. Not illegal, certainly unethical. And she wants to be Governor?

Number of the week: 80 cents a gallon. That’s the increase in the cost of gas in the bay area since the first of the year.

Thought of the week: If the public doesn’t want violence connected in any way with law enforcement, then don’t start fights with cops. Commentator Michael Reagan, the eldest son of former President Ronald Reagan.

Dr. Bill Johnston passed away last week at age 90. After practicing dentistry in Clearwater for over three decades, he retired and devoted himself to the free dental clinic at the Homeless Emergency Project for almost three decades – a true servant to his fellow man.

Sports, media and other stuff:

Our Saintly Wife wonders if last year, when there were only cutouts in major league stands, the folks in Philadelphia and Boston pumped in boos so the visiting - and home players would feel at home.

Idle question: how many times a week or month does some moron driver beep at you for following the rules of the road i.e. not turning right on red when it’s prohibited; not pulling up and blocking an intersection etc.?

Sports question from a recent 5:05 Newsletter: Who won the Tour de France by the largest margin? Answer: The Fifth Panzer Division.

This was an idle thought from two years ago - why is it your A/C, water heater or fill in the blank always breaks down right before a holiday weekend? Add to that, your pet gets sick and you have to visit an emergency clinic with their sky-high fees.

Answer – Bob Hope. Question – who made the most appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson? (131 appearances)

You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you remember going to Penney’s downtown to get your scout (Boy or Girl) uniforms and equipment.

Let’s see, what can we cancel next?

Just some idle thoughts as we read about the cancellation of the Golden Globes and the return of his statues by Tom Cruise (there’s a role model): what else can we cancel or destroy? How about the VFW or American Legion? After all, they have only been around since 1899 and 1919 respectively and the American Legion’s motto is “For God and Country” – blasphemy in this age. It’s probably not too late to cancel next week’s Father’s Day celebrations as we suspect today’s fathers are not teaching their kids to be “woke” enough. There’s another reason wrapped up in a mean-spirited Father’s Day joke which we will not use here. Believe it or not, Father’s Day was not an “official” U.S. holiday until 49 years ago, but it is celebrated worldwide in 111 countries. The list of potential cancellations goes on: Thanksgiving (you know, that Indian thing); Christmas and Hanukkah, (after all, only 72 percent of Americans identify as Judeo-Christians). You get the idea, in today’s culture, there’s something wrong with almost everything Americans hold dear. And it’s probably time we take our country back.

NEXT WEEK: Kids & taxes; Favorite songs; Biden’s misuse of funds

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Tampa Bay Raves and Rants is a weekly airing of national and local politics, sports, lifestyles and nostalgia items from a very politically incorrect viewpoint. As always, beware - much of what is printed here should not be taken literally.

Clearwater has two sets of huge shoes to fill

In the next few months, the city of Clearwater will lose their two top appointed officials to retirement – City Manager Bill Horne and City Attorney Pam Aiken. Combined, these two stalwarts have 50 years of service and experience in Clearwater. Replacing them will not be an easy task. Consider, the average shelf life of a city manager is roughly five years; Horne has served over 20. For a city attorney, the term of service is slightly longer. Ms. Aiken has been with the city for 27 years. Worse, there are no heir apparents for either job. Clearwater has been blessed with the competent leadership of Horne and Aiken for over two decades – an incredible run for public servants always subject to the whims of ever changing elected officials. To say well done, would be very faint praise to two outstanding individuals.

Great Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

Sadly, this week would have marked the 100^th birthday of Great Britain’s Prince Philip who passed away in April.

Number of the week: 8000. That’s the number of cancelled hotel reservations in Atlanta due to major league baseball’s move of the All-Star game out of the city. The figure was part of evidence presented in an Atlanta small business group’s $100 million suit against major league baseball for lost revenues plus a billion dollars in punitive damages.

Idle question: At what time does a political regime have to own their problems, rather than continually blame the prior administration for its troubles? We would guess six months. Time is running out Joe.

TBR&R is always on the prowl to bring you the information you may or may not want to know. For instance – what is going on with the old East Clearwater Library? The parcel was sold by the city and is going to become an adjunct to the Florida Spine Institute across Drew Street.

Five Years Ago in TBR&R (June 5, 2016) - We wish the best to Seth Taylor who comes on board as the new head of Clearwater’s Community Redevelopment Agency. He brings a good resume to a big job. Clearwater, particularly its downtown, has foundered since the departure of redevelopment guru Bob Keller many moons ago. (Update – it didn’t work out well. Taylor was fired after a little over a year on the job for drunkenly driving a golf cart on a Cleveland Street sidewalk.)

Sports, media and other stuff:

Something our Saintly Wife shared with us recently: (1) Going to bed early (2) Not leaving my house (3) Not going to a party. My childhood punishments have become my adult goals.

From the always relevant 5:05 Newsletter: Publishing Op-Ed: If I understand this correctly, you can buy Mein Kampf on Amazon but not six Dr. Seuss books? One might say, "Horton Hears the Horst Wessel Song."

Speaking of the best publication in the Tampa Bay area, with the pandemic winding down, the editor-in-chief of the 5:05 Newsletter has announced another hiatus. You almost want to ask China to reopen that lab.

Second number of the week: 1.5 million – the number of people who passed through Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport last (Memorial Day) weekend. Hartsfield remains the world’s busiest airport.

Answer: WFLA Channel 8. Question: what is the only local TV station with the same network affiliation (NBC) as when they signed on the air – in February of 1955?

Topping the charts 60 years ago this week was Travelin’ Man by Ricky Nelson. It was the last number one song for the teen idol.

A tough week in the entertainment business

The music and television industries lost several long time favorites last week. Of most concern to local folks was the passing of legendary Channel 13 weather man Roy Leep. Roy was with WTVT for 40 years. He was, in short, the weather source for the Tampa Bay area. Roy Leep was 88. Gavin MacLeod graduated from bit parts in Mr. Lucky, Peter Gunn and Hogan’s Heroes to meatier parts like Murray Slaughter on Mary Tyler Moore and then his promotion to the captain of The Love Boat during its nine-season run. He also was the goodwill ambassador for the Princess Line – the setting for the show. Gavin MacLeod was 90. The music industry also lost one of its greats with the passing of B.J. Thomas. He was probably best known for his signature Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He followed that up with another #1 tune, Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song a few years later. That song was one of two B. J. Thomas songs to go to #1 on the Country charts along with 26 tunes to hit the Billboard pop charts. And it was a 1971pop hit Mighty Clouds of Joy that lead him to another aspect of his career – songs of faith. B.J. Thomas was 78. And we failed to note the passing last month of one of the last remaining stars of the TV classic Your Hit Parade. Songstress Jill Corey was part of the show during its later years. She was also married to the late baseball star Don Hoak. Miss Corey was 85.

NEXT WEEK: A piece of sanity; Johnny & Bob; Downtown Penney’s

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